:

THE
#jw
HOLY BIBLE,L"^ 29I9T5
lifS

CONTAINING THE ^ESjWCAt

OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS.

THE TEXT' -. ,.,

CAREFULLY PRINTED FROM THE MOST COfiRliC^T tOPlES 'oF THfi ^PIIESEn't

°
AUTHORIZ^ID TRAN»LA"tiO.N, ; ;

INCLUDING THE

MARGINAL READINGS AND PARALLEL TEXTS:

WITH

A COMMENTARY AND CRITICAL NOTES;

EJ:SIGNED as a help to a better understanding of the sacred VVRITI^'GS

BY ADAM CLARKE, LL.D., F.S.A., «Slc.

A NKW EDITION, WITH THE AUTHOR'S FINAL CORRECTIONS.

FOR WHATSOEVER THINGS WERE WRITTEN AFORETIME WERE WRITTEN FQB*OUR M:AI»f£NC**'*IHAT WE THROUGH
PATIENCE AND COMFORT OF THE SCRIPTURES. MIGHT -HA.-*^ ^fto^ffiJ^Oip ^v 4^

THE OLD TESTAMENT1-.

VOLUME 1. GENESIS TO ^'EjtfTERokaMY. ,, C/

NEW-YORK
PUBLISHED BY G. LANE & P. P. SANDFORD,
FOR THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, AT THE CONFERENCE OFFICE.
200 MULBERRY-STREET.

JAMES COLLORD, PRINTER.

1843. (
/
 GENERAL PREFACE.

Divine
THE dlffcient nations of the earth, which have receiV ed'the Old
revelation, have not only had them carefully translatodm'to
arid'
thtii recpedtiXne
Nc\v 'f ^staalcnts as a
languages, but have
•

also agreed in the propriety and necessity of illustrating ih-im j3fc'3n''nh',hr At" first, the insertion '

of a word or sentence in the margin, explaining some par'^iculux\^ycrd in tha text, appears to have
constituted the Avhole of -the comment. Afterwards, thee^e '(VM-p^min^leVl with the text, but with
such marks as served to distinguish them fromtlje wov^s'^liey were intended to illustrate ; some-
times the comment was interlined with the texty land, a-i .other, ti-^-nt;? it -Jccupied 'a's^ac^i' ?t the bot-
'

tom of the page. ' ' '

• • ' ^ •
.

Ancient comments written in all these various ways I have often seen ; and a Bible now lies before
me, written, probably, before the time of Wiclif, where the glosses are all incorporated with the
ext, and only distinguished from it by a line underneath; the line evidently added by
a later hand.
As a matter of curiosity I shall introduce a few specimens.

a^nU sefUc, tSBati), or tocle , K ant cj)aufi^. £ satoe ttte iiir. Isa. xliv. 16.

^z eete I)a»e as an oj:c, antr toit)) ticirie of ijeben f)ls boOs teas rnfovmttr or t»efottltT», tfU J)f» i)crfs luejrfticn' tnto
Ucncsse of eglfs, an* jjis ua^Us as naulfs oc tlzts of trroirfs. Dan. iv. 33.
®e tjat is best in f)em is as a palstivc, tfjat is a sdjarp tusclje, or a tljtatel ox ffcse . Micah vii. 4.

Jge sc1)al baptise oc cf)ristcnti sou, toftt) tje j)ool» goost anti fifr, toljos tofjDntoinae clotfte or fan in ffis t)onti.
Matt. iii. 11, 12.
ffi©ijo cbev sct)al Iccbe Ijfs iniif, gcbe j|)C to ijcta lobel, tj)at is, a iMttl boott of forsafefnge. Matt. v. 31.
'jilsntiz men seen, crofeRj men toantJrcn, mesels ben iitaati clcnc, tieef men teeven, teeU men tsstt\ agefn, jjore

lucn ben taftcn to jjvccjjjjnge of tl)e flospel, oc been ntaati fecpcrs of tjje flosj)el. Matt. xi. 5.
K scljal boltte out, oc telle out tjinflfs ftHi fco mafefng of tje toorltj. Matt. xiii. 35.

^ec ser^ientfs fcuotis of bucrotonungts of ettticfg tbat sleen Ijcc motiris, l)ob) srjjuin jee flee fro tl)e "Home of
j)clle. Matt, xxiii. 33.

?^ccouT3c tctcaacclja, tljat fs, ycince of tbc fourtb pactc. Luke iii. 1.

lilabjnge jouc conbccsncioun oc Iftf gootr amongc bcitten men. 1 Pet. ii. 12.

®fee scijuln cescejbe tfjc untocletoable ccoton of glocte, oc tt)at scljal nebcc faatic. 1 Pet. v. 4.

Slnojut tf)fn eegen toftft colucjo, tl)at is, metu'ciual foe ecgen maaTr of tifbecse erbis, t})at t1)ou sec. Rev. iii. 18.

Comments written in this way have given birth to multitudes of the various readings afforded
by ancient manuscripts for the notes of distinction being omitted or neglected, the gloss was oftei)
;

considered as an integral part of the text, and entered accordingly by succeeding copyists.
This is particularly remarkable in the Vulgate, which abounds with explanatory words and
phrases, similar to those in the preceding quotations. In the Septuagint also, traces of this cus-
tom are easily discernible, and to this circumstance many of its various readings may be attributed.
In proportion to the distance of time from the period in which the sacred oracles were delivered,
the necessity of comments became moi*e apparent; for the political state of the people to whom
the Scriptures were originally given, as well as that of the surrounding nations, being in the lapse
of time essentially changed, hence was found the necessity oi historical and chronological notes,
to illustrate the facts related in the sacred books.
Did the nature of this preface permit, it might be useful to enter into a detailed history of com-
mentators and their works, and show by what gradations they proceeded from simple verbal glosses
to those colossal accumulations in which the words of God lie buried in the sayi7igs of men. But
this at present is impracticable a short sketch must therefore suffice.
;

Perhaps the most ancient comments containing merely verbal glosses were the Chaldee Para-
phrases, or Targums, particularly those of Onkelos on the Laio, and Jonathan on the Prophets;
the former written a short time before the Christian era, the latter about fifty years after the incar-
nation. These comments are rather glosses on words, than an exposition of tilings ; and the former
is little more than a verbal translation of the Hebrew text into pure Chaldee.

The Takgum Yerushlemey is written in the manner of the two former, and contains a para-
phrase, in very corrupt Chaldee, on select parts of the five books of Moses.
1
 GENERAL PREFACE.
The Targum ascribed to Jonathan hen Uzziel embraces the whole of the Pentateuch, but is dis-
graced with the most ridiculous and incredible fables.
Among the Jews, several eminent commentators appeared at different times, besides the Targum,'
ists already mentioned, who endeavoured to illustrate different parts of the Law and the Prophets.—
Philo Jud^us may be reckoned among these his works contain several curious treatises in
;

explication of different parts of the Hebrew Scriptures. He flourished about A. D. 40.

JosEPHus may be fairly ranked among commentators the first twelve books of his Jewish Anti
;

quities are a regular paraphrase and comment on the political and ecclesiastical history of the Jews
as given in the Bible, from the foundation of the world to the time of the Asmoneans or Maccabees.
He flourished about A. D. 80.
It is well known that the Mishnah, or oral law of the Jews, is a pretended comment on the five
books of Mc6^*«^Tllife AX^asSctJrppilfid-ftpjhlihfiymerable traditions hy Rabbi Judah Hakkadosh, pro-
bably aboutjt"$e,fpa^*p/9io''I«*ord:150t .'
\ ;
.'

The TALnvDs^hpihoiJ€r4i^Q,le]n diiRd-B-abylo7i, are a comment on the Mishnah. The former was
compiled about Ar|I>:36^ilhe Jait^ about 200 years after.
Chaldee Targunisj'qr Paraphr^sf g,\ha'ye' been written on all the books of the Old Testament ; some
parts of the book of.£^ta,**and:(hi hodk of Daniel, excepted which, being originally written in
;

Chaldee, did not reqMii«e?"or ^•p'Urp'ase of being read during the captivity any farther explanation.
When thf jJjDjijtkni Pelyglot jta?I>}rf l(5|pr6f s rfo Targum was found on the two books of Chronicles ;
but afterjlKae Wrjrfi j^as p;-Jr^^d,.i IJar^U-ii;. t»n .tlltese two books was discovered in the university of
Cambridge, and printed at Amsterdam, with a Latin translation, 4to, 1715, by Mr. D. Wilkins.
It is attributed to Rabbi Joseph the Blind, who flourished about A. D. 400.
The Masorets were the most extensive Jewish commentators which that nation could ever
boast. The system oi punctuation, probably invented by them, is a continual gloss on the Law
and Prophets their vowel points, and prosaic and metrical accents, &c., give every word to
;

which they are affixed a peculiar kind of meaning, which in their simple state multitudes of them
can by no means bear. The vowel points alone add whole conjugations to the language. This
system is one of the most artificial, particular, and extensive comments ever written on the word of
God for there is not one word in the Bible that is not the subject of a particular gloss through its
;

influence. This school is supposed to have commenced about 450 years before our Lord, and to
have extended down to A. D. 1030. Some think it did not commence before the fifth century.
Rabbi Saadias Gaox, about A. D. 930, wrote a commentary upon Daniel, and some other
parts of Scripture and translated in a literal and very faithful manner the whole of the Old
;

Testament into the Arabic language. The Pentateuch of this translation has been printed by
Erpenius, Lugd. Bat. 1622, 4to. A MS. copy of Saadias''s translation of the Pentateuch, proba-
bly as old as the author, is now in my own library.
Rabbi SoLOMOx Jarchi or Isaaki, who flourished in A. D. 1140, wrote a commentary on the
whole Bible, so completely obscure in many places, as to require a very large comment to make it
intelligible.
In 1160 Aben Ezra, a justly celebrated Spanish rabbin, flourished ; his commentaries on the
Bible are deservedly esteemed both by Jews and Gentiles.
Rabbi Moses be7iMaimon, commonly called Maimonides, also ranks high among the Jewish
commentators ; hiswork entitled Moreh Nebochim, or Teacher of the Perplexed, is a very excel-
lent illustration of some of the most difficult words and things in the sacred writings. He
flourished about A. D. 1160.
Rabbi David Kimchi, a Spanish Jew, wrote a very useful comment on most books of the Old
Testament : his comment on tlie Prophet Isaiah is peculiarly excellent. He flourished about
A. D. 1220.
Rabbi Jacob Baal Hatturim flourished A. D. 1300, and wrote short notes or observations on
the Pentateuch, principally cabalistical.
Rabbi Levi ben Gershom, a Spanish Jew and physician, died A. D. 1370. He was a very
voluminous author, and wrote some esteemed comments on different parts of Scripture, especially
the five books of Moses.
Rabbi Isaac Abarbanel or Abravanel, a Portuguese Jew, who was born A. D. 1437, and
died A. D. 1508, also wrote extensive commentaries on the Scriptures, which are highly esteemed
by the Jews.
Rabbinoo Isaiah wrote select notes or observations on the books of Samuel.
Rabbi Moses Mendelssohn, a German Jew, born at Dissau, in 1729, was one of the most learned
Jews that has flourished since the days of the prophets ; a man to whose vast mental powers
was added a very amiable disposition, and truly philanthropic heart. He wrote Nesibut
Hashshalom, i. e., the Path of Peace; the five books of Moses, with a commentary, and German
translation Ritual laws of the Jews the Psalms of David in verse also, on the being of a God ;
; ; ;

the Immortality of the Soul, and several philosophical works. He died at Berlin in 1786. See
a wrll-wntlen life of this great man bv M. Snynvels : 8vo. Lond. 1825.
a 2
 —
GENERAL PREFACE.
For farther information on the subject of Jewish and rabbinical writers, I must refer my readers
to the BiBLioTHECA Magna Rabbinica o{ Bartolocci, begun in 1675, and finished in 1693, four
vols, folio. In this work the reader will find an ample and satisfactory account of all Jewish
writers and their works from the giving of the law, A. M. 2513, B. C. 1491, continued down to
A. D. 1681. This work is digested in alphabetical order, and contains an account of upwards of
1,300 Jewish authors and their works, with a confutation of their principal objections and blasphe-
mies against the Christian religion together with frequent demonstrations that Jesus Christ is the
;

promised Messiah, di-awn, not only from the sacred writings, but from those also of the earlier and
most respectable rabbins themselves each of the volumes is enriched with a great variety of dis-
:

sertations on many important subjects in Biblical literature. This work, left unfinished by its
author, was completed by Imbonati, his disciple, who added a fifth volume, entitled Bihliotheca
Latino -Hebraic a, containing an ample alphabetical account of all the Latin authors who have -writ-
ten either against the Jews or on Jewish affairs. Romae, 1694. These two works are very useful,-
and the authors may be deservedly ranked among Biblical critics and commentators. Bartolocci
was born at Naples in 1613, and died at Rome, where he Avas Hebrew professor, in 1687.
Most of the Jewish comments being written in the corrupt Chaldee dialect, and in general printed
in the rabbinical character, which few, even among scholars, care to read, hence they are compara-
tively but little known. It must be however allowed that they are of great service in illustrating
the rites and ceremonies of the Mosaic law and of great use to the Christians in their contro-
;

versies with the Jews.

As some of my readers may wish to know where the chief of these comments may be most easily
found, it will give them pleasure to be informed that the Targums or Chaldee paraphrases of Onke-
Los and Jonathan; the Targum Yerushlemey; the Masorah; the comments of Radak, i. e.
Rabbi David Kimchi ; Rashi, i. e. Rabbi Solomon Jarchi ; Ralbag, i. e. Rabbi Levi ben Gershom ;
Rambam, i. e. Rabbi Moses ben Maimon, or Maimonides ; Rasiiag, i. e. Rabbi Saadias Gaon; Aben
Ezra, with the scanty observations of Rabbi Jacob Baal Hatturim, on the five books of Moses*
and those of Rabbi Isaiah on the two books of Samuel, are all printed in the second edition of
Bomberg's Great Bible: Venice, 1547, &c., 2 vols, folio; the most useful, the most correct, and
the most valuable Hebrew Bible ever published. It may be just necessary to say, that Radak,
Rashi, Ralbag, &c., are technical names given to these rabbins from the initials of their proper
names, with some interposed vowels, as RaDaK, stands iov ^abbi David Kimchi ; RcSAI, for
'Rabbi 'Solomon Jarchi; RaLBaG, for Rabbi Itcvi Ben Gershom; and so of the rest. The Tar-
gums of Onkelos and Jonathan are printed also in the three first volumes of the London Polyglot,
with a generally correct literal Latin version. The Targum ascribed to Jonathan ben Uzziel, and
the Targum Yerushlemey on the Pentateuch, are printed with a literal Latin version, in the fourth
volume of the above work. The Mishnah has been printed in a most elegant manner hy Suren-
husius : Amsterdam, 1698, 6 vols, folio, with a Latin translation, and an abundance of notes.
Christian commentators, both ancient and modern, are vastly more numerous, more excellent,
and better known, than those among the Jews. On this latter account I may be well excused for
passing by many which have all their respective excellences, and mentioning only a few out of the
vast multitude, which are either more eminent, more easy of access, or better known to myself.
These comments may be divided into four distinct classes 1. Those of the Primitive Fathers
:

and Doctors of the Church; 3. Those written by Roman Catholics; 3. Those written by Pro-
testants, and, 4. Compilations from both, and collections of Biblical critics.

Class I. Primitive'TFathers and Doctors.

Tatian, who flourished about A. D. 150, wrote a Harmony of the four Gospels, perhaps the
first thing of the kind ever composed the genuine work is probably lost, as that extant under his
:

name is justly suspected by the learned.

In this class Origen occupies a distinguished place: he was born A. D. 185, and wrote much
on the Scriptures: his principal works are unfortunately lost many of his Homilies still remain,
:

but they are so replete with metaphorical and fanciful interpretations of the sacred text, that there
is much reason to believe they have been corrupted since his time. Specimens of his mode of
interpreting the Scriptures may be seen in the ensuing comment. See on Exod. ii.
Hyppolitus wrote many things on the Scriptures, most of which are lost : he flourished about
A, D. 230.
Chrysostom is well known and justly celebrated for his learning, skill, and eloquence, in his
Homilies on the sacred writings, particularly the Psalms. He flourished A. D. 344.
Jerome is also well known: he is author of what is called the Vulgate, a Latin version from
the Hebrew and Greek of the whole Old and New Testaments, as also of a very valuable comment
on all the Bible. He flourished A. D. 360.
Ephraiji Syrus, who might be rather said to have mourned than to have flourished about A. D.
360, has written some very valuable expositions of particular parts of Scripture, They may be
ound in his works, Syr. and Gr.. pubUshed by Asseman, Romee, 1737, <fec., 6 vols, folio.
Vol. 1. 2
( ) 3
 GENERAL PREFACE.
To Augustine, a laborious and voluminous writer, we are indebted for much valuable information
on the sacred writings. His expositions of Scripture, however, have been the subjects of many
acrimonious controversies in the Christian Church. He has written upon a number of abstruse and
difficult points, and in several cases not in a very lucid manner ; and hence it is not to be wondered
at if many of his commentators have mistaken his meaning. Some strange things drawn from his
writings, and several things in his creed, may be attributed to the tincture his mind received from
his Manichean sentiments ; for it is well known that he had embraced, previously to his conversion
to Christianity, the doctrine of the two principles, one wholly evil, and the other wholly good; to
whose energy and operation all the good and evil in the world were attributed. These two oppo-
site and conflicting beings he seems, in some cases, unwarily to unite in one God ; and hence he
and many of his followers appear to have made the ever-blessed God, the fountain of all justice and
holiness, the author, not only of all the good that is in the world, (for in this there can be but one
opinion,) but of all the evil likewise ; having reduced it to a necessity of existence by a predeter-
mining, unchangeable, and eternal decree, by which all the actions of angels and men are appointed
and irrevocably established. St. Augustine died A. D. 430.
Gregory the Great, who flourished about A. D. 600, has written commentaries which are
greatly esteemed, especially among the Catholics.
Theophylact has written a valuable comment on the Gospels, Acts, and St. Paul's Epistles.
He flourished A. D. 700.
Venerable Bede flourished A. A. 780, and wrote comments (or rather collected those of others)
on the principal books of the Old and New Testaments, which are still extant.
Rabanus Maurus, who flourished A. D. 800, M^as one of the most voluminous commentators
since the days of Origan. Besides his numerous comments published in his works, there is a glos-
sary of his on the whole Bible in MS., in the imperial library at Vienna.
Walafridus Strabus composed a work on the Old and New Testaments, entitled Bihlia Sacra
cum Glossa Ordinaria, which is properly a Catena or collection of all comments of the Greek and
Latin Fathers prior to his time. Strabus constantly endeavours to show the literal, historical, and
moral sense of the inspired writers. The best edition of this valuable work was printed at AntAverp
in 1684, 6 vols, folio. The author died in his forty-third year, A. D. 846.
It would be very easy to augment this list of Fathers and Doctors by the addition of many
respectable names, but my limits prevent me from entering into any detail. A few scanty addi-
tional notices of authors and their works must suffice.
Salonius, bishop of Vienna, who flourished in 440, wrote a very curious piece, entitled a Mys-
tical Explanation of the Proverbs of Solomon, in a dialogue between himself and his brother Ve-
ranius : the latter asks questions on every important subject contained in the book, and the former
answers and professes to solve all difficulties. He wrote also an Exposition of Ecclesiastes.
PiiiLo, bishop of the Carpathians, wrote on Solomon''s Song.
Justus, bishop of Orgelitanum, or Urgel, wrote a mystical explanation of the same book. He
died A. D. 540.
And to ApoNius, a writer of the seventh century, a pretty extensive and mystical exposition of
this book is attributed. It is a continued allegory of the marriage between Christ and his Church.
To Aponius and the preceding writers most modern expositors of Solomon's Song stand con-
siderably indebted, for those wlio have never seen these ancient authors have generally borrowed
from others who have closely copied their mode of interpretation.
Among the opuscula of Theophilus, bishop of Antioch, is found an allegorical exposition of
the/owr Gospels. Theophilus flourished about the middle of the second century.
Victor, presbyter of Antioch, wrote a very extensive comment on St. Mark''s Gospel, in which
many very judicious observations may be found.
Theodulus, a presbyter of Cadcsyria, about A. D. 450 wrote a comment on the Epistle to the
Romans.
Remigius, bishop of Auxerre, who flourished about the end of the ninth century, wrote a com-
ment on the twelve Minor Prophets.
Sedulius Hyberxicus wrote a Collectanea on all the Epistles of St. Pa%d, in which there are
many useful things. When he flourished is uncertain.
Primasius, bishop of Utica, in Africa, and disciple of St. Augustine, wrote also a comment on
all St. PanVs Epistles, and one on the book of Revelation. He flourished A. D. 550.
And to Andreas, archbishop of Coesarea, in Cappadocia, we are indebted for a very extensive
comment on the Apocalypse, which is highly extolled by Catholic writers, and which contains a
quantum of mystical interpretations.
sufficient
All these writers, with others of minor note, may be found in the Bibliotheca Veterum Patrum,
&c., by Be la Bigne, folio, par. 1024, vol. i. Any person who is fond of ecclesiastical antiquity
will find himself gratified even by a superficial reading of the preceding autliors for they not
;

only give their own sentiments oii the subjects they handle, but also those of accredited writers
who have flourished long before their times.
4 ( 2* )
 — —

GENERAL PREFACE.
Class II. Catholic Commentators.
Among the Catholic writers many valuable commentators are to be found ; the chief of whom
are the following: Hugo de Sancto Clara, or Hugh de St. Cler, flourished in 1200. He was
a Dominican monk and cardinal, and wrote a commentary on the whole Bible, and composed a
Concordance, probably the first regular work of the kind, in which he is said to have employed
not less than 500 of his brethren to write for him.
Nicholaus de Lyra or Lyranus, Anglice, Nicholas Harper, wrote short comments on the whole
Bible, which are allowed to be very judicious, and in Avhich he reprehends many reigning abuses.
It is supposed that from these Martin Luther borrowed much of that light which brought about
the Reformation. Hence it has been said.
Si Lyra non lyrasset, -•*

Lutherus non saltasset,

"If Lyra had not /iar;?ed on profanation,
Luther had never planned the reformation."
Lyra flourished in 1300, and was the first of the Christian commentators, since St. Jerome, who
brought rabbinical learning to illustrate the sacred writings. His postils may be found in the
Glossa Ordinaria of Walafrid Strabus, already mentioned.
John Menochius, who flourished in the sixteenth century, has published short notes on all the
Scriptures they are generally esteemed very judicious and satisfactory.
;

Isidore Clarius, bishop of Fuhgni in Umbria, in 1550, wrote some learned notes on the Old
and New Testaments he is celebrated for an eloquent speech delivered before the council of
:

Trent in favour of the Vulgate. His learned defence of it contributed no doubt to the canoni-
zation of that Version.
John Maldonat wrote notes on particular parts of the Old and New Testaments, at present
little read.
Cornelius a Lapide one of the most laborious and voluminous commentators since the
is
invention of printing. written nothing either on the Psalms or Job, yet his
Though he has
comment forms no less than 16 vols, folio it was printed at Venice, 1710. He was a very learned
;

man, but cites as authentic several spurious writings. He died in 1637.

In 1693-4, Father Quesnel, Priest of the Oratory, published in French, at Brussels, Moral
Reflections on the New Testament, in 8 vols. 12mo. The author was a man of deep piety and ;

were it not for the rigid Jansenian predestinarianism which it contains, it would, as a spiritual
com,ment, be invaluable. The work was translated into English by the Rev. Richard Russel, and
published in 4 vols. 8vo., London, 1719, &c. In this work the reader must not expect any eluci-
dation of the diflSculties, or indeed of the text, of the New Testament the design of Father
;

Quesnel is to draw spiritual uses from his text, and apply them to moral purposes. His reflec-
tions contain many strong reprehensions of reigning abuses in the Church, and especially among
the clergy. It was against this book that Pope Clement XI. issued his famous constitution
Unigenitus, in which he condemned one hundred and one propositions taken out of the Moral
Reflections, as dangerous and damnable heresies. In my notes on the New Testament I have
borrowed several excellent reflections from Father QuesneVs work. The author died at Amster-
dam, December 2, 1719, aged 86 years.
DoM AuGUSTiN Calmet, a Benedictine, published what he terms Comrnentaire Litteral, on the
whole of the Old and New Testaments. It was'first printed at Paris, in 26 vols. 4to., 1707-1717;
and afterwards in 9 vols, folio, Paris, Emery, Saugrain, and Martin, 1719-1726. It contains the
Latin text of the Vulgate and a French translation, in collateral columns, with the notes at the
bottom of each page. It has a vast apparatus of prefaces and dissertations, in which immense
learning, good sense, sound judgment, and deep piety, are invariably displayed. Though the
Vulgate is his text, yet he notices all its variations from the Hebrev) and Greek originals, and
generally builds his criticisms on these. He quotes all the ancient commentators, and most of
the modern, whether Catholic or Protestant, and gives them due credit and praise. His illustra-
tions of many difficult texts, referring to idolatrous customs, rites, ceremonies, <fcc., from the
Greek and Roman classics, are abundant, appropriate, and successful. His tables, maps, plans,
&.C., are very judiciously constructed, and consequently very useful. This is without exception
the best comment ever published on the sacred writings, either by Catholics or Protestants, and
has left little to be desired for the completion of such a work. It is true its scarcity, voluminous-
ness, high price, and the language in which it is written, must prevent its ever coming into
common use in our country but it will ever form one of the most valuable parts of the private
;

library of every Biblical student and divine. From this judicious and pious commentator I have
often borrowed and his contributions form some of the best parts of my work. It is to be
;

lamented that he trusted so much to his printers, in consequence of which his work abounds with
typographical errors, and especially in his learned quotations. In alm.ost every case I have been
obliged to refer to the originals themselves. When once written he never revised his sheets, but
5
 — :

GENERAL PREFACE.
put them at once into the hands of his printer. This was a source of many mistakes but foi ;

the following I cannot account. In his notes on Numb. xii. 2, he adds the following clause
Dominus iratus est, Le Seigneur se suit en colere, on which he makes the following stranffe
observation: Cela n'est dans I'Hebreu, ni dans les Septante, ni dans le Chaldeen. On which
Houbigant remarks :Potuit addere nee in Samaritano codice, nee in ejus interprete, nee in
ipso Vulgato, nee in utroque Arahe. It difficile sit divinare unde hcsc verba Aug. Calmet
deprompserit : nee miror talia w.ulta excidisse in scriptore qui chartas suas, prima manu
seriptas, non prius rctraetabat, quam eas jam mississet ad typographos. The fact is, the
words are not in the Bible nor in any of its versions.
In 1753, Father Houbigant, a Priest of the Oratory, published a Hebrew Bible, in 4 vols,
folio, with a Latin Version, and several critical notes at the end of each chapter. He was a
consummate Hebraician and accurate critic even his conjectural emendations of the text cast
;

much light on many obscure passages, and not a few of them have been confirmed by the MS.
collections of Kennicott and De Rossi. The work is as invaluable in its matter as it is high
in price and difficult to be obtained. To this edition the following notes are often under con-
siderable obligation.

Class III. Protestant Commentators.

Sebastian Munster, first a Cordelier, but afterwards a Protestant, published a Hebrew Bible,
with a Latin translation, and short critical notes at the end of each chapter. His Bible has been
long neglected, but his notes have been often republished in large collections. He died in 1552.
The Bible in Latin, printed at Zurich, in 1543, and often afterwards in folio, has a vast many
scholia or marginal notes, which have been much esteemed (as also the Latin version) by many
divines and critics. The compilers of the notes Avere Leo de Juda, Theodore Bibliander, Peter
Cholin, Ralph Guatier, and Conrad Pelicayius.
Tremellius, a converted Jew, with Junius or du Jon, published a very literal Latin version
of the Hebrew Bible with short critical notes, folio, 1575. It has often been reprinted, and was
formerly in high esteem. Father Simon accuses him unjustly of putting in pronouns where
none exist in the Hebrew had he examined more carefully he would have found that Tremel-
:

lius translates the emphatic article by the jironoun in Latin, and it is well known that it has this
power in the Hebrew language. Father Simon's censure is therefore not well founded.
John Piscator published a laborious and learned comment on the Old and New Testaments,
in 24 vols. 8vo., Herborn, 1601-1616. Not highly esteemed.
John Drusius was an able commentator he penetrated the literal sense of Scripture, and in
;

his Animadversions, Hebrew Questions, Explanations of Proverbs, Observations on the Rites

and Customs of the Jews, he has cast much light on many parts of the sacred writings. He
died at Franeker, in 1616, in the 66th year of his age,
Hugo Grotius, or Hugh le Groot, has written notes on the whole of the Old and New Testa-
ments. His learning was very extensive, his erudition profound, and his moderation on subjects
of controversy highly praiseworthy. No man possessed a more extensive and accurate know-
ledge of the Greek and Latin writers, and no man has more successfully applied them to the
illustration of the sacred writings. To give tlie literal and genuine sense of the sacred writings
is always the laudable study of this great man and he has not only illustrated them amply, but
;

he has defended them strenuously, especially in his treatise On the Truth of the Christian
Religion, a truly classical performance that has never been answered, and never can be
refuted. He has also written a piece, which has been highly esteemed by many. On the Satis-
faction of Christ. He died in 1(>45, aged 62 years.
Louis DE DiEu wrote animadversions on the Old and New Testaments, in which are many
valuable things. He was a profound scholar in Greek, Hebrew, Chaldee, Persian, and Syriac,
as his works sufficiently testify. He died at Leyden, in 1642.
Desidcrius Erasmus is well known, not only as an able editor of the Greek Testament, but
also as an excellent commentator upon it. The first edition of this saci'ed Book was published
by him in Greek and Latin, folio, 1516; for though the Complutensian edition was printed in
1514, it was not published till 1522. For many years the notes of Erasmus served for the foun-
dation of all the comments that were written on the New Testament, and his Latin version
itself was deemed an excellent comment on the text, because of its faithfulness and simplicity.
Erasmus was one of the most correct Latin scholars since the Augustan age. He died in 1.536.
I need not state that in some cases he appeared so indecisive in his religious creed, that he hag
been both claimed and disavowed by Protestants and Catholics.
John Calvin wrote a commentary on all the Prophets and the Evangelists, which has been
in high esteem among Protestants, and is allowed to be a very learned and judicious work. The
decided and active part which he took in the Reformation is well known. To the doctrine of
human merit, indulgences, &.c he, with Luther, opposed the doctrine of justification by grace
,

6
 ,

GENERAL PREFACE.
through faith, for which they were strenuous and successful advocates. The peculiar doctrines
*vhich go under the name of Mr. Calvin, from the manner in which they have been defended
by some and opposed by others, have been the cause of much dissension among Protestants, of
which the enemies of true religion have often availed themselves. Mr. Calvin is allowed by
good judges to have written with great purity both in Latin and French. He died in 1564.
Mr. David Martin, of Utrecht, not only translated the whole of the Old and New Testaments
into French, but also wrote short notes on both, which contain much good sense, learning, and
piety. Amsterdam, 1707, 2 vols, folio.
Dr. Henry Hammond is celebrated over Europe as a very learned and judicious divine. He
wrote an extensive comment on the Psalms, first published in 1659, and on the whole of the
New Testament, in 1653. In this latter work he imagines he sees the Gnostics every where
pointed at, and he uses them as a universal menstruum to dissolve all the difficulties in the text-
He was a man of great learning and critical sagacity, and as a divine ranks high in the Church
of England. He died in 1660.
Theodore Beza not only published the Greek Testament, but wrote many excellent notes on
it. The best edition of this work is that printed at Cambridge, folio, 1642.
Dr. Edward Wells- published a very useful Testament in Greek and English, in several
parcels, with notes, from 1709 to 1719, in which, 1. The Greek text is amended according to
the best and most ancient readings. 2. The common English translation rendered more agree-
able to the original. 3. A
paraphrase, explaining the difficult expressions, design of the sacred
writers, &.c. 4. Short Annotations. This is a judicious, useful work.
Of merely critical comments on the Greek Testament, the most valuable is that of J. James
Wetstein, 2 vols, folio, Amsterdam, 1751-2. Almost every peculiar form of speech in the
sacred text he has illustrated by quotations from the Jewish, Greek, and Roman writers. But
the indistinctness of his quotations causes much confusion in his notes.
Mr. Hardy published a Greek Testament with a great variety of useful notes, chiefly extracted
from Poole's Synopsis. The work is in 2 vols. 8vo., London, 1768, and is a very useful com-
panion to every Biblical student. It has gone through two editions, the first of which is the
best but it must be acknowledged that the Greek text in both is inexcusably incorrect.
; The
Rev. Mr. Valpy has given a new edition of this work, with additional scholia, and a correct
Greek text.
Mr. Henry Ainsworth, one of that class of the ancient Puritans called Brownists, made a
new translation of the Pentateuch, Psalms, and Canticles, Avhich he illustrated with notes, folio,
1639. He was an excellent Hebrew scholar, and made a very judicious use of his rabbinical
learning in his comment, especially on the five books of Moses. To his notes on the Pentateuch
I am often under obligation.
The notes of the Assembly of Divines, in 2 vols, folio, 1654, have been long in considerable
estimation. They contain many valuable elucidations of the sacred text.
Mr. J. CaryVs exposition of the book of Job, in two immense vols, folio, 1676, another by
Albert Schultens, and a third by Chapelowe, on the same book, contain a vast deal of important
matter, delivered in general by the two latter in the dullest and most uninteresting form.
Mr. Matthew Poole, a non-conformist divine, has published a commentary on the Scrip-
tures, in 2 vols, folio. The notes, which are mingled with the text, are short, but abound with
good sense and sound judgment. He died in Holland, in 1679.
Dr. John Lightfoot was a profound scholar, a sound divine, and a pious man. He brought
all his immense learning to bear on the sacred volumes, and diflused light wherever he went.
His historical, chronological, and topographical remarks on the Old Testament, and his Tal-
mudical Exercitations on the New, are invaluable. His works were published in two large
vols, folio, 1684. He died in 1675. A new edition of these invaluable works, with many
additions and corrections, has been published by the Rev. J. R. Pitman, A. M., in 13 vols. 8vo.,
London, 1825.
On the plan of Dr. Lightfoot's Hor^ Hebraicje, or Talmudical Exercitations, a work was
undertaken by Christian Schoettgenius with the title Horce. HehraiccE et Talmudicce in universum
Novum Testamentum, quibus Horm Jo. Lightfooti in Libris historicis supplentur, Epistolce
et Apocalypsis eodem modo illustrantur, (SfC. Dresdae, 1733, 2 vols. 4to. This is a learned and
useful work, and supplies and completes the work of Dr. Lightfoot. The Horae Hebraicae of
Lightfoot extend no farther than the first Epistle to the Corinthians the work of Schoettgen
;

passes over the same ground as a Supplement, without touching the things already produced in
the English work and then continues the work on the same plan to the end of the New Testa-
;

ment. It is both scarce and dear.

Mr. Richard Baxter published the New Testament with notes, 8vo., 1695. The notes are
interspersed with the text, and are very short, but they contain much sound sense and piety. A
good edition of this work was published in the same form by Mr. R. Edwards, London, 1810.
Dr. Simon Patrick, bishop of Ely, began a comment on the Old Testament, which was
7
 ;

GENERAL PREFACE.
finishedby Dr. Lowth ; to which the New Testament, by Dr. Whitby, is generally added to
complete the work. Dr. Whitby's work was first published in 1703, and often since, with
many emendations. This is a valuable collection, and is comprised in six vols, folio. Patrick
and Lowth are always judicious and solid, and Whitby is learned, argumentative, and thoroughly
orthodox.
The best comment on the New Testament, taken in all points of view, is certainly that of
Whitby. He is said to have embraced Socinianism previously to his death, which took place
in 1726.
Mr. Anthony Purver, one of the people called Quakers, translated the whole Bible into
English, illustrated with critical notes, which was published at the expense of Dr. J. Fothergill,
in 1764, two vols, folio. This work has never been highly valued and is much less literal
;

and simple than the habits of the man, and those of the rehgious community to which he
belonged, might authorize one to expect.
The Rev. William Burkitt, rector of Dedham, in Essex, has written a very useful com-
mentary on the New Testament, which has often been republished. It is both pious and
practical, but not distinguished either by depth of learning or judgment. The pious author
died in 1703.
The Rev. Matthew Henry, a very eminent dissenting minister, is author of a very exten-
sive commentary on the Old and New Testaments, five vols, folio, and one of the most popular
works of the kind ever published. It is always orthodox, generally judicious, and truly pious
and practical, and has contributed much to diffuse the knowledge of the Scriptures among the
common people, for whose sakes it was chiefly written. A new edition of this work, by the
Rev. J. Hughes, of Battersea, and the Rev. G. Burder, of London, corrected from innumerable
errors which have been accumulating with every edition, has been lately published.
As I apply the term orthodox to persons who differ considerably in their religious creed
on certain points, I judge it necessary once for all to explain my meaning. He who holds the
doctrine of the fall of man, and through it the universal corruption of human nature ; the God-
head of our blessed Redeemer the atonement made by his obedience unto death ; justification
;

through faith alone in his blood ; the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, regenerating and renewing
the heart, is generally reputed orthodox, whether in other parts of his creed he be Arminian or
Calvinist. Whitby and Henry held and defended all these doctrines in their respective com-
ments, therefore I scruple not to say that both were orthodox. With their opinions in any of
their other works I have no concern.
Dr. John Gill, an eminent divine of the Baptist persuasion, is author of a very diffuse com-
mentary on the Old and New Testaments, in nine vols, folio. He was a very learned and good
man, but has often lost sight of his better judgment in spiritualizing his text.
Dr. Philip Doddridge's Family Expositor, 4to., 1745, often republished, is (with the exception
of his paraphrase) a very judicious work. It has been long highly esteemed, and is worthy
of all the credit it has among religious people.
Paraphrases, which mix up men's words with those of God, his Christ, his Holy Spirit, and
his apostles, are in my opinion dangerous works. Through such, many of the common people
are led into a loose method of quoting the sacred text. I consider the practice, except in very
select cases, as highly unbecoming. The republic of letters would suffer no loss if every work
of this kind on the Holy Scriptures were abolished. Dr. Whitby, by the insertion of mere
words in brackets and in another character, has done all that should be done, and vastly outdone
the work of Dr. Doddridge.
To Dr. Z. Pearce, bishop of Rochester, we are indebted for an invaluable commentary and
notes on the Four Gospels, the Acts, and the First Epistle to the Corinthians, two vols. 4to., 1777
The deep learning and judgment displayed in these notes are really beyond all praise.
Dr. Campbell's work on the Evangelists is well known, and universally prized. So is also
*Dr. Macknight's translation of the Epistles, with notes. Both these works, especially the
former, abound in sound judgment, deep erudition, and a strong vein of correct critical acumen.
Mr. Locke and Dr. Benson are well known in the republic of letters their respective works
;

on different parts of the New Testament abound with judgment and learning.
The Rev. J. Wesley published a selection of notes on the Old and New Testaments, in
four vols. 4to., Bristol, 1765. The notes on the Old Testament are allowed, on all hands, to
be meagre and unsatisfactory ; this is owing to a circumstance with which few are acquainted.
Mr. Pine, the printer, having set up and printed off several sheets in a type much larger
than was intended, it was found impossible to get the work within the prescribed limits of
four volumes, without retrenching the notes, or cancelling what was already printed. The
former measure was unfortunately adopted, and the work fell far short of the expectation of
the public. This account I had from the excellent author himself. The notes on the New
Testanient, which have gone through several editions, are of a widely different description
though short, they are always judicious, accurate, spiritual, terse, and impressive ; and possess
8
 GENERAL PREFACE.
the happy and rare property of leading the reader immediately to God and his own heart.
A new edition of this work, with considerable additions, has been lately published by the Rev.
Joseph Benson, from whose learning, piety, and theological knowledge, much has been reasonably
expected. The work has been very useful, and has been widely dispersed.
The late unfortunate Dr. William Dodd published a commentary on the Old and New Testa-
ments, in three vols, folio, London, 1770. Much of it is taken from the comment of Father
CaZme?, already described; but he has enriched his work by many valuable notes which he
extracted from the inedited papers of Lord Clarendon, Dr. Waterland, and Mr. Locke. He
has also borrowed many important notes from Father Houbigant. This work, as giving in
general the true sense of the Scriptures, is by far the best comment that has yet appeared in the
English language. The late lamented Dr. Gosset, of famous bibliographical memory, told me
that he " had furnished Dr. Dodd with the MS. collections of Dr. Waterland and others Ihat ;

Dr. Dodd was employed by the London booksellers to edit this work and it was by far the
;

best of these works which might be said to be published by the yard."

A work, entitled An Illustration of the Sacred Writings, was published by Mr. Goadby, at
Sherbourne it contain^ many judicious notes, has gone through several editions, and, while it
:

seems to be orthodox, is written entirely on the Arian hypothesis.

The Rev. Thomas Coke, LL.D. has lately published a commentary on the Old and New
Testaments, in six vols. 4to. This is, in the main, a reprint of the work of Dr. Dodd, with
several retrenchments, and some additional reflections. Though the major part of the notes,
and even the dissertations of Dr. Dodd are here republished yet all the marginal readings
;

and parallel texts are entirely omitted. The absence of these would be inexcusable in any
Bible beyond the size of a duodecimo. Of their importance see pp. 19 and 20 of this preface.
Dr. Coke's edition is in general well printed, has some good maps, and has had a very extensive
sale. The original work of Dodd was both scarce and dear, and therefore a new edition became
necessary and had the whole of the original work, with the marginal readings, parallel texts,
;

&.C., been preserved, Dr. Coke's publication would have been much more useful. Dr. Coke
should have acknowledged whence he collected his materials, but on this point he is totally
silent.
The Rev. T. Scott, rector of Aston Sandford, has published a commentary on the Old
and New Testaments, in five vols. 4to. The author's aim seems to be, to speak plain truth
to plain men ; and for this purpose he has interspersed a multitude of practical observations
all through the text, which cannot fail, from the spirit of sound piety which they breathe,
of being very useful.
The late Dr. Priestley compiled a body of notes on the Old and New Testaments, in 3
vols. 8vo., published at Northumberland in America, 1804. Though the doctor keeps his own
creed (Unitarianism) continually in view, especially when considering those texts which other
religious people adduce in favour of theirs, yet his work contains many valuable notes and
observations, especially on the philosophy, natural history, geography, and chronology of the
Scriptures and to these subjects few men in Europe were better qualified to do justice.
;

A new translation of Job, and one of the books of Canticles, has been published by Dr.
Mason Good, both replete with learned notes of no ordinary merit.
In closing this part of the list, it would be unpardonable to omit a class of eminently learned
men, who, by their labours on select parts of ^the Scriptures, have rendered the highest services
both to religion and literature.
Samuel Bochart, pastor of the Protestant Church at Caen in Normandy, wrote a very learned
and accurate work on the geography of the sacred writings, entitled Phaleg and Canaan, and
another on the Natural History of the Bible, entitled Hierozoicon, by both of which, as well as
by several valuable dissertations in his works, much light is thrown on many obscure places in
the sacred writings. The best collection of his works is supposed to be that by Leusden and
Villemandy, three vols, folio. L. Bat. 1712.
Dr. /. James Scheuchzer, professor of medicine and the mathematics in the university of
Zurich, is author of a very elaborate work on the Natural History of the Bible, entitled Physica
Sacra, which has been printed in Latin, German, and French, and forms a regular comment on
allthe books of the Bible where any subject of natural history occurs.
The very learned author has availed himself of all the researches of his predecessors on the
same subject, and has illustrated his work with 750 engravings of the different subjects in the
animal, vegetable, and mineral kingdoms, to which there is any reference in the Scriptures.
The German edition was published in 1731, in 1.5 vols, folio, the Latin edition in 1731, and the
French in 1732, 8 vols, folio, often bound in 4. The work is as rare as it is useful and elegant.
The late Rev. Mr. Thomas Harmer published a very useful work, entitled " Observations on
various Passages of Scripture," in which he has cast much light on many difficult texts that
relate to the customs and manners, religious and civil, of the Asiatic nations, by quotations from
the works of ancient and modern travellers into different parts of the East, who have described
9
 —

GENERAL PREFACE.
those customs, &.C., as still subsisting. The best edition of this work was published in four vols.
8vo., 1808, with ntiany additions and corrections by the author of the present commentary.
Campegius Vitringa wrote a learned and most excellent comment on the book of the Prophet
Isaiah, in 2 vols, folio ; the best edition of Avhich was printed in 1724. He died in 1722.
Dr. R. LowTH, bishop of London, is the author of an excellent work, entitled, Isaiah : A
New Translation, with a preliminary Dissertation, and Notes critical, philological, and expla-
natory. 4to., Lond. 1779, first edition. The preliminary dissertation contains a fund of rare
and judicious criticism. The translation, formed by the assistance of the ancient versions
collated with the best MSS. of the Hebrew text, is clear, simple, and yet dignified. The con
eluding notes, which show a profound knowledge of Hebrew criticism, are always judicious,
and generally useful.
The late Archbishop of Armagh, Dr. Newcome, has published a translation of the minor
prophets, with learned notes it is a good work, but creeps slowly after its great predecessor.
:

He has also published a translation of the New Testament, with notes, not much esteemed.
On the same plan the Rev. Dr. Blayney translated and published the Prophet Jeremiah, with
notes, 1784.
John Albert Bengel is author of an edition of the New Testament, with various readings,
and such a judicious division of it into paragraphs as has never been equalled, and perhaps
never can be excelled. He wrote a very learned comment on the Apocalypse, and short notes
on the New Testament, which he entitled Gnomon Novi Testamenti, in quo ex nativa verborum
vi, simplicitas profunditas, concinnitas, salubritas sensuum Ccelestium indicatur. In him
—
were united two rare qualifications the deepest piety and the most extensive learning.
A commentary on the same plan, and with precisely the same title, was published by Phil.
David Burkius, on the twelve minor prophets, 4to., Heilbronnae, 1753, which was followed by
his Gnomon Psalmorum, 2 vols. 4to., Stutgardiae, 1760. These are in many respects valuable
works, written in a pure strain of piety, but rather too much in a technical form. They are
seldom to be met Avith in this country, and are generally high priced.
The late pious bishop of Norwich, Dr. Home, published the book of Psalms with notes,
which breathe a spirit of the purest and most exalted piety.
Herman Venema is known only to me by a comment on Malachi, some dissertations on
sacred subjects, an ecclesiastical history, correct editions of some of Vitringa's Theological
Tracts, and a most excellent and extensive Commentary on the Psalms, in 6 vols. 4to., printed
Leovardia;, 1762-7. Through its great scarcity the work is little known in Great Britain.
What was said by David of Goliah's sword has been said of Venema's commentary on the Book
of Psalms, "There is none like it."
Ern. Frid. Car. Rosenmulleri, Ling. Arab, in Acad. Lips. Professoris, (fcc. Scholia in
VETUS Testamentum. Edit, secunda emendatior. Lips. 1795-1812, 11 vols. 8vo. Scholia in
Novum Testamentum. Edit, quinta auctior et emendatior, 1801-1808, 5 vols. 8vo., Nuremberg.
This is a very learned and useful work, but rather too difl^'use for Scholia. In the Scholia on
the Old Testament Rosenmiiller has not meddled with the historical books.

Class IV. Compilations and Collections.

On the critical collectio7is, a few words must

fourth Class, containing compilations and
suffice. Amongthe compilations may be ranked what are termed Catence of the Greek and
Latin Fathers ; these consist of a connected scries of diflercnt writers on the same text. The
work of Galafridus, or Walafridus Strabus, already described, is of this kind it contains a
;

Catena or connected series of the expositions of all the Fathers and Doctors prior to his
time. A very valuable Catena on the Octateuch, containing tlie comments of about fifty Greek
Fathers, has been published at Leipsig, 1792, in 2 vols, folio ; it is all in Greek, and therefore
of no use to common readers. The work of Venerable Bede, already noticed, is professedly
of the same kind.
Father De la Ilaye, in what was called the Biblia Magna, 1643, 5 vols, folio, and afterwards
Biblia Maxima, 1660, 19 vols, folio, besides a vast number of critical Dissertations, Prefaces,
&c., inserted the whole notes of Nicholas de Lyra, Menochius, Gagneus, Estius, and the
Jesuit Tirin.
Several minor compilations of this nature have been made by needy writers, who, wishing to
get a little money, have without scruple or ceremony borrowed from those whose reputation was
well established with the public and by taking a little from one, and a little from another,
;

pretended to give the marrow of all. These pretensions have been rarely justified: it often
requires the genius of a voluminous original writer to make a faithful abridgment of his work ;
but in most of these compilations the love of money is much more evident than the capacity
to do justice to the original author, or the ability to instruct and profit mankind. To what a
Vast number of these minor compilations has the excellent work of Mr. Matthew Henry given
10
 GENERAL PREFACE.
birth! every one of which, while professing to lop off his redundancies, and supply his defi-
ciencies, falls, by a semi-diameter of the immense orb of literature and religion, short of the
eminence of the author himself.
The most important collection of Biblical critics ever made was that formed under the direc-
tion of Bishop Pearson, John Pearson, Anthony Scattergood, and Francis Gouldman, printed
by Cornelius Bee, London, 1660, in 9 vols, folio, under the title of Critici Sacri, intended as
a companion for the Polyglot Bible, published by Bishop Walton, in 1657. This great work
was republished at Amsterdam, with additions, in 12 vols, folio, in 1698. Two volumes called
Thesaurus Dissertationum Elegantiorum, <SfC., were printed as a supplement to this work, at
Amsterdam, in 1701-2. Of this supplement it may be said, it is of less consequence and utility
than is generally supposed, as the substance of several treatises in it is to be found in the pre-
cedino- volumes. The work contains a vast variety of valuable materials for critics, cbro-
nologists, &c.
The principal critics on the Old Testament, contained in the foreign edition of this great
collection, which is by far the most complete, are the following Sebastian Munster, Paul Fagius,
:

Francis Vatablus, Claudius Badwellus, Sebastian Castalio, Isidore Clarius, Lucas Brugensis,
Andrew MaSius, .John Drusius, Sextinus Amama, Simeon de Muis, Philip Codurcus, Rodolph
Baynus, Francis Forrerius, Edward Lively, David Hceschelius, Hugo Grotius, Christopher Cart-
wright, Cornelius a Lapide, and John Pricaeus.
Besides the above, who are regular commentators on the Old Testament, there are various
important Dissertations and Tracts, on the principal subjects in the law and prophets, by the
following critics Joseph Scaliger, Lewis Capellus, Martin Helvicus, Alberic Gentilis, Moses
:

bar Cepha, Christopher Helvicus, John Buteo, Matthew Hostus, Francis Monceeius, Peter
Pithceus, George Rittershusius, Michael Rothardus, Leo Allatius, Gaspar Varrerius, William
Schickardus, Augustin Justinianus, Bened. Arias Montanus, Bon. Corn. Bertramus, Peter Cunaeus,
Caspar Waser, and Edward Brerewood.
On the New Testament the following commentators are included Sebastian Munster, Lauren-
:

tius Valla, James Revius, Desiderius Erasmus, Francis Vatablus, Sebastian Castalio, Isidore
Clarius, Andrew Masius, Nicolas Zegerus, Lucas Brugensis, Henry Stephens, John Drusius,
Joseph Scaliger, Isaac Casaubon, John Camera, James Capellus, Lewis Capellus, O^Ao Gualt-
perius, Abraham Schultetus, Hugo Grotius, and John Pricaeus.
Dissertations on the most important subjects in the New Testament inserted here were written
by Lewis Capellus, Nicolas Faber, William Klebitius, Marquard Freherus, Archbishop Usher,
Matthew Hostus, /. A. Van-der-Linden, Claudius Salmasius under the feigned name o{ Johannes
Simplicius, James Gothofridus, Philip Codurcus, Abraham Schultetus, William Ader, John
Drusius, Jac. Lopez Stunica, Desider. Ei-asmus, Angelus Caninius, Peter Pithceus, Nicephorus,
patriarch of Constantinople, Adriani Isagoge cum notis Dav. Hoeschelii, B. C. Bertram, Anton.
Nebrissensis, Nicholas Fuller, Samuel Petit, John Gregory, Christ. Cartwright, John Cloppen-
burg, and Pet. Dan. Huet. Those marked in italics are not included in the critics on the Old
Testament. The Thesaurus Dissertationum Exegeticarum., published as a supplement to this
work by Theod. Hasaeus and Conrad Ikenius, in 2 vols, folio, contains upwards of one hundred
and fifty additional writers. Such a constellation of learned men can scarcely be equalled in any
age or country.
Mr. Matthew Poole, whose English comment has been already noticed, conceiving that the
Critici Sacri might be made more useful by being methodized, with immense labour formed
the work well known among divines by the title of Synopsis Criticorum, a general view of the
critics, viz., those in the nine volumes of the Critici Sacri mentioned above. The printing of
this work began in 1669, and was finished in 1674, 5 vols, folio. Here the critics no longer
occupy distinct places as they do in the Critici Sacri, but are all consolidated, one general com-
ment being made out of the whole, the names of the writers being referred to by their initials
in the margin. To the critics above named Mr. Poole has added several others of equal note,
and he refers also to the most important versions, both ancient and modern. The learned author
spent ten years in compiling this work. In point of size, the work of Mr. Poole has many
advantages over the Critici Sacri but no man who is acquainted with both works will ever
;

prefer the synopsis to the original.

Perhaps no city in the world can boast of having produced, in so short a period, 'so many
important works on the sacred writings as the city of London works which, for difficulty,
;

utility, critical and typographical correctness, and expense, have never been excelled. These
are, 1. The Polyglot, 6 vols, folio; begun in 1653, and finished in 1657. 2. The Critici Sacri,
in 9 vols, folio, 1660. 3. CastelVs Heptaglot Lexicon, compiled for the Polyglot Bible, 2 vols
folio, 1669. 4. The Synopsis Criticorum., 5 vols, folio ; begun in 1669, and finished in 1674.
These works, printed in Hebrew, Chaldee, Samaritan, Syriac, Arabic, jEthiopic, Persian, Greek,
and Latin, forming 22 vast vols, folio, were begun and finished in this city by the industry and
at the expense of a few English divines and noblemen, in the comparatively short compass of
11
 GENERAL PREFACE.
about twenty years ! To complete its eminence in Biblical literature, and to place itself at the
head of all the cities in the universe, London has only to add a new and improved edition of its
own Polyglot, with the additional versions which have come to light since the publication of
the original work. '

To the above list might be added those who have illustrated the sacred writings by passages
drawn from Josephus and the Greek and Roman classics, among which the following are worthy
of particular regard Jo. Tohice Krebsii Observationes in Nov. Testam. e Flav. Josepho, 8vo.,
:

Lips. 1754. Geo. Dav. Kypke Observationes in Novi Fcsderis Libros, ex auctoribus, potissi-
mum GrcBcis, ifcc, 2 vols. 8vo., Vratislavise, 1755. Georgii Raphelii Annotationes in Sacram
Scripturam, ^^c., Lugd. 1747, 2vols. 8vo. Krebs throws much light on different facts and forms
of speech in the New Testament by his quotations from Josephus. Kypke does the same by an
appeal to the Greek writers in general. And Raphelius gives historical elucidations of the Old,
and philological observations on the New Testament, drawn particularly from Xenophon, Poly-
bius, Arrian, and Herodotus.
To these might be added several excellent names who have rendered considerable services to
sacred literature and criticism by their learned labours Sir Norton KnatchbulV s Observations,
:

Halletfs Critical Notes, Bowyer''s Conjectures, Leigli's Annotations, &-c., &;c. to whom may ;

be added those who have illustrated innumerable passages, obscure and difficult, in lexicons and
dictionaries for the Hebrew Bible and Greek Testament Buxtorf, Cocceius, Mintert, Pasor,
:

Schoettgenius, Stockius, Krebs, Calfnet, Leusden, Robinson, Michaelis, Edward Leigh, Schulz,
Dr. Taylor, Schleusner, and Parkhurst, a particular account of whom would far exceed the
limits of this preface ; but Schlei-iner, as a lexicographer for the New Testament, is far beyond
my praise.
I have already apprized the reader that I did not design to give a history of commentators, but
only a short sketch; this I have done, and am fully aware that different readers will form different
opinions of its execution some will think that writers of comparatively little eminence are
;

inserted, while several of acknowledged worth are omitted. This may be very true but the ;

judicious reader will recollect that it is a sketch and not a complete history that is here presented
to his view, and that the important and non-important are terms which different persons will
apply in opposite senses, as they may be prejudiced in favour of different writers. I have
given my opinion, as every honest man should, with perfect deference to the judgment of others,
and shall be offended with no man for differing from me in any of the opinions I have expressed
on any of the preceding authors or their works. I could easily swell this list with many foreign
critics, but as far as I know them I do not in general like them besides, they are not within the
;

reach of common readers, though many of them stand, no doubt, deservedly high in the judgment
of learned men.
Having said thus much on commentaries in general, it may be necessary to give some account
of that now offered to the public, the grounds on which it has been undertaken, and the manner
in which it has been compiled.
At an early age I took for my motto Prov. xviii. 1 Through desire a man, having separated
:

himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom. Being convinced that the Bible was the
source whence all the principles of true wisdom, wherever found in the world, had been derived,
my desire to comprehend adequately its great design, and to penetrate the meaning of all its
parts, led me to separate myself from every pursuit that did not lead, at least indirectly, to the
accomplishment of this end and while seeking and interjneddling with different branches of
;

human knowledge, as my limited means would permit, I put each study under contribution to
the object of my pursuit, endeavouring to make every thing subservient to the information of
my own mind, that, as far as Divine Provideiire might think proper to employ me, I might be
the better qualified to instruct others. At first I read and studied, scarcely committing any thing
to paper, having my own edification alone in view, as I could not then hope that any thing I
wrote could be of suflicient im])ortance to engage the attention or promote the welfare of the
public. But as I proceeded I thought it best to note down the result of my studies, especially
as far as they related to the Stptuagint, which about the year 1785 I began to read regularly, in
order to acquaint myself more fully with the phraseology of the New Testament, as I found that
this truly venerable version was that to which the evangelists and apostles appear to have
had constant recourse, and from which in general they make their quotations. The study of this
Tersion served more to illuminate and expand my mind than all the theological works I had ever
consulted. I had proceeded but a short way in it before I was convinced that the prejudices
against it were utterly unfounded, and that it was of incalculable advantage toward a proper
understanding of the literal sense of Scripture, and am astonished that the study of it should be
so generally neglected. About nine years after this, my health having been greatlv impaired by
the severity of my labours, and fearing that I should soon bo obliged to relinciuish my public
employment, I formed the purpose of writing short notes on the New Testament, collating the
common printed text with all the versions and collections from MSS. to which I could have
12
 ;

GENERAL PREFACE.
access. Scarcely had I projected this work when I was convinced that another was previously
necessary, viz., a careful perusal of the original text. I began this work, and soon found that it
was perfectly possible to read and not understand. Under this conviction I sat down determin-
ing to translate the whole before I attempted any comment, that I might have the sacred text
the more deeply impressed on my meinory.
I accordingly began my translation, collating the original text with all the ancient and with
several of the modern versions, carefully weighing the value of the most important various
readings found in those versions, as well as those which I was able to collect from the most
authentic copies of the Greek text. A worse slate of health ensuing, I was obliged to remit
almost all application to study, and the work was thrown aside for nearly two years. Having
returned to it when a state of comparative convalescence took place, I found I had not gone
through the whole of my preliminary work. The New Testament I plainly saw was a comment
on the Old and to understand such a comment, I knew it was absolutely necessary to be well
;

acquainted with the original text. I then formed the plan of reading consecutively a portion of
the Hebrew Bible daily. Accordingly I began to read the Old Testament, noting down on the
different books, chapters, and verses, such things as appeared to me of most importance, intend-
ing the work as an outline for one on a more extensive scale, should it please God to spare my
life and give me health and leisure to complete it. In this preliminary work I spent a little
more than one year and two months, in which time I translated every sentence, Hebrew and
Chaldee, in the Old Testament. In such a work it would be absurd to pretend that I had not
met with many difficulties. I was attempting to illustrate the most ancient and most learned
book in the universe, replete with allusions to arts that are lost, to nations that are extinct, to
customs that are no longer observed, and abounding in modes of speech and turns of phraseology
which can only be traced out through the medium of the cognate Asiatic languages. On these
accounts I was often much perplexed, but I could not proceed till I had done the utmost in my
power to make every thing plain. The frequent occurrence of such difficulties led me closely to
examine and compare all the original texts, versions, and translations, as they stand in the London
Polyglot, with some others not inserted in that work ; and from these, especially the Samaritan,
Chaldee Targums, Septuagint, and Vulgate, I derived the most assistance, though all the rest
contributed their quota in cases of difficulty.
Almost as soon as this work was finished I began my comment on the four gospels, and not-
withstanding the preparations already made, and my indefatigable application early and late to
the work, I did not reach the end of the fourth Evangelist till eighteen months after its com-
mencement. Previously to this I had purposed to commit what I had already done to the press
but when I had all my arrangements made, a specimen actually set up and printed, and adver-
tisements circulated, a sudden rise in the price of paper, which I fondly hoped \vould not be of
long continuance, prevented my proceeding. When this hope vanished, another work on the
Scriptures by a friend was extensively announced. As I could not bear the thought of even the
most distant appearance of opposition to any man, I gave place, being determined not to attempt
to divide the attention of the public mind, nor hinder the general spread of a work which for
aught I knew might supersede the necessity of mine. That work has been for some time com-
pleted, and the numerous subscribers supplied with their copies. My plan however is untouched ;
and still finding from the call of many judicious friends, and especially of my brethren in the
ministry, who have long been acquainted with my undertaking and its progress,"that the religious
public would gladly receive a work on the plan which I had previously announced, I have, after
much hesitation, made up my mind and, in the name of God, with a simple desire to add my
;

mite to the treasury, having recommenced the revisal and improvement of my papers, I now
present them to the public. I am glad that Divine Providence has so ordered it that the publi-
cation has been hitherto delayed, as the years which have elapsed since my first intention of
printing have afforded me a more ample opportunity to reconsider and correct what I had before
done, and to make many improvements.
Should I be questioned as to my specific object in bringing this work before the religious world
at a time when works of a similar nature abound, I would simply answer, I wish to do a little
good also, and contribute my quota to enable men the better to understand the records of their
salvation. That I am in hostility to no work of this kind, the preceding pages will prove and;

I have deferred my own as long as in prudence I can. My tide is turned; life is fa^t ebbing
out ;
and what I do in this way I must do now, or relinquish the design for ever. This I would
most gladly do, but I have been too long and too deeply pledged to the public to permit me to
indulge my own feelings in this respect. Others are doing much to elucidate the Scriptures I ;

wish them all God's speed. I also will show my opinion of these Divine records, and do a little
in the same way. I wish to assist my fellow labourers in the vineyard to lead men to Him who is
the fountain of all excellence, goodness, truth, and happiness ; to magnify his law and make it
honourable to show the wonderful provision made in his Gospel for the recovery and salvation
;

of a sinful world ; to prove that God's great design is to make his creatures happy ; and that
13
 GENERAL PREFACE.
such a salvation as it becomes God to give, and such as man needs to receive, is within the
grasp of every human soul.
He who carefully and conscientiously receives the truths of Divine revelation, not merely as
a creed, but in reference to his practice, cannot fail of being an ornament to civil and religious
society. It is my endeavour therefore to set these truths fairly and fully before the eyes of
those who may be inclined to consult my work. I do not say that the principles contained in
my creed, and which I certainly have not studied to conceal, are all essentially necessary to
every man's salvation and I should be sorry to unchristianize any person who may think he
;

has Scriptural evidence for a faith in several respects different from mine. I am sure that all
sincere Christians are agreed on what are called the essential truths of Divine revelation and I
;

feel no reluctance to acknoAvledge that men eminent for wisdom, learning, piety, and usefulness,
have diflered among themselves and from me in many points which I deem of great importance.
While God bears with and does us good, we may readily bear with each other. The hostility
of others I pass by. The angry and malevolent are their own tormentors. I remember the old
-idage :
" Let envy alone, and it will punish itself."
Of the COPY of the sacred text used for this work it may be necessary to say a few words.
It is stated in the title that the text " is taken from the most correct copies of the present
authorized version." As several use this term who do not know its meaning, for their sakes
I shall explain it. A resolution was formed, in consequence of a request made by Dr. Reynolds,
head of the nonconforjnist party, to King James I., in the conference held at Hampton Court,
1603, that a new translation, or rather a revision of what was called the Bishops'' Bible,
printed in 1568, should be made. Fiftyfour translators, divided into six classes, were
appointed for the accomplishment of this important work. Seven of these appear to have
died before the work commenced, as only forty-seven are found in Fuller's list. The names
of the persons, the places where employed, and the proportion of worlc allotted to each class,
and the rules laid down by King James for their direction, I give chiefly from Mr. Fuller's
Church History, Book x., p. 44, &c.
Before I insert this account, it may be necessary to state Dr. Reynolds's request in the
Hampton Court conference, and King James's answer.

Dr. Reynolds. " May your Majesty be pleased that the Bible be new translated, such as are
extant not answering the original?" {Here he gave a few examples.]
Bishop of London. " If every man's humour might be followed, there would be no end of
translating."
The King. " I profess I could never yet see a Bible well translated in English ; but I think
that of all, that of Geneva is the worst. I wish some special pains were taken for a uniform
translation, which should be done by the best learned in both universities, then reviewed by the
bishops, presented to the privy council, lastly ratified by royal authority, to be read in the whole
Church, and no other."

The bishop of London in this, opposed Dr. Reynolds, till he saw

as in every other case,
that the project pleased the king, and that he appeared determined to have it executed. In
consequence of this resolution, the following learned and judicious men were chosen for the
execution of the work.

WESTMINSTER.— 10.
The Pentateuch : the Story from Joshua to the first Book of the Chronicles
exclusively.

Dr. Andrews, Fellow and Master of Pembroke Hall in Cambridge then Dean of Westminster,
;

afterwards Bishop of Winchester.

Dr. Overall, Fellow of Trinity Coll., Master of Kath. Hall, in Cambridge ; then Dean of St.
Paul's, afterwards Bishop of Norwich.
Dr. Saravia.
Dr. Clarke, Fellow of Christ Coll. in Cambridge, Preacher in Canterbury.
Dr. Laifield, Fellow of Trin. in Cambridge, Parson of St. Clement Danes. Being skilled in
architecture, his judgment was much relied on for the fabric of the Tabernacle and Temple.
Dr. Leigh, Archdeacon of Middlesex, Parson of All-hallows, Barking.
Master Buroley.
Mr. King.
Mr. Thompson.
Mr. Bedwell, of Cambridge, and (I think) of St. John's, Vicar of Tottenham, near London.
14 V
 GENERAL PREFACE.

CAMBRIDGE.—8.
From the First of the Chronicles, with the rest of the Story, and the Haqioorapha,
VIZ., Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Canticles, Ecclesiastes.

Master Edward Lively.

Mr. Richardson, Fellow of Emman., afterwards D. D., Master, first of Peter-house, then of
Trin. College.
Mr. Chaderton, afterwards D. D., Fellow first of Christ Coll., then Master of Emmanuel.
Mr. Dillingham, Fellow of Christ Coll., beneficed at in Bedfordshire, where he died
a single and a wealthy man.
Mr. Andrews, afterwards D. D., brother to the Bishop of Winchester, and Master of Jesus Coll.
Mr. Harrison, the Rev. Vice-master of Trinity Coll.
Mr. Spalding, Fellow of St. John's in Cambridge, and Hebrew Professor therein.
Mr. BiNG, Fellow of Peter-house, in Cambridge, and Hebrew Professor therein.

OXFORD.— 7.
The four greater Prophets, with the Lamentations, and the twelve lesser Prophets.

Dr. Harding, President of Magdalen Coll.

Dr. Reynolds, President of Corpus Christi Coll.
Dr. Holland, Rector of Exeter Coll. and King's Professor.
Dr. KiLBY, Rector of Lincoln Coll. and Regius Professor.
Master Smith, afterwards D. D., and Bishop of Gloucester. He made the learned and religious
Preface to the Translation.
Mr. Brett, of a worshipful family, beneficed at Quainton, in Buckinghamshire.
Mr. Fairclowe.

CAMBRIDGE.— 7.
The Prayer of Manasseh, and the rest of the Apocrypha.

Dr. DupoRT, Prebend of Ely, and Master of Jesus Coll.

Dr. Brainthwait, first Fellow of Emmanuel, then Master of Gonvil and Caius Coll.
Dr. Radclyffe, one of the Senior Fellows of Trin. Coll.
Master Ward, Emman., afterwards D. D., Master of Sidney Coll. and Margaret Professo
Mr. Downs, Fellow of St. John's Coll. and Greek Professor.
Mr. Boyce, Fellow of St. John's Coll., Prebend of Ely, Parson of Boxworth in Cambridgeshire.
Mr. Ward, Regal, afterwards D. D., Prebend of Chichester, Rector of Bishop- Waltham, in
Hampshire.

OXFORD.—8.
The Four Gospels, Acts of the Apostles, Apocalypse.

Dr. Ravis, Dean of Christ Church, afterwards Bishop of London.

Dr. Abbott, Master of University Coll., afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury.
Dr. Eedes.
Mr. Thomson.
Mr. Savill.
Dr. Peryn.
Dr. Ravens.
Mr. Harmer.

WESTMINSTER.—7.
The Epistles of St. Paul, and the Canonical Epistles.

Dr. Barlowe, of Trinity Hall, in Cambridge, Dean of Chester, afterwards Bishop of Linco n.
Dr. Hutchenson.
Dr. Spencer.
Mr. Fenton.
Mr. Rabbet.
Mr. Sanderson. ^

Mr. Dakins.
16
 ;

GENERAL PREFACE.
"Now, for the better ordering of their proceedings, his Majesty recommended the following
rules, to be most carefully observed.
by them
1. Tho ordinary Bible read in the Church, commonly called the Bishops'* Bible, to be followed,
and as little altered as the original will permit.
2. The names of the prophets, and the holy writers, with their other names in the text, to be
retained, as near as may be, according as they are vulgarly used.
3. The old ecclesiastical words to be kept, viz., the word Church not to be translated Congre-
gation, <Sj-c.

4. When any word hath divers significations, that to be kept which hath been most commonly
used by the most eminent fathers, being agreeable to the propriety of the place, and the
analogy of faith.
6. Thedivision of the chapters to be altered either not at all, or as little as may be, if necessity
so require.
6. No marginal notes at all to be affixed, but only for the explanation of the Hebrew or Greek
words, which cannot, without some circumlocution, so briefly and fitly be expressed in
the text.
7. Such quotations of places to be marginally set down, as shall serve for the fit reference of
one scripture to another.
8. Every particular man of each company to take the same chapter, or chapters ; and having
translated or amended them severally by himself, where he thinks good, all to meet to-
gether, confer what they have done, and agree for their part Avhat shall stand.
9. As any one company hath despatched any one book in this manner, they shall send it to
the rest, to be considered of seriously and judiciously; for his Majesty is very careful in
this point.
10. If any company, upon the review of the book so sent, shall doubt or difler upon any places,
to send them word thereof, note the places, and therewithal send their reasons ; to which,
if they consent not, the difference to be compounded at the general meeting, which is to
be of the chief persons of each company, at the end of the work.
11. When any place of special obscurity is doubted of, letters to be directed by authority, to
send to any learned in the land, for his judgment in such a place.
12. Letters to be sent from every bishop to the rest of his clergy, admonishing them of this
translation in hand ;and to move and charge as many as, being skilful in the tongues,
have taken pains in that kind, to send his particular observations to the company, either
at Westminster, Cambridge, or Oxford.
13. The directors in each company to be the Deans of Westminster and Chester for that place
and the King's Professors in Hebrew and Greek in each university.
Tindal's,
14. These translations to be used, when they agree better
Matthews',
*^ Coverdale's,
with the text than the Bishops' Bible, viz.,
Whitchurch,
Geneva.
" Besides the said directions before-mentioned, three or four of the most ancient and grave
divines in either of the universities, not employed in translating, to be assigned by the vice-
chancellor, upon conference with the rest of the heads, to be overseers of the translations, as
well Hebrew as Greek, for the better observation of the fourth rule above specified.
"And now after long expectation and great desire," says Mr. Fuller, "came forth the new
translation of the Bible (most beautifully printed) by a select and competent number of divines
appointed for that purpose not being too many, lest one should trouble another and yet many,
; ;

lest many things might haply escape them. Who neither coveting praise for expedition, nor
fearing reproach for slackness, (seeing in a business of moment none deserve blame for con-
venient slowness,) had expended almost three years in the work, not only examining the channels
by the fountai?!, translatiojis with the original, Avhich was absolutely necessary, but also com-
paring channels with channels, which was abundantly useful in the Spanish, Italian, French, and
Dutch (German) languages. These, with Jacob, rolled away the stone from the mouth of the well
of life; so that now, even RacheVs weak women may freely come both to drink themselves and
water the flocks of their families at the same.
" Leave we then those worthy men now all gathered to their fathers and gone to God, how-
ever they were requited on earth, well rewarded in heaven for their worthy work. Of whom,
as also of that gracious kino that employed them, we may say. Wheresoever the Bible shall be
preached or read in the whole world, there shall also this that they have done be told in memorial
of them." Ibid. p. 57, &c.
The character of James I. as a scholar has been greatly underrated. In the Hampton Court
conference he certainly showed a clear and ready comprehension of every subject brought before
16
 — . f — :

GENERAL PREFACE.
him, together with extensive reading and a remarkably sound judgment. For the best transla-
tion into any language we are indebted under God to King James, who was called a hypocrite
by those who had no religion, and a pedant by persons who had not half his learning: Both
piety and justice require that, while we are thankful to God for the gift of his word, we should
revere the memory of the man who was the instrument of conveying the water of life through a
channel by which its purity has been so wonderfully preserved. As to politics, he was, like the
rest of the Stuart family, a tyrant.
Those who have compared most of the European translations with the original, have not
scrupled to say that the English translation of the Bible, made tinder the direction of King
James I., is the most accurate and faithful of the whole. Nor is this its only praise the trans- ;

lators have seized the very spirit and soul of the original, and expressed this almost everywhere
with pathos and energy. Besides, our translators have not only made a standard translation,
but they have made their translation the standard of our language ; the English tongue in their
day was not equal to such a work, " but God enabled them to stand as upon Mount Sinai,''''' to
use the expression of a learned friend, " and crane up their country's language to the dignity of
the originals, so that after the lapse of 200 years the English Bible is, with very few exceptions,
the standard 'of the purity and excellence of the English tongue. The original from which it
was taken is, alone, superior to the Bible translated by the authority of King James."* This is
an opinion in Avhich my heart, my judgment, and my conscience, coincide.
* These are the words of the late Miss Freeman Shepherd, a very learned and extraordinary woman, and a
rigid papist. j . t^ t^ ,j
t It is not unknown that, at the Hampton Court conference, several alterations were proposed by Dr. Reynolds
and his associates to be made in the Liturgy then in common use, as well as in the Bible. These however were in
general objected to by the king, and only a few changes made, which shall be mentioned below. While on this
part of the subject it may not be unacceptable to the reader to hear how the present Liturgy was compiled, and who
the persons were to whom this work was a.ssigned a work almost universally esteemed by the devout and pious
;

of every denomination, and the greatest effort of the Reformation, next to the translation of the Scriptures into the
English language. The word Liturgy is derived, according to some, from Iltt], prayer, and epyov, work, and sig-
nifies literally the work or labour of prayer or supplication ; and he who labours not in his prayers prays not at all
or more properly T-ecTovpyia, from Tisltoq, public or cominon, and Epyov, loork, denoting the common or public work
of prayer, thanksgiving, t^c, in which it is the duty of every person to engage and from Xltuvevu, to supplicate,
;

comes "Airai, prayers, and hence Airavsia, Litany, supplication, a. collection of prayers in the Liturgy or public service
of the Church. Previously to the reign of Henry VIII. the Liturgy was all said or sung in Latin, but the Creed, the
Lord's Prayer, and the Ten Comma nd?ne tits, in 1536 were translated into English, for the use of the common people,
by the king's command. In 1545 the Liturgy was also pennitted in English, as Fuller expresses it, " and this was
he farthest ^ace the Reformation slept in the reign of Henry VIII."
In the first year of Edward VI., 1547, it was recommended to certain grave and learned bishops, and others then
assembled, by order of the king, at Windsor Castle, to draw up a communion service, and to revise and reform all
other offices in the Divine service; this service was accordingly printed and published, and strongly recommended
by special letters from Seymour, Lord Protector, and the other lords of the council. The persons who compiled
this work were the following :

1. Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop oi Canterbury 9. John Taylor, then Dean, afterwards Bishop, of
2. George Day, Bishop of Chichester. Lincoln.
3. Thomas Goodrick, Bishop of Ely. 10. Doctor Haines, Dean of Exeter.
4. John Skip, Bishop of Hereford. 11. Doctor Robinson, afterwards Dean of Durham.
5. Henry Hotbeach, Bishop oi Lincoln. 12. Doctor John Redman, Master of Trinity College,
6. Nicholas Ridley, Bishop of Rochester. Cambridge.
7. Thomas Thirlby, Bishop of Westminster. 13. Doctor Richard Cox, then Almoner to the King,
8. Doctor May, Dean oi St. Paul's. and afterwards Bishop of Ely.
It is worthy of remark that as the first translators of the Scriptures into the English langiiage were several of
them persecuted unto death by the papists, so some of the cAie/ of those who translated the Book of Common Prayer,
(Archbishop Cranmer and Bishop Ridley) were burnt alive by the same cruel faction.
This was what Mr. Fuller calls ih.e first edition of the Common Prayer, published in 1548. Some objections hav-
ing been made to this work by Mr. John Calvin abroad, and some learned men at home, particularly in reference
to the Commemoration of the Dead, the use of Chrism, and Extreme Unction, it was ordered by a statute in parliament
(5 and 6 of Edward VI.) that it should be faithfully and godly perused, explained, and made fully perfect. The chief
alterations made in consequence of this order were these the General Confession and Absolution were added, and
:

the Communion Service was made to begin with the Teti Commandments, the use oi oil in Confirmation and Extreme
Unction WRS left out, also Prayers for the Dead, and certain expressions that had a tendency to countenance the doc-
trine of troMsubstantiation.
The same persons to whom the compiling of the Communion Service was intrusted wei'e employed in this revision,
which was completed and published in 1553. On the accession of Clueen Mary this Liturgy was abolished, and
the Prayer Book, as it stood in the last year of Henry VIII., commanded to be used in its place. In the fi<rst year
of the reign of Glueen Elizabeth, 1559, the former Liturgy was restored, but it was siibjected to a farther revision,
by which some few passages were altered, and the petition in the Litany for being delivered from the tyranny and
all the detestable enormities of the bishop of Rome left out, in order that conscientious Catholics might not be pre-
vented from joining in the common service. This being done, it was presented to parliament, and by them received
and established and the Act for Uniformity, which is usually printed with the Liturgy, published by the queen's
;

authority, and sent throughout the nation. The persons employed in this revision were the following :

1. Master Whitehead, once Chaplain to Clueen Anna 4. Richard Cox, afterwards Bishop of Ely.
Bullein. 5. James Pilkington, afterwards Bishop of Durham.
2. Matthew Parker, afterwards Archbishop of Can- 6. Doctor May, "Dean of St. Paul's and Master of
terbury. Trinity College, Cambridge.
3. Edmund Grindall, afterwards Bishop of London. 7. Sir Thomas Smit.h, Principal Secretary of Slate,
17
 ;

GENERAL PREFACE.
This Bible was begun in 1607, but was not completed and published till 1611 and there are ;

copies of it which in their titlepages have the dates 1612 and 1613. This translation was cor-
rected, and many parallel texts added, by Dr. Scattergood, in 1683 by Dr. Lloyd, bishop of ;

London, in 1701 and afterwards by Dr. Paris, at Cambridge; but the most complete revision
;

was made by Dr. Blayney in the year 1769, under the direction of the vice-chancellor and dele-
gates of the University of Oxford, in which, 1. The punctuation was thoroughly revised
2. The words printed in italics examined and corrected by the Hebrew and Greek originals ;

3. The proper names, to the etymology of which allusions are made in the text, translated, and
entered in the margin 4. The heads and running titles corrected
;
5. Some material errors in;

the chronology rectified; and 6. The marginal references re-examined, corrected, and their
number greatly increased. Copies of this revision are those which are termed above the most
correct copies of the present authorized version ; and it is this revision re-collated, re-examined,
and corrected from typographical inaccuracies in a great variety of places, that has been followed
for the text prefixed to these notes. But, besides these corrections, I have found it necessary to
re-examine all the italics ; by those I mean the words interspersed through the text, avowedly
not in the original, but thought necessary by our translators to complete the sense, and accom-
modate the idioms of the Hebrew and Greek to that of the English language. See the sixth
rule, p. 16. In these I found gross corruptions, particularly where they have been changed for
Roman characters, whereby words have been attributed to God which he never spoke.
The Punctuation, which is a matter of no small importance to a proper understanding of the
sacred text, I have examined with the greatest care to me possible by the insertion of commas :

where there were none before putting semicolons for commas, the better to distinguish the
;

members of the sentences changing colons for semicolons, and vice versa and full points for
; ;

colons, I have been in many instances enabled the better to preserve and distinguish the sense,
and carry on a narration to its close, without interrupting the reader's attention by the interven-
tion of improper stops.
The References I have in many places considerably augmented, though I have taken care to
reprint all that Dr. Blayney has inserted in his edition, of which I scruple not to say, that as
far as they go, they are the best collection ever edited, and I hope their worth will suffer nothing
by the additions I have made.
After long and diligently weighing the different systems of Chronology, and hesitating which
to adopt, I ultimately fixed on the system commonly received as it appeared to me on the
;

whole, though encumbered with many difficulties, to be the least objectionable. In fixing the
dates of particular transactions I have found much difficulty that this was never done in any
;

edition of the Bible hitherto offered to the public, with any tolerable correctness, every person
acquainted with the subject must acknowledge. I have endeavoured carefully to fix the date of
each transaction where it occurs, and where it could be ascertained, showing throughout the
whole of the Old Testament the year of the world, and the year before Christ, in which it hap-
pened. From the beginning of Joshua I have introduced the years before the building of Rome

Of these Drs. Cox and May were employed on the first edition of this work, as appears by the preceding list.
In the first year of King James, 1604, another revision took place, and a few alterations were made,
which con-
sisted principally in the addition of some prayers and thanksgivings, some alteration in the Rubrics relative to the
Absolution, to the Cnnlfirmation, and to the office of Private Baptism, with the addition of that part of the Catechism
which contains the Doctrine of the Sacraments. The other additions were, A Thanksgiving for dti-crs Benefits, A
Thanksgiving for Fair Weatfier, A Thanksgiving for Plenty, A Thanksgiving for Peace and Victory, a.nA A
-'

Thanksgiving for neliverance from the Plag^. See the Instrument in i?y7«er vol xvi. p. 5(55, &c When the
work was thus completed, a royal proclamation was issued, bearing date March 1, 1604, in
which the king gave
an account of the Hampton Court conference, the alte rations that had been made by himself and his clergy in the
Book of Common Prayer, commanding it, and none other, to be used throughout the kingdom. See the Instru-
"^In this state the Book of Common Prayer contintied till the reign of Charles II.,
who, the 25th of October, 1660^,
.
i
- ^ _ »--
" granted his commission, ' " .. , ^ .

Common Prayer, and to p

ihe king assembled the convocations of both the provinces .
,t, ^^ -
t^
same, to review the said Book of Common Prayer,
, ,

of those convocations, and other the bishops and clergy of the

them, " after mature consideration, to make such alterations and additions as to them should seem
&c requiring whole
meet and convenient." This was accordingly done, several prayers and some whole services added, and the
published with the Act of Uniformity, in the 14th of Charles II., 1661 since which time it has
;
undergone no far-
ther revision These several additions have made the public ser\ice too long, and this is the principal cause why
this part of Divine worship is not better attended. This excellent service is now burdensome through its extreme
to prevent too much wearmess in their con-
length- and the clergy shorten their sermons, making them superficial,
or twenty minutes
erelations After being an hour and a half at prayers, they dismiss their audience with fifteen
preachin'r thus the people are not sufficiently instructed.
• This is a short history of a work which all who are
or modern times.
acauainted with it deem superior to every thing of the kind produced either by ancient
It would be disingenuous not to acknowledge
that the chief of those prayers were in use in the Roman Catholic
of acquaintance with eccle-
Church from which the Church of England is reformed; and it would betray a want
siastical antiquity to suppose that those prayers and
services originated in that Church, af; several of them were m
the name oipope or popery was Ciown
use from the first ages of Christianity, and many of the best of them before
in the earth.
18
 —

GENERAL PREFACE.
till the seven hundred and fiftyrthird year before Christ, when the foundation of that city was
laid, and also introduced the Olympiads from the time of their commencement, as both these
eras are of the utmost use to all who read the sacred writings, connected with the histories of
the times and nations to which they frequently refer. And who that reads his Bible will not be
glad to find at what time of the sacred history those great events fell out, of which he has
been accustomed to read in the Greek and Roman historians ? This is a gratification which the
present work will aftbrd from a simple inspection of the margin, at least as far as those facts and
dates have been ascertained by the best chronologists.
In the Pentateuch I have not introduced either the years of Rome or the Olympiads, because
the transactions related in the Mosaic writings are in general too remote from these eras to be
at all affected by them ; and I judged it early enough to commence with them at the time wTien.
Israel was governed by the Judges. But as the exodus from Egypt forms a very remaikable
era in the Jewish history, and is frequently referred to in the historical books, I have entered this
also, beginning at the 12th of Exodus, A. M. 2513, and have carried it down to the building of
Solomon's temple. This, I conceive, will be of considerable use to the reader.
As to Marginal Readings, I could with very little trouble have added many hundreds, if not
thousands ; but as I made it a point of conscience strictly to adhere to the present authorized
version in the text, I felt obliged by the same principle scrupulously to follow the Marginal
Readings, without adding or omitting any. Had I inserted some of my own, as some others
have done, then my text would be no longer the text of the authorized version, but an altered
translation ; for the Marginal Readings constitute an integral part, properly speaking, of the
authorized version ; and to add any thing would be to alter this version, and to omit any thing
would be to render it imperfect. When Dr. Blayney revised the present version in 1769, and
proposed the insertion of the translations of some proper names, to the etymology of which
reference is made in the text, so scrupulous was he of making any change in this respect that
he submitted all his proposed alterations to a select Committee of the University of Oxford, the
Vice-chancellor, and the Principal of Hertford College, and Mr. Professor Wheeler ; nor was
even the slightest change made but by their authority. All this part, as well as the entire text,
I must, therefore, to be consistent with my proposals, leave conscientiously as I found them,
typographical errors and false italics excepted. Whatever emendations I have proposed, either
from myself or others, I have included among the Notes.
That the Marginal Readings, in our authorized translation, are essential to the integrity of
the version itself, I scruple not to assert ; and they are of so much importance as to be in several
instances preferable to the Textual Readings themselves. Our conscientious translators, not
being able in several cases to determine which of two meanings borne by a word, or which of
two words found in different copies, should be admitted into the text, adopted the measure of
receiving both, placing one in the margin and the other in the text, thus leaving the reader at
liberty to adopt either, both of which in their apprehension stood nearly on the same authority.
On this very account the marginal readings are essential to our version, and I have found, on
collating many of them with the originals, that those in the margin are to be preferred to those
in the text in the proportion of at least eight to ten.
To the Geography of the sacred -writings I have also paid the utmost attention in my power.
I wished in every case to be able to ascertain the ancient and modern names of places, their
situation, distances, &.c., &c. but in several instances I have not been able to satisfy myself.
;

I have given those opinions which appeared to me to be best founded, taking frequently the
liberty to express my own doubts or dissatisfaction. I must therefore bespeak the reader's inditl-
gence, not only in reference to the work in general, but in respect to several points both in the
Scripture geography and chronology in particular, which may appear to him not satisfactorily
ascertained ; and have only to say that I have spared no pains to make every thing as correct
and accurate as possible, and hope I may, without vanity, apply to myself on these subjects,
with a slight change of expression, what was said by a great man of a great work "For negli- :

gence or deficience, I have perhaps not need of more apology than the nature of the work will
furnish ; I have left that inaccurate which can never be made exact, and that imperfect which
can never be completed." Johnson. For particulars under these heads I must refer to Dr.
Hales' elaborate and useful work, entitled, A new Analysis of Chronology, 2 vols. 4to., 1^09-10.
The Summaries to each chapter are entirely written for the purpose, and formed from a
careful examination of the chapter, verse by verse, so as to make them a faithful Table of
Contents, constantly referring to the verses themselves. By this means all the subjects of each
chapter may be immediately seen, so as in many cases to preclude the necessity of consulting a
Concordance.
In the Heads or head lines to each page I have endeavoured to introduce as far as the room
would admit, the chief subject of the columns underneath, so as immediately to catch the eye
of the reader.
Quotations from the original texts I have made as sparingly as possible ; those which are Intro-
Vol. I. ( 3 ) 19
 GENERAL PREFACE.
duced I have endeavoured to make plain by a literal translation, and by putting them in European
characters. The reader will observe that though the Hebrew is here produced without the points,
yet the reading given in European characters is according to the points, with very few excep-
tions. I have chosen this middle way to please, as far as possible, the opposers and friends of
the Masoretic system.
The controversies among religious people I have scarcely ever mentioned, having very seldom
referred to the creed of any sect or party of Christians nor have I produced any opinion merely
;

to confute or establish it. I simply propose what I believe to be the meaning of a passage, and
maintain what I believe to be the truth, but scarcely ever in a controversial way. I think it quite

possible to give my own views of the doctrines of the Bible, without introducing a single sentence
at which any Christian might reasonably take oflence ; and I hope that no provocation which I
may receive shall induce me to depart from this line of conduct.
It may be expected by some that I should enter at large into the proofs of the authenticity of
Divine Revelation. This has been done amply by others and their works have been published
;

in every form, and, with a very laudable zeal, spread widely through the public on this account
;

I think it unnecessary to enter professedly into the subject, any farther than I have done in the
" Introduction to the four Gospels and Acts of the Apostles," to which I must beg to refer the
reader. The different portions of the sacred writings against which the shafts of infidelity have
been levelled, I have carefully considered, and I hope sufficiently defended, in the places where
they respectively occur.
For a considerable time I hesitated whether I should attach to each chapter what are com-
luonly called reflections, as these do not properly belong to the province of the commentator.
It is the business of the preacher, who has the literal and obvious sense before him, to make
reflections on select passages, providential occurrences, and particular histories and to apply
;

the doctrines contained in them to the hearts and practices of his hearers. The chief business
of the commentator is critically to examine his text, to give the true meaning of every passage
in reference to the context, to explain words that are difficult or of dubious import, illustrate local
and provincial customs, manners, idioms, laws, «fec., and from the whole to collect the great
design of the inspired writer.
Many are of opinion that it is an easy thing to write reflections on the Scriptures ; my opinion
is the reverse ; common-place observations, which may arise on the surface of the latter, may be
easily made by any person possessing a little common sense and a measure of piety but reflec-
;

tions, such as become the oracles of God, are properly inductive reasonings on the facts stated
or the doctrines delivered, and require, not only a clear head and a sound heart, but such a com-
pass and habit of philosophic thought, such a power to discern the end from the beginning, the
cause from its effect, (and where several causes are at Avork to ascertain their respective results,
so that every effect may be attributed to its true cause,) as falls to the lot of but few men.
Through the flimsy, futile, and false dealing of the immense herd of spiritualizers, metaphor-
men, and allegorists, pure religion has been often disgraced. Let a man put his reason in Avard,
turn conscience out of its province, and throw the reins on the neck of his fancy, and he may
write — reflections without end. The former description of reflections I rarely attempt for want
of adequate powers the latter, my reason and conscience prohibit
;
let this be my excuse with
;

the intelligent and pious reader. I have, however, in this way, done what I could. I have

generally, at the close of each chapter, summed up in a few particulars the facts or doctrines
contained in it and have endeavoured to point out to the reader the spiritual and practical use
;

he should make of them. To these inferences, imqnovements, or whatever else they may be
called, I have given no specific name and of them can only say, that he who reads them, though
;

he may be sometimes disappointed, will not always lose his labour. At the same time I beg
leave to infonr. him that I have not deferred spiritual uses of important texts to the end of the
chapter where they should be noticed in the occurring verse I have rarely passed them by.
;

Before I conclude, it may be necessary to give some account of the original versions of the
sacreil writings, which have been often consulted, and to which occasional references are made
in the ensuing work. These arc the Samaritan, Chaldaic, ^^thiopic, Septuagint, with those
of Aquila, Symmachus, and Theodotion ; the Syriac, Vulgate, Arabic, Coptic, Persian, and
Anglo-Saxon.
The Samaritan text must not be reckoned among the versions. It is precisely the same
with the Hebrew, only fuller having preserved many letters, Avords, and even whole sentences,
;

sometimes several verses, which are not extant in any Hebrew copy with which we are ac-
quainted. In all other respects it is the same as the Hebrew, only written in what is called the
Samaritan character, which was probably the ancient Hebrew, as that now called the Hebrew
character was proba])lv l)orrowed from the Chaldeans.
1. The Samaritan version differs widely from the Samaritan
text; the latter is pure Hebrew,
the former is a literal version of the Hebreo-Samaritan text, into the Chaldaico-Samaritan dia-
lect When this was done it is impossible to sav, but it is allowed to be very ancient, consider-
20 ( 3 )
 GENERAL PREFACE. '^

ably prior to the Christian era. The language of this version is composed of pure HebretUr,
Syro-Chaldaic, and Cuthite terms. It is almost needless to observe that the Samaritan text and
Samaritan version extend no farther than the five books of Moses ; as the Samaritans received
no other parts of the sacred writings.
2. The Chaldaic version or Targums have already been described among the commentators.
Under this head are included the Targum of Onkelos upon the whole law ; the Jerusalem Tar-
gum on select parts of the five books of Moses the Targum of Jonathan ben XJzziel also upon
;

the Pentateuch ;the Targum of Jonathan upon the prophets ; and the Targum of Rabbi Joseph
on the books of Chronicles but of all these the Targums of Onkelos on the law, and Jonathan
;

on the prophets, are the most ancient, the most literal, and the most valuable. See page 1 and 2
of this preface. ^
3. The Septttagint translation of all the versions of the sacred writings has ever been deemed
•

of the greatest importance by competent judges. I do not, however, design to enter into the con-
troversy concerning this venerable version ; the history of it by Aristaeus I consider in the
main to be a mere fable, worthy to be classed with the tale of Bel and the Dragon, and the
stupid story of Tohit and his Dog. Nor do I believe, with many of the fathers, that " seventy
or seventy-two elders, six out of each of the twelve tribes, were employed in the work ; that
each of these translated the whole of the sacred books from Hebrew into Greek while confined
in separate cells in the island of Pharos ;" or that they were so particularly inspired by God that
every species of error was prevented, and that the seventy-two copies, when compared together,
were found to be precisely the same, verbatim et literatim. My own opinion, on the contro-
versial part of the subject, may be given in a few words : I believe that the five books of Moses,
the most correct and accurate part of the whole work, were translated from the Hebrew into
Greek in the time of Ptolemy Philadelphus, king of Egypt, about 285 years before the Christian
era; that this was done, not by seventy-two, but probably by five learned and judicious men,
and that when completed it was examined, approved, and allowed as a faithful version, by the
seventy or seventy-two elders who constituted the Alexandrian Sanhedrim ; and that the other
books of the Old Testament were done at difterent times by different hands, as the necessity of
the case demanded, or the providence of God appointed. It is pretty certain, from the quotations
of the evangelists, the apostles, and the primitive fathers, that a complete version into Greek
of the whole Old Testament, probably called by the name of the Septuagint, was made and in
use before the Christian era but it is likely that some of the books of that ancient version are
;

now lost, and that some others, which now go under the name of the Septuagint, were the pro-
duction of times posterior to the incarnation.
4. The Greek versions of Aquila, Symmachus, and Theodotion, are frequently referred to.
Aquila was first a heathen, then a Christian, and lastly a Jew. He made a translation of the Old
Testament into Greek so very literal, that St. Jerome said it was a good dictionary to give the
genuine meaning of the Hebrew words. He finished and published this work in the twelfth year
of the reign of the Emperor Adrian, A. D. 128.
5. Theodotion was a Christian of the Ehionite sect, and is reported to have begun his transla-
tion of the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek merely to serve his own party but from what remains
;

of his version it appears to have been very literal, at least as far as the idioms of the two lan-
guages would bear. His translation was made about the year of our Lord 180. All this work
is lost, except his version of the book of the Prophet Daniel, and some fragments.
6. Symmachus was originally a Samaritan, but became a convert to Christianity as professed
by the Ehionites. In forming his translation he appears to have aimed at giving i\ie sense rather
than a literal version of the sacred text. His work was probably completed about A. D. 200.
These three versions were published by Origen in his famous work entitled, Hexapla, of
which they formed the third, fourth, and sixth columns. All the remaining fragments have
been carefully collected by Father Montfaucon, and published in a work entitled, Hexapla Ori-
genis qu(B supersunt, SfC. Paris, 1713. 2 vols, folio. Republished by C. F. Bahrdt, Leips.
1769, 2 vols. 8vo.
7. The JEthiopic version comprehends only the New Testament, the Psalms, some of the
minor Prophets, and a few fragments of other books. It was probably made in the fourth
century.
8. The Coptic version includes only the five books of Moses, and the New Testament. It is
supposed have been made in the fifth century.
to
9. The Syriac version is very valuable and of great authority. It was probably made as early
as tlie second century; and some think that a Syriac version of the Old Testament was in
existence long before the Christian era,
10. A Latin version, known by the name of the Itala, Italic or Antehieronymian, is well
known among learned men it exists in the Latin part of the Codex BezcB at Cambridge, and in
;

several other MSS. The text of the four gospels in this version, taken from four MSS. more
ihan a thousand years old, was published by Blanchini, at Rome 1749, 4 vols, folio and a larger
;

21
 GENERAL PREFACE.
collection by SahatJiier, Rheims, 1743, 3 vols, folio. This ancient version is allowed to be of
great use in Biblical criticism.
11. The Vulgate, or Latin version, was formed by Saint Jerome, at the command of Pope
Damasus, A. D. 384. Previously to this there were a great number of Latin versions made by
different hands, some of which Jerome complains of as being extremely corrupt and self-contra-
dictory. These versions, at present, go under the general name of the old Itala or Antehiero-
nymian, already noticed. .Jerome appears to have formed his text in general out of these,
collating the whole with the Hebrew and Greek, from which he professes to have translated
several books entire. The New Testament he is supposed to have taken wholly from the
original Greek ;
yet there are sufficient evidences that he often regulated even this text bv the
ancient Latin versions.
12. The Anglo-Saxon version of the foxir Gospels is supposed to have been taken from the
ancient Itala some time in the eighth century and that of the Pentateuch, Joshua, Judges, and
;

Job, from the Vulgate, by a monk called iElfric, in the ninth century. The former was printed
at Dort, in conjunction with the Gothic version, by F. Junius, 1665, 4to. the latter, by Edward
;

Thwaites, Oxford, 1698, 8vo. but in this version many verses, and even whole chapters, are
;

left out; and the Book of Job is only a sort of abstract, consisting of about five pages.
13. The Arabic is not a very ancient version, but is of great use in ascertaining the significa-
tion of several Hebrew words and forms of speech.
14. The Persian includes only the five Books of Moses and the four Gospels. The former
Was made from the Hebrew text by a Jew named Yacouh Toosee ; the latter, by a Christian
of the Catholic persuasion, Simon Ihn Yusuf Ihn Ihraheem al Tuhreezee, about the year of
our Lord 1341.
These are the principal versions which are deemed of authority in settling controversies
relative to the text of the original. There are some others, but of less importance such as the
;

Slavonic, Gothic, Sahidic, and Armenian for detailed accounts of which, as also of the prece-
;

ding, as far as the New Testament is concerned, 1 beg leave to refer the reader to Michaelis^s
Lectures, in the translation, with the notes of the Rev. Dr. Herbert Marsh, and to the General
Preface to the Gospels and Acts and for farther information concerning Jewish and Christian
;

commentators, he is requested to consult Bartoloccius^ s Bibliotheca Rabbinica, and the Biblio-

theca Theologica of Father Cahnet.
In the preceding list of commentators I find I have omitted to insert in its proper place a work
with which I have been long acquainted, and which for its piety and erudition I have invariably
admired, viz. :
" Aplaine discovery of the whole Revelation of Saint John ; set downe in two
Treatises : The one searching and proving the true interpretation thereof ; The other applying
the same paraphrastically and historically to the text. Set foorth by John Napeir L. oi Marches-
toun, younger. Whereunto are annexed certaine Oracles of Sibylla, agreeing with the Reve-
lation and other places of Scripture. Edinburgh, printed by Robert Waldegrave, printer to the
King's Majestic, 1593. Cum privilegio Regali, 8vo.
When the reader learns that the author of this little work was the famous Baron of Marches-
toun, the inventor of the logarithms, a discovery which has been of incalculable use in the
sciences of astronomy, practical geometry, and navigation, he will be pi-epared to receive with
respect what so great a genius has Avrittcn upon a book that, above all others in the sacred code,
seems to require the head and hand of the soundest divine and mathematician. The work is
dedicated " to the right excellent, high and mighty Prince James VI., King of Scottes," after-
wards James 1., King of England and in the Epistle Dedicatorie, the author strongly urges
;

him to complete the reformation begun in his own empire, that he might be a ready instrument
in the hand of God in executing judgment on the papal throne, which he then supposed to be
near the time of its final overthrow. The first treatise is laid down in thirty-six propositions
relating to the seals, trumpets, vials, and thunders.
In the third, fifth, and six'h propositions, he endeavours to prove that each trumpet or vial
contains 245 years that the first began A. D. 71.
;
The second A. D. 316. The third A. D.
561. The fourth k.\).miS. The ///7i A. D. 1051. The 5^.T^/^ A. D. 1296. The seventh k.T>.
1541. Sec Propos. vi. And in Propos. x. he shows that, as the last trumpet or vial began
in 1541, consecjuently, as it contains 245 years, it should extend to A. D. 1786. "Not that I
mean," says the noble writer, " that that age or yet the world shall continew so long, because it
is said, that for the elect's sake the time shall be shortened but 1 mean that if the world were
;

to indure, that seventh age should continew untill the yeare of Christ, 1786." Taking up this
subject again, in Propos. xiv., he endeavours to prove, by a great variety of calculations formed
on the 1335 days mentioned by Daniel, chap, xii. 11, and the period of the three thundering
angels, Rev. viii. and ix., that by the former it appears the day of judgment will take place in
A. D. 1700, and by the latter, in 1688, whence it maybe confidently expected that this awful day
shall take place between these two periods !

We, who have lived to A. D. 1830, see the fallacv of these predictive calculations ; and with
22
 GENERAL PREFACE
such an example before us of the miscarriage of the first mathematician in Europe, in his
endeavours to solve the prophetical periods marked in this most obscure book, we should pro-
ceed in such researches with humility and caution, nor presume to ascertain the times and the
seasons which the Father has reserved in his own power. I may venture to affirm, so very-
plausible were the reasonings and calculations of Lord Napeir, that there was scarcely a Pro-
testant in Europe, who read his work, that was not of the same opinion. And how deplorably
has the event falsified the predictions of this eminent and pious man And yet, unawed by his
!

miscarriage, calculators and ready-reckoners, in every succeeding age, on less specious pre-
tences, with minor qualifications, and a less vigorous opinion, have endeavoured to soar where
Napeir sunk !Their labours, however well intended, only serve to increase the records of
the weakness and folly of mankind. Secret things belong to God those that are revealed!', to
;

us and to our children. Writers who have endeavoured to illustrate diflferent prophecies in
the Apocalypse by past events, and those that are noio occurring, are not included in this cen-
sure. Some respectable names in the present day have rendered considerable service to the
cause of Divine revelation, by the careful and pious attention they have paid to this part of
the subject ; but when persons attempt to speak of what is yet to come, they begin to prophesy
and are soon lost.
ADAM CLARKE.
P. S. On Gen. ii. 4, I have hinted that our Saxon ancestors have translated the Dominus of the Vulgate by
Wapojib, Lovenb, or Lojib. This is not to be understood of the fragments of the translations of the Old and New
Testament which have reached our times, for in them Dominus when connected with Deus is often omitted, and
the word Irob substituted for both at other times they use the Dano-Saxon Djuhcen, both for nin"' Jehovah, and
;

^31N Adonai ; and in the New Testament, Djuhcen is generally used for Kvpioc, Lord, at other times, blapojib. It
seems to have been applied as a title of respect to men: see Matt. xii. 8; xiii. 27; xvii. 25, 26, 27, 31, 32, 34; xxi.
30. Afterwards it was applied to the Supreme Being also and the title Lord continues to be given to both indif-
;

ferently to the present day, and sometimes both indifferently even in the same discourse. Thus in the Saxon homily
in Dom. 1., Q,uadr. Bedae Hist. Eccles., lib. iv., c. 9: ODan rceal hme jehibban to hir Djuhene •] him anum peopian :J)i
ana ly pop Wapojib anb yoy> Irob. " Man shall pray to his Lord (Djuhcne) and him alone serve He only is true Lord
:

(Wapojib) and true God." ftlajjonb belongs more especially to the Anglo-Saxon Djiihcne, to the Dano-Saxon. la
Danish Djioecejt is generally used for Lord.
23*
 : .M>- Ao ; :

«V

PREFACE T O T H |5 ]^ O &C*>5 i?

•;,; -r\ 'fiT

GENESIS.
pVERY believer in Divine amply justified in takmg for granted
revelation finds himself
that the Pentateuch is the work For more than 3000 years this has been
of Moses.
the invariable opinion of those who were best qualified to form a correct judgment on this

subject. The Jewish Church, from its most remote antiquity, has ascribed the work to no
other hand and the Christian Church, from its foundation, has attributed it to the Jewish
;

lawgiver alone. The most respectable heathens have concurred in this testimony, and Jesus
Christ and his apostles have completed the evidence, and have put the question beyond the
possibility of being doubted by those who profess to beheve the Divine authenticity of the
New Testament. As to those who, in opposition to all these proofs, obstinately persist in
their unbehef, they are worthy of little regard, as argument is lost on their unprincipled
prejudices, and demonstration on their minds, because ever wilfully closed against the light.
When they have proved that Moses is not the author of this work, the advocates of Divine
revelation will reconsider the grounds of their faith.
That there are a few things in the Pentateuch which see?n to have been added by a later
hand there can be little doubt among these some have reckoned, perhaps without reason,
;

the following passage, Gen. xii. 6 " And the Canaanite was then in the land ;" but see
:

the note on this place. Num. xxi. 14, " In the book of the wars of the Lord," was probably
a marginal note, which in process of time got into the text see the note on this passage ;

also. To these may be added the Jive first verses of Deuteronomy, chap, i the twelfth of ;

chap, and the eight concluding verses of the last chapter, in which we have an account
ii ;

of the death of Moses. These last words could not have been added by Moses himself, but
are very probably the work of Ezra, by whom, according to uninterrupted tradition among
the Jews, the various books which constitute the canon of the Old Testament were collected
and arranged, and such expository notes added as were essential to connect the different
parts but as he acted under Divine inspiration, the additions may be considered of equal
;

authority with the text. A few other places might be added, but they are of little importance
and are mentioned in the notes.

The book of GENESIS, Yeveaiq, has its name from the title it bears in the Septuagint^
Bl[31oc Teveaeug, (chap. ii. ver. 4,) which book of the Generation ; but it is called
signifies the
in Hebrew n'l^'xnn Bereshith, <'
In the beginning,^'' from its initial word. It is the most

ancient history in the world from the great variety of its singular details and most
; and,
its value and importance to all others, as it is in its
interesting accounts, is as far superior in
antiquity. This book contains an account of the creation of the world, and its first inhabit-
ants ;the original innocence and fall of man; the rise of religion the invention of arts; ;

the general corruption and degeneracy of mankind the universal deluge the repeopling and
; ;

a 23
 PREFACE TO GENESIS.
division of the earth ; the origin of nations and kingdoms ; and a particular history of the
patriarchs from Adap^ ^vwn to the, de^thpf Joseph ; including a space, at the lowest com-
putation, of 2369 ;ypar,s.. ; ; ;
,
,'
;
'
'
'

It may be asked hov^ a. detail sp. ,circum,stantial and minute could have been preserved

when there was no wn/wi^,6j any .kind, aind when the earth, whose history is here given,
had already existed more', than 2'00(> y^ars. To this inquiry a very satisfactory answer may
be given. There are on]y. three, .ways ir) which these important records could have been
preserved and bxpugiii;' dovyn to the, time of Moses viz., writing, tradition, and Divine reve-
:

lation. In the alritediluvian wo?ld, wher- tiie hfc pf man was so protracted, there was com-
paratively little need for writing of any kind, and perhaps no alphabetical writing then existed.
Tradition answered every purpose to which writing in any kind of characters could be sub-
servient; and the necessity of erecting monuments to perpetuate public events could scarcely
have suggested itself, as during those times there could be little danger apprehended of any
important fact becoming obsolete, as its history had to pass through very few hands, and all
these friends and relatives in the most proper sense of the terms ; for they lived in an insu
lated state under a patriarchal government.
Thus it was easy for Moses to be satisfied of the truth of all he relates in the book of
Genesis, as the accounts came to him through the medium of very few persons. From Adam
to Noah was but one man necessary to the correct transmission of the history of this
there
period of 1656 years. Now this history was, without doubt, perfectly known to Methuselah,
who lived to see them both. In like manner Shem connected Noah and Abraham, having
lived to converse with both as Isaac did with Abraham and Joseph, from whom these things
;

might be easily conveyed to Moses by Amram, who was contemporary with Joseph. See
the plate, chap. xi. Supposing, then, all the curious facts recorded in the book of Genesis
had no other authority than the tradition already referred to, they would stand upon a founda-
tion of credibility superior to any that the most reputable of the ancient Greek and Latin
historians can boast. Yet to preclude all possibility of mistake, the unerring Spirit of God
directed Moses in the selection of his facts and the ascertaining of his dates. Indeed, the
narrative is so simple, so much like truth, so consistent everywhere with itself, so correct in
its dates, so impartial in its biography, so accurate in its philosophical details, so pure in its

morality, and so benevolent in its design, as amply to demonstrate that it never could have
had an earthly origin. In this case, also, Moses constructed every thing according to the
pattern which God showed him in the mount.
24 a
 — — — ; — —
!

THE FIRST BOOK OF MO^ErS-

CAL>.GI(, .

GE NE,3.I3:.. :-:mH

Year bfwbre the common era of Christ, 4004. — ^Julian Period, 710. —
Cycle of the Sun, 10. —Dominical
Letter, B. —Cycle of the Moon, 7. — Indiction, 5. — Creation from Tisri or September, I

CHAPTER I.

First day's Creation of the heavens and the earth, 1,2.

work Of the light and its separation from the
darkness, 3— 5.
Second day's work The creation of the firmament, and the separation of the waters
above the firmament from those below it, 6—8. Third day's work The waters are separated from the
earth and formed into seas, dj-c, 9, 10. The earth rendered fruitful, and clothed with trees, herbs,
grass, 4"c., 11-13. Fourth day's work Creation of the celestial luminaries intended for the measure-
ment of time, the distinction of periods, seasons, <^c., 14; and to illuminate the earth, 15. Distinct
account of the formation of the sun, moon, and stars, 1 6-19. Fifth day's work The creation offish, fowls,
and reptiles in general, 20. Of great aquatic animals, 21. They are blessed so as to make them very
prolific, 22, 23. Sixth day's work^-Wild and tame cattle created, and all kinds of animals which derive
their nourishment from the earth, 24, 25. The creation of man in the image and likeness of God, with
the dominion given him over the earth and all inferior animals, 26. Man or Adam, a general name for
human beings, including both male and female, 27. Their peculiar blessing, 28. Vegetables appointed as
the food of man and all other animals, 29, 30. The judgment which God passed on his loorks at the
conclusion of his creative acts, 31.

A. M. 1.
B. C. 4004
TN the * beginning ^ God created void
-
; and darkness luas upon the
.
-0^,^:}^.
ij. C 4004.
the heaven and the earth. lace of the deep. ^ And the Spirit
And the earth was without form and of God moved upon the face of the waters

» Prov. viii. 22, 23, 24 ; Mark xiii. 19 ; John i. 1, 2 ; Heb. i. Ixv. 17 ; Jer. x. 12 ; xxxii. 17 ; li. 15 Zech. xii. 1 ; Acts ir.
;

10. b 1 Chron. xvi. 26 Neh. ix. 6 Psa. viii. 3 xxxiii. 6

; ; ; 24; XIV. 15; xvii. 24 ; Rom. i. 20; Eph. iii. 9; Col. i. 16, 17;
jcxxix. 11, 12; cxvi. 5; cii. 25 ; civ. 24 ; cxv. 15 ; cxxi. 2; Heb. 2 xi. 3 2 Pet. 5; Rev. 14
1. ; ; iii. i. 8 ; iii. ; iv. 11 ; x. 6 ;
cxxiv. 8 ; cxxxiv. 3 ; cxxxvi. 5 ; cxl vi. 6 ; Prov. iii. 19 ; viii. 26, 27, xiv. 7 xxi. 6 xxii. 13.
; ; = Isa. xlv. 18 Jer. iv. 23. d Psa.
;
&c. ; Eccles. xii. 1; Isa. xxxvii. 16; xlii. 5; xliv. 24; li. 16; civ. 30; Isa. xl. 13, 14.

NOTES ON CHAP. I. self, without foreign motive or influence : he who is

Verse 1. j-ixn nxi D'Dtyn nx d'hSx n"i3 n-j^xia absolute in dominion ; the most pure, the most simple,
Bereshith bara Elohim eth hashshamayim veeth haarets ; and most spiritual of all essences ; infinitely benevolent,
GODinthe beginning created theheavens and the earth. beneficent, true, and holy : the cause of all being, the
Many attempts have been made to define theterm upholder of all things ; infinitely happy, because infi-
GOD : as to the word itself, it is pure Anglo-Saxon, nitely and eternally self-sufficient, needing
perfect ;

and among our ancestors signified, not only the Divine nothing that he has made illimitable in his immensity, :

Being, now commonly designated by the word, but also inconceivable in his mode of existence, and indescriba-
good ; as in their apprehensions it appeared that God
ble in his essence ; known fully only to himself, because
and good were correlative terms and when they thought an infinite mind can be fully apprehended only by itself
;

or spoke of him, they were doubtless led from the word In a word, a Being who, from his infinite wisdom, can-
itself to consider him as the Good Being, a fountain not err or be deceived and who, from his infinite good- ;

of infinite benevolence and beneficence towards his ness, can do nothing but what is eternally just, right,
creatures. and kind. Reader, such is the God of the Bible but ;

A general definition of this great First Cause, as far how widely different from the God of most human
ashuman words dare attempt one, may be thus given : creeds and apprehensions
The eternal,
independent, and self-existent Being the : The original word DTlSx Elohim, God, is certainly
Being whose purposes and actions spring from him- the plural form of '7N El, or vb^ Eloah, and has long
a 25
 — :

Creation of the light, and its GENESIS. separation from the darkness

A. M
1.
3 " Let there be and God « divided
And God said, ^ i
^ the hght A. M. 1.

B. C. 4004. B. C. 4004.
hght: ^nd'Vac'rfifWasji.ight. -,".•. .'J from the darkness,
4 And God
lod saw- the- light 4hit : ii^- c^as .'g^bd':' ? ; 5 And God
J
called
call( the light '
Day, and the

e Psa. xxxiii. 6, 9; cxlviii. 5.t—r-,^Jpb xjocvij 30,- 3F'xi/iii'.;i9; 5; ii. 8.2 Cor. vi. 14.
e ^ Heb. between the light and between

Psa. xcvii. 11 ; civ. 2 ; cxviii. 27 ; Isa. x'lv.'T lie. 19 ; 'Joiiji i." ;' the darkness. 'Chap. viii. 22 Psa. xix. 2; Ixxiv. 16 civ. 20;
; ;

5, 9; iii. 19 ; 2 Cor. iv. 6 ; Eph. v. ^ i^'t TiW v5.:i^';;i;Johji i. Jer. xxxiii. 20 ; 1 Cor. iii. 13 Eph. v. 13 ; ] Thess. v. 5.
;

been supposed, by« tjve. most eminently; Jearned and pious this is essentially necessary, and no man can safely
men, to imply a.:plMyaliiy ;of iPersoris- jdftlb ,I)i\ine, criviclse on any word in either of these languages who
nature. As this 'pliifalfty' appears in 'sci mdny parts oi
'

fo'eV hd', carefully attend to this point.

the sacred writings to be confined to three Persons, Imention the Arabic with the Hebreio for two
hence the doctrine of the Trinity, which has formed reasons. 1. Because the two languages evidently
a part of the creed of all those who have been deemed spring from the same source, and have very nearly the
sound in the faith, from the earliest ages of Chris- same mode of construction. 2. Because the deficient
tianity. Nor are the Christians singular in receiving roots in the Hebrew Bible are to be sought for in the
this doctrine, and in deriving it from the first words of Arabic language. The reason of this must be obvious,
Divine revelation. An eminent Jewish rabbin, Simeon when it is considered that the whole of the Hebrew
ben Joachi, in his comment on the sixth section of language is lost except what is in the Bible, and even
Leviticus, has these remarkable words " Come and : a part of this book is written in Chaldee. Now, as
see the mystery of the word Elohim there are three ; the English Bible does not contain the whole of the
degrees, and each degree by itself alone, and yet not- English language, so the Hebrew Bible does not
withstanding they are all one, and joined together in contain the whole of the Hebrew. If a man meet
one, and are not divided from each other." See Ains- with an English word which he cannot find in an
worth. He must be strangely prejudiced indeed who ample concordance or dictionary to the Bible, he must
cannot see that the doctrine of a Trinity, and of a Trinity of course seek for that word in a general English dic-
in unity, is expressed in the above words. The verb tionary. In like manner, if a particular form of a He-
N13 bara, he created, being joined in the singular num- brew word occur that cannot be traced to a root in the
ber with this plural noun, has been considered as point- Hebrew Bible, because the word does not occur in the
ing out, and not obscurely, the unity of the Divine third person singular of the past tense in the Bible,
Persons in this work of creation. In the ever-blessed it is expedient, it is perfectly lawful, and often indis-

Trinity, from the infinite and indivisible unity of the pensably necessary, to seek the deficient root in the
persons, there can be but one will, one purpose, and Arabic. For as the Arabic is still a living language,
one infinite and uncontrollable energy. and perhaps the most copious in the universe, it may
" Let those who have any doubt whether DTlSx weU be expected to furnish those terms which are de-
Elohim, when meaning the true God, Jehovah, be ficient in the Hebrew Bible. And the reasonableness
plural or not, consult the following passages, where of this founded on another maxim, viz., that either
is
they will find it joined with adjectives, verbs, and the Arabic was derived from the Hebrew, or the
pronouns plural. Hebrew from the Arabic. I shall not enter into this
•'
Gen. i. 26 iii. 22 xi. 7 xx. 13
; ; ; ; xxxi. 7, 53 ;
controversy ; there are great andnames on both sides,
XXXV. 7. the decision of the question in either have way will
" Deut. iv. 7 v. 23 Josh. xxiv. 19;
; ; 1 Sam. iv. 8 ;
the same effect on my argument. For if the Arabic
2 Sam. vii. 23 Psa. Iviii. 12 Isa. vi. 8
; ; ; Jer. x. 10 ;
were derived from the Hebrew, it must have been when
xxiii. 36. the Hebrew was a living and complete language, be-
"See also Prov.ix. 10; xxx. 3; Psa. cxlix. 2; Eccl. cause such is the Arabic now and therefore all its ;

V. 7 ; xii. 1 Job v. 1
; Isa. vi. 3 liy. 5; Ixii. 5 ; ; ;
essential roots we may reasonably expect to find there
Hos. xi. 12, or xii. 1 Mal. i. G Dan. v. 18, 20
; ; ;
but if, as Sir William Jones supposed, the Hebrew
vii. 18, 22." Parkhurst. were derived from the Arabic, the same expectation is
As the word Elohim is the term by which the justified, the deficient roots in Hebrew may be sought
Divine Being is most generally expressed in the Old for in themother tongue. If, for example, we meet

Testament, it may be necessary to consider it here with a term in our ancient English language the mean-
more at large. It is a maxim that admits of no con- ing of which w-e find difitciilt to ascertain, common
troversy, that every noun in the Hebrew language is sense teaches us that we should seek for it in the
derived from a verb, which is usually termed the radix Anglo-Saxon, from which our language springs and, ;

or root, from which, not only the noun, but all the dif- if necessary, go up to the Teutonic, from which the

ferent flections of the verb, spring. This radix is the Anglo-Saxon was derived. No person disputes the
third person singular of the preterite or past tense. legitimacy of this measure, and we find it in constant
The ideal meaning of this root expresses some essential practice. I make these observations at the very
property of the thing which it designates, or of which threshold of my work, because the necessity of acting \
it is an appellative. The root in Hebrew, and in its on this principle (seeking deficient Hebrew roots in
sister language, the Arabic, generally consists of three the Arabic) may often occur, and I wish to speak once
letters, and every word must be traced to its root in for on the subject.
all

order to ascertain its genuine meaning, for there alone The first sentence in the Scripture shows the pro-
is this meaning to be found. In Hebrew and Arabic priety of having recourse to this principle. We have
26 a
 — ; ;

The creation CHAP. I. of the firmament

J'J'^}^. darkness he called Night. ^ And 6 And God said, Let there be a J-J^:}- ^

B. C4004.
the evening and the morning were ™ firmament in the midst of the wa-
the first day. ters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.

' Job xxvi. 7 ; xxxvii. 18 ; Psa. xix. 1 ; civ. 2 ; cxxxvi. C

''Heb. and the evening was and the morning was. cl. 1 ; Jer. x. 12 ; 11. 15. •" Heb. exfpansion.

seen that the word DTiSn Elohim is plural we have

; tioned in this chapter all was ETERNITY. Time
traced our terra God to its source, and have seen its signifies duration measured by the revolutions of the
signification ; and also a general definition of the thing heavenly bodies : but prior to the creation of these •

or being included under this term, has been tremblingly- bodies there could be no measurement of duration, and
attempted. We
should now trace the original to its consequently no time; therefore in the beginning must
root, but this root does not appear in the Hebrew Bible. necessarily mean the commencement of time which fol-
Were the Hebrew a complete language, a pious reason lowed, or rather was produced by, God's creative acts,
might be given for this omission, viz., " As God is as an effect follows or is produced by a cause.
without beginning and without cause, as his being is Created] Caused existence where previously to this
infinite and underived, the Hebrew language consults moment there was no being. The rabbins, who are
strict propriety in giving no root whence his name can legitimate judges in a case of verbal criticism on their
be deduced." Mr. Parkhurst, to whose pious and own language, are unanimous in asserting that the word
learned labours in Hebrew literature most Biblical X13 bara expresses the commencement of the existence
students are indebted, thinks he has found the root in of a thing, or egression from nonentity to entity. It
nSx alah, he swore, bound himself by oath ; and hence does not in its primary meaning denote the preserving
he calls the ever-blessed Trinity DTlSx Elohim, as or new forming thipgs that had previously existed,
being bound hy a conditional oath to redeem man, <5fC., as some imagine, but cieation in the proper sense of
<5fc. Most pious minds will revolt from such a defini- the term, though it has some other acceptations in other
tion, and will be glad with me to find both the noun places. The supposition that God formed all things
and the root preserved in Arabic. Allah ^JUf is the out of a pre-existing, eternal nature, is certainly absurd,
common name for God in the Arabic tongue, and often for if therehad been an eternal nature besides an eter-
the emphatic j^^AJ/ is used. Now both these words nal God, there must have been two self-existing, inde-
pendent, and eternal beings, which is a most palpable
are derived from the root aloha, he luorshipped, adored,
contradiction.
was struck with astonishment, fear, or terror; and
hence, he adored loith sacred horror and veneration, D'Oiyn HN eth hashshamayim. The word nx eth,

cum sacro horrore ac veneratione coluit, adoravit. which is generally considered as a particle, simply de-

WiLMET. noting that the word following is in the accusative or

Hence ilahon, fear, veneration, and also
oblique case, is often understood by the rabbins in a
the object of religious fear, the Deity, the supreme
" The particle HN," says
God, the tremendous Being. new idea much more extensive sense.
This is not a
Aben Ezra, " signifies the substance of the thing."
God was considered in the same light among the
ancient Hebrews and hence Jacob swears by the fear The like definition is
given by Kimchi in his Book of
;
" This particle," says Mr. Ainsworth, " having
of his father Isaac, Gen. xxxi. 53. To complete the Roots.
definition, Golius renders alaha, juvit, liberavit, et the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet in it,
tutatus fuit, " he succoured, liberated, kept in safety, is supposed to comprise the sum and substance of all
or defended." Thus from the ideal meaning of this .things." " The particle nx eth (says Buxtorf, Tal-
most expressive root, we acquire the most correct no- mudic Lexicon, sub voce) with the cabalists is often
mystically put for the beginning and the end, as A
tion of the Divine nature for we learn that God is the
;

alpha and Q. omega are in the Apocalypse." On this

sole object of adoration ; that the perfections of his
ground these words should be translated, " God in the
nature are such as must astonish all those who piously
beginning created the substance of the heavens and the
contemplate them, and fill with horror aU who w-ould
substance of the earth," i. e. the pri?7ia materia, or
dare to give his glory to another, or break his com-
first elements, out of which the heavens and the earth
mandments that consequently he should be loorshipped
;

with reverence and religious fear ; and that every sin- were successively formed. The Syriac translator
cere worshipper may expect from him help in all his understood the word in this sense, and to express this
weaknesses, trials, difiiculties, temptations, &c. free- ;
meaning has used the word A^ yoth, which has this
dom from the power, guilt, nature, and consequences signification, and
very properly translated in \Valton's
is
of sin ; and to be supported, defended, and saved to Polyglot, ESSE, cceli et esse term, " the being or sub-
the uttermost, and to the end. stance of the heaven, and the being or substance of the
Here then one proof, among multitudes which
is earth." St. Ephraim Syrus, in his comment on this
shall be adducedin the course of this work, of the place, uses the same Syriac word, and appears to un-
importance, utility, and necessity of tracing up these derstand it precisely in the same way. Though the
sacred words to their sources ; and a proof also, that Hebrew words are certainly no more than the notation
subjects which are supposed to be out of the reach of a case in most places, yet understood here in the
of the common people may, with a little difliculty, be sense above, they argue a wonderful philosophic accu-
brought on a level with the most ordinary capacity. racy in the statement of Moses, which brings before us,
Tn the beginning] Before the creative acts men- not a finished heaven and earth, as every other trans-
a 27
The separation of the waters below GENESIS, from the waters above the firmament

A. M. 7 And God made the firma- waters which were ° above the
1. A. M. 1.
fir-
B. C. 4004. B. C. 400<.
ment, " and divided the waters mament and it was so. :

which were under the firmament from the

n Prov. viii. 28. Psa. cxlviii. 4.

lation appears to do, though afterwards the process have recourse to the almighty power of God to sus-
of their formation is given in detail, but merely the pend the influence of the earth's gravitating power till
materials out of which God built the whole system in the fourth day, when the sun was placed in the centre,
the six following days. round which the earth began then to revolve. But as
The heaven and the earth.] As the word D'Oiy the design of the inspired penman was to relate what
shamayim is plural, we may rest assured that it means especially belonged to our world and its inhabitants,
more than the atmosphere, to express which some have therefore he passes by the rest of the planetary system,
endeavoured to restrict its meaning. Nor does
leaving it simply included in the plural word heavens.
it ap-
jjear that the atmosphere is particularly intended here, In the word earth every thing relative to the terraque-
as this is spoken of, ver. 6, under the term firmament. aerial globe is included, that is, all that belongs to the
The word heavens must therefore comprehend the solid and fluid parts of our world with its surrounding
whole solar system, as it is very likely the whole of atmosphere. As therefore I suppose the whole solar
this was created in these six days for unless the earth system was created at this time, I think it perfectly in
;

had been the centre of a system, the reverse of which place to give here a general view of all the planets,
is sufficiently demonstrated, it would be unphilosophic with every thing curious and important hitherto
to suppose it was created independently of the other known relative to their revolutions and principal
paxts of the system, as on this supposition we must affe'ctions.

A GENERAL VIEW OF THE WHOLE SOLAR SYSTEM.

TABLE I.—THE REVOLUTIONS, DISTANCES, &c., &c., OF ALL THE PRIMARY PLANETS
A genera,! view of the CHAP. I. whole solar system

TABLE II.— SATELLITES OF JUPITER.

Distance from Dist. from Jupiter in

Diameter, Magnitude, Distance from
Periodic Synodic Jupiter in parts of the ecliptic,
the Eartlx the Earth Jupiter in
Revolution. Revolution. semi-diameters at Jupiter's mean
being l. being 1. English miles.
of Jupiter. dist. from Earth.

h. m. s. h. m. s.
g 67
51 245,000
I. 18 27 33^i^ 18 28 35foQ0o 1
8
II. 13 13 41^^A 13 17 53j-o^ooTj^ 9 2 57 Olf ft 389,000
4 42 1-3 621,000
III. 3 42 32/;;^ 3 59 35y^i)(rg
91 T
8 16 n23 l,093,0e0
IV. 16 16 32 8^^^ 10005" Tn? I

1
1
CO
 — ;

The waters separated GENESIS. from the earth

A. M. 1.
8 And God called the firmament heaven be gathered together unto A. M. 1.
B. C. 4004. B. C. 4004
Heaven. And the evening and one place, and let the dry land
the morning were the second day. appear and it was so. :

9 And God said, p Let the vv^aters under the 10

P Job xxvi. 10 xxxviii. 8

; Psalm xxiv. 2 xxxiii. 7
; xcv. ; ;

5 ; civ. 9 ; cxxxvi. 5, 6 ; Proverbs viii. 29 ; Ecclesiastes

ters of the planets, as seen at a distance equal to that

of the earth at her main distance from the sun, the
diameters of the planets in English miles, as contained
in the seventh column, have been carefully computed.
In the column entitled ^'Proportion of bulk, the earth
being 1," the whole numbers express the number of
limes the other planet contains more cubic miles, &c.,
than the earth and if the number of cubic miles in
;

the earth be given, the number of cubic miles in

any planet may be readily found by multiplying the
cubic miles contained in the earth by the number
in the column, and the product will be the quantity
required.
This is a small but accurate sketch of the vast solar
system ;
to describe it fully, even in all its knowyi re-
volutions and connections, in all its astonishing energy
and influence, in its wonderful plan, structure, opera-
tions, and results, would require more volumes than
can be devoted to the commentary itself.
As so little can be said here on a subject so vast,
it may appear to some improper to introduce it at all

but to any observation of this kind I must be permitted

deem it unpardonable not to give
to reply, that I should
a general view of the solar system in the very place
where its creation is first introduced. If these works
be stupendous and magnificent, what must He be who
formed, guides, and supports them all by the ivord of
his power! Reader, stand in awe of this God, and sin
not. Make him thy friend through the Son of his love
and, when these heavens and this earth are no more,
thy soul shall exist in consummate and unutterable
felicity.
See the remarks on the sun, moon, and stars, after
verse 16.

Verse 2. The earth was without form and void]

The original term inn tohu and IHD bohu, which we
translate without form and void, are of uncertain ety-
mology ; but in this place, and wherever else they ai-e

used, they convey the idea of confusion and disorder.

From these terms it is probable that the ancient Syri-
ans and Egyptians borrowed their gods, Theuth and
Bau, and the Greeks their Chaos. God seems at first
to have created the elementary principles of all things;
and this formed the grand mass of matter, which in
this state must be without arrangement, or any dis-
tinction of parts : a vast collection of indescribably con-
fused materials, of nameless entities strangely mixed;
and wonderfully well expressed by an ancient heathen
poet :

Ante mare et terras, el, quod tegit omnia, caelum,

Unus erat toto natura. vullus in orbe.
Quern dixere Chaos ; rudis indigcstaque moles,
Nee quicquam nisi pondus iners ; congestaque eodem
Non bene junctarum discordia semina rerum. Ovid.
30
 —

The earth rendered prolific, and CHAP. I. clothed with trees, herbs, grass, <!^c.

A-- M- 1- and the gathering together of the 11 And God said. Let the earth
C
r^^J^jJ^,
4004.
B. C. 4004. rJ.

waters called he Seas and God :

*
bring forth ^ grass, the herb yield-
Baw that it was good. ing seed, and the fruit-tree yielding ' fruit

f Heb. vi. 7. ' Heb. tender grass. ' Luke vi. 44.

most judicious Greek critics that ever lived, and vfho the first day, because without it no operation of nature
is highly celebrated over the civilized world for a could be carried on or perfected.
treatise he wrote, entitled Uepi 'Tfovc, Concerning the Light is one of the most astonishing productions of
Sublime, both in prose and poetry of this passage, ; the creative skill and power of God. It is the grand

though a heathen, he speaks in the following terms : medium by which all his other works are discovered,
TavT^ Kui 6 Tuv lovdaiuv deafioderTjc (ovx 6 tvxuv examined, and understood, so far as they can be known.
avijp,) ETreidr] Trjv rov dsiov dvva/icv Kara rrjv a^iav Its immense diffusion and extreme velocity are alone

eX^PV^^i ica^e<pT]vev evdvc ev ry £ia[ioXri ypatpac tuv suflicient to demonstrate the being and wisdom of God.
vofiuv, EinEN 'OeE02, (prjai, ti ; rENESGK $122 •
Light has been proved by many experiments to travel
KaL eyevETo. FENESGii
FH" kul eyevero.
' " So at the astonishing rate of 194,188 miles in otie second
likewise the Jewish lawgiver (who was no ordinary of time and comes from the sun to the earth in eight
!

man) having conceived a just idea of the Divine minutes lljl seconds, a. distance of 95,513,794 Eng-
power, he expressed it in a dignified manner for at lish miles. ;

the beginning of his laws he thus speaks GOD Verse 4. God divided the light fro?n the darkness.]
:

SAID— What 1 LET THERE BE LIGHT! This does not imply that light and darkness are two
and there ivas light. LET THERE BE EARTH distinct substances, seeing darkness is only the priva- !

—
and there was earth.'''' Longinus, sect. ix. edit. tion of light but the words simply refer us by antici- ;

Pearce. pation to the rotation of the earth round its own axis
Many have asked, " How could light be produced once in tiventy-ihree hours, fifty-six minutes, and four
on the Jirst day, and the sun, the fountain of it, not seconds, which is the cause of the distinction between
created till the fourth day With the various and V day and night, by bringing the different parts of the
often unpbUosophical answers which have been given surface of the earth successively into and from under
to this question I will not meddle, but shall observe the solar rays ; and it was probably at this moment
that the original word IIX signifies not only light but that God gave this rotation to the earth, to produce
iire, see Isa. xxxi. 9 Ezek. v. 2.
; It is used for this merciful provision of day and night. For the
the SUN, Job xxxi. 26. And for the electric fluid or manner in which light is supposed to be produced, see
LIGHTNING, Job xxxvii. 3. And it is worthy of remark ver. 16, under the word sun.
that it is used in Isa. xliv. 16, for the heat, derived Verse G. And God said, Let there be a firmament]
from W^ esh, the fire. He burneth part thereof in the Our translators, by following the firmamentum of the
fire (tyx 103 bemo esh:) yea, he ivarmeth himself and Vulgate, which is a translation of the cTepeupia of the
,

saith, Aha
! I have seen the fire, IIN "TTNI raithi ur, Septuagint, have deprived this passage of all sense and
which a modern philosopher who understood the lan- meaning. The Hebrew word >''p1 rakia, from ;.'pT
guage would not scruple to translate, T have received raka, to spread out as the curtains of a tent or pavilion,
caloric, or an additional portion -ji the matter of simply signifies an expanse or space, and consequently
heat. I therefore conclude, that as God has dif- that circumambient space or expansion separating the
fused the matter of caloric or latent heat through clouds, which are in the higher regions of it, from the
every part of nature, without which there could be 'Seas, &c., which are below it. This we call the at-
neither vegetation nor animal life, that it is caloric or mosphere, the orb of atoms or inconceivably small
latent heat which is principally intended by the origi- particles but the word appears to have been used by ;

nal word. Moses in a more extensive sense, and to include the

That there is latent light, which is probably the whole of the planetary vortex, or the space which is
same with latent heat, may be easily demonstrated occupied by the whole solar system. :

take two pieces of smooth rock crystal, agate, corne- Verse 10. And God called the dry land Earth ; and
lian or flint, and rub them together briskly in the dark, the gathering together of the waters called he Seas]
and the latent light or matter of caloric will be imme- These two constitute what is called the terraqueous
diately produced and become visible. The light or globe, in which the earth and the water exist in a most
caloric thus disengaged does not operate in the same judicious proportion to each other. Dr. Long took the
powerful manner as the heat or fire which is produced papers which cover the surface of a seventeen inch
by striking with flint and steel, or that produced by terrestrial globe, and having carefully separated the
electric friction. —
The existence of this caloric latent land from the sea, he weighed the two collections of
or primitive light, may be ascertained in various other papers accurately, and found that the sea papers weigh-
bodies it can be produced by the flint and steel, by ed three hundred and forty-nine grains, and the land
;

rubbing two hard sticks together, by hammering cold papers only one hundred and twenty-four by which ;

iron, which in a short time becomes red hot, and by experiment it appears that nearly three-fourths of the^
the strong and sudden compression of atmospheric air surface of our globe, from the arctic to the antarctic
in a tube. Friction in general produces both fi7-e and polar circles, are covered with water. The doctor did
light. God therefore created this universal agent on not weigh the parts m i'hin the polar circles, because
31
 — !

The earth brings forth GENESIS trees, herbs, grass, ^

A. M. 1. after his kind, whose seed is in herb yielding seed after his kind, A.M 1.

B. C. 4004 B. C. 4004.
itself, upon the earth : and it "*
and the tree yielding fruit, whose
was so. seed was in itself, after his kind : and God
12 And the earth brought forth grass, and saw that it was good.

"Luke, chap. vi. 44.

there no certain measurement of the proportion of acknowledged by any of Kennicott's or De Rossi's

is

land and water which they contain. This proportion MSS., nor by any of the other versions. If the ac-
of three-fourths water may be considered as too great, count of the second day stood originally as it does now,
if not useless but Mr. Ray, by most accurate experi- no satisfactory reason can be given for the omission of
;

ments made on evaporation, has proved that it requires this expression of the Divine approbation of the work
so much aqueous surface to yield a sufficiency of va- wrought by his wisdom and power on that day.
pours for the purpose of cooling the atmosphere, and Verse 1 1 Let the earth bri?ig forth grass herb
.
— —
watering the earth. See Ray's Physico-theological fruit-tree, (^c] In these general expressions all kinds
Discourses. of vegetable productions are included. Fruit-tree is
An eminent chemist and philosopher. Dr. Priestley, not to be understood here in the restricted sense in
has very properly observed that it seems plain that which the term is used among us it signifies all trees, ;

Moses considered the whole terraqueous globe as being not only those which bear fruit, which may be applied
created in ?i fluid state, the earthy and other particles to the use of men and cattle, but also those which had
of matter being mingled with the water. The present the power of propagating themselves by seeds, &c.
form of the earth demonstrates the truth of the Mosaic Now as God delights to manifest himself in the little
account for it is well known that if a soft or elastic as well as in the great, he has shown his consummate
;

globular body be rapidly whirled round on its axis, the wisdom in every part of the vegetable creation. Who
parts at the poles will be flattened, and the parts on can account for, or comprehend, the structure of a sin-
the equator, midway between the north and south poles, gle tree or plant ? The roots, the stem, the woody
will be raised up. This is precisely the shape of our fibres, the bark, the rind, the air-vessels, the sap-ves-
earth ;it has the figure of an oblate spheroid, a figure sels, the leaves, the flowers, and the fruits, are so many
pretty much resembling the shape of an orange. It mysteries. All the skill, wisdom, and power of men
has been demonstrated by admeasurement that the and angels could not produce a single grain of wheat
earth is flatted at the poles and raised at the equator. A serious and reflecting mind can see the grandeur of
This was first conjectured by Sir Isaac Newton, and God, not only in the immense cedars on Lebanon, but
afterwards confirmed by M. Cassini and others, who also in the endlessly varied forests that appear through
measured several degrees of latitude at the equator the microscope in the mould of cheese, stale paste,
and near the north pole, and found that the difference &c., &c.
perfectly justified Sir Isaac Newton's conjecture, and Verse 12. Whose seed was in itself^ Which has
consequently confirmed the Mosaic account. The the power of multiplying itself by seeds, slips, roots,
result of the experiments instituted to determine this &c., ad infinitum; which contains in itself all the
point, proved that the diameter of the earth at the rudiments of the future plant through its endless gene-
equator is greater by more than twenty-three and a half rations. This doctrine has been abundantly confirmed
miles than it is at the poles, allowing the polar diame- by the most accurate observations of the best modern
ter to be jjfth part shorter than the equatorial, accord- philosophers. The astonishing power with which God
ing to the recent admeasurements of several degrees has endued the vegetable creation to multiply its dif
of latitude made by Messrs. Mechain and Delambre. ferent species, may be instanced in the seed of the elm.
L' Histoire des Mathem. par M. de la Lande, tom. iv., This tree produces one thousand five hundred and
part v., liv. 6. eighty-four millions of seeds and each of these seeds ;

Aiid God saw that it was g-oorf.] This is the judg- has the power of producing the same number. How
ment which God pronounced on his own works. They astonishing is this produce At first one seed is depo-
!

were beautiful and perfect in their kind, for such is the sited in the earth from this one a tree springs, which
;

import of the word 2)0 tob. They were in weight in the course of its vegetative life produces one thou-
and measure perfect and entire, lacking nothing. I3ut sand five hundred and eighty-four millions of seeds.
the reader will think it strange that this approbation This is the first generation. The second generation
should be expressed once on the first, fourth, fifth, will amount to two trillions, five hundred and nine thou-
and sixth days twice on the third, and not at all on sand and fifty-six billions.
; The third generation will
the second ! I suppose that the words, A7id God saw amount to three thousand nine hundred and seventy-
that it was good, have been either lost from the con- four quadrillions, three hundred and forty-four thou-
clusion of the eighth verse, or that the clause in the sand seven hundred a.nd four trillions ! And the fourth
tenth verse originally belonged to the eighth. It ap- generation from these would amount to six sextillions,

pears, from the Septuagint translation, that the words two hundred and ninety-five thousand three hundred
in question existed originally at the close of the eighth and sixty-ttoo quintillions, eleven thousand one hun-
verse, in the copies which they used; for in that ver- dred and thirty-six quadrillions ! Sums too immense
sion we still find, Kai eiSev oQeog hri Kalov And God for the human mind to conceive and, when we allow
;

%aw that it tvas good. This reading, however, is not the most confined space in which a tree can grow, it
32
 6 ;

Creation and design CHAP. I. of the celestial luminaries.

And evening and the 15 And them be A. M. 1.

J^r^:};, 13 the let for lights in
B. 0. 4004. B. C. 4004.
1 • 1 J
morning were the third day, the firmament of the heaven, to
1 4 And Godsaid, Let there be ^ lights in give lightupon the earth and it was so. :

the firmament of the heaven, to divide ^ the 1 And God ^ made two great lights the ;

day from the night and let them be for

; greater light ^ to rule the day, and * the
signs, and ^ for seasons, and for days, and lesser light to rule the night : he made ^ the
years. stars also.

'Deut. iv. 19; Psa. Ixxiv. 16; cxxxvi. 7. ^ Yl&h. between y Psa. cxxxvi. 7, 8, 9 ; cxlviii. 3, 5. ^ Heb. for the rul».qf
the day and between the night. * Psa. Ixxiv. 17 ; cir. 19. the day. *Psa. viii. 3. "Job xxxviii. 7.

appears that the seeds of the third generation from one oth is often used. And is it not the almighty
riN
elm. would be many myriads oT times more than suffi- energy of God that upholds them in being 1 The
cient to stock the whole superfices of all the planets sun and moon also serve as signs of the different
in the solar system But plants multiply themselves changes which take place in the atmosphere, and
!

by slips as well as by seeds. Sir Ken elm Digby saw which are so essential for all purposes of agricul-
in 1660 a plant of barley, in the possession of the ture, commerce, &c.
fathers of the Christian doctrine at Paris, which con- For seaso7is] D''n>MO moadim ; For the determina-
tained 249 stalks springing from one root or grain, and tion of the times on which the sacred festivals should
in which he counted upwards of 18,000 grains. See be held. In this sense the word frequently occurs
my experiments on Tilling in the Methodist Magazine. and it was right that at the very opening of his reve-
Verse 14. And God said, Let there he lights, df-c] lation God should inform man that there were certain
One principal office of these was to divide between festivals which should be annually celebrated to his
day and night. When night is considered a state of glory. Some think we should understand the original
comparative darkness, how can lights divide or distin- word as signifying months, for which purpose we know
guish it ? The answer is easy The sun is the monarch the moon essentially serves through all the revolutions
:

of the day, which is the state of light the moon, of of time.

;

the night, the state of darkness. The rays of the sun, For days] Both the hours of the day and night, as
falling on the atmosphere, are refracted and diffused well as the different lengths of the days and nights, are
over the whole of that hemisphere of the earth imme- distinguished by the longer and shorter spaces of time-
diately under his orb while those rays of that vast the sun is above or below the horizon.
;

luminary which, because of the earth's smallness in And years.] That is, those grand divisions of time
comparison of the sun, are diffused on all sides beyond by Avhich all succession in the vast lapse of duration
the earth, falling on the opaque disc of the moon, are is distinguished. This refers principally to a com-
reflected back upon what may be called the lower plete revolution of the earth round the sun, which is
hemisphere, or that part of the earth which is opposite accomplished in 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, and 48
to the part which is illuminated by the sun and as the seconds for though the revolution is that of the earth,
: ;

earth completes a revolution on its own axis in about yet it cannot be determined but by the heavenly bodies.
twenty-four hours, consequently each hemisphere has Verse 16. And God made two great lights] Moses
alternate day and night. But as the solar light reflected speaks of the sun and moon here, not according to
from the face of the moon is computed to be 50,000 their bull: or solid contents, but according to the pro-
times less in intensity and effect than the light of the portion of light they shed on the earth. The expres-
sun as it comes directly from himself to our earth, "^ion has been cavilled at by some who are as devoid
(for light decreases in its intensity as the distance it of mental capacity as of candour. " The moon," say
travels from the sun increases,) therefore a sufficient they, " is not a gi-eat body on the contrary, it is the ;

distinction is made between day and night, or light very smallest in our system." Well, and has Moses
and darkness, notwithstanding each is ruled and deter- said the contrary ] He has said it is a great LIGHT ;

mined by one of these two great lights ; the moon ruling had he said otherwise he had not spoken the truth.
the night, i. e., reflecting from her own surface back It is, in reference to the earth, next to the sun him-
on the earth the rays of light which she receives from self, the greatest light in the solar system and so ;

the sun. Thus both hemispheres are to a certain true is it that the moon is a great light, that it affords
degree illuminated :the one, on which the sun shines, more light to the earth than all the planets in the solar
completely so ; this is day : the other, on which the system, and all the innumerable stars in the v^ult of
sun's light is reflected by the moon, partially this is heaven, put together. ; It is worthy of remark that on
night. It is true that both the planets and fixed stars the fourth day of the creation the sun was formed, and
afford a considerable portion of light during the night, then " first tried his beams athwart the gloom pro-
yet they cannot be said to rule or to predominate by found ;" and that at the conclusion of the fourth mille-
their light, because their rays are quite lost in the nary from the creation, according to the Hebrew, the
superior splendour of the moon's light. Sun of righteousness shone upon the world, as deeply
And let them be for signs] nnx"? leothoth. Let sunk in that mental darkness produced by sin as the
them ever be considered as continual tokens of God's ancient world was, while teeming darkness held the
tender care for man, and as standing proofs of his dominion, till the sun was created as the dispenser of
continual iniraculous interference ; for so the word light. What would the natural world be without tho
A'oL. T. ( 4 ) 33 a
The celestial luminaries GENESIS. are set in the Jirmament.

A. M. 1.
B. C. 4004.
17 And God set them m the darkness : and God saw that it was J^r^:}^,
D. Li. 4004.
firmament of the heaven, to give good.
hght upon the earth, 19 And the evening and the morning were
1 8 And to *=
rule over the day, and over the the fourth day.
night; and to divide the Hght from the 20 And God said, Let the waters bring

" Jeremiah, chap. xxxi. 35.

sun T A howling waste, in which neither animal nor earth are probably decompositions of some of the
vegetable life could possibly be sustained. And what elastic fluids belonging to the atmosphere itself, so
would the moral world be without Jesus Christ, and we may suppose that in the vast atmosphere of the
the light of his word and Spirit 1 Just what those parts sun, similar decompositions may take place, but with
of it now are where his light has not yet shone " dark this difference, that the decompositions of the elastic
:

places of the earth, with the habitations of cru-

filled fluids of the sun are of a phosphoric nature, and are
elty," where error prevails without end, and supersti- attended by lucid appearances, by giving out light."
tion, engendering false hopes and false fears, degrades The body of the sun he considers as hidden generally
and debases the mind of man. from us by means of this luminous atmosphere, but
Many have supposed that the days of the creation what are called the maculoR or spots on the sun are
answer to so many
thousands of years and that as ; real openings in this atmosphere, through which the
God created all in six days, and rested the seventh, so opaque body of the sun becomes visible that this at- ;

the world shall last six thousand years, and the seventh mosphere itself is not fiery nor hot, but is the instru-
shall be the eternal rest that remains for the people of ment which God designed to act on the caloric or la-
God. To this conclusion they have been led by these tent heat and that heat is only produced by the solar
;

words of the apostle, 2 Pet. iii. 8 One day is with: light acting upon and combining with the caloric or
the Lord as a thousand years ; and a thousand years matter of fire air, and other sub-
contained in the
as one day. Secret things belong to God those that ; stances which are heated by This ingenious theory
it.

are revealed to us and our children. is supported by many plausible reasons and illustra-
He made the stars also.] Or rather. He made the tions, which may be seen in the paper he read before
lesser light, with the stars, to rule the night. See the Roval Society. On this subject see the note on
Claudian de Raptu Prober., lib. ii., v. 44. ver. 3.
Hie Hyperionis solem de semine nasci
OF THE MOON.
Fecerat, et pariter lunam, sed dispare forma,
Auroras noctisque duces. There is scarcely any doubt now remaining in the
philosophical world that the moon is a habitable globe.
From famed Hyperion did he cause to rise The most accurate observations that have been made
The sun, and placed the moon amid the skies. with the most powerful telescopes have confirmed the
With splendour robed, but far unequal light.
opinion. The moon seems, in almost every respect,
The radiant leaders of the day and night. to be a body similar to our earth to have its surface
;

diversified by hill and dale, mountains and valleys,

OF THE SUN.
rivers, lakes, and seas. And there is the fullest evi-
On the nature of the sun there have been various dence that our earth serves as a moon to the moon
conjectures. It was long thought that he was a vast herself, differing only in this, that as
the earth's sur-
globe offire 1,384,462 times larger than the earth, and face is thirteen times larger than the moon's, so the
that he was continually emitting from his body innu- moon receives from the earth a light thirteen times
merable millions oi fiery particles, which, being ex- greater in splendour than that which she imparts to
tremely divided, answered for the purpose of lio-ht us and by a very correct analogy we are led to infer
;

and heat without occasioning any ignition or burnino-, that all the planets and their satellites, or attendant
except when collected in the focus of a convex lens moons, are inhabited, for matter seems only to exist
or burning glass. Against this opinion, however, for the sake of intelligent beings.
many serious and weighty objections have been
made and it has been so pressed with difficulties
;
OF THE STARS.
that philosophers have
been obliged to look for a The STARS in general are considered to be suns,
theory less repugnant to nature and probability. Dr. similar to that in our system, each having an appro-
Herschel's di.scoveries by means of his immensely priate number of planets moving round it and, as ;

magnifying telescopes, have, by the general consent these stars are innumerable, consequently there are
of philosophers, added a new habitable world to our innumerable worlds, all dependent on the power, pro-
system, which is the sun. Without stopping to tection, and providence of God. Where the stars are
enter into detail, which would be improper here, it is in great abundance, Dr. Herschel supposes they form
sufficient to say that these discoveries tend to prove primaries and secondaries, i. e., suns revolving about
that what we call the sun is only the atmosphere of suns, as planets revolve about the sun in our system.
that luminary " that this atmosphere consists of He considers that this must be the case in what is
;

various elastic fluids that are more or less lucid and called the milky way, the stars being there in prodi-
transparent ; that as the clouds belonging to our gious quantity. Of this he gives the following proof:
a 34 { 4* )
 ;

The creation offish, CHAP. I. fowls, and 7-eptiles

A. M. 1. forth abundantly the ^ moving crea- 22 And God blessed them, saying, g^Q^inQ.
B. C. 4004.
ture that hath ^ hfe, and ^fowl that ^ Be frutiful, and multiply, and fill —— '

may fly above the earth in the ^ open firma- the waters in the seas ; and let fowl multiply in
ment of heaven. the earth.
2 1 And ^ God created great whales, 23 And the evening and the morning were
and every living creature that raoveth, the fifth day.
w^hich the vv^aters brought forth abundantly, 24 And God said, Let the earth bring forth
after their kind, and every winged fowl the living creature after his kind, cattle, "^and
after his kind: and God saw that it was creeping thing, and beast of the earth after
good. his kind : and it was so.

^ Or, creeping. « Heb. soul. f Heb. let fowl fly.

s Heb. •» Chapter vi. 20 ; vii. 14; viii. 19 ; P.salm civ. 26. ' Chaptei
face of the firmament of heaven. viii. 17.

On August 22, 1792, he found that in forty-one of birds, whether intended to live chiefly on land or
minutes of time not less than 258,000 stars had passed in water. The structure of a single feather affords a
through the field of view in his telescope. "What must world of wonders and as God made the fowls that
;

God be, who has made, governs, and supports so many they might fly in the firmament of heaven, ver. 20, so
worlds For the magnitudes, distances, revolutions,
I he has adapted the fo7-m of their bodies, and the struc-
<5fC., of the sun, moon, planets, and their satellites, see ture and disposition of their plumage, for that very
the preceding tables. purpose. The head and neck in flying are drawn
Verse 20. Let tlu waters bring forth ahundantly~\ principally within the breastbone, so that the whole
There is a meaning in these words which is seldom under part exhibits the appearance of a ship's hull.
noticed. Innumerable millions of animalcula are found The wings are made use of as sails, or rather oars,
in water. Eminent naturalists have discovered not and the tail as a helm By means of these
or rudder.
less than 30,000 in a single drop How inconceiva- I the creature is not only able to preserve the centre of
bly small must each be, and yet each a perfect animal, gravity, but also to go with vast speed through the air,
furnished with the whole apparatus of bones, muscles, either straight forward, circularly, or inany kind of
nerves, heart, arteries, veins, lungs, viscera in general, angle,upwards or downwards. In these also God has
animal spirits, &c., &c. What a proof is this of the shown his skill and his power in the great and in the
manifold wisdom of God ! But \he fecundity of fishes little — in the vast
ostrich and cassoiva?y, and in the
is another point intended in the text ; no creatures are beautifulhumming-bird, which in plumage excels the
so prolific as these. A tench lay 1,000 eggs, a carp splendour of the peacock, and in size is almost on a
20,000, and Leuwenhoek counted in a middling sized level with the bee.
COD 9,384,000 Thus, according to the purpose of
! Verse 24. Let the earth bring forth the living crea-
God, the ivatcrs Iring forth abundantly. And what ture, cj-c] rrn '^21 nephesh chaiyah ; a general term
a merciful provision is this for the necessities of man ! to express all creatures endued with animal life, in any
Many hundreds of thousands of the earth's inhabitants of its infinitely varied gradations, from the half-rea-
live for a gi-eat part of the year on fish only. Fish soning elephant do^\Ti to the stupid potto, or lower still,
aiford, not only a wholesome, but a very nutritive diet to the polype, which seems equally to share the vege-
they are liable to few diseases, and generally come in' table and animal life. The word UTH chaitho, in the
vast quantities to our shores when in their greatest latter part of the verse, seems to signify all ivild ani-
perfection. In this also we may see that the kind mals, as lions, tigers, &c., and especially such as are
providence of God goes hand in hand vvith his creating carnivorous, or live on flesh, in contradistinction from
energy. While he manifests his wisdom and his power, domestic animals, such as are graminivorous, or live
he is making a permanent provision for the sustenance on grass and other vegetables, and are capable of be-
of man through all his generations. ing tamed, and applied to domestic purposes. See on
Verse 21. And God created great whales^ Drj.in ver. 29. These latter are probably meant by nr:n3
D''7Tin hallanninim haggedolim. Though this is behemah in the text, which we translate cattle, such as
generally understood by the different versions as sig- horses, hine, sheep, dogs, <^c. Creeping thing, tyjOl
nifying ivliales, yet the original must be understood remes, all the different genera of serpents, ivorms, and
rather as a general than a particular term, comprising such animals as have no feet. In beasts also God
all the great aquatic animals, such as the various spe- has shown his wondrous skill and power in the vast ;

cies of whales, the porpoise, the dolphin, the monoceros elephant, or more colossal mammoth or mastodon,
still
or narwal, and the shark. God delights to show him- the whole race of which appears to be extinct, a few
self in little as well as in great things hence he forms : skeletons only remaining. This animal, an astonish-
animals so minute that 30,000 can be contained in ing effect of God's power, he seems to have produced
one drop of water and others so great that they seem
; merely to show what he could do, and after suffering
to require almost a whole sea to float in. a few of them to propagate, he extinguished the race
Verse 22. Let fowl midtiply in the earth.] It is by a merciful providence, that they might not destroy
truly astonishing with what care, wisdom, and minute both man and beast. The mammoth appears to have
skill God has formed the different genera and species been a carnivorous animal, as the structure of the
35
 ; ;

The creation of man GENESIS. in the image of God

A. M. 1. 25 And God made the laeast of dominion over the fish of the sea, A. M. 1.
B. C. 4O04. B. C. 4004
the earth after his kind, and
and over cattle and over the fow^l of the air,

and every thing that creepeth the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every
after their Idnd,
upon the earth after his kind and God saw creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
:

that it was good. 27 So God created man in his own image,

26 And God Let us make man in our "^ in the image of God created he him
said, ^ ; "^male
image, after our Hkeness and ^ let them have and female created he them.
:

^Chap. V. 1 ; ix. 6; Psa. c. 3; Eccles. vii. 29; Acts xvii. 26, 1

Chap. ix. 2 ; Psa. viii. 6. ^ 1 Cor. xi. 7. « Chap. v. 2
28, 29; 1 Cor. xi. 7; Eph. iv. 24; Col. iiu 10; James iii. 9. Mai. ii. 15; Matt. xix. 4; Mark x. 6.

teeth proves, and of an immense size ; This was made in the image and
from a consi- refers to his soul.
derable part of a skeleton which I have seen, as the Divine Being is infi-
it is likeness of God. Now,
computed that the animal to which it belonged must nite, he is neither limited by parts, nor definable by
have been nearly twenty-Jive feet high, and sixty in passions therefore he can have no corporeal image ;

length The bones of one toe are entire the toe after which he made the body of man. The imager
!
;

upwards of three feet in length. But this skeleton and likeness must necessarily be intellectual his mind, ;

might have belonged to the megalonyx, a kind o^ sloth, his soul, must have been formed after the nature and
or bradypus, hitherto unknown. Few elephants have perfections of his God. The human mind is still en-
ever been found to exceed eleven feet in height. How dowed with most extraordinary capacities it was more ;

wondrous are the works of God But his skill and so when issuing out of the hands of its Creator. God
!

power are not less seen in the beautiful chevrotin, or was now producing a spirit, and a spirit, too, formed
tragidus, a creature of the antelope kind, the smallest after the perfections of his own nature. God is the
of all bijid or cloven-footed animals, whose hence the stream
delicate fountain whence this spirit issued,
limbs are scarcely so large as an ordinary goose quill must resemble the spring which produced it. God is
and also in the shrew mouse, perhaps the smallest of holy, just, wise, good, and perfect so must the soul ;

the many-toed quadrupeds. In the reptile kind we see be that sprang from him there could be in it nothing :

also the same skill and power, not only in the immense impure, unjust, ignorant, evil, low, base, mean, or vile.
snake called boa constrictor, the mortal foe and con- It was created after the image of God and that image, ;

queror of the royal tiger, but also in the cobra de St. Paul tells us, consisted in righteousness, true holi-
manille, a venomous serpent, only a little larger than ness, and knowledge, Eph. iv. 24 Col. iii. 10. Hence ;

a common sewing needle. man was ivise in his mind, holy in his heart, and
Verse 25. And God inade the beast of the earth righteous in his actions. Were even the word of God
after his kind, <Sfc.'\ Every thing both in the animal silent on this subject, we could not infer less from the
and vegetable world was made so according to its lights held out to us by reason and common sense.
kind, both in genus and species, as to produce its own The text tells us he was the work of Elohim, the Di-
kind through endless generations. Thus the several vine Plurality, marked here more distinctly by the plu-
races of animals and plants have been kept distinct ral pronouns US and OUR and to show that he was ;

from the foundation of the world to the present day. the masterpiece of God's creation, all the persons in
This is a proof that all future generations of plants and the Godhead are represented as united in counsel and
animals have been seminally included in those which effort to produce this astonishing creature.
God formed in the beginning. Gregory Nyssen has very properly observed that
Verse 26. And God
Let us make man]
said, It the superiority of man to all other parts of creation is
is evident that Godimpress the mind of seen in this, that all oth» creatures are represented
intends to
man with a sense of something extraordinary in the as the effect of God's loord, but man is represented as
formation of his body and soul, when he introduces the the work of God, according to plan and consideration :

account of his creation thus Let US make man. Let us 7nake man in our image, after our likeness.
;

The word DTX Adam, which we translate man, is in- See his Works, vol. i., p. 52, c. 3.
tended to designate the species of animal, as inTI And let them have donmiion] Hence we see that
chaitho, marks the ivild beasts that live in general a the dominion w^as not the image. God created man
solitary life non3 behemah, domestic or gregarious capable of governing the world, and when fitted for
;

animals and l^DT remes, all kinds of reptiles, from the office, he fixed him in it.
; We see God's tender
the largest snake to the microscopic eel. Though the care and parental solicitude for the comfort and well-
Bame kind of organization may be found in man as being of this masterpiece of his workmanship, in
appears in tlie lower animals, yet there is a variety creating the world previou.sly to the creation of man.
and complication in the parts, a delicacy of structure, He prepared every thing for his subsistence, conve-
a nice arrangement, a judicious adaptation of the dif- nience, and pleasure, before he brought him into being ;

ferent members to their great offices and functions, a so that, comparing little with great things, the house
dignity of mien, and a perfection of the whole, which was built, furnished, and amply stored, by the time the
are sought for in vain in all other creatures. See destined tenant was ready to occupy it.
chap. iii. 22. It has been supposed by some that God speaks here

In our image, after our likeness] What is said to the angels, when he says. Let us make man but ;

above refers only to the body of man, what is here said to make this a likely interpretation these persons must
36
 1

God^s approval CHAP. I. of what he had made.

A. M. 1. ^^^- ^•
28 And God blessed them, and which is the fruit of a tree Yielding B.C.
B. C. 4004, 11
4004. 1 • 1 1 /.

God said unto them, Be fruitful, seed

° *
to you it shall be for meat. ;

and multiply, and replenish the earth, and 30 And to 'every beast of the earth, and to
subdue it ; and have dominion over the fish every
fowl of the air, and to every thing that
*

of the sea, and over the fow^l of the and creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is ^ life,
air,

over every living thing that p moveth upon the I have given every green herb for meat and :

earth. it was so.

29 And God said, Behold, I have given 3 And God saw every thing that he Jiad""

you every herb i bearing seed, which is upon made, and, behold, it was very good. And the
the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

° Chap. ix. 1, 7; Lev. xxvi. 9; Psa. cxxvii. 3; cxxviii. 3, 4. xiv. 17. s Psa. cxlv. 15, 16 ; cxlvii. 9. 'Job xxxviii.
P Heb. creepetk. 1 Heb. seeding seed. Chap. ix. 3 Job ; 41. "Heb. a living soul. ''Psa. civ. 24; Lam. iii. 38;
xxxvi. 31 Psa. civ. 14, 15 ; cxxxvi. 25
; cxlvi. 7 Acts
; ; 1 Tim. iv. 4.

prove, That angels were then created.

1. 2. That mode of existence, manner of propagation, habits, mode
angels could assist in a work of creation. 3. That of sustenance, &c., &c., properly and permanently
angels were themselves made in the image and like- established and secured for every thing was formed
;

ness of God. If they were not, it could not be said, to the utmost perfection of its nature, so that nothing
in OUR image, and it does not appear from any part in could be added or diminished without encumbering the
the sacred writings that any creature but man was operations of matter and spirit on the one hand, or ren-
made in the image of God. See the note on Psalm dering them inefficient to the end proposed on the
viii. 5. other and God has so done all these marvellous works
;

Verse 28. And God blessed them'] Marked them as to be glorified in all, by all, and through all.
as being under his especial protection, and gave them And the evening and the morning were the sixth
power to propagate and multiply their own kind on the day.] The word y\y ereb, which we translate evening,
earth. A large volume would be insufficient to con- comes from the root 2'\p arab, to mingle ; and properly
tain what we knoio of the excellence and perfection of signifies that state in which neither absolute darkness
man, even in his present degraded fallen state. Both nor full light prevails. It has nearly the same gram-
his body and soul are adapted with astonishing wisdom matical signification with our twilight, the time that
to their residence and occupations ; and also the place elapses from the setting of the sun till he is eighteen
of their residence, as well as the surrounding objects, degrees below the horizon, and the last eighteeh de-
in their diversity, colour, and mutual relations, to the grees before he arises. Thus we have the morning
mind and body of this lord of the creation. The con- and evening twilight, or mixture of light and darkness,
trivance, arrangement, action, and re-action of the dif- in which neither prevails, because, while the sun is
ferent parts of the body, show the admirable skill of within eighteen degrees of the horizon, either after his
the wondrous Creator ; while the various powers and
setting or before his rising, the atmosphere has power
faculties of the mind, acting on and by the different to refract the rays of light, and send them back on the
organs of this body, proclaim the souPs Divine origin, earth. The Hebrews extended the meaning of this
and demonstrate that he who was made in the image term to the whole duration of night, because it was
and likeness of God, was a transcript of his own ex- -ever a mingled state, the moon, the planets, or the
cellency, destined to know, love, and dwell with his stars, tempering the darkness with some rays of light.
Maker throughout eternity. From the ereb of Moses came the Epe[3oc, Erebus,
Verse 29. / have givenyou every herb — -for meat.] of Hesiod, Aristophanes, and other heathens, which
It seems from this, says an eminent philosopher, that they deified and made, with Nox or night, the parent
man was originally intended to live upon vegetables of all things.
only ; and as no change was made in the structure of The moriiing — "ipD boker ; From 1p3 bakar, he
men's bodies after the flood, it is not probable that any looked out a beautiful figure which represents the
;

change was made in the articles of their food. It may morning as looking out at the east, and illuminating
also be inferred from this passage that no anunal what- the whole of the upper hemisphere.
ever was originally designed to prey on others for ; The evening and the morning were the sixth day. —
nothing is here said to be given to any beast of the It is somewhat remarkable that through the wHole of
earth besides green herbs. Dr. Priestley. —Before sin this chapter, whenever the division of days is made,
entered into the world, there could be, at least, no vio- the evening always precedes the morning. The reason
lent deaths, if any death at all. But by the particular of this may perhaps be, that darkness was pre-existent
structure of the teeth of animals God prepared them to light, (verse 2, And darkness was upon the face of
for that kind of aliment which they were to subsist on the deep,) and therefore time is reckoned from the first
after the fall. act of God towards
the creation of the world, which
Verse 31. And, behold, it was very good.] ns^n 31^3 took place before light was called forth into existence.
tob meod. Superlatively., or only good ; as good as they It is very likely, for this same reason, that the Jews
could be. The plan wise, the work well executed, the began their day at six o'clock in the evening in imita-
different parts properly arranged, their nature, limits, tion of Moses's division of time in this chapter. CcBsa"
a .3"
 ;;

Conclusion of GENESIS. the work of creation

in his Commentaries makes mention of the same pe- Reader, thou hast now before thee the most ancient
culiarity existingamong the Gauls Galli se omnes ah : and most authentic history in the world a history that ;

Dite patre prognatos pradicant : idque ah Druidibus contains the first written discovery that God has made
proditum dicunt : oh earn causam spatia omnis tempo- of himself to mankind a discovery of his own being,
;

ris, non numero dierum, sed noctium, finiunt ; et dies in his tvisdom, power, and goodness, in which thou and

natales, et mensiiim et annorum initia sic observant, ut the whole human race are so intimately concerned.
noctem dies suhsequatur ; De Bell. Gall. lib. vi. Ta- How much thou art indebted to him for this discovery
citus likewise records the same of the Germans Ncc : he alone can teach thee, and cause thy heart to feel its
dierum numerum, ut nos, sed noctium computant : sic obligations to his wisdom and mercy. Read so as to
constituant, sic condicunt, nox ducere diem videtur understand, for these things were written for thy learn-
De Mor. Germ. sec. ii. And there are to this day ing therefore mark what thou readest, and imvardly
;

—
some remains of the same custom in England, as for digest deeply and seriously meditate on, what thou
instance in the word se^nnight and fortnight. See hast marked, and pray to the Father of lights that he
also ^schyl. Agamem. ver. 273, 287. may open thy understanding, that thou may est know
Thus ends a chapter containing the most extensive, these holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee
most profound, and most sublime truths that can possi- wise unto salvation.
bly come within the reach of the human intellect. God made thee and the- universe, and governs all

How unspeakably are we indebted to God for giving things according to the counsel of his will ; that will
us a revelation of his will and of Is it his works ! is infinite goodness, that counsel is unerring wisdom.
possible to know the mind of God but from himself? While under the direction of this counsel, thou canst
It is impossible. Can those things and services which not err ; while under the influence of this will, thou
are worthy of and pleasing to an infinitely pure, per- canst not be wretched. Give thyself up to his teach-
fect, and holy Spirit, be ever found out by reasoning ing, and submit to his authority ; and, after guiding
and conjecture ? Never for the Spirit of God alone
! thee here by his counsel, he will at last bring thee to
can know the mind of God and by this Spirit he has
; his glory. Every object that meets thy eye should
revealed himself to man and in this revelation has
; teach thee reverence, submission, and gratitude. The
taught him, not only to know the glories and perfec- earth and its productions were made for thee ; and the
tions of the Creator, but also his own origin, duty, and providence of thy heavenly Father, infinitely diversi-
interest. Thus far it was essentially necessary that fied in its operations, watches over and provides for
God should reveal his will but if he had not given
; thee. Behold the firmament of his power, the sun,
a revelation of his works, the origin, constitution, and moon, planets, and stars, which he has formed, not for
nature of the universe could never have been ade- himself, for he needs none of these things, but for his
quately known. The world bj/ tvisdom hieiv not God intelligent offspring. What endless gratification has
this is demonstrated by the writings of the most learn- he designed thee in placing within thy reach these
ed and intelligent heathens. They had no just, no astonishing effects of hiswisdom and power, and in
rational notion of the origin and design of the universe. rendering thee capable of searching out their wonder-
Moses alone, of all ancient writers, gives a consistent ful relations and connections, and of knowing himself,
and rational account of the creation an account which ; the source of all perfection, by having made thee in
has been confirmed by the investigation of the most his own image, and in his own likeness ! It is true
accurate philosophers. But where did he learn this "?
thou art fallen ; but he has found out a ransom. God
" In Egypt." That is impossible for the Egyptians
; so loved thee in conjunction with the world that he
themselves were destitute of this knowledge. The gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth
remains we have of their old historians, all posterior on him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
to the time of Moses, are egregious for their contra- Believe on hiji through him alone cometh salvation
; ;

dictions and absurdity and the most learned of the

;
and the fair and holy image of God in which thou wast
Greeks who borrowed from them have not been created shall be again restored he will build thee up
;

able to make out, from their conjoint stock, any as at the first, restore thy judges and counsellors as at
consistent and credible account. ]\Ioses has revealed the beginning, and in thy second creation, as in thy
the mystery that lay hid from all preceding ages, first, will pronounce thee to be i-ery good, and thou

because he was taught it hy the inspiration of the shall show forth (he virtues of him by whom thou art
Almighty. created anew in Christ Jesus. Amen.

CHAPTER IT.

The seventh day is consecrated for a Sabbath, and the reasons assigned, 1-3. A recapitulation of the six
days' work of creation, 4-7. The garden of Eden planted, 8. Its trees, 9. Its rivers, and the countries
watered by them, 10-14. Adam placed in the garden, and the command given not to eat of the tree of
knoivledgc on pain of death, 15-17. God purposes to form a companion for the man, 18. The different
animals brought to Adam that he might assign than their names, 19, 20. The creation of the woman,
SI, 22. The institution of marriage, 23, 21. The purity and innocence of our first'parents, 25.
38 a
The appomttnent and CHAP II. sancttjication of the Sabbath
A. M. 1.
A. M. 1.
B. C. 4004.
'PHUS
X the heavens and the earth
„.-,,
sanctified it ; because that in it he
B. C. 4004.
1 n 1
were finished, and * all the had rested from work which all his

host of them. God ^ created and made.

2 ^ And on the seventh day God ended his work 4 * These are the generations of the hea
which he had made and he rested on the se-
;
vens and of the earth when they were created,
venth day from all his work which he had made. in the day that the Lord God made the earth
3 And God " blessed the seventh day, and and the heavens.

» Psa. xxxiii. 6. * Exod. xx. 11 ; xxxi. 17 ; Deut. v. 14 ; Heb. <=

Neh. ix. 14 ; Isa. Iviii. 13. ^ Heb. created tomake.- 'Chap.
iv. 4. i. 1 ; Psa. xc. 1, 2.

NOTES ON CHAP.
II. sion that he communicates some good but when man ;

Verse 1. of them,]
Afid The word is said to bless God, we surely cannot imagine that he
all the host
host signifies literally an armi/, composed of a number bestows any gifts or confers any benefit on his Maker.
of companies of soldiers under their respective lead- When God is said to bless, either in the Old or New
ers and seems here elegantly applied to the various Testament, it signifies his speaking good to man ; and
;

celestial bodies in our system, placed by the Divine wis- this comprises the whole of his exceeding great and
dom under the influence of the sun. From the original precious promises. And vi'hen man is said to bless
word X3i* tsaia, a host, some suppose the Sabeans had God, it ever implies that he speaks good of him, for
their name, because of their paying Divine honours to the giving and fulfilment of his promises. This obser-
the heavenly bodies. the Septuagint version of vation will be of general use in considering the various
From
this place, nag 6 we places where the word occurs in the sacred writings.
Kocfiog avruv, all their ornainents,
learn the true meaning of the word Koa/noc, commonly Reader, God blesses thee when by his promises he
translated luorld, which signifies a decorated or adorned speaks good to thee ; and thou dost bless him vphen,
whole or system. And this refers to the beautiful or- from a consciousness of his kindness to thy body and
der, harmony, and regularity which subsist among the soul, thou art thankful to him, and speakest good of
various parts of creation. This translation must im- name. his
press the reader with a very favourable opinion of these Because that in it he had rested] r\3ty shabath, he
ancient Greek translators had they not examined the rested ; hence Sabbath, the name of the seventh day,
—
;

works of God with a philosophic eye, they never could signifying a day of rest rest to the body from labour
have given this turn to the original. and toil, and rest to the soul from all worldly care and
Verse 2. On the seventh day God ended, dfc] It anxieties. He who labours with his mind by worldly
is the general voice of Scripture that God finished the schemes and plans on the Sabbath day is as culpable
whole of the creation in six days, and rested the as he who labours with his hands in his accustomed
seventh ! giving us an example that we might labour calling. It is by the authority of God that the Sabbath
six days, and rest the seventh from all manual exer- is set apart for rest and religious purposes, as the six
cises. It is worthy of notice that the Septuagint, the days of the week are appointed for labour. How wise
Syriac, and the Samaritan, read the sixth day instead is this provision ! It is essentially necessary, not only
of the seventh ; and this should be considered the genu- to the body of man, but to all the animals employed in
ine reading, which appears from these versions to his service : take this away and the labour is too great,
have been originally that of the Hebrew text. How both man and beast would fail under it. Without this
the word sixth became changed into seventh may be consecrated day religion itselfwould fail, and the human
easily conceived from this circumstance. It is very mind, becoming sensualized, would soon forget its origin
likely that in ancient times all the numerals Avere sig- and end. Even as a political regulation, it is one of
nified by letters, and not by words at full length. This the wisest and most beneficent in its effects of any
is the case in the most ancient Greek and Latin MSS., ever instituted. Those who habitually disregard its
and in almost all the rabbinical writings. When these moral obligation are, to a man, not only good for
numeral letters became changed for words at full length, nothing, but are wretched in themselves, a curse to
two letters nearly similar might be mistaken for each society, and often end their lives miserably. See the
other 1 vau; stands for six, t zain for seven ; how notes on Exod. xx. 8 ; xxiii. 12 ; xxiv. 16 ; and xxxi.
easy to mistake these letters foreach other when 13 ; to which the reader is particularly desired to refer.
writing the words at full length, and so give birth to As God formed both the mind and body of man on
the reading in question. principles of activity, so he assigned him proper em-
Verse 3. And God blessed the seventh day] The ployment and it is his decree that
;
the mind shall
original word "ji^ barach, which is generally rendered improve by exercise, and the body find increase of
to bless, has a very extensive meaning. It is frequently vigour and health in honest labour. He who idles
used in Scripture in the sense of speaking good of or away his time in the six days is equally culpable in the
to a person and hence literally and properly rendered
; sight of God as he who works on the seventh. The
by the Septuagint evloyrjCTEv, from ev, good or ivell, and idle person is ordinarily clothed with rags, and the
^.eyu, I speak. So God has spoken
well of the Sab- Sabbath-breakers frequently come to an ignominious
bath, and them who conscientiously observe it.
good to death. Reader, beware.
Blessi7ig is applied both to God and man when God : Verse 4. In the day that the Lord God made, dfc]
is said to bless, we generally understand by the expres- The void mn- Yehovah is for the first time mentioned
39
 ;

Formation of man. GENESIS. Garden of Eden

A. M. 1. and watered the whole face of the A. M. 1.
B. C. 4004.
5 And every ^ plant of the field
B. C. 4004.
before it was in the earth, and ground,
every herb of the field before it grew : for the 7 And the Lord God formed man ^
of the
Lord God had not ^ caused it to rain upon the ^ dust of the ground, and "" breathed into his
earth, and there was not a man ^ to till the "^
nostrils the breath of life ; and ° man became
ground. a living soul.
6 But ' there went up a mist from the earth, 8 And the Lord God planted p a garden

fChap. i. 12; Psa. civ. 14. eJob xxxviii. 26, 27, 28. xii. 7 ; Isa. Ixiv. 8 ; 1 Cor. xv. 47. ™ Job xxxiii. 4 ; Acts xvii.
^ Chap. iii. 23. 'Or, a mist which went up from, &c. ^ Heb. 25. » Chap. vii. 22 ; Isa. ii. 22. ° 1Cor. xv. 45. P Chap.
dust of the ground. '
Chap. iii. 19, 23 ; Psa. ciii. 14 ; Eccles. xiii. 10; Isa. h. 3 ; Ezek. xxviii. 13 ; Joel ii. 3.

here. What signifies see on Exod. xxxiv. 5, 6.

it Verse 6. There loent up a mist] This passage ap-
Wherever word occurs in the sacred v\T:itings we
this pears to have greatly embarrassed many commentators.
translate it Lord, which word is, through respect and The plain meaning seems to be this, that the aqueous
reverence, always printed in capitals. Though our vapours, ascending from the earth, and becoming con-
English term Lord does not give the particular meaning densed in the colder regions of the atmosphere, fell
of the original word, yet it conveys a strong and noble back upon the earth in the form of deivs, and by this
sense. Lord is a contraction of the Anglo-Saxon means an equal portion of moisture w^as distributed to
hlapojib, Hlaford, afterwards written Lovejib, Loverd, the roots of plants, &c. As Moses had said, ver 5,
and lastly Lord, from hlap, bread hence our word loaf, ; that the Lord had not caused it to rain upon the earth,
and ford, to supply, to give out.
pojib, The word, he probably designed to teach us, in verse 6, how rain
therefore, implies the giver of bread, i. e., he who deals is produced, viz., by the condensation of the aqueous
cut all the necessaries of life. Our ancient English vapours, which are generally through the heat of the
noblemen were accustomed to keep a continual open sun and other causes raised to a considerable height
house, where all their vassals, and all strangers, had in the atmosphere, where, meeting with cold air, the
full liberty to enter and eat as much as ihey would watery particles which were before so small and light
and hence those noblemen had the honourable name of that they could float in the air, becoming condensed,
lords, i. e., the dispensers of bread. There are about i. e., driven into one, become too
many drops being
three of the ancient nobility who still keep up this heavy be any longer suspended, and then, through
to
honourable custom, from which the very name of their their own gravity, fall down in the form \\hich we
nobility is derived. We have already seen, chap. i. 1, term rain.
Vvitb what judgment our Saxon ancestors expressed Verse 7. God formed man of the dust] In the
Deus, the Supreme Being, by the term God ; and we most distinct manner God shows us that man is a com-
see the same judgment consulted by their use of the pound being, having a body and soul distinctly, and
term Lord to express the word Dominus, by which separately created the body out of the dust of the
;

terms the Vulgate version, which they used, expresses earth, the soul immediately breathed from God him-
JElohim and Jehovah, which we translate Lord God. self. Does not this strongly mark that the soul and
God is the good Being, and Lord is the dispenser of body are not the same thing? The body derives its
bread, the giver of every good and perfect gift, who origin from the earth, or as "Ii3>' aphar implies, the
liberally affords the bread that perisheth to every man, dust ; hence because it is earthly it is decomposable
and has amply provided the bread lliat endures unto and perishable. Of the soul it is said, God breathed
eternal life for every human soul. With what pro- into his nostrils the breath of life ; D"n HDiyj nishmath
priety then does this word apply to the Lord Jesus, chaiyim, the breath of lives, i. e., animal and intel-
who is emphatically called the bread of life ; the bread lectual. While this breath of God expanded the lungs
of God luhich comelh down from heaven, and which is and set them in play, his inspiration gave both spirit
given for the life of the ivorld ! John vi. 33, 48, 51. and understanding.
What a pity that this most impressive and instructive Verse 8. A garden eastward in Eden] Though
meaning of a word in such general use were not more the word p>' Eden signifies pleasure or delight, it is
extensively known, and more particularly regarded ! certainly the name of a place. See chap. iv. 16 2 ;

See the postscript to the general preface. I know that Kings xix. 12 ; Isa. xxxvii. 12 Ezek. xxvii. 23
; ,

Mr. H. Tooke has endeavoured to render this deriva- Amos i. 5. And such places probabl)'- received t'iei»

tion contemptible but this has little weight with me.

; name from their fertility, pleasant situation, cjc. In
I have traced it through the most accredited writers in this light the Septuagint have viewed it, as they render
Saxony and on Saxon afl'airs, and I am satisfied that the passage thus Eipvrevaev 6 9eof Tzapadeiaov ev E^ei',
:

this and this only, is its proper etymology and derivation. God planted a paradise in Eden. Hence the word
Verse 5. Every plant of the field before it was in paradise has been introduced into the New Testament,
the earth] It appears that God created every thing, and is generally used to signify a place of exquisite
not only perfect as it respects its nature, but also in a pleasure and delight. From this the ancient heathens
state of maturity, so that every vegetable production borrowed their ideas of the gardens of the Hcsperides,
appeared at oncegrowth and this was neces-
in full ; where tlie Ado-
trees bore golden frui*; the gardens of
sary that man, when he came into being, might find 7iis, word which is evidently derived from the He-
a
every thing ready for his use. brew pj' Eden; and hence the origin of sacred gardens
40
 The tree of life, and CHAP. II. the tree of knowledge.

— A. M. 1. q

*
eastward
he put the
in Eden and there
"^

man whonri he had

; also
^and the
and evil.
in the midst of
tree of knowledge of good
the garden,
b^c^^,.

formed.
9 And out of the ground made the Lord 10 And a riverwent out of Eden to water
God to grow * every tree that is pleasant to the garden ; and from thence it was parted,
the sight, and good for food ;
" the tree of hfe and became into four heads.

qChap. iii. 24. 'Chap. iv. 16; 2 Kings xix. 12; Ezek. "Chap. iii. 22; Prov. iii. 18 ; xi. 30 ; Rev. ii. 7 ; xxii. 2, 14.
V Ver. 17.
xxvii. 23. s
V"er. 15. ' Ezek. xxxi. 8.
a

or enclosures dedicated to purposes of devotion, some what is very difficult to be ascertained. Some very
comparatively innocent, others impure. The word eminent men have contended that the passage should
paradise is not Greek ; in Arabic and Persian it sig- be understood allegorically ! and that the tree of the
/lifies a garden, a vineyard, and also the place of the knowledge of good and evil means simply that pru-
blessed. The Mohammedans say that God created the dence, which is a mixture of knowledge, care, caution,
and judgment, which was prescribed to regulate the
/ paradise, from
\j«^«^|juj \.I1aa^
light,
Jennet al Ferdoos, the garden of
and the prophets and wise men whole of man's conduct. And it is certain that to
knoiv good and evil, in different parts of Scripture,
ascend thither. Wilmet places it after the root ^j3 means such knowledge and discretion as leads a man
farada, to separate, especially a person or place, for the
to understand what is fit and unfit, what is not proper
j)urposes of devotion, but supposes it to be originally a
to be done and what should be performed. But how
^'^ersian word, vox originis Persicm quam in sua lingua
could the acquisition of such a faculty be a sin ? Or
yvnservanmt Armeni. As it is a word of doubtful
can we suppose that such a faculty could be wanting
rrigin, its etymology is uncertain.
when man was in a state of perfection ? To this it
S'^brse 9. Every tree that is pleasant to the sight,
may be answered The prohibition was intended to
:

ifc] If we take up these expressions literally, they

exercise this faculty in man that it should constantly
aay bear the following interpretation the tree pleasant :

teach him this moral lesson, that there were some

d the sight may mean every beautiful tree or plant
things fit and others unfit to be done, and that in refer-
vnich ibr shape, colour, or fragrance, delights the
ence to this point the tree itself should be both a
>rfnses, such as flowering shrubs, &c.
constant teacher and monitor. The eating of its fruit
And gooa for food] All fruit-bearing trees, whether
would not have increased this moral faculty, but the
w the pulpy fruits, ais apples, &c., or of the kernel or
prohibition was intended to exercise the faculty he
KUt kind, such as dares, and nuts of different sorts,
already possessed. There is certainly nothing unrea-
V'vJgether witn all escuCent vegetables.
sonable in this explanation, and viewed in this light
The O'Tl chaiyim ; of lives, or life-
tree of
life'l
the passage loses much of its obscurity. Vitringa, in
giving every medicinal tree, herb, and plant,
tree,
his dissertation De arbor e prudenticE in Paradise, ejus-
wliose heaimg virtues are of great consequence to man
que mysterio, strongly contends for this interpretation.
in his present state, when through sin diseases of va-
See more on chap. iii. 6.
rious kinds have seized on the human frame, and have
commenced that process of dissolution which is to Verse 10. A river went out of Eden, 4"C-] It would
reduce the body to its primitive dust. Yet by the use astonish an ordinary reader, who should be obliged to
of these trees of life —
those different vegetable medi- consult different commentators and critics on the situa-
cines, the health of the body may be preserved for a Jion of the terrestrial Paradise, to see the vast variety
time, and death kept at a distance. Though the ex- of opinions by which they are divided. Some place
position given here may be a general meaning for these it in the third heaven, others in the fourth some within ;

general terms, yet hkely that this tree of life

it is the orbit of the moon, others in the moon itself; some
which was placed in the midst of the garden was in- in the middle regions of the air, or beyond the earth's
tended as an emblem of that life which man should attraction some on the earth, others under the earth,
;

ever live, provided he continued in obedience to his and others within the earth some have fixed it at the ;

Maker. And
probably the use of this tree was in- north pole, others at the south ; some in Tartary, some
tended as the means of preserving the body of man in China ; some on the borders of the Ganges, some
in a state of continual vital energy, and an antidote Armenia, others in
in the island of Ceylon ; some in
against death. This seems strongly indicated from Africa, under the equator in Mesopotamia, others ; some
chap. iii. 22. in Syria, Persia, Arabia, Babylon, Assyria, and- in Pa-
And the tree of knowledge of good and evil.] Con- lestine some have condescended to place it in Europe, ;

sidering this also in a merely literal point of view, it and others have contended it either exists not, or is
may mean any tree or plant which possessed the pro- invisible, or is merely of a spiritual nature, and that
perty of increasing the knowledge of what was in na- the whole account is to be spiritually understood That I

ture, as the esculent vegetables had of increasing bodily there was such a place once there is no reason to
vigour and that there are some aliments which from doubt the description given by Moses is too particular
;
;

their physical influence have a tendency to strengthen and circumstantial to be capable of being understood
the understanding and invigorate the rational faculty in any spiritual or allegorical way. As well might
more than others, has been supposed by the wisest and we contend that the persons of Adam and Eve were
best of men ;
yet here much more seems intended, but allegorical, as that the place of their residence was such.
41
 2 ; 6 ;

The rivers of Paradise. GENESIS. The command given to Adam

J^-^:}^. 11 The name of the first is 1 5 And the Lord God took "=
the ^^J^-]:,
B. (J. 4004. • 1 • 1 1

Pison which compasseth man, and put him into the garden
: that is it
''

^ the whole land of Havilah, where there is of Eden to dress it, and to keep it.
gold 1 And the Lord God commanded the man,
1 And the gold of that land is good ;
^ there saying, Of every tree of the garden ^ thou
is bdellium and the onyx stone. mayest freely eat
13 And the 17 ^But of the tree of the knowledge of
name of the second river is
Gihon the same is it that compasseth the good and evil, ^ thou shalt not eat of it for
: :

whole land of ^ Ethiopia. in the day that thou eatest thereof ^ thou shalt
14 And the name of the third river is Hid- surely die.
^ '

dekel that is it which goeth

: toward the 18 And the Lord God said, It is not good =*

3ast of Assyria. And the fourth river is that the man should be alone ;
^ I will make
^ Euphrates. him a help ^ meet for him.

J^Num. xi. 7; Exod. xvi.31. eChap. h Chap, iii.3, 19; Rom. vi.23;
"Chap. XXV. 18; 1 Sam. xv. 17. iii. 1,3, 11, 17.
y Heb. Cush. ^ Dan. Or, eastward to Assyria ; chap.
x. 4. '^ 1 Cor. XV. 56; James i. 15; 1 John v. 16. 'Heb. dyiiig thou
b ^ Ch. iii. 12 ; 1 Cor. xi. 9 ; 1 Tim. ii. 13. • Heb.
X. 22. Deut. i. 7 xi. 24
; Rev. ix. 14.
; Or, Adavi. <= shalt die.
<• Ver. 8. = Heb. eating thou shall eat. f Ver.
9. as before him.

The most probable account of its situation is that gave him work to do, and his employment contributed
given by Hadrian Reland. He supposes it to have to his happiness ; for the structure of his body, as well
been in Armenia, near the sources of the great rivers as of his mind, plainly proves that he was never in-
Euphrates, Tigris, Fhasis, and Araxes. He thinks tended for a merely contemplative life.

Pison was the Phasis, a river of Colchis, emptying Verse 17. Of the tree of the knowledge thou shalt —
Euxine Sea, where there is a city called
tself into the not eat] This is the first positive precept God gave
Chabala, the pronunciation of which is nearly the same to man and it was given as a test of obedience, and
;

with that of Havilah, or n S'ln Chavilah, according to a proof of his being in a dependent, probationary state.
the Hebrew, the vau being changed in Greek to beta
\ It was necessary that, while constituted lord of this

/3. This country was famous for gold, whence the lower world, he should know that he was only God's
fable of the Golden Fleece, attempted to be carried vicegerent, and must be accountable to him for the use
away from that country by the heroes of Greece. The of his mental and corporeal powers, and for the use
Gihon he thinks Araxes, which runs into the
to be the he made of the different creatures put under his care.
Caspian Sea, both the words having the same signifi- The man from whose mind the strong impression of
cation, viz., a rapid motion. The land of Cush, washed this dependence and responsibility is erased, necessa-
by the river, he supposes to be the country of the rily loses sight of his origin and end, and is capable
CusscBi of the ancients. The Hiddekel all agree to of any species of wickedness. As God is sovereign,
be the Tigris, and the other river Phrat, or Pe- ms he has a right to give to his creatures what commands
rath, to be the Euphrates. All these rivers rise in he thinks proper. An intelligent creature, without a
the same tract of mountainous country, though they do law to regulate his conduct, is an absurdity this would ;

not arise from one head. destroy at once the idea of his dependency and account-
Verse 12. There is bdellium (nS"13 bedolach) and ableness. Man must ever feel God as his sovereign,
the onyx stone, DHaTI px ehen hashshoham.] Bochart and act under his authority, which he cannot do unless
thinks that the bedolach or bdellium means the pearl- he have a rule of conduct. This rule God gives ;

oyster and shoham is generally understood to mean

; and it is no matter of what kind it is, as long as obe-
the onyx, or species of agate, a precious stone whicl; dience to it is not beyond the powers of the creature
has its name from ow^, a matins nail, to the colour of who is to obey. God says There is a certain fruit- :

which it nearly approaches. It is impossible to say bearing tree ; thou shalt not eat of its fruit ; but of
what is the precise meaning of the original words ;
all the other fruits, and they are all that are necessary,
and at this distance of time and place it is of little for thee, thou mayest freely, liberally eat. Had he
consequence. not an absolute right to say so 1 And was not man
A'erse 15. Put him into the garden — to dress it, bound to obey 1

and to keep it.^ Horticulture, or gardening, is the Thou shalt surely die.] tamuth ; HIDH r\1D 7noth
first kind of employment on record, and that in which Literally, a death thou shalt die dying thou shall ; or,
man was engaged while in a state of perfection and die. Thou shall not only die spiritually, by losing the
innocence. Though the garden may be supposed fo life of God, but from that moment thou shalt become

produce all things spontaneously, as the whole vege- mortal, and shalt continue in a dying state till thou die.
table surface of the earth certainly did at the creation, This we find literally accomplished every moment of ;

yet dressing and tilling were afterwards necessary to man's life may be considered as an act of dying, tiR
maintain the different kinds of plants and vegetables soul and body are separated. Other meanings have
in their perfection, and to repress luxuriance. Even been given of this passage, but they are in generai
in a state of innocence we cannot conceive it possible either fanciful or incorrect.
that man could have been happy if inactive- God Verse 18. It is not good that the man should Jm
42
 . ;

Adam gives names to the cattle. CHAP. II. The institution of marriage.

A. 1. M 19"' And out of the gi'ound the 21 H And the Lord God caused A. M. 1.
B. C. 4004 B. C. 4004
Lord God formed every beast of a ideep sleep to fall upon Adam,
the field, and every {o^N\ of the air; and and he slept and he took one of his ribs,
:

» brought them unto ° Adam to see what he and closed up the flesh instead thereof:
would call them : and whatsoever Adam 22 And the rib, which the Lord God had
called every living creature, that was the taken from man, " made he a woman, and
name thereof. ^brought her unto the man.
20 And Adam p gave names to all cattle, 23 And Adam said, This w now * bone of
and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast my bones, and flesh of my flesh : she shall
of the field ; but for Adam there was not be called ^ Woman, because she was "'
taken
found a help meet for him. out of ^^
Man.

"> Chap. i. 20, 24. » Psa. viii. 6 ; see chap. vi. 20. » Or, ^ Prov. xviii. 22 Heb. xiii.
;
4. ' Chap. xxix. 14 ; Judg. ix
the man. PHeb. called, <) Chap. xv. 12; 1 Sam. xxvi. 12. 2 ; 2 Sam. v. 1 xix. 13 ; Eph.
; v. 30. " Heb. Isha. " 1 Cor
'
Heb. huilded. xi. 8. w Heb. Ish.

alone] \'\':h lehaddo ; only himself. I will make Imn fore he must continue in the state that ivas not good,
a help meet for him ; HJ^D "IT;7 ezer kenegdo, a help, Maker
or be a farther debtor to the bounty of his
a counterpart of himself, one formed from him, and a among all the animals which he had named there
for
perfect resemblance of his person. If the word be loas not found a help meet for him. Hence we read,
rendered scrupulously literally, it signifies one like, or Verse 21. The Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall
as himself, standing opposite to or before him. And upon Adam, 4"C.] This was neither swoon nor ecstasy,
this implies that the woman was to be a perfect resem- but what our translation very properly terms a deep
blance of the man, possessing neither inferiority nor sleep.
superiority, but being in all things like and equal to And he took one of his ribs] It is immaterial
himself. As man was made a social creature, itwas whether we render yl'^ tsela a rib, or a. part of his
not proper that he should be alone ; for to be alone, side, for it may mean either : some part of man was
i. without a matrimonial companion, loas not good.
e. be used on the occasion, whether bone or flesh it to
Hence we find that celibacy in general is a thing that matters not though it is likely, from verse 23, that a' ;

is not good, whether it be on the side of the man or part of both was taken for Adam, knowing how the ;

of the woman. Men may, in opposition to the decla- woman was formed, said. This is flesh of my flesh, and
ration of God, call this a state of excellence and a bojie of my bone. God could have formed the woman
state of perfection but let them remember that the out of the dust of the earth, as he had formed the man
; ;

word of God says the reverse. but had he done so, she must have appeared in his eyes
Verse 19. Out of the ground, <5fC.\ Concerning as a distinct being, to whom he had no natural relation.
the formation of the different kinds of animals, see the But as God formed her out of a part of the man him-
preceding chapter. self, he saw she was of the same nature, the same
A'^erse 20. And Adam gave names to all cattle] Two identical flesh and blood, and of the same constitution
things God appears to have had in view by causing in all respects, and consequently having equal powers,
man to name all the cattle, &c. 1. To show him with faculties, and rights. This at once ensured his affec-
what comprehensive powers of mind his Maker had tion, and excited his esteem.
endued him and 2. To show him that no creature yet
; Verse 23. Adam said. This is now bone of my bones,
formed could make him a suitable companion. And (Sfc] There is a very delicate and expressive mean-
that this twofold purpose was answered we shall shortly ing in the original which does not appear in our ver-
see for,; sion. When the different genera of creatures were
1 Adam gave names ; but how ? From an inti- brought to Adam, that he might assign them their
mate knowledge of the nature and properties of each proper names, it is probable that they passed in pairs
creature. Here we see the perfection of his know- before him, and as they passed received their names.
ledge for it is well known that the names affixed to To this circumstance the words in this place seem to
;

the different animals in Scripture always express some refer. Instead of this now is nDJ.'£)n nXT zoth hap-
prominent feature and essential characteristic of the paam, we should render more literally this turn, this
creatures to which they are applied. Had he not pos- creature, which now passes or appears before me, is
sessed an intuitive knowledge. of the grand and distin- flesh of my flesh, &c. The creatures that \i3.A passed
guishing properties of those animals, he never could already before him were not suitable to him, and there-
have given them such names. This one circumstance fore it was said, For Adam there ivas not a help meet
is a strong proof of the original perfection and excel- formed found, ver. 20 ; but when the woman came,
lence of man, while in a state of innocence ; which con-
nor need out of himself, he felt all that attraction
we wonder at the account. Adam was the work of sanguinity could produce, and at the same time saw
an infinitely wise and perfect Being, and the effect that she was in her person and in her mind every way
must resemble the cause that produced it. suitable to be his companion. See Parkhurst, sub
2. Adam was convinced that none of these creatures voce.
could be a suitable companion for him, and thai there- She shall be called Woman] A literal version of
a 13
 ;

Closeness of the marriage union. GENESIS. Happy slate of our first parents.

-,^- J^-
D. O. 4004.
1- 24 ^Therefore shall a man leave 25 yAnd they v^rere both naked, ^^q^^^
"
and his mother, and shall the
his father man and his vf'iie, and were
cleave unto his wife and they shall be one flesh. not
;
^ ashamed.

* Chap. xxxi. 15 ; Psa. Ixv. 10 Matt. xix. 5

; ; Mark x. 7 ; 1 Cor. y Chapter iii. 7, 10, 11. *=
Exodus xxxii. 25; Isaiah
vi. 16 ; Eph. v. 31. xlvii. 3.

the Hebrew would appear strange, and yet a literal word in the 24th
correcting his copy, struck out the
version is the only proper one. CN man, ish signifies verse instead of the 25th. But of what consequence
and the word used to express what we term icoman is is it 1 In the controversy concerning polygamy, it
the same with a feminine termination, niyN ishshah, has been made of very great consequence. Without
and literally means she-man. Most of the ancient the word, some have contended a man may have as
versions have felt the force of the term, and have en- many wives as he chooses, as the terms are indefinite,
deavoured to express it as literally as possible. The THEY shall be, dfc, but loith the word, marriage is re-
intelligent reader Avill not regret to see some of them stricted. A man can have in legal wedlock but one
here. The Vulgate Latin renders the Hebrew virago, loife at the same time.
which is a feminine form of vir, a man. Symmachus We have here the first institution of marriage, and
uses avSpic, andris, a female form of avrip, aner, a we see in it several particulars worthy of our most
man. Our own term is equally proper when under- serious regard. 1. God pronounces the state of celi-

stood. Woman has been defined by many as com- bacy a bad state, or, if the reader please, not a
to be
pounded of wo and man, as if called man''s wo be- good one ; and the Lord God said. It is not good for
cause she tempted him to eat the forbidden fruit but ; man to be alone. This is Goo's judgment. Councils,
this is no meaning of the original word, nor could it and fathers, and doctors, and synods, have given a
be intended, as the transgression was not then com- different judgment but on such a subject they are
;

mitted. The truth is, our term is a proper and literal w^orthy of no attention. The word of God abideth
translation of the original, and we may thank the dis- for ever. 2. God made the woman /or the man, and
cernment of our Anglo-Saxon ancestors for giving it. thus he has shown us that every son of Adam should
pombman, of which luoman is a contraction, means the be united to a daughter of Eve to the end of the world.
man ivith A
very appropriate version of
the ivomb. See on 1 Cor. vii. 3. God made the woman out of
the Hebrew TV^H ishshah, rendered by terms which the man, to intimate that the closest union, and the
signify she-man, in the versions already specified. most affectionate attachment, should subsist in the
Hence we see the propriety of Adam's observation : man should ever
matrimonial connection, so that the
This creature is flesh of my and hone of my
flesh, woman as a part of himself:
consider and treat the
bones ; therefore shall she be called wombman, or female and as no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes
man, because she ivas taken out of man. See Versle- and supports it, so should a man deal with his wife
gan. Others derive it from pipiuan or piirman, man's and on the other hand the woman should consider that
wife or she-man. Either may be proper, the first seems the man was not made for her, but that she was made
the most likely. for the man, and derived, under God, her being from
Verse 24. Therefore shall a man leave his father him ; therefore the wife should see that she reverence
and his mother^ There shall be, by the order of God, her husband, Eph. v. 33. The 23d and 24th verses
a more intimate connection formed between the man contain the very words of the marriage ceremony :

and woman, than can subsist even between parents and This is flesh of bone of my bone, there-
my flesh, and
children. fore shall a 7nan leave his father and his mother, and
And they shall be one flesh.] These words may be shall cleave unto his wife, and they tivo shall be one
tmderstood in a twofold sense. 1. These tiuo shall be flesh. How happy must such a state be where God's
one flesh, shall be considered as one body, having no institution is properly regarded, where the parties are
separate or independent rights, privileges, cares, con- married, as the apostle expresses in the Lord ; where
it,

cerns, &c., each being equally interested in all things each, by acts of the tenderest kindness, lives only to
that concern the marriage state. 2. These two shall prevent the wishes and contribute in every possible
he for the production of one flesh from their union a ; way to the comfort and happiness of the other ! Mar-
posterity shall spring, as exactly resembling themselves riage might still be what it ivas in its original institu-
as they do each other. Our Lord quotes these words, tion, pure and suitable ; and in its first exercise, affec-
Matt. xix. 5, with some variation from this text They : tionate and happy : but how few such marriages are
TWAIN shall be one flesh. So in Mark x. 8. St. Paul there to be found ! Passion, turbulent and irregular,
quotes in the same way, 1 Cor. vi. 16, and in Eph. not religion ; custom, founded by these irregularities,
V. 31. The Vulgate Latin, the Septuagint, the Syriac, not reason ; ivorldly prospects, originating and ending
tae Arabic, and the Samaritan, all read the word two. in selfishness and earthly affections, not in spiritual
That this is the genuine reading I have no doubt. ends, are the grand producing causes of the great ma-
The word shencyhem, they two or botli of
tZ3n'Jiy jority of matrimonial alliances. How then can such
them, was, I suppose, omitted at first from the Hebrew turbid and bitter fountains send forth pure and sweet
text, by mistake, because it occurs three words after waters 1 See the ancient allegory of Cupid and
n the following verse, or more probably it originally Psyche, by which marriage is so happily illustrated,
occurred in the 24th verse, and not in the 25th and ; explained in the notes on Matt. xix. 4-6.
a copyist having found that he had written it twice, in Verse 25. They were both naked, <}fc.] The weather
44
Of the serpejii. CHAP. III. The woman i death

was perfectly temperate, and therefore they had no the Centre and Source of all perfection and exceL 1.

need of clothing, the circumambient air being of the shall rest in God, unutterably happy through the _
same temperature with their bodies. And as sin had measurable progress of duration Of this consun.!

not yet entered into the world, and no part of the mation every returning Sabbath should at once be a
human body had been put to any improper use, there- type, a remembrancer, and a foretaste, to every pious
fore there was no shame, for shame can only arise from mind and these it must be to all who are taught of
;

a consciousness of sinful or irregular conduct. God.

Of this rest, the garden of Eden, that paradise of
Even when all was perfec- God formed for man, appears also to have been a type
in a state of innocence,
tion and excellence, when God was clearly discovered and pledge and the institution of marriage, the cause, ;

in all his works, every place being his temple, every bond, and cement of the social state, was proTbably
moment a time of ivorship, and every object an incite- designed to prefigure that harmony, order, and blessed
ment to religious reverence and adoration even then, — ness which must reign in the kingdom of God, ol
God chose to consecrate a seventh part of time to his which the condition of our first parents in the garden
more especial worship, and to hallow it unto his own of paradise is justly supposed to have been an expres-
service by a perpetual decree. Who then shall dare sive emblem. What a pity that this heavenly insti-
to reverse this order of God ? Had the religious ob- tution should have ever been perverted ! that, instead
servance of the Sabbath been never proclaimed till the of becoming a sovereign help to all, it is now, through
proclamation of the law on Mount Sinai, then it might its prostitution to animal and secular purposes, become

have been conjectured that this, like several other the destroyer of millions Reader, every connection !

ordinances, was a shadow which must pass away with thou formest in life will have a strong and sovereign
that dispensation neither extending to future ages, influence on thy future destiny.
;
Beware an unholy !

nor binding on any other people. But this was not cause, which from its peculiar nature must be cease
so. God gave the Sabbath, his first ordinance, to lessly active in every muscle, nerve, and passion,
man, (see the first precept, ver. 17,) while all the cannot fail to produce incessant effects of sin, misery,
nations of the world were seminally included in him, death, and perdition. Remember that thy earthly
and while he stood the father and representative of the connections, no matter of what kind, are not formed
whole human race therefore the Sabbath is not for merely for time, whatsoever thou mayest intend, but
;

one nation, for one time, or for one place. It is the also for eternity. With what caution therefore shouldst
fair type of heaven's eternal day —
of the state of end- thou take every step in the path of life On this !

less blessedness and glory, where human souls, having ground, the observations made in the preceding notqs
fully regained the Divine image, and become united to are seriously recommended to thy consideration.

CHAPTER HI.

Satan, by means of a creature here called the serpent, deceives Eve, 1—5. Both she and Adam transgress
the Divine command, and fall into sin and misery, 6, 7. They are summoned before God, and judged,
8—13. The creature called the serpent is degraded and punished, 14. The promise of redemption by the
incarnation of Christ, 15. Eve sentenced, 16. Adam sentenced, 17. The ground cursed, and death
threatened, 18, 19. Why the woman was called Eve, 20. Adam and Eve clothed with skins, 21. The
wretched state of ourfirst parents after 4,heir fall, aad their expulsion fi-om the garden of Paradise, 22—24

A. M.
B. C. 4004.
1.
lyrOW ^ the serpent was ^ more field which the Lord God had made. b^q^Jq.
subtle than any beast of the And he said unto the woman, Yea, •=

» Rev. xii. 9 ; xx. 2. »> Matt. x. 16 ; 2 Cor. xi. 3. >=

Heb. Yea, because, &c.

NOTES ON CHAP. III. satisfied on though convinced

this part of the subject,
Verse 1. Notv the serpent teas more subtle] We of the fact itself. Who was ? of what
the serpent
have here one of the most difficult as well as the most ki7id ? In what ivay did he seduce the first happy
important narratives in the whole book of God. The pair'? These are questions which remain yet to be
last chapter ended with a short but striking account anstvered. The whole account is either a simple nar-
of the perfection and felicity of the first human beings, rative of facts, or it is an allegory. If it be a his-
and this opens with an account of their transgression, torical relation, its literal meaning should be sought
degradation, and ruin. That man is in a, fallen state, out ; if it be an allegory, no attempt should be made
the history of the world, with that of the life and to explain it, as it would require a direct revelation to
miseries of every human being, establishes beyond ascertain the sense in which it should be understood,
successful contradiction. But hoiv, and by what for fanciful illustrations are endless. Believing it to
agency, was this brought about 1 Here is a great be a simple relation of facts capable of a satisfactory
mystery and I may appeal to all persons who have
; explanation, I shall take it up on this ground and, by ;

read the various comments that have been written on a careful examination of the original text, endeavour
the Mosaic account, whether they have ever yet been to fix the meaning, and show the propriety and con-
a 45
 ;; —

Closeness GENESIS. with the serpent.

\id, Ye shall not eat of We may -'

eat of the fruit of the J^J^-
^•
B. O. 4004.
the garden ? trees oi the garden :

lid unto the serpent, 3 ^ But of the fruit of the tree which is in

^ Genesis, chap. ii. 17.

. tne Mosaic account of the fall of man. they do not have given themselves much
seem to
_ne chief difficulty in the account is found in the trouble to understand the meaning of the original, for
question, Who was the agent employed in the seduc- they have rendered the word as variously as our trans-
tion of our first parents ? lators have done, or rather our translators have followed
The word in the text which we, following the Sep- them, as they give nearly the same significations found
tuagint, translate serpent, is tiTIJ nachash ; and, ac- in the Septuagint hence we find that o^«f is as fre-
:

cording to Buxtorf and others, has three meanings in quently used by them as serpent, its supposed literal
Scripture. 1. It sigmfiesio viexv ox observe attentively, meaning, is used in our version. And the New Tes
to divine or use enchantments, because in thern the au- tament writers, who seldom quote the Old Testament
gurs viewed attentively the flight of birds, the entrails hut from the Septuagint translation, and often do not
of beasts, the course of the clouds. Sic. and under this ;
change even a word in their quotations, copy this ver-
head it signifies to acquire knoivledge by experience. sion in the use of this word. From the Septuagint
2. It signifies brass, brazen, and is translated in our therefore we can expect no light, nor indeed from any
Bible, not only brass, but chains, fetters, fetters of other of the ancient versions, which are all subsequent
brass, and in several places steel ; see 2 Sam. xxii. to the Septuagint, and some of them actually made
35 ; Job XX. 24 ; Psa. xviii. 34
and in one place, ; at from it. In all this uncertainty it is natural for a
least, filthiness or fornication, Ezek. xvi. 36. 3. It serious inquirer after truth to look everyivhere for
signifies a serpent, but of what kind is not determined. information. And
such an inquiry the Arabic may
in
In Job xxvi. 13,it seems to mean the ivhale or hippo- be expected to afford some help, from its great simi
potamus : By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens, larity to the Hebrew. A
root in this language, very
his hand hath formed the crooked serpent, ni2 tyPIJ nearly similar to that in the text, seems to cast consi-
nachash bariach : as ^'^3 barach signifies to pass on or derable light on the subject. jirV*^ chanas or khanasa
pass through, and n'13 heriach is used for a bar of a signifies he departed, drew off, lay hid, seduced, slunk
gate or door that passed through rings, &c., the idea away from; this root come ^jwJoLf akhnas, Lma>^
of straighlness rather than croohedness should be khanasa, and lu^kxaL khanoos, which ail signify an
attached to it here and it is likely that the hippo-
;
ape, or satyrus, or any creature of the simia or ape
potamus or sea-horse is intended by it.
genus. It is very remarkable also that from the same
In Eccles. x. 11, the creature called nachash, of
root comes t/wlAai khanas, the devil, which appella-
whatever sort, is compared to the babbler Surely the :
tive he bears from that meaning of [ji»/<^ khanasa,
serpent (aTlJ nachash) will bite without enchantment he drew off, seduced, 4"c., because he draivs men off
and a babbler is no better.
from righteousness, seduces them from their obedience
In Isa. xxvii. 1, the crocodile or alligator
seems to God, &c., &c. See Goliits, sub voce. Is it not
particularly meant by the original
day the In that strange that the devil and the ape should have the same
Lord — shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, &c.
:

name, derived from the same root, and that root so

And in Isa. Ixv. 25, the same creature is meant as in very similar to the word in the text ] But let us re-
Gen. iii. 1, for in the words. And dust shall be the turn and consider what is said of the creature in ques-
serpent's meat, there is an evident allusion to the text tion. Now the nachash was more subtle, D1"l^' arum,
of Moses. In Amos ix. 3, the crocodile is evidently more wise, cunning, or prudent, than any beast of the
intended Though they be hid in theloltom of the sea,
:
field ivhich the Lord God had made. In this account
thence ivill I command the serpent, (lynjn hannachash.) we find, 1 That whatever this nachash was, he stood
.

and he shall bite them. No person can suppose that at the head of all inferior animals for wisdom and un-
any of the snake or serpent kind can i)e intended here derstanding. 2. That he tvalked erect, for this is
and we see from the various acceptations of the word, necessarily implied in his punishment on thy belly
and the different senses which it bears in various places (i. e., on all fours) shalt thou go. 3. That he was
in the sacred writings, that it appears to be a sort of endued tvith the gift of speech, for a conversation is
general term confined to no one sense. Hence it will here related between him and the woman. 4. That
be necessary to examine the root accurately, to see if he was also endued with the gift of reason, for we find
its ideal meaning will enable us to ascertain the animal him reasoning and disputing with Eve. 6. That these
intended in the text. We have already seen that iyplJ things were common to this creature, the woman no
nachash signifies to vieiv attentively, to acquire know- doubt having often seen him walk erect, talk, and
ledge or experience by attentive observation ; so 'ntJTlJ reason, and therefore she testifies no kind of surprise
nichashti, Gen. xxx. 27 I have learned by experience;
:
when he accosts her in the language related in the
and this seems to be its most general meaning in the text and indeed from the manner in which this is
;

Bible. The original word

by the Septuagint trans- is introduced it ai)pears to be only a part of a conversa-
lated o^if, a serpent, not because this was its fixed tion that had passed between them on the occasion ;

determinate meaning in the sacred writings, but because Yea, hath God said, >5fC.
it was the best that occurred to the translators and : Had this creature never been known to speak befora
46
The serpent promises CHAP. III. exeinption from death

J'-^Ja. the midst of the "^

ffarden, God hath 4 * And the serpent said unto b^q^^qL
C. 4004.
JD. - . .
^
said, Ye shall not eat oi it, neither the woman. Ye shall not surely
shall ye touch it, lest ye die. die :

e Ver. 13 ; 2 Cor. xi. 3 ;

1 Tim. ii. 14.

his addressing the woman at this time and on this sub- might have been originally designed to walk erect, and
ject, could not have feiled to excite her surprise, and
it that nothing less than a sovereign controlling power
*» have filled her vv^ith caution, though from the purity could induce them to put down hands in every r^ppect
and innocence of her nature she might have been in- formed man, and walk like those creatures
like those of
capable of being affected with/ear. Now I apprehend whose claw-armed paws prove them to have been de-
that none of these things can be spoken of a serpent of signed to walk on all fours. Dr. Tyson has observed,
any species. 1 . None of them ever did or ever can walk in his anatomy of an ouran outang, that the seminal
erect. The tales we have had of two-footed and four- vessels passed between the two coats of the peritoneum
footed serpents are justly exploded by every judicious to the scrotum, as in man hence he argues that this
;

naturalist, and are utterly unworthy of credit. The very creature was designed to walk erect, as it is otherwise
name serpent comes from serpo, to creep, and therefore in all quadrupeds. Philos. Trans., vol. xxi., p. 340
to such it could be neither curse nor punishment to go The cunning, endlessly varied pranks and
subtlety,
on their bellies, i. e., to creep on, as they had done from tricks of these creatures, show them, even now, to be
their creation, and must do while their race endures. more subtle and more intelligent than any other crea-
2. They have no organs for speech, or any kind of ture,man alone excepted. Being obliged now to walk
articulate sound they can only hiss.
; It is true that on all fours, and gather their food from the ground,
an ass by miraculous influence may speak but it is ; they are literally obliged to eat the dust ; and though
not to be supposed that there was any miraculous in- exceedingly cunning, and careful in a variety of in-
terference here. God did not qualify this creature stances to separate that part which is wholesome and
with speech for the occasion, and it is not intimated proper for food from that which is not so, in the article
that there was any other agent on the con-
that did it ; of cleanliness they are lost to all sense of propriety ;

trary, the text intimates that speech and reason were and though they have every means in their power of
natural to the nachash : and is it not in reference to cleansing the aliments they gather off the ground, and
this the inspired penman says, The nachash ivas more from among the dust, yet they never in their savage
subtle or intelligent than all the beasts of the field that state make use of any, except a slight rub against their
the Lord God had made? Nor can I find that the side, or with one of their hands, more to see what the
serpentine genus are remarkable for intelligence. It article is than to cleanse it. Add to this, their utter
is true the wisdom of the serpent has passed into a pro- aversion to ivalk upright ; it requires the utmost disci-
verb, but I cannot see on what it is founded, except in pline to bring them to it, and scarcely any thing irritates
reference to the passage in question, where the nachash, them more than to be obliged to do it. Long obser-
which we translate serpent, following the Septuagint, vation on some of these animals enables me to state
shows so much intelligence and cunning and it is very : these facts.
probable that our Lord alludes to this very place when Should any person who may read this note object
he exhorts his disciples to be wise —
prudent or intel-
ligent, as serpents, (ppovifxoi, o)g ol o(peL^- and it is worthy
against my conclusions, because apparently derived
from an Arabic word which is not exactly similar to
of remark that he uses the same term employed by the Hebrew, though to those who understand both lan-
the Septuagint in the text in question : 0(j)ig j]v <ppovi- guages the similarity will be striking yet, as I do not ;

fiuraroc, the serpent ivas more prudent or intelligent insist on the identity of the terms, though important
than all the beasts, &c.
All these things considered, consequences have been derived from less likely ety-
we are obliged to seek for some other word to designate mologies, he is welcome to throw the whole of this
the nachash in the text, than the word serpent, which out of the account. He may then take up the Hebrew
on every view of the subject appears to me inefficient root only, which signifies to gaze, to view attentively,
and inapplicable. We have seen above that khanas, pry into, inquire narrowly, dfc, and consider the pas-
akhnas, and khanoos, signify a creature of the ape or sage that appears to compare the nachash to the bab-
satyrus kind. We have seen that the meaning of the bler, Eccles. X. 11, and he will soon find, if he have
root is, he lay hid, seduced, slunk away, <^c. ; and that any acquaintance with creatures of this genus, that for
khanas means the devil, as the inspirer of evil, and earnest, attentive watching, looking, dfc, and for chat-
seducer from God and truth. See Golius and Wilmet. tering or babbling, they have no fellows in the animal
It therefore appears to me
that a creature of the ape world. Indeed, the ability and propensity to cliatter
or ouran outang kind here intended
is and that Satan ; is all they have left, according to the above hypothesis,
made use of this creature as the most proper instru- of their original gift of speech, of which I suppose
ment accomplishment of his murderous purposes
for the them to have been deprived at the fall as a part of
against the life and soul of man. Under this creature their punishment.
he lay hid, and by this creature he seduced our first I have spent the longer time on this subject, 1 . Be-
parents, and dreiv off or slunk away from every eye cause it is exceedingly obscure ; 3. Because no inter-
but the eye of God. Such a creature answers to every me the
pretation hitherto given of it has afforded
part of the description in the text it is evident from :
smallest satisfaction ; 3. Because I think the above
the structure of its limbs and their muscles that it
mode of accounting for every part of the whole trana
47
 !

The serpent prompts Eve GENESIS. to disobedience

A. M. 1. know A. M.
B. C. 4004.
5 For God doth that in the 6 And when the woman saw that
B. C. 4004.
1.

day ye eat thereof, then ^ your the tree was good for food, and that
eyes shall be opened ; and ye shall be as it ivas ^ pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be
gods, knowing good and evil. desired to make one wise, she took of the

f Ver. 7 ; Acts x.wi. 18. e Heb. a desire.

action is consistent and satisfactory, and in my opinion the world ? The Syriac has the word in the singular
removes many embarrassments, and solves tlie chief number, and is the only one of all the versions which
difficulties. I think it can be no solid objection to the has hit on the true meaning. As the original word is
above mode of solation that Satan, in different parts the same which is used to point out the Supreme Be-
of the New Testament, is called the serpent, the ser- ing, chap. i. 1, so it has here the same signification;
pent that deceived Eve by his subtlety, the old serpent, and the object of the tempter appears to have been
<Sfc., for we have already seen that the New Testament this to persuade our first parents that they should, by
:

WTiters have borrowed the word from the Sepluagint, eating of this fruit, become wise and powerful as God,
and the Septuagint themselves use it in a vast variety (for knoioledge is power,) and be able to exist for ever,
and latitude of meaning ; and surely the ouran outang independently of him.
is as likely to be the animal in question as tynj nachash Verse 6. The tree v>'z,s good for food] 1. The fruit
and o6ig ophis are likely to mean at once a snake, a appeared to be wholesome and nutritive. And that it
crocodile, a hippopotamus, fornication, a chain, a pair wsLS pleasant to the eyes. 2. The beauty of the fruit
of fellers, a piece of brass, a piece of steel, and a co7i- tended to whet and increase appetite. And a tree to
jurer ; for we have seen above that all these are ac- be desired to make one ivise, which was, 3. An addi-
ceptations of the original word. Besides, the New tionalmotive to please the palate. From these three
Testament writers seem to lose sight of the animal or sources all natural and moral evil sprang they are :

instrument used on the occasion, and speak only of exactly what (he apostle calls the desire of the flesh ;
Satan himself as the cause of the transgression, and the tree was good for food the desire of the eye ; it
:

the instrument of all evil. If, however, any person was pleasant to the sight and the pride of life ; it
:

should choose to differ from the opinion stated above, was a tree to be desired to make one wise. God had
he is at perfect liberty so to do I make it no article ; undoubtedly created our first parents not only very
of faith, nor of Christian communion ; T crave the wise and intelligent, but also with a great capacity and
same liberty to judge for myself that I give to others, suitable propensity to increase in knowledge. Those
towhich every man has an indisputable right and I ; who think that Adam was created so perfect as to pre-
hope no man will call me a heretic for departing in clude the possibility of his increase in knowledge, have
this respect from the common opinion, which appears taken a very false view of the subject. shall We
to me to be so embarrassed as to be altogether unin- certainly be convinced that our first parents were in a
telligible. See farther on ver. 7-14, &c. state of sufficient perfection when we consider, 1.
Yea, hath God said] This seems to be the con- That they were endued with a vast capacity to obtain
tinuation of a discourse of which the preceding part knowledge. 2. That all the means of information
is not given, and a proof that the creature in question were within their reach. 3. That there was no hin-
was endued with the gift of reason and speech, for no derance to the most direct conception of occurring
surprise is testified on the part of Eve. truth. 4. That all the objects of knowledge, whether
Verse 3. Neither shall ye touch it] Did not the natural or moral, were ever at hand. 5. That they
woman add this to what God had before spoken 1 had the strongest propensity to know and, 6. The
;

Some of the Jewish writers, who are only serious on greatest pleasure in knowing. To have God and na-
comparative trifles, state that as soon as the woman ture continually open to the view of the soul and to ;

had asserted this, the serpent pushed her against the have a soul capable of viewing both, and fathomin<T
tree and said, " See, thou hast touched it, and art still endlessly their unbounded glories and excellences, with-
alive ; thou mayest therefore safely eat of the fruit, out hinderance or difficulty what a state of perfection ;

for surely thou shalt not die." what a consummation of bliss! This was undoubtedly
Verse 4. Ye shall not surely die] Here the father the state and condition of our first parents even the ;

of lies at once appears ; and appears too in flatly con- present ruins of the state are incontestable evidences
tradicting the assertion of God. The tempter, through of its primitive excellence. see at once how We
the nachash, insinuates the impossibility of her dying, transgression came ; it was natural for them to desire
as if he had said, God has created thee immortal, thy to be increasingly wise. God had implanted this de-
death therefore is impossible ; and God knows this, for sire in their minds ; but he showed them that this
as thou livest by the tree of life, so shalt thou get desire should be gratified in a certain icay ; that pru-
increase of wisdom by the tree of knowledge. dence and judgment should always regulate it that ;

Verse 5. Your eyes shall be opened] Your under- they should carefully examine what God had opened
standing shall be greatly enlightened and improved ;
to their view and should not pry into what he chose
;

and ye shall be as gods, DTlSxD kelohim, like God, so to conceal. He alone who knows all things knows
he word should be translated for what idea could our
; hoiu much knowledge the soul needs to its perfection
first parents have of gods before idolatry could have and increasing happiness, in what subjects this may be
had any being, because sin had not yet entered into legitimately sought, and where the mind may make
48 a
 — —

Adam and Eve eat CHAP. Ill the forbidden fi uit.

—B^c'^4004

her,
'-

and he did eat.

'
^^"^^
gave
did eat; and ed,
thereof,
also unto her
and they knew that they
husband with were naked
''and
and they sewed
fig-leaves together, and
b^c^4^4

made themselves
'

;
^

7 And ^ the eyes of them both were open- ™ aprons.

Ecclus XXV. 24; 1 Tim. ii. 14 ; 1 John ii. 16. ^ Ver. 12, 17; ''Verse 5.- '
Chapter ii. 25.- ' Or, things to gird
Hos. vi. 7 Rom. v. 12-19.
; about.

excursions and discoveries to its prejudice and ruin. tudes of souls, whom he persuaded that being once
There are doubtless many subjects which angels are right they could never finally go wrong. 7. As he
capable of knowing, and which God chooses to con- kept the unlawfulness of the means proposed out of
ceal even from them, because that knowledge would sight, persuaded them that they could not fall from
tend neither to their perfection nor happiness. Of their steadfastness, assured them that they should' re-
every attainment and object of pursuit it may be said, semble God himself, and consequently be self-sufficient,
in thewords of an ancient poet, who conceived cor- and totally independent of him they listened, and ;

rectly on the subject, and expressed his thoughts with fixing their eye only on the promised good, neglecting
perspicuity and energy : the positive command, and determining to become wise
and independent at all events, they took of the fruit
Est modus in rebus : sunt certi denique fines,
and did eat.
Quos ultra citraque nequit consistere rectum.
Let us now examine the effects.
HoR. Sat., lib. i.. Sat. 1., ver. 106. Their eyes ivere opened, and they saw they were
1.
" There is a rule for all things ; there are in fine naked. They saw what they never saw before, that
fixed and stated limits, on either side of which righte- they were stripped of their excellence that they had ;

ousness cannot be found." On the line of duty alone lost their innocence and that they had fallen into a
;

we must walk. state of indigence and danger. 2. Though their eyes

Such God certainly assigned from the begin-
limits were opened to see their nakedness, yet their mind
ning :Thou shalt come up to this thou shalt not pass ; was clouded, and their judgment confused. They
it. And as he assigned the limits, so he assigned the seem to have lost all just notions of honour and dis-
means. knowledge in
It is lawful for thee to acquire honour, of what was shameful and what was praise-
this way ; it is unlawful to seek it in that. And had worthy. It was dishonourable and shameful to break
he not a right to do so 1 And would his creation have the commandment of God but it was neither to go' ;

been perfect without it T naked, when clothing was not necessary. 3. They
Verse 7. The eyes of them both loere opened^ They seem in a moment, not only to have lost sound judg-
now had a sufficient discovery of their sin and folly ment, but also reflection : a short time before Adam
in disobeying the command of God they could discern ; was so wise that he could name all the creatures brought
between good and evil and what was the consequence 1
; before him, according to their respective natures and
Confusion and shame were engendered, because inno- qualities now he does not know the first principle
;

cence was lost and guilt contracted concerning the Divine nature, that it knoios all things,
Let us review the whole of this melancholy busi- and that it is omnipresent, therefore he endeavours to
ness, i\\e fall and its effects. hide himself among the trees from the eye of the all-
1. From the New Testament we learn that Satan seeing God How astonishing is this When the
! !

associated himself with the creature which we term creatures were brought to him he could name them,
the serpent, and the original the nachash, in order to because he could discern their respective natures and
seduce and ruin mankind 2 Cor. xi. 3 Rev. xii. 9
; ;
; properties when Eve was brought to him he could
;

XX. 2. 2. That this creature was the most suitable immediately tell what she was, who she was, and for
to his purpose, as being the most subtle, the most in- tohat end made, though he was in a deep sleep when
telligent and cunning of all beasts of the field, en- God formed her and this seems to be particularly
;

dued with the gift of speech and reason, and conse- noted, merely to show the depth of his wisdom, and
quently one in which he could best conceal himself. the perfection of his discernment. But alas ! how are
3. As he knew that while they depended on God they the mighty fallen ! Compare his present with his past
could not be ruined, he therefore endeavoured to seduce state, his state before the transgression with his state
them from this dependence. 4. He does this by work- after it ; and say, is this the same creature ? the crea-
ing on that propensity of the mind to desire an increase ture of whom God said, as he said of all his works,
of knowledge, with which God, for the most gi-acious —
He is very good just what he should be, a- living
purposes, had endued it. 5. In order to succeed, he image of the living God but now lower than the ;

insinuates that God, through motives of envy, had given beasts of the field? 4. This account could never have
the prohibition God doth knoio that in the day ye eat been credited had not the indisputable proofs and evi-
of it, ye shall be like himself, &c. 6. As their pre- dences of it been continued by uninterrupted succes-
sent state of blessedness must be inexpressibly dear to sion to the present time. All the descendants of this
them, he endeavours to persuade them that they could first guilty pair resemble their degenerate ancestors,
not fall from this state Ye shall not surely die ye
:
— and copy their conduct. The original mode of trans-
shall not only retain your present blessedness, but it gression is still continued, and the original sin in con-
ahall be greatly increased a temptation by which he
; sequence. Here are the proofs. 1- Every humaa
tias ever since fatally succeeded in the ruin of multi- being is endeavouring to obtain knowledge by unlawful
VoL. I. ( 5 ) 49 a
/
Adam and Eve hide themselves. GENESIS. Adam and Eve's accusations.

J^J^a2^. 8 And they heard " the voice of 12 And the man said, ""The -q^-^^^^
U. O. 4004. •'

the Lord God walking in the gar- woman whom thou gavest to he
den in the ° cool of the day : and Adam and with me, she gave me of the tree, and J

his wife p hid themselves from the presence of did eat.

the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. 1 3 And the Lord God said unto the woman,

9 And the Lord God called unto Adam, and What is this that thou hast done ? And the
said unto him, Where art thou ? woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and ^

10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the I did eat.

garden, i and I was afraid, because I was 14 And the Lord God said unto the *

naked ; and I hid myself. Because thou hast done this, thou art serpent,
1 1 And he said, Who told thee that thou cursed above all cattle, and above every
wast naked ? Hast thou eaten of the tree, beast of the field upon thy belly shalt thou ;

whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of '^

not eat ? thy life :

°Job xxxviii. 1. " Heb. wind; Job xxxiv. 21, 22; Psa. cxix. 120; Isa. xxxiii. 14; Ivii. 11 1 John iii. 20.
: ^Chap.
oxxxix. 1-12. P Job xxxi. 33 ; Prov. v. 3 Jer. xxiii. 24 ;
;
ii.18, 20; Job xxxi. 33; Prov. xxviii. 13 Luke x. 29 James
; ;

Amos ix. 3 ; Jonah i. 3, 10 ; Heb. iv. 13 ; chap. iv. 9 ; Josh. vii. i. 13, 15. =Ver. 4; 2 Cor. xi. 3; 1 Tim. ii. 14. 'Exod.
17-19 ; Rev. xx. 12, 13. 1 Chap. ii. 25 ; Exod. iii. 6 ; Psa. xxi. 29, 32. "Isa. Ixv. 25 ; Mic. vii. 17.

means, even while the lawful means and every avail- that the consequences of that state extend to his re-
able help are at hand. 2. They are endeavouring to motest posterity. 1. On the question. Hast thou eaten
be independent, and to live without God in the world ; of the tree ? Adam is obliged to acknowledge his trans-
hence prayer, the language of dependence on God's gression ; but he does this in such a way as to shift
providence and grace, is neglected,! might say detested, oflf the blame from himself, and lay it upon God and
by the great majority of men. Had I no other proof upon the woman ! This woman whom thou didst
than this that man is z. fallen creature, my soul would give to be with me, nDJ? immadi, to be my companion,
bow to this evidence. 3. Being destitute of the true (for so the word is repeatedly used,) she gave me, and
knowledge of God they seek privacy for their crimes, I did eat. / have no farther blame in this transgres-
not considering that the eye of G od is upon them, being sion / did not pluck the fruit she took it and gave
; ;

only solicitous to hide them from the eye of man. it to me.

These are all proofs in point but we shall soon meet; 2. When the w^oman is questioned she lays the
with additional ones. See on ver. 10 and 12. blame upon God and the serpent, {nachash,) The ser-
Verse 8. The voice of the Lord\ The voice is pro- pent beguiled me, and I did eat. Thou didst make
perly used here, for as God is an infinite Spirit, and him much wiser than thou didst make me, and there-
cannot be confined to any form, so he can have no fore my simplicity and ignorance were overcome by
personal appearance. It is very likely that God used his superior wisdom and subtlety / can have no fault ;

to converse with them in the garden, aud that the here, the fault is his, and his who made him so ivise
usual time was the decline of the day, DITI ni'^S and me so ignorant. Thus we find that, while the
leruach haiyom, in the evening breeze and probably
; eyes of their body were opened to see their degraded
this was the time that our first parents employed in the state, the eyes of their understanding were closed, so
more solemn acts of their religious worship, at which that they could not see the sinfulness of sin and at ;

God was ever present. The time for this solemn the same time their hearts were hardened through its
worship is again come, and God is in his place but ;
deceitfulness. In this also their posterity copy their
Adam and Eve have sinned, and therefore, instead of example. How iew ingenuously confers their own
being found in the place of worship, are hidden among sin ! They see not their guilt. They are continually
the trees Reader, how often has this been thy case
! ! making excuses for their crimes ; the strength and
Verse 10. / was afraid, because I was naJced^ See subtlety of the tempter, the naturalweakness of their
the immediate consequences of sin. 1. Shame, be- own minds, the unfavourable circumstances in which
cause of the ingratitude marked in the rebellion, and they were placed, &c., &c., are all pleaded as excuses
because that in aiming to be like God they were now for their sins, and thus the possibility of repentance is

sunk into a state of the greatest wretchedness. 2. precluded ; for till a man take his sin to hi?nself, till

Fear, because they saw they had been deceived by he acknowledge that he alone is guilty, he cannot be
Satan, and were exposed to that death and punishment humbled, and consequently cannot be saved. Reader,
from which he had promised them an exemption. How till thou accuse thyself, and thyself only, and feel that

worthy is it of remark that this cause continues to thou alone art responsible for all thy iniquities, there
produce the very same effects Shattie and fear were
! is no hope of thy salvsrtion.
the first fruits of sin, and fruits which it has invariably Verse 14.And the Lord God said unto the ser-
produced, from the first transgression to the present pent] tempter is not asked why he deceived the
The
time. jvoma7i ; he cannot roll the blame on any other self- ;

Verse 12. And the man said, SfcJ] Wchave here tempted he fell, and it is natural for him, such is his
some farther proofs of the fallen state of man, and enmity, to deceive and destroy all he can. His fault
a 50 ( 5* )
The serpent and the woman CHAP. III. receive their sentence.

A. M. 1.
1 5 And I will put enmity between
B. C. 4004.
thee and the woman, and between
^ thy seed and "^
her seed ; ^ it shall bruise thy
head, and thou shalt bruise his heel,
16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly

multiply thy sorrow and thy conception ;

^ in

'Matt, iii
 ; 8 :

Adam sentenced. GENESIS TJie o-round cursed.

J^J^:^, manded thee, say ins, Thou shalt 1 ^ Thorns also and thistles shall „'V^;^^
4UU4.
D. O. D. \j. 4004.
r • <• 1 • 1

not eat of it ; ^ cursed is the ground it ' bring forth to thee ; and ^ thou
for thy sake : ^ in sorrow shalt thou eat of it shalt eat the herb of the field
all the days of thy life ;
19 ^ In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat

^Eccles. i. 2, 3 ; Isa. xxiv. 5, 6 ; Rom. viii. 20. s Job v. 7 '

Heb. cause to bud. ^ Psa. civ. 14 ; Job i. 21 Psa. xc. 3 ;
;

Eccles. ii. 23. >>

Job xxxi. 40. civ. 2. ' Eccles. i. 13 ; 2 Thess. iii. 10.

have resisted ;" and that he did not is the reason of monly, and is so mischievous, is a sufficient proof how
his condemnation. Cursed is the ground for thy sake — well the means are calculated to secure the end. The
from henceforth its fertility shall be greatly impaired genista, or spinosa vulgaris, called by soiae furze, by
—
;

in sorroiv shalt thou eat of it be in continual per- others whins, is allowed to be one of the most mis-
plexity concerning the seed time and the harvest, the chievous shrubs on the face of the earth. Scarcely
cold and the wet and the dry.
heat, the How often any thing can grow near it, and it is so thick set with
rre all the fruits of man's toil destroyed by blasting, prickles that it is almost impossible to touch it without
by mildew, by insects, wet weather, land floods, &c. ! being wounded. It is very prolific almost half the ;

Anxiety and carefulness are the labouring man's portion. year it is covered with flowers which produce pods
Verse 18. Thorns also and thistles, <SfC.'\ Instead filled with seeds. Besides, it shoots out roots far and
of producing nourishing grain and useful vegetables, wide, from which suckers and young plants are con-
noxious weeds shall be peculiarly prolific, injure the tinually springing up, which produce others in their
ground, choke the good seed, and mock the hopes of turn. Where it is permitted to grow it soon over-
the husbandman and thou shalt eat the herb of the spreads whole tracts of ground, and it is extremely
—
;

field thou shalt no longer have the privilege of this difficult to clear the ground of its roots where once

garden of delights, but must go to the common cham- it has got proper footing. Such provision has the just
paign country, and feed on such herbs as thou canst God made curse which he has pronounced
to fulfil the

find, till by labour and industry thou hast raised others on the earth, because of the crimes of its inhabitants.
more suitable to thee and more comfortable. See HaWs Vegetable Statics.
In the curse pronounced on the ground iheve is much Verse 19. In the sweat of thy face^ Though the
more implied than generally appears. The amazing whole body may be thrown into a profuse sweat, if
fertility of some of the most common thistles and hard labour be long continued, yet the/ace ox forehead
thorns renders them the most proper instruments for isthe first part whence this sweat begins to issue this ;

the fulfilment of this sentence against man. Thistles is occasioned by the blood being strongly propelled to
multiply enormously ; a species called the Carolina the brain, partly through stooping, but principally by the
sylvestris bears ordinarily from 20 to 40 heads, each strong action of the muscles ; in consequence of this
containing from 100 to 150 seeds. the blood vessels about the head become turgid through
Another species, called the Acanthum vulgare, pro- the great flux of blood, the fibres are relaxed, the pores
duces above 100 heads, each containing from 3 to 400 enlarged, and the sweat or serum poured out. Thus
seeds. Suppose we say that these thistles produce then the very commencement of every man's labour
at a medium only 80 heads, and that each contains may put him in mind of his sin and its consequences.
only 300 seeds the first crop from these would amount
;
Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.^
to 24,000. Let these be sown, and their crop will God had said that in the day they ate of the forbidden
amount to 576 millions. Sow these, and their produce fruit, dying they should die — they should then become
will be 13,8^4,000,000,000, or thirteen billions, eight mortal, and continue under the influence of a great
hundred and liuenty-four thousand millions ; and a variety of unfriendly agencies in the atmosphere and
single crop from these, which is only the third year's in themselves, from heats, colds, drought, and damps
growth, would amount to 331,770,000,000,000,000, in the one, and morbid increased and decreased action
ox three hundred and thirty-one thousand seven hundred in the solids and fluids of the other, till the spirit, find-
and seventy-six billions ; and the fourth year's growth ing its earthly house no longer tenable, should return
•will amount to 7,962,624,000,000,000,000,000, or to God who gave it ; and the body, being decomposed,
seven thousand nine hundred and sixty-two trillions, should be reduced to its primitive dust. It is evident
six hundred and twenty-four thousand billions. from this that man would have been immortal had he A
progeny more than sufficient to stock not only the sur- never transgressed, and that this state of continual life
face of the whole world, but of all the planets of the and health depended on his obedience to his Maker.
solar system, so that no other plant or vegetable could The tree of life, as we have already seen, was intended
possibly grow, allowing but the space of one square to be the means of continual preservation. For as no
foot for each plant. being but God can exist independently of any support-
The Carduus vulgatissimus viarum, or common ing agency, so man could not have continued to live
hedge thistle, besides the almost infinite swarms of without a particular supporting agent and this sup- ;

winged seeds it sends forth, spreads its roots around porting agent under God appears to have been the tree
many yards, and throws up suckers everywhere, which of life.
not only produce seeds in their turn, but extend their OXiyrj ds Keiaofieada
roots, propagate like the parent plant, and stifle and Kovtf, oareuv "^v&evtuv. Anac. Od. 4., v. 9.
destroy allvegetation but their own. " We shall lie down as a small portion of dust our
As to THORNS, the bramble, which occurs so com- "
bones being dissolved
 ; ; ;

Adam and Eve are CHAP. III. clothed with skins.

^^^^;^h bread, till thou return unto the Lord God make coats of skins, J^J^:}^
B. C. 4004. T r r •
1

ground ; for out of it wast thou and clothed them.

taken : for ™ dust thou art, and ^ unto dust 22 And the Lord God said, ^ Behold, the
shalt thou return. man is become as one of us, to know good
20 And Adam called his wife's name ° Eve and evil : and now, lest he put forth his hand,
p because she was the mother of all living. "^
and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and
21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the live for ever

n Chap. ii. 7 ; Dan. xii. 2. "Job xxi. 26 ; xxxiv. 15 ; Psa. ° Heb. Chavah ; that is, living. P Acts xvii. 26. -1 Ver.
civ. 29 ; Eccles. iii. 20; xii. 7; Dan. xii. 2; Rom. v. 12; 5; like Isa. xix. 12; xlvii. 12, 13; Jer. xxii. 23. 'Chap.'
Heb. ix. 27. ii. 9.

Verse 20. And Adam called his wife^s name Eve; emhlem and type of that death which should conquer
because she ivas the mother of all living.] man who A Satan, destroy his empire, reconcile God to man, con-
does not understand the original cannot possibly com- vert man to God, sanctify human nature, and prepare
prehend the reason of what is said here. What has it for heaven.
the word Eoe to do with being the mother of all liv- Verse 22. Behold, the man is become as one of us]
ing ? Our translators often follow the Septuagint ; it On
all hands this text is allowed to be difllcult, and the

is a pity they had not done so here, as the Septuagint diflaculty is increased by our translation, which is op-
transation is literal and correct: Kat EKaAecEv Ac5a/z posed to the original Hebrew and the most authentic
TO ovofia TTjc yvvaiKoc avrov Zw??, otl [irjTrjp ivavTuv versions. The Hebrew has n'H hayah, which is the
ruv ^uvTuv " And Adam called his wife's name Life, third person preterite tense, and signifies was, not is.
because she was the mother of all the living.''' This The Samaritan text, the Samaritan version, the Sy-
is a proper and faithful representation of the Hebrew riac, and the Septuagint, have the same tense. These
text, for the nin Chavvah of the original, which we lead us to a very different sense, and indicate that there
have corrupted into Eve, a word destitute of all mean- is an ellipsis of some words which must be supplied in
ing, answers exactly to the Zurj of the Septuagint, order to make the sense complete. A very learned
both signifying life as does also the Hebrew 'n chai man has ventured the following paraphrase, which
;

to the Greek i^uvruv, both of which signify the living. should not be lightly regarded " And the Lord God :

It is probable that God designed by this name to teach said. The tnan ivho was like one of us in purity and
our first parents these two important truths 1. That wisdom, is now fallen and robbed of his excellence
: ;

though they had merited immediate death, yet they he has added n^H*? ladaath, to the knowledge of the
should be respited, and the accomplishment of the sen- good, by his transgression the knowledge of the evil
tence be long delayed they should be spared to pro- and 7101V, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of
;

pagate a numerous progeny on the earth. 2. That the tree of life, and eat and live for ever in this mise-
though much misery would be entailed on his posterity, rable state, I will remove him, and guard the place lest
and death should have a long and universal empire, he should re-enter. Therefore the Lord God sent him
yet ONE should in the fulness of time spring from the forth from the garden of Eden,"" dfc. This seems to
woman, who should destroy death, and bring life and be the most natural sense of the place. Some sup-
immortality to light, 2 Tim. i. 10. Therefore Adam pose that his removal from the tree of life was in
called his wife's name Life, because she was to be the mercy, to prevent a second temptation. He before
mother of all human beings, and because she was to, -imagined that he could gain an increase of wisdom by
be the mother of HIM who was to give life to a world eating of the tree of knowledge, and Satan would be
dead in trespasses, and dead in sins, Eph. ii. 1, &c. disposed to tempt him to endeavour to elude the sen-
Verse 21. God made coats of skins] tence of death, by eating of the tree of life.
It is very Others
likely that the skins out of which their clothing was imagine that the words are spoken ironically, and that
made were taken off animals whose blood had been the Most High intended by a cutting taunt, to upbraid
poured out as a sin-offering to God for as we find ; the poor culprit for his offence, because he broke the
Cain and Abel oftering sacrifices to God, we may fairly command in the expectation of being like God Divine
presume that God had given them instructions on this know good from evil and now that he had lost all to ;

the good that God had designed for him, and got nothing
head nor is it likely that the notion of a sacrifice
;

but evil in its place, therefore God taunts him for the
could have ever occurred to the mind of man without
an express revelation from God. Hence we may total miscarriage of his project. But God is ever con-
safely infer, 1. That as Adam and Eve needed this sistent with himself; and surely his infinite pity pro-
clothing as soon as they fell, hibited the use of either sarcasm or irony, in speaking
and death had not as yet
made any ravages most likely of so dreadful a catastrophe, that was in the end to
in the animal world, it is

that the skins were taken off victims offered under the occasion the agony and bloody sweat, the cross and
direction of God himself, and in faith of HIM who, passion, the death and burial, of Him in whom dwelt
in the fulness of time, was to make an atonement by all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, Col. ii. 9.
his death. And it seems reasonable also that this In chap. i. 26, 27, we have seen man in the per-
matter should be brought about in such a way that fection of his nature, the dignity of his office, and the
Satan and death should have no triumph, when the plenitude of his happiness. Here we find the same
very first death that took place in the world was an creature, but stripped of his glories and happiness, so
53
 ;

Adam and Eve eccpelled GENESIS. Jrom the garden.

A. M. 1.23 Therefore the Lord God sent placed east of the garden
* at the
b^c^4004
B, C. 4004.
him forth from the garden of Eden, of Eden ^
Cherubims, and a flaming
to till the gromid from whence he was taken. sword which turned every way, to keep the
24 So he drove out the man; and he way of the tree of life.

Chapter 5 20 Ecclesiastes v. 9.- Chapter u Exod. XXV. 2, 20 1 Kings vi. 25-28 ; Josh. v. 13 Psa. civ. 4
» ii. ; iv. 2 ; ix. ; ; ;

ii. 8. Heb. i. 7.

that the word man no longer conveys the same ideas From the description in Exod. xxvi. 1, 31 ; 1 Kings
vi. 29, 322 Chron. iii. 14, it appears that the cherubs
it did before. Man and intellectual excellence were ;

were sometimes represented with two faces, namely,

before so intimately connected as to appear insepara-
those of a lion and of a man; but from Ezek. i. 6,
ble man and misery are now equally so. In our ner-
;

we have found &c. X. 20, 21, we find that they ha.d four faces and
vous mother tongue, the Anglo-Saxon, ;

the word Irob God signifying, not only the Supreme four wings ; the faces were those of a man, a lion,
an ox, and an eagle ; but it seems there was but one
Leing, but also good or goodness ; and it is worthy of
especial note that the word man ma}i, in the same lan-
body to these heads. The two-faced cherubs were
such as were represented on the curtains and veil of
guage, is used to express, not only the human being so
the tabernacle, and on the wall, doors, and veil of the
called, both male and female, but also mischief, wick-
temple those with four faces appeared only in the
edness, fraud, deceit, and villany. Thus a simple ;

holy of holies.
monosyllable, still in use among us in its first sense,
conveyed at once to the minds of our ancestors the The word 31D or DIID kerub never appears as a verb
two following particulars 1 The human being in his in the Hebrew Bible, and therefore is justly supposed
: .

to be a word compounded of 3 ke a. particle of resem-

excellence, capable of knowing, loving, and glorifying
blance, like to, like as, and 31 rab, he was great, poiv-
his Maker. 2. The human being in his fallen state,
erful, (5fc. Hence it is very likely that the cherubs,
capable of and committing all kinds of wickedness.
" Obiter hie notandum," says old Mr. Somner in his to whatever order of beings they belonged, were em-
blems of the ALL-MIGHTY, and were those creatures by
Saxon Dictionary, " venit, Irob Saxonibus et Deum
significasse et bonum uti man et hominem et nequi-
whom he produced the great effects of his power.
:

The word D"l rab is a character of the Most High,

tiam. Here it is to be noted, that among the Saxons
Prov. xxvi. 10 The great God luho formed all ; and
the term God signified both the Divine Being and
:

again in Psa. xlviii. 2, where he is called the Great

goodness, as the word man signified both the human
King, DT "j/^ melech rab. But though this is rarely
being and tuickedness.'''' This is an additional proof
applied as a character of the Supreme Being in the
that our Saxon ancestors both thought and spoke at the
same time, which, strange as it may appear, is not a
Hebrew Bible, yet it is a common appellative of
the Deity in the Arabic language. ^••—*) ^^^
common case : their words in general are not arbitrary ^(^^i

signs; but as far as sounds can convey the ideal mean- (j^lxll ^-rd) raVulalameen Lord of both worlds, or,
ing of things, their words do it and they are so formed ; Lord of the universe, are expressions repeatedly used
and used as necessarily to bring to view the nature to point out the almighty energy and supremacy of
and properties of those things of which they are the God. On this ground, I suppose, the cherubim were
signs. In this sense the Anglo-Saxon is inferior only emblematical representations of the eternal power and
to the Hebrew. Godhead of the Almighty. These angelic beings
Verse 24. 8o he drove out the ynan^ Three things were for a time employed in guarding the entrance to
are noted here: 1. God's displeasure against sinful Paradise, and keeping the way of or road to the tree
man, evidenced by his expelling him from this place of life. This, I say, for a time ; for it is very pro-
of blessedness 2. Man's unfitness for the place, of
;
bable that God soon removed the tree of life, and
which he had rendered himself unworthy by his in- abolished the garden, so that its situation could never
gratitude and transgression; and, 3. His reluctance iQ after be positively ascertained.
leave this place of happiness. He was, as we may By flaming sword turning every way, or flame
the
naturally conclude, unwilling to depart, and God drove folding backupon itself, we may understand the for-
him out. midable appearances which these cherubim assumed,
He placed at the east^ CDTpO mikkedcm, or before in order to render the passage to the tree of life inac-
the garden of Eden, before what may be conceived its cessible.
gate or entrance ; Cherubims, nDO^Dn
this most awful tragedy
hakkerubirn,
a tragedy Thus terminates ;

THE cherubim. Hebrew which all the actors are slain, in which the most
plurals in the masculine end in

in general in im : to add an s to this when we intro- awful murders are committed, and the whole universe
duce such words into English, is very improper; there- ruined The serpent, so called, is degraded the ! ;

fore the word should be written cherubim, not cheru- ivoman cursed with pains, miseries, and a subjection to
bims. But what were these ? They are utterly un- the will of her husband, which was never originally
known. Conjectures and guesses relative to their designed the man, the lord of this lower world, ;

nature and properties are endless. Several think them doomed to incessant labour and toil and the earth ;

to have been emblematical representations of the sacred itself cursed with comparative barrenness To com- !

Trinity, and bring reasons and scriptures in support plete all, the garden of pleasure is interdicted, and
of their opinion but as I am not satisfied that this this man, who was made after the image of God, and
;

opinion is correct, I will not trouble the reader with it. who would be like him, shamefully expelled from a
54
 ! ;

Gener<d obset'vaiions CHAP. iV, 071 the preceding chapter

place where pure spirits alone could dwell. Yet in prevent the extension of its contagion. If men, now
the midst of \vrath God remembers mercy, and a pro- so greatly multiplied on the earth, and fertile in mis-
mise of redemption from this degraded and cursed state chievous inventions, were permitted to live nearly a
's made to them through HIM
who, in the fulness of thousand years, as in the ancient world, to mature and
time, is to be made flesh, and who, by dying for the perfect their infectious and destructive counsels, what
sin of the world, shall destroy the power of Satan, a sum of iniquity and ruin would the face of the earth
and deliver all who trust in the merit of his sacrifice present! Even while they are laying plans to extend
from the power, guilt, and nature of sin, and thus the empire of death, God, by the very means of death
prepare them for the celestial Paradise at the right itself, prevents the completion of their pernicious and
hand of God. Reader, hast thou repented of thy sin^ diabolic designs. Thus what man, by his wilful obsti-
for often hast thou sinned after the similitude of thy nacy does not permit grace to correct and restrain,.
ancestor's transgression. Hast thou sought and found God, by his sovereign power, brings in death to con-
redemption in the blood of the Lamb 1 Art thou saved trol. It is on this ground that wicked and blood-thirsty

from a disposition which led thy first parents to trans- men live not out half their days and what a mercy ;

gress ? Art thou living a life of dependence on thy to the world that it is so They who will not submit
!

Creator, and of faith and loving obedience to him who to the sceptre of mercy shall be broken in pieces by
died for thee ] Wilt thou live under the curse, and the rod of iron. Reader, provoke not the Lord to
die eternally ? God forbid Return to him with all displeasure thou art not stronger than he.
! ;
Grieve
thy soul, and receive this exhortation as a call from not his Spirit, provoke him not to destroy thee why ;

his mercy. shouldst thou die before thy time ? Thou hast sinned
much, and needest every moment of thy short life to
To whathas already been said on make thy calling and election sure. Shouldst thou
the awful con-
tents of this chapter, I can add littlethat can either provoke God, by thy perseverance in iniquity, to cut
set it in a clearer light, or make its solemn subject thee off by death before this great work is done, better
more impressive. We by the subtlety for thee thou hadst never been born
see here that !

and envy of the devil sin entered into the world, and How vain are all attempts to attain immortality
death by sin and we find that death reigned, not only here
; For some thousands of years men have been
!

from Adam to Moses, but from Moses to the present labouring to find out means to prevent death and some ;

day. How abominable must sin be in the sight of have even boasted that they had found out a medicine
God, when it has not only defaced his own image from capable of preserving life for ever, by resisting all the
the soul of man, but has also become a source of natu- attacks of disease, and incessantly repairing all the
ral and moral evil throughout every part of the globe wastes of the human machine. That is, the alchy-
Disruption and violence appear in every part of na- mistic philosophers would have the world to believe
ture vice, profligacy, and misery,, through all the that they had found out a private passage to the tree
;

tribes of men and orders of society. It is true that of immortality ; but their own deaths, in the common
where sin hath abounded, there grace doth much more order of nature, as well as the deaths of the millions
abound but men shut their eyes against the light, and
; which make no such pretensions, are not only a sufii-
harden their hearts against the truth. Sin, which be- cient confutation of their baseless systems, but also a
comes propagated into the world by natural generation, continual proof that the cherubim, with their flaming
growing with the growth and strengthening with the swords, are turning every way to keep the passage of
strength of man, would be as endless in its duration, the tree of life. Life and immortality are, however,
as unlimited in its influence, did not God cheek and brought to light by the Gospel and he only who keep-
;

restrain it by his grace, and cut off its extending influ- eth the sayings of the Son of God shall live for ever.
ence in the incorrigibly wicked by means of death". —
Though the body is dead consigned to death, because
How wonderful is the economy of God That which
! of yet the spirit is
sin, because of righteousness
life
entered into the world as one of the prime fruits and and on those who are by this Spirit of
influenced
effects of sin, is now an instrument in his hands to righteousness, the second death shall have no power.

CHAPTER IV.

The and religion of Cain and Abel, 1-7.

birth, trade, Cain murders his brother Abel, 8. God Sails htm
into judgment for it, 9,10. He is cursed, 11, 12. He despairs, 13, 14:. A promise given him of pre-
servation, and a mark set on him to prevent his being killed, 15. He departs from God^s presence, 16.
}{as a son tvhom he calls Enoch ; and builds a city, which he calls after his name, 17. Cain has several
children, among ivhom are Lamech, the first bigamist, 18, 19. Jabal, who taught the use of tents and
feeding cattle, 20. Jubal, the inventor of musical instruments, 21. Tuhal-cain, the inventor of smith-
work, 22. Strange speech of Lamech to his ivives, 23, 24. Seth born to Adam and Eve in the place of
Abel, 25. Enoch iom, and the worship of God restored, 26. ,
a 65 ^
 — ;

Cain and Abel born. GENESIS. Tliey present offerings.

A. M.
B. C. 4003.
2.
A ND Adam knew Eve his wife ;
3 And ^ in process of
^ .
time it came t ^^-
B. C.
'^'''

cir.
.,1^^=
3875.
r-— -r-r and she conceived, and bare Cain brought ^of the
to pass, that •

* Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord.
the Lord. 4 And Abel, he also brought of ^ the first-
2 And she again bare his brother ^ Abel. lings of his ^ flock, and of the fat thereof.
And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain And the Lord had
*= ' respect unto Abel and to
was ^ a tiller of the ground. his offering

^ Heb. Hebel. Heb. a Chap. 23 « Heb. at the end of days. f Num.

That is, gotten or acquired. <^ <^ iii. ; ix. 20.

feeder, ver. 25, 29 ; 1 John iii. 10, 12, 15 ; Psa. cxxvii. 3 ;

xviii. 12. s Num. xviii. 17 ; Prov. iii. 9. h Heb. sheep or

John viii. 44. goats. '

Heb. xi. 4.

NOTES ON CHAP. IV. pie. It appears to have consisted of tivo parts: 1.

Verse 1. / have man from the Lord.] Thanksgiving to God as the author and dispenser of
gotten a
Cain, yp, signifies acquisition; hence Eve says ""njp all the bounties of nature, and oblations indicative of
kanithi, I have gotten or acquired a man, niiT' DN that gratitude. 2. Piacular sacrifices to his justice
eth Yehovah, the Lord. It is extremely difficult to and holiness, implying a conviction of their own sin-
ascertain the sense in which Eve used these words, fulness, confession of transgression, and faith in the
which have been as variously translated as understood. promised Deliverer. If we collate the passage here
Most expositors think that Eve imagined Cain to be with the apostle's allusion to it, Heb. xi. 4, we shall
the promised seed that should bruise the head of the see cause to form this conclusion.
serpent. This exposition really seems too refined for Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offer-
that period. It is very likely that she meant no more ing] nn^D minchah, xxnio the Lord. The word min-
than to acknowledge that it was through God's pecu- chah is explained, Lev. ii. 1, &c., to be an offering of
liar blessing that she was enabled to conceive and bring fine flour, ivith oil and frankincense. It was in gene-

forth a son, and that she hadnow a well-grounded hope ral a eucharistic or gratitude ofl!ering, and is simply
that the race of man
should be continued on the earth. what is implied in \\ie fruits of the ground brought by
Unless she had been under Divine inspiration she could Cain to the Lord, by which he testified his belief in
not have called her son (even supposing him to be the him as the Lord of the universe, and the dispenser of
promised seed) Jehovah ; and that she was not under secular blessings.
such an influence her mistake sufficiently proves, for Verse Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of
4.

Cain, so far from being the Messiah, ivas of the wicked his flock] Dr. Kennicott contends that the words he
one; 1 John iii. 12. We may therefore suppose that also brought, Nin DJ S^'^D hebi gam hu, should be
niri"' nx eth Yehovah, the Lord, is an elliptical form translated, Abel brought it also, i. e. a minchah or
of expression for niiT' HNO meeth Yehovah, from the gratitude offering ; and beside this he brought of the
Lord, or through the Divine blessing. first-born (nnD^O 7?iibbechoro(h) of his flock, and it was
Verse 2. And she again hare his brother Abel.] by this alone that he acknowledged himself a sinner,
Literally, She added to bear (mS"? ^DHI valtoseph and professed faith in the promised Messiah. To this
laledeth) his brother. From the very face of this ac- circumstance the apostle seems evidently to allude,
count it appears evident that Cain and Abel were twins. Heb. xi. 4 Bi/ faith Abel offered izT^Eiova dvoLav, a
:

In most cases where a subject of this kind is intro- MORE or GREATER Sacrifice ; not a more excellent, (for
duced in the Holy Scriptures, and the successive births this is no meaning of the word -kIemv,) which leads
of children of the same parents are noted, the acts of us to infer, according to Dr. Kennicott, that Abel, be-
conceiving and bringing forth are mentioned in refer- sides his minchah or gratitude offering, brought also

ence to each child here it is not said that she con-

;
Ovata, a victim, to be slain for his sins ; and this he
ceived and brought forth Abel, but simply she added to chose' out of the first-bom of his flock, which, in the
bring forth Abel his brother ; that is, as I understand order of God, was a representation of the Lamb of
it, Cain was the first-born, Abel, his twm brother, came God that away the sin of the world and
was to take ;

next. what confirms this exposition more is the observation

Abel was a keeper of sheep] Adam was originally of the apostle : God testifying -oig dupocg, of his gifts,

a gardener, Abel a shepherd, and Cain an agriculturist which certainly shows he brought more than one. Kb-
or farmer. These were the three primitive employ- cording to this interpretation, Cain, the father of Deism,
ments, and, I may add, the most rational, and conse- not acknowledging the necessity of a vicarious sacri-
quently the best calculated to prevent strife and an fice, nor feeling his need of an atonement, according

immoderate love of the world. to the dictates of his natural religion, brought a min-

Verse 3. In process of time] D'O' ypD mikkets chah or eucharistic oflfering to the God of the universe.
yamim, at the end of days. Some think the anniver- Abel, not less grateful for the produce of his fields and
sary of the creation to be here intended it is more the increase of his flocks, brought a similar offering,
;

probable that it means the Sabbath, on which Adam and by adding a sacrifice to it paid a proper regard to
and his family undoubtedly offered oblations to God, the will of God as far as it had then been revealed,
as the Divine worship was certainly instituted, and no acknowledged himself a sinner, and thus, deprecating
doubt the Sabbath properly observed in that family. the Divine displeasure, showed forth the death of Christ
This worship was, in its original institution, very sim- till he came. Thus his offerings were accepted, while
56
 ! ;

Cain's offering is rejected. CHAP. IV. God. reasons with him.

A. M. cir. 129.
5 But unto Cain and to his offer- 7 If thou doest well, shalt thou 4' o
'
B. C.
'

cir.
'••,l^=
3875.
B. C. cir. 3875.
ing he had not respect. And Cain 1 not be accepted ? and if thou
was very wroth, ^ and his countenance fell. doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And
6 And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art "' unto thee shall he his desire, and thou shalt
thou wroth? and why is thy countenance rule over him.
fallen? 8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother

^Chap. xxxi. 2; Num. xvi. 15; Isa. iii. 10, 11; Psalm '
Or, have the excellency ; Heb. xi. 4 ; Prov. xxi. 27 ; Job xxix. 4.
XX. 3. " Or, subject unto thee; chap. iii. 16. ^

those of Cain were rejected for this, as the apostle was his not bringing a sin-offering when his brother
;

says, was done by faith, and therefore he obtained brought one, and his neglect and contempt caused his
witness that he was righteous, or a justified person, other offering to be rejected. However, God now
God testifying with his gifts, the thank-offering and graciously informs him that, though he had miscarried,
the sin-offering., by accepting them, that faith in the his case was not yet desperate, as the means of faith,
promised seed was the only way in which he could from the promise, &c., were in his power, and a vic-
accept the services and offerings of mankind. Dr. tim proper for a sin-offering was lying {y'2'^ robets, a
Magee, in his Discourses on the Atonement, criticises word used to express the lying down of a quadruped)
the opinion of Dr. Kennicott, and contends that there at the door of his fold. How many sinners perish,
is no ground for the distinction made by the latter on not because there is not a Saviour able and willing to
the words he also brought ; and shows that though the save them, but because they will not use that which
minchah in general signifies an unbloody offering, yet is within their power Of such how true is that word
!

it is also used to express both kinds, and that the min- of our Lord, Ye ivill not come unto me that ye might
chah in question is to be understood of the sacrifice have life
then offered by Abel. I do not see that we gain much Unto thee shall be his desire, 4"C.] That is. Thou
by this counter'-criticism. See ver. 7. shalt ever have the right of primogeniture, and in all

Verse Unto Cain'\

5. As being unconscious of his things shall thy brother be subject unto thee. These
sinfulness, and consequently unhumbled, and to his of- words are not spoken of sin, as many have understood
fering, as not being accompanied, as Abel's was, with them, but of AbeVs submission to Cain as his superior,
faith and a sacrifice for sin, he had not respect —
He and the words are spoken to remove Cain's envy.
could not, consistently with his holiness and justice, Verse 8. Cain talked loith Abel his brother^
approve of the one or receive the other. Of the man- VTi 10>{"1 vaiyomer Kayin, and Cain said, dfc. ; not
ner in which God testified his approhadon we are not talked, for this construction the word cannot bear without
informed it was probably, as in the case of Elijah, by great violence to analogy and grammatical accuracy.
;

sending down fire from heaven, and consuming the But why should it be thus translated 1 Because our
sacrifice. translators could not find that any thing was spoken
Cain loas very wroth^ That displeasure which on the occasion and therefore they ventured to inti- ;

should have been turned against his own unhumbled mate that there was a conversation, indefinitely. In
heart was turned against his innocent brother, who, the most correct editions of the Hebrew Bible there
though not more highly privileged than he, made a is a small space left here in the text, and a circular
much better use of the advantages which he shared in mark which refers to a note in the margin, intimating
common with his ungodly and unnatural brother. jiiat there is a hiatus or deficiency in the verse. Now
Verse G. Why art thou wroth .?] This was de- this deficiency is supplied in the principal ancient ver-
signed as a gracious warning, and a preventive of the sions, and in the Samaritan text. In this the supplied
meditated crime. words are, Let us walk out into the field. The
Verse If thou doest ivell] That which is right Syriac has. Let us go to the desert.
7. The Vulgate
in the sight of God, shalt thou not be accepted ? Does Egrediamur foras. Let us walk out. The Septuagint,
God reject any man who serves him in simplicity and AieWufiEv etc to ireScov, Let us go out into the field.
godly sincerity 1 But if thou doest not ivell, can wrath The two Chaldee Targums have the same reading
and indignation against thy righteous brother save thee so has the Coptic version. This addition is com-
from the displeasure under which thou art fallen ? On pletely lost from every MS. of the Pentateuch now
the contrary, have recourse to thy Maker for mercy known and yet it is sufficiently evident from the Sa-
;
;

]OT nxan nnilb lappetkach chattath robets, a sin-of- maritan text, the Samaritan version, the Syriac, Sep-
fering lieth at thy door an animal proper to be offered tuagint, and Vulgate, that it was in the most authentic
;

as an atonement for sin is now couching at the door copies of the Hebrew before and some time since the
of thy fold. Christian era. The words may therefore be safely
The words nxon chattath, and nxion chattaah, fre- considered as a part of the sacred text, and with them
quently signify sin ; but I have observed more than a the whole passage reads clear and consistently "And :

hundred places in the Old Testament where they are Cain said unto Abel his brother, Let us go oat into
used for sin-offering, and translated ufiapna by the the field and it came to pass, when they were in the :

Septuagint, which is the term the apostle uses, 2 Cor. field, that Cain rose up," &c. The Jerusalem Tar-
v. 21 He hath made him to be sin (ufiapriav, a sin- gum, and the Targum of Jonathan ben Uzziel, pretend
:

ofpering) for us, who knew no sin. Cain's fault now to give us the subject of their conversation as the :

5'^
a
 1 ; ;

Cain slays his brother. GENESIS. His punishment.

A. M. cir. 129.
a,nd it came to pass, when they which hath opened her mouth to ^- ^- 1^9.
'r^'"-
B. C. cir. 38/5.
r r^ ^ i i
•

'
were in the neld, that Cain rose receive thy brother s blood from
up against Abel his brother, and ° slew him. thy hand
9 And the Lord said unto Cain, ° Where 12 When thou tillest the ground, it shall not
is Abel thy brother ? And he said, p I know henceforth yield unto thee her strength a fugi- ;

not Am I my brother's keeper ?

: tive and a vagabond shalt thou be m the earth.
1 And he said, What hast thou done ? the 13 And Cain said unto the Lord, ^ My
voice of thy brother's i blood ^ crieth unto me punishment is greater than I can bear.
from the ground. 14 * Behold, thou hast driven me out this day
1 And now art thou cursed from the earth, from the face of the earth and ^ from thy ;

» Jobxi, 15 Psa. xxiv. 3-6; Iv, 21 cxxxix. 19 Wisd. x.3

; ; ;
•
Acts V. 3, 9 ; Heb. xii. 24 ; James v. 4 ; Rev. vi. 10. » Or,
;

Matt, xxiii. 35 1 John iii. 12 ;Jude 11. ° Chap. iii. 9, 11

;
;
Mi7ie iniquity is greater than that it may be forgiven ; Rev. xvi. 9.
Psa. ix. 12. P Job xxii. 13, 14 Psa. x. 13, 14 John viii. 44.; ;
' Job XV. 20-24 ; Prov. xiv. 32 ; xxviii. 1 ; Psa. cxliii. 7
<i Heb. bloods. 2Thess. i. 9. "Psa. li. 11.

piece is curious, I shall insert the substance of it, for the Verse 10. The voice of thy brother'' s blood] It is
sake of those who may not have access to the originals. probable that Cain, having killed his brother, dug a
" And Cain said unto Hebel his brother, Let us go hole and buried him in the earth, hoping thereby to
out into the field and it came to pass that, when they
; prevent the murder from being known and that this ;

were in the field, Cain answered and said to Hebel his is what is designed in the words, Thy brother^s blood
brother, I thought that the world was created in mer- crieth unto me from the ground ivhich hath opened —
cy, but it is not governed according to the merit of her mouth to receive it from thy hand. Some think
good works, nor is there any judgment, nor a Judge, that by the voice of thy brother''s blood the cries of
nor shall there be any future state in which good re- Abel's widow and children are to be understood, as it
wards shall be given to the righteous, or punishment is very probable that he was father of a family ; in-
executed on the wicked and 7ioiv there is respect of
; deed his occupation and sacrifices seem to render this
persons in judgment. On what account is it that thy probable, and probability is all we can expect on such
sacrifice has been accepted, and mine not received with a subject. God represents these as calling aloud for
complacency 1 And Hebel answered and said. The the punishment of the murderer and it is evident that ;

world was created in mercy, and it is governed accord- Cain expected to fall by the hands of some person
ing to the fruit of good works there is a Judge, a ; whx), from his consanguinity, had the right of the aven
future world, and a coming judgment, where good re- ger of blood for now that the murder is found out,
;

wards shall be given to the righteous, and the impious he expects to suffer death for it. See ver. 14.
punished and there is no respect of persons in judg-
; Verse 12. A fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be]
ment but because my works were better and more
; Thou shalt be expelled from the presence of God, and
precious than thine, my oblation was received with from thy family connections, and .shalt have no fixed
complacency. And because of these things they con- secure residence in any place. The Septuagint ren-
tended on the face of the field, and Cain rose up der this arevuv Kai rpe/iuv eatj, thou ihalt be groaning
against Hebel his brother, and struck a stone into his and trembling upon the earth the horror of thy crime —
forehead, and killed him." shall ever haunt thee, and thou shalt never have any
It is here supposed that the first murder committed well-grounded hope that God will remit the punish-
in the world was the consequence of a religious dis- ment thou deservest. No state out of endless perdi-
pute however this may have been, millions since
;
tion can be considered more awful than this.
have been sacrificed to prejudice, bigotry, and intole- Verse 13. My punishment is greater than I ca?i
rance. Here, certainly, originated the many-headed The margin reads. Mine iiiiquity is greater than
bear.]
monster, religious persecution ; the spirit of the wicked may be forgiven. The original words, ''lYJ ShJ
that it

one in his followers impels them to afflict and destroy J^lti'J'3 gadol avoni minneso, may be translated, Is my

all those who arc partakers of the Spirit of God. crime too great to be forgiven ? words which we may
Every persecutor is a legitimate son of the old mur- presume he uttered on the verge of black despair. It

derer. This triumph of Satan it is not is most probable that |1^' avon signifies rather the crime
is the first ;

merely a death that he has introduced, but a violent than the punishment ; in this sense it is used Lev.
one, as the first-fruits of sin. It is not the death of xxvi. 41,43; 1 Sam. xxviii. 10 2 Kings vii. 9 and ; ;

an ordinary person, but of the most hohj man then in awi nasa signifies to remit or forgive. The marginal
being it is not brought about by the providence of
; reading is, therefore, to be preferred to that in the
God, or by a gradual failure and destruction of the text.
earthly fabric, but by a violent separation of body and Verse 14. Behold, thou hast driven me out] In
soul it is not done by a common enemy, from whom
; verses 11, 12, God states two parts of Cain's punish-
nothing better could be expected, but by the hand of a ment 1 The ground was cursed, so that it was not : .

brother, and for no other reason but because the ol^ject to yield any adequate recompense for his most careful
of his envy was more righteous than himself. Alas tillage. 2. He was to be a fugitive and a vagabond,
!

how exceeding sinful does sin appear in its first mani- having no place in which he could dwell with com-
festation '
fort or security. To these Cain himself adds others.
58
 ;;

The despair of Cain. CHAP. IV. God sets a mark upon him.
A. M. cir. 129. and I shall be taken or. him ^ seven-fold. A. M. cir. 123,
face shall I be hid ;
B. C. cir. 3875. B. C. cir. 3875.
be a fugitive and a vagabond in And the Lord ^ set a mark upon
the earth and it shall come to pass,
: that Cain, lest any finding him should kill him. '^

every one that findeth me shall slay me. 16 And Cain ^went out from the presence
15 And the Lord said unto him, There- of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod,
fore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall on the east of Eden.

» Chap. ix. 6 ; Num. xxxv. 19, 21, 27.- Psa. Ixxix. 12. ^Ezek. ix.4,6. — 5'2Kingsxiii.23; xxiv.20; Jer. xxiii- 39 ; Hi. 3.

1 His being hidden from the face of God which ap-

. ; therefore the Lord gave him some miraculous sign or
pears to signify his being expelled from that particular token that he should not be slain, to the end that he
place where God had manifested his presence, in or should not despair, but, having time to repent, might
contiguous to Paradise, whither our first parents re- return to a gracious God and find mercy. Notwith-
sorted as to an oracle, and where they offered their standing the allusion which I suppose St. Paul to have
daily adorations'. So in verse 16, it is said, Cain ivent made to the punishment of Cain, some think that he
out from the presence of the Lord, and was not per- did repent and find mercy. can only say this was
I

mitted any more to associate with the family in acts possible. Most people who read this account wonder
of religious worship. 2. The continual apprehension why Cain should dread being killed, when it does not
of being slain, as all the inhabitants of the earth were appear to them that there were any inhabitants on the
at that time of the same family, ihe parents themselves earth at that time besides himself and his parents.
still alive, and each having a right to kill this mur- To correct this mistake, let it be observed that the
derer of his relative. Add to all this, 3. The terrors death of Abel took place in the one hundred and twen-
of a guilty conscience ; his awful apprehension of ty-eighth or one hundred and twenty-ninth year of the
God's judgments, and of being everlastingly banished world. Now, " supposing Adam and Eve to have had
from the beatific vision. To this part of the punish- no other sons than Cain and Abel in the year of the
ment of Cain St. Paul probably alludes, 2 Thess. i. 9 : world one hundred and twenty-eight, yet as they had
Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction daughters married to these sons, their descendants
from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of would make a considerable figure on the earth. Sup-
his power. The words are so similar that we can posing them to have been married in the nineteenth
scarcely doubt of the allusion. year of the world, they might easily have had each
Verse 15. The Lord set a mark upon Cain] What eight children, some males and some females, in the
this mark was, has given rise to a number of frivo- twenty-fifth year. In the fiftieth year there might pro-
lously curious conjectures. Dr. Shuckford collects ceed from them in a direct line sixty-four persons in ;

the most remarkable. Some say he was paralytic the seventy-fourth year there would be five hundred
this seemshave arisen from the version of the Sep-
to and twelve in the ninety-eighth year, four thousand
;

tuagint, Kai rpsfiuv eaij, Groaning and trem-

Srti-'wv and ninety-six in the one hundred and twenty-second
;

bling shall thou be. The Targum of Jonathan ben they would amount to thirty-two thousand seven hun-
Uzziel says the sign was from the great and precious dred and sixty-eight if to these we add the other
:

name, probably one of the letters of the word ^Y^Hf children descended from Cain and Abel, their children,
Yehovah. The author of an Arabic Catena in tlie and their children's children, we shall have, in the
Bodleian Library says, " A
sword could not pierce aibresaid one hundred and twenty-eight years four
him fire could not burn him water could not drown 'hundred and twenty-one thousand one hundred and
; ;

him the air could not blast him nor could thun- sixty-four men capable of generation, without reckon-
; ;

der or lightning strike him." The author of Bereshith ing the women either old or young, or such as are
Rabba, a comment on Genesis, says the mark was a under the age of seventeen." See Dodd.
circle of the sun rising upon him. Abravanel says But this calculation may be disputed, because there
the sign was Abel's dog, which constantly accompa- is no evidence that the antediluvian patriarchs began
nied him. Some of the doctors in the Talmud say to have children before they were sixty-five years of
that it was the letter r\ tau marked on his forehead, age. Now, supposing that Adam at one hundred and
which signified his contrition, as it is the first letter i.. thirty years of age had one hundred and thirty children,
the word n::rvyn teshubah, repentance. Rabbi Joseph, which is quite possible, and each of these a child at
wiser than all the rest, says it was a long horn grow- sixty-five years of age, and one in each successive
ing out of hi? forehead !
year, the whole, in the one hundred and thirtieth year
Dr. Shuckford farther observes that the Hebrew of the world, would amount to one thousand two hun-
word nix oih, which we translate a mark, signifies a dred and nineteen persons ; a number sufficient to found
sign or token. Thus, Gen. ix. 13, the bow was to be several villages, and to excite the apprehensions under
nixS leoth, for a sign or token that the world should which Cain appeared at this time to labour.
not be destroyed therefore the words. And the Lord
; Yerse 16. The larid of Nod] As nu nod signifies
set a mark upon Cain, should be translated. And the the same as TJ nad, a vagabond, some think this verse
Lord appointed to Cain a token or sign, to convince should be rendered. And Cain went out from the pre-
him that no person should be permitted to slay him. sence of the Lord, from the east of Eden, and dwelt
To have marked him would have been the most likely a vagabond on the earth ; thus the curse pronounced
way to have brought all the evils he dreaded upon him on him, verse 12, was accomplished.
a 59
 : 1 — ;

Lamech the first bigamist. GENESIS. Invention of ?nusical instruments.

R n
\^ ''^o^^l-
cir. oo7o
1 "7 And Cain Imew his wife and ; 20 And Adah bare Jabal : he A. M. cir. 194.
Jti.
B. C. cir. 3810.
she conceived, and bare ^ Enoch : was the father of such as ° dwell
and he builded a city, ^ and called the name in tents, and of such as have cattle.
of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch. 2 And his brother's name was a. M. cir. 500.

A. M. cir. 194. 1 8 And Enoch was born Jubal

he was the father of all
unto : — '— '•

B. C. cir. 3810. t ^ T.r , i i i i •

i
and Irad begat Mehujael
Irad such as handle the harp and organ.
:

and Mehujael begat Methusael and Methusael 22 And Zillah, she also bare Tubal-cain,
:

begat ''
Lamech. an ^ instructer of every artificer in brass and
19 And Lamech took unto him two wives: iron : and the sister of Tubal-cain was Naamalv
the name of the one was Adah, and the name 23 And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah
of the other Zillah, and Zillah, hear my voice ;
ye wives of
"Heb. Chanoch ; chap. v. 18,22. »Psa. xlix. 11 ; 2 Sam. xviii. "^Jer. XXXV. 0, 10; Heb. xi. 9; Rom. iv. 11, 12. d Heb
18. ''Heb. Lemech ; chap. v. 21 xxxvi. 2; li. 18, 24.
; luhetter ; Exod. xxv. 3; 2 Chron. ii. 17.

Verse 17. She — bare Enoch] As "jl^n Chanoch them, bears a near resemblance to the hissing sound
signifies instructed, dedicated, or initiated,
and espe- of nS]f tsillah, the mother of Tubal-cain and 77^ ;

cially in sacred thing-s, it may be considered some tsalal signifies to tinkle or make a sound like a bell,
proof of Cain's repentance, that he appears to have 1 Sam. 11 2 Kings xxi. 12.
iii. 4. Vulcan is said
;

dedicated this son to God, who, in his father's stead, to have been lame M. De Lavaur thinks that this ;

might minister in the sacerdotal office, from which notion was taken from the noun yh'i tsela, which sig-
Cain, by his crime, was for ever excluded. nifies a halting or lameness. 5. Vulcan had to wife
Verse 19. Lamech took tivo wives] —
He was the Venus, the goddess of beauty ; Naamah, the sister of
first who dared to reverse the order of God by
Tubal-cain, he thinks, may have given rise to this part
intro-
ducing polygamy and from him it has been retained, of the fable, as her name in Hebrew signifies beautiful
;

practised, and defended to the present day. or gracious. 6. Vulcan is reported to have been jealous
Verse 20. Jahal —
was the father] The inventor or of his wife, and to have forged nets in which he took
teacher, for so the word is understood, 1 Sam. x. 12. Mars and her, and exposed them to the view of the
He was the first who invented tent-making, and whole celestial court this idea he thinks was derived :

the breeding and managing of cattle or he was, in from the literal import of the name Tubal-cain ; I'ZTS
;

these respects, the most eminent in that time. Though tebel signifies an incestuous mixture of relatives, Lev.
Abel was a shepherd, it is not likely he was such on XX. 12 and t^Jp kana, to burn with jealousy; from ;

an extensive scale. these and concomitant circumstances the case of the

—
Verse 21. Juhal the father] i. e. The inventor of detected adultery of Mars and Venus might be easily
musical instruments, such as the lUj kinnor, which we deduced. He is of opinion that a tradition of this
translate harp, and the .^:n_i; ugah, which we render kind might have readily found its way from the Egyp-
organ ; it is very likely that both words are generic, tians to the Greeks, as the former had frequent inter-
the former including under it all stringed instruments, course with the Hebrews.
and the latter, all ivind instruments. Of Naamah nothing more is spoken in the Scrip-
Verse 22. Tuhal-cain] The first smith on record, tures but the Targum of Jonathan ben Uzziel makes ;

who taught how to make icarlike instruments and do- her the inventress of funeral songs and lamentations.
mestic utensils out of brass and iron. Agricultural R. S. Jarchi says she was the wife of Noah, and quotes
instruments must have been in use long before, for Bereshith Rabba in support of the opinion. Some of the
Cain was a tiller of the ground, and so was Adam, Jewish doctors say her name is recorded in Scripture be-
and they could not have cultivated the ground without cause she was an upright and chaste woman but others ;

spades, hooks, &c. Some of these arts were useless aflSrm that the lohole ivorld wandered after her, and that
to man while innocent and upright, but after his fall of her evil spirits were born into the world. This latter
they became necessary. Thus is the saying verified opinion gives some countenance to that of M. De Lavaur.
:

God made mmi upright, but they have sought out many Verse 23. And Lamech said unto his tvives] The
inventions. As the power to get wealth is from God, speech of Lamech to his wives is in hemistichs in the
so also is the invention of useful arts. original, and consequently, as nothing of this kind oc-

M. De Lavaur, in his Conference de la Fable avec curs before this time, it is very probably the oldest
VHistoire Sainte, supposes that the Greeks and Romans piece of poetry in the world.
took their smith-god Vulcan from Tubal-cain, the son The following is, as nearly as possible, a literal
of Lamech. The probability of this will appear, 1. translation :

From the name, which, by the omission of the Tic and " And Lamech said unto his wives,
made among
turning the b into v, a change frequently Adah and Tsillah, hear ye my voice ;

the Hebrews, Greeks, and Romans, makes Vulcain or Wives of Lamech, hearken to my speech
Vulcan. 2. From his occupation he was an artificer, For I have slain a man for wounding me,
a master smith in brass and iron. 3. He thinks this And a young man for having bruised me.
farther probable from the names and sounds in this If Cain shall be avenged seven-fold,
verse. The melting metals in the fire, and hammering Also Lamech seventy and seven."
60
 ; ;

[.ameclCs speech to his wives. CHAP. IV. The birth of Seth and Enos.
A. M. 130.
A. M. cir. 500. Lamech, hearken unto my For God, said she, hath appointed B. C. 3874.
B. C. cir. 3504.
speech : for ^ I have slain a man me another seed instead of Abel,
to my wounding, and a young man ^to my hurt. whom Cain slew.
A. M. 235
24 If Cain shall be avenged
° 26 And to Seth, Uohim also there
seven-fold,
B. C. 3769.
truly Lamech seventy and seven-fold. was born a son and he called his ;

25 And Adam knew his wife again and name "^ Enos then began men ^ to ;
: call upon
she bare a son, and ^ called his name ^ Seth ^ the name of the ° Lord. :

= Or, I would slay a man in my wound, &c. ; chap. xlix. " Or, to call themselves hy the name of the LORD. " 1 KThgs

6. f
Or, inmy hurt. e Ver. 15. ^Chap. v. 3. 'Heb. xviii. 24 Psa. cxvi. 17 Isa. xliv. 5 xlviii. 1 Ixiii. 19 Joel ii.
; ; ; ; ;

Sheth. ^ That is, appointed or put. ' Chap. v. 6. °iHeb. 32 ; Zeph. iii. 9 Acts xi. 26 ;
Rom. x. 13 ; 1 Cor. i. 2 ; Eph. ;

Enosh. iii. 14, 15.

It is supposed that Lamech had slain a man in his Lamech having killed Cain by accident, &c. and after ;

own defence, and that his wives being alarmed lest the what I have already said, I must leave the passage, I
kindred of the deceased should seek his life in return, fear, among those which are inscrutable.
to quiet their fears he makes this speech, in which he Verse 25. God hath appointed me another seed —
endeavours to prove that there was no room for fear instead Eve must have received on this
of Abel]
on this account for if the slayer of the wilful mur- occasion some Divine communication, else how could
;

derer, Cain, should suffer a seven-fold punishment, she have known that this son was appointed in the
surely he, who should kill Lamech for having slain a place of Abel, to continue that holy line by which the
man in self-defence, might expect a seventy seven-fold Messiah was to come From this we see that the "?

punishment. line of the Messiah was determined from the beginning,

This speech is very dark, and has given rise to a and that it was not first fixed in the days of Abraham
great variety of very strange conjectures. Dr. Shuck- for the promise was then only 7-encwed, and that branch
ford supposes there is an ellipsis of some preceding of his family designated by which the sacred line was
speech or circumstance which, if known, would cast a to be continued. And it is worthy of remark, that
light on the subject. In the antediluvian times, the Seth's posterity alone continued after the flood, when
nearest of kin to a murdered person had a right to re-
all the other families of the earth were destroyed,
venge his death by taking away the life of the mur- Noah being the tenth descendant from Adam through
derer. This, as we have already seen, appears to have
Seth.
contributed not a little to Cain's horror, verse 14.
Though all these persons are mentioned in the fol-
Now we may suppose that the descendants of Cain lowing chapter, I shall produce them here in the order
were in continual alarms, lest some of the other family Seth; 3. Enos; 4. Adam;
of their succession : 1. 2.
should attempt to avenge the death of Abel on them,
Cainan ; 5. Mahalaleel Jared 7. Enoch 8.
; 6. ; ; Me-
as they were not permitted to do it on Cain and that ;
thuselah ; 9. Lamech, (the second ;) 10. Noah. In
in order to dismiss those fears, Lamech, the seventh order to keep this line distinct, we find particular care
descendant from Adam, spoke to this effect to his more sons
was taken that, where there were two or in
wives " Why should you render yourselves miserable
a family, the one through whom God particularly de-
:

by such ill-founded fears ? We

have slain no person ;
signed to bring his Son into the world was, by some
we have not done the least wrong to our brethren of
especial providence, pointed out. Thus in the family
the other family surely then reason should dictate to
;
of Adam, Seth was chosen in the family of Noah, ;

you that they have no right to injure us. It is true

Shem in the family of Abraham, Isaac and in that
; ;

that Cain, one of our ancestors, killed his brother Abel

of David, Solomon and Nathan. All these things God
but God, willing to pardon his sin, and give him space
watched over by an especial providence from the be-
to repent, threatened to punish those with a seven-fold
ginning, that when Jesus Christ should come it might
punishment who should dare to kill him. If this be
be clearly seen that he came by the promise, through
so, then those who should have the boldness to kill any
grace, and not by nature.
of us who are innocent, may expect a punishment still
more rigorous. For if Cain should be avenged seven- Verse 26. Then began men to call upon the name
fold on the person who should slay him, surely Lamech of the Lord.] The marginal reading is. Then began
or any of his innocent family should be avenged seven- men to call themselves 5y the name of the Lord ; which
ty-seven-fold on those who should injure them." The words are supposed to signify that in the time of Enos
Targums give nearly the same meaning, and it makes the true followers of God began to distinguish" them-
a good sense but who can say it is the true sense ? selves, and to be distinguished by others, by the appel-
;

If the words be read interrogatively, as they certainly lation of sons of God ; those of the other branch of
may, the sense will be much clearer, and some of the Adam's family, among whom the Divine worship was
difficulties will be removed ;
not observed, being distinguished by the name, children
of men. It must not be dissembled that many emi-
" Have I slain a man, that I should be wounded ?
nent men have contended that Smn huchal, which we
Or a young man, that I should be bruised V
translate began, should be rendered began profanely,
But even this still supposes some previous reason or or then profanation began, and from this time they date
conversation. I shall not trouble my readers with a the origin of idolatry. Most of the Jewish doctors
ridiculous Jewish fable, followed by St, Jerome, of were of this opinion, and Maimonides has discussed it
61
 Farther account of GENESIS. the creation of Adam.
at some length in his Treatise on Idolatry as this ; and spheres, for whose sake and in whose likeness they
piece is curious, and gives the most probable account had made these images but as for the Rock ever- ;

of the origin and progress of idolatry, I shall insert it lasting, there was no man that acknowledged him or
here. knew him save a few persons in the world, as Enoch,
" In the days of Enos the sons of Adam erred with Methuselah, Noah, Shem, and Heber. And in this
great error, and the counsel of the wise men of that way did the world walk and converse till that pillar of
age became brutish, and Enos himself was (one) of the world, Abraham our father, was born." Maim, in
them that erred and their error was this they said,
; : Mishn. and Ainsivorth in loco.
Forasmuch as God hath created these stars and spheres
to govern the world, and set them on high, and im- 1 . We
see here the vast importance of worshipping
parted honour unto them, and they are ministers that God according to his own mind no sincerity, no up- ;

minister before him ; it is meet that men should laud, rightness of intention, can atone for the neglect of
and glorify, and give them honour. For this is the will positive commands delivered in Divine revelation, when
of God, that we magnify and honour whomsoever he this revelation is known. He who will bring a eucha-
magnifieth and honoureth even as a king would have ; ristic offering instead of a sacrifice, while a sin-offer-
them honoured that stand before him, and this is the ing lieth at the door, as he copies Cain's conduct, may
honour of the king himself When this thing was expect to be treated in the same manner. Reader,
come up into their hearts they began to build temples remember that thou hast an entrance unto the holiest
unto the stars, and to offer sacrifice unto them, and to through the veil, that is to say his flesh ; and those
laud and glorify them with words, and to worship be- who come in this way, God will in nowise cast out.
fore them, that they might in their evil opinion obtain 2. We see the horrible nature of envy : its eye is
favour of the Creator and this was the root of idola-
; evil merely because God is good ; it easily begets ha-
try, &c. And in process of time there stood up false tred ; and malice, murder
hatred, deep-settled malice ; !

prophets among the sons of Adam, which said that Watch appearance of this most de-
against the first
God had commanded and said unto them. Worship such structive passion, the prime characteristic of which is
a star, or all the stars, and do sacrifice unto them thus to seek the destruction of the object of its malevolence,
and thus and build a temple for it, and make an image
; and finally to ruin its possessor.
of it, that all the people, women, and children may 3. Be thankful to God that, as weakness increased
worship it. And the false prophet showed them the and wants became multiplied, God enabled man to find
image which he had feigned out of his own heart, and out useful inventions, so as to lessen excessive labour,
said it was the image of such a star, which was made and provide every thing indispensably necessary for
known unto him by prophecy. And they began after the support of life. He who carefully attends to the
this manner to make images in temples, and under dictates of honest, sober industry, is never likely to
trees, and on tops of mountains and hills, and assem- perish for lack of the necessaries of life.

bled together and worshipped them, tfec. And this 4. As the followers of God at this early period
thing was spread through all the world, to serve images found it indispensably necessary to separate themselves
with services different one from another, and to sacri- from all those who were irreligious and profane, and
fice unto and worship them. So, in process of time, to make a public profession of their attachment to the
the glorious and fearful name (of God) was forgotten truth, so it should be now. There are still men of
out of the mouth of all living, and out of their know- profane minds, whose spirit and conduct are destruc-
ledge, and they acknowledged him not. And there tive to godliness and in reference to such the perma-
;

was found no people on the earth that knew aught, save nent order of God is, Co7ne out from among them,
images of wood and stone, and temples of stone, which touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you.
they had been trained up from their childhood to wor- He who is not determined to be a Christian at all

ship and serve, and to swear by their names. And events, is not far from being an infidel. Those only
the wise men that were among them, as the priests who confess Christ among men shall be acknowledged
and such like, thought there was no God save the stars before his Father and the angels of God.

CHAPTER V.

A recapitulation of the account of the creation of man, 1, 2 and of the birth of Seth, 3. Genealogy of the
;

ten antediluvian patriarchs, 3-31. Enoch's extraordinary piety, 22 his translation to heaven without ;

seeing death, 24. The birth of Noah, and the reason of his name, 29 his age at the birth of Japheth, 32. ;

that God created man, in ^ the A. M. 1.

B. C. 4004.
rations of Adam. In the day hkeness of God made he him ;

» 1 Chron. i. 1 ; Matt. i. 1 ; Luke iii. 36, 38. •>

Chap. i. 26 ; Wisd. ii. 23 ; Eph. iv. 24 ; Col. iii. 10.

NOTES ON CHAP. V. such as the bill of divorce.

letter, Here it means the
Verse 1. The book of the generations'] "^DD sepher, account or register of the generations of Adam or his
in Hebrew, which we generally translate book, signifies descendants to the five hundredth year of the life of
a register, an account, any kind of writing, even a Noah.
62
 : 1 :

Genealogy of the CHAP. V. antediluvian patriarchs.

A. M. 1. 2 •=
Male and female created he 7 And Seth lived after he begat A. M. 235.
B. C. 3769.
"
1 them ; and blessed them, and called Enos eight hundred and seven years,
their name Adam, in the day when they were and begat sons and daughters :

created. 8 And all the days of Seth were A. M. 1042.

B. C. 2962.
A. M. 130.. 3 And Adam
hundred and nine hundred and twelve years
lived a
B. C. 3874.
thirty years, and begat a son m his and he died.
•
J T.
1 .
. • 1
.

own likeness, after his image and ^ called 9 And Enos lived ninety years, A. M. 325.
;

B. C. 3679.
his name Seth and begat Cainan *
:

4 ^ And the days of Adam after he had be- 10 And Enos lived after he be| rat Cainan
gotten Seth were eight hundred years ^ and eight hundred and fifteen years, and begat ;

he begat sons and daughters sons and daughters : :

A.M. 930. 5 And all the days that Adam lived 1 And all the days of Enos A.
B. c. 3074. . , , •; B. , , .

•
were nine hundred and thirty years were nine hundred and five years : :

^ and he died. and he died.

A. M. 235. 6 And Seth lived a hundred and 12 And Cainan lived seventy
B. C. 3769.
five years, and ^^
begat Enos years, and begat ^ Mahalaleel :

Chap. 27. d Chap. iv. 25. « 1 Chron. 1, &c. e Chap. iii. 19 Heb. ix. 27. h Chap. iv. 26. '
Heb. Kenan.
;

f Chap. i. 28. ^Gr. Maleleel.

In the likeness of God made he him] This account Verse 3. And Adam lived a hxindred and thirty
isagain introduced to keep man in remembrance of the years, dfc] The Scripture chronology, especially in
heights of glory whence he had fallen and to prove ; the ages of some of the antediluvian and postdiluvian
to him that the miseries and death consequent on his patriarchs, has exceedingly puzzled chronologists,
present state were produced by his transgression, and critics, and divines. The printed Hebrew text, the
did not flow from his original state. For, as he was Samaritan, the Septuagint, and Josephus, are all dif-
created in the image of God, he was created free from ferent, and have their respective vouchers and de-
natural and moral evil. As the deaths of the patri- fenders. The following tables of the genealogies of •

archs are now to be mentioned, it was necessary to in- the patriarchs before and after the flood, according to
troduce them by this observation, in order to justify the the Hebrevi^, Samaritan, and Septuagint, will at once
ways of God to man. exhibit the discordances.
 —

Genealogy of the patriarchs. GENESIS. Enoch walks with God,

A. M. 395. And Cainan lived he A. M. 622.

13 after
B. C. 3609. B. C. 3382.
begat Mahalaleel eight hundred and
forty years, and begat sons and daughters :

A. M. 1235. 14 And all the days of Cainan

B C 2769
— '
'
were nine hundred and ten years :

and he died.
A. M. 460. 15 And Mahalaleel lived sixty A.
B. C. 3544. B.
and five years, and begat Jared ^ :

16 And Mahalaleel lived after he begat

Jared eight hundred and thirty years, and
begat sons and daughters :

A. M. 1290. 17 And all the days of Mahala-

B. C. 2714.
leel were eight hundred ninety and
five years : and he died.

• Hebrew, Jered- -1 Gr. Mathu-

 :

Enoch translated. CHAP. V. Noah and his sons

^^ ^^^ ^^ *^^ ^^y^ °^ Enoch and two years, and begat a A. M. 1056.
B'c'aS B. C. 2948.
were three hundred sixty and five son
years : 29 And he called his name ' Noah, ^ saying,
24 And Enoch walked with God and he This same shall comfort us concerning our
P :

was not for God took him.

; work and toil of our hands, because of the
A. M. 874. 25 And Methuselah lived a ground * which the Lord hath cursed.
B. C. 3130.
hundred eighty and seven years, 30 And Lamech lived after he begat Noah
and begat ^ Lamech : five hundred ninety and five years, and begat
26 And Methuselah lived after he begat sons and daughters :

Lamech seven hundred eighty and two years, 31 And all the days of Lamech a. m. lesi
T ,
1
, B. C. 2353.
and begat sons and daughters were seven hundred
: seventy and
a; M. 1656. 27 And all the days of Methu- seven years and he died. :

B. C. 2348.
selah were nine hundred sixty and 32 And Noah was five hundred A. M. 1556.

nine years and he died. : years old and Noah begat ^ Shem, : —— ' '.

28 And Lamech lived a hundred eighty Ham, ^ and Japheth.

P2 Kings ii. 11; Ecclus. xliv. 16; xlix. 14; Heb. xi. 5; iii. 20. s
That is, rest or comfort.- 'Chap. iii. 17; iv. 11
I Heb. Lemech. Gr. Noe ; Luke iii. 36 ; Heb. xi. 7
>•
; 1 Pet. " Chap. vi. 10. T Chap. x. 21.

may we Son
not expect in these times, in which the
Verse 20. This same shall comfort us] This is an
of God among men, in which God gives allusion, as some think, to the name of Noah, which
tabernacles
the Holy Spirit to them who ask him, in which all they derive from DHJ nacham, to comfort but it is ;

things are possible to him who believes 1 No man can much more likely that it comes from HJ nach or niJ
prove that Enoch had greater spiritual advantages nuach, to rest, to settle, &c. And what is more com-
than any of the other patriarchs, though it seems fortable than rest after toil and labour ? These words
pretty evident that he made a better use of those that seem to have been spoken prophetically concerning
were common to all than any of the rest did and it Noah, who built the ark for the preservation of the
;

would be absurd to say that he had greater spiritual human race, and who seems to have been a typical
helps and advantages than Christians can now expect, person for when he offered his sacrifice after the dry- ;

for he lived under a dispensation much less perfect ing up of the waters, it is said that God smelled a
than that of the law, and yet the law itself was only savour of rest, and said he vi^ould not curse the ground
the shadoxv of the glorious substance of Gospel bless- any more man's sake, chap. viii. 21
for and from ;

ings and Gospel privileges. that time the earth seems to have had upon an average
7. It is said that Enoch not only wal/ced luith God, the same degree of fertility and the life of man, in a ;

setting him always before his eyes, beginning, conti- few generations after, was settled in the mean at three-
nuing, and ending every work to his glory, but also score years and ten. See chap. ix. 3.
that he pleased God, andhad the testimony that he did Verse 32. Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth.]
please God, Heb. xi. 5. Hence we learn that it was From chap. x. 21 1 Chron. i. 5, &c., we learn that
;

llien possible to as not to offend God, conse-

live so Japheth was the eldest son of Noah, but Shem is men-
quently so as not to commit sin against him and to ; tioned first, because it was from him, in a direct line,
have the continual evidence or testimony that all that that the Messiah came. Ham was certainly the
a man did and purposed was pleasing in the sight of youngest of Noah's sons, and from what we read, chap,
Him who searches the heart, and by whom devices ix. 22, the tvorst of them and how he comes to be ;

are weighed and if it was possible the7i, it is surely,

:
mentioned out of his natural order is not easy to be
through the same grace, possible noiv ; for God, and accounted for. When the Scriptures design to mark
Christ, and faith, are still the same. precedency, though the subject be a younger son or
Verse 27. The days of Methuselah ivere nine hun- brother, he is always mentioned frst ; so Jacob is
dred sixty and nine years'] This is the longest life named before Esau, his elder brother, and Ephraim
mentioned in Scripture, and probably the longest ever before Manasses. See chap, xxviii. 5 xlviii. 20. ;

lived but we have not authority to say positively that

;

it was the longest. Before the flood, and before arti- Among many important things presented to our view
ficial refinements were much known and cultivated, the in this chapter, several of which have been already
life of man was
greatly protracted, and yet of him who noticed, we may observe that, of all the antediluvian
lived within thirty-one years of a thousand it is said Enoch, who was probably the best man, was
patriarchs,
he died; and the longest life is but as a moment when the shortest time upon earth his years were exactly ;

it is past. Though life is uncertain, precarious, and as the days in a solar revolution, viz., three hundred
full of natural evils, yet it is a blessing ia all its periods
and sixty-five ; and like the sun he fulfilled a glorious
if devoted to the glory of God and the interest of the
course, shining more and more unto the perfect day
soul for while it lasts we may more and more acquaint and was
;
taken, when in his meridian splendour, to
ourselves with God and be at peace, and thereby good shine like the
sun in the kingdom of his Father for ever.
shall come unto us; Job xxii. 21.
From computation it appears, 1 That Adam lived
I

Vol. T. 6 a
( )
65
The multiplication and GENESIS. wickedness of man.

to see Lamech, the ninth generation, in the fifty -sixth life. 4. That Methuselah lived tiU the very year in
year of whose life he died and as he was the first ; which the flood came, of which his name is supposed
who lived, and the first that sinned, so he was the first to have been prophetical ino methu, " he dieth," and
;

who tasted death in a natural way. Abel's was not rn'\if shalach, " he sendeth out;'''' as if God had de-
a natural but a violent death. 2. That Enoch was signed to teach men that as soon as Methuselah died
taken away next after Adam, seven patriarchs remain- the flood should be sent forth to drown an ungodly
ing witness of his translation. 3. That all the nine world. If this were then so understood, even the
first patriarchs were taken away before the flood came, name of this patriarch contained in it a gracious warn-
which happened in the sixth hundredth year of Noah's ing. See the genealogical plate after chap, xi

CHAPTER VI.
The children of God, among whom the true religion was at first preserved, corrupt it by forming matrtmonta-
connections with irreligious ivomen, 1,2. God, displeased with these connections and their consequences,
limits the continuance of the old world to one hundred and twenty years, 3. The issue of those improper
connections termed giants, 4. An
affecting description of the depravity of the world, 5, 6. God threatens
the destruction of every living creature, 7. Noah and his family find grace in his sight, 8. The character
and family of Noah, 9, 10. And a farther description of the corruption of man, 11, 12. Noah is fore-
warned of approaching destruction of the human race, 13
the and is ordered to build an ark for the safety ;

of himself and household, the form and dimensions ofivhich are particularly described, 14-16. The deluge
threatened, 17. The covenant of God''s mercy is to be established betiveen him and the family of Noah, 18.
A male and female of all kinds of animals that could not live in the waters to be brought into the ark,
19, 20. Noah is commanded to provide food for their sustenance, SI ; and punctually follows all these
directions, 22.

A. M. 1536.
B. C. 2468.
A ND it came to pass, * when always strive with man, ^ for that
^ ^- ^^^^•
men began to multiply on the he also is flesh : yet his days shall
face of the earth, and daughters were born be a hundred and twenty years.
unto them, 4 There were giants in the earth in those
2 That the sons of God saw the daughters days and also after that, when the sons of
;

of men that they were fair and they ;

''
took God came in unto the daughters of men, and
them wives of all which they chose. they bare children to them, the same became
3 And the Lord said, *=
My Spirit shall not mighty men which were of old, men of renown.

» Chap. i. 28 ; 2 Esdr. iii. 7. * Deut. vii. 3, 4. e Gal. V. 16, 17 ; 1 Pet. iii. 19, 20. <jPsa. Ixxviii. 39.

NOTES ON CHAP. VI. nections with the inferior women, and the children
Verse 1 . When men
began to multiply^ It was not which sprang from this commerce were the
illicit

at this time that men began to multiply, but the inspired renowned heroes of antiquity, of whom the heathens
penman speaks now of a fact which had taken place made their gods."
long before. As there is a distinction made here be- Verse 3. My spirit shall not always strive^ It is

tween men and those called the sons of God, it is only by the influence of the Spirit of God that the

generally supposed that tlie immediate posterity of carnal mind can be subdued and destroyed ; but those
Cain and that of Seth are intended. The first were who wilfully resist and grieve that Spirit must be ulti-

mere men, such as fallen nature may produce, degene- mately left to the hardness and blindness of their own
rate sons of a degenerate father, governed by the de- hearts, if they do not repent and turn to God. God
sire of the flesh, the desire of the eye, and the pride delights in mercy, and therefore a gracious warning is
of life. The others were sons of God, not angels, as given. Even at this time the earth was ripe for de-

some have dreamed, but such as were, according to struction ; but God promised them one hundred and
our Lord's doctrine, born again, born from above, John twenty years' respite if they repented in that interim,
:

iii. 3, 5, 6, &c., and made children of God by the in- well if not, they should
; be destroyed by a flood.
fluence of the Holy Spirit, Gal. v. 6. The former See on ver. 5.
were apostates from the true religion, the latter were Verse 4. There were giants in the earth] D'S*)]

those among whom it was preserved and cultivated. nephilim, from Si3J naphal, " he fell." Those who had
Dr. Wall supposes the first verses of this chapter apostatized or fallen from the true religion. The Sep-
should be paraphrased thus " When men began to : tuagint translate the original word by yiyavTe^, which
multiply on the earth, the chief men took wives of all literally signifies earth-born, and which we, following

the handsome poor women they chose. There were them, term giants, without having any reference to the
tyrants in the earth in those days ; and also after the meaning of the word, which we generally conceive to
antediluvian days powerful men had unlawful con- signify persons of enormous stature. But the word
a 66 ( 6* )
 ; 1 :

God purposes to CHAP. VI. destroy the earth

A. M. 1536. And God saw that the wicked-

5 penteth me that I have made A. M. 1536,
B. C. 2468. B. C. 2468.
- ness of man was great in the earth, them.
and that ^ every ^ imagination of the thoughts 8 But Noah found ^ grace in the eyes of the
of his heart was only Lord. evil ^ continually.

6 And it ^ repented the Lord that he had 9 These are the generations of Noah
made man on the earth, and it grieved him ™ Noah was a just man, and " perfect in his
'

at his heart. generations, and Noah " walked with God :

7 And the Lord said, I will destroy man 10 And Noah begat three sons, A. M. cir. 1556
o, TT T B. C. cim 2448. 1 1 1
whom I have created from the face of the fehem. Ham, and Japheth. I*
.

earth ^ both man and beast, and the creep-

; 1 The earth also was corrupt ^ before
ing thing, and the fowls of the air for it re- God, and the earth was " filled with violence.
;

" Or, the whole imagination. The Hebrew word signifieth, not 19; Exod. xxxiii. 12,13, 16, 17; Luke i. 30 ; Acts vii. 46.
only the imagination, but also the purposes and desires. f
Chap. " Chap. vii. 1 ; Ezek. xiv. 14, 20 ; Ecclus. xliv. 17 ; Rom. i. 17 ,
viii. 21 Deut. xxix. 19 ; Prov. vi. 18 ; 2 Esdr. iii. 8 ; Matt. xv. Heb. xi. 7 ; 2 Pet. ii. 5. " Or, upright. « Chap. v. 22.
;

19. sHeb. everi^ day. •'See Num. xxiii. 19; 1 Sam. xv. P Chap. V. 32. q Chap. vii. 1 ; x. 9 ; xiii. 13 ; 2 Chron. xxxiv
11, 29 ;2 Sam. xxiv. 16; Mai. iii. 6 ; James i. 17. ' Isa. Ixiii. 27 Luke i. 6 Rom. ii. 13 iii.
; ; ; 19. ' Ezek. viii. 17 ; xxviii
10 Eph. iv. 30.
;
^ Heh. from man unto beast. > Chap. xix. 16 ; Hab. ii. 8, 17.

when properly understood makes a very just distinction and cruelty and oppression among the higher classes,
between the sons of men and the sons of God those being only predominant. 4. All the imaginations of

were the nephilim, the fallen earth-born men, with the

;

their thoughts were evil the very first embryo of —

animal and devilish mind. These were the sons of every idea, the figment of every thought, the very
God, who were born from above children of the king- ;
materials out of which perception, conception, and
dom, because children of God. Hence we may sup- ideas were formed, were all evil; the fountain which
pose originated the different appellatives given to sin- produced them, with every thought, purpose, wish,
ners and saints ; the former were termed yiyavTec, desire, and motive, was incurably poisoned. 5. All
earth-born, and the latter, ayioi, i. e. saints, persons 7iot these were evil ivithout any mixture of good the —
of the earth, or separated from the earth. Spirit of God which strove with them was continually
The same became mighty men —men of renown.] resisted, so that evil had its sovereign sway. 6. They
D^I^J gibborim, which we render mighty men, signifies —
were evil continually there was no interval of good,
properly conquerors, heroes, from 13J gabar, " he pre- no moment allowed for serious reflection, no holy pur-
vailed, was victorious," and DtSTI 'tyJN anshey hashshem, pose, no righteous act. What a finished picture of
"men of the name," avdpuTroi ovo/iaaroi, Septuagint
a fallen soul Such a picture as God alone, who !

the same as we render men of renown, renominati, searches the heart and tries the spirit, could possibly
twice named, as the word implies, having one name give. 7. To complete the whole, God represents
which they derived from their fathers, and another which himself as repenting because he had made them, and
they acquired by their daring exploits and enterprises. as grieved at the heart because of their iniquities !

It may be necessary to remark here that our trans- Had not these been voluntary transgressions, crimes
lators have rendered seven
different Hebrew words by which they might have avoided, had they not grieved
the one term giants, nephilim, gibborim, enachim, and quenched the Spirit of God, could he speak of
v'vl.,

rephaim, emim, and zamzummim ; by which appella- them in the manner he does here 1 8. So incensed
tives are probably meant in general persons of greatr" is the most holy and the most merciful God, that he is
knowledge, piety, courage, wickedness, &c., and not determined to destroy the work of his hands And the :

men of enormous stature, as is generally conjectured. Lord said, I will destroy man whom Ihave created ;
Verse 5. The wickedness of man was great] What ver. 7. How great must the evil have been, and how
an awful character does God give of the inhabitants provoking the transgressions, which obliged the most
of the antediluvian world 1. They were flesh, (ver. 3,)
! compassionate God, for the vindication of his own
wholly sensual, the desires of the mind overwhelmed glory, to form this awful purpose Fools make a mock !

and lost in the desires of the flesh, their souls no longer at sin, but none except yoo/.y.
discerning their high destiny, but ever minding earthly Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.]
A^'erse 8.
things, so that they were sensualized, brutalized, and Why T Because he was, 1. A just man, p'TV ty'X tsA
become flesh ;
incarnated so as not to retain God in tsaddik, a man who gave to all their due ; for this is
their knowledge, and they lived, seeking their portion the ideal meaning of the original word. 2. He was
in this life. 2. They were in a state of wickedness.
All was corrupt within, and all unrighteous without;
perfect in his generation —
he was in all things a con-
sistent character, never departing from the truth in
neither the science nor practice of religion existed. principle or practice. 3. He walked with God he —
Piety was gone, and every form of sound words had was not only righteous in his conduct, but he was
disappeared. 3. This wickedness was great n^l pious, and had continual communion with God. The
rabbah, " was multiplied ;" it was continually increas- same word is used here as before in the case of Enoch.
ing,and multiplying increase by increase, so that the See chap. v. 22.
whole earth was corrupt before God, and was filled Verse 1 1 The earth . also ivas corrupt] See on
with violence, (ver. 11;) profligacy among the lower, verse 5.
67
 ! :

God instructs Noah GENESIS. how to make the arJc

4- o
B. C.
•''•''
cir.
oll^o-
2448.
12 And God 'looked upon
^ 14 Make
thee an ark of gopher g- qo^^o
_

the earth, and, behold, it was wood ^ rooms shalt thou make in
;
'•

corrupt ; for all flesh had corrupted his way the ark, and shalt pitch it * within and with-
upon the earth. out with pitch.
13 And God said unto Noah, The end of 15 And this is the fashion which thou shalt
'

all flesh is come before me for the earth is make it of : The length of the ark shall he
;

filled with violence through them ^ and, be- three hundred cubits, ^ the breadth of it fifty
:

hold, I will destroy them " with the earth. cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits.

•Chap, xviii. 21 ; Psa. xiv. 2; xxxiii. 13, 14 ; liii. 2, 3. '

Jer. ^ Ver. 17. " Or, from the earth. "" Heb. nests. » Exod.
li. 13 ; Ezek. vii. 2, 3, 6; Amos viii. 2 ; 1 Pet. iv. 7. ii. 3. yChap. vii. 20 ; Deut. iii. 11.

Verse 13. I will destroy themtvith the earth.] Not measured the pyramids in Egypt, and comparing the
only the human race was to be destroyed, but all ter- accounts which Herodotus, Strabo, and others, give of
i. e. those which could not live in the
restrial animals, their size, he found the length of a cubit to be twenty-
waters. These must necessarily be destroyed when one inches and eight hundred and eighty -eight decimal
the whole surface of the earth was drowned. But de- parts out of a thousand, or nearly twenty-two inches.
stroying the earth may
probably mean the alteration Hence the cuhe of a cubit is evidently ten thousand
of Dr. Woodward, in his natural his- four hundred and eighty-six inches.
its constitution. And from this
tory of the earth, has rendered it exceedingly probable it will appear that the three hundred cubits of the ark's
that the whole terrestrial substance was amalgamated length make five hundred and forty-seven feet the ;

with the waters, after which the different materials of fifty for its breadth, ninety-one feet tivo inches and ;

its composition settled in beds or strata according to the thirty for its height, fifty-four feet eight inches
their respective gravities. This theory, however, is When these dimensions are examined, the ark will be
disputed by others. found to be a vessel whose capacity was more than
Verse 14. Make thee an ark] r\3n tehath, a word sufficient to contain all persons and animals said to
which is used only to express this vessel, and that in have been in it, with sufficient food for each for more
which Moses was preserved, Exod. ii. 3, 5. It sig- than tivelve months. This vessel Dr. Arbuthnot com-
nifies no more than our word vessel in its common putes to have been eighty-one thousand and sixty-two
acceptation —
a hollow place capable of containing per- tons in burden.
sons, goods, &c., without any particular reference to As many have supposed the capacity of the ark to
shape ox form. have been much too small for the things which were
Gopher loood] Some think the cedar is meant ;
contained in it, it will be necessary to examine this
others, the cypress. Bochart renders this probable, subject thoroughly, that every difficulty may be re-
1. From the appellation, supposing the Greek word moved. The things contained in the ark, besides the
Kvirapiaaoc, cypress, was formed from the Hebrew "ID J eight persons of Noah's family, were one pair of all
gopher ; for lake away the termination laaog, and then unclean animals, and seven pairs of all clean animals,
gopher and Kvnap will have a near resemblance. 2. with provisions for all sufficient for tivelve months.
Because the cypress is not liable to rot, nor to be in- At the first view the number of animals may appear
jured by worms. 3. The cypress was anciently used so immense that no space but the forest could be
for ship-building. 4. This wood abounded in Assyria, thought sufficient to contain them. If, however, we

where it is probable Noah built the ark. After all, come to a calculation, the number of the different
the word is of doubtful signification, and occurs no- genera or kinds of animals will be found much less
where else in the Scriptures. The Septuagint render than is generally imagined. It is a question whether
the place, ek fwAwv rerpayovoiv, " of square timber ;" in this account any but tlie different genera of animals
and the Vulgate, de lignis lavigatis, " of planed tim- necessary to be brought into the ark should be in-
ber ;" so it is evident that these translators knew not cluded. Naturalists have divided the whole system of
what kind of wood was intended by the original. The zoology into classes and okdkrs, containing genera
Syriac and Arabic trifle with the passage, rendering and species- There are six classes thus denominated
itloicker work, as if the ark had been a great basket 1. Mammalia; 2. Aves ; 3. Amphibia; 4. Pisces;
feoth the Targums render it cedar; and the Persian, 5. InsectcE ; and 6. Vermes. With the three last of
pine or fir. these, viz., fishes, insects, and ivorms, the question can
Thou make —
—Verse hundred
three
15. shall of the ark
cubits, the breadth
the length
of it fifty cubits,
have
The
little to do.
first class, Mammalia, or animals with teats
and the height of it thirty cubits] Allowing the cubit, contains seven orders, and only forty-three genera if
which is the length from the elbow to the tip of the we except the seventh order, cete, i. e. all the whale
middle finger, to be eighteen inches, the ark must have kind, which certainly need not come into this account.
been four hundred and fifty feet in length, seventy five The different species in this class amount, the cete ex-
in breadth, znA forty five in height. But that the an- cluded, to five hundred a.n^ forty-three.
cient cubit was more than eighteen inches has been The second class, Avcs, birds, contains six orders,
demonstrated by Mr. Greaves, who travelled in Greece, and only seventy-four genera, if we exclude the third
Palestine, and Egypt, in order to be able to ascertain order, anseres, or web-footed fowls, all of which could
he weights, moneys, and measures of antiquity. He very well live in the water. The different species in
68
 ^
; —

The flood threatened. CHAP. VI. The covenant with Noah.

A. M. 1536.
B. C. 2468.
16 A window ^ shall thou make wherein is the breath of life, " from 4" ^" o?!f'
a. \j. .6468.
to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou under heaven ; and every thing
finishit above and the door * of the ark shalt that is in the earth shall die.
;

thou set in the side thereof; with lower, 18 But with thee will I ^ establish my cove-
second, and third stories shalt thou make it. nant and « thou shalt come into the ark, ;

17 ^ And behold, I, even I, do bring a flood thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy
of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, sons' wives with thee.

^ Chap. viii. 6. » Chap. vii. 16 Luke xiii. 25.

;
•> Ver. 3, 4 ; Amos ix. 6. = Chap. ii. 7 ; chap. vii. 15. d Chap.
13 ; chap. vii. 4, 21,22,23 2 Pet. ii. 5 ; Psa. xxix. 10;
;
xciii. ix. 9. e Chap. vii. 1, 7, 13 ; 1 Pet. iii. 20 ; 2 Pet. ii. 5.

this class, the anseres excepted,amount to two thou- an objection against Scripture, ought to be esteemed
sand three hundred and seventy-tiuo. a "feonfirmation of its Divine authority since, in those ;

The third class. Amphibia, contains only tioo orders, ruder ages men, being less versed in arts and philoso-
reptiles and Serpents ; these comprehend ten genera, phy, were more obnoxious to vulgar prejudices than
and three hundred and sixty-six species, but of the rep- now, so that had it been a human invention it would
tiles many could live in the water, such as the tortoise, have been contrived, according to those wild appre-
frog, <5fc. Of the former there are thirty-three spe- hensions which arise from a confused and general view
cies, of the latter seventeen, which excluded reduce of things, as much too big as it has been represented.
the number to three hundred and sixteen. The whole too little." See Bishop Wilkins's Essay towards a
of these would occupy but little room in the ark, for Philosophical Character and Language.
a small portion of earth, <^c., in the hold would be Verse 16. A ivindow shalt thou make] What this
sufficient for their accommodation. was cannot be absolutely ascertained. The original
Bishop Wilkins, who has written largely and with word "H^ i^oAar signifies clear or bright ; the Septua-
his usual accuracy on this subject, supposes that quad- gint translate it by ewiavvayuv, " collecting, thou shalt
rupeds do not amount to one hundred different kinds, make the ark," which plainly shows they did not un-
nor birds which could not live in the water to tivo hun- derstand the word as signifying any kind of window
dred. Of quadrupeds he shows that only seventy-tivo or light. Symmachus translates it di-acpaveg, a trans-
species needed a place in the ark, and the birds he parency ; and Aquila, /isari^lSpcvov, the noon. Jona-
divides into nine classes, including in the whole one than ben Uzziel supposes that it was a precious lumi-
hundred and ninety-five kinds, from which all the web- nous stone which Noah, by Divine. command, brought
footed should be deducted, as these could live in the from the river Pison. It is probably a word which
water. should be taken in a collective sense, signifying aper-
He computes all the carnivorous animals equivalent, tures for air and light.
as to the bulk of their bodies and food, to twenty-seven In a cubit shalt thou finish it above] Probably
wolves ; and all the rest to one hundred and eighty meaning that the roof should be left a cubit broad at
oxen. For the former he allows one thousand eight the apex or top, and that it should not terminate in a
hwidred and twenty-five sheep for their annual con- sharp ridge. But this place is variously understood.
sumption and for the latter, one hundred and nine
; Verse 17. / do bring a flood] /UD mabbul ; a ,"

thousand five hundred cubits of hay : these animals word used only to designate the general deluge, being
and their food will be easily contained in the two first never applied to signify any other kind of inundation ;
stories, and much room to spare as to the third story ; and does not the Holy Spirit intend to show by this
no person can doubt its being sufficient for the foivls, that no oi\iex flood was ever like this, and that it should
with Noah and his family. continue to be the sole one of the kind ? There
One sheep each day he judges will be sufficient for have been many partial inundations in various coun-
six wolves and a square cubit of hay, which contains
; tries, but never more than one general deluge ; and
forty-one pounds, as ordinarily pressed in our licks, we have God's promise, chap. ix. 15, that there shall
will be amply sufficient for one ox in the day. When never be another.
the quantum of room which these animals and their Verse 1 8 With thee ivill I establish my covenant"]
.

provender required for one year, is compared with the The word r\'"\^ berith, from "13 bar, to purify or cleanse,
capacity of the ark, we shall be lead to conclude, with signifies properly d, purification oy purifier, (see on chap.
the learned bishop, " that of the two it is more diffi- XV.,) because in all covenants made between God and
cult to assign a number and bulk of necessary things man, sin and sinfulness were ever siipposed to be on
to answer to the capacity of the ark, than to find man's side, and that God could not enter into any
sufficient room for the several species of animals and covenant or engagement with him without a purifier ;
their food already known to have been there." This hence, in all covenants, a sacrifice was offered for the
he attributes to the imperfection of our lists of animals, removal of offences, and the reconciliation of God to
especially those of the unknown parts of the earth the sinner and hence the word nn^ berith signifies
;

and adds, " that the most expert mathematicians at this not only a covenant, but also the sacrifice offered on
day," and he was one of the first in Europe, " could the occasion, Exod. xxiv. 8 Psalm 1. 5 and Jesus ; ;

not assign the proportion of a vessel better accommo- Christ, the great atonement and purifier, has the same
dated to the purpose than is here done ;" and concludes word for his title, Isa. xlii. 6 ;
xlix. 8 ;
and Zech.
thus " The capacity of the ark, which has been made
: ix. 11.
fifl
 — 1

Noah is ordered to preserve GENESIS. a pair of ex/ery kind of animals

b' C2468' ^^ ^^ ^^ every living thing of come unto thee, to keep tJipm A. M. 1536.

^two of every sort shalt

all flesh, alive.

thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive 2 And take thou unto thee of all food that
with thee they shall be male and female.
; is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee ; and
20 Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle it shall be for food for thee, and for them.
after their kind, of every creeping thing of the 22 ^ Thus did Noah ;
'
according to all that
earth after his kind, two of every sort ^ shall God commanded him, so did he.

f Chap. vii. 8, 9, 15, 16. s Chap. vii. 9, 15 ; see chap. ii. 19. •> Heb. xi. 7 ; see Exod. xl. 16. ' Chap. vii. 5, 9, 16.

Almost all nations, in forming alliances, &c., made salvation, Mark xvi. 16. To provide a Saviour, and
their covenants or contracts in the same way. A the means of salvation, is GOD'S part : to accept this
'aerifies was provided, its throat was cut, and its blood Saviour, laying hold on the hope set before us, is ours.
poured out before God then the whole carcass was
; Those who refuse the way and means of salvation
divided through the spinal marrow from the head to the must perish those who accept of the great Covenant
;

rump, so as to make exactly two equal parts these ; Sacrifice cannot perish, but shall have eternal life.
were placed opposite to each other, and the contracting See on chap. xv. 10, &c.
parties passed between them, or entering at opposite Verse 19. To keep them alive'] God might have
ends met in the centre, and there took the covenant destroyed all the animal creation, and created others
oath. This is particularly referred to by Jeremiah, occupy the new world, but he chose rather to pre-
to
chap, xxxiv. 18, 19, 20 "I will give the men (into
: The Creator and Pre
serve those already created.
the hands of their enemies, ver. 20) that have trans- server of the universe does nothing but what is essen-
gressed my covenant, which have not performed the tially necessary to be done. Nothing should be
words of the covenant which they made before wantonly wasted nor should power or skill be lavished ;

me, when they cut the calf in twain, and passed where no necessity exists and yet it required more ;

between the parts thereof,'''' <f-c. See also Deut. means and economy to preserve the old than to have
xxix. 12. created new ones. Such respect has God to the work
Acovenant, says Mr. Ainsworth, is a disposition of of his hands, that nothing but what is essential to the
good things faithfully declared, which God here calls credit of his justice and holiness shall ever induce
his, as arising from his grace towards Noah (ver. 8) him to destroy any thing he has made.
and all men but implying also conditions on man's
; Verse 2 1 Of all food that is eaten] That is, ot .

part, and therefore is called our covenant, Zech. ix. the food proper for every species of animals.
11. The apostles call it diaOrjKTi, a testament or dis- Verse 22. Thus did Noah] He prepared the ark ;
position; and it is mixed of the properties both of and during one hundred and twenty years preached
covenant and testament, as the apostle shows, Heb. ix. righteousness to that sinful generation, 2 Pet. ii. 5.
16, &c., and of both may be named a testamental And this we are informed, 1 Pet. iii. 18, 19, &c., he
covenant, whereby the disposing of God's favours and did by the Spirit of Christ ; for it was only througli
good things to us is declared. The covenant made him that the doctrine of repentance could ever be
with Noah signified, on God''s part, that he should save successfully preached. The people in Noah's time
Noah and his family from death by the ark. On Noah's are represented as shut up in prison arrested and —
part, that he should in faith and obedience make and condemned by God's justice, but graciously allowed the
enter into the ark Thou shalt come into the ark, dfc, space of one hundred and twenty j^ears to repent in.
so committing himself to God's preservation, Heb. xi. This respite was an act of great mercy and no doubt ;

7. And under this the covenant or testament of eter- thousands who died in the interim availed themselves
nal salvation by Christ was also implied, the apostle of it, and believed to the saving of their souls. But
testifying, 1 Pet. iii. 21, that the antitype, baptism, the great majority of the people did not, else the flood
doth also now save us ; for baptism is a seal of our had never come.

CHAPTER VII.

God informs Noah that within seven days he shall send a rain upon the earth, that shall continue for forty
days and nights ; and therefore commands him to take his family, loith the different clean and unclean animals,
and enter the ark, 1—4. This command punctually obeyed, 5—9. In the seventeenth day of the second
month, in the six hundredth year of NoaJis I'lfe, the waters, from the opened windows of heaven, and the
broken up fountains of the great deep, were poured out upon the earth, 10—12. The different quadrupeds,
fowls, and reptiles come unto Noah, and the Lord shuts him and them in, 13—16. The loaters increase,
and the ark floats, 17. The whole earth is covered with water fifteen cubits above the highest mountains,
18-20. All terrestrial animals die, 31-23. And the waters prevail one hundred and fifty days, 94.
70 a

I
 ;

The jlood comes in the six CHAP. VII. hundredth year of Noah''s life.

A. M. 1656
B. C. 2348
'•

A ND the Lord said unto Noah, when the flood of waters was upon 4" o' }^^^-
r>. 1^. 2348.

Come thou and all thy house the earth.

into the ark : for ^ thee have I seen righteous
before me in this generation.
2 Of «very •=
clean beast thou shalt take to
thee by ^ sevens, the male and his female
* and of beasts that are not clean by two, the

male and his female

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.

4 For yet seven days, and I will cause it to
upon ihe earth ^ forty days and forty
rain,

nights ; and every living substance that I

have made will I & destroy from oif the face

of the earth.
5 And Noah did according unto all
^^
that
theLord commanded him.
6 And Noah ivas six hundred years old

^'Ver.
 5
3 ;

The rain prevails GENESIS. on the earth forty days

^'
a,
o
C o^^o'
2348.
12° And
the rain was upon the ark, two and two of all. flesh,
bc'2348 ••_

earth forty days and forty nights. wherein is the breath of life.
1 In the self-same day p entered Noah, and 1 6 And they that went in, went in male and

Shem, and Ham, and Japheth, the sons of female of all flesh, ^ as God had commanded
Noah, and Noah's wife, and the three wives him and the Lord shut him in. :

of his sons with them, into the ark ;

17" And the flood was forty days upon the
14 1 They, and every beast after his kind, earth ; and the waters increased, and bare
and all the cattle after their kind, and every up the ark, and it was lift up above the
creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth earth.
after his kind, and every fowl after his kind, 18 And the waters prevailed, and were in-
every bird of every ' sort. creased greatly upon the earth ;
'^
and the ark
1 And they ^ went in unto Noah into the went upon the face of the waters.
> Heb. wing. -<
< Ver. 4, 17. p Ver. 1, 7 ; chap. vi. 18; Heb. xi. 7 ; 1 Pet. ^ Chap. vi. 20. ' Ver.
2, 3.- Ver. 4, 12
iii. 20 ; 2 Pet. ii. 5. q Ver. 2, 3, 8, 9. ^ Psa. civ. 26.

posed of two oxygen and hydrogen; and that 85

airs, whereas no animals or other substances belonging to
parts of the and 15 of the last, making 100 in
first the northern regions have been ever found in southern
the whole, will produce exactly 100 parts of water. climates. Had these animals died natural deaths in
And thus it is found that these two airs form the con- their proper climate, their bodies would not have been
stituent parts of water in the above proportions. The found in such masses. But that they were carried no
electric spark, which is the same as lightning, passing farther northward than Siberia, is evident from there
through these decomposes them and converts them
airs, being no remains of any animals besides those of
to water. And to this cause we may probably attribute whales found in the mountains of Greenland. That
the rain which immediately follows the flash of light- this great rush of loaters was from the south or south-
ning and peal of thunder. God therefore, by the means east is farther evident, he thinks, from the south and
of lightning, might have converted the whole atmo- south-east sides of almost all great mountains being
sphere into water, for the purpose of drowning the much steeper than their north or north-west sides, as
globe, had there not been a sufficiency of merely aqueous they necessarily would be if the force of a great body
vapours suspended in the atmosphere on the second day of water fell upon them in that direction." On a sub-
of creation. And if the electric fluid were used on ject like this men may innocently differ. Many think
this occasion for the production of water, the incessant the first opinion accords best with the Hebrew text and
glare of lightning, and the continual peals of thunder, with the phenomena of nature, for mountains do not
must have added indescribable horrors to the scene. always present the above appearance.
See the note on chap. viii. 1 These two causes con- . Verse 12. The rain ivas upon the earth"] Dr. Light-
curring were amply sufficient, not only to overflow the foot supposes that the rain began on the 18th day of
earth, but probably to dissolve the whole terrene fabric, the second month, or Marcheshvan, and that it ceased
as some judicious naturalists have supposed : indeed, on the 28th of the third month, Cisleu.
this seems determined by the word Suo rnabbul, trans- Verse 15. And they ivcnt in, <Sj-c.] It was physi-
lated Jlood, which is derived from Sd ial or hh2 lialal, cally impossible for Noah to have collected such a vast
to mix, mingle, confoimd, confuse, because the aqueous number of tame and ferocious animals, nor could they
and terrene parts of the globe were then mixed and have been retained in their wards by mere natural
confounded together and when the supernatural cause
;
means. How then were they brought from various
that produced this mighty change suspended its opera- distances to the ark and preserved there ? ^ Only bv
tions, the different particles of matter would settle ac- ^the power of God. He who first miraculously brought
cording to their specific gravities, and thus form the them to Adam that he might give them their names,
various strata or beds of which the earth appears to now brings them to Noah that he may preserve their
be internally constructed. Some naturalists have con- lives. And now we may reasonably suppose that their
troverted this sentiment, because in some cases the *
natural enmity was so far removed or suspended that
internal structure of the earth does not appear to jus- fthe lion might dwell with the lamb, and the wolf lie
tify the opinion that the various portions of matter had down with the kid, though each might still require his
settled according to their specific gravities ; but these peculiar aliment. This can be no difficulty to the
anomalies may easily be accounted for, from the great power of God, without the immediate interposition of
changes that have taken place in different parts of the which neither the deluge nor the concomitant circum-
earth since the Jlood, by volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, stances could have taken place.
&c. Some very eminent philosophers are of tlie Verse 16. The Lord shut him m.] This seems to im-
opinion " that, by the breaking tip of the fountains of ply that God took him under his especial protection,
the great deep, we are to understand an eruption of and as he shut him in, so he shut the others out.
waters from the Southern Ocean.'''' Mr. Kirwan sup- God had waited one hundred and twenty years upon
poses " that this is pretty evident from sucli animals as that generation they did not repent they filled up
; ;

the elephant and rhinoceros being found in great masses the measure of their iniquities, and then wrath came
in Siberia, mixed with diflTerent marine substances upon them to the (ittermost.
78
 ;

The waters subside after CHAP. VIII. one hundred and fifty days.

A. M. 1656. 19 And the waters prevailed of hfe, of all that was in the dry a. M. lese.
B. C. 2348. ',. ,
J B.C. 2348.
,
exceedingly upon the earth ;
"^
and Land, died.
all the high 23 And every living substance was destroy-
hills, that were under the whole
heaven, were covered. ed which was upon the face of the ground,
20 Fifteen cubits upward did the waters pre- both man, and cattle, and the creeping things,
vail and the mountains were covered.
;
and the fowl of the heaven and they were ;

21^ And all flesh died that moved upon the destroyed from the earth : and ^ Noah only
earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, remained alive, and they that were with jiim
and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon in the ark.
the earth, and every man : 24 ^ And the waters prevailed upon the
22 All in y Avhose nostrils was '^
the breath earth a hundred and fifty days.

« Psa. civ.6 Jer. iii. 23.

;
^ Chap. vi. 13, 17 ver. 4 ; Job ; the spirit of life ; chap. ii. 7 ; vii. 17. » Ezra xiv. 14, 20
x.\ii. 16 ; 2 Esd*. iii. 9, 10 ; Wisd. x. 4 ; Matt. xxiv. 39 ; Luke Mai. iii. 18; Wisd. x. 4 1 Pet. iii. 20 ;2 Pet. ii. 5; ; iii. 6.
xvii. 27 ; 2 Pet. iii. 6. 7 Chap. ii. 7. « Heb. the breath of ^ Chap. viii. 3, 4, compared with ver. 11 of this chapter.

Verse 20. Fifteen cubits upioard] Should any per- a hundred and fifty days.] The breaking up of the
son object to the universality of the deluge because he fountains of the great deep, and the raining forty days
may imagine there is not water sufficient to drown the and nights, had raised the waters above fifteen cubits
whole globe in the manner here related, he may find the highest mountains days it ap ; after which forty
a most satisfactory answer to all the objections he can pears to have continued at this height for one hundred
raise on this ground in Mr. Ray's Physico-theological and fifty days more. " So," says Dr. Lightfoot, "these
Discourses, 2d edit., 8vo., 1693. two sums are to be reckoned distinct, and not the forty
Verse 22. Of all that was in the dry land] From days included in the one hundred and fifty so that ;

this we may conclude that such animals only as when the one hundred and fifty days were ended, there
could not live in the water were preserved in were six months and ten days of the flood past." For
the ark. an improvement of this awful judgment, see the con-
Verse 24. And the waters prevailed upon the earth clusion of the following chapter.

CHAPTER Vni.
At hundred and fifty days the waters begin to subside, 1—3. The ark rests on Mount Ararat, 4.
the end of one
', 071 the first of the tenthmonth the tops of the hills appear, 5. The window opened and the raven sent
out, 6, 7. The dove sent forth, and returns, 8, 9. The dove sent forth a second time, and returns with
an olive leaf, 10, 11. The dove sent out the third time, and returns no more, 12. On the twentieth day
of the second month the earth is completely dried, 13, 14. God orders Noah, his family, and all the
creatures to come out of the ark, 15-19. Noah builds an altar, and offers sacrifices to the Lord, 20.
They are accepted ; and God promises that the earth shall not be cursed thus any more, notwitstanding
'^
the iniquity of man, 21, 22.

M.
C. 2348.
1656.
AND God ''remembered Noah, windows
, , ,
of heaven were stopped,
.
i^i^
. '
^B. !^- '^^•
C. 2348.
,
and every living thing, and all and ° the rain Irom heaven was
the cattle that toas with him in the ark : "^and restrained ;

God made a wind to pass over the earth, and 3 And the waters returned from off the earth
the waters assuaged ;
^ continually : and after the end ^ of the hun-
2 •=
The fountains also of the deep and the dred and fifty days, the waters were abated.
» Chap. xix. 29 ; Exod. ii. 24 1 Sam. i. 19.
;
b Exod. xiv. •Job xxxviii. 37. >=
Heb. ingoing and returning. f
Chap.
21. Chap. xi. 7
"=
Prov. viii.; 28. vii. 24.

NOTES ON CHAP. VIII. samiel, passing rapidly across the river just as he had
Verse 1. And God made a wind to pass over the got out of the water, so effectually dried him in a mo-
earth] Such a wind as produced a strong and sudden ment, that not one particle of moisture was left either
evaporation. The effects of the.se winds, which are on his body or in his bathing dress With such an !

frequent in the east, are truly astonishing. A friend electrified wind as this, how soon could God dry the
of mine, who had been bathing in the Tigris, not far whole of the earth's surface An operation some- !

from the ancient city of Ctesiphon, and whhin five thing similar to the conversion of water into its two
days' journey of Bagdad, having on a pair of Turkish constituent airs, oxygen and hydrogen, by means of
drawers, one of these hot winds, called by the natives the galvanic fluid, as these airs themselves may be
73
 2
1

The ark rests upon Mount Ararat. GENESIS. The raven and dove sent forth

whole earth then he put forth his A. M. 1656.

A. M. 1656. 4 And the ark rested in the seventh ;
B. C. 2348.
B. C. 2348.
month, on the seventeenth day of hand, and took her, and ^ pulled
the month, upon the mountains of Ararat. her in unto him into the ark.
5 And the waters ^decreased continually 1 And he stayed yet other seven days and ;

until the tenth month in the tenth month, on again he sent forth the dove out of the ark
: ;

the first day of the month, were the tops of 1 And the dove came in to him in the
the mountains seen. evening ; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive

6 came to pass, at the end of forty leaf pluckt off.

And it
the So Noah knew that

days, that Noah opened ^ the window of the waters were abated from off the earth.

ark which he had made : 1 And he stayed yet other seven days, and
7 And he sent forth a raven, which went sent forth the dove which returned not again ;

forth '
to and fro, until the waters were dried unto him any more.
up from off the earth. 13 And it came to pass in the g c! 2347.
8 Also he sent forth a dove from him, to six hundredth ^and first year, in
,»ee if the waters were abated from off the face the first month, the first day of the
month, the
of the ground ;
waters were dried up from oif the earth and :

9 But the dove found no rest for the sole of Noah removed the covering of the ark, and
her foot, and she returned unto him into the looked, and, behold, the face of the ground
ark, for the waters were on the face of the was dry.

B Heb. were in going and decreasing. ^ Chap. vi. 16. ' Heb. Chap.
*- Heb. caused her to come. ' vii. 11.
in going forth and reluming.

reconverted into water by means of the electric spark. this curious conclusion That the ark drew exactly
:

See the note on chap. vii. 11. And probably this eleven cubits of water. On
the first day of the month

was the agent that restored to the atmosphere the Ah the mountain tops were first seen, and then the
quantity of water which it had contributed to this vast waters had fallen fifteen cubits ; for so high had they
inundation. other portion of waters, which had
The prevailed above the tops of the mountains. This de-
proceeded from the breaking up of the fountains of the crease in the waters took up sixty days, namely, from
great deep, would of course subside more slowly, as the first so that they appear to have abated
of Sivan ;

openings were made for them to run off from the in the proportionof one cubit in four days. On the
higher lands, and form seas. By the first cause, the 16th of Sivan they had abated but four cubits ; and
hot wind, the waters ivere assuaged, and the atmo- yet on the next day the ark rested on one of the hills,
sphere having its due proportion of vapours restored, when the waters must have been as yet eleven cubits
the quantity Ijelow must be greatly lessened. By the above it. Thus it appears that the ark drew eleven
second, the earth was gradually dried, the waters, as cubits of water.
they found passage, lessening by degrees till the seas Verse 7. He sent forth a raven, ivhich went forth to
and gulfs were formed, and the earth completely and fro] It is generally supposed that the raven^ejo
drained. This appears to be what is intended in the off,and was seen no more, but this meaning the He-
brew text will not bear DIB'I Nlif NX'1 vaiyetse yatso
third and fifth verses by the waters decreasing continu-
;

ally, or, according to the margin, they ivere in going vashob, and it went forth, going forth and returning.

and decreasing, ver. 5. From which it is evident that she did return, but luas
Verse 4. The mountains of Ararat.] That Ararat not taken into the ark. She made frequent excur-
was a mountain of Armenia is almost universally sions, and continued on the wing as long as she could,
agreed. What is commonly thought to be the Ararat having picked up such aliment as she found floating
of the Scriptures, has been visited by many travellers, on the waters; and then, to rest herself, regained the
and on it there are several monasteries. For a long ark, where she might perch, though she was not ad-
time the world has been amused with reports that the mitted. Indeed this must be allowed, as it is impos-
remains of the ark were still visible there but Mr. ,
sible she could have continued twenty-one days upon

Tournefort, a famous French naturalist, who was on the wing, which she must have done had she not re-
turned. But the text itself is sufficiently determinate.
the spot, assures us that nothing of the kind is there
to be seen. As there is a great chain of mountains Verse 8. He sent forth a dove] The dove was sent

which are called by this name, it is impossible to de- iorih. thrice ; i\ve first Umc
she 5;»eerfi7y returned, having,
termine on what part of them the ark rested but the ;
in all probability, gone but a little way from the ark,

highest part, called by some the finger jnounlain, has as she must naturally be terrified at the appearance of
been fixed on as the most likely place. These things the waters. After seven days, being sent out a second
we must leave, and they are certainly of very little time, she returned with an olive leaf pluckt off, ver.

consequence. 11, an emblem of the restoration of peace between

From the circumstance of the resting of the ark on God and the earth; and from this circumst.ince the
the 17th of the seventh montli. Dr. Lightfoot draws olive has been the emblem of peace among all civilized
74 a
 6 9
1 :

NoaKs family leave the ark. CHAP. VIII. He offers a sacrifice to God.

A. M. 1657. 14 And second month, on Every beast, every creeping 1^57.

B. C. 2347.
in the 1
^ ^-
the seven and twentieth day of the thing, and every fowl, and what-
month, was the earth dried. soever creepeth upon the earth, after their
15 And God spake unto Noah, saying, p kinds, went forth out of the ark.

1 Go forth of the ark, "" thou, and thy wife, 20 And Noah builded an altar unto the
and thy sons, and thy sons' wives with thee. Lord and took of i every clean beast, and of ;

17 Bring forth with thee " every living thing every clean fowl, and offered burnt-ofTerings
that is with thee, of all flesh, both of fowl, on the altar.
and of and of every creeping thing that
cattle, 2 And the Lord smelled ^ a ^ sweet savour
creepeth upon the earth that they may breed and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again
;

abundantly in the earth, and ° be fruitful, and * curse the ground any more for man's sake ;

multiply upon the earth. " for the " imagination of man's heart is evil

18 And Noah went forth, and his sons, and from his youth ^ neither will I again smite ;

his wife, and his sons' wives with him : any more every thing living, as I have done.

" Chap. vii. 13. ° Chap. vii. 15. » Chap. i. 22. P Heb. 17. " Or, though. ^ Chap. vi. 5 ; Job xiv. 4 ; xv. 14 ; Psa.
families. iLev. xi. Lev. i. 9
^ Ezek. xx. 41
; ; 2 Cor. ii. li. 5; Jer. xvii. 9 ; Matt. xv. 19; Rom. i. 21; iii. 23. "'Chap.
15; £ph. V. 2. » Heb. a savour of rest. 'Chap. iii. 17; vi. ix. 11, 15.

nations. At the end of the other seven days the dove, worshipping the Divine Being, is the invention or in-
being sent out the tJw-d time, returned no more, from stitution of God himself; and sacrifice, in the act and
which Noah conjectured that the earth was now suffi- design, is the essence of religion. Without sacrifice,
ciently drained, and therefore removed the covering of actually offered or implied, there never was, there
the ark, which probably gave liberty to many of the never can be, any religion. Even in the heavens, a
fowls to fly which circumstance would afford him
off, lamb is represented before the throne of God as newly
the greater facility in making arrangements for disem- slain, Rev. v. 6, 12, 13. The design of sacrificing is
barking the beasts and reptiles, and heavy-bodied do- two-fold the slaying and burning of the victim point
:

mestic fowls, which might yet remain. See verse 17. out, 1st, that the life of the sinner is forfeited to Di-
Verse 14. And in the second month, on the seven vine justice ; 2dly, that his soul deserves the fire of
and twentieth day] From this it appears that Noah perdition.
was in the ark a complete solar year, or three hundred The Jews have a tradition that the place where
and sixty-five days for he entered the ark the 1 7th
; Noah built his altar was the same in which the altar
day of the second month, in the six hundredth year of stood which was built by Adam, and used by Cain and
his life, chap. vii. 11, 13, and continued in it till the Abel, and the same spot on which Abraham afterwards
27th day of the second month, in the six hundredth offered up his son Isaac.
and first year of his life, as we see above. The months The word HDTO mizbach, which we render altar,
of the ancient Hebrews were lunar the first six con- ; signifies properly place for sacrifice, as the root nUT
2.

sisted of thirty days each, the latter six of twenty- zabach signifies simply to slay. Altar comes from the
nine ; the whole twelve months making three hundred Latin alius, high or elevated, because places for sacri-
and fifty -four days add
days, (for though
: to this eleven fice were generally either raised very high or built on
he entered the ark the preceding year on the seven- the tops of hills and mountains ; hence they are called
teenth day of the second month, he did not come out high places in the Scriptures ; but such were chiefly
till the twenty-seventh of the same month in the fol- used for idolatrous purposes.
lowing year,) which make exactly three hundred and Burnt-offerings] See the meaning of every kind
sixty-five days, the period of a complete solar revolu- of offering and sacrifice largely explained on Lev. vii.
tion ;the odd hours and minutes, as being fractions of Verse 2 1 The Lord smelled a sweet savour] That
.

time, noncomputed, though very likely all included in is, he vyas well pleased with this religious act, per-
the account. This year, according to the Hebrew formed in obedience to his own appointment, and in
computation, was the one thousand six hundred and faith of the promised Saviour. That this sacrifice pre-
fifty-seventh year from the creation but according to ; figured that which was offered by our blessed Redeemer
the reckoning of the Septuagint it was the two thou- in behalf of the world, is sufficiently evident fi-om the
sand two hundred and forty-second, and according to words of St. Paul, Eph. v. 2 Chi-ist hath loved us, :

Dr. Hales, the two thousand two hundred and and given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice
fifty-
sixth. See on chap. xi. 12. to God for a sweet-smelling savour where the ;

Verse 20. Noah builded an altar] As we have words o(j/j.7]v evudiac of the apostle are the very words
already seen that Adam, Cain, and Abel, offered sacri- used by the Septuagint in this place.
fices, there can be no doubt that they had altaj-s on I will not again curse the ground] HDX N^ lo osiph,
which they offered them but this, builded by Noah, I ivill not add to curse the ground
is certainly the fijst on record.
;
there shall not be
It is worthy of re- another deluge to destroy the whole earth
—
for the ;

mark that, as the old world began with sacrifice, so imagination of mail's heart, O ki, although the ima-
also did the new. Religion, or the proper mode of gination of man's heart should be evil, i. e, should they
a 75
 The promise respecting the GENESIS. regulation of the seasons
A. M. 1657.
B. C. 2347.
22 "^
While the earth y remaiiieth, heat, and summer and winter, and 4- ^- 1^57.
B. C. 2347.
seed-time and harvest, and cold and ^ day and night, shall not cease.
*Isa. liv. 8. 7 Heb. as yet all the days of the earth. z Jer. xxxiii. 20, 25.

become afterwards as they have been before, I

evil as has the destruction of the world by water given of the
will not destroy the earth by a flood. God has other Divine justice, such convincing testimony of the truth
means of destruction and the next time he visits by
;
of the sacred writings, that not only every part of the
a general judgment, fire is to be the agent. 2 Pet. earth gives testimony of this extraordinary revolution,
iii. 7.
but also every nation of the universe has preserved
Verse 22. While the earth remaineth, seed-time and records or traditions of this awful display of the jus-
harvest, cf-c] There is something very expressive in tice of God.
the original, ]nxn 'r3' Sj !; od col yemey haarets, until
A
multitude of testimonies, collected from the most
all the DAYS of the earth for God does not reckon its
;
authentic sources in the heathen world, I had intended
duration by centuries, and the words themselves afford for insertion in this place, but want of room obliges me
a strong presumption that the earth shall not have an to lay them aside. But the state of the earth itself
endless duration. is a sufficient proof. Every part of it bears unequivo-
Seed-time and harvest.
seasons, which were distinctly marked immediately
—
very probable that the It is cal evidence of disruption and violence. From the
hand of the God of order never could have proceeded
it
after the deluge, are mentioned in this place but it is ; in its present state. In every part we see marks of
difficult to ascertain them. Most European nations the crimes of men, and of the justice of God. And
divide the year into four distinct parts, called quarters
shall not the living lay this to heart ] Surely God is
or seasons ; but there are six divisions in the text, and
not mocked ; that which a man soweth he shall reap.
probably all intended to describe the seasons in one of He who soweth to the flesh shall of it reap destruc-
these postdiluvian years, particularly in that part of the tion and though the plague of water shall no more
;

globe, Armenia, where Noah was when God gave him, destroy the earth, yet an equal if not sorer punishment
and mankind through him, this gracious promise. From awaits the world of the ungodly, in the threatened de
the Targum of Jonathan on this verse we learn that
struction by fire.
in Palestine their seed-time was in September, at the
In ancient times almost every thing was typicaL
autumnal equinox their harvest in March, at the ver-
;
and no doubt the ark among the rest but of tvhat and ;

nal equinox that their winter began in December, at

;
in ivhat loay farther than revelation guides, it is both
the solstice and their summer at the solstice in June.
;
difficult and unsafe to say. has been considered a
It
The Copts begin their autumn on the 15th of Sep- type of our blessed Lord and hence it has been ob-
;

tember, and extend it to the 15th of December. Their

served, that " as all those who were out of the ark
winter on the 15th of December, and extend it to the perished by the flood, so those who take not refuge in
15th of March. Their spring on the 15th of March, the meritorious atonement of Christ Jesus must perish
and extend it to the 15th of June. Their summer on everlastingly." Of all those who, having the oppor-
the 15th of June, and extend it to the 15th of Septem-
tunity of hearing the Gospel, refuse to accept of the
ber, assigning to each season three complete months.
sacrifice them, this saying is true
it offers but the ;

Calmet.
parallel is Myriads of those who perished
not good.
There are certainly regions of the earth to which during the flood probably repented, implored mercy,
neither this nor our own mode of division can apply : and found forgiveness for God ever delights to save,
;

there are some where summer and wijiter appear to and Jesus was the Lamb slain from the foundation of
divide the whole year, and others where, besides sum-
the world. And though, generally, the people con-
mer, winter, autumn, and spring, there are distinct tinued in carnal security and sensual gratifications till
seasons that may be denominated the hot season, the the flood came, there is much reason to believe that
cold season, the rainy season, &c., &c. those who during the forty days'" rain would naturally
This is a very merciful promise to the inhabitants flee to the high lands and tops of the highest moun-
of the earth. There may be a variety in the seasons, tains,would earnestly implore that mercy which has
but no season essentially necessary to vegetation shall never been denied, even to the most profligate, when
utterly fail. The times which are of greatest con.se- under deep humiliation of heart they have returned to
quence to the preservation of man are distinctly noted
God. And who can say that this was not done by
there shall be both seed-time and harvest a proper
time to deposit the different grain in the earth, and a
— ;

multitudes while they beheld the increasing flood or ;

that God, in this last extremity, had rendered it im-

proper time to reap the produce of this seed. possible 1

Thus ends the account of the general deluge, its

iii. 21, makes the ark a figure
St. Peter, 1st Epist.
cause, circumstances, and consequences. An account of baptism, and intimates that we are saved by this, as
that seems to say to us, Behold the goodness and
the eight souls were saved by the ark. But let us not
severity of God ! Both his justice and long-suffering mistake the apostle by supposing that the mere cere'
are particularly marked
in this astonishing event. mony itself saves any person he tells us that the sal- ;

His justice, punishment of the incorrigibly vation conveyed through this sacred rite is not the
in the
wicked and his mercy, in giving them, so fair and full
;
putting away the filth of the flesh, but the ansiver of a
a warning, and in waiting so lonp to extend his grace good
conscience toward God ; i. e. remission of sins
to all who might seek him. Such a convincing proof and regeneration by the Holy Spirit, which are signi-
7fi a
 . .

God blesses Noah and his sons. CHAP: IX. Eating of blood forbidden

fiedby this baptism A good conscience never ex- give sins, and that no ordinance can confer it, though
istedwhere remission of sins had not taken place and ordinances may be the means to convey it when piously
;

every person knows that it is God's prerogative to for- and believingly used.

CHAPTER IX.

God blesses Noah and his sons, 1. The brute creation to be subject to them through fear, 2. The first grant
of animal food, Eating of blood forbidden, 4.
3. Cruelty to animals forbidden, 5. A man-slayer to
forfeit his life, 6. The covenant of God established between him and Noah and the whole brute creation,
8—11. The rainbow given as the sign and pledge of this covenant, 12-17. The three sons of Noah
people the whole earth, 18, 19. Noah plants a vineyard, drinks of the wine, is intoxicated, and lies exposed
in his tent, 20, 21. The reprehensible conduct of Ham, 22. The laudable carriage of Shem and Japheih,
23. Noah prophetically declares the servitude of the posterity of Ham, 24, 25 and the dignity and ;

increase of Shem and Japheth, 26, 27. The age and death of Noah, 28, 29.

^°^ blessed Noah and his of the sea into your hand are they ^ ^-
b: a 234?: A^^^ ;
^^^!J-
sons, and said unto them, ^ Be delivered.
and multiply, and replenish the earth.
fruitful, 3 * Every movmg thing that hveth shall be
2 ^ And
the fear of you and the dread of meat for you even as the ^ gi-een herb have ;

you shall be upon every beast of the earth, I given you ^ all things :

and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that 4 ^ But flesh with the life thereof, lohich is
moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.
"Chap. i. 28; ver. 7, 19; chap. x. 32. ^ Chap. i. 28; e Rom. xiv. 14, 20 1 Cor. x. 23, 26
; Col. ii. 16 1 Tim. iv.
; ;

Hos. ii. 18. <:Deut. xii. 15; xiv. 3, 9, 11; Acts x. J2, 13. 3,4. fLev. xvii. 10, 11, 14; xix. 26; Deut. xii. 23 1 Sam. ;

i Chap. i. 29. xiv. 34 ; Acts xv. 20, 29.

NOTES ON CHAP. IX. the sea. How

wise and gracious is this order of the
Verse 1 . God blessed Noah] Even the increase of Divine providence and with what thankfulness should
!

which appears to depend on merely natural

families, it be considered by every human being

means, and sometimes fortuitous circumstances, is all Verse 3. Every moving thing shall be meat] There — !

of God. It is by his power and wisdom that the hu- is no positive evidence that animal food was ever used

man being is formed, and it is by his providence alone before the flood. Noah had the first grant of this kind,
that man is supported and preserved and it has been continued to all his posterity ever since.
Verse 2. The fear of you and the dread, dfc] Prior It is not likely that this grant would have been now
to the fall, man ruled the inferior animals by love and made if some extraordinary alteration had not taken (

kindness, for then gentleness and docility were their place in the vegetable world, so as to render its pro-
principal characteristics. After the fall, untractable- ductions less nutritive than they were before and ;

ness, with savage ferocity, prevailed among almost all probably such a change in the constitution of man as
orders of the brute creation enmity to man seems
; to render a grosser and higher diet necessary. We
particularly to prevail and had not God in his mercy
; may therefore safely infer that the earth was less pro-
impressed their minds with the ^ea?' and <e?Tor of man, ductive after the flood than it was before, and that the
so that some submit to his will while others ^ee from human constitution was greatly impaired by the altera-
his residence, the human
race would long ere this have tions which had taken place through the whole econo-
been by the beasts of the field. Did
totally destroyed my of nature. Morbid debility, induced by an often
the horse know his own strength, and the weakness unfriendly state of the atmosphere, with sore and long-
of the miserable wretch who unmercifully rides, drives, continued labour, would necessarily require a higher
whips, goads, and oppresses him, would he not with nutriment than vegetables could supply. That this
one stroke of his hoof destroy his tyrant possessor ? was the case appears sufficiently clear from the grant
But while God hides these things from him he im- of animal food, which, had it not been indispensably
presses his mind with the fear of his owner, so that necessary, had not been made. That the constitution
either by cheerful or sullen submission he is trained of man was then much altered appears in the greatly
up for, and employed in, the most useful and impor- contracted lives of the postdiluvians ;
yet from the
tant purposes and even vi'illingly submits, when tortured
; deluge to the days of Abraham -the lives of several of
foi the sport and amusement of his more bruitish op- the patriarchs amounted to some hundreds of years ,

pressor. Tigers, wolves, lions, and hyaenas, the de- but this was the effect of a. peculiar providence, that the
terminate foes of man, incapable of being tamed or do- new world might be the more speedily repeopled.
mesticated, flee, through the principle of terror, from Verse 4. But flesh ivith the life thereof, which is
the dwelling of man, and thus he is providentially safe. the blood] Though animal food was granted, yet the
Hence, by fear and by dread man rules every beast blood was most solemnly forbidden, because it was the
of the earth, every fowl of the air, and every fish of life of the beast, and this life was to be offered to God
 . : 1 ; —

Punishment for murdei GENESIS. Gocfs covenant with Noah

9 AndT, -^behold, I estabhsh °my

^ ^^^^ surely your blood of your
b' c
'
2347' bc"S'
covenant with you, and with your
lives will I require ; ^ at the hand
of every beast w^ill I require it, and ^ at the seed after you
P And with every living creature that is
hand of man at the hand of every man's
; 1 '

brother -will I require the life of man with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of
6 ^ Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man every beast of the earth with you ; from all
shall his blood be shed ;
'
for in the image of that go out of the ark, to every beast of the
God made he man. earth.
7 And you, ^ be ye fruitful, and multiply 1 And 1 1 will establish my covenant with
bring forth abundantly in the earth, and mul- you : neither shall all flesh be cut off any
tiply therein. more by the waters of a flood neither shall ;

8 And God spake unto Noah, and to his there any more be a flood to destroy tht-
sons with him, saying. earth.

e Exod. xxi. 28. •>

Chap. iv. 9, 10 Psa. ix. 12. ;
> Acts Rev. xiii. 10. 1 Chap. i. 27. " Ver. 1, 19; chap. i. 28
XV- ;. 26. ''Exod. xxi. 12, 14; Lev. xxiv. 17; Matt. xxvi. 52; "Chap. vi. 18. Isa. liv. 9. P Psa. cxlv. 9. q Isa. liv.9

as an atonement for Hence the blood was ever cock-fighters shall be obliged to give an account to God
sin.

held sacred, because was the grand instrument of for every creature they have wantonly destroyed. In-
it

expiation, and because it was typical of that blood by stead of rrri chaiyah, "beast," the Samaritan reads
which we enter into the holiest. 1 . Before the deluge nV^ chat, " living," any " living creature or per-
it was not eaten, because animal food was not in use. son ;" this makes a very good sense, and equally forbids
2 After the deluge it was prohibited, as we find cruelty either to men or brutes.
above and, being one of the seven Noahic precepts, it
; Verse 6. Whoso sheddeth man''s blood, by man shall
was not eaten previously to the publication of the Mo- his blood] Hence it appears that whoever kills a man,
saic law. 3. At the giving of the law, and at several unless unwittingly, as the Scripture expresses it, shall
times during the ministry of Moses, the prohibition was forfeit his own life.

most solemnly, and with awful penalties renewed. A man

accused of the crime of murder of this
is ;

Hence we may rest assured that no blood was eaten crime he guilty or he is not
is if he be guilty of :

previously to the Christian era, nor indeed ever since murder he should die if not, let him be punished ac-
^

by the Jewish people. 4. That the prohibition has cording to the demerit of his crime but for no offence ;

been renewed under the Christian dispensation, can but murder should he lose his life. Taking away the
admit of little doubt by any man who dispassionately/ life of another is the highest offence that can be com-

reads Acts xv. 20, 29 ; xxi. 25, where even the Gen- mitted against the individual, and against society and ;

tile converts are charged to abstain from it on the au- the highest punishment that a man can suffer for such
thority, not only of the apostles, but of the Holy Ghost, a crime is the loss of his own life. As punishment
who gave them there and then especial direction con- should be ever proportioned to crimes, so the highest
cerning this point see Acts xv. 28 not for fear of
; ; pimishment due to the highest crime should not be in-
stumhling the converted Jews, the gloss of theolo- flicted for a minor offence. The law of God and the
gians, but because it was one tuv eiravayKeg tovtuv, eternal dictates of reason say, that if a man kill
of those necessary points, from the burden {(iapog) of another, the loss of his own life is at once the highest
obedience which they could not be excused. 5. This
to penalty he can pay, and an equivalent for his offence
command scrupulously obeyed by the oriental
is still as far as civil society is concerned. If the death of
Christians, and by the whole Greek Church and why ? ; the murderer be the highest penalty he can pay for the
because the reasons still subsist. No blood was eaten murder he has committed, then the infliction of this
under the law, because it pointed out the blood that punishment for any minor offence is injustice and
toas to be shed for the sin of the world and under the ; cruelty ; and serves only to confound the claims of
Gospel it should not be eaten, because it should ever be justice, the different degrees of moral turpitude and
considered as representing the blood ivhichhas been shed vice, and to render the profligate desperate hence the :

for the remission of sins. If the eaters of blood in gene- adage so frequent among almost every order of delin-
ral knew that it affords a very crude, almost indigestible, quents, " It is as good to be hanged for a sheep as a
and unwholesome aliment, they certainly would not on lamb ;" which at once marks their desperation, and the
these physical reasons, leaving moral considerations out injustice of those penal laws which inflict the highest
of the question, be so much attached to the consumption punishment for almost every species of crime. When
of that from w^hich they could expect no wholesome nu- shall a wise and judicious legislature see the absurdity
triment, a nd which, to render it even pleasing to the palate, and injustice of inflicting the punishment of death for
requires all the skill of the cook. See Lev. xvii. 2. stealing a sheep or a horse, forging a twenty shillings^
Verse 5. Surely your blood will I require ; at the — note,and murdering a man when the latter, in its ;

hand of every beast] This is very obscure, but if taken moral turpitude and ruinous consequences, infinitely
literally it seems to be an awful warning against cru- exceeds the others 1*
elty to the brute creation and from it we may con- ;
* On this head the doctor's pious wish has been realized since
clude that horse-racers, hare-hunters, bull-baiters, and this paragraph was written. Publishers.
78 a
 5 . 6

The rainbow is given as a sign CHAP. IX. of GucVs covenant icUh Noah.

A. M. 1657. 12 And God said, "^

This is the ture of all flesh and the waters ;
^ ^-
B. C. 2347.
JgJ
token of the covenant which I make shall no more become a flood to
between me and you and every hving creature destroy all flesh.

that is with you, for perpetual generations : 1 And the bow shall be in the cloud ; and
13 I do set ^my bow in the cloud, and it I will look upon it, that Imay remember ' the
shall be for a token of a covenant between everlasting covenant between God and every
me and the earth. living creature of all flesh that is upon the
14 * And it shall come to pass, when I bring earth.

a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be Noah, This is the
17 And God said unto

seen in the cloud :

token of the covenant which I have established

1 And " I will remember my covenant which between me and all flesh that is upon the

is between me and you and every living crea- earth.

" Ecclus. « Exod. xxviii. 12 Lev. xxvi. 42, 45 Ezek. xvi. 60. ' Chap.
Chapter xvii. 11.- '
Revelation iv. 3.- -' xliii. ; ;

11, 12. xvii. 13, 19.

Verse 13. I do set my how in the cloud] On the but thatwhat was formerly created, or rather that
origin and nature of the rainbow there had been a which was the necessary effect, in certain cases, of the
great variety of conjectures, till Anthony de Dominis, creation of the sun and atmosphere, should now be
bishop of Spalatro, in a treatise of his published by considered by them as an unfailing token of their con-
Bartholus in 1611, partly suggested the true cause of tinual preservation from the waters of a deluge ;
there-

this phenomenon, which was afterwards fully explained fore the text speaks of what had already been done,
and demonstrated by Sir Isaac Newton. To enter into and not of what was now done, TinO ^TWTi kashti na-
this subject here in detail would be improper and ; thatti, " My bow I have given, or put in the cloud ;"
therefore the less informed reader must have recourse as if he said As surely as the rainbow is a necessary
:

to treatises on Optics for its full explanation. To effect of sunshine in rain, and must continue such as
readers in general it may be sufficient to say that the long as the sun and atmosphere endure, so surely shall
rainbow isa mere natural effect of a natural cause : this earth be preserved from destruction by water and ;

1. It is never seen but in showery weather. 2. Nor its preservation shall be as necessary an effect of my

then unless the sun shines. 3. It never appears in any promise as the rainbow is of the shining of the sun
part of the heavens but in that opposite to the sun. 4. during a shower of rain.
Itnever appears greater than a semicircle, but often Verse 17. This is the token] mx o<A, The Divine
much less. 5. It is always double, there being what sign or portent : The boiv shall be in the cloud. For
is called the superior and inferior, or primary and the reasons above specified it must be there, when the
secondary Tz\.r^ow. 6. These bows exhibit the ^eiJen circumstances already mentioned occur; if therefore
prismatic colours, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, in- it cannot fail because of the reasons before assigned,

digo, and violet. 7. The whole of this phenomenon no more shall my promise and the bow shall be the ;

depends on the rays of the sun falling on spherical proof of its perpetuity.
drops of Water, and being in their passage through Both the Greeks and Latins, as well as the Hebrews,
them, refracted and reflected. have ever considered the rainbow as a Divine token or
The formation of the primary and secondary rain- portent and both of these nations have even deified ;

bow depends on the two following propositions ; 1 it, and made it a messenger of the gods.
When the sun shines on the drops of rain as they are Homer, II. xi., ver. 27, speaking of the figures on
falling, the rays that come from those drops to-the eye Agamemnon's breastplate, says there were three
of the spectator, after one reflection and two refrac- dragons, whose colours were
tions, "pxo^wcethe primary x^Anhow. 2. When the sun
-ipiaaiv EOiKOTeg, aq re Kpovuv.
shines on the drops of rain as they are falling, the rays
Ev ve(pEL ffTTjpi^e, repag /leponuv avOpunuv.
that come from those drops to the eye of the specta-
tor, after two reflections and two refractions, produce " like to the rainbow which the son of Saturn haa
the secondary rainbow. The illustration of these pro- placed in the cloud as a sign to mankind," or to men
positions must be sought in treatises on Optics, assisted of various languages, for so the fiEporruv avdpuiruv of
by plates. the poet has been understood. Some have thought
From the well-known cause of this phenomenon it that the ancient Greek writers give this epithet to man
cannot be rationally supposed that there was no rain- from some tradition of the confusion and multiplication
bow in the heavens before the time mentioned
in the of tongues at Babel hence in ;
this place the words
text, for as the rainbow
the natural effect of the
is may be understood as implying mankind at large, the
sun's rays falling on drops of water, and of their being whole human race God having given the rainbow for
;

refracted and reflected by them, it must have appeared a sign to all the descendants of Noah, by whom the
at different times from the creation of the sun and the whole earth was peopled after the flood. Thus the
atmosphere. Nor does the text intimate that the bow celestial bow speaks a universal language, understood
was now created for a sign to Noah and his posterity by all the sons and daughters of Adam. Virgil, from
;

a 79
 — — !

NoaJi's sons people the earth. GENESIS. The intoxication of Noah

A. M. 1657 And the sons of Noah, that 21 And he drank of the wine, ^-
18 4' ^Hf*
2347.
B. C. 2347.
went forth of the ark, were Shem, ° and was drunken and he was ;

and Ham, and Japheth :

"^
and Ham is the uncovered within his tent.

father of ^ Canaan. saw the 22 And Ham, the father of Canaan,

19 These are the three sons of Noah: nakedness of his father, and told his two
y
'
and of them was the whole earth overspread. brethren without.
20 And Noah began to be ^ a husbandman, 23 And Shem and Japheth took a garment, "=

and he planted a vineyard and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went
:

"^ Chap. X. 6. "Heb. Chmaan. >'

Chap. v. 32. » Chap. V. 29; Prov. x. 11 ; xii. 11; Ecclus. v. 9. -b Prov. XX. 1
viii. 17; x.32; 1 Chron. i. 4, &c. ^ Chap. iii. 19,23 iv. 2;
; 1 Cor. X. 12. 'Exod. xx. 12; Gal. vi. 1.

some disguised traditionary figure of the truth, con- Verse 21. He drank of the wine, <^c.] It is very
siders the rainbow as a messenger of the gods. ^n. probable that this time the vine was cul-
was the first

v., ver. 606 :

tivated and it is as probable that the strength or in-
;

toxicating power of the expressed juice was never

Irim de c(kIo niisit Saturnia Juno.
before known. Noah, therefore, might have drunk it
" Juno, the daughter of Saturn, sent down the rain- at this time without the least blame, as he knew not
bow from heaven ;" and again, ^n. ix., ver. 803 :

till this trial the effects it would produce. I once knew

aeriam cash nam Jupiter Irim a case which I believe to be perfectly parallel. A
Demisit. person who had scarcely ever heard of cider, and whose
beverage through his whole life had been only 7nilk or
" For Jupiter sent down the ethereal rainbow from
ivater, coming wet and very much fatigued to a far-
heaven.''
mer's house in Somersetshire, begged for a little water
It is worthy of remark that both these poets under- or milk. The good woman of the house, seeing him
stood the rainbow to be a sign^ ivarning, or portent very much exhausted, kindly said, " I will give you a
from heaven. little cider,which will do you more good." The ho-
As I believe the rainbow to have been intended nest man, understanding no more of cider than merely
solely for the purpose mentioned in the text, I forbear that it was the simple juice of apples, after some hesi-
to make spiritual uses and illustrations of it. Many tation drank about a half a pint of it the consequence ;

have done and their observations may be very

this, was, that in less than half an hour he was perfectly
edifying, but they certainly have no foundation in the intoxicated, and could neither speak plain nor walk
text. This case I myself witnessed. A stranger to the cir-
Verse 20. Noah began to be a husbandman] ti^'X cumstances, seeing this person, would pronounce him
nOTXn ish haadamak, A man of the ground, a farmer ; drunk ; and perhaps at a third hand he might be re-
by his beginning to be a husbandman we are to under- presented as a drunkard, and thus his character be
stand his recommencing his agricultural operations, blasted while of the crime of drunkenness he was as
;

which undoubtedly he had carried on for six hundred innocent as an infant. This I presume to have been
years before, but this had been interrupted by the flood. precisely the case with Noah and no person without
;

And the transaction here mentioned might have occur- an absolute breach of every rule of charity and can-
red many years posterior to the deluge, even after dour, can attach any blame to the character of Noah
Canaan was born and grown up, for the date of it is on this ground, unless from a subsequent account they
not fixed in the text. were well assured that, knowing the power and effects
The word husband first occurs here, and scarcely of the liquor, he had repeated the act. Some exposi-
appears proper, because it is always applied to man in tors seem to be glad to fix on a fact like this, which
his married state, as ivife is to the woman. The ety- by their distortion becomes a crime ; and then, in a
mology of the term will at once show its propriety strain of sympathetic tenderness, affect to deplore " the
when head of a family.
applied to Husband, failings and imperfections of the best of men ;" when,
the
hurbaiib, is Anglo-Saxon, and simply signifies the bond from the interpretation that should be given of the
of the house or famihj ; as by him the family is formed, place, neither failing nor impeifeclion can possibly
united, and bound together, which, on his death, is dis- appear.
united and scattered. It is on this etymology of the Verse 22-24. And Ham, the father of Canaan,
word that wc can account for the farmers and petty dfcl There is no occasion to enter into any detail
landholders being called so early as the twelfth cen- the sacred text is circumstantial enough. Ham,
here ;

tury, husbandi, as appears in a statute of and very probably his son Canaan, had treated their
David II.,

king of Scotland we may therefore safely derive the father on this occasion with contempt or reprehensible
:

word from liur, a house, and bonb, from binben, to bind levity. Had Noah not been innocent, as my exposi-
or tie; and this etymology appears plainer in the or- tion supposes him, God would not have endued him
thography which prevailed in the thirteenth and four- with the spirit of prophecy on this occasion, and testi-
teenth centuries, in which I have often found the word fied such marked disapprobation oi their conduct. The
WTitten house-bond ; so it is in a MS. Bible before me, conduct of Shem and Japheth was such as became pious
written in the fourteenth century. Junius disputes and affectionate children, who appear to have been in
this etymology, but I think on no just ground. the habit of treating their father with decency, reve-
SO
 :

The Canaamtes are cursed. CHAP. IX. Noah's age and death.

A. M. backward, and covered the naked- of Shem and Canaan shall be

B. C.
cir.
cir.
1657.
234<. '
, .
;
' ^B. M.
C.
cir.
cir.
i657.
2347.
ness of their father and their ^ his servant.
;

faces were backward, and they saw not their 27 God shall ^ enlarge Japheth, '
and he
father's nakedness. shall dwell in the tents of Shem ; and ''Ca-
24 And Noah awoke from his wine, and naan shall be his servant.
Knew what his younger son had done unto 28 And Noah lived after the flood three
him. hundred and fifty years.
25 And he said, Cursed he Canaan ^ a ser-
'^
29 And all the days of Noah ; ^^^^^^'^-
•'
D.\j. 1998.
vant of servants shall he be unto his brethren. were nine hundred and fifty years :

26 And he said, ^ Blessed he the Lord God and he died.

<»Deut. xxvii. 16. ejosh. is. 23; 1 Kings ix. 20, 21. ff Or, servant to them.- — ^ Or, persuade.
k Ver. 25, 26.
iEph. ii. 13, 14;
'Psa. cxliv. 15; Heb. xi. 16. 6.

rence, and obedient respect. On the one the spirit of Carthage were early distinguished for their commerce,
prophecy (not the incensed father) pronounces a curse but they sooner also fell to decay and Egypt, which ;

on the others the same spirit (not parental tenderness) was one of the first, became the last and basest of the
pronounces a blessing. These things had been just as kingdoms, Ezek. xxix. 15, and has been successively
they afterwards occurred had Noah never spoken. in subjection to the Shemites and Japhethites, as have
God had wise and powerful reasons to induce him to also the settlements of the other branches of the
sentence the one to perpetual servitude, and to allot to Hamites.
the others prosperity and dominion. Besides, the " Shem signifies name or renown ; and his indeed
curse pronounced on Canaan neither fell immediately was great in a temporal and spiritual sense. The
upon himself nor on his worthless father, but upon the finest regions of Upper and Middle Asia were allotted
Canaanites and from the history we have of this
; to his family, Armenia, IMesopotamia, Assj-ria, Media,
people, in Lev. xviii., xx. and Deut. ix. 4 xii. 31, we
; ; Persia, &c., to the Indus and Ganges, and perhaps to
may ask, Could the curse of God fall more deservedly on China eastward. ^
any people than on these 1 Their profligacy was great, " The chief renown of Shem was of a spiritual na-
but it was not the effect of the curse
being fore- ; but, ture he was destined to be the lineal ancestor of the
:

seen by the Lord, the curse was the effect of their con- blessed seed of the woman and to this glorious privi-;

duct. But even this curse does not exclude them from lege Noah, to whom it was probably revealed, might
the possibility of obtaining salvation it extends not to ; have alluded in that devout ejaculation, Blessed be the
the soul and to eternity, but merely to their bodies and LORD, the GOD of Shem ! The pastoral life of the
to time ; though, if they continued to abuse their liberty, Shemites is stronglyprophecy bymarked in the
resist theHoly Ghost, and refuse to be saved on God's the tents of Shem ; and such it remains to the
terms, then the wrath of Divine justice must come upon present day, throughout their midland settlements in.
them to the uttermost How many, even of these, Asia.
repented, we cannot tell. .
"Japheth signifies enlargement ; and how wonder-
Verse 25. Curscdhe Caymaii\ See on the preceding fully didProvidence enlarge the boundaries of Japheth!
verses. In the 25lh, 26th, and 27th verses, instead His posterity diverged eastward and westward through-
of Canaan simply, the Arabic version has Ham the out the whole extent of Asia, north of the great range
father of Canaan ; but this is acknowledged by none of Taurus, as far as the Eastern Ocean, whence they
of the other versions, and seems to be merely a gloss. probably crossed over to America by Bchring^s Straits
Verse 29. The days of Noah tuere nine'liundred from Kamtschatka, and in the opposite direction
and fifty years'] The oldest patriarch on record, Me- throughout Europe to the Mediterranean Sea and the
thuselah only excepted. This, according to the com- Atlantic Ocean from whence also they might have
;

mon reckoning, was A. M. 2006, but according to Dr. crossed over to America hj Newfoundland, where traces
Hales, 3505. of early settlements remain in parts now desert. Thus
" Ham," says Dr. Hales, " signifies burnt or black, did they gradually enlarge themselves till they literally
and this name was peculiarly significant of the regions encompassed the earth, within the precincts of
the
allotted to his family. To the Cushites, or children northern temperate zone, to w-hich their roving hunter's
of his eldest son Cush, were allotted the hot southern contributed not a little.
life Their progress north-
regions of Asia, along the coasts of the Persian Gulf, wards was checked by the much greater extent of the
Susiana or Chusistan, Arabia, <^c. ; to the sons of Black Sea in ancient times, aod the increasing rigour
Canaan, Palestine and Syria to the sons of Misraim, of the climates
;
but their hardy race, and enterprising, :

Egypt and Libya, in Africa. warlike genius, made them frequently encroach south-
" The Hamites in general, like the Canaanites
wards on the settlements of Shem, whose pastoral and
of old,
were a seafaring race, and sooner arrived at civiliza- agricultural occupations rendered them more inactive,
tion and the luxuries of life than their simpler pastoral
peaceable, and unwarlike and so they dwelt in the ;

and agricultural brethren of the other two families. tents of Shem when the Scythians invaded Media, and
The first great empires of Assyria and Egypt were subdued western Asia southwards as far as Egypt, in
founded by them, and the republics of Sidon, Tyre, and
the days of Cyaxares ; when the Greeks, and after
Vol. \. ( 7 ) a 81
 — ! ;

The generations oj GENESIS. the sons of Noah

wards the Romans, overran and subdued the Assyrians, Gentiles, Great Britain and Ireland, have spread
Medes, and Persians in the east, and the Syrians and their colonies, their arms, their language, their arts,
Jews in the south as foretold by the Syrian prophet and in some measure their religion, from the rising to
;

Balaam, Num. xxiv. 24 : the setting sun." See Dr. Hales's Analysis of Chro-
nology, vol. i., p. 352, &c.
Ships shall come from Chittim,
Though what is left undone should not cause us to
And shall afflict the Assyrians, and afflict the Hebrews; lose sight of what is done, yet we have reason to la-
But he (the invader) shall perish himself at last.
ment that the inhabitants of the British isles, who of
"And by Moses And the Lord shall bring thee (the all nations under heaven have the purest light of Di-
:

Jews) into Egypt (or bondage) again with ships, &c., vine revelation, and the best means of diffusing it, have
Deut. xxviii. 68. And by Daniel For the ships of been much more intent on spreading their conquests
:

Chittim shall come against him, viz., Antiochus, king and extending their commerce, than in propagating the
of Syria, Dan. xi. 30. In these passages Chittim de- Gospel of the Son of God. But the nation, by getting
notes the southern coasts of Europe, bounding the the Bible translated into every living language, and
Mediterranean, called the isles of the Gentiles or Na- sending it to all parts of the habitable globe, and, by
tions ; see Gen. x. 5. And the isles of Chittim are its various missionary societies, sending men of God
mentioned Jer. ii. 10. And in after times the Tar- to explain and enforce the doctrines and precepts of
tars in the east have repeatedly invaded and subdued this sacred book, is rapidly redeeming its character,
the Hindoos and the Chinese; whUe the warlike and and becoming great in goodness and benevolence over
>.nterprising genius of the greatest of the isles of the the whole earth

CHAPTER X.

The generations of the sons of Noah, 1. Japheth and his descendants, 2—4.
The isles of the Gentiles,
or Europe, peopled by the Japhethites, 5. Ham 6—20.
and his
Nimrod, one of his descendants,
posterity,
a mighty hunter, 8, Q, founds the first kingdom, 10. Nineveh and other cities founded, 11, 12. The
Canaanitesin theirnine grand branches or families, 15—18. Their territories, 19. S hem and his posterity
21—31. The earth divided in the days of Peleg, 25. The territories of the Shemites, 30. The whole
earth peopled by the descendants of Noah'' s three sons, 32.

B c 2448 "I\r^^ these are the generations Ham, and Japheth : ^ and unto
^ ^ ^^^
of the sons of Noah ; Shem, them were sons born after the flood.

'^
Genesis, chap. ix. 1, 7, 19.

NOTES ON CHAP. X. nations or tribes which inhabited the promised land,

Verse 1 Noiu these are the generations^ It is ex-
. and were called Canaanites from Canaan, the son of
tremely difficult to say what particular nations and Ham, who settled there.
people sprang from the three grand divisions of the Moses seems to have intro-
also, in this genealogy,
family of Noah, because the names of many of those duced even the name of some places that were re-
ancient people have become changed in the vast lapse markable in the sacred history, instead of the original
of time from the deluge to the Christian era yet ;
settlers. Such as Hazarmaveth, ver. 26 and proba- ;

some are so very distinctly marked that they can be bly Ophir and Havilah, ver. 29. But this is not infre-
easily ascertained, while a few still retain their original quent in the sacred writings, as may be seen 1 Chron.
names. ii. 51, where Salma is called the father of Bethlehem,

Moses does not always give the name of the first which certainly never was the name of a man, but of
settler in a country, but rather that of the people from a place sufficiently celebrated in the sacred history
whom the country afterwards derived its name. Thus and in chap. iv. 14, where Joab is called the father
Mizraim is the dual of Mezer, and could never be the of the valley of Charashim, which no person could
name of an individual. The like may be said of ever suppose was intended to designate an individual,
Kittim, Dodanim, Ludim, Ananim, Lehabim, Naphtu- but the society of craftsmen or artificers who lived
him, Pathrusim, Casluhim, Philistim, and Caphtorim, there.
which are all plurals, and evidently not the names of Eusebius and others state (from what authority we
individuals, but of families or tribes. See verses 4, know not) that Noah was commanded of God to make
6, 13, 14. a will and bequeath the whole of the earth to his three
In the posterity of Canaan we find whole nations :—
sons and their descendants in the following manner
reckoned in the genealogy, instead of the individuals To Shem, all the East ; to Ham, all Africa ; to Ja-
from whom they sprang thus the Jebusite, Amorite, pheth, the Continent of Europe with its isles, and the
;

Girgasite, Hivite, Arkite, Sintte, Arvadite, Zemarite, northern parts of Asia. See the notes at the end of
and Hamathite, ver. 16-18, were evidently whole the preceding cliapter.
a 82 ( V» )
 ; ;

An account of the CHAP. X. postdiluvian imtriarchs

A. M. 1556. 2 ''The sons of Japheth Go- 5 By these were ^ the isles of ^- ^- "^^
;

B. C. 2448.
mer, and Magog, and Madai, and the Gentiles divided in their lands ;
Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras, every one after his tongue, after their families,
A. M. cir. 1666. 3 And the sons of Gomer in their nations.
^•^•""'''^-
Ashkenaz, and Riphath, and 6 «And the sons of Ham; ^- ?' c^;. S.
Togarmah. Gush, and Mizraim, and Phut,
4 And the sons of Javan Elishah, and and Canaan. ;

Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. 7 And the Sons of Gush Seba, and Ha-
•= ;

''
1 Chron. i. 5, &c. = Or, as some read it, Rodanim. ^ Psa. Ixxii.lO; Jer.ii. 10; xxv.22; Zeph. ii. 11. e i chron. i. 8, &e.

Verse 2. The sons of Japheth] Japheth is sup- probably was the first who settled at Elis, in Pelopon-
posed to be the same with the Japetus of the Greeks, nesus.
from whom, in an extremely remote antiquity, that Tarshish] He first inhabited Cilicia, whose capital
people were supposed to have derived their origin. ancientlywas the city of Tarsus, where the Apostie
Gomer] Supposed by some to have peopled Gala- Paul was bom.
tia ; so Josephus, who says that the Galatians were Kittim] We have already seen that this name was
anciently named Gomerites. From him the Cimme- rather the a people than of an individual :
name of
rians or Cimhrians are supposed to have derived their some think by Kittim Cyprus is meant others, the :

origin. Bochart has no doubt that the Phrygians isle of Chios ; and others, the Romans ; and others,
sprang from this person, and some of our principal the Macedonians.
commentators are of the same opinion. Dodanim.] for the T and 1 may be
Or Rodanim,
Magog] Supposed by many to be the father of the easily mistaken for each other, because of their great
Scythians and Tartars, or Tatars, as the word should similarity. Some suppose that this family settled at
be written and in great Tartary many names are still
; Dodona in Epirus others at the isle of Rhodes
;

found which bear such a striking resemblance to the others, at the Rhone in France, the ancient name of
Gog and Magog of the Scriptures, jis to leave little which was Rhodanus, from the Scripture Rodanim.
doubt of their identity. Verse 5. Isles of the Gentiles] Europe, of which
Madai] Generally supposed to be the progenitor of this is allowed to be a general epithet. Calmet sup-
the Medes ; but Joseph Mede makes it probable that poses that it comprehends all those countries to which
he was rather the founder of a people in Macedonia the Hebrews were obliged to go by sea, such as Spain,
called Mcedi, and that Macedonia was formerly called Gaul, Italy, Greece, and Asia Minor.
Emathia, a name formed from Ei, an island, and Every one after his tongue] This refers to the
Madai, because he and his descendants inhabited the time posterior to the confusion of tongues and disper-
maritime coast on the borders of the Ionian Sea. On sion from Babel.
this subject nothing certain can be advanced. Verse 6. Cush] Who peopled the Arabic noma
Javan] It is almost universally agreed that from near the Red Sea in Lower Egypt. Some think the
him sprang the lonians, of Asia Minor but this name ; Ethiopians descended from him.
seems to have been anciently given to the Macedo- Mizraim] This family certainly peopled Egypt ;
nians, Achaians, and Bmotians. and both in the East and in the West, Egypt is called
Tubal] Some think he was the father of the Ibe- Mczr and Mezraim.
rians, and that a part at least of Spain was peopled Phut] Who first peopled an Egyptian nome or
by him and his descendants and that Meshech, who ; district, bordering on Libya.
is generally in Scripture joined with him,"was the Canaan.] He who first peopled the land so called,
founder of the Cappadocians, from whom proceeded known also by the name of the Promised Land.
the Muscovites. Verse 7. Seba] The founder of the Sabaeans. There
Tiras.] From this person, according to general seem to be three different people of this name men-
consent, the Thracians derived their origin. tioned in this chapter, and a fourth in chap. xxv. 3.
Verse 3. Ashkenaz] Probably gave his name to Havilah] Supposed by some to mean the inhabit-
Sacagena, a very excellent province of Armenia. ants of the country included within that branch of the
Pliny mentions a people called Ascanitici, who dwelt river Pison which ran out of the Euphrates into the
about the Tana'is and the Palus Maotis ; and some bay of Persia, and bounded Arabia Felix on the east.
suppose that from Ashkenaz the Euxine Sea derived Sabtah] Supposed by some to have first peopled an
its name, but others suppose that from him the Ger- isle or peninsula called Saphta, in the Persian Gulf.
mans derived their origin. Raamah] Or Ragmah, for the word is pronounced
Riphath] Or Diphath, the founder of the Paphla- both ways, because of the y ain, which some make a
gonians, which were anciently called Riphatai. vowel, and some a consonant. Ptolemy mentions a
Togarmah.] The Sauromates, or inhabitants of city called Regma near the Persian Gulf; it probably
Turcomania. See the reasons in Calmet. received its name from the person in the text.
Verse 4. Elishah] As Javan peopled a consider- Sabtechah] the river called Samidochus, in
From
able part of Greece, it is in that region that we must Caramania; Bochart conjectures that the person in
seek for the settlements of his descendants ; Elishah the text fixed his residence ir that part.
8.-J
 ! : 2
3 — ;

Nimrod, a mighty hunter, GENT3SLS. fuands several cities.

^' ^- "?'• and Sabtah, and Raamah,

IT'l vilah,' Babel, and Erech, and Accad, ^- ^i- c|r. 1745. '
B. C. cir. 2328.
and and the sons and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. -
Sabtechah :
'

— ' ' '-

of Raamah Sheba, and Dedan. 1 1 Out of that land ^ went ^ ^^- ""V- ^''^^
——
;

A. M. cir. 1715. 8 And Cush begat Nimrod forth Asshur, and builded Nine- -
' '

'
B. C. cir. 2289. , ^. , , , .

he began to be a mighty one in veh, and Uhe city Rehoboth, and Calah,
the earth 1 And Resen between Nineveh and Calah :

9 He was a mighty ^ hunter ^ before the the same is a great city.

Lord wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod,
:
1 And Mizraim begat Ludim, and Anamim,
the mighty hmiter before the Lord. and Lchabim, and Naphtuhim,
10^ And the beginning of his kingdom was 14 And Pathrusim, and Casluhim, ("^ out of

'Jer. xvi. 16; Mic. vii. 2. sChap. vi. 11.- -h Mic. V. ^ Or, he went into Assyria.
6. oiit '
Or, the streets of the city
'Gr. Babylon. m 1 Chron. i. 12.

Shebd] Supposed to have had his residence be- Verse 10. The beginning of his kingdom was Ba-
yond the Euphrates, in the environs of Charran, bel] 1'21 babel signifies confusion; and it seems to
Eden, &c. have been a very proper name for the commencement
Dedan.] Supposed to have peopled a part of Arabia, of a kingdom that appears to have been founded in
on the confines of Idumea. apostasy from God, and to have been supported by
Verse 8. Nimrod] Of this person little is known, tyranny, rapine, and oppression.
as he is not mentioned except here and in 1 Chron. In the land of Shinar.] The same as mentioned
i. 10, which is evidently a copy of the text in Genesis. chap. xi. 2. It appears that, as Babylon was built on
He is called a mighty hunter before the Lord ; and the river Euphrates, and the tower of Babel was in
from ver. 10, we learn that he founded a kingdom the land of Shinar, consequently Shinar itself must
which included the cities Babel, Erech, Accad, and have been in the southern part of Mesopotamia.
Calneh, in the land of Shinar. Though the words are Verse 11. Out of that land tvent forth Asshur] The
not definite, it is very likely he was a very bad 7nan.
His name Nimrod comes from TlO marad, he rebelled;
marginal reading is to be preferred here. He Nim- —
rod, tvent out into Assyria and built Nineveh ; and
and the Targum, on 1 Chron. i. 10, says: Nimrod hence Assyria is called the land of Nimrod, Mic. v. 6.
began to be a mighty man in sin, a murderer of inno- Thus did this mighty hunter extend his dominions in
cent men, and a rebel before the Lord. The Jerusa- every possible way. The city of Nineveh, the capital
lem Targum says " He was mighty in hunting (or in
: of Assyria, is supposed to have had its name from
prey) and in sin before God, for he was a hunter of Niniis, the son of Nimrod but probably Ninus and
;

the children of men in their languages and he said ; Nimrod are the same person. This city, which made
unto them, Depart from the 7-eligion of Shem, and so conspicuous a figure in the history of the world, is
cleave to the institutes of Nimrod.'''' The Targum of now called Mossul ; it is an inconsiderable place, built
Jonathan ben Uzziel says " From the foundation of
: out of the ruins of the ancient Nineveh.
the world none was ever found like Nimrod, powerful Rehoboth, and Calah, dfc] Nothing certain is known
in hunting, and in rebellions against the Lord." The concerning the situation of these places conjecture is ;

Syriac calls him a warlike giant. The word Ti' tsayid, endless, and it has been amply indulged by learned men
which we render hunter, signifies prey ; and is applied in seeking for Rehoboth in the Birtha of Ptolemy, Calah
in the Scriptures to the hunting of men by persecution, in Calachine, Resen in Larissa, <SfC., 6fc.
oppression, and tyranny. Hence it is likely that Nim- Verse 13. Mizraim begat Ludim] Supposed to
rod, having acquired power, used tyranny and it in mean the inhabitants of the Mareotis, a canton in
oppression ; and by rapine and violence founded that Egypt, for the name Ludim is evidently the name of
domination which was the first distinguished by the a people.
name of a kingdom on the face of the earth. How Anamim] According to Bochart, the people who
many kingdoms have been founded in the same way, inhabited the district about the temple of Jupiter
in various ages and nations from that time to the pre- Ammon.
sent ! From the Nimrods of the earth, God deliver Lehabim] The Libyans, or a people who dwelt
the world on the west of the Thebaid, and were called Libya-
Mr. Bryant, in his Mythology, considers Nimrod as Egyptians,
the principal instrument of the idolatry that afterwards Naphtuhim] Even the conjecturers can scarcely fix
prevailed in the family of Cush, and treats him as an a place for these people. Bochart seems inclined to
arch rebel and apostate- Mr. Richardson, who was place them in Marmarica, or among the Troglodytae.
the determined foe of Mr. Bryant's whole system, asks, Verse 14. Pathrusim] The inhabitants of the
Dissertation, p. 405, "Where is the authority for these Delta, in Egypt, according to the Chaldee paraphrase
aspersions ] They are nowhere to be discovered in but, according to Bochart, the people who inhabited
the originals, in the versions, nor in the paraphrases the Thebaid, called Pathros in Scripture.
of the sacred vnritings." If they are not to be found Casluhim] The inhabitants of Colchis ; for almost
either in versions or paraphrases of the sacred all authors allow that Colchis was peopled from Egypt.
writings, the above quotations are all false. Philistim] The people called Philistines, the con-
84 a
 5 ; ;

Territories of the Canaanites. CHAP. X. The posterity of Shem.

«• o- *^'''-
whom came Philistim,)' and 21 Unto Shem also, the father A.M. unknown.
ll?P/
2304. D, unknown.
B. C. cir. .
(J.

Caphtorim. of all the children of Eber, the

1 And Canaan begat '^
Sidon his first-born, brother of Japheth the elder, even to him
and Heth, were children born.
16 And the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and 22 The 1 children of Shem a. M. cir. I66O.

the Girgasite, Elam, and Asshur, and '

;

Ar- —— '
— ' '

A. M. unknown. 17 And the Hivite, and the phaxad, and Lud, and Aram.
B. C. unknown. i .i c<- -^
And
. , .

Arkite, and the femite, 23 the children of Aram; Uz, and

18 And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and Hul, and Gether, and Mash.
the Hamathite : and afterward were the 24 And Arphaxad begat ^ Salah ' ; aftd Salah
famihes of the Canaanites spread abroad. begat Eber.
19 ° And the border of the Canaanites was 25 "And unto Eber were born a.m. 1757.
- B. C. 2247.
from Sidon, as thou comest the name 01 one was
to Gerar, unto two sons :

p Gaza as thou goestunto Sodom, and Gomor- ^ Peleg, for in his days was the earth divided
; ;

rah, and Admah, and Zeboim, even unto Lasha. and his brother's name luas Joktan.
20 These are the sons of Ham, after their 26 And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph,
famihes, after their tongues, in their countries, and Hazarmaveth, and Jerah,
and in their nations. 27 And Hadoram, and Uzal, and Diklah,

"Heb. Tzidon. oChap. xiii. 12, 14, 15, 17; xv. 18-21; 1 1 Chron. i. 17, &c. >•
Heb. Arpachshad. ' Heb. Shelah.
PHeb. Azzah. « 1 Chron. " That
Num. xxxiv. 2-12 ; Josh. xii. 7, 8. '
Chap. xi. 12. i. 19. is, division.

stant plaguesand frequent oppressors of the Israelites, Lud] The founder of the Lydians, in Asia Minor
whose history may be seen at large in the books of or of the Ludim, who dwelt at the confluence of the
Samuel, Kings, &c. Euphrates and Tigris, according to Arias Montanus.
Caphtomn.] Inhabitants of Cyprus according to Aram.] The father of the Arameans, afterwards
Calmet. called Syrians.
Verse 15. Sidon] Who probably built the city of Verse 23. Uz] Who peopled Coelosyria, and is
this name, and was the father of the Sidonians. supposed to have been the founder of Damascus.
Heth] From whom came the Hittites, so remark- Hul] Who peopled a part of Armenia.
able among the Canaanitish nations. Gether] Supposed by Calmet to have been the
Verse 16. The Jebusite — Amorite, <Sfc.] Are well founder of the Itureans, who dwelt beyond the Jordan,
known as being the ancient inhabitants of Canaan, having Arabia Deserta on the east, and the Jordan on
expelled by the children of Israel. the west.
Verse 20. These are the sons of Ham after their Mash.] Who inhabited mount Masius in Mesopo-
families] No doubt all these were well known in the tamia, and from whom the river Mazeca, which has its
days of Moses, and for a long time after but at this source in that mountain, takes its name.
;

distance, when it is considered that the political state Verse 24. Salah] The founder of the people of
of the world has been undergoing almost incessant Susiana.
revolutions through all the intermediate portions of Eber.] See ver. 2 1 The Septuagint add Cainan .

time, the impossibility of fixing their residences or here, with one hundred and thirty to the chronology.
marking their descendants must be evident, as both the Verse 25. Peleg] From ihs palag, to divide, be-
names of the people and the places of their residences cause in his days, which is supposed to be about one
have been changed beyond the possibility of being hundred years after the flood, the earth ivas divided
recognized. among the sons of Noah. Though some are of opinion
Verse 2 1 Shem also, the father of all the children that a physical division, and not a political one, is what
.

of Eber] It is generally supposed that the Hebreios is intended here, viz., a separation of continents and

derived their name from Eber or Heber, son of Shem islands from the main land the earthy parts having ;

but it appears much more likely that they had it from been united into one great continent previously to the
the circumstance of Abraham passing over (for so the days of Peleg. This opinion appears to me the most
word "^^y abar signifies) the river Euphrates to come likely, for what is said, ver. 5, is spoken by way of
into the land of Canaan. See the history of Abraham, anticipation.
chap. xiv. 13. Verses 26-30. Joktan] He had thirteen sons who
Verse 22. Elam] From whom came the Elamites, had their dwelling from Mesha unto Sephar, a mount
be mount
near to the Medes, and whose chief city was Elymais. of the east, which places Calmet supposes to
Asshur] Who gave his name to a vast province Masius, on the west in Mesopotamia, and the moun-
tains of the Saphirs on the east m Armenia, or
(afterwards a mighty empire) called Assyria. of the
Arphaxad] From whom Arrapachitis in Assjrria Tapyrs farther on in Media.
derived from
was named, according to some; or Artaxata in Arme- In confirmation that all men have been
nia, on the frontiers of Media, according to others. one family, let it be observed that there are many
85
 1

All the descendants of Noah GENESIS. spoke the same language

M. These are the sons of Shem, m. d,. 1797.

C.
cir.
cir.
1797.
2207.
28 And Obal, and Abimael, and 3 ^
Sheba, after their families, after their

29 And Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab : all tongues, in their lands, after their nations.
these were the sons of Joktan. 32 "* These are the families of the sons of
30 And dwelhng was from Mesha, Noah, after their generations, in their nations
their ,

as thou goest unto Sephar, a mount of ^ and by these were the nations divided in the
the east. earth, after the flood.

" Verse 1. » Chap. ix. 19.

customs and usages, both sacred and civil, which have deluge. 13. The universal opinion that the rainbow
prevailed in all parts of the world and that these ; was a Divine sign, or portent, &c., &c. See Dodd.
could owe their origin to nothing but a general institu- The wisdom and goodness of God are particularly
tion, which could never have existed, had not mankind manifested in repeopling the earth by means of three
been originally of the same blood, and instructed in persons, all of the same family, and who had witnessed
the same common notions before they were dispersed. that awful display of Divine justice in the destruction
Among these usages may be reckoned, 1. The num- of the world by the flood, while themselves were pre-
bering by tens. 2. Their computing time by a cycle served in the ark. By this very means the true reli-
of seven dz,ys. 3. Their setting apart the 5ei;en<A day gion was propagated over the earth for the sons of
;

for religious purposes. 4. Their use of sacrifices, Noah would certainly teach their children, not only the
propitiatory and eucharistical. 5. The consecration precepts delivered to their father by God himself, but
of temples and altars. 6. The institution of sanctua- also how he had brought the flood on the
in his justice
ries or places of refuge, and their privileges. 7. Their world of the ungodly, and by his merciful providence
giving a tenth part of the produce of their fields, &c., preserved them from the general ruin. It is on this
for the use of the altar. 8. The custom of worship- ground alone that we can account for the uniformity
ping the Deity bare-footed. 9. Abstinence of the men and universality of the above traditions, and for the
from all sensual gratifications previously to their offer- grand outlines of religious truth which are found in
ing sacrifice. 10. The order of priesthood and its every quarter of the world. God has so done his
support. 1 1 . The notion of legal pollutions, defile- marvellous works that they may be had in everlasting
ments, &c. 12. The universal tradition of a general remembrance.

CHAPTER XI.

All the inhabitants of the earth, speaking one language and dwelling in one place, 1, 2, purpose to build a
city and a tower to prevent their dispersion, 3,4. God confounds their language, and scatters them over
the whole earth, 5—9. Account of the lives and families of the postdiluvian patriarchs. Shem, 10, 11.
Arphaxad, 12, 13. Salah, 14, 15. Eber, 16, 17. Peleg, 18, 19. Ragau or Reu, 20, 21. Serug,
22, 23. Nahor, 24, 25. Terah and his three sons, Haran, Nahor, and Abram, 26, 27. The death of
Haran, 28. Abram marries Sarai, and Nahor marries Milcah, 29. Sarai is barren, 30. Terah, Abram,
Sarai, and Lot, leave Ur of the Chaldees, and go to Haran, 3 1 Terah dies in Haran, aged two hundred .

and five years, 32.

A. M.
B. C.
cir.
cir.
1757.
2247.
A ND the whole earth was of " from the east, that they found a ^- ^-
B. C.
'^"•
cir.
1757.
2247.
one * language, and of one plain in the land of Shinar ; and
^ speech. they dwelt there.
2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed 3 And ^ they said one to another, Go to, let

Heb.I^. —'Hcb. uwds. — « Or, eojtward, as ch.xiii. 11 ; 2 Sam. vi. 2, with 1 Chron. xiii. 6. ^ Heb. o man said to his neighbour.

NOTES ON CHAP. XI. language of the earth the language in which God —
Verse 1. The whole earth was of one language] spake to man, and in which he gave the revelation of
—
The whole earth all mankind was of one language, his will to Moses and the prophets. " It was used,"
in all likelihood the Hebrew and of one speech —
says Mr. Ainsworth, " in all the world for one thousand
;

articulating the same words in the same way. It is seven hundred and fifty-seven years, till Phaleg, the
generally supposed, that after the confusion mentioned son of Heber, was born, and the tower of Babel was
in this chapter, the Hebrew language remained in the in building one hundred years after the flood, Gen. x.
family of Heber. The proper names, and their signifi- 25 xi. 9. After this, it was used among the Hebrews
;

cations given in the Scripture, seem incontestable or Jews, called therefore the Jetos^ language, Isa.
evidences that the Hebrew language was the original xxxvi. 11, until they were carried captive into Baby-
86 a
N.
spoke the same lang
A.
-
M
r
 — ;

They propose to build CHAP. XI. a city and a tower,

—
B C' cir'
'
224?"
'

and shme had they for mortar.

for stone,
"^ "^^^® ^^^^^' ^^^ " ^^^ ^^^^ and a tower
throughly.
^ whose top may
And they had brick reach unto heaven ; and let us
make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad
^- ^- ^F- ^^

4 And they said, Go to, let us build us a city, upon the face of the whole earth.

f
e Heb. bum them to a burning. Deut. i. 28.

Ion,where the holy tongue ceased from being com- scarcity of stones in that districtand on the same ac-
;

monly used, and the mixed Hebrew (or Chaldee) came count they were obliged to use slime, that is, bitumen,
in its place." (Vulg.) aaipalrog, (Septuagint,) for mortar: so it ap-
Itcannot be reasonably imagined that the Jews lost pears they had neither common stone nor lime-stone
the Hebrew tongue
entirely in the seventy years of hence they had brick for stone, and asphaltus or bitu-
their captivity in Babylon yet, as they were mixed ;
men instead of mortar.
with the Chaldeans, their children would of course Let us build us a city and a tower]
Verse On 4.
learn that dialect, and to them the pure Hebrew would
have been various conjectures. Mr.
this subject there
be unintelligible and this probably gave rise to the Hutchinson supposed that the design of the builders
—
;

necessity of explaining the Hebrew Scriptures in the was to erect a temple to the host of heaven the sun,
Chaldee tongue, that the children might understand as moon, planets, &c. and, to support this interpretation, ;

well as their fathers. As we may safely presume the he says D'DJJ'3 It^XII verosho bashshamayim should be
parents could not have forgotten the Hebrew, so we translated, not, whose top may reach unto heaven, for
may conclude the children in general could not have there is nothing for may reach in the Hebrew, but its
learned it, as they did not live in an insulated state, but head or summit to the heavens, i. e. to the heavenly
were mixed with the Babylonians. This conjecture bodies and, to make this interpretation the more pro-
:

removes the difficulty with which many have been bable, he says that previously to this time the descend-
embarrassed one party supposing that the knowledge ants of Noah were all agreed in one form of religious
;

of the Hebrew language was lost during the Babylonish worship, (for so he understands nnx nst^l vesaphah
captivity, and hence the necessity of the Chaldee Tar- achath, and of one lip,) i. e. according to him, they had
gums to explain the Scriptures another party insist- one litany ; and as God confounded their litany, they
;

ing that this was impossible in so short a period as began to disagree in their religious opinions, and
seventy years. branched out into sects and parties, each associating
Verse 2. As they journeyed from the east] Assyria, with those of his own sentiment and thus their tower ;

Mesopotamia, and the country on the borders and be- or temple was left unfinished.
yond the Euphrates, are called the east in the sacred It is probable that their being of one language and
writings. Balaam said that the king of Moab had of one speech implies, not only a sameness of language,
brought him from the mountains of the east, Num. but also a unity of sentiment and design, as seems
xxiii. 7. Now it appears, from chap. xxii. 5, that Ba- pretty clearly intimated in ver. 6. Being therefore
laam dwelt at Pethor, on the river Euphrates. And it strictly united in all things, coming to the fertile plains
is very probable that it was from this country that the of Shinar they proposed to settle themselves there,
wise men came to adore Christ for it is said they instead of spreading themselves over all the countries
;

came /rom the east to Jerusalem, Matt.

ii. 1. Abraham of the earth, according to the design of God and in ;

is said to have come from the east Canaan, Isa. xli. reference to this purpose they encouraged one another
to
2 but it is
;
well known that he came from Mesopotamia to build a city and a tower, probably a temple, to pre-
and Chaldea. Isaiah, xlvi. 11, represents Cyrus as vent their separation, " lest," say they, " we be scat-
coming yVom the east against Babylon. And the same tered abroad upon the face of the whole earth :" but
prophet represents the Syrians as dwelling eastward God, miraculously interposing, confounded or frustrated
of Jerusalem, chap. ix. 12 The Syrians before, DTpD their rebellious design, which was inconsistent with
:

mikkedem, from the east, the same word which Moses his will see Deut. xxxii. 8 Acts xvii. 26 and, partly ; ; ;

uses here. Daniel ix. 44, represents Antiochus as by confounding their language, and disturbing their
troubled at news received /rom the east; i. e. of a re- counsels, they could no longer keep in a united state ;

volt in the eastern provinces, beyond the Euphrates. so that agreeing in nothing but the necessity of sepa-
Noah and his family, landing after the flood on one rating, they went ofl^ in different directions, and thus
of the mountains of Armenia, would doubtless descend became scattered abroad upon the face of the earth.
and cultivate the valleys as they increased, they ap- The Targums, both of Jonathan ben Uzziel and of Je-
:

pear to have passed along the banks of the Euphrates, rusalem, assert that the tower was for idolatrous wor-
till, at the time specified here, they came to the plains ship and that they intended to place an image on the
;

of Shinar, allowed to be the most fertile country in the top of the tower with a sword in its hand, probably to
east. See Calmet. That Babel was built in the land act as a talisman against their enemies. Whatever
of Shinar we have the authority of the sacred text to their design might have been, it is certain that this
prove and that Babylon was built in the same country temple or tower was afterwards devoted to idolatrous
;

we have the testimony of Eusebius, Praep. Evang. lib. purposes. Nebuchadnezzar repaired and beautified
ix., c. 15 and Josephus, Antiq., lib. i., c. 5.
; this tower, and it was dedicated to Bel, or the sun.
Verse 3 Let us make brick] It appears they were
.
An account of this tower, and of the confusion of
obliged to make use of brick, as there was an utter tongues, is given by several ancient authors. Herodo^
a 87
 jord comes down to see GENESIS. the tower which was built

A. M. cir. 1757.
5 ^ And the Lord came down one, and they have one 4' ^' '^"-
B. C. cir. 2247.
is all '

B. C. cir.
iPI
2247
,
. , .
,

to see the city and the tower, language ; and this they begin to
which the children of men builded. do and now nothing will be restrained from :

6 And the Lord said, Behold, ^the people them, which they have ^ imagined to do.

gChap. xviii. 21. ' Chap. ix. 19 ; Acts xvii. 26. iVer. 1. I'Psa. ii. 1.

tus saw the tower and described it. A si/bil, whose (and it must have prevailed in the first ages of the
oracle is yet extant, spoke both of and of the confu- it world) men would necessarily have simple ideas, and
sion of tongues so did Eupolemus and Abydenus.
; a corresponding simplicity of manners. The Chinese
See Bochart Geogr. Sacr., lib. i., c. 13, edit. 1692. language is exactly such as this and the Hebrew, if ;

On this point Bochart observes that these things are stripped of its vowel points, and its prefixes, suffixes,
taken from the Chaldeans, who preserve many remains and postfixes separated from their combinations, so that
of ancient facts and though they often add circum-
; they might stand by themselves, it would nearly an-
stances, yet they are, in general, in some sort depend- swer to this character even in its present state. In
ent on the text. 1 They say Babel was built by the
. order therefore to remove this unity of sentiment and
giayits, because Nimrod, one of the builders, is called design, which I suppose to be the necessary conse-
in the Hebrew text "ll^J gibbor, a mighty man ; or, as quence of such a language, God confounded their lan-
the Septuagint, yiyac, These giants, they guage caused them to articulate the same word dif-
a, giant. 2. —
say, sprang from the earth, because, in Gen. x. 11, it ferently, to affix different ideas to the same term, and
is said, He loent, V'^XH p
min haarets hahiv, out perhaps, by transposing syllables and interchanging let-
\i.'\'r\'7\

of that earth ; but this is rather spoken of Asshur, ters, form new terms and compounds, so that the mind
who was another of the Babel builders. 3. These of the speaker was apprehended by tne hearer in a
giants are said to have waged war with the gods, be- contrary sense to what was intended. This idea is
cause it is said of Nimrod, Gen. x. 9, He loas a mighty not ill expressed by an ancient French poet, Du Bar-
hunter before the Lord ; or, as others have rendered tas ; and not badly, though rather quaintly, meta-
it, a warrior and a rebel against the Lord. See Jar- phrased by our countryman, Mr. Sylvester.
chi in loco. 4. These giants are said to have raised
Some speak between the teeth, some in the nose.
a tower up to heaven, as if they had intended to have
Some in the throat their words do ill dispose
ascended thither. This appears to have been founded
on " whose top may reach to heaven" which has been
" Bring me," quoth one, " a trowel, quickly, quick !'•
already explained. 5. It is said that the gods sent
One brings him up a ha?nmer. " Hew this brick"
strong ivinds against them, which dispersed both them
Another bids and then they cleave a tree ;
;
and their work. This appears to have been taken
from the Chaldean history, in which it is said their
'^
Make fast this rope,'''' and then they let it flee
One calls for planks, another mortar lacks
dispersion was made to the four winds of heaven, ;,0"1X2
;

They bear the first a stone, the last an aoce.

K^OB' "mi bearba ruchey shemaiya, \. e. to the four
One would have spikes, and him a sjiade they give
6. And because the verb ]'1D
;
quarters of the world.
Another asks a saw, and gets a sieve.
phuts, or
Y22 nnphats, used by Moses, signifies, not Thus crossly crost, they prate and point in vain
only to scatter, but also to break to pieces ; whence ;

thunder, Isa. xxx. 30, is called r33 nephcts, a break-

What one hath made another mars again.
ing to pieces ; hence they supposed the whole worlc
was broken These masons then, seeing the storm arrived
to pieces and overturned. It was probably
from this disguised representation of the Hebrew text Of God's just wrath, all weak and heart-deprived.

that theGreek and Roman poets took their fable of the Forsake their purpose, and, like frantic fools.
Scatter their stuff and tumble down their tools.
giants waging war with the gods, and piling mountain
upon mountain in order to scale heaven. See Bochart Du Bartas. — Babylon.
as above. I shall examine how the different languages of
not
Verse 5. And the Lord came duuni] A lesson, the earth were formed. It certainly was not the work
says an ancient Jewish commentator, to magistrates to of a moment; different climates must have a con-
examine every evidence before they decree judgment siderable share in the formation of tongues, by their
and execute justice. influence on the organs of speech. The invention of
Verse 6. The people is one, t|c.] From this, as be- new arts and trades must give birth to a variety of
fore observed, we may infer, that as the people had terms and expressions. Merchandise, commerce, and
the same language, so they had a unity of design and the cultivation of the sciences, would produce their
sentiment. It is and different forms of government, modes of
very likely that the original language share ;

was composed of monosyllables, and means of instruction, also contribute their

that each had a dis- life,

tinct ideal meaning, and only one meaning as different quota. The Arabic, Chaldce, Syriac, and JEthiopic,
;

acceptations of the same word would undoubtedly arise, still bear the most striking resemblance to their parent,
either from compounding terms, or, when there were the Hebrew. Many others might be reduced to a
but few words in a language, using them by a different common source, yet everywhere there is sufficient
mode of pronunciation to express a variety of things. evidence of this confusion. The anomalies even in
Where this simple monosyllabic language prevailed the most regular languages sufficiently prove this
88
 : ; —

God confounds their language. CHAP. XI. O/' Lite postdiluvian patriarchs.

4; ^-
''^'-
i7?J- 7" Go 20 down, and
us " to, ^
let 1 1 And Shem lived after he be- 4- M- 2158.
B. C cir. 2247.
there confound their language, gat Arphaxad five hundred years,
that they may ™ and begat sons and daughters.
not understand one another's
speech. 1 3 And Arphaxad lived five and A. M. 1693.

8 So the Lord scattered them

" abroad from thirty yearti, ^ and begat Salah : — '
-

thence ° upon the face of all the earth and 1 3 And Arphaxad lived after he : A. M. 2096.

they left oif to build the city. begat Salah four hundred and three —— '- '

9 Therefore is the name of it called p Babel years, and begat sons and daughters.
'^
because the Lord did there confound the - 14 And Salah lived thirty years, a.m. 1723.
11 , -ni B. C. 2281.
anguage of all the earth and from thence and begat Lber : : -^
did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the 15 And Salah lived after he be- A. M. 2126.

face of all the earth. gat Eber four hundred and three -— —L— .'

A. M. 1658, 1 These are the generations years, and begat sons and daughters,
B. C. 2346.
of Shem : Shem xvas a hundred 1 6 ^ And Eberand A. M. 1757. lived four
. .
^ B. C. 2247.
11 T, 1
•years old, and begat Arphaxad two years after thirty years, releg and begat " :

the flood 17 And Eber lived after he begat Peleg four

Chap. i. 26 Psa.
'
; ii. 4 Acts ii. 4, 5,
;
6. " Chap. xlii. 23 ;
P That is, confiision. 1Wisd. x. 5 ; 1 Cor. xiv. 23. fChap
Deut. xxviii. 49; Jer. v. 15 ; 1 Cor. xiv. 2, 11. » Luke i. 51. X. 22; 1 Chron. i. 17. 'See Luke iii. 36. '1 Chron. i. 19.
oChap. X. 25, 32. " Called, Luke iii. 35, Phalec.

Every language confounded less or more but that

is Besides Mr. Hutchinson's opinion, (see on ver. 4,)
of eternal truth. This is ever the same in all coun- ;
there have been various conjectures concerning the
tries, climates, and ages, the language of truth, like purpose for which this tower was built. Some sup-
that God from whom it sprang, is unchangeable. It pose it was intended to prevent the effects of another

speaks in all tongues, to all nations, and in all hearts : flood, by affording an asylum to the builders and their
" There is one God, the fountain of goodness, justice, families in case of another general deluge. Others
and truth. Man, thou art his creature, ignorant, weak, think that it was designed
be a grand city, the seat to
and dependent but he is all-sufficient
; hates nothing — of government, in order to prevent a general dispersion.
that he has made loves thee —
is able and willing to — This God would not permit, as he had purposed that
save thee ; return to and depend on him, take his men should be dispersed over the earth, and there-
revealed will for thy law, submit to his authority, fore caused the means which they were using to pre-
and accept eternal life on the terms proposed in his vent it to become the grand instrument of its' accom-
word, and thou shalt never perish nor be wretched." plishment. Humanly speaking, the earth could not
This language of truth all the ancient and modern have been so speedily peopled, had it not been for this
Babel builders have not been able to confound, not- very circumstance which the counsel of man had
withstanding their repeated attempts. How have men devised to prevent it. Some say that these builders
toiled to make
language clothe their own ideas
this ;
were divided into seventy -two nations, with seventy-
and thus cause God to speak according to the pride, two different languages but this is an idle, unfounded ;

prejudice, and worst passions of men But through ! tale.

a jufst judgment of God, the language of all those who Verse 10. These d,xe the generations of Shem] This
have attempted to do this has been confounded and may be called the holy family, as from it sprang Abra-
the word of the Lord abideth for ever. ham, Isaac, Jacob, the twelve patriarchs, David, Solo-
Verse 7. Go to] A form of speech which, whatever mon, and all the great progenitors of the Messiah.
it might have signified formerly, now means nothing. We
have already seen that the Scripture chrono-
The Hebrew ry2V\ habah signifies come, make pre- logy, as it exists in the Hebrew text, the Samaritan,

paration, as were for a journey, the execution of a

it the Septuagint, Josephus, and some of the fathers, is
purpose, &c. Almost all the versions understand the greatly embarrassed and it is yet much more so in
;

word in this way the Septuagint have devre, the Vul-

; the various systems of learned and unlearned chrono-
gate venite, both signifying come, or come ye. This logists. For a full and rational view of this subject,
makes a very good sense, Come, let us go doivn, <^c. into which the nature of these notes forbids me farther
For the meaning of these latter words see chap. i. 26, to enter, I must refer my reader to Dr. Hales's labo-
and xviii. 21. rious work, " A New Analysis of Sacred Chronology,"
Verse 9. Therefore is the name of it called Babel] vol. ii., part 1, &c., in which he enters into the sub-
733 babel, from S^ bal, to mingle, confound, destroy ; ject with a cautious but firm step and, if he has not ;

hence Babel, from the mingling together and confound- been able to remove all its difficulties, has thrown very
ing of the projects and language of these descendants considerable light upon most parts of it.
of Noah and this confounding did not so much imply
; Verse 12. And Arphaxad lived] The Septuagint
the producing new languages, as giving them a different bring in here a second Cainan, with an addition of one
method of pronouncing the same words, and leading hundred and thirty years. St. Luke follows the Sep-
them to affix different ideas to them, tuagint, and brings in the same person in the same way
a 89
 : 1 — ;

Of the postdiluvian patriarchs. GENESIS. Terah and his family leave Ur.

A. M. 2187. hundred and thirty years, and begat and ^ begat Abram, Nahor, and a. m. 1948.

—— '. '-
'-
sons and daughters.
TT
Haran.
B. C. 2056.

A. M. 1787. 18 And Peleg lived thirty years, 27 Now these are the generations A. M. 2008.
B. C. 2217.
and begat Reu : Terah begat Abram, —
of Terah : ^
'
^
A. M. 1996. 19 And Peleg lived after he be- Nahor, and Haran and Haran begat Lot. ;
B. C. 2008.
gat Reu two hundred and nine 28 And Haran died before his father Terah in

years, and begat sons and daughters. Ur of the Chaldees. the land of his nativity, in
A. M. 1819. 20 And Reu lived two and thirty 29 And Abram and Nahor took them wives :

B. C. 2185. r.
^ ^
. years, and begat " feerug the name of Abram's wife luas ^ Sarai
: and :

B C" 1978' ^ ^ ^"^ ^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^® ^®Sat the name of Nahor's ^ wife, Milcah, the
Serug two hundred and seven years, daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah, and
and begat sons and daughters. the father of Iscah.
A. M. 1849. 22 And Serug lived thirty years, 30 But * Sarai was barren ; she had no child.
n. C. 2155.
and begat Nahor 3 And Terah ^ took Abram a. m. cir. 2078.
, . , , ,
- B. C. cir. 1926.
A.M. 2049. 23 And Seruff lived after he be-
B. C. 1955. ,, ,

gat JNahor two hundred years, and

^11
Lot the son ot
Haran his son's son, and Sarai his daughter-
T
his son, and

begat sons and daughters. in-law, his son Abram's wife and they went ;

A. M. 1878. 24 And Nahor lived nine and forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, *=

B. C. 2126.
twenty years, and begat ^ Terah to go into ^ the land of Canaan and they : ;

A. M. 1997. 25 And Nahor lived after he be-came unto Haran, and dwelt there.
B. C. 2007. m
gat lerah a hundred and nineteen
, 111
32 And the days of Terah A.M. 2083.
1 •

years, and begat sons and daughters. were two hundred and five years: 1 —— '.

26 And Terah lived seventy years. and Terah died in Haran.

V Luke iii. «' Luke 34, Thara. ^ Josh. » Chap. 2 xviii. 11, 12. Chap. Neh.
35, Sanich. iii. xvi. 1, ;
•> xii. 1. «

xxiv. 2 1 Chron. i. 26.

; y Chap. xvii. 15 ; xx. 12. ^ Chap. ix. 7 ; Judith v. 7 ; Acts vii. 4 ; Heb. xi. 8. ^ Chap. x. 19
xxii. 20. xxiv. 10 ; xxix. 4.

But the Hebrew text, both here and in 1 Chron. i., Abram before his two elder brethren Haran and Na
is perfectly silent on this subject, and the best chro- hor. These observations are suflicient to remove all
nologists have agreed in rejecting this as a spurious difficultyfrom this place.
generation. Verse 29. Milcah, the daughter of Haran] Many
Verse 26. And Terah lived seventy years, and be- suppose Sarai and Iscah are the same person undei
gat Abram, Nahor, and Haran.^ Haran was certainly two different names but this is improbable, as Iscah
;

the eldest son of Terah, and he appears to have been is expressly said to be the daughter of Haran, and

born when Terah was about seventy years of age, and Sarai was the daughter of Terah, and half sister of
his birth was followed in successive periods with those Abram.
of Nahor his second, and Abram his youngest son. Verse 3 1 They ivent forth -from Ur of the Chal-
.
—
Many have been greatly puzzled with the account dees] Chaldea is sometimes understood as comprising
here, supposing because Abram is mentioned first, the whole of Babylonia at other times, that province ;

that therefore he was the eldest son of Terah but he : towards Arabia Deserta, called in Scripture The land
is only put first by way of dignity. An instance of of the Chaldeans. The capital of this place was
this we have already seen, chap. v. 32, where Noah Babylon, called in Scripture The beauty of the Chal-
is represented as having Shem, Ham, and Japheth in dees'' excellency, Isa. xiii. 19.
this order of succession whereas it is evident from; Ur appears to have been a city of some consider-
other scriptures that Shem was the youngest son, who able consequence at that time in Chaldea but v;here ;

for dignity is named ^r.s/, as Abram is here; and Ja- situated is not well known. It probably had its name

pheth the eldest, named last, as Haran is here. Terah Ur "IIN*, which signifies J?re, from the t^orsAtp practised
died two hundred and five years old, ver. 32 then ; there. The learned are almost unanimously of opinion
Abram departed from Haran when seventy-five years that the ancient inhabitants of this region were ignico-
old, chap. xii. 4 ; therefore Abram was born, not when lists or ivorshippers of fire, and in that place this sort
his father Terah was seventy, but when he was one of worship probably originated ; and in honour of this
hundred and thirty. element, the symbol of the Supreme Being, the whole
When any case of dignity or pre-eminence is to it, might have had the
country, or a particular city in
be marked, then even the youngest son is set before name Bochart has observed that there is a place
Ur.
all the rest, though contrary to the usage of the called Ouri, south of the Euphrates, in the way from
Scriptures in other cases. Hence we find Shem, the Nisibis to the river Tigris. The Chaldees mentioned
youngest son of Noah, always mentioned first Moses ; here had not this name in the time of ivhich Moses
is mentioned before his elder brother Aaron ; and speaks, but they were called so in the time in which

90 a
 . ! s

Abram is called CHAP. XII. to leave Haran.

Moses wrote. Chesed was the son of Nahor, the son when, and to whom, are comparatively matters of smeill
of Terah, chap. xxii. 22. From Chesed descended importance. It is God's gift and his own wisdom ;

the Chasdim, whose language was the same as that of must determine the time, the person, and the place.
the Amorites, Dan. i. 4 ; ii. 4. These Chasdim, But if this be the case, have not others cause to com-
whence Chaldeans, of the Septuagint,
the Xaldaioi, plain because not thus favoured 1 Not at all, unless
Vulgate, and all later versions, afterwards settled on the favouring of the one for a time should necessarily
the south of the Euphrates. Those who dwelt in Ur cut off the others for ever. But this is not the case.
were either priests or astronomers, Dan. ii. 10, and Abram was first favoured ; that time, that country, and
also idolaters. Josh. xxiv. 2,3, 14, 15. And because that person were chosen by infinite wisdom, for there
they were much addicted to astronomy, and probably and then God
chose to commence these mighty opera-
to judicial astrology, hence all astrologers were, in pro- tions of Divine goodness. Isaac and Jacob also re-
cess of time, called Chaldeans, Dan. ii. 2-5. ceived the promises, the twelve patriarchs through their
The building of Babel, the confusion of tongues, father, and the whole Jewish people through them.'
and the first call of Abram, are three remarkable par- Afterwards the designs of God's endless mercy were
ticulars in this chapter and these led to the accom-
; more particularly unfolded and the word, which seemed ;

plishment of three grand and important designs : 1 to be confined for two thousand years to the descend-
The peopling of the whole earth 2. The preservation ;
ants of a single family, bursts forth on all hands, sal-
of the true religion by the means of one family and ; vation is preached to the Gentiles, and thus in Abram 's
3. The preservation of the line uncorrupted by which seed all the nations of the earth are blessed. Hence
the Messiah should come. When God makes a dis- none can find fault, and none can have cause to com-
covery of himself by a particular revelation, it must plain as the salvation which for a time appeared to
;

begin in some particular time, and be given to some be restricted to a few, is now on the authority of God,
particular person, and in some particular jsZace. Where, liberally offered to the whole human race

CHAPTER XII.

God calls Abram to leave Haran and go into Canaan, 1 ;

promises to bless him, and through him all the
families of the earth, 2, 3. Abram, Sarai, Lot, and all their household, depart for Canaan, 4, 5 pass ;

through Sichem, 6. God appears to him, and reneivs the promise, 7. His journey described, 8, 9. On
account of a famine in the land he is obliged to go into Egypt, 10. Fearing lest, on account of the beauty of
his tvife, the Egyptians should kill him, he desires her not to acknoivledge that she is his wife, but only his
sister, 11—13. Sarai, because of her beauty, is taken into the palace of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who is
very liberal to Abram on her account, 14—16. God afflicts Pharaoh and his household with grievous plagues
on account of Sarai, 17. Pharaoh, on finding that Sarai was Abram's wife, restores her honourably, and
dismisses the patriarch with his family and their property, 18—20.

B.C.S N^^ '^°^^

Abram, Get
^^^ ^'^^ ^^^^ ^'^^°
thee out of thy
father's house,
show thee :
unto a land that I will ^B. ^-
C. f^^^-
1921.

country, and from thy kindred, and from thy 2 ^ And I will make of thee a great nation,

'
Chap. XV. 7 ; Neh. ix. 7 ; Isa. xli. 2 ; Acts vii. 3 ; Heb. xi. 8. •>
Chapter xvii. 6 ; xviii. 18 ; Deut. xxvi. 5 ; 1 Kings iii. 8.

NOTES ON CHAP.
XII. the land {yv'^, a land) which I will show thee. into
Verse Get thee ou.t of thy country]
1. There is Hence it is evident that God had called Abram before
great dissension between commentators concerning the he came to Haran or Charran." The second call is
call of Abram some supposing he had two distinct
; recorded only in this chapter " The Lord said (not :

calls, others that he had but one. At the conclusion HAD said) unto Abram, Depart from thy land, and from
of the preceding chapter, ver. 31, we find Terah and thy kindred, and from thy father'' s house, unto the
all his family leaving Ur of the Chaldees, in order to L.YND, flND HK-arets, (Septuagint, THN yijv,) which
go to Canaan. This was, no doubt, in consequence of I will show thee." " The difference of the two calls,"
some Divine admonition. While resting at Haran, on says Dr. Hales, " more carefully translated from the
their road to Canaan, Terah died, chap. xi. 32 and ; originals, is obvious : in the former the land is indefi-
then God Abram, and orders him to
repeats his call to nite, which was designed only for a temporary resi-
proceed to Canaan, chap. xii. 1. dence ; in the latter it is definite, intimating his abode.
Dr. Hales, in his Chronology, contends for two calls : A third condition is also annexed to the latter, that
*' The first," says he, " is omitted
in the Old Testament, Abram now
separate himself from his father''
shall
but is particularly recorded in the New, Acts vii. 2—4 : house, or leave his brother Nahor's family behind at
The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham Charran. This call Abram obeyed, still not knowing
while he was (at Ur of the Chaldees) in Mesopotamia, whither he was going, but trusting implicitly to the
BEFORE HE DWELT IN Charran and Said unto him, ; Divine guidance."
Depart from thy land, and from thy kindred, and come Thy kindred] Nahor and the diflerent branchea
91
 — : —

Abram and his family GENESIS. journey toivards Canaan

A. M. 2083. c
aj^(j and make thev had gathered, and ^ the souls a. m. 2083
I ^{\\ bless thee,
B C 1921
_ '.

name great
L thy and thou shall that they had gotten ^ in Haran
; ^ ;
— ' '-

be a blessing and they went forth to go into the land of

3 ^ And I will bless them that bless thee, and Canaan and into the land of Canaan they ;

curse him that curseth thee ^ and in thee came. :

shall all families of the earth be blessed, 6 And Abram passed through the land unto '

4 So Abram departed, as the Lord had the place of Sichem, ^ unto the plain of Moreh.
spoken unto him and Lot went with him And the Canaanite ivas then in the land.
; :
^

and Abram was seventy and five years old 7 "" And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and
when he departed out of Haran. said, " Unto thy seed will I give this land :

5 And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot and there builded he an ° altar unto the Lord,
his brother's son, and all their substance that who appeared unto him.

<=
Chap. xxiv. 35. ^ Chap, xxviii. 4 Gal. iii. 14. ^ Chap.
; g Chap. xiv. 14. b Chap. xi. 31. Heb.
* xi. 9.. " Deut.
xxvii. 29 ; Exod. xxiii. 22 Num. xxiv. 9. ;
f
Chap, xviii. 18 ;
xi. 30 Judg. vii. 1.
; 'Chap. x. 18, 19 xiii. 7.
; ™Chap. xvii.
xxii. 18; xxvi. 4 Psa. Ixxii. 17; Acts iii. 25 ; Gal. iii. 8. 1. n Chap. xiii. 1-5 xvii. 8; Psa. cv. 9, 11. " Chap. xiii. 4.
; ;

of the family of Terah, Abram and Lot excepted. Verse 5. The souls that they had gotten in Harari]
That Nahor went with Terah and Abram as far as This may apply either to the persons who were em-
Padan-Aram, in Mesopotamia, and settled there, so that ployed in the service of Abram, or to the persons he
it was afterwards called Nahor''s city, is sufficiently had been the instrument of converting to the knowledge
evident from the ensuing history, see chap. xxv. 20 ;
of the true God and in this latter sense the Chaldee
;

xxiv. 10, 15 and that the same land was Haran, see
; paraphrasts understood the passage, translating it. The
chap, xxviii. 2, 10, and there were Abram's kindred souls of those ivhom they proselyted in Haran.
and country here spoken chap. xxiv. 4. of, They loent forth to go into the land of Canaan] A
Thy Terah being now dead, it is good land, possessed by a bad people, who for their
father''s house]
very probable that the family were determined to go no iniquities were to be expelled, see Lev. xviii. 25. And
farther, but to settle at Charran and as Abram might this land was made a type of the kingdom of God.
;

have felt inclined to stop with them in this place, hence Probably the whole of this transaction may have a far-
the ground and necessity of the second call recorded ther meaning than that which appears in the letter.
here, and which is introduced in a very remarkable As Abram left his own country, father's house, and
manner "jS "jS lech lecha, go for thyself.
; If none kindred, took at the command of God a journey to this
of the family will accompany thee, yet go for thyself promised land, nor ceased till he arrived in it so should ;

unto THAT LAND ivhich I loill show thee. God does we cast aside every weight, come out from among the
not tell him xvhat land it is, that he may still cause him workers of iniquity, set out for the kingdom of God,
to walk by faith and not by sight. This seems to be nor ever rest till we reach the heavenly country. How
particularly alluded to by Isaiah, chap. xli. 2 Who many set out for the kingdom of heaven, make good
:

raised up the righteous man (Abram) /rom the east, and progress for a time in their journey, but halt before the
called him to his foot; that is, to follow implicitly the race is finished Not so Abram he loent forth to go ! ;

Divine direction. The apostle assures us that in all into the land of Canaan, and itito the land of Canaan
this Abram had spiritual views he looked for a better he came.
; Reader, go thou and do likewise.
country, and considered the land of promise only as Verse 6. The plain of Moreh.] p'7X elon should
typical of the heavenly inheritance. be translated oak, not plain ; the Septuagint translate
Verse 2. / loill make of thee a great nation] i. e.. TTjv 6pvv TTjv vipiilriv, ; and it is likely
the lofty oak
The Jewish people and make thy name great, alluding
; the place was remarkable
grove of those trees,
for a
to the change of his name from Abram, a bigh father, or for one of a stupendous height and bulk.
to Abraham, the father of a multitude. The Canaanite was then in the land.] This is
Verse 3. In thee] In thy posterity, in the Messiah, thought to be an interpolation, because it is supposed
who shall spring from thee, shall
all families of the that thesewords must have been written after the Ca-
earth be blessed he shall take on him human na-
; for as naanites were expelled from the land by the Israelites
ture from the posterity of Abraham, he shall taste death under Joshua ; but this by no means follows. All that
for every man, his Gospel shall be preached through- Moses which Abram
states is simply that, at the time in
out the world, and innumerable blessings be derived on passed through Sichem, the land was inhabited by the
all mankind through his death and intercession. descendants of Canaan, which was a perfectly possible
Verse 4. And Abram was seventy andfive years old] case, and involves neither a contradiction nor absurdity.
As Abram was now seventy-five years old, and his There is no rule of criticism by which these words
father Terah had just died, at the age of two hundred can be produced as an evidence of interpolation or
and five, consequently Terah must have been one hun- incorrectness in the statement of the sacred historian.
dred and thirty when Abram was born ; and the seven- See this mentioned again, chap. xiii. 7.
tieth year of his age mentioned Gen. xi. 26, was the Verse 7. The Lord appeared] In what way this
period at which Haran, not Abram, was bom. See appearance was made we know not it was probably ;

on he preceding chapter.
I by the great angel of the covenant, Jesus the Christ
92
 2 — ;

Abram goes to Egypt. CHAP. XII. His msti^ction to Sarat

A. M. 2083. 8 And he removed from 11 And It came to ^

thence pass, when 2094. a. m. cir.
B. C. 1921. 1 B. C. cir. 1920. .

unto a mountain on the he was come near to enter into

east of
Beth-el, and pitched his tent, having Beth-el Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Be-
on the west, and Hai on the east: and there hold now, I know that thou art " a fair wo-
he builded an altar unto the Lord, and p called man to look upon :

upon the name of the Lord. 1 Therefore it shall come to pass, when the
9 And Abram journeyed, i going 'on still Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say,
toward the south. This is his wife and they ^ will kill me, but
:

A. M. cir. 2084. 1 And there was ^ a famine they will save thee alive.
B. -C. cir. 1920.
in the land ; and Abram ' went 13 ^ Say, I pray thee, thou art my-sister :

down into Egypt to sojourn there, for the that it may be well with me for thy sake ; and
famine ivas " grievous in the land. my soul shall live because of thee.

PChap. xiii. 4. iHeb. in going and journeying. ''Chap. " Chap, .\liii. 1.- '
Ver. 14 ; chap. xxvi. 7. "' Chap. xx.
11
xiii. 3. s
Qhap. xxvi. 1. ' Psa. cv. 13. xxvi. 7.- ' Chap. XX. 5, 13 see chap. xxvi. 7.
;

The appearance, whatsoever it was, perfectly satisfied Went down into Egypt] He felt himself a stranger
Abram, and proved itself to be supernatural and Divine. and a pilgrim, and by his unsettled state was kept in
It is worthy of remark that Abram is the first man to mind of the city that hath foundations that are perma-
whom God is said to have shown himself or appeared : nent and stable, whose builder is the living God. See
1. In Ur of the Chaldees, Acts vii. 2 and 2. At the ; Heb. xi. 8, 9.
oak of Moreh, as in this verse. As miD Moreh sig- Verse 1 1 Thou art a fair woman to look upon]
.

nifies a teacher, probably this was called the oak of Widely differing in her complexion from the swarthy
Moreh or the teacher, because God manifested himself Egyptians, and consequently more likely to be coveted
here, and instructed Abram concerning the future by them. It appears that Abram supposed they would
possession of that land by his posterity, and the dis- not scruple to take away the life of the husband in
pensation of the mercy of God to all the families of order to have the undisturbed possession of the wife.
the earth through the promised Messiah. See on The age of Sarai at this time is not well agreed on
chap. XV. 7. by commentators, some making her ninety, while others
Verse 8. Beth-el] The place which was afterwards make her only sixty-five. From chap. xvii. 17, we
called Beth-el by Jacob, for its first name was Luz.
was ten years younger than Abram,
learn that Sarai
See chap, xxviii. 19. '7X no beith El literally signifies for she was but ninety when he was one hundred.
the house of God. And from ver. 4 of chap. xii. we find that Abiram was
— —
And pitched his tent and huilded an altar unto seventy-five when he was called to leave Haran and
the Lord] Where Abram has a tent, there God must go to Canaan, at which time Sarai could be only sixty
have an altar, as he well knows there is no safety five ; and if the transactions recorded in the preceding
but under the Divine protection. How few who build verses took place in the course of that year, which I
houses ever think on the propriety and necessity of think possible, consequently Sarai was but
sixty-five ;
building an altar to their Maker The house in which and as in those times people lived much longer, and
!

the worship of God is not established cannot be con- disease seems to have had but a very contracted influ-
sidered as under the Divine protection. ence, women and men would necessarily arrive more
And called upon the name of the Lord.] Dr. Shuck- slowly at a state of perfection, and retain their vigour
ford strongly contends that Di2'3 X'lp kara heshem does and complexion much longer, than in later times. We
not signify to call on the na-me, but to invoke in the may add these considerations that strangers and
to
name. So Abram invoked Jehovah in or by the name foreigners are more coveted by the licentious than
of Jehovah, who had appeared to him. He was taught thosewho are natives. This has been amply illustrated
even in these early times to approach God through a in West Indies and in America, where the jetty,
the
Mediator and that
; Mediator, since manifested in the monkey-faced African women are preferred to the
flesh, was known by the name Jehovah. Does not our elegant and beautiful Europeans To this subject a !

Lord allude to such a discovery as this when he says, learned British traveller elegantly applied those words
Abraham rejoiced to see my day ; and he saw it, and of Virgil, Eel. ii., ver. 18 :

was glad ? John viii. 56. Hence it is evident that Alba ligustra cadunt, vaccinia,nigra leguntur.
he was informed that the Christ should be born of his
seed, that the nations of the world should be blessed White lilies lie neglected on the plain,
through him and is it then to be wondered at if he
;
While dusky hyacinths for use remain. Dryden.
invoked God in the name of this great Mediator ? Verse 13. Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister]
Verse IQ. There ivas a famine in the land] Of Abram did not wish his wife to tell a falsehood, but he
Canaan. This is the first famine on record, and it wished her to suppress a part of the truth. From
prevailed in the most fertile land then under the sun ;
chap. XX. 12, it is evident she was his step-sister, i.e.,
and why ^ God made it desolate for the wickedness his sister by different mother.
his father, but by a
of those who dwelt in it. Some suppose Sarai was the daughteij^f Haran, and
93
 1

Smai taken by Pharaoh. GENESIS. She is restored to Ahram

A. M. cir. 2084. 14 And it Came to pass that, his house with great plagues, a. m. cjr. 2084.
B. C. cir. 1920. , .
when Abram was come
,
•

into
, ,

because
P o
01 barai,
•
A
Abram s
,^ °. p
wife.
B. C. cir.
—
1920.

Egypt, the Egyptians ^ beheld the woman And Pharaoh called Abram, and said,
18
that shewas very fair. ^ What is this that thou hast done unto me ? why

15 The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife ?
and commended her before Pharaoh and the ; 19 Why saidst thou, She is my sister? so
woman was ^ taken into Pharaoh's house. I might have taken her to me to wife : now
1 6 And he ^ entreated Abram well for her therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go
sake and he had sheep, and oxen, and he- thy way.
:

asses, and men-servants, and maid-servants, 20 ^ And Pharaoh commanded his men con-
and she-asses, and camels. cerning him and they sent him away, and :

1 7 And the Lord ^ plagued Pharaoh and his wife, and all that he had.

Chap, xxxix. 7 ; Matt. v. 28. * Chap. xx. 2. » Chap. •"Chap. XX. 18; 1 Chron. xvi. 21 ; Psa. cv. 14; Heb. xiii.

XX. 14. •^
Chap. XX. 9 xxvi. 10. ;
1^
Prov. xxi. 1.

consequently the grand-daughter of Terah : this He-asses ; O'lDPI chamorim, from *lon chamar, to
opinion seems to be founded on chap. xi. 29, where be disturbed, muddy ; probably from the dull, stupid
Iscah is thought to be the same with Sarai, but the appearance of this animal, as if it were always affected
supposition has not a sufficiency of probability to sup- with melancholy. Scheuchzer thinks the sandy-coloured
port it. domestic Asiatic ass is particularly intended. The word
Verse 15. The woman was taken into Pharaoh's is applied to asses in general, though most frequently
house.'\ Pharaoh appears to have been the common restrained to those of the male kind.
appellative of the Cuthite shepherd kings of Egypt, She-asses ; nJHX athonoth, from |r\X ethan, strength,
who had conquered this land, as is conjectured, about probably the strong animal, as being superior in mus-
seventy-two years before this time. The word is sup- cular force to every other animal of its size. Under
posed to signify king in the ancient Egyptian language. this term both the male and female are sometimes un-
If the meaning be sought in the Hebrew, the root ;;"13 derstood.
para signifies to be free or disengaged, a name which Camels D'SfDJ gemallim, from SdJ gamal, to re-
;

such freebooters as the Cuthite shepherds might natu- compense, return, repay ; so called from its resentment
rally assume. All the kings of Egypt bore this name of injuries, and revengeful temper, for which it is pro-
till the commencement of verbial in the countries of which it is a native.
the Grecian monarchy, after On
which they were called Ptolemies. the animals and natural history in general, of the
When a woman was brought into the seraglio or Scriptures, I must refer to the Hierozoicon of Bochart,
haram of the eastern princes, she underwent for a and the Physica Sacra of Scheuchzer. The former
considerable time certain purifications before she was is the most learned and accurate work, perhaps, ever
brought into the king's presence. It was in this inte- produced by one man.
rim that God plagued Pharaoh and his house with From this enumeration of the riches of Abram we
plagues, so that Sarai was restored before she could may conclude that this patriarch led a pastoral and
have been taken to the bed of the Egyptian king. itinerant life that his meat must have chiefly consist- ;

Verse 16. He had sheep, and oxen, c^c.] As some ed in the flesh of clean animals, with a sufficiency of
of these terms are liable to be confounded, and as they pulse for bread ; was their milk ;
that his chief drink
frequently occur, especially in the Pentateuch, it may his clothing, their skins and his beasts of burden, asses
;

be necessary to consider and fix their meaning in this and camels ; (for as yet we read of no horses ;) and the
place. ordinary employment of his servants, to take care of
Sheep tx^f tson, from tsaan, to be plentiful or abun-
;
the flocks, and to serve their master. Where the pa-
dant ; a proper term for the eastern sheep, which triarchs became resident for any considerable time, they
almost constantly bring forth twins. Cant. iv. 2, and undoubtedly cultivated the ground to produce grain.
Gometimes three and even four at a birth. Hence Verse 17. The Lord plagued Pharaoh] What these
their great fruitfulness is often alluded to in the Scrip-plagues were we know not. In the parallel case, chap.
ture. See Psa. Ixv. 1.3 But under this XX. 18, all the females in the family of Abimelech,
; cxliv. 13.
same term, which almost invariably means a _^oc^, both who had taken Sarah in nearly the same way, were
sheep and goats are included. So the Romans include made barren possibly this might have been the case ;

sheep, goats, and small cattle in general, under the term here yet much more seems to be signified by the ex- ;

PEcus pecoris ; so likewise they do larger cattle under pression great plagues. Whatever these plagues were,
that of PECUS pecudis. it is evident they were understood by Pharaoh as proofs

Oxen np3 bakar, from the root, to examine, look out, of the disapprobation of God and, consequently, even
; ;

because of the full, broad, steady, unmoved look of at this time in Egypt there was some knowledge of the
most animals of the beeve kind and hence the morning primitive and true religion.
;

is termed boker, because of the light springing out of Verse 20. Commanded his men concerning him]
the east, and looking out over the whole of the earth's Gave particular and strict orders to afford Abram and
his family every accommodation for their journey for,
surface. ^ ;

94 a
 2

Abram and his family CHAP. XIII. return from Egypt to Canaan.

having received a great increase of cattle and ser- be able to resist. If he appear to be her husband, hia
vants, it was necessary that he should have the favour death he supposes to be certain if she pass for his ;

of the king, and his permission to remove from Egypt sister, he may be well used on her account he will ;

with so large a property hence, a particular charge not tell a lie, but he is tempted to prevaricate by sup-
;

is given to the officers of Pharaoh lo treat him with pressing a part of the truth. Here is a weakness
respect, and to assist him in his intended departure. which, however we may be inclined to pity and excuse
it, we should never imitate. It is recorded with its

The weighty and important contents of this chapter own condemnation. He should have risked all rather
demand our most attentive consideration. Abram is a than have prevaricated. But how could he think of
second time called to leave his country, kindred, and lightly giving up such a wife ? Surely he who would
father's house, and go to a place he knew not. Every not risk his life for the protection and safety of a good
thing was apparently against him but the voice of God. wife, is not worthy of one. Here his faith was defi-;
This to Abram was sufficient he could trust his Ma- cient. He still credited the general promise, and acted
;

ker, and knew he could not do wrong in following his on that faith in reference to it ; but he did not use his
command. He is therefore proposed to us in the Scrip- faith in reference to intervening circumstances, to which
tures as a pattern of faith, patience, and loving obedi- it was equally applicable. Many trust God for their

ence. When he received the call of God, he spent no souls and eternity, who do not trust in him for their

time in useless reasonings about the call itself, his bodies and for time. To him who follows God fully

family circumstances, the difficulties in the way, &c., every thing must ultimately suc-
in simplicity of heart,
«&c. He was called, and he departed, and this is all ceed. Had Abram and Sarai simply passed for what
we hear on the subject. Implicit faith in the promise they were, they had incurred no danger for God, who ;

of God, and prompt obedience to his commands, be- had obliged them to go to Egypt, had prepared the
come us, not only as his creatures, but as sinners way before them. Neither Pharaoh nor his courtiers
called to separate from evil workers and wicked ways, would have noticed the woman, had she appeared to
and travel, by that faith which worketh by love, in the be the ivife of the stranger that came to sojourn i>

way that leads to the paradise of God. their land. The issue sufficiently proves this. Every
How greatly must the faith of this blessed man have ray of the light of truth an emanation from the ho-
is

been tried, when, coming to the very land in which he liness of God, and awfully sacred in his eyes. Con-
is promised so much blessedness, he finds instead of sidering the subject thus, a pious ancient spoke the
plenty a grievous famine ! Who in his circumstances following words, which refiners in prevarication have
would not have gone back to his own country, and deemed by much too strong : " I would not," said he,
kindred \ Still he is not stumbled prudence directs " tell a lie to save the souls of the whole world."
;

him to turn aside and go to Egypt, till God shall Reader, be on thy guard thou mayest fall by com- ;

choose to remove this famine. Is it to be wondered paratively small matters, while resolutely and success-
at that, in this tried state, he should have serious ap- fully resisting those which require a giant's strength
prehensions for the safety of his life ? Sarai, his af- to counteract them. In every concern God is neces-
fectionate wife and faithful companion, he supposes he sary seek him for the body and for the soul ; and do
;

shall lose her beauty, he suspects, will cause her to not think that any thing is too small or insignificant to
;

be desired by men of power, whose will he shall not interest him that concerns thy present or eternal peace.

CHAPTER XIII.

Abram and his family return out of Egypt to Canaan, 1,2. He revisits Beth-el, and there invokes the Lord,
3, 4. In consequence of the great increase in the flocks of Abram and Lot, their herdmen disagree ; which
obliges the patriarch and his nephew to separate, 5—9. Lot being permitted to make his choice of the land,
chooses the plains of Jordan, 10, 11, and pitches his tent near to Sodom, while Abram abides in Canaan, 1
Bad character of the people of Sodom, 13. The Lord reneius his promise to Abram, 14—17, Abram
removes to the plains of Mamre, near Hebron, and builds an altar to the Lord, 18.

A. M.
B. C.
cir.
cir.
2086.
1918. JlV
A ND Abram went up out of 2
...
^ And Abram was very
.-'
^- M.
B. C.
cir.
cir.
2086.
1918.
j 1- -r i
, . ., ,

±igypt, he, and his wiie, and rich in cattle, in silver, and in
all that he had, and Lot with him, ^ into the south. ffold.

» Chap. xii. 9. b Chap. xxiv. 35 ; Psa. cxii. 3 ; Prov. x. 22.

NOTES ON CHAP. XIII. Verse 2. Abram was very rich] The property of
Verse 1. Abram went up
out of Egypt into the — these patriarchal times did not consist in flocks only,
south.'\ Probably the south of Canaan, as in leaving but also in silver and gold ; and in all these respecta
Egypt he is said to come from the south, ver. 3, for Abram was INO 13D cabed meod, exceeding rich. Jo-
the southern part of the promised land lay north-east sephus says that a part of this property was acquired
of Egypt. by teaching the Egyptians arts and sciences. Thus
95
 : ; 1 ——

Strife betv)een the herdmen. GENESLS. Abram and Lot separate.

A. M. 3 And he went on his journeys

cir. 2086. 9 Is not tiie whole land before a. m. cir. 2086. ^

B. C. cir.
^ 1918. a \ ,

from the south even to Joeth-el, thee ? separate thyself, I pray —

^, „
^ •^-n '. '.

«=

unto the place where his tent had been at the thee, from me ™ if thou wilt take the left :

becrinning-, between Beth-el and Hai hand, then I will go to the right or if thou ;

4 Unto the ^ place of the altar, which he depart to the right hand, then I will go to
had made there at the first and there Abram the left. :

^ called on the name of the Lord. 1 And Lot lifted up his eyes, A. M. cir. 2087.
5 And Lot also, which went with Abram, and beheld all ° the plain of _ '.

—'. '.

had flocks, and herds, and tents. Jordan, that it was well watered every where,
6 And ^ the land was not able to bear them, before the Lord ° destroyed Sodom and
that they might dwell together for their sub- Gomorrah, p even as the garden of the Lord,
:

stance was great, so that they could not dwell like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto
together. 1 Zoar.
And there was
7 between the herd- 1 Then Lot chose him
^ a strife all the plain oi
men of Abram's cattle and the herdmen af Jordan and Lot journeyed ; east : and they
Lot's cattle :
^ and the Canaanite and the separated themselves the one from the other.
Perizzite dwelled then in the land. 12 Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan,
8 And Abram Let there be and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain,
said unto Lot, ' ''

no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and ^ pitched his tent toward Sodom.
and between my herdmen and thy herdmen 13 But the men of Sodom loere wicked and '

for we he ^ brethren. '^sinners before the Lord exceedingly.

* Chap. xii. 7, 8. e Psa. cxvi. 17. "Chap. xix. 17; Deut. xxxiv. 3 ; Pad. cvii. 34. "Chapter
Chap. xii.
"^
8, 9.
' Chap, xxxvi. e Chap.
7. xxvi. 20. Chap. xii. 6. •> six. 24, 25. P Chap. ii. 10 ; Isa. li. 3. q Chap. xiv. 2, 8 ;
'
1 Cor. vi. 7. k
Heb. vie.n brethren ; see chap. xi. 27, 31 xix. 22. r Chap. xix. 29. ^ Chap. xiv. 12 ; xix. 1 ; 2 Pet.
;

Exod. ii. 13; Psa. cxxxiii. 1 Acts vii. 26. Chap. xx. 15
;
'
;
ii. 7, 8. 1 Chap, xviii. 20 ; Ezek. xvi. 49 ; 2 Pet. ii. 7, 8.
.txxiv. 10. ""Rom. xii. 18 Heb. xii. 14 James iii. 17.
; ; "Chap. vi. 11.

did God fulfil his promises to him, by protecting and ing pure and parental affection for his nephew, he per-
giving him a great profusion of temporal blessings, mitted him to make his choice first.

which were to him signs and pledges of spiritual things. Verse 10. Like the land of Egypt, as thou comest
Verse 3. Beth-el] See chap. 8. unto Zoar.] There is an obscurity in this verse which
Verse 6. Their substance ivas great] As their fami- Houbigant has removed by the following translation :

lies increased, it was necessary their flocks should Ea autem, priusquam Sodomafn Gomorrhamque Domi-
increase also, as from those flocks they derived their nus delcrit, erat, qua itur Segor, tola irrigua, quasi
clothing, food, and drink. Many also were offered in hortus Domini, et quasi terra JEgypti. " But before
sacrifice to God. the Lord had destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, it was,
Thei/ could not dwell together] 1 Because their as thou goest to Zoar, well watered, like the garden
.

flocks were great. 2. Because the Canaanites and the of the Lord, and like the land of Egypt." As para
Perizzites had already occupied a considerable part dise was watered by the four neighbouring streams
of the land. 3. Because there appears to have been and as Egypt was watered by the annual overflowing
envy between the herdmen of Abram and Lot. To of the Nile so were the plains of the Jordan, and ;

prevent disputes among them, that might have ulti- all the land on the way to Zoar, well watered and fer-
mately disturbed the peace of the two families, it was tilized by the overflowing of the .Jordan.
necessary that a separation should take place. Verse 1 1 Then Lot chose him all the plain] A .

Verse 7. The Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled little civility or good breeding is of great importance
then in the land.] That is, they were there at the time in the concerns of life. Lot either had none, or did
Abram and Lot came to fix their tents in the land. not profit by it. He certainly should have left the
See on chap. xii. 6. choice to the patriarch, and should have been guided '

Verse 8. For we be brethren.] We are of the same by his counsel but he took his ow7i way, trusting to ;

family, worship the same God in the same way, have his own judgment, and guided only by the sight of his
the same promises, and look for the same end. Why eyes he beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was :

then should there be strife ^ If it appear to be un- tvell ivatered, &c. ; so he chose the land, without con-
avoidable from our present situation, let that situation sidering the character of the inhabitants, or what
be instantly changed, for no secular advantages can advantages or disadvantages it might afford him in
counterbalance the loss of peace. spiritual things. This choice, as we shall see in the
Verse 9. Is not the whole land before thee f] As sequel, had nearly proved the ruin of his body, soul,
the patriarch or head of the family, Abram, by pre- and family.
might have chosen his own portion
scriptive right, first, Verse 13. The men of Sodom were wicked] D'J?*!

and appointed I^t his but intent upon peace, and

; feel- raim, from jn ra, to break in pieces, destroy, and
96
 5
6 ;;
: 8 — ;;

God renews his promise to Abram, CHAP. XIII. who builds an altar at Mamre.

A. M. cir. 14 And the Lord said unto the dust of the earth, then shall A. M. cir. 2087
2087.
B. C. cir. 1917.
Abram, after that Lot " was sepa- thy seed also be numbered. -1— !
'.

rated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and 17 Arise, walk through the land in the
look from the place where thou art ^northward, length of it, and in the breadth of it for I ;

and southward, and eastward, and westward will give it unto thee.

1 For all the land which thou seest, ^ to 1 Then Abram removed his tent, and came
thee will I give it, and to thy seed
^ for ever. and ^ dwelt in the ^ plain of Mamre, ° which is
1 And I will make thy
^ seed as the dust in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the
of the earth : so that if a man can number Lord.

''Ver. 11. '>'Chap. xxviii. 14. ^^ Chap. xii. 7; xv. 18; xxxii. 13 ; Num. xxiii. 10 ; Deut. i. 10 ; 1 Kings iv. 20 ; 1 Chron.
xvii.8
Acts vii.
;xxiv. 7
5.
xxvi. 4 ; Num. xxxiv. 12
;

y 2 Chion. xx. 7 ; Psa. xxxvii.

Deut. xxxiv. 4 ;
22, 29
;

cxii. 2. ;
xxvii. 23
Heb.
;

xi. 12.
Isa. xlviii. 19
» Chap.
; Jer. xxxiii. 22
xiv. 13.
Rom. iv. 16, 17, 18
i>Heb. plains.-
;

= Chapter —
z Chap. XV. 5 xxxii. 12 ; Exod. XXXV. 27 xxxvii. 14.
; xxii. 17 ; xxvi. 4 ; xxviii. 14 ;
;

afflict; meaning persons who broke the established therefore the first is its proper meaning, the latter its
order of things, destroyed and confounded the distinc- accommodated meaning. See the note on chap. xvii.
tions between right and wrong, and who afflicted and 7 ; xxi. 33.
tormented both themselves and others. And sinners, Verse 18. Abram removed his ^e«^] Continued to
D''NtOn chattaim, from Nton chata, to miss the mari, to travel and pitch in different places, till at last he fixed
step wrong, to miscarry ; the same as u/iapravu in his tent in the plain, or by the oak, of Mamre, see
Greek, from a, negative, and /zaprrrw, to hit a mark chap. xii. 6, ivhich is in Hebron ; i. e., the district in

so a sinner is one who is ever aiming at happiness which Mamre was situated was called Hebron. Mamre
and constantly missing his mark because, being ; was an Amorite then living, with whom Abram made
tvicked —
radically evil within, every affection and pas- a league, chap. xiv. 1 3 and the oak probably went
;

sion depraved and out of order, he seeks for happiness by his name, because he was the possessor of the
where it never can be found, in worldly honours and ground. Hebron is called Kirjath-arba, chap, xxiii.
possessions, and in sensual gratifications, the end of 2 but it is very likely that Hebron was its primitive
;

which is disappointment, affliction, vexation, and ruin. name, and that it had the above appellation from being
Such were the companions Lot must have in the fruit- the residence of four gigantic or powerful Anakim,
ful land he had chosen. This, however, amounts to for Kirjath-arba literally signifies the city of the four ;
no more than the common character of sinful man see the note on chap, xxiii. 2
but the people of Sodom were exceedingly sinful and Built there an altar unto the Lord.] On which he
wicked before, or against, the Lord they were sinners — offered sacrifice, as the word n3I0 mizbach, from n3T
of no common character ; they excelled in unrighteous- zabach, to slay, imports.
ness, and soon filled up the measure of their iniquities.
See chap. xix. The increase of riches in the family of Abram must,
Verse 14. The Lord said unto Abram] It is very in the opinion of many, be a source of felicity to them.
covenant appeared to Abram
likely that the angel of the If earthly possessions could produce happiness, it must
in ope7i day, when he could take a distinct view of the be granted that they had now a considerable share of
length and the breadth of this good land. The reve- it power.
in their But happiness must have its seat
lation made chap. xv. 5, was evidently made in the in the mind, and, like that, be of a spiritual nature
night ; for then he was called to number the stars, consequently earthly goods cannot give it so far are ;

which could not be seen but in the night season : they from either producing or procuring it, that they
here he is called on to number the dust of the always engender care and anxiety, and often strifes
earth, ver. 16, which could not be seen but in the and contentions. The peace of this amiable family
day-light. had nearly been destroyed by the largeness of their
Verse 15. To thee loill I give it, and to thy seed possessions. To prevent the most serious misunder-
for ever.] This land was given to Abram, that it standings, Abram and his nephew were obliged to sepa-
might lineally and legally descend to his posterity and ; rate. He who has much in general wishes to have
though Abram himself cannot be said to have possessed more, for the eye is not satisfied with seeing. Lot,
it. Acts vii. 5, yet it was the gift of God to him in for the better accommodation of his flocks and family,
behalf of his seed and this was always the design of
; chooses the most fertile district in that country, and
God, not that Abram himself should possess it, but that even sacrifices reverence and. filial affection at the
his posterity should, till the manifestation of Christ in shrine of worldly advantage but the issue proved that ;

the flesh. And this is chiefly what is to be understood a pleasant worldly prospect may not be the most ad-
by the words for ever, dSi>? TN ad olam, to the end of vantageous, even to our secular affairs. Abram pros-
the present dispensation, and the commencement of pered greatly in the comparatively barren part of the
the new. D/lj; olam means either eternity, which land, while Lot lost all his possessions, and nearly the
implies the termination of time or duration, such as
all lives of himself and family, in that land which ap-
is measured by the celestial luminaries; or a hidden, peared to him like the garden of the Lord, like a
unknown period, such as includes a completion or final second paradise. Rich and fertile countries have
termination of a particular era, dispensation, &c. ;
generally luxurious, effeminate, and profligate inhabit-
Vol. I. ( 8 ) 97
Chedorlaomer and his allies GENESIS. invade and pillage the Canaamtes,

ants ; so it was in this case. The inhabitants of worthy of serious regard he knew the path of duty ;

Sodom were sinners, and exceedingly wicked, and their was the way of safety, and that, if he acknowledged
profligacy was of that kind which luxury produces ;
God in all his ways, he might expect him to direct
they fed themselves tuithout fear, and they acted with- all his steps he felt his dependence on God, he in-
:

out shame. Lot however was, through the mercy of voked him through a Mediator, and offered sacrifices
God, preserved from this contagion he retained his : in faith of the coming Saviour he found blessedness
—
;

religion and this supported his soul and saved his

; in this work it was not an empty service he rejoiced
— ;

life, when his goods and his wife perished.

Let us to see the day of Christ he saw it, and was glad.
learn from this to be jealous over our own wills and See on chap. xii. 8. Reader, has God an altar in thy
wishes to distrust flattering prospects, and seek and
; house ? Dost thou sacrifice to him ? Dost thou offer
secure a heavenly inheritance. " Man wants but liltle up daily by faith, in behalf of thy soul and the souls
—
;

nor that little long." man's life A

the comfort and of thy family, the Lamb of God who taketh away the
happiness of it —
does not consist in the multitude of sin of the world ! No man cometh unto the Father
the things he possesses. " One house, one day's food, hut hy me, said Christ this was true, not only from :

and one suit of raiment," says the Arabic proverb, the incarnation, but from the foundation of the world.
" are suflicient for thee and if thou die before noon, And to this another truth, not less comfortable, may
;

tnou hast one half too much." The example of Abram, be added Whosoever cometh unto me I will in nowise :

in constantly erecting an altar wherever he settled, is cast out.

CHAPTER XIV.
The war of four confederate kings against the five kings of Canaan, 1-3. The confederate kings overrun
and pillage the whole country, 4-7. Battle between them and the kings of Canaan, 8, 9. The latter are
defeated, and the principal part of the armies of the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah slain, 10 on which ;

these two cities are plundered, 11. Lot, his goods, and his family, are also taken and carried away, 12.
Abram, being informed of the disaster of his nephew, 13, arms three hundred and eighteen of his servants,
and pursues them, 14 overtakes and routs them, and recovers Lot, and his family, and their goods, 15, 16
; ;

is met on his return by the king of Sodom, and by Melchizedek, king of Salem, with refreshments for
himself and men, 17, 18. Melchizedek blesses Abram, and receives from him, as priest of the most high
God, the tenth of all the spoils, 19, 20. The king of Sodom offers to Abram all the goods he has taken
from the enemy, 21 which Abram positively refuses, having vowed to God to receive no recompense for
;

a victory of which he kneiv God to be the sole author, 22, 23 but desires that a proportion of the spoils be ;

given to Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre, ivho had accompanied him on this expedition, 24.

A. M.
B. C.
cir.
cir.
2091.
1913. IX.
A ND ,
it Came to pass, m
.
the Shinab king of " Admah, and A. M. cir. 2091.
B. C. cir. 1913.
.
; 1 ,
.
r
days 01 Amraphel king oi Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and
^ Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorla- the king of Bela, which is ^ Zoar.
omer kmg of ^ Elam, and Tidal king of na- 3 All these were joined together in the vale
tions ;
which is the salt sea. of Siddim, ^

That these made war with Bera king of

2 4 Twelve years ^ they served Chedorlaomer,
Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.

'Chap. X. 10; xi. 2. '' Isa. xi. 11. -<=Deut. xxix. 23. ^ Deut. iii. 17 ; Num. xxxiv. 12 ; Josh, iii. 16 ; Psa. cvii. 34.
d Chap. xix. 22.
f
Chap. ix. 26.

NOTES ON CHAP.
XIV. Chedorlaomer king of Elam] Dr. Shuckford thinks
Verse 1. Amraphel] Who this king that this was the same as Ninyas, the son of Ninus
In the days of
was is not known and yet, from the manner in which and Semiramis ; and some think him to be the same
;

he is spoken of in the text, it would seem that he was with Keeumras, son of Doolaved, son of Arphaxad,
a person well known, even when Moses wrote this son of Shem, son of Noah and that Elam means ;

account. But the Vulgate gives a different turn to Persia; see chap. x. 22. The Persian historians
the place, by rendering the passage thus Factum est unanimously allow that Keeumras, whose name bears
:

in illo tempore, ut Amraphel, &c. " It came to pass some affinity to Chedorlaomer, was the first king of
in that time that Amraphel, &c." The Chaldee Tar- the Peeshdadian dynasty.
gum of Onkelos makes Amraphel king of Babylon, Tidal king of nations] D'U goyim, different peo-
others make him king of Assyria some make him ples or clans. Probably some adventurous person,
;

the same as Nimrod, and others, one of his descend- whose subjects were composed of refugees from dif-
ants. ferent countries.
Arioch king of Ellasar] Some think Syria is Verse 2. These made war ivith Bera, d^c] It ap-
meant but conjecture is endless where facts cannot
; pears, from ver. 4, that these five Canaanitish kings
be etficertained. had been subdued by Chedorlaomer, and were obliged
a 98 C 8» )
 ; . ; 1 ;

The kings of Canaan defeated. CHAP. XIV. Lot and his family taken

A. M. cir. 2091. 5 And on the fourteenth year with Tidal king of nations, and A. M. cir. 2091
B. C. cir. 1913. A I, r 1 1
•
01 •
J B. C. cir. 1913.
came Chedorlaomer, and the kings Amraphel king oi bnmar, and
that were with him, and smote ^ the Rephaims Arioch king of Ellasar four kings with five. ;

^ in Ashteroth Karnaira, and the Zuzims in 10 And the vale of Siddim was full of
'

Ham, ^ and the Emims in Shaveh Kiria- p slime-pits and the kings of Sodom and
^ ;

.haim, Gomorrah fled, and fell there ; and they that

6 ""And Horites in their mount Seir, remained fled i to the mountain.
the
unto "^
El-paran, which is by the wilderness. 1 And they took ^ all the goods of Sodom
7 And they returned, and came to En-mish- and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went
pat, which is Kadesh, and smote all the coun- their way.
try of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites 12 And they took Lot, Abram's ^brother's
that dwelt ° in Hazezon-tamar. son, * who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and

8 And there went out the king of Sodom, departed.

and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of 13 And there came one that had escaped,
Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king and told Abram the Hebrew for ^ he dwelt ;

of Bela, (the same is Zoar,) and they joined in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of
battle with them in the vale of Siddim Eshcol, and brother of Aner :
""
and these
9 With Chedorlaomer the king of Elam, and were confederate with Abram.

eChap. XV. 20; Deut. hi. 11. iiJosh. xii. 4; xiii. 12. xxi. 21 ; Num. xii. 16 ; xiii. 3. " 2 Chron. xx. 2. p Chap.
r » Chap. xii. 5.
>Deut. ii. 20. ^ Deut. ii. 10, 11. ' Or, the plain
of Kiria- xi. 3.- 1 Chap. xix. 17, 30. Ver. 16, 21.
thaim. " Deut. ii. 12, 22. °0r, the plain of Paran ; chap ' Chap. xiii. 12. " Chap. xiii. 18. » Ver. 24.

to pay him tribute and that, having been enslaved by

; appears, from Cant. i. 13, to have been a very fruit-
him twelve years, wishing to recover their liberty, they ful place.
revolted in the thirteenth in consequence of which
; Verse 8. Bela, the same is Zoar] That is, it was
Chedorlaomer, the following year, summoned to his called Zoar after the destruction of Sodom, &c., men
assistance three of his vassals, invaded Canaan, fought tioned in chap. xix.
with and discomfited the kings of the Pentapolis or Verse 10. Slime-pits] Places where asphaltus or
five cities —
Sodom, Gomorrah, Zeboiim, Zoar, and bitumen sprang out of the ground this substance ;

Admah, which were situated in the fruitful plain of abounded in that country.
Siddim, having previously overrun the whole land. Fell there] It either signifies they were defeated
Verse 5. Rephaims] A
people of Canaan chap. : on this spot, and many of them slain, or that multi-
XV. 20. tudes of them had perished in the bitumen-pits which
Ashteroth] A city of Basan, where Og afterwards abounded there that the place was full of pits we
;

reigned; Josh. xiii. 31. learn from the Hebrew, which reads here r\1X3 JTIN^
Zuzims] Nowhere else spoken of, unless they beeroth beeroth, pits, pits, i. e., multitudes of pits. A
were the same with the Zamzummims, Deut. ii. 20, bad place to maintain a fight on, or to be obliged to
as some imagine. run through in order to escape.
Emims] A people great and many in the days of Verse 11. They took all the goods, dfc] This was
Moses, and tall as the Anakim. They dwelt among a predatory war, such as the Arabs carry on to the
the Moabites, by whom they were reputed giants ; present day they pillage a city, town, or caravan ;

Deut. ii. 10, 11. and then escape with the booty to the wilderness,
Shaveh Kiriathaim] Rather, as the margin, the where it would ever be unsafe, and often impossible,
plain of Kiriathaim., which was a city afterwards be- to pursue them.
longing to Sihon king of Heshbon Josh. xiii. 19. ; Verse 12. They took Lot, <^c.] The people, being
Verse 6. The Horites] A
people that dwelt in exceedingly wicked, had provoked God to afflict them
Mount Seir, till Esau and his sons drove them thence ;
by means of those marauding kings and Lot also suf- ;

Deut. ii. 22. fered, being found in company with the workers of
El-paran] The plain or oak of Paran, which was
Every child remembers the fable of the
iniquity.
a city in the wilderness of Paran chap. xxi. 2 1 Geese and Cranes the former; being found feeding
; ;

Verse 7. En-mishpat] The tvell ofjudgment ; pio- where the latter were destroying the grain, were aU
bably so called from the judgment pronounced by God taken in the same net. Let him that readeth under-
on Moses and Aaron for their rebellion at that place stand.
Num. XX. 1-10. Verse 13. Abram the Hebrew] See on chap. x. 21.
Amalekites] So called afterwards, from Amalek, It is very likely that Abram had this appellation from
son of Esau ; chap, xxxvi. 12. his coming from beyond the river Euphrates to enter
Hazezon-tamar.] Called, in the Chaldee, Engaddi Canaan for nD^'H haibri, which we render the He-
;

a city in the land of Canaan, which fell to the lot of breio, comes from 13;' abar, to pass over, or come from
Judah Josh. xv. 62.
; See also 2 Chron. xx. 2. It beyond. It is supposed by many that he got this name
QQ
 6 7

Ahram attacks and routs tHefour GENESIS. kings, and recovers the captives.

A. M. cir. 2091. 14 And when Abram heard also brought again his brother A. M. cir. 2091.
B. C. cir. 1913.
that "" his brother was taken Lot, and his goods, and the — "
-'

captive, he ^ armed his ^ trained servants, women also, and the people.
^ born in his own house, three hundred 1 And the king of Sodom ^ went out to
and eighteen, and pursued them ^ unto meet him ^ after his return from the slaughter
Dan. of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were
15 And he divided himself against them, he with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is

and his servants, by night, and ^ smote them, the ^ king's dale.
and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on 18 And ^ Melchizedek king of Salem brought
the left hand of Damascus. forth bread and wine and he was ^ the priest
:

1 And he brought back ° all the goods, and of ^ the most high God.

^ Chap. xiii. 8. * Or, led forth. y Or, instructed. ^ Ch. >i

Judg. xi. 34; 1 Sam. xviii. 6. « Heb. vii. 1. f
2 Sam.
XV. 3 ; xvii. 12, 27 ; Eccles. ii. 7. »Deut. xxxiv. 1 ; Judg. xviii. 18. e Heb. vii. 1. h Psa. ex. 4 Heb. v. 6. > Mic.
;

2 aii. 29. ^isa. x\i. 2, 3. <:

Ver. 11, 12. vi. 6 ; Acts xvi. 17 ; Ruth iii. 10 ; 2 Sam. ii. 5.

from Eber or Heber, son of Salah see chap. xi. 15. ; female captives. However, Abram had disposed his
But why he should get a name from Heber, rather attack so judiciously, and so promptly executed his
than from his own father, or some other of his pro- measures, that not only all the baggage, but all the
genitors, no person has yet been able to discover. females also, were recovered.
We may, therefore, safely conclude that he bears the Verse 17. The king of Sodom went out to meet htm]
appellation of Hebrew or Ibrite from the above cir- This could not have been Bera, mentioned ver. 2, for
cumstance, and not from one of his progenitors, of it seems pretty evident, from ver. 10, that both he and

whom we know nothing but the name, and who pre- Birsha, king of Gomorrah, were slain at the bitumen-
ceded Abram not less than six generations and during ; pits in the vale of Siddim but another person in the ;

the whole of that time till the time marked here, none mean time might have succeeded to the government.
of his descendants were ever called Hebrews ; this is Verse 18. And Melchizedek, king of Salem] A
a demonstration that Abram was not called the Hebrew thousand idle stories have been told about this man,
from Heber; see chap- xi. 15—27. and a thousand idle conjectures spent on the subject
These were confederate ivith Abram.'] It seems of his short history given here and in Heb. vii. At
that a kind of convention was made between Abram present it is only necessary to state that he appears to
and the three brothers, Mamre, Eshcol, and Aner, have been as real a personage as Bera, Birsha, or
who were probably all chieftains in the vicinity of Shinah, though we have no more of his genealogy
Abram 's dwelling : all petty princes, similar to the than we have of theirs.
nine kings before mentioned. Brought forth bread and wine] Certainly to refresh
Verse 14. He armed his trained servants] These Abram and his men, exhausted with the late battle
amounted to three hundred and eighteen in number and fatigues of the journey not in the way oi sacrifice, : ;

and how many were in the divisions of Mamre, Eshcol, &c. this is an idle conjecture. ;

and Aner, we know not but they and their men He was the priest of the most high God.] He had
;

certainly accompanied him in this expedition. See preserved in his family and among his subjects the
ver. 24. worship of the true God, and the primitive patriarchal
Verse 1 5 And he divided himself against thein] It institutions by these the father of every family was
. ;

required both address in both king and priest ; so Melchizedek, being a worship-
considerable courage and
Abram to lead him to attack the victorious armies of per of the true God, was priest among the people, as
these four kings with so small a number of troops, and well as king over them.
on this occasion both his skill and his courage are Melchizedek is called here king of Salem, and the
exercised. His affection for Lot appears to have been most judicious interpreters allow that by Salem Jeru-
his chief motive he cheerfully risks his life for that
; salem is meant. That it name anciently is
bore this
nephew who had chosen the best part of the
lately evident from Psa. Ixxvi. 1,2: "In Judah is God known;
land, and left his uncle to live as he might, on what his name is great in Israel. In Salem also is his taber
he did not think worthy his own acceptance. But it TjflcZe, and his dwelling place in Zion." From the use
is the property of a great and generous mind, not only made of this part of the sacred history by David, Psa.
to forgive, but to forget offences and at all times to ; ex. 4, and by St. Paul, Heb. vii. 1-10, we learn that
repay evil with good. there was something very mysterious, and at the same
Verse 16. And he brought back the women also] — time typical,in the person, name, office, residence, and

This is brought in by the sacred historian with peculiar government of this Canaanitish prince. 1. In his
interest and tenderness. All who read the account person he was a representative and type of Christ see ;

must be in pain for the fate of tvives and daughters the scriptures above referred to. 9. His name o'7D

fallen into the hands of a ferocious, licentious, and pnv malki tsedek, signifies my righteous king, or king
victorious soldiery. Other spoils the routed confede- of righteousness. This name he probably had from
rates might have left behind and yet on their swift ; the pure and righteous administration of his govern-
asses, camels, and dromedaries, have carried off the ment and this is one of the characters of our blessed
;

100
 1

Melchizedek blesses Abram, who CHAP. XIV. refuses to take any of the booty.

A. M. cir. 2091. 19 And he blessed him, and I ° have lift up mine hand unto A. M. cir.' 209i.
^^^^- 1 T 1 1 • 1 /-. 1 B. C. cir. 1913.
^- ^- "''•
most high God,
said, Blessed be Abram of the the LiORD, the

most high God, ^ possessor of heaven and p the possessor of heaven and earth,
earth. 23 That 1 1 v^rill not take from a thread even
20 And ^blessed be the most high God, to a shoe-latchet, and that I will not take any
which hath delivered thine enemies into thy thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I
hand. And he gave him tithes "^ of all. have made Abram rich :

2 And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, 24 Save only that which the young men
Give me the persons, and take the goods to have eaten, and the portion of the men ' which
'^

thyself. went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Manire let ;

22 And Abram said to the king of Sodom, them take their portion.
k Ver. 22 ; Matt. xi. 25. ' Chap. xxiv. 27.- -™ Heb. vii. 4. ° Exod. vi. 8 ; Dan. xii. 7 ; Rev. x. 5, 6.- -P Ver. 19 ; chap.
" Heb. souls. xxi. 33. 1 So Esther ix. 15, 16.- -"•Ver. 13.

Lord, a character which can be applied to him only, kings. These Abram gave as a tribute to the most
as he alone is essentially righteous, and the only Po- high God, who, being the possessor of heaven and earth,
tentate; but a holy man, such as Melchizedek, might dispenses all spiritual and temporal favours, and de-
bear this name as his type or representative. 3. Office; mands the gratitude, and submissive, loving obedience,
he was a priest of the most high God. The word of all his subjects. Almost all nations of the earth
tn3 cohen, which signifies both prince and priest, be- have agreed in giving a tenth part of their property
cause the patriarchs sustained this double office, has to be employed in religious uses. The tithes were
both its root and proper signification in the Arabic; afterwards granted to the Levites for the use of the
/j6^=» kahana signifies to approach, draw near, have sanctuary, and the maintenance of themselves and their

and from hence to officiate as priest families, as they had no other inheritance in Israel.
intimate access to ;

bfeore God, and thus have intimate access to the Di- Verse 22. I haveup mine hand] The primitive lift

vine presence and by means of the sacrifices which

:
mode of appealing to God, and calling him to witness
he oflered he received counsel and information relative a particular transaction this no doubt generally ob- ;

to what was yet to take place, and hence another ac- tained among the faithful till circumcision, the sign of
ceptation of the word, to foretell, predict future events, the covenant, was established. After this, in swear-
unfold hidden things or mysteries ; so the lips of the ing, the hand was often placed on the circumcised
priests preserved knowledge, and they were often the part ; see chap. xxiv. 2 and 9.
interpreters of the will of God to the people. Thus Verse 23. From a thread even to a shoe-latchet]
we find that Melchizedek, being a priest of the most This was certainly a proverbial mode of expression,
high God, represented Christ in his sacerdotal charac- the full meaning of which is perhaps not known.
ter, the word priest being understood as before ex- Among the rabbinical writers Din chut, or ''£3in chuti,
plained. 4. His residence ; he was king of Salem, signifies a, fillet ivorn by young women to tie up their
olio shalam signifies to make whole, complete, or per- hair ; taken in this sense it will give a good meaning
fect and hence it means peace, which implies the
; here. As Abram had rescued both the men and ivomen
making whole the breaches made jn the political and carried off by the confederate kings, and the king of
domestic union of kingdoms, states, families, &c., Sodom had offered him all the goods, claiming only the
making an end of discord, and establishing friendship. persons, he answers by protesting against the accept-
Christ is called the Prince of peace, because, -by his ing any of their property " I have vowed unto the :

incarnation, sacrifice, and mediation, he procures and Lord, the proprietor of heaven and earth, that I will
establishes peace between God and man heals the ; not receive the smallest portion of the property either
breaches and dissensions between heaven and earth, of the luomen or men, from a girl's fillet to a man's
reconciling both and produces glory to God in the
; shoe-tie."
highest, and on earth peace and good will among men. Verse 24. Save only that which the young men have
His residence is peace and quietness and assurance for eaten] His own servants had partaken of the victuals
ever, in every believing upright heart. He governs which the confederate kings had carried away see ;

as the Prince and Priest of the most high God, ruling ver. 11. This was unavoidable, and this is all he
in righteousness, mighty to save and he ever lives to ; claims but as he had no right to prescribe the same
;

make intercession for, and save to the uttermost all liberal conduct to his assistants, Aner, Eshcol, and
who come unto the Father by him. See the notes on Mamre, he left them to claim the share that by right
Heb. vii. of conquest belonged to them of the recaptured booty.
Verse 19. Ajid he blessed him] This was a part Whether they were as generous as Abram we are
of the priest's office, to bless in the name of the Lord, not told.
for ever. See the form of this blessing, Num. vi.
23-26 ; and for the meaning of the word to bless, see
The great variety of striking incidents in this chap
Gen. ii. 3. ter the attentive reader has already carefully noted
Verse 20. And he gave him tithes] A
tenth part To read and not understand is the property of the
of all the spoils he had taken from the confederate foolish and the inconsiderate. I. We have already

101
 ;

God appears again unto Abram, GENESIS. and renews his promise

seen the danger to which Lot exposed himself in pre- hands of God. 6. Here is a war undertaken by Abram
ferring a fertile region, though peopled with the work- on motives the most honourable and conscientious it ;

ers of iniquity. His sorrows commence in the cap- was to repel aggression, and to rescue the innocent
tivity of himself and family, and the loss of all his from the heaviest of sufferings and the worst of slavery,
property, though by the good providence of God he not for the purpose of plunder nor the extension of his
and they were rescued. 2. Long observation has territories therefore he takes no spoils, and returns
;

proved that the company a man keeps is not an indif- peaceably to his own possessions. How happy would
ferei t thing it will either be the means of his salva-
; the world be were every sovereign actuated by the
tion or destruction. 3. A
generous man cannot be same spirit! 7. We
have already noticed the appear-
contented with mere personal safety while others are ance, person, office, &c., of Melchizedek ; and, with-
in danger, nor with his own prosperity while others out indulging in the wild theories of either ancient or
are in distress. Abram, hearing of the captivity of modern have considered him as the Scrip-
visionaries,
his nephew, determines to attempt his rescue he puts ; tures do, a type of Christ. All that has been alreadv
himself at the head of his own servants, three hundred spoken on this head may be recapitulated in a few
and eighteen in number, and the few assistants with words. 1. The Redeemer of the world is the King
which his neighbours, Mamre, Aner, and Eshcol, could of righteousness ; he creates it, maintains it, and rules
f'lrnish him and, trusting in God and the goodness
; by it. 2. His empire is the empire of peace ; this he
of his cause, marches off to attack four confederate proclaims to them who are afar off", and to them that
kings 4. Though it is not very likely that the armies
! are nigh; to the Jew and to the Gentile. 3. He is
of those petty kings could have amounted to many Priest of the most high God, and has laid down his
thousands, yet they were numerous enough to subdue life for the sin of the world and through this sacri- ;

almost the whole land of Canaan and consequently, ; fice the blessing of God is derived on them that be-
humanly speaking, Abram must know that by numbers lieve. Reader, take him for thy King as well as thy
he could not prevail, and that in this case particularly Priest ; he saves those only who submit to his au-
the battle was the Lorcfs. 5. While depending on the thority, and take his Spirit for the regulator of their
Divine blessing and succour he knew he must use the heart, and his ivord for the director of their conduct.
means he had in his power he therefore divided his ; How many do we find, among those who would be
troops skilfully that he might attack the enemy at sorry to be rated so low as to rank only with nominal
different points at the same time, and he chooses the Christians, talking of Christ as their Prophet, Priest,
night season to commence his attack, that the small- and King, who are not taught by his word and Spirit,
ness of his force might not be discovered. God re- who apply not for redemption in his blood, and who
quires a man to use all the faculties he has given him submit not to his authority ! Reader, learn this deep
in every lawful enterprise, and only in the conscientious and important truth " Where I am there also shall
:

use of them can he expect the Divine blessing when ; my servant be and he that serveik me, him shall my
;

this is done the event may be safely trusted in the Father honour."

CHAPTER XV.
God appears to Abram in a vision, and gives him great encouragement, 1 Abram's request and complaint, .

2, 3. God promises him a son, 4 and an exceedingly numerous posterity, 5. Abram credits the promise,
;

and his faith is counted unto him for righteousness, 6. Jehovah proclaims himself, and reneivs the promise
of Canaan to his posterity, 7. Abram requires a sign of its fulfilment, 8. Jehovah directs him to offer
a sacrifice of five different animals, 9 ivhich he accordingly does, 10, 11.
;
God reveals to him the afflic-
tion of his posterity in Egypt, and the duration of that affliction, 12, 13. Promises to bring them back to
the land of Canaan loith great affluence, 14—16. Renews the covenant loith Abram, and mentions the pos-
sessions ivhich should be given to his posterity, 18-21.

A. M. 2093. A FTER these ~

tliinffs the word I am thy ^ shield, and thy A.M. 2093
B. C. 1911. S\ B.C. 1911.
'
of the Lord came unto exceeding '^
great reward.
Abram " in a vision, saying, ^ Fear not, Abram 2 And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt

» Dan. X. 1 ; Acts x. 10. 11. ^ Chap. xxvi. 24 ; Dan. x. 12 cPsa. iii. 3 ; v. 12 ; Ixxxiv. 11 ; xci.4 ; cxix. 114. <• Psa. xvi,
;

Luke i. 13,30. 5; Iviii. 11; Prov. xi. 18.

NOTES ON CHAP. XV. paraphrases in the next clause, called nn'O meimeri,
Verse 1 . The word of Lord came unto Abram] " my word," and in other places "'T NIO'tD 7neimera
the
This is the first place where God is represented as daiya, the word of Yeya, a contraction for Jehovah,
revealing himself by his word. Some learned men which they appear always to consider as a person ;
suppose that the mTT' 13T debar Yehovah, translated and which they distinguish from NDJnD pithgama,
here word of the Lord, means the same with the ?i.oyoc which signifies merely a word spoken, or any part of
Tov Qeov of St. John, chap. i. 1, and, by the Chaldee speech. There have been various conjectures concern-
103 a
AhrmrCs complaint. CHAP. XV. Isaac is promised.

A. M. cir. 2093. thou give me, ® seeing I go child- 4 And behold, the word of the a. m. cir. 2093.
, B. C. cir. 1911.
, . .
"

1 less, and the steward of my JLoRD came unto mm, saying,

house is this Eliezer of Damascus ? This shall not be thine heir but he that ^ shall ;

3 And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast come forth out of thine own bowels shall be
given no seed : and lo, ^ one born in my house thine heir.
is mine heir. 5 And he brought him forth abroad, and

e Acts vii. 5.- Chap. XIV. 14. 6 2 Sam. vii. 12; xvi. 11 ; 2 Chron. xxxii. 21.

ing the manner in which God revealed his will, not with their history will, without hesitation, say. No.
only to the patriarchs, but also to the prophets, evan- What then is intended I Just what the words state.
gelists, and apostles. It seems to have been done in God was Abram' s portion, and he is the portion of
diflferent ways. 1 By a personal appearance of him
.
every righteous soul ; for to Abram, and the children
who was afterwards incarnated for the salvation of of his faith, he gives not a portion in this life: No-
mankind. 2. By an audible voice, sometimes accom- thing, says Father Calmet, proves more invincibly the
panied with emblematical appearances. 3. 'Qy visions immortality of the soul, the truth of religion, and the
which took place either in the night in ordinary sleep, eternity of another life, than to see that in this life the
orwhen the persons were cast into a temporary trance righteous seldom receive the reward of their virtue,
by daylight, or when about their ordinary business, and that in temporal things they are often less happy
4. the ministry of angels appearing in human bo-
By than the workers of iniquity.
dies, and performing certain miracles to accredit their / am, says the Almighty, thy shield thy constant —
mission. 5. By the powerful agency of the Spirit of covering and protector, and thy exceeding great reward,
God upon the mind, giving it a strong conception and TXO n^in I^Dty sekarcha harbeh meod, " that super-
supernatural persuasion of the truth of the things latively multiplied reward of thine." It is not the

perceived by the understanding. shall see all We Canaan I promise, but the salvation that is to come
these exemplified in the course of the work. It was through the promised seed. Hence it was that Abram
probably in the third sense that the revelation in the rejoiced to see his day. And hence the Chaldee
text was given ; God appeared to Ahram
for it is said, Targum translates this place. My Word shall be thy
in a vision, niriD machazeh, from Hin chazah, to see, strength, <SfC.

or according to others, to fix, fasten, settle ; hence Verse 2. What wilt thou give me, seeing I go child
chozeh, a seer, the person who sees Divine things, to less] The
anxiety of the Asiatics to have offspring is
whom alone they are revealed, on whose mind they intense and universal. Among the Hindoos the want
are fastened, and in whose memory and judgment they of children renders all other blessings of no esteem.
are fixed and settled. Hence the vision which was See Ward.
mentally perceived, and, by the evidence to the soul And the steward of my house] Abram, understand-
of its Divine ox'igm, fixed and settled in the mind. ing the promise as relating to that person who was to
Fear not'] The late Dr. Dodd has a good thought spring from his family, in whom all the nations of the
on this passage " I would read," says he, " the se-
; earth should be blessed, expresses his surprise that
cond verse in a parenthesis, thus For Ahram had : there should be such a promise, and yet he is about
said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go to die childless How then can the promise be ful-
!

childless, dfc. Abram had said this in the fear of his filled, when, from a spiritual seed, he has not even
far
heart, upon which the Lord vouchsafed to him this a person in his family that has a natural right to his
prophetical view, and this strong renovation of the property, and that a stranger is likely to be his heir ?
covenant. In this light all follows very properly. This seems to be the general sense of the passage ;

Abram had said so and so in ver. 2, upon which God but who this steward of his house, this Eliezer of Da-
appears and says, I am thy shield, and thy exceeding mascus, was, commentators are not agreed. The trans-
great reward. The patriarch then, ver. 3, freely opens lation of the Septuagint is at least curious : '06e vloc
the anxious apprehension of his heart, Behold, to me Maaeic ttjq oiKoyevovg fiov, ovtoq AafiacKog EA/efep'
thou hast given no seed, 6fC., upon which God proceeds The son of Masek my home-born maid, this Eliezer
to assure him of posterity." of Damascus, is my heir which intimates that they ;

I am thy shield, dfc] Can it be supposed that Abram supposed pjyo meshek, which we translate steward, to
understood these words as promising him temporal ad- have been the name of o, female slave, born in the fa-
vantages at all corresponding to the magnificence of mily of Abram, of whom was born this Eliezer, who on
these promises ? If he did he was disappointed through account of the country either of his father or mother,
the whole course of his life, for he never enjoyed such was called a Damascene or onB of Damascus. It is
a state of worldly prosperity as could justify the strong extremely probable that our Lord has this passage in
language in the text. Shall we lose sight of Abram, view in his parable of the rich man and Lazarus, Luke
and say that his posterity was intended, and Abram xvi. 19. From the name Eliezer, by leaving out the
understood the promises as relating to them, and not first letter, Liezer is formed, which makes Lazarus in
to himself or immediately to his own family ? Then the New Testament, the person who, from an abject
the question recurs, Did the Israelites ever enjoy such and distressed state, was raised to lie in the bosom of
a state of temporal affluence as seems to be intended Abraham in paradise.
by the above promise ? To this every man acquainted Verse 5. Look now toward heaven] It appears that
103
 — ; ;

AhrarrCs sacrifice, and GENESIS. the manner of offei'ing it.

A. M. cir. 2093. said, Look now toward heaven, 8 And he said, Lord God, a. m. cir. 2093.

—i — '
'-
and ^ tell the stars, if thou be 1 whereby shall I know that I -^ '-^ '

able to number them : and he said unto him, shall inherit it ?

^ So shall thy seed be. 9 And he said unto him, ^ Take me a heifei
6 And he
beheved in the Lord and he of three years old, and a she-goat of three
^
;

^ counted it to him for righteousness. years old, and a ram of three years old, and
7 And he said unto him, I am the Lord a turtle-dove, and a young pigeon.
that brought thee out of ° Ur of the Chal-
"^
10 And he took unto him all these, and
dees, p to give thee this land to inherit it. ^divided them in the midst, and laid each

"Psa. cxlvii. 4. 'Jer. xxxiii. 22. ''Chap. xxii. 17; « Chap. xi. 28, 31. P Psa. cv. 42, 44; Rom. iv. 13. <) See

Exod. xxxii. 13 Deut. i. 10 x. 22 1 Chron. xxvii. 23 Rom.

; ; ; ; chap. xxiv. 13, 14 ; vi. 17, 37 ; 1 Sam. xiv. 9, 10
Judg. 2 Kings ;

IV. 18 Heb. xi. 12

; see chap. xiii. 16.
; Rom. iv. 3, 9, 22 >
;
XX. 8 ; Luke i. 18. Lev. i. 3, 10, 14 ; xii. 8 xiv. 22, 30 ; ;

Gal. iii. 6; James ii. 23. <» Psa. cvi. 31. "Chap. xii. 1. Luke xi. 24 ; Isa. xv. 5. * Jer. xxxiv. 18, 19.

this whole transaction took place in the evening ; see which Otherwise must necessarily fall. This word
on chap xiii. 14. Abram had either two visions, that often occurs in the Hebrew Bible, and is rendered in
recorded in ver. 1, and that in ver. 12, &c. or what ; our translation Lord ; the same term by which the
is mentioned in the beginning of this chapter is a part word Jehovah is expressed : but to distinguish between
of the occurrences which took place after the sacrifice the two, and to show the reader when the original is
mentioned ver. 9, &c. but it is more likely that there
: mrr' Yehovah, and when "'JTX Adonai, the first is
was a vision of that kind already described, and after- always put in capitals. Lord, the latter in plain Roman
wards a second, in which he received the revelation characters, Lord. For the word Jehovah see on chap,
mentioned ver. 13—16. After the first vision he is ii. 4, and on Exod. xxxiv. 6.

brought forth abroad to see if he can number the stars Whereby shall I know] By what sign shall I be
and as he finds this impossible, he is assured that as assured, that I shall inherit this land 1 It appears that
they are to him innumerable, so shall his posterity be he expected some sign, and that on such occasions one
and that all should spring from one who should pro- was ordinarily given.
ceed from his owp bowels one who should be his Verse 9. Take me a heifer] TOiy eglah, a she-
own legitimate child. calf; a she-goat, TJ^ ez, a goat, male or female, but
Verse 6 And he believed hi the Lord ; and he distinguished here by the feminine adjective r\Wml^
. ;

counted it to him for righteousness. This I conceive meshullesheth, a three-yearling ; a ram, 7'^ ayil ; a
'\

to be one of the most important passages in the whole turtle-dove, in tor, from which come turtur and turtle;
Old Testament. It properly contains and specifies young pigeon, blU gozal, a word signifying the young
that doctrine oi justification by faith which engrosses of pigeons and eagles. See Deut. xxxii. 11. It is
so considerable a share of the epistles of St. Paul, worthy of remark, that every animal allowed or com-
and at the foundation of which is the atonement made manded to be sacrificed under the Mosaic law is to be
by the Son of God And he (Abram) believed (JOXH found in this list.
: And is it not a proof that God was
heemin, he put faith) in Jehovah, lS HDiyrT'l vaiyach- now giving to Abram an epitome of that law and its
shebeha lo, and he counted it —
the faith he put in Je- sacrifices which he intended more fully to reveal to
hovah, to HIM for righteousness, DpTi* tsedakah, or Moses the essence of which consisted in its sacrifices, ;

justification though there was no act in the case but which typified the Lamb of God that takes away the
;

that of the mind and heart, no loork of any kind. sin of the world ?
Hence the doctrine of justification by faith, ivithout On the several animals which God ordered Abram
any merit of works ; for in this case there could be to take, Jarchi remarks " The idolatrous nations are :

none—*no works of Abram which could merit the sal- compared in the Scriptures to bulls, rams, and goats
vation of the whole human race. It was the promise for it is written, Psa. xxii. 1 3 Many bulls have com- :

of God whicl^ he credited, and in the blessedness of passed me about. Dan. viii. 20 The rain which thou :

which he became a partaker through faith. See at hast seen is the king of Persia. Ver. 2 1 The rough :

the close of thd chapter see also on Rom. iv. ; goat is the king of Greece. But the Israelites are
Verse 7. Ur of the Chaldees] See on chap. xi. compared to doves, dfc. ; Cant. ii. 14 O my dove, :

Verse 8. And he said. Lord God] TWTV "'JIX, Ado- that art in the cleft of the rock. The division of the
nai Yehovah, my Lord Jehovah. Adonai is the word above carcasses denotes the division and extermination
which the Jews in reading always substitute for Jeho- of the idolatrous nations but the birds not bei7ig di- ;

vah, as they count it impious to pronounce this name. vided, shows that the Israelites are to abide for ever."
Adonai signifies my director, basis, supporter, prop, or See Jarchi on the place.
stay ; and scarcely a more appropriate name can be Verse 10. Divided them in the midst] The ancient
given to that God who is the framer and director of method of making covenants, as well as the original
every righteous word and action the basis or founda- word, have been already alluded to, and in a general
;

tion on which every rational hope rests the supporter M'ay explained. See chap. vi. 18.
; The word cove-
of the souls and bodies of men, as well as of the uni- nant, from con, together, and venio, I come, signifies
verse in general the prop and stay of the weak and an agreement, association, or meeting between two or
;

fainting, and the buttress that shores up the building, more parties for it is impossible that a covenant can ;

104 a
 1

God reveals to Abram CHAP. XV. the bondage of his posterity.

but horror of great darkness fell a. m. cir. 2093.

A. M. cir. 2093. piece one against another :
^ B. C. cir. 1911.
^- ^- "^- ^^"- upon him.
tthe birds divided he not.
1And when the came down upon
fowls 13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a
the carcasses, Abram drove them away. surety ^ that thy seed shall be a stranger in a

12 And when the sun was going down, land that is not theirs, and shall serve them and ;

^ a deep sleep fell upon Abram and, lo, a ^ they shall afflict them four hundred years
;
;

" Job. iv. 13. " Exod. xii. 40 Psa. cv. 23 ; Acts vii. 6.- Exodus i. 11 ; Psalm cv. 25.
« Lev. i. 17. Chap. ii. 21 ; ;

be made between an individual and himself, whether But this place may be differently understood.
St. Cyril, in his work against Julian, shows that
God man. This is a theological absurdity into
or
which many have run there must be at least two par-;
passing between the divided parts of a victim was
ties to contract with each other. And often there was used also among the Chaldeans and other people. As
•
a third party to mediate the agreement, and to witness the sacrifice was required to make an atonement to
it when made. Rabbi Solomon Jarchi says, " It was God, so the death of the animal was necessary to sig-
a custom with those who entered into covenant with nify to the contracting parties the punishment to which
each other to take a heifer and cut it irftwo, and then they exposed themselves, should they prove unfaithful.
the contracting parties passed between the pieces." Livy preserves the form of the imprecation used on
See this and the scriptures to which it refers particu- such occasions, in the account he gives of the league
larly explained, chap. vi. 18. A covenant always made between the Romans and Albans. When the
Bupposed one of these /owr things 1. That the con- :
Romans were about to enter into some solemn league
or covenant, they sacrificed a hog and, on the above
tracting parties had been hitherto unknown to each ;

other, and were brought by the covenant into a state occasion, the priest, or pater patratus, before he slew
2. That they had been previously the animal, stood, and thus invoked Jupiter Audi, Ju-
of acquaintance. :

in a state of hostility or enmity, and were brought by piter ! Si prior defecerit publico consilio dolo malo, turn

the covenant into 2, stale oi pacification B,nd friendship. illo die, Diespiter, Populum Romanum sic ferito, ut

3. Or that, being known to each other, they now agree ego hunc porcum hie hodie feriam ; tantoque magis
V to unite their counsels, strength, property, &c., for the ferito, quanto magis potes pollesque ! Livii Hist., lib.
.ccomplishment of a particular purpose, mutually sub- i., chap. 24.
" Hear, O Jupiter Should the Romans !

J'
• servient to the interests of both. Or, 4. It implies an in public counsel, through any evil device, first trans-

agreement to succour and defend a third party in cases gress these laws, in that same day, O Jupiter, thiis
of oppression and distress. For whatever purpose a smite the Roman people, as I shall at this time smite
covenant was made, it was ever ratified by a sacrifice this hog and smite them with a severity proportioned
;

!"
offered to God and the passing between the divided
; to the greatness of thy power and might
parts of the victim appears to have signified that each But the birds divided he not.] According to the
agreed, if they broke their engagements, to submit to law. Lev. i. 17, fowls were not to be divided asunder,
the punishment of being cut asunder; which we find but only cloven for the purpose of taking out the in-
from Matt. xxiv. 51 Luke xii. 46, was an ancient ;
testines.
mode of punishment. This is farther confirmed by Verse 1 1 . And ivhen the fowls] ayr\ haayit, birds
Herodotus, who says that Sabacus, king of Ethiopia, of prey, came down upon the carcasses to devour them,
had a vision, in which he was ordered (leaovQ Siare/j-stv, Ahram, who stood by his sacrifice waiting for the
to cut in two, all the Egyptian priests lib. ii. ; We manifestation of God, who had ordered him to prepare
find also from the same author, lib. vii., that Xerxes for the ratification of the covenant, drove them away,
ordered one of the sons of Pythius fieaov Smte/xsiv, to that they might neither pollute nor devour what had
be cut in tiuo, and one half to be placed on each side been thus consecrated to God.
of the way, that hisarmy might pass through between Verse 12. A deep sleep] riDTin tardemah, the
them. That this kind of punishment was used among same word which is used to express the sleep into
the Persians we have proof from Dan. ii. 5 iii. 29. which Adam was cast, previous to the formation of
;

Story of Susanna, verses 55, 59. See farther, 2 Eve chap. ii. 21. ;

Sam. xii. 31, and 1 Chron. xx. 3. These authorities A horror of great darkness] Which God designed
maybe sufficient to show that iYve passing between the to be expressive of the affliction and misery into which
parts of the divided victims signified the punishment his posterity should be brought during the four hundred
to which those exposed themselves who broke their years of their bondage in Egypt ; as the next verse
covenant engagements. And that covenant sacrifices particularly states.
were thus divided, even from the remotest antiquity, Verse 13. Four hundred years] " Which began,"
we learn from Homer, II. A., v. 460. says Mr. Ainsworth, " when Ishmael, son of Hagar,
mocked and persecuted Isaac, Gen. xxi. 9 Gal. iv. ;

Mr/povg t" e^erafiov Kara re Kvcaari eKalvipav,

29 which fell out thirty years after the promise, Gen.
;
AiTtrvxa 'TroirjaavTeg, etv' ceuTuv 6' ufiodeTTjaav.
xii. 3 which promise was four hundred and thirty
;

" They cut the quarters, and cover them with the years before the law. Gal. iii. 17 and four hundred ;

fat ; dividing them into two, they place the raw flesh and thirty years after that promise came Israel out of
unon them." Egypt, Exod. xii. 41."
105
 6 81
9 ;

Israelites' redemption foretold. GENESIS. Extent of the promised land,

A. M. cir. 2093. 14 And also that nation, whom furnace, and ^ a burning lamp that a. m. cir. 2093
B. C. cir. 1911.
they shall serve, ^ will I judge :
ff
passed between those pieces. —— '. '.

and afterward ^ shall they come out with great 1 In the same day the Lord ^ made a co-
substance. venant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed
^

15 And ^ thou shalt go ^to thy fathers in have I given this land, from the river of Egypt
peace ; ^ thou shalt be buried in a good old unto the great river, the river ^ Euphrates :

age. 1 The ^ Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and

1 But "^
in the fourth generation they shall the Kadmonites,
come hither again ; for the iniquity ^ of the 20 And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and
Amorites ^ is not yet full, the "" Rephaims,
17 And it came to pass, that, when the sun 2 And
Amorites, and the Canaanites, the ^

went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.

* Exod. 6 Deut. vi. 22.

vi. ;
J Exod. xii. 36 Psa. cv. 37. ; 31 ; Num. Deut. i. 7 xi. 24
xxxiv. 3 xxxiv. 4
;
Josh. i. 4 ;
; ; ;

- Job V. 26. » Acts xiii. 36. Chap. xxv. 8. Exod. xii.

•> <=
1 Kings 2 Chron. ix. 26 Neh. ix. 8
iv. 21 ; Psa. cv. 11 Isa.
; ; ;

40. Kings xxi. 26.

-1
1 « Dan. viii. 23 Matt, xxiii. 32 ; xxvii. 12. Chap. ii. 14 k2 Sam. viii. 3 1 Chron. v. 9.
; ;
;

1 Thess. ii. 16. f Heb. a lamp of fire. S Jer. xxxiv. 18, 19. 'Num. xxiv. 21, 22. "^ Chap. xiv. 5 Isa. xvii. 5. ° Chap. ;

° Chap. xxiv. 7. Chap, xii.7 xiii. 15 xxvi. 4 Exod. xxiii.

'
; ; ; X. 15-19; Exod. xxiii. 23-28; xxxiii. 2; xxxiv. 11.

Verse 14. also that nation, dSfc] How remark-

And Egypt but the burning lamp was certainly the symbol
;

ably was
promise fulfilled, in the redemption of
this of the Divine presence, which, passing between the
Israel from its bondage, in the plagues and destruction pieces, ratified the covenant with Abram, as the fol-
of the Egyptians, and in the immense wealth which lowing verse immediately states.
the Israelites brought out of Egypt Not a more ! Verse 18. The Lord made a covenant] IT'IJ HU
circumstantial or literally fulfilled promise is to be found carath berith signifies to cut a covenant, or rather the
in the sacred writings. covenant sacrifice ; for as no covenant was made with-
Verse 15. Thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace] out one, and the creature was cut in two that the con-
This verse strongly implies the immortality of the soul, tracting parties might pass between the pieces, hence
and a state of separate existence. He was gathered cutting the covenant signified making the covenant.
to his fathers —
introduced into the place where sepa- The same form of speech obtained among the Romans
rate spirits are kept, waiting for the general resurrec- and because, in making their covenants they always
tion. Two things seem to be distinctly marked here : slew an animal, either by cutting its throat, or knock-
1 . The soul of Abram should be introduced among the ing it doion with a stone or axe, after which they
assembly of the first-born Thou shalt go to thy fa- ; divided the parts as we have already seen, hence
thers in peace. 2. His body should be buried after a among the percutere fcedus, to smite a covenant, and
long life, one hundred and seventy-Jive years, chap. scindere fcedus, to cleave a covenant, were terms which
xxv. 7. The body was buried the soul went to the ; signified simply to make or enter into a covenant.
spiritual world, to dwell among i\\e fathers — the patri- From Egypt] Not the Nile, but the
the river of
archs, who had lived and died in the Lord. See the river called Sichor,which was before or on the border
note on chap. xxv. 8. of Egypt, near to the isthmus of Suez see Josh, ;

Verse 16. In the fourth generation] In former xiii. 3 though some think that by this a branch of the
;

times most people counted by generations, to each of Nile is meant. This promise was fully accomplished
which was assigned a term of years amounting to 20, in the days of David and Solomon. See 2 Sam. viii.
25, 30, 33, 100, 108, or 110 for the generation was ;
3, &c., and 2 Chron. ix. 26.

of various lengths among various people, at different Verse 19. The Kenites, <^c.] Here are ten nations
times. It is probable that the fourth generation here mentioned, though afterwards reckoned but seven ; see
means the same as the four hundred years in the pre- Deut. vii. 1 Acts xiii. 19. Probably some of them
;

ceding verse. Some think it refers to the time when which existed in Abram's time had been blended with
Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the son of Amram, the others before the time of Moses, so that seven only out
son of Kohath, came out of Egypt, and divided the of the ten then remained ; see part of these noticed
land of Canaan to Israel, Josh. xiv. 1. Others think Gen. x.

the fourtli generation of the Amorites is intended, be-

cause it is immediately added. The iniquity of the In this chapter there are three subjects which must
Amorites is not yet full ; but in the fourth generation be particularly interesting to the pious reader. 1 The .

they should be expelled, and the descendants of Abram condescension of God in revealing himself to mankind
established in their place. From these words we learn in a variety of ways, so as to render it absolutely

that there is a certain pitch of iniquity to which nations evident that he had spokoi, that he loved mankind, and
may arrive before they are destroyed, and beyond which that he had made every provision for their eternal wel-
Divine justice does not permit them to pass. fare. So unequivocal were the discoveries which God
Verse 17. Smoking furnace and a burning lamp] made of himself, that on the minds of those to whom
Probably the smoking furnace might be designed as they were made not one doubt was left, relative either
an emblem of the sore afflictions of the Israelites in to the truth of the subject, or that it was God himself
106
 ;

Sarai gives Ilagat CHAP. XVI. to Ahravi jm

hr wife.

who made the discovery. The subject of the disco- of all the families of the earth, and this covenant ia

very also was such as sufficiently attested its truth to by a sacrifice. By this covenant man is bound ratified

all future generations, for it concerned matters yet into God, and God graciously binds himself to man. As
futurity, so distinctly marked, so positively promised,this covenant referred to the incarnation of Christ

and so highly interesting, as to make them objects of and Abram, both as to himself and posterity, was to
attention^ memory, and desire, till they did come and partake of the benefits of it by faith ; hence faith,
;

of gratitude, because of the permanent blessedness not works, is the only condition on which God, through
they communicated through all generations after the Christ, forgives sins, and brings to the promised spiritual
facts had taken place. inheritance. This covenant still stands open all the ;

2. The way of salvation by faith in the promised successive generations of men are parties on the one
Saviour, which now began to be explicitly declared. side, and Jesus is at once the sacrifice and Mediator
God gives the promise of salvation, and by means in of it. As therefore the covenant still starifls open,
which it was impossible, humanly speaking, that it and Jesus is still the Lamb slain before the throne,
should take place teaching us, 1 That the whole every human soul must ratify the covenant for himself;
; .

work was spiritual, supernatural, and Divine and, 2. and no man does so but he who, conscious of his guilt,
;

That no human power could suffice to produce it. accepts the sacrifice which God has provided for him.
This Abram believed while he was yet uncircumcised, Reader, hast thou done so And with a heart unto "?

and this faith was accounted to him for righteousness righteousness dost thou continue to believe on the Son
or justification God thereby teaching that he would of God \ How merciful is God, who has found out
;

pardon, accept, and receive into favour all who should such a way of salvation by providing a Saviour every
believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. And this very case way suitable to miserable, fallen, sinful man ! One
has ever since been the standard of justification by who is harmless, undefiled, and separate from
holy,
faith ; and the experience of millions of men, built sinners and who, being higher than the heavens,
;

on this foundation, has sufficiently attested the truth raises up his faithful followers to the throne of his
and solidity of the ground on which it was built. own eternal glory Reader, give God the praise,
!

3. The foundation of the doctrine itself is laid in and avail thyself of the sin-offering which lieth at
the covenant made between God and Abram in behalf the door.

CHAPTER XVI.

Sarai, having no child, gives Hagar her maid to Abram for wife, 1—3. She conceives and despises her mis
tress, 4. Sarai is offended and upbraids Abram, 5. Abram vindicates himself; and Hagar, being hardly
used by her mistress, runs away, 6. She is met by an angel, and counselled to return to her mistress, 7—9.
God promises greatly to multiply her seed, 10. Gives the name of Ishmael to the child that should be bom
of her, 11. Shoivs his disposition and character, 12. Hagar calls the name of the Lord who spoke to
her. Thou God seest me, 13. She calls the name of the well at which the angel met her, Beer-laharoi, 14.
Ishmael is horn in the 86th year of Abram' s age, 15, 16.

A. M. 2092. "M"OW
Sarai, Abram's wife, * bare tlie Lord ^ hath restrained me from A. M. 2092.
.^ — '.

him no children and she had bearing I pray ^ thee, go in unto

'-
:
B. C. 1912.
:

a handmaid, ^ an Egyptian, whose name was my maid it maybe that I may ^ obtain chil- ;

•^
Hagar. dren by her. And Abram ^ hearkened to the
2 ^ And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, voice of Sarai.

a Chap. XV. 2, 3. b Chap. xxi. 9. = Gal. iv. 24. ^ Chap. ' So chap. xxx. 3, 9.- -s Heb. be builded by her.- I
Chap
XXX. 3. 8 Chap. XX. 18 xxx. 2 1 Sam. i.
; ; 5, 6. iii. 17.

NOTES ON CHAP. XVL she had a right, according to the usages of those times,
Verse 1. She had a handmaid, an Egyptian] As to dispose of them as she pleased, the husband having
Hagar was an Egyptian, Chrysostom's conjecture St. no authority in the case.
is very probable, that she was one of those female I may obtain children by her.] The slave being the
slaves which Pharaoh gave to Abram when he so- absolute property of the mistress, not only her person,
journed in Egypt ; see chap. xii. 16. Her name "ijn but the fruits of her labour, with all her children, were
hagar signifies a stranger or sojourner, and it is likely her owner's property also. The children, therefore,
she got this name in the family of Abram, as the word which were born of the slave, were considered as the
is pure Hebrew. children of the mistress. It was on this ground that
Verse 2. Go in unto my maid.] It must not be for- Sarai gave her slave to Abram and we find, what ;

gotten that female slaves constituted a part of the must necessarily be the consequence in all cases of
private patrimony or possessions of a wife, and that polygamy, that strifes and contentions took place.
a 107
 — — — 1 ;

Sarai gives Hagar to Abram. GENESIS. Hagm^ Jleea from, her mistress.

A. M. 2093. 3 And Sarai, Abram's wife, took hardly with her, "i
she fled from a. m. 2093.

— '.

1 Hagar her maid, the Egyptian, after

,
her
/
lace.
B. C. 1911.

Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of

^
7 And the angel of the Lord found her by
Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram a fountain of water in the wilderness, ' by the
to be his wife. fountain in the way to ® Shur.
4 And he went in unto Hagar, and she con- 8 And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence
ceived and when she saw that she had con- earnest thou ? and whither wilt thou go ? And
:

ceived, her mistress was ^ despised in her she said, I flee from the face of my mistress
eyes. Sarai.
5 And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be 9 And the angel of the Lord said unto her,
upon thee I have given my maid into thy Return to thy mistress, and * submit thyself
:

bosom and when she saw that she had con- under her hands.
;

ceived, I was despised in her eyes the Lord 10 And the angel of the Lord said unto
:
^

judge between me and thee. her, " I will multiply thy seed exceedingly,
6 ^ But Abram said unto Sarai, ^ Behold, that it shall not be numbered for multitude.
thy maid is in thy hand do to her ° as it 1 And the angel of the Lord said unto
;

pleaseth thee. And when Sarai p dealt her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt

iChap. xii. 5. ''2 Sam. vi. 16; Prov. xxx. 21, 23. ° Heb. that which is good in thine eyes. P Heb. afflicted her.
'Chap. xxxi. 53 ; 1 Sam. xxiv. 12. ™ Prov. xv. 1 1 Pet. iii.
; q Exod. ii. 15. f Chap. xxv. 18. » Exod. xv. 22. « Tit.

7. " Job ii. 6 ; Psa. cvi. 41, 42 ; Jer. xxxviii. 5. ii. 9 ;1 Pet. ii. 18. " Chap. xvii. 20 ; xxi. 18 ; xxv. 12.

Verse 3. And Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar — of worship, which, had he been a created angel, he
and gave her to her husband to be his ivife.] There — would have refused. See Rev. xix. 10 xxii. 9. ;

are instances of Hindoo women, when barren, con- 3. Moses, who relates the transaction, calls this
senting to their husbands marrying a second wife for angel expressly Jehovah for, says he, she called Da^
;

the sake of children and second marriages on this

; mn'' shem Yehovah, the name of the Lord that spake
account, without consent, are very common. Ward. to her, ver. 13. Now this is a name never given to
Verse 5. My wrong be upon thee] This appears to any created being.
be intended as a reproof to Abram, containing an in- 4. This person, who is here called mri'' "j^^Sd malach
sinuation that it was his fault that she herself had not Yehovah, the Angel of the Lord, is the same who is
been a mother, and that now he carried himself more called Sxjn ixbon hammalach haggoel, the redeeming
affectionately towards Hagar than he did to her, in Angel or the Angel the Redeemer, Gen. xlviii. 16;
consequence of which conduct the slave became petu- r JD "ixbn malach panaiv, the Angel of God's presence,
lant. To remove all suspicion of this kind, Abram Isa. Ixiii. 9 and nnDH "^X^D malach habberith, the ;

delivers up Hagar into her hand, who was certainly Angel of the Covenant, Mai. iii. 1 and is the same :

under his protection while his concubine or secondary person which the Septuagint, Isa. ix. 6, term fieyalr]^
wife but this right given to him by Sarai he restores, povlrjg ayyeloc, the Angel of the Great Counsel or
;

to prevent her jealousy and uneasiness. Design, viz., of redeeming man, and filling the earth
Verse 6. Sarai dealt hardly loith her] TSl^T\ tean- with righteousness.
7ieha, she afflicted her; the term implying stripes and 5. These things cannot be spoken of any human or
hard usage, to bri7ig down the body and humble the created being, for the knowledge, works, 4"C., attributed
mind. If the slave was to blame in this business the to this person are such as belong to God ; and as in

mistress is not less liable to censure. She alone had all these cases there is a most evident personal appear-

brought her into those circumstances, in which it was ance, Jesus Christ alone can be meant ; for of God
natural for her to value herself beyond her mistress. the Father has been ever true that no man hath at
it

Verse 7. The angel of the Lord] That Jesus Christ, any time seen his shape, nor has he ever limited him-
in a body suited to the dignity of his nature, frequently self to any definable personal appearance.
appeared to the patriarchs, has been already intimated. In the way to Shur.] As this was the road from
That the person mentioned here was greater than any Hebron to Egypt, it is probable she was now returning
created being is sufficiently evident from the following to her own country.
particulars : Verse Hagar, Sarai's maid] This mode of ad-
8.

1. From perform what God alone

his promising to dress is to show her that she was knoion, and to
used
could do, ^.nA foretelling what God alone could know ; remind her that she was the property of another.
" I will multiply thy seed exceedingly,^'' dSfC, ver. 10 ;
Verse 10. I ivill multiply thy seed exceedingly]
" Thou art with child, and shall bear a son," dfc, ver. Who says this 1 The person who is called the Angel
11;" He will be a wild man," (SfC, ver. 12. All this of the Lord and he certainly speaks with all the
;

shows a prescience which is proper to God alone. authority which is proper to God.

2. Hagar considers the person who spoke to her as Verse 1 1 And shalt call his name Ishmael] nyoiif
.

God, him hiX El, and addresses him in the way

calls Yishmael, from I'nty shama, he heard, and Sx El, God
108
The birth and character CHAP. XVI. of Ishmael foretold

A. M. 2093. bear a son, ^ and shalt call his 13 And she called the name of
B. C. 1911.
B^-^°®f-
name '^
Ishmael ; because the Lord the Lord that spake unto her,
hath heard thy affliction. Thou God seest me : for she said, Have I

12 ^ be a wild man ; his hand also here looked after him ^ that seeth rae ?
And he will
will be against every man, and every man's 14 Wherefore the well was called ^ Beer-
hand against him y and he shall dwell in the lahai-roi ^ behold, it is ^ between Kadesh
;
;

presence of all his brethren. and Bered.

'Chap. xvii. 19; Matt. i. 21; Luke i. 13, 31. ^That is, 2 Chap. xxxi. 42. ='Chap. xxiv. 62 xxv. 11. ;
b That is,

God shall hear. ^Chap. xxi. 20. X Chap. xxv. 18. the well of him that liveth and seeth me. "'Num. xiii. 26.

for,says the Angel, the Lord hath heard thy afflic- ment of his providential care, and an incontestable ar-
tion. Thus the name of the child must ever keep the gument of the truth of Divine Revelation. Had the
mother in remembrance of God's merciful interposi- Pentateuch no other argument to evince its Divine
tion in her behalf, and remind the child and the man origin, the account of Ishmael and the prophecy con-
that he was an object of God's gracious and providen- cerning his descendants, collated with their history and
tial goodness. Afflictions and distresses have a voice manner of life during a period of nearly /owr thousand
in the ears of God, even when prayer is restrained ;
years, would be sufficient. Indeed the argument is so
but how much more powerfully do they speak when absolutely demonstrative, that the man who would
endured in meekness of spirit, with confidence in and attempt its refutation, in the sight of reason and com-
supplication to the Lord ! mon sense would stand convicted of the most ridiculous
Verse 13. He will be a wild man] DIN S^liJ pere presumption and folly.
adam. As the root of this word does not appear in The country which these free descendants of Ish-
the Hebrew Bible, it is probably found in the Arabic mael may be properly said to possess, stretches from
farra, to run away, to run loild and hence the Aleppo to the Arabian Sea, and from Egypt to the Per-
J^ ;

wild assi from its fleetness and

untamable nature. its
sian Gulf; a tract of land not less than 1800 miles
What is said of the wild ass. Job xxxix. 5-8, affords in length, by 900 in breadth ; see chap. xvii. 20.

the very best description that can be given of the Verse 13. And she called the name of the Lord]
Ishmaelites, {the Bedouins and wandering Ai-abs,) the She invoked (J^lpfll vattikra) the name of Jehovah who
descendants of Ishmael " Who hath sent out the wild
:
spake unto her, thus : Thou God seest me ! She found
ass (X"13 pere) free ? or who hath loosed the bands that the eye of a merciful God had been upon her in

(in;? arod, of the brayer ] Whose house I have made allher wanderings and afflictions and her words seem;

the wilderness, and the barren land his dwellings. He to intimate that she had been seeking the Divine help

scorneth the multitude of the city, neither regardeth and protection, for she says. Have I also (or have I
he the crying of the driver. The range of the moun- not also) looked after him that seeth me ?

tains is his pasture, and he searcheth after every green This last clause of the verse is very obscure, and is
thing." Nothing can be more descriptive of the wan- rendered differently by all the versions. The general
dering, lawless, freebootingMie of the Arabs than this. sense taken out of it is this, that Hagar was now con-
God himself has sent them out free he has loosed
them from all political restraint.
— vinced that God
himself had appeared unto her, and
The xvilderness is was surprised to find that, notwithstanding this, she
their habitation ; and in the parched land, where no was still permitted to live for it is generally supposed
;

other human beings could live, they have their dwell- that if God appeared to any, they must be consumed
ings. They scorn the city, and therefore have no by his glories. This is frequently alluded to in the
fixed habitations for their multitude, they are not
; sacred writings. As the word ''inN acharey, which
afraid for when they make depredations on cities and
; we render simply after, in other places signifies the
towns, they retire into the desert with so much preci- lastdays or after times, (see on Exod. xxxiii. 23,) it
pitancy that all pursuit is eluded. In this respect the may probably have a similar meaning here and indeed ;

crying of the driver is disregarded. They may be said this makes a consistent sense Have I here also seen :

to have no lands, and yet the range of the mountains is the LATTER PURPOSES Or DESIGNS
of him who seeth me ?
their pasture —
they pitch their ^eni^ and feed their flocks An exclamation which may be referred to that dis-
wherever they please and they search after every covery which God made in the preceding verse of the
;

—
green thing are continually looking after prey, and future state of her descendants.
seize on every kind of property that comes in their way. Verse 14. Wherefore the loell loas called Beer-la-
It is farther said. His hand will be against every hai-roi] It appears, from ver. 7, that Hagar had sat
man, and every man's hand against him. Many po- — down by a fountain or well of water in the wilderness
tentates among the Abyssinians, Persians, Egyptians, of Shur, at which the Angel of the Lord found her ;

and Turks, have endeavoured to subjugate the wander- and, to commemorate the wonderful discovery which
ing or wild Arabs but, though they have had tempo-
; God had made of himself, she called the name of the
rary triumphs, they have been ultimately unsuccessful. well 'Nl TlS IND beer-lachai-roi, "A well to the Living
Sesostris, Cyrus, Pompey, and Trajan, all endeavoured One who seeth me." Two things seem implied here :

to conquer Arabia, but in vain. From the beginning 1. A dedication of the well to Him who
had appeared
to the present day they have maintained their inde- to her; and, 2. Faith in the promise for he who is ;

pendency, and God preserves them as a lasting monu- the Living One, existing in all generations, must have
109
Ishmael is born when Abram GENESIS. ts eighty-six years of age

A. M. 2094. 15 And ^ Hagar bare Abram a 1 6 And Abram was fourscore and A. M. 2094,
B. C. 1910. '

son and Abram called his son's

; six years old when Hagar bare
name, which Hagar bare, ® Ishmael. Ishmael to Abram.
d Gal. iv. 22. eVer. 11.

it ever in his power to accomplish promises which are be a cause to no effect but as it is excited by a sove-
to be fulfilled through the whole lapse of time. reign power. This is a doctrine of sound philosophy,
Verse 15. And Hagar bare Abram a son, <^c.] It and should be carefully considered by all, that men
appears, therefore, that Hagar returned at the com- may see that without an overruling and universally
mand of the angel, believing the promise that God had energetic providence, no effect whatever can be brought
made to her. about. But besides these general influences of God
Called his son''s name Ishmael.] —
Finding by the in nature, which are all exhibited by what men call
account of Hagar, that God had designed that he general laws, he chooses often to act supernaturally,
should be so called. " Ishmael," says Ainsworth, " is i. e., independently of or against these general laws,
the first man in the world whose name was given him that we may see that there is a God who does not
of God before he was born." confine himself to one way of working, but loith means,
without means, and even against natural means, ac-
In the preceding chapter we have a very detailed complishes the gracious purposes of his mercy in the
account of the covenant which God made with Abram, behalf of man. Where God has promised let him be
which stated that his seed should possess Canaan and ; implicitly credited, because he cannot lie and let not ;

this promise, on the Divine authority, he steadfastly hasty nature intermeddle with his work.
believed, and in simplicity of heart waited for its ac- The omniscience of God is a subject on which we
complishment. Sarai was not like minded.
As she should often reflect, and we can never do it unfruit-
had no child and was now getting old, she
herself, fully while we connect it, as we ever should, with
thought it necessary to secure the inheritance by such infinite goodness and mercy. Every thing, person,
means as were in her power ; she therefore, as we and circumstance, is under its notice and dotli not;

have seen, gave her slave to Abram, that she might the eye of God affect his heart ? The poor slave, the
have children by her. We
do not find Abram remon- stranger, the Egyptian, suffering under the severity
strating on the subject and why is he blamed 1 God
; of her hasty, unbelieving mistress, is seen by the all-
nad not as yet told him how he was to have an heir ;
wise and merciful God. He permits her to go to the
the promise simply stated. He that shall come forth out desert, provides the spring to quench her thirst, and
of thine own bowels shall be thine heir, chap. xv. 4. sends the Angel of the covenant to instruct and com-
Concubinage, under that dispensation, was perfectly fort her. How gracious is God He permits us to
'

lawful ; therefore he could, with equal justice and in- get into distressing circumstances that he may give us
nocence, when it was lawful in itself, and now urged effectual relief and in such a way, too, that the excel- ;

by the express desire of Sarai, take Hagar to wife. lence of the power may appear to be of him, and that
And it is very likely that he might think that his pos- we may learn to trust in him in all our distresses.
terity, whether by wife or concubine, as both were God delights to do his creatures good.
lawful, might be that intended by the promise. In all transactions between God and man, mentioned
It isdifficult to believe that a promise which in the sacred writings, we see one uniform agency
very ;

refers tosome natural event can possibly be fulfilled the great Mediator in all, and through all God ever ;

but through some natural means. And yet, what is coming to man by him, and man having access to God
nature but an instrument in God's hands ? What we through him. This was, is, and ever xvill be the
call natural effects areperformed by supernatural
all economy of grace. " The Father hath sent me :
—and
agency for nature, that is, the whole system of inani-
; no man cometh unto the Father but by me." God
mate things, is as inert as any of the particles of mat- forbid that he should have cause to complain of us,
ter of the aggregate of which it is composed, and can " Ye will not come unto me, that ye might have life."

CHAPTER XVII.
In the ninety-ninth year of Abram's life God again appears to him, announces his name as God Almiohtv,
and commands him to walk perfectly before him, 1 proposes to renew the covenant, 2. Abram''s prostra-
;

tion, 3. The covenant specified, 4. Abram'' s name changed to Abraham, and the reason given, 6. The
privileges of the covenant enumerated, 6-8. The conditions of the covenant to be observed, not only by
Abraham but all his posterity, 9. Circumcision appointed as a sign or token of the covenant, 10, II.
The age at which and the persons on whom this was to be performed, 12, 13. The danger of neglecting
this rite, 14. Sarai's name changed to Sarah, and a particular promise made to her, 15, 16. Abraham's
joy at the prospect of the performance of a matter which, in the course of nature, was impossible, 17.
His request for the preservation and prosperity of Ishmael, 18. The birth and blessedness of Isaac fore-
told, 19. Great prosperity promised to Ishmael, 20. But the covenant to be established not in his, but
in Isaac''s posterity, 21. Abraham, Ishmael, and all the males in the family circumcised, 23-27.
110 a
 —

God appears to Abram. CHAP. XVII, His name changed to Abraham

A. M. 2107.
B. C. 1897.
AND when Abram was 3 And Abram ^ fell on his face
ninety a. m. 2107. :

years old and nine, the Lord and Qod talked with him, saying, — ^
'.

* appeared to Abram, and said unto him, ^ I 4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with
I

I
am the Almighty God, •=
walk before me, and thee, and thou shalt be ^ a father of many, "

\ be thou ^ perfect.* (nations.

2 And I will make my covenant between me 5 Neither shall thy name any more be called
I and thee, and ^ will multiply thee exceedingly. Abram, but ^ thy name shall be Abraham ^
; j

a Chap. xii. 1. ''Chap, xxviii. 3 ; xxxv. 11 ; Exod. vi. 3 ; xviii. 13 ; Job i. 1 ; Matt. v. 48. f Ch, xii. 2 ; xiii. 16 ; xxii. 17
Deut. X. 17. <=
Chap. v. 22 ; xlviii. 15 ; 1 Kings ii. 4 ; viii. 25 ; s Ver. 17. ^ Rom. iv. 11, 12, 16 ; Gal.iii. 29. Heb. multitudt i

2 Kings XX. 3. ^ Or, upright ; or, sincere. « Ch. vi. 9 ; Deut. of nations. l^Neh. ix. 7. ' That is, father of a great multitude.

NOTES ON CHAP. XVII. generally good purposes, with an impure heart and
Verse 1. The Lord appeared to Abram] See on spotted life, then I assert that no such thing is implied
chap. XV. 1. in the text, nor in the original word ; but if the word
/ am the Amighty God] 'TB? Sx "'JX ani El shad- sincerity be taken in its proper and literal sense, I
dai, lam God all-sufficient ; from mt^ shadah, to shed, have no objection to it. Sincere is compounded of
to pour out. I am that God who pours out blessings, sine cera, "without wax ;" and, applied to moral sub-
who gives them richly, abundantly, continually. jects, is a metaphor taken from clarified honey, from
Walk before me] ''J37 ]7nr\n hithhallech lephaiiai, which every atom of the comb or wax is separated.
set thyself to walk —
be firmly purposed, thoroughly Then let it be proclaimed from heaven, Walk before
determined to obey, before me ; for my eye is ever on me, and be sincere purge out the old leaven, that ye
!

thee, therefore ever consider that God seeth thee. may be a new lump unto God and thus ye shall be ;

Who can imagine a stronger incitement to conscien- perfect, as your Father who is in heaven is perfect.
tious, persevering obedience 1 This is sincerity. Reader, remember that the blood
Be thou perfect.] D'Dn (THI vehyeh thamtm, and of Christ cleanseth from all sin. Ten thousand quib
thou shall be perfections, i. e., altogether perfect. Be bles on insulated texts can never lessen, much less
just such as the holy God would have thee to be, as destroy, the merit and efficacy of the great Atonement.
the almighty God can make thee and live as the all- ; Verse 3. And Abram fell on his face] The eastern
sufficient God shall support thee ; for he alone who method of prostration was thus the person first went :

makes the soul holy can preserve it in holiness. Our down on his knees, and then lowered his head to his
blessed Lord appears to have had these words point- knees, and touched the earth with his forehead. A
edly in view. Matt. v. 48 Eaeade vfieig TeAeioi, uanep
: very painful posture, but significative of great humilia-
6 Uarijp vfiuv 6 ev tolq ovpavotc releiog earr Ye shall tion and reverence.
BE perfect, as your Father who is in heaven is pe7fect. Verse 5. Thy name shall be Abraham] Ab-ram
But what does this imply ? Why, to be saved from D'IDX literally signifies a high or exalted father.
all the power, the guilt, and the contamination of sin. Ab-ra-ham Dn"l!3X differs from the preceding only in
This is only the negative part of salvation, but it has one letter it has n he before the last radical. Though
—
;

also a positive part ; to be made perfect to be perfect this may

appear very simple and easy, yet the true
as our Father who is in heaven is perfect, to be filled etymology and meaning of the word are very difficult
with the fulness of God, to have Christ dwelling con- to be assigned. The reason given for the change
tinually in the heart by faith, and to be rooted and made name is this For a father of
in the patriarch's :

grounded in love. This is the state in which man was many have I made thee,
7iations |1Dn DN ab-hamon- WW
created, for he was made in the image and likeness of goyim, " a father of a multitude of nations." This
God. This is man fell, for he has led some to suppose that CDm^X Abraham, is a
the state froin which
broke the command of God. And this is the state contraction for '^^TiVX 3"! 3N ab-rab-hamon, "the father
into which every human soul must be raised, who would of a great multitude."
dwell with God in glory for Christ was incarnated
; Aben Ezra says the name is derived from Jion I'^K
and died to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. abir-hamon, " a powerful multitude."
What a glorious privilege And who can doubt the !
Rabbi Solomon Jarchi defines the name cabalisti-
possibility of its attainment, who believes in the om- cally, and says that its numeral letters amount to two
nipotent love of God, the infinite merit of the blood hundred and forty-eight, which, says he, is the exact
of atonement, and the all-pervading and all-purifying number of the bones in the human body. But before
energy of the Holy Ghost? How many miserable the n he was added, which stands for five, it was five
souls employ that time to dispute and cavil against the short of this perfection.
possibility of being saved from their sins, which they Rabbi Lipman says the T\ he being added as the
should devote to praying and believing that they might fourth letter, signifies that the Messiah should come
be saved out of the hands of their enemies But in the fourth millenary of the world. !

some may say, " You overstrain the meaning of the Clarius and others think that the n he, which is
term it signifies only, be sincere ; for as perfect obe- one of the letters of the Tetragrammaton, (or word of
;

dience is impossible, God accepts of sincere obedience." four letters, niH' YeHoVaH,) was added for the sake
If by sincerity the objection means good desires, and of dignity, God associating the patriarch more nearly
111
 —

God renews his promise. GENESIS. The possession of Canaan promised.

A.M. 2107. ^ for a father of many nations have seed after thee, the land *
wherein A.M. 2107
B. C. 1897.
made thee. I "^
thou art a stranger, all the land — : 1

6 And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, of Canaan, for an everlasting possession : and
and I will make ^ nations of thee, and ° kings ^ I
will be their God.
shall come out of thee. Abraham, Thou shalt 9 And God said unto
(
7 And I will p establish my covenant between keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy^
me and thee, and thy seed after thee, in their seed after thee, in their generations.
generations, for an everlasting covenant, i to 10 This is my covenant, which ye shall
be a God unto thee, and to ^ thy seed after keep, between me and you, and thy seed after
thee. thee ;
'^
Every man-child among you shall be
8 And ^ I will give unto thee, and to thy circumcised.

" Rom. iv. 17. ° Chap. xxxv. 11. » Ver. 16 ; chap. xxxv. Psa. cv. 9, 11. ' Heb.
of thy sojoumings. " Chap, xxiii. 4 ;
11 ; Matt. i. 6, &c. p Gal. iii. 17. 1Chap. xxvi. 24 xxviii. ; xxviii. 4. *'Exod. vi. 7; Lev. xxvi. 12; Deut. iv. 37; xiv. 2;
13; Heb. xi. 16. "-Rom. ix. 8. 'Chap. xii. 7; xiii. 15; xxvi. 18 ; xxix. 13. * Acts vii. 8.

to himself, by thus imparting to him a portion of his From the difficulty of settling the etymology of
own name. these two names, on which so much stress seems to
Having enumerated so many opinions, that of Wil- be laid in the text, the reader will see with what cau-
liam Alabaster, in his Apparatus to the Revelation, tion he should receive the lists of explanations of the
should not be passed by. He
most wisely says that proper names in the Old and New Testaments, which
ab-ram or ab-rom signifies father of the Romans, and he so frequently meets with, and which I can pro-
consequently the pope ; therefore Abraham was pope nounce to be in general false or absurd.
the first! This is just as likely as some of the pre-
Verse 7. An everlasting covenant] D7lJ^ TT'^S berith
ceding etymologies.
olam. See on chap. xiii. 15. Here the word olam
From all these learned as well as puerile conjec- is taken in its own proper meaning, as the words im-
tures we may see the extreme difficulty of ascertaining
mediately following prove to be a God unto thee, and
the true meaning of the word, though the concordance
thy seed after thee ; for as the soul is to endure for
makers, and proper iiame explainers find no difficulty
ever, so it shall eternally stand in need of the support-
at all in the case and pronounce on it as readily and
ing power and energy of God and as the reign of the
;
;

authoritatively as if they had been in the Divine coun-

Gospel dispensation shall be as long as sun and moor,
cil when it was first imposed.
endure, and its consequences eternal, so must the cove-
Hottinger, in his Smegma Orientate, supposes the
nant be on which these are founded.
word to be derived from the Arabic root f'zJ rahama,
Verse 8. Everlasting possession] Here D 7 1;? o/am
which signifies to be very numerous. Hence *J>j t_j 1 appears to be used in its accommodated meaning, and
ab raham would signify a copious father ox father of a signifies the completion of the Divine counsel in refer-
multitude. This makes a very good sense, and agrees ence to a particular period or dispensation. And it is
well with the context. Either this etymology or that literally true that the Israelites possessed the land of

which supposes the inserted n he to be an abbreviation Canaan till the Mosaic dispensation was terminated in
of the word pDH hamon, multitude, is the most likely the complete introduction of that of the Gospel. But
to be the true one. But this last would require the as the spiritual and temporal covenants are both blended
word to be written, when full, pon DT DX ab-ram-hamon. together, and the former was pointed out and typified
The same difficulty occurs, verse 15, on the word by the latter, hence the word even here may be taken

Sarai "'"iK', which signifies my prince or princess, and in its own proper meaning, that of ever-during, or

Sarah mty, where the whole change is made by the eternal because the spiritual blessings pointed out by
;

substitution of a n Ae for a i/od. This latter might ' the temporal covenant shall have no end. And hence
be translated jori«cc55 in general and while the former ;
it is immediately added, / ivill be their God, not for a

seems to point out her government in her oion family time, certainly, but /or ever and ever. See the notes
alone, the latter appears to indicate her government over on chap. xxi. 33.
the nations of which her husband is termed the father Verse 10. Everyman-child shall be circumcised.] —
or lord ; and hence the promise states that she shall Those who wish to invalidate the evidence of the Di-
be a mother of nations, and that kings of people should vine origin of the Mosaic law, roundly assert that the
spring from her. Sec vcr. 15, 16. Israelites received the rite of circumcision from the
Now as the only change in each name is made by Egyptians. Their apostle in this business is Hero-
the insertion of a single letter, and that letter the same dotus, who, lib. ii., p. 116, Edit. Steph. 1592, says:
in both names, I cannot help concluding that some " The Colchians, Egyptians, and Ethiopians, are the
mystery was designed by its insertion and therefore the ; only nations in the world who have used circumcision
opinion of Clarius and some others is not to be disre- an' apxvc, from the remotest period and the Phoeni- ;

garded, which supposes that God shows he had confer- cians and Syrians who inhabit Palestine acknowledge
red a peculiar dignity on both, by adding to their names they received this from the Egyptians." Herodotus
one of the letters of his own a name by which his ; cannot mean Jews by Phoenicians and Syrians if he ;

eternal power and Godhead are peculiarly pointed out. does he is incorrect, for no Jew ever did or ever could
11?
 3 7
6 a j^'

God commands all the CHAP. XVII. males to be circumcised.

A. M. 2107. 1 1 And ye shall circumcise the soul =*

shall be cut off from his a. m. 2107.
B. C. 1897.
—^ '-
flesh of your foreskin ; and it shall people
,
;
1
he hath broken
, , , ,

my cove-
!

be '^
a token of the covenant betwixt me and nant.
you. 15 And God said mito Abraham, As for/

12 And yhe that is eight days old ^ shall Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name'
be circumcised among you, every man-child Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. ''

'

in your generations, he that is born in the 1 And I will bless her, " and give thee a \

house, or bought with money of any stranger, son also of her yea, I will bless her, and :

which is not of thy seed. ^ she shall be a mother ® of nations ; kings

1He that is born in thy house, and he that of people shall be of her.
is bought with thy money, must needs be 1 Then Abraham fell upon his face, ^ and
ciixs-umcised and my covenant shall be in laughed, and said in his heart. Shall a child
:

your flesh for an everlasting covenant. be born unto him that is a hundred years
14 And the uncircumcised man-child whose old ? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years'
flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that old, bear ?

^Acts vii. 8; Rom. iv. 11. y Heb. a son of eight days. 'Chap, xviii. 10. "^
Heb. she shall become nations. * Ch.
' Lev. xii. 3 ; Luke ii. 21 John ; vii. 22 Phil. iii. 5.
; »Exod. XXXV. 11; Gal. iv. 31; 1 Pet. iii. 6. 'Chap, xviii. 12;
iv. 24. ''
That is, princess. xxi. 6.

acknowledge this, with the history of Abraham in his nor kid, was offered to God till it was eight days old
hand. If Herodotus had written before the days of for the same reason, Lev. xxii. 27.
Abraham, or at least before the sojourning of the Verse 1 3 He that is born in thy house] The son .

children of Israel in Egypt, and informed us that circum- of a servant he that is bought ivith thy money ; —
cision had been practised among them an' apxrjC, from slave on his coming into the family. According to
the beginning, there would then exist a possibility the Jewish writers the father was to circumcise his
that the Israelites while sojourning among them had son and the master, the servant born in his house, or ;

learned and adopted this rite. But when we know the slave bought with money. If the father or mas-
that Herodotus flourished only 484 years before the ter neglected to do this, then the magistrates were
Christian era, and that Jacob and his family sojourned obliged to see it performed; if the neglect of this or-
in Egypt more than 1800 years before Christ, and dinance was unknown to the magistrates, then the per-
that all the descendants of Abraham most conscien- son himself, when he came of age, was obliged to do it.
tiously observed circumcision, and do so to this day, Verse 14. The uncircumcised shall be tut off —
then the presumption is that the Egyptians received it from his people] By being cut off" some have ima-
from the Israelites, but that it was impossible the gined that a sudden temporal death was implied; but
latter could have received it from the former, as they the simple meaning seems to be that such should have
had practised it so long before their ancestors had no right to nor share in the blessings of the covenant,
Bojourned in Egypt. which we have already seen were both of a temporal
Verse 1 1 Aiid it shall be a toke?i] nixS leoth, for and spiritual kind and if so, then eternal death was
. ;

a sign of spiritual things for the circumcision made implied, for it was impossible for a person who had
;

in the flesh was designed to signify the purification of not received the spiritual purification to enter into
the heart from all unrighteousness, as God particularly eternal glory. The spirit of this law extends to all
showed in the law itself. See Deut. x. 16 see also ages, dispensations, and people he whose heart is not
; ;

Rom. ii. 25-29 Col. ii. 11. And it was a seal of purified from sin cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
;

that righteousness or justification that comes by faith, Reader, on ivhat is thy hope of heaven founded?
Rom. iv. 11. That some of the Jews had a just no- Verse 15. Thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but
tion of its spiritual intention, is plain from many pas- Sarah] See on ver. 5.
sages in the Chaldee paraphrases and in the Jewish Verse 16. I ivill bless her, Sfc] Sarah certainly
writers. I borrow one passage from the book Zohar, stands at the head of all the women of the Old Tes-
quoted by Ainsworth " At what time a man is sealed: tament, on account of her extraordinary privileges.
with this holy seal, (of circumcision,) thenceforth he I am quite of Calmet's opinion that Sarah was a type
seeth the holy blessed God properly, and the holy soul of the blessed Virgin. St. Paul considers her a type
is united to him. If he be not worthy, and keepeth of the New Testament and heavenly Jerusalem and ;

not this sign, what

the breath of God
is written 1 By as all true believers are considered as the children of
they perish, (Job iv. 9,) because this seal of the holy Abraham, so sW. faithful holy women are considered
blessed God was he be worthy, and
not kept. But if the daughters of Sarah, Gal. iv. 22, 24, 26. See
keep it, the Holy Ghost is not separated from him." also 1 Pet. 6.
Verse 12. He that is eight days old] Because Verse 17.
iii.

Then Abraham — laughed] I am asto-

previously to this they were considered unclean, Lev. nished to find learned and pious men considering this
xii. 2, 3, and circumcision was ever understood as a as a token of Abraham's weakness of faith or unbe-
consecration of the person to God. Neither calf, lamb, lief, when they have the most positive assurance from
Vol. I. ( 9 ) 113
 9 —

Prosperity of Ishmael foretold. GENESIS. All the males circumcised.

A.M. 2107. 18 And Abraham said unto God, 21 But my covenant will I esj;a- a.m. 2107.
B. C. 1897.
O that Ishmael might hve before blish with Isaac, which Sgxah '

thee! shall bear unto thee at th^^s set lime in th^

1 And God said, ^ Sarah thy wife shall next year.

bear thee a son indeed ; and thou shalt call *22 And he left off taljdng witji him, and /
his name Isaac and I will establish my co- : "'^Q^d went up from Abraham.
venant with him for an everlasting covenant, 23 And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and
and with his seed after him. all that were born in his house, and all that
20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee : were bought with his money, every male
Behold, I have blessed him, and will make among the men of Abraham's house, and
him fruitful, and ^ will multiply him exceed- circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in
ingly ;
' ^ and I the
twelve princes shall he beget, selfsame day, as God had said unto "^

will make him a great nation. him.

e Chap, xviii. 10 ; xxi. 2 ; Gal. iv. 28. Chap. xvi. 10.
•> " Chap, xviii. 33 ; xxxv.13. °Chap. xxxiv.24; Josh.v.2-9 ;

1 Chap. XXV. 12-16. ^ Chap. xxi. 18. • Chapter xxi. 2. Acts xvi. 3 Rom. ii. 25-29 ;
; iv. 9-12 ; Gal. v. 6 ; vi. 15.

the Spirit of God himself that Abraham was not wealt from the beginning, and in some respects they very
but strong in the faith ; that he staggered not at the much resemble each other. 1 The Arabs, as well as.

promise through unbelief, but gave glory to God, Rom. the Jews, are descended from Abraham, and both boast
iv. 19, 20. It is true the same word is used, chap, of their descent from the father of the faithful. 2.
xviii. 12, concerning Sarah, in whom it was certainly The Arabs, as well as the Jews, are circumcised, and
a sign of doubtfulness, though mixed with pleasure at both profess to have derived this ceremony from Abra-
the thought of the possibility of her becoming a ham. 3. The Arabs, as well as the Jews, had origin-
mother but we know how possible it is to express
; ally twelve patriarchs, who were their princes or
both faith and unbelief in the same way, and even governors. 4. The Arabs, as well as the Jews, marry
pleasure and disdain have been expressed by a smile among themselves, and in their own tribes. 5. The
or laugh. By laughing Abraham undoubtedly ex- Arabs, as well as the Jews, are singular in several of
pressed his joy at the prospect of the fulfilment of so their customs, and are standing monuments to all ages
glorious a promise and from this very circumstance
; of the exactness of the Divine predictions, and of the
Isaac had his name, which we change pnv yitschak, veracity of Scripture history. We may with more
into Isaac, signifies laughter and it is the same word ; confidence believe the particulars related of Abraham
which is used in the verse before us Abraham fell on : and Ishmael when we see them verified in their pos-
his face, pn^f 1 vaiyitschak, and he laughed ; and to terity at this day. This is having, as it were, ocular
the joy which he felt on this occasion our Lord evi- demonstration for our faith." See Bp. Newton's Se-
dently alludes, John viii. 56 Your father Abraham : cond Dissertation on the Prophecies, and see the notes
REJOICED to see my day ; and he sato it, and ivas glad. on chap. xvi. 12.
And to commemorate this joy he called his son's name Verse 2 1 My covenant will I establish tvith Isaac\
.

Isaac. See the note on chap. xxi. 6. All temporal good things are promised to Ishmael and
Verse 18. O that Ishmael might live before thee !] his posterity, but the establishment of the Lord's cove-
Abraham, finding that the covenant was to be established nant is to be with Isaac. Hence it is fully evident
in another branch of his family, felt solicitous for his that this covenant referred chiefly to spiritual things
son Ishmael, whom he considered as necessarily ex- to the Messiah, and the salvation which should be
cluded on which God delivers that most remarkable
;
brought to both Jews and Gentiles by his incarnation,
prophecy which follows in the 20th verse, and which death, and glorification.
contains an answer to the prayer and wish of Abra- Verse 22. God went up from Abraham.] Ascended
ham And as for Ishmael I have heard thee ; so that
: evidently before him, so that he had the fullest proof
the object of Abraham's prayer was, that his son Ish- that it was no human being, no earthly angel or mes-
mael might be the head of a prosperous and potent senger, that talked with him ; and the promise of a
people. son in the course of a single year, at this set time in
Verse 20. Ttuelve princes shall he beget, <^c.]See the next year, ver. 21, which had every human pro-
the names of these twelve princes, chap. xxv. 12—16. bability against it, was to be the sure token of the
From Ishmael
proceeded the various tribes of the truth of all that had hitherto taken place, and the proof
Arabs, called also Saracens by Christian writers. that all that was farther promised should be fulfilled in

They were anciently, and still continue to be, a very itsdue time. Was it not in nearly the same way in
numerous and powerful people. " It was somewhat which the Lord went up from Abraham, that Jesus
wonderful, and not to be foreseen by human sagacity," Christ ascended to heaven in the presence of his dis-
says Bishop Newton, " that a man's whole posterity ciples ? Luke xxiv. 51.
should so nearly resemble him, and retain the same Verse 23. And Abraham took Ishmael, cj-c] Had
inclinations, the same habits, and the same customs, not Abraham, his son, (who was of age
judge for to
throughout all ages These are the only people be-
! himself,) and all the family, been fully convinced that
sides the Jews who have subsisted as a distinct people this thing was of God, they could not have submitted
a 114 ( 9» )
 . — — ;; ;

Abraham and his household are CHAP. XVII. circumcised on the same day.

1
A. M.2107. 24 And Abraham was ninety
'
years 26 In the selfsame day was Abra- •'
a. M.2107.
/
I
—
B. C. 1897.
.
, ,
old and nine,
, .

° when he was cir- ham circumcised,

.
, ,
and Ishmael his
.

—— '.

1-

cumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. son.

25 And Ishmael his son was thirteen years 27 And p all the men of his house, bom in
old when he was circumcised in the flesh of the bought with money of the
house, and
his foreskin. stranger, were circumcised with him.

See ver. 1, 17 ; Rom. iv. 19. PChap. xviii. 19.

to it. A rite so painful, so repugnant to every feeling in any part of its essential meaning. Faith, in God
of delicacy, and every way revolting to nature, could through the great sacrifice, remission of sins, and sanc-
never have sprung up in the imagination of man. To tification of the heart, are required by the new cove-
this day the Jews practise it as a Divine ordinance nant as well as by the old.
and all the Arabians do the same. As a distinction 3 The rite of circumcision was painful and humi-
.

between them and other people it never could have liating, to denote that repentance, self-denial, dfC, are
been designed, because it was a sign that was never to absolutely necessary to all who wish for redemption in
appear. The individual alone knew that he bore in the blood of the covenant and the putting aioay this ;

his flesh this sign of the covenant, and he bore it by filth of the flesh showed the necessity of a pure heart
the order of God, and he knew it was a sign and seal and a holy life.
of spiritual blessings, and not the blessings themselves, 4. As eternal life is the free gift of God, he has a
though a proof that these blessings were promised, right to give it in what way he pleases, and on what
and that he had a right to them. Those who did not terms. He says to Abraham and his seed, Ye shall
consider it in this spiritual reference are by the apostle circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and he that doth
denominated the concision, Phil. iii. 2, i. e., persons not so shall he cut off from his people. He says also
whose flesh was cut, but whose hearts were not purified. to sinners in general. Let the wicked forsake his way,
and the unrighteous man his thoughts ; Repent, and
The contents of this chapter may be summed up in believe the Gospel; and, Except ye repent, ye shall
a few propositions : perish. These are the terms on which he will bestow
1. God, in renewing his covenant with Abram, the blessings of the old and new covenants. And let
makes an important change in his and Sarai's name it be remembered that stretching out the hand to re- ;

a change which should ever act as a help to their faith, ceive an alms can never be considered as meriting
that the promises by which God had bound himself the bounty received, neither can repentance or faith
should be punctually fulfilled. However difficult it merit salvation, although they are the conditions on
may be for us to ascertain the precise import of the which it is bestowed.
change then made, we may rest assured that it was 5. The precepts given under both covenants were
perfectly understood by both and that, as they had ; accompanied with a promise of the Messiah. God
received this name from God, they considered it as well knows that no religious rite can be properly ob-
placing them in a new relation both to their Maker served, and no precept obeyed, unless he impart strength
and to their posterity. From what we have already from on high and he teaches us that that strength
;

seen, the change made

Abram's name is in inscrutable must ever come through the promised seed. Hence
to us there is something like this in Rev. ii. 17
; To : with the utmost propriety, we ask every blessing
him that overcometh ivill I give a ivhite stone, and a through him, in whom God is well pleased.
NEW NAME man
knoweth, saving he^ that
which no 6. The precept, the promise, and the rite, were pre
receiveth it. import of the change made in
The full faced with, " I am God all-suflicient walk before me,
;

a soul that enters into covenant with God through and be thou perfect." God, who is the sole object of
Christ, is only known to itself a stranger intermed- ; religious worship, has the sole authority to prescribe
dleth not with Hence, even men of learning
its joy. that worship, and the rites and ceremonies which shall
and the world at large have considered experimental be used in ithence he prescribed circumcision and
;

religion as enthusiasm, merely because they have not sacrifices under the old law, and baptism and the eucha-
understood its nature, and have permitted themselves rist under the Gospel and to render both effectual to
;

to be carried away by prejudices which they have im- the end of their institution, faith in God was indis-
bibed perhaps at through the means of ignorant
first pensably necessary.
or hypocritical pretenders to deep piety ; but while 7. Those who profess to believe in him must not
they have the sacred writings before them, their live as they list, but as he please§. Though redeemed
prejudices and opposition to that without which they from the curse of the law, and from the rites and cere-
cannot be saved are as monies of the Jewish Church, they are under the law
unprincipled as they are
absurd. to Christ, and must ivalk before him be in all things —
2. God gives Abraham z. precept, which should be obedient to that moral law which is an emanation from
observed, not only by himself, but by all his posterity the righteousness of God, and of eternal obligation
for this was to be a permanent sign of that covenant and let it ever be remembered that Christ is " the au-
which was to endure for ever. Though the sign is thor of eternal salvation to all that obey him." With-
now changed from circumcision to baptism, each of out faith and obedience there can be no holiness, and
them equally significant, yet the covenant is not changed without holiness none can see the Lord. Be all that
a 115
 ; ; '

Three angels appear GENESIS. to Abraham in Mamre.

God would have thee to be, and God will be to thee to perform it. Believe as he would have thee, and
all thatthou canst possibly require. He never gives act as he shall strengthen thee, and thou wilt believe
a precept but he offers sufficient grace to enable thee all things savingly, and do all things well.

CHAPTER XVIII.
The Lord appears unto Abraham in Mamre, 1. Three angels, in human appearance, come towards his tent, 2.
He invites them in to wash and refresh themselves, 3-5 prepares a calf, bread, butter, and milk, for their ;

entertainment ; and himself serves them, 6-8. They promise that within a year Sarah shall have a son, 9, 10.
Sarah, knowing herself and husband to be superannuated, smiles at the promise, 11, 12. One of the three,
who is called the Lord or Jehovah, chides her, and asserts the sufficiency of the Divine poiver to accomplish
the promise, 13, Sarah, through fear, denies that she had laughed or showed signs of unbelief 15.
14. ,

Abraham accompanies way to Sodom, 1 6 and that one ivho is called Jehovah
these Divine persons on their ;

informs him of his purpose to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, because of their great wickedness, 17—21.
The two former proceed toward Sodom, while the latter (Jehovah) re7nains with Abraham, 22. Abraham
intercedes for the inhabitants of those cities, entreating the Lord to spare them provided fifty righteous
persons should be found in them, 23-25. The Lord grants this request, 26. He pleads for the same
mercy should only forty-five be found there ; which is also granted, 27, 28. He pleads the same for forty,
which is also granted, 29 for thxity, ivith the same success, 30 ybr twenty, and receives the same gracious
; ;

answer, 3 1 for ten, and the Lord assures him that should ten righteous persons be found there, he will not
;

destroy the place, 32. Jehovah then departs, and Abraham returns to his tent, 33.

A.M. 2107.
B. C. 1897. I
\ ND the Lord appeared unto"\ favour in thy sight, pass not a\vay,\ A.M. 2107.
B. C. 1897.
V him in the * plains of Mamre :l I pray thee, from thy servant ^
and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the| 4 Let ^ a Httle water, I pray you, be fetched,
day : and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under
/ 2 ^ And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, the tree :

lo, three men stood by him :

^ and when 5 And ^ I will fetch a morsel of bread, and /

he saw them, he ran to meet them from the ^ comfort ye your ^ hearts ; after that ye shall J

tent door, and bowed himself toward the pass on :

^ for therefore * are ye come to your,
ground, servant. And they said. So do, as thou hast said, i

3 And said. My Lord, if now I have found 6 And Abraham hastened into the tent unto(
» Chap. xiii. 18 ; xiv. 13. >»
Heb. xiii. 2. <:
Chap. xix. 1 ^Heb. stay. 5 Judg. xix. 5 ; Psa. civ. 15.- '
Chap. xix. 8
Pet. iv. 9. d Chap. xix. 2 ; xliii. 24. « Judg. vi. 18 ; xiii. 15. xxxiii. 10. • Heb. you have passed.

NOTES ON CHAP. XVIII. a great refreshment in so hot a country to get the feet
Verse 1. And the Lord appeared] See on chap. washed at the end of a day's journey and this is the ;

XV. 1. first thing that Abraham proposes.

Sat in the tent door] For the purpose of enjoying Rest yourselves under the tree] have already We
the refreshing air in the heat of the day, when the sun heard of the oak grove of Mamre, chap. xii. 6, and
had most power. A
custom still frequent among the this was the second requisite for the refreshment of a

Asiatics. weary traveller, viz., rest in the shade.

Verse Three men stood by him] vh^ W^'Z'il nits-

2. Verse 5. I ivillfetch a morsel of bread] This was
tsabim alaiv, were standing over against him ; for if the third requisite, and is introduced in its proper
they had been standing by him, as our translation says, order ; as eating immediately after exertion or fatigue
he needed not to have " run from the tent door to isvery unwholesome. The strong action of the lungs
meet them." To Abraham these appeared at first as and heart should have time to diminish before any food
men ; but he entertained angels unawares, see Heb. is received into the stomach, as otherwise concoction
xiii. 2. is prevented, and fever in a less or greater degree
Verse 3. And said. My Lord, 4"C.] The word is produced.
'JIN Adonai, not TWTV Yehovah, for as yet Abraham For therefore are ye come] In those ancient days
did not know the quality of his guests. For an expla- every traveller conceived he had a right to refresh-
nation of this word, see on chap. xv. 8. ment, when he needed it, at the first tent he met with
Verse 4. Let a little water be fetched, and ivash — on his journey.
your feet, 6fc.] In these verses we find a delightful So do as thou hast said.] How exceedingly simple
picture of primitive hospitality. In those ancient was all this ! On neither side is there any compliment
times shoes such as ours were not in use and the ; but such as a generous heart and sound sense dictate.
foot was protected only by sandals or soles, which Verse 6. Three measures offine meoT] The DND
fastened round the foot with straps. It was therefore seah, which is here translated measure, contained,
116 a
 — — 2
1 —

Abraham entertains angels. CHAP. XVIII. A son is promised to Sarah

%.. M. 2107. (Sarah, and said, Make ^ ready- 10 And he said, I ''will certainly a.m. 2107.
B. C. 1897.
quickly three measures of fine return unto thee ° according to the —^—^ 1

/meal; knead it, and make cakes upon the time of life
Sarah thy wife shall' ; and, lo, p

/hearth. And Sarah heard it in the tent/

have a son.
7 And Abraham ran unto the herd, and door, which was behind him.
/fetched a calf, tender and good, and gave it 1 Now 1 Abraham and Sarah were old and
Iunto a young man and he hasted to dress it. well stricken in age and it ceased to be with!
; ;

8 And 1 he took butter, and milk, and the Sarah ^ after the manner of women.
calf which he had dressed, and set it before 1 Therefore ^ Sarah laughed within herself,
and he stood by them under the tree, saying, * After I am waxed
'them ; old shall* I hav.e
/and they did eat. pleasure, my ^ lord being old also ?

9 And they said unto him. Where is Sarah 13 And the Lord said unto Abraham,/
ithy wife ? and he said. Behold, "^ in the Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I\

'tent. of a surety bear a child, which am old ?

^Heb. hasten. 1 Chap. xix. 3. "Ch. xxiv. 67. °Ver. 1 Chap. xvii. 17 ; Rom. iv. 19 ; Heb. xi. 11, 12, 19. "-Chap.
14. 2 Kings iv. 16. p Chap. xvii. 19, 21 ; xxi. 2 ; Rom. ix. 9. xxxi. 35. s
Chap. xvii. 17. ' Luke i. 18. " 1 Pet. iii. 6.

according to Bishop Cumberland, about two gallons and occasion with a desire of showing hospitality, but the
a half; and Mr. Ainsworfh translates the word peck. lives of all the rest of the patriarchs were similar to
On circumstance the following observations of the
this this."
judicious and pious Abbe Fleury cannot fail to be ac- Make cakes upon the hearth.] Or under the ashes.
ceptable to the reader. Speaking of the frugality of This mode is used in the east to the present day.
the patriarchs he says " have an instance of a
: We When the hearth is strongly heated with the fire that
/splendid entertainment in that which Abraham made has been kindled on it, they remove the coals, sweep
for the three angels. He set a whole calf before off the ashes, lay on the bread, and then cover it with
them, neio bread, but baked on the hearth, together the hot cinders.
with butter and milk. Three measures of meal were Verse 8. And
he stood by them under the tree, and
baked into bread on this occasion, which come to more they did eat.] Nothing is more common in Hindostan
than two of our bushels, and nearly to fifty-six pounds than to see travellers and guests eating under the shade
of our weight hence we may conclude that men
; of trees. Feasts are scarcely ever held in houses.
were great eaters in those days, used much exercise, The house of a Hindoo serves for sleeping and cook-
were probably of a much larger stature as well as ing, and for shutting up the women ; but is never con-
longer lives than we. Homer (Odyss. lib. xiv., ver. sidered as a sitting or dining room. Ward.
74, &c.) makes his heroes great eaters. When Verse 10. I ivill certainly return] Abraham was
EumcBus entertained Ulysses, he dressed two pigs for now ninety-nine years of age, and this promise was
himself and his guest. fulfilled when hfe was a hundred ; so that the phrase

'
So saying, he girded quick his tunic close. according to the time of life must mean either a com-
plete year, or nine months from the present time, the
And issuing sought the styes thence ; bringing two,
ordinary time of pregnancy. Taken in this latter
Of the imprisoned herd, he slaughtered both,
Singed them and slash'd and spitted them, and placed sense, Abraham was now in the ninety-ninth year of
his age, and Isaac was born when he was in his hun-
The ivhole well roasted, banquets, spits, and-all,
dredth year.
Reeking before Ulysses.' Cowper.
Verse II. It ceased to be with Sarah after the man-
On another occasion a hog of Jive years old was slaugh- ner of ivomen.] And consequently, naturally speak-
tered and served up for Jive persons :
ing, conception could not take place therefore if she ;

have a son it must be in a supernatural or miraculous

-His wood for fuel he prepared,
way.
And dragging thither a luell-fatted brawn
Verse 12. Sarah laughed] Partly through pleasure
Of the Jifth year :

at the bare idea of the possibility of the thing, and

Next piercing him, and scorching close his hair,
partly from a conviction that it was extremely impro-
The joints they parted,' &c.
bable. She appears to have been in the same spirit,
Ibid. ver. 419. Cowper.
and to have had the same feelings of those who, un-
Homer's heroes wait upon themselves and guests in expectedly hearing of something of great consequence
the common occasions of life ; the patriarchs do the to themselves, smile and say, " The news is too good
same. Abraham, who had so many servants, and was to be true ;" see chap. xxi. 6. There is a case very
nearly a hundred years old, brought the water himself similar to this mentioned Psa. cxxvi. 1,2 On Abra-
to wash the feet of his guests, ordered his wife to ham's laughing, see the note on chap. xvii. 17.
make the bread quickly, went himself to choose the Verse 13. And the Lord (Jehovah) said, <fc.] So
calf from the herd, and came again to serve them it appears that one of those three persons was Jeho-
standing. 1 will allow that he was animated on this vah, and as this name is never given to any created
a 117
 9 ; ! — ;

God discloses his purpose GENESIS. respecting Sodom to Abraham

A. M. 2107. 14 t Is any thing too hard for bring upon Abraham that whicl^> A.M.2107.
B. C. 1897.
the Lord ? ^ At the time appointed he hath spoken of him. "
1

1 1 will return unto thee, according to the time Because ^ the cryi, 20 And the Lord said.

/of life, and Sarah shall have a son. of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because'
15 Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed^ their sin is very grievous ;
not for she was afraid.
; And he said, Nay j 21 "I will go down now, and see whether
but thou didst laugh. they have done altogether according to the
16 And the men rose up from thence, and cry of it, which is come unto me ; /^nd if not,
looked toward Sodom and Abraham went ^ I will know) :

with them to bring them on the way.

^ 22 And the men turned their faces from
17 And the Lord said, y Shall I hide from thence, « and went toward Sodom but Abra-i ;

Abraham that thing which I do ham ^ stood yet before the Lord.
18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely be- 23 And Abraham ^ drew near, and said,
jcone a great and mighty nation, and all the ^ Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the'
nations of the earth shall be ^ blessed in him ? wicked ?
1 For I know him, ^ that he will command 24 Peradventure there be fifty righteous '

(his children and his household after him, and within the city wilt thou also destroy and :

\they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do not spare the place for the fifty righteous ihat
justice and judgment ; that the Lord may are therein ?

' Jer. xxxii. 17 ; Zech.

viii. 6 Matt. iii. 9 xix. 26 Luke i.
; ; ;
t"
Chap. iv. 10 ; xix. 13 ; James v. 4. <=
Chap. xi. 5 ;

37. ^ Chap. 21 ; ver. 10 ; 2 Kings iv. 16.

xvii. " Rom. xv. Exodus iii. 8. ^ Deut. viii. 2 ; xiii. 3 ; Josh. xxii. 22
24 3 John
;
6. Psa. xxv.y 14 ; Amos iii. 7 ; John xv. 15. Luke xvi. 15; 2 Cor. xi. 11. chap. xix. 1.
^ 'Ver.
z Chap. xii. ^ Deut. iv. sHeb. X. 22. h Numbers xvi. 22; 2 Sam. .xxiv. 17
3 ; xxii. 18 ; Acts iii. 25 ; Gal. iii. 8. 1.

9, 10 ; vi. 7 ; Josh. xxiv. 15 ; Eph. vi. 4. 'Jer. V. 1.

being, consequently the ever-blessed God is intended; to be met with, and where solitary dwellings did not
and as he was never seen in any boJily shape, conse- exist.
quently the great Angel of the covenant, Jesus Christ, Verse 17. Shall I hide from Abraham] That is,

must be meant. See on chap. xvi. 7. I will not hide. A common mode of speech in Scrip-
Verse 14. Is any thing too hard for the LordT\ ture — a question asked when an affirmative is designed.
*13T mn^O xSiJ^n hayippale meihovah dabar, shall a Do men gather grapes of thorns ? Men do not gather
word (or thing) be wonderful from the Lord 1 i. e., grapes of thorns, &c.
Can any thing be too great a miracle for him to eflFecf? Verse 18. Shall surely become a great and mighty
The Septuagint translate the passage, Mr; adwarTjaet nation] The revelation that I make to him shall be
napa tg) Qecj ^rifxa which St. Luke adopts almost
; preserved among his posterity and the exact fulfil- ;

literatim, only making it an affirmative position instead ment of my promises, made so long before, shall lead
of a question : Ovk adwuTrjaei Trapa r&> Gew nav l)7ifia, them to believe in my name and trust in my goodness.
which we translate, " With God nothing shall be im- Verse 19. And they shall keep the iv ay of the Lord]
possible," Luke i. 37. Many copies of the Septuagint The true religion God's way that in which God
; ;

insert the word nav before pr/fza, as in St. Luke but ;

walks himself, and in which, of course, his folloivers
it makes little difference in the sense. It was to cor- walk also to do justice and judgment ; not only to
;

rect Sarah's unbelief, and to strengthen her faith, that preserve the truth in their creed, but maintain it in

God spoke words which

these most important words ; their practice.
state that where human wisdom, prudence, and energy Verse 20. Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah]
fail, and where nature herself ceases to be an agent, See the notes on chap. xiii. 13.
through lack of energy to laws to direct and act, or Verse 21. / luill go down now, Sfc] A lesson to
regulate energy, there also full sivay, and by God hs,s magistrates, teaching them not to judge according to
his own omnific power works all things after the coun- report, but accurately to inquire into the facts them-
sel of his own will. Is there an effect to be pro- selves. Jarchi.
duced T God can produce it as well ivithout as ivith Verse 22. And the men turned their faces] That
means. He produced nature, the whole system of is, the two angels who accompanied Jehovah were now
causes and effects, when in the whole compass of his sent towards Sodom ; while the third, who is called
own eternity there was means nor being. He
neither the Lord or Jehovah, remained with Abraham for the
spake, and it was done ; he commanded, and it stood purpose of teaching him the great usefulness and im-
fast. How great and wonderful is God portance of faith and prayer.
Verse 16. Abraham went loith them to bring them Verse 23. Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with
on the way.'\ This was another piece of primitive the loickedl] A form of speech similar to that in
hospitality —
to direct strangers in the way. Public verse 17, an invariable principle of justice, that the
roads did not then exist, and guides were essentially righteous shall not be punished for the crimes of the
necessary in countries where villages were seldom impious. And this Abraham lays down as the/oww-
118
 :

Abraham inta cedes Jur CHAP. XMil. Sudani and Gomorrah

A.M. 2107. 25 That be far from thee to do said, Peradventure there shall be A. m. 2107.
B. C. 1897. r ^ • 1 .
alter this manner,
1 1
to slay the righte- forty found there. And he said, I —__li!!L
ous with the wicked : and ^ that the righteous will not do it for forty's sake.
should be as the wicked, that be far from thee : 30 And he said unto him, O let not the
/ ^ Shall not the Judge of all the earth do^ Lord be angry, and I will speak : Peradven
1 right ? ture there shall thirty be found there. And
26 And the Lord said, "* If 1 find in Sodom he said, I will not do it if I find thirty there.
'fifty righteous within the city, then I will 31 And he said. Behold now, I have taken
'spare all the place for their sakes; upon me to speak unto the Lord Peradven- :

27 And Abraham answered and said, ° Be- ture there shall be twrenty found there-. And
hold now, I have taken upon me to speak he said, I will not destroy it for twenty's sake'.
junto the Lord, which am ° hut dust and 32 And he said, p O let not the Lord be
/ashes : angry, and I will speak yet but this once
28 Peradventure there shall lack five of the
Peradventure ten shall be found there. ^ Andy

fifty righteous wilt thou destroy all the city he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake^
:

for lack of five ? And he said. If I find 33 And the Lord went his way, as soon asj
there forty and five, I will not destroy it. he had left communing with Abraham and/ :

29 And he spake unto him yet again, and Abraham returned unto his place.

^ Job viii. 20 ; Isa. iii. 10, 11. ' Job viii. 3 ; xxxiv. 17 ; Psa. Iviii. > Luke xviii. 1. ° Chap. iii. 19 ; Job iv. 19 ; Eccles. xii. 7 ;

11 ; xciv. 2 ; Rom. iii. 6. °^ Jer. v. 1 ; Ezek. xxii. 30. 1 Cor. XV. 47, 48 ; 2 Cor. v. 1. P Judg. vi. 39. 1 James v. 16.

dation of his supplications. Who can pray with any worthy, not only of our most serious regard, but also
hope of success who cannot assign a reason to God of our imitation. He sat in the door of his tent in
and his conscience for the petitions he offers 1 The the heat of the day, not only to enjoy the current of
great sacrifice offered by Christ is an infinite reason refreshing air, but that if he saw any weary and ex-
why a penitent sinner should expect to find the mercy hausted travellers he might invite them to rest and
for which he pleads. refresh themselves. Hospitality is ever becoming in
Verse 25. Shall not the Judge of all the earth do one human being towards another for every destitute ;

right .?] God alone is the Judge of all men. Abra- man is a brother in distress, and demands our most
ham, in thus addressing himself to the person in the prompt and affectionate assistance, according to that
text, considers him either as the Supreme Being or his heavenly precept, " What ye would that men should ,

representative. do unto you, do even so unto them." From this con-

Verse 27. Which am but dust and ashes] 13X1 "lijy duct of Abraham a Divine precept is formed " Be :

aphar vaepher, words very similar in sound, as they not forgetful to entertain strangers, for thereby some
refer to matters which so much resemble each other. have entertained angels unawares." Heb. xiii. 2.
—
Dust the lightest particles of earth. Ashes the 2. Whatever is given on the ground of humanity —
residuum of consumed substances. By these expres- and mercy is given unto God, and is sure to meet with
sions he shows how deeply his soul was humbled in his approbation and a suitable reward. While Abra-
the presence of God. He who has high thoughts of ham entertained his guests God discovers himself, and
liimself must have loiu thoughts of the dignity of the reveals to him the counsels of his will, and renews the
Divine nature, of the majesty of God, and the sTnful- promise of a numerous posterity. Sarah, though natu
ness of sin. rally speaking past child-bearing, shall have a son ;

Verse 32. Peradventure ten shall be found there] natural obstacles cannot hinder the purpose of God :
Knowing that in the family of his nephew the true re- nature is his instrument and as it works not only by ;

ligion was professed and practised, he could not sup- general laws, but also by any particular will of God,
pose there could be less than ten righteous persons in so it may accomplish that will in any way he may
the city, he did not think it necessary to urge his sup- choose to direct. It is always difficult to credit God's
plication farther he therefore left off his entreaties, promises when they relate to supernatural things, and
;

and the Lord departed from him. It is highly worthy still more so when they have for their object events
of observation, that while he continued to pray the that are contrary to the course of nature but as no- ;

presence of God was continued and when Abraham thing is too hard for God, so " all things are possible
;

ended, " the glory of the Lord was lifted up," as the to him that believeth." It is that faith alone which is
Targum expresses it. of the operation of God's Spirit, that is capable of
crediting supernatural things he who does not pray ;

This chapter, though containing only the prelimi- to be enabled to believe, or, if he do, uses not the
naries to the awful catastrophe detailed in the next, power when received, can never believe to the saving
affords us several lessons of useful and important in- of the soul.
formation. 3. Abraham trusts much in God, and God reposes
1. The hospitality and humanity of Abraham are much confidence in Abraham. He knows that God is

119
 :

Two angels come to Sodom. GENESltS. Lot invites them into hi .i' house

faithful, and will fulfil and God knows

his promises ; 5. Every man who loves God loves his neighbour
that Abraham and will command his chil-
is faithful, also ; and he who loves his neighbour will do all in

dren and his household after him, and they shall keep his power to promote the well-being both of his sod
the way of the Lord to do justice and judgment ver. ; and his body. Abraham cannot prevent the men of
19. No man lives unto himself; and God gives us Sodom from sinning against God but he can make ;

neither spiritual nor temporal blessings for ourselves prayer and intercession for their souls, and plead, if
alone; our bread we are to divide with the hungry, not in arrest, yet in mitigation, of judgment. He
and to help the stranger in distress. He who under- therefore intercedes for the transgressors, and God
stands the way of God should carefully instruct his is well pleased with his intercessions. These are
household in that way and he who is the father of a
; the offspring of God's own love in the heart of his
family should pray to God to teach him, that he may servant.
teach his household. His ignorance of God and sal- 6. How true is that word. The energetic faithful
vation can be no excuse for his neglecting his family : prayer of a righteous man availeth much! Abraham
it is his duty to teach them; and God draws near to God by affection and faith, and in the
indispensable
wUl teach him, he earnestly seek it, that he may be most devout and humble manner makes prayer and sup-
if

able to discharge this duty to his family. Reader, if plication and every petition is answered on the spot. ;

thy children or servants perish through thy neglect, Nor does God cease to promise to show mercy till
God will judge thee for it in the great day. Abraham ceases to intercede What encouragement !

4. The sin of Sodom and the cities of the plain does this hold out to them that fear God, to make
was great and grievous the measure of their iniquity prayer and intercession for their sinful neighbours and
;

was full, and God determined to destroy them. Judg- ungodly relatives! Faith in the Lord Jesus endues
ment is God's strange ivork, but though rarely done it prayer with a species of omnipotence whatsoever a ;

must be done sometimes, lest men should suppose that man asks of the Father in his name, he will do it.
right and wrong, vice and virtue, are alike in the eye Prayer has been termed the gate of heaven, but
of God. And these judgments must be dispensed in without faith that gate cannot be opened. He who
such a way as to show they are not the results of natu- prays as he should, and believes as he ought, shall
ral causes, but come immediately from the incensed have the fulness of the blessings of the Gospel of
justice of the Most High. peace.

CHAPTER XIX.
The two angels mentioned come in the evening to Sodom, 1. Lot, who was sitting
in the preceding chapter,
at the gate, invites them some refreshment, and tarry all night ; ivhich they at first
to enter his house, take
refuse, 2 but on being pressingly solicited, they at last comply, 3.
; The abominable conduct of the men
of Sodom, 4, 5. Lot''s deep concern for the honour and safety of his guests, ivhich leads him to make a most
exceptionable proposal to those wicked men, 6-8. The violent proceedings of the Sodomites, 9. Lot
rescued from their barbarity by the angels, who smite them ivith blindness, 10, 11. The angels exhort Lot
and his family to flee from that ivicked place, as God ivas about to destroy it, 12, 13. Lot''s fruitless
exhortation to his sons-in-laio, 14. The ayigels hasten Lot and his family to depart, 15, 16. Their
exhortation, 17. Lot's request, 18-20. He is permitted to escape to Zoar, 21-23. Fire and brimstone
are rained down from heaven upon all the cities of the plain, by which they are entirely destroyed, 24, 25.
LoVs wife, looking behind, becomes a pillar of salt, 26. Abraham, early in the morning, discovers the
desolation of those iniquitous cities, 27—29. Lot, fearing to continue in Zoar, ivent with his two daughters
to the mountain, and dwell in a cave, 30. The strange conduct of his daughters, and his unhappy decep-
tion, 31—36. Moab and Amman born, from whom sprang the Moabites and Am7nonites, 37, 38.
A. M. 2107.
B. C. 1897. A™ to
there
Sodom
^

at
came two angels himself with
even ; and Lot gi'ound
1

;
his face toward the a. m. 2107.
B. C. 1897.

sat in the gate of Sodom and Lot seeing

:
''
2 And he said, Behold now, my lords, •=
turn
them rose up to meet them and he bowed ; in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and
» Chap, xviii. 22. ^ Chap, xvili. 1, &c. <=
Heh. xiii. 2.

NOTES ON CHAP. XIX. sitting there as magistrate to hear and determine

Verse 1. Two angels] The two referred to chap, disputes.
xviii.22. Bowed himself] Not through religious reverence,
Sat in the gate] Probably, in order to prevent un- for he did not know the quality of his guests but ;

wary travellers from being entrapped by his wicked through the customary form of civility. See on verses
ownsmen, he waited at the gate of the city to bring 3-5 of the preceding chapter.
the strangers he might meet with to his own house, Verse 2. Nay; but ive loill abide in the street] In-
as well as to transact his own business. Or, as the stead of xS lo, nay, some MSS. have iS lo, to him
gate was the place of judgment, he might have been "And they said unto him, for we lodge in the street;"
120 a
 ;;

Wicked co/iduct of CHAP. XIX. the men of Sodum

A. M. 2107.
B C 1897
L
tarry all nisht,
and ye shall
o '
and
rise
^
11
wash your feet, bring
°
them out unto you, and do
up early, and go ye to them as is good m your
, .
-^
' .
a. m. 2107.
B. C. 1887.

on your ways. And they said, * Nay ; but eyes : only unto these men do nothing ;
"* for

we will abide in the street all night. therefore came they under the shadow of
3 And he pressed upon them greatly and ; my roof.

they turned in unto him, and entered into his 9 And they said, Stand back. And they
house; ^and he made them a feast, and did said again, This one fellow " came in to so-
bake unleavened bread, and they did eat. journ, ° and he will needs be a judge now :

4 But before they lay down, the men of the will we deal worse with thee than with them.
city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the And they pressed sore upon the man^^ even
house round, both old and young, all the Lot, and came near to break the door.
people from every quarter 10 But the men put forth their hand, and
:

5 s And they called unto Lot, and said unto pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut
him. Where are the men which came in to to the door.

thee this night ? ^ bring them out unto us that And they smote the men p that were at
1 1

we '
may know them. the door of the house with blindness, both
6 And ^ Lot went out at the door unto them, small and great so that they wearied them-
;

and shut the door after him, selves to find the door.
7 And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so 12 And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou
wickedly : here any besides ? son-in-law, and thy sons,
8 Behold now,
1 I have two daughters which and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast
have not known man let me, I pray you, in the city, ^ bring them out of this place
;
:

<*
Chap, xviii. 4. « See Luke xxiv. 28. ' Chap, xviii. 8 ;
"See chap, xviii. 5. ^ 2 Pet. ii. 7, 8. » Exod. ii. 14
s Isa. iii. 9. Judg. xix. 22.
•> •
Chap. iv. 1 ; Rom. i. 24, 27 PWisd. xix. 17; see 2 Kings vi. 18 ; Acts xiii. 11. <i Chap
Jude 7. ^ Judg. xix. 23. ' See Judg. xix. 24. vii. 1 ; 2 Pet. ii. 7, 9.

where, nevertheless, the negation is understood. Know- not only the language of anxious solicitude, but of un-
ing the disposition of the inhabitants, and appearing in warrantable haste.
the mere character of travellers, they preferred the Verse 9. And he needs he a judge]
loill So hts
open street to any house but as Lot pressed them ; sitting in the gate perhaps a farther proof of his
is ,

vehemently, and they knew him to be a righteous man, being there in a magisterial capacity, as some have
not yet willing to make themselves known, they con- supposed.
sented to take shelter under his hospitable roof. Our Verse 11. And they smote the men with blindness] —
Lord, willing for the time being to conceal his person This has been understood two ways 1 The angels, : .

from the knowledge of the disciples going to Emmaus, by the power which God had given them, deprived
made as though he would go farther, Luke xxiv. 13 ;
these wicked men of a proper and regular use of their
but at last, like the angels here, yielded to the impor- sight, so as either totally to deprive them of it, or
tunity of his disciples, and went into their lodgings. render it so confused that they could no longer distin-
Verse 5. Where are the men which came in to thee, guish objects or, 2. They caused such a deep dark-
;

4"c.] This account justifies the character giv6h of ness to take place, that they could not find Lot's door.
this depraved people in the preceding chapter, ver. 20, The author of the book of Wisdom was evidently of
and in chap. xiii. 13. As their crime was the deepest this latter opinion, for he says they ivere compassed
disgrace to human nature, so it is too bad to be de- about with horrible great darkness, chap. xix. 17.
scribed ; in the sacred text it is sufficiently marked See a similar case of Elisha and the Syrians, 2 Kings
and the iniquity which, from these most abominable vi. 18, &c.
wretches, has been called Sodomy, is punished in our Verse 12. Hast thou here any besides! son-in-law]
country with death. Here there appears to be but one meant, as the word
Verse 8. Behold now, I have two daughters] No- tnn chathan is in the singular nwmhex but in ver. 14 ;

thing but that sacred light in which the rights of hos- the word is plural, Vjnn chathanaiv, his sons-in-law.
pitality were regarded among the eastern nations, could There were only two in numberr; as we do not hear
either justify or palliate this proposal of Lot.A man that Lot had more than two daughters and these seem :

who had taken a stranger under his care and protection, not to have been actually married to those daughters,
was bound to defend him even at the expense of his but only betrothed, as is evident from what Lot says,
own life. In this light the rights of hospitality are ver. 8 for they had not known man, but were the
;

still regarded in Asiatic countries

and on these high ; spouses elect of those who are here called his sons-
notions only, the influence of which an Asiatic mind in-law. But though these might be reputed as a part
alone can properly appreciate, Lot's conduct on this of Lot's family, and entitled on this account to God's
occasion can be at all excused but even then, it was : protection, yet it is sufficiently plain that they did not
121
 8
1 — .
;

hot and Ins Jatiuly commanded GENESltS. to make their escape.

A. M. 2107. 1 3 For we will destroy this place, cape for thy life ;
^ look not behind a. m. 2107.
'

1 because the ^ cry of them is waxen thee, neither stay thou in all the —B C '
1897.
'-

great before the face of the Lord ; and ^ the plain ; escape to the mountain, lest thou be
Lord hath sent us to destroy it. consumed.
14 And Lot went out and spake unto his 1 And Lot said unto them, O, ® not so,
sons-in-law, which married
* his daughters, my Lord :

and said, ^ Up, get you out of this place ; for 19 Behold now, thy servant hath found
the Lord will destroy this city. ^But he grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified
seemed as one that mocked unto his sons-in- thy mercy, which thou hast showed unto me
law. in saving my life ; and I cannot escape to the
15 And when the morning arose, then the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die
angels hastened Lot, saying, ^ Arise, take thy 20 Behold now, this city is near to flee

wife, and thy two daughters, which ""

are here ;
unto, and it is a little one : O, let me escape
Ipst thou be consumed in the ^ iniquity of the thither, {is it not a little one ?) and my soul
city. shall live.
16 And '^
while he hngered, the men laid 2 And he said unto him. See, ^ I have ac-
hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his cepted ^ thee concerning this thing also, that
wife, and upon the hand of his two daugh- I will not overthrow this city, for the which
ters ^ the Lord being merciful unto him
; thou hast spoken. :

^ and they brought him forth, and set him 22 Haste thee, escape thither for ^ I can- ;

without the city. not do any thing till thou be come thither.
17 And it came to pass, when they had Therefore *
the name of the city was called

brought them forth abroad, that he said, " Es- ^ Zoar.

> Chapter xviii. 20. ' 1 Chron. xxi. 15. 'Matt. i. 18. <:
1 Kings xix. 3. * Ver. 26 ; Matt. xxiv. 16, 17, 18 ; Luke
" Num. xvi. 21, 45. Exod. ix. 21 Luke xvii. 28 xxiv. 11.
''
; ; ix. 62 ; Phil. iii. 13, 24. ^ Acts x. 14. f
Job xlii. 8, 9 ; Psa.
^ Num. xvi. 24, 26 Rev. xviii. 4.
;
" Heb. are found. y Or, cxlv. 19. g Heb. thy face. •> See chap, xxxii.
25, 26 ; Exod.
punishment. ^ Wisd. x. 6. ^ Luke xviii. 13 Rom. ix. 15, ; xxxii. 10 ; Deut. ix. 14 ; Mark vi. 5. • Chap. xiii. 10 ; xiv. 2.
16. ''Psa. xxxiv. 22. ^That is, little; ver. 20.

escape the perdition of these wicked men and the ; of this exhortation are addressed to his personal feel-
reason is given, ver. 14, they received the solemn ings. " Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will
warning as a ridiculous tale, the creature of Lot's he give for his life ;" and self-preservation is the first
invention, or the offspring of his fear. Therefore they law of nature, to which every other consideration is
made no provision for their escape, and doubtless minor and unimportant.
perished, notwithstanding the sincerely offered grace, Verse 19. I cannot escape to the mountain] He
in the perdition that fellon this ungodly city. saw the destruction so near, that he imagined he
Verse 16. While he linge^-ed] Probably in affec- should not have time sufficient to reach the mountain
tionate though useless entreaties to prevail on the re- before it arrived. He did not consider that God could
maining parts of his family to escape from the destruc- give no command to his creatures that it would be im-
tion that was now descending laid hold upon his possible for them to fulfil
;
but the hurry and pertur- ;

—
hand pulled them away by mere force, the Lord being bation of his mind will at once account for and excuse
merciful ; else they had been left to perish in their this gross oversight.
lingering, as the others were in their gainsaying. Verse 20. It is a little one] Probably Lot wished
Verse 17. When thei/ had brought them forth, <^-c.] to have it for an inheritance, and therefore pleaded its
Every word here is emphatic, Escape for thy life being a little one, that his request might be the more ;

thou art in the most imminent ('anger of perishing readily granted. Or he might suppose, that being a ;

thy life and thy soul are both at stake. Look not little city, it was less depraved than Sodom and Go-
behind thee —
thou hast but baruiy time enough to morrah, and therefore not so ripe for punishment
escape from the judgment that is now descending no which was probably the case. ;

lingering, or thou art lost one look back may prove! Verse 2 1 See, I have accepted thee] How preva- .

fatal to thee, and God commands thee to avoid it. lent is prayer with God Far from refusing to grant !

Neither stay thou in all the plain, because God will a reasonable petition, he shows himself as if under
destroy that as well as the city. Escape to the moun- embarrassment to deny any.
tain, on which these judgments shall not light, and Verse 22. / cannot do any thing till thou be come
which God has appointed thee for a place of refuge thither.] So these heavenly messengers had the strict- ;

lest thou be consumed. It is not an ordinary judg- est commission to take care of Lot and his family ;
ment that is coming a fire from heaven shall burn and even the purposes of Divine justice could not be
;

up the cities, the plain, and all that remain in the accomplished on the rebellious, till this righteous man
cities and in the plain. Both the beginning and end and his family had escaped from the place. A proof
122
 ; ; ;

Lot eacapes to Zoar. CHAP. XIX. Sodom and Goinoirah a s Zoar.

A. M. 2107. upon and upon Gomorrah brimstone and A. M.
23 The sun was ^ risen the ^^^
B. C. 1897. "^97.
when Lot entered into Zoar.
earth fire from the Lord out of heaven

24 Then ™ the Lord rained upon Sodom 25 And he overthrew those cities, and all

' Heb. gone forth. ™ Deuteronomy xxix. 23 ;

Isaiah xiii. Amos iv. 11 ; Zephaniah ii. 9 ; Luke xvii. 29 ; 2 Pet. ii. 6
19 ; Jeremiah xx. 16 ; 1. 40 ; Ezekiel xvi. 49, 50 ; Hos. xi. 8 ;
Jude 7.

of Abraham's assertion, The Judge of all the earth ruin of these cities, and all the circumjacent plain :

will do right. 1 Innumerable nitrous particles precipitated from the

.

The name of the city ivas called Zoar.] l;?1]f Tsoar, atmosphere. 2. The vast quantity of asphaltus or
LITTLE, former name being Bela.
its bitumen which abounded in that country and, 3. Light- :

Verse 24. The Lord rained brimstone and fire — ning or the electric spark, which ignited the nitre and
from the Lord] As all judgment is committed to the bitumen, and thus consumed both the cities and the plain
Son of God, many of the primitive fathers and several or champaign country in which they were situated.
modern divines have supposed that the words mri'l Verse 25. And he overthrew those cities, and all
vaihovah and mn' ilN'i meeth Yehovah imT^lj, Jehovah the plain] This forms what is called the lake Asphal-
the Son raining brimstone and fire from Jehovah the tites, Dead Sea, or Salt Sea, which, according to the

Father ; and that this place affords no mean proof of most authentic accounts, is about seventy miles in
the proper Divinity of our blessed Redeemer. It may length, and eighteen in breadth.
be so ; but though the point is sufficiently established The most strange and incredible tales are told by

elsewhere, does not appear to me to be plainly indi-

it many of the ancients, and by many of the moderns,
cated here. And it is always better on a subject of concerning the place where these cities stood. Com-
this kind not to have recourse to proofs which require mon fame says that the waters of this sea are so thick
proofs to confirm them. It must however be granted that a stone will not sink in them, so tough and clammy
that two persons mentioned as Jehovah in one verse, that the most boisterous wind cannot ruffle them, so
is both a strange and curious circumstance and it will ; deadly that no fish can live in them, and that if a bird
appear more remarkable when we consider that the happen to fly over the lake, it is killed by the poison-
person called Jehovah, who conversed with Abraham, ous effluvia proceeding from the waters that scarcely ;

(see chap, xviii.,) and sent those two angels to bring any verdure can grow near the place, and that in the
TiOt and his family out of this devoted place, and seems vicinity where there are any trees they bear a most
himself after he left off talking with Abraham to have to open it you find beautiful fruit, but when you come
ascended to heaven, ver. 33, does not any more appear and that the place was burning nothing but ashes !

on this occasion till we hear that Jehovah rained upon long after the apostles' times. These and all similar
Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from Jeho- tales may be safely pronounced great exaggerations
vah out of heaven. This certainly gives much coun- of facts, or fictions of ignorant, stupid, and superstitious
tenance to the opinion referred to above, though still monks, or impositions of unprincipled travellers, who,
it may fall short of positive proof. knowing that the common people are delighted with
Brimstone and fire. —
The word r\''"l3Jl gophrith, the marvellous, have stuffed their narratives with such
which we translate brimstone, is of very uncertain accounts merely to procure a better sale for their books.
derivation. It is evidently used metaphorically, to The truth is, the waters are exceedingly salt, far
point out the utmost degrees of punishment executed beyond the usual saltness of the sea, and hence it is
on the most flagitious criminals, in Deut. xxix. 23 ;
called the Salt Sea. In consequence of this circum-
Job xviii. 15 Psa. xi. 6 Isa. xxxiv. 9
; Ezek. ; ;
stance bodies will float in it that would sink in com-
XXX* iii. 22. And as hell, or an everlasting separation mon salt water, and probably it is on this account that
from God and the glory of his power, is the utmost few fish can live in it. But the monks of St. Saba
punishment that can be inflicted on sinners, helTce affirmed to Dr. Shaw, that they had seen fish caught
brimstone and fire are used in Scripture to signify the in it ; and as to the reports of any noxious quality in
torments in that place of punishment. See Isa. xxx. the air, or in the evaporations from its surface, the

33; Rev. xiv. 10; xix. 20; xx. 10; xxi. 8. We lumps of bitumen often rise from the simple fact is,

may safely suppose that it was quite possible that a bottom to its surface, and exhale a foetid odour which
shower of nitrous particles might have been precipi- does not appear to have any thing poisonous in it. Dr.
tated from the atmosphere, here, as in many other Pococke swam in it for nearly a quarter of an hour,
places, called heaven, which, by the action oi fire or and felt no kind of inconvenience the water, he says, ;

the electric fluid, would be immediately ignited, and is very clear, and having brought avi'ay a bottle of it,

so consume the cities and, as we have already seen

; he " had it analyzed, and found it to contain no sub-
that the plains about Sodom and Gomorrah abounded stances besides salt and a Utile alum.'''' As there are
with asphaltus or bitumen pits, (see chap. xiv. 10,) frequent eruptions of a bituminous matter from the
that what is particularly meant here in reference to bottom of this lake, which seem to argue a subterra-
the plain is the setting fire to this vast store of inflam- neous fire, hence the accounts that this place was burn-
mable matter by the agency of lightning or the elec- ing even after the days of the apostles. And this
tric fluid and this, in the most natural and literal phenomenon still continues, for " masses of bitumen,
;

manner, accounts for the whole plain being burnt up, says Dr. Shaw, " in large hemispheres, are raised at
as that plain abounded with this bituminous substance certain times from the bottom, which, as soon as they
End thus we find three agents employed in the total touch the surface, and are thereby acted upon by the
a 123
 ; — — ;

Lots wije disobeys, cfid \ GENEJSllS. hecornes a piUar oj salt.

A.M. 2107. the plain, and all the inhabitants 26 But his wife looked back a. m. 2107.

of the cities, and ^ that which grew from behind him, and she became — '
-

upon the ground. ° a pillar of salt.

n Chap. xiv. 3 Psa. cvii. 34. Num.

;
° Ver. 17 ; xvi. 38 Prov. xiv. 14 ; Wisd. x. 7 ; Luke xvii. 32 ; Heb. x. 38.

external air, burst at once, with great smoke and noise, heaven, she might be struck dead ivith lightning, and
like the pulvis fulminans of the chemists, and disperse indurated or petrified on the spot, is as possible. And
themselves in a thousand pieces. But this only hap- that the account of her becoming a pillar of salt may
pens near the shore, for in greater depths the eruptions be designed to be understood metaphorically, is also
are supposed to discover themselves in such columns highly probable. It is certain that salt is frequently
of smoke as are now and then observed to arise from used in the Scriptures as an emblem of incorruption,
the lake. And perhaps
such eruptions as these we
to durability, &c. Hence a covenant of salt. Num.
may attribute that variety of pits and hollows, not un- xviii. 19, is ever to
a perpetual covenant, one that is
like the traces of many of our ancient lime-kilns, be in full force, and never broken on this ground a ;

which are found in the neighbourhood of this lake. pillar of salt may signify no more in this case than an
The bitumen is in all probability accompanied from the everlasting monument against criminal curiosity, unbe-
bottom with sulphur, as both of them are found pro- lief, and disobedience.
miscuously upon the shore, and the latter is precisely Could we depend upon the various accounts given
the same with common native sulphur the other is ; by different persons who pretend to have seen the
friable, yielding upon friction, or by being put into the wife of Lot standing in her complete human form, with
fire, a foetid smell." The bitumen, after having been all her distinctive marks about her, the difficulty would
some time exposed to the air, becomes indurated like a be at an end. But we cannot depend on these accounts
stone. I have some portions of it before me, brought they are discordant, improbable, ridiculous, and often
by a friend of mine from the spot it is very black, ; grossly absurd. Some profess to have seen her as a
hard, and on friction yields a foetid odour. heap of salt ; others, as a rock of salt ; others, as a
For several curious particulars on this subject, see complete human being as to shape, proportion of parts,
Dr. Pococke's Travels, vol. ii., part 1, chap. 9, and &c., &c., but only petrified. This human form, ac-
Dr. Shaw's Travels, 4to. edit., p. 346, &c. cording to others, has still resident in it a miraculous
Verse 26. She became a pillar of sali] The vast continual energy break off a finger, a toe, an arm, ;

variety of opinions, both ancient and modern, on the &c., it is inmiediately reproduced, so that though mul-
crime of Lot's wife, her change, and the manner in titudes of curious persons have gone to see this woman,
which that change was effected, are in many cases as and every one has brought away a part of her, yet
unsatisfactory as they are ridiculous. On this point still she is found by the next comer a complete human
the sacred Scripture says little. God had commanded form To crown this absurd description, the author
!

Lot and his family not to look behind them the wife of the poem De Sodoma, usually attributed to Tertul-
;

of Lot disobeyed this command she looked back from lian, and annexed to his works, represents her as yet
—
;

behind him Lot, her husband, and she became a pillar instinct with a portion of animal life, which is une-
of salt. This is all the information the inspired his- quivocally designated by certain signs lohich every
torian has thought proper to give us on this subject month produces. I shall transcribe the whole passage
;

it is true the account is short, but commentators and and refer to my author and as I have given above ;

critics have made it long enough by their laborious the sense of the whole, my readers must excuse me
glosses. The opinions which are the most probable from giving a more literal translation :

are the following " Lot's wife, by the miraculous

: 1 .

et simul illic
power of God, was changed into a mass of rock salt,
In fragilem mutata salem, stetit ipsa sepulchrum,
probably retaining the human figure." 2. " Tarrying
too long in the plain, she
Ipsaque imago sibi, formam sine corpore servans.
was struck with lightning
and enveloped in the Hiuminous and sulphuric matter
Durat adhuc etenim nuda statione sub a;thra,
which abounded ir. that country, and which, not being Nee pluviis dilapsa situ, nee diruta ventis.
exposed afterwards to the action of the fire, resisted Quinetiam, si quis mutilaverit advena formam,
the air and the wet, and was thus rendered permanent."
Protinus ex sese suggestu vulnera complet.
Dicitur et vivens alio sub corpore sexus
3. " She was struck dead and consumed in the burn-
ing up of the plain and this judgment on her disobe- Munificos solito dispungere sanguine menses.
;

dience being recorded, is an imperishable memorial of Tertulliani 0;;e/-a, vol. ii., p. 731. Edit. Obebthur
the fact itself, and an everlasting warning to sinners The sentiment in the last lines is supported by Ire-
in general, and to backsliders or apostates in particu- naeus, who assures us that, though still remaining as a
lar." On these opinions it may be only necessary to pillar of salt, the statue, in form and other natural
state that the two first understand the text literally, accidents, exhibits decisive proofs of its original Ja?n :

and that the last considers it metaphorically That non caro corruptibilis, sed statua salis semper manens,
.

God might in a moment convert this disobedient wo- et, per naturalia, ea quee sunt consuetudinis hominia
man into a pillar or mass of salt, or any other sub- ostendens, lib. iv., c. 51. To complete this absurdity,
Jance, there can be no doubt. Or that, by continuing this father makes her an emblem of the true Church,
n the plain till the brimstone and fire descended from which, though she suffers much, and often loses whole
124
 ; 1 ;

Desolation of the cities. CHAP. XIX. Lot leai'cs Zoc/r.

A. M. cir. 2107. 27 And Abraham eat up p early 30 And Lot went up out of a. m. cu. 2107.
B. C. cir. 1897. .
^u
„ T , 1 1 • 1 B- C. cir. 1897.
, .
in the morning to the
^
place Zoar, and * dwelt in the moun-
where i he stood before the Lord : tain, and his two daughters with him for he ;

28 And he looked toward Sodom and feared to dwell in Zoar and he dwelt in a :

Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the cave, he and his two daughters.
plain,and beheld, and lo, ''the smoke of the 3 And the first-born said unto the younger,
country went up as the smoke of a furnace. Our father is old, and there is not a man in

29 And it when God de- the earth " to come in unto us after the man-
came to pass,
stroyed the cities of the plain, that God ^ re- ner of all the earth :

membered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the 32 Come, let us make our father jirink
midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the wine, and we will lie with him, that we may
"^

cities in the which Lot dwelt. preserve seed of our father.

P Psa. V. 3. 1 Chap, xviii. 22 Ezek. xvi. 49, 50 Hab. ii. 1 ; 23 Hos. xi. 8.
;
» Ver. 17, 19. " Ch. xvi. 2, 4 ;
xxxviii. 8, 9
;

Heb. ii. 1.
>•
2 Pet. ii. 7 ; Rev. xviii. 9. ^ Ch. viii. 1 xviii. ; Deut. XXV. 5. " Chap. ix. 21 ; Prov. xxiii. 31-33 ; Mark xii. 19.

members, yet preserves the pillar of salt, that is, the Verse 29. God remembered Abraham] Though he
foundation of the true faith, 6fc. See Calmet. did not descend lower than ten righteous persons, (see
Josephus says that this pillar was standing in his chap, xviii. 32,) yet the Lord had respect to the spirit
time, and that himself had seen it Eif arrfkriv oKuv : of his petitions, and spared all those who could be called
fiETe^aTisv, laTopTjua 6' avTrjv en yap Kac vvv diafiEvsi. righteous, and for Abraham's sake offered salvation to
Ant. lib. i., c. xi. 3, 4. all the family of Lot, though neither his sons-in-law

St. Clement, in his First Epistle to the Corinthians, elect nor his own wife ultimately profited by it. The
chap, ii., foUows Josephus, and asserts that Lot's wife former ridiculed the warning and the latter, though ;

was remaining even at that time as a pillar of salt. led out by the hands of the angel, yet by breaking the
Authors of respectability and credit who have since command of God perished with the other gainsayers.
travelled into the Holy Land, and made it their busi- Verse 30. Lotiuentup out of Zoar] From seeing
ness to inquire into this subject in the most particular the universal desolation that had fallen upon the land,
and careful manner, have not been able to meet with and that the fire was still continuing its depredations,
any remains of this pillar ; and all accounts begin now he feared to dwell in Zoar, lest that also should be
to be confounded in the pretty general concession, both consumed, and then went to those very mountains to
of Jews and Gentiles, that either the statue does not which God had ordered him at first to make his escape.
now remain, or that some of the heaps of salt or Foolish man is own wisdom to that
ever preferring his
blocks of salt rock which are to be met with in the of his Maker. was wrong at first not to betake
It

vicinity of the Dead Sea, may be the remains of Lot's himself to the mountain it was wrong in the next ;

wife ! AU speculations on this subject are perfectly place to go to it when God had given him the assu-
idle; and if the general prejudice in favour of the rance that Zoar should be spared for his sake. Both
continued existence of this monument of God's justice these cases argue a strange want of faith, not only in
had not been very strong, I should not have deemed the truth, but also in the providence, of God. Had
myself justified in entering so much at length into the he still dwelt at Zoar, the shameful transaction after-
subject. Those who profess to have seen it, have in wards recorded had in all probability not taken place.
general sufficiently invalidated their own testimony by Verse 3 1 Our father is old]
. And consequently
the monstrous absurdities with which they have^ en- not likely to re-marry and there is not a man in the
;

cumbered their relations. Had Lot's wife been changed earth —

none left, according to their opinion in all the
in the way that many have supposed, and had she been land of Canaan, of their own family and kindred ; and
preserved somewhere in the neighbourhood of the
still they might think it unlawful to match with others, such
Dead Sea, surely we might expect some account of it as the inhabitants of Zoar, who they knew had been
in after parts of the Scripture history; but it is never devoted to destruction as well as those of Sodom and
more mentioned in the Bible, and occurs nowhere in Gomorrah, and were only saved at the earnest request
the New Testament but in the simple reference of our of their father and probably while they lived among
;

Lord to the judgment itself, as a warning to the dis- them they found them ripe enough for punishment, and
obedient and backsliding, Luke xvii. 32 Remember : therefore would have thought it both dangerous and
Lofs wife ! criminal to have formed any matrimonial connections
Verse 27. Abraham gat up early in the morning] with them.
Anxious to know what was the effect of the prayers Verse 32. us make our father dnnk wine]
Come, let

which he had offered to God the preceding day what ; On their flight from Zoar it is probable they had brought

must have been his astonishment when he found that with them certain provisions to serve them for the time
all these cities, with the plain which resembled the being, and the wine here mentioned among the rest.
garden of the Lord, chap. xiii. 10, burnt up, and the After considering all that has been said to criminatp
smoke ascending like the smoke of a furnace, and both Lot and his daughters in this business, I cannot
was thereby assured that even God himself could not help thinking that the transaction itself will bear a
discover ten righteous persons in four whole cities ! more favourable construction than that which has been
a 125
 ; —

Strange conduct of Lot's daughters. GENESIS. Moah and Am?non are horn.

A. M. cir. And they made their father lay with him and he perceived a. m. cir. 2107.
2107. 33 "^

—
;

, 1 J B. C. cir. 1897. , 1
-J '.

drink wine
'.

that night
'.
and the not when she lay down, nor when :
1
.

first-bom went in, and lay with her father she arose.
and he perceived not when she lay down, nor 36 Thus were both the daughters of Lot
when she arose. with child by their father.
34 And it came to pass on the morrow, that 37 And the first-born bare a A. M. cir. 2108.

the first-born said unto the younger. Behold, son, and called his name Moab: — —
'. ' '

I lay yesternight with my father : let us make ^the same is the father of the Moabites unto
him drink wine this night also and go thou ; this day.
m, and lie with him, that we may preserve 38 And the younger, she also bare a son>
seea of our father. and called his name Ben-ammi : ^ the same
35 And they made wine
their father drink is the father of the children of Ammon unto
that night also : and the younger arose, and this day.

wLev.xviii. 6,7; Hab. ii. 15, 16. ^^Num. xxii.36; Deut. ii. 9; 2 Sam. viii. 2 ; 2 Kings iii. 4-27. y Deut. ii. 19 ; Judg. x. 6-18

generally put on it. 1. It does not appear that it was case, his moral conduct stands unblemished in the sa-
through any base or sensual desires that the daughters cred writings and as the Avhole transaction, especially
;

of Lot wished to deceive their father. 2. They might as it relates to him,

is capable of an interpretation not

have thought that it would have been criminal to have wholly injurious to his piety, both reason and religion
married into any other family, and they knew that their conjoin to recommend that explanation. As to his
husbands elect, who were probably of the same kin- daughters, let their ignorance of the real state of the
dred, had perished in the overthrow of Sodom. 3. case plead for them, as far as that can go and let it ;

They might have supposed that there was no other be remembered that their sin was of that very peculiar
way left to preserve the family, and consequently that nature as never to be capable of becoming a precedent.
righteousness for which it had been remarkable, but For it is scarcely possible that any should ever be able
the way which they now took. 4. They appear to to plead similar circumstances in vindication of a simi-
have supposed that their father would not come into lar line of conduct.
the measure, because he would have considered it as Verse 37. Called his name Moah^ This name is
profane yet, judging the measure to be expedient and
;
generally interpreted of the father, or, according to
necessary, they endeavoured to sanctify the improper Calmet, 3X10 Moab, the waters of the father.
means used, by the goodness of the end at which they Verse 38. Ben-ammi] '•DJ? \2 Ben-ammi, the son oj
aimed a doctrine which, though resorted to by many,
; my people. Both these names seem to justify the view
should be reprobated by all. Acting on this bad prin- taken of this subject above, viz., that it was merely
ciple they caused their father to drink wine. See on to preserve the fa?nily that the daughters of Lot made
ver. 38. use of the above expedient and hence we do not find;

Verse 33. And he perceived not lohen she lay down, that they ever attempted to repeat it, which, had it
nor ivhen, dfc] That is, he did not perceive the time been done for any other purpose, they certainly would
she came to his bed, nor the time she quitted it ; con- not have failed to do. On this subject Origen, in his
sequently did not know ivho it was that had lain with fifth homily on Genesis, has these remarkable words :

him. In this transaction Lot appears to me to be in TJbi hie libidinis culpa, ubi incesti criminis arguilur ?
many respects excusable. 1. He had no accurate Quomodo dabitur inviTio quod non iteratur in facto'?
knowledge of what took place either on the first or Vereor proloqui quod sentio, vereor, inquam, ne castior
second night, therefore he cannot be supposed to have fuerit harum incestus, quani pudicitia multarum.
been drawn away by his own lust, and enticed. That " Where, in all this transaction, can the crime of lusl
he must have been sensible that some person had been or of incest be proved 1 How can this be proved to
in his bed, it would be ridiculous to deny but he might ; be a vice when the fact was never repeated ? I am
have judged it to have been some of his female do- afraid to speak my whole mind on the subject, lest the
mestics, which it is reasonable to suppose he might incest of these should appear more laudable than the
have brought from Zoar. 2. It is very likely that he chastity of multitudes." There is a distinction made
was deceived the wine, as well as in the conse-
in here by Origen which is worthy of notice a single ;

quences ; either he knew not the strength of the wine, bad act, though a sin,doss not necessarily argue a
or wine of a superior power had been given to him on vicious heart, as in order to be vicious a man must be
this occasion. As he had in general followed the habituated to sinful acts.
simple pastoral life, it is not to be wondered at if he The generation which proceeded from this inces-
did not know the intoxicating power of wine, and being tuous connection, whatever may be said in extenuation
an old man, and unused to it, a small portion would be of the transaction, (its peculiar circumstances being
sufficient to overcome him sound sleep would soon, ; considered,)was certainly a bad one. The Moabites
at his time of life, be the effect of taking the liquor soon from the faith of God, and became idolaters,
fell

to which he was unaccustomed, and cause him to for- the people of Chemosh, and of Baal-peor, Num. xxi
get the effects of his intoxication. Except in this 29 XXV. 1-3 and were enereies to the children of
; ;

126 a
 :

Abraham sojourns in Gerar. CHAP. XX. Sarah taken by Abimeiech.

Abraham. See Num. xxii. Judg. iii. 14, &c. And ; Judge of quick and dead It was the sentiment of a !

the Ammonites, who dwelt near to the Moabites, united great man, that should the worst of times arrive, and
with them in idolatry, and were also enemies to Israel. magistracy and ministry were both to fail, yet, if pa-
See Judg. xi. 4, 24 Deut. xxiii. 3,4. As both these
;
rents would but be faithful to their trust, pure religion
people made afterwards a considerable figure in the would be handed down to posterity, both in its form
sacred history, the impartial inspired writer takes care and power.
in its

to introduce at this early period an account of their 2. We

have already heard of the wickedness of the
origin. See what has been said on the case of Noah's inhabitants of the cities of the plain the cup of their ;

drunkenness, Gen. ix. 20, &c. iniquity was full their sin was of no common magni-
;

tude, and what a terrible judgment fell upon them !

This an awful history, and the circumstances de-
is Brimstone and fire are rained down from heaven upon
tailed in are as distressing to piety as to humanity.
it these traders in iniquity ; and what a correspondence
It may, however, be profitable to review the particulars. between the crime and the punishment ? They burned •

1. From the commencement of the chapter we find in lust towards each other, and God burned them up
that the example and precepts of Abraham had not with fire and brimstone. Their sin was unnatural,
been lost on his nephew Lot. He also, like his uncle, and God punished it by supernatural means. Divine
watches for opportunities to call in the weary traveller. justice not only observes a proportion between the
This Abraham had taught his household, and we see crime and the degree of punishment, but also between
the effect of his blessed teaching. Lot was both hos- the species of crime and the kind of punishment in-
pitable and pious, though living in the midst of a flicted.
crooked and perverse race. It must be granted that 3. Disobedience to the command of God must ever
ftom several circumstances in his history he appears meet with severe reprehension, especially in those who
to have been a iveak man, but his weakness was such have already partaken of his grace, because these
as was not inconsistent with general uprightness and know his salvation, and are justly supposed to possess,
sincerity. He and his family were not forgetful to by his grace, the power of resisting all solicitations to
entertain strangers, and they alone were free from the sin. The servant who knew his lord's will and did it
pollutions of this accursed people. How powerful are not, was to be beaten with many stripes Luke; see
the effects of a religious education, enforced by pious xii. 47. Lot's wife stands as an everlasting monu-
example It is one of God's especial means of grace.
! ment of admonition and caution to all backsliders. She
Let a man only do justice to his family, by bringing ran well, she permitted Satan to hinder, and she died
them up in the fear of God, and he will crown it with in her provocation While we lament her fate, we
!

his blessing. How many excuse the profligacy of should profit by her example. To begin in the good
their family, which is often entirely owing to their own way is well ; to continue in the path is better ; and to
!"
neglect, by saying, " 0, we cannot give them grace persevere unto the end, best of all. The exhortation
No, you cannot but you can afford them the means
; of our blessed Lord on this subject should awaken our
of grace. This is your work, that is the Lord's. If, caution, and strongly excite our diligence : Remember
through your neglect of precept and example, they LoCs wife ! On the conduct of Lot and his daughters,
perish, what an awful account must you give to the see the notes on ver. 31.

CHAPTER XX.
Abraham leaves Mamre, and, after having .sojourned at Kadesh and Shur, settles in Gerar, 1 Ahmeiech .

takes Sarah, Abraham having acknowledged her only as his sister, 2. Abimeiech is warned by God in a
dream to restore Sarah, 3. He asserts his innocence, 4, 5. He is farther warned, 6, 7. Expostulates
with Abraham, 8—10. Abraham vindicates his conduct, 11—13. Abimeiech restores Sarah, makes Abra-
ham a present of sheep, oxen, and male and female slaves, 1 4 offers him a residence in any part of tha ;

land, 15 and reproves Sarah, 16.

; At the intercession of Abraham, the curse of barrenness is removed
from Abimeiech and his household, 17, 18.
A. M. cir. 2107.
Ix.
A ND 2 And Abraham said of Sarah A. M. cir. 2107,
Abraham lourneved from
B. C. cir. 1897. ,
/ B. C. cir. 1897.
She is my sister
, i
* thence
toward the south his wife, "^

country, and dwelled between ^ Kadesh and and Abimeiech king of Gerar sent, and ^ took
Shur, and sojourned in Gerar.
•=
Sarah.

"Chap, xviii. 1. ''Chap. xvi. 7. = Chap. xxvi. 6. •J

Chap. xii. 13 ; xxvi. 7. ^ Chap. xii. 15.

NOTES ON CHAP. XX. family, that he could no longer bear to dwell within
Verse 1. And Abraham journeyed'] It is very sight of the place. Having, therefore, struck his
likely that this holy man was so deeply affected with tents, and sojourned for a short time at Kadesh an .

the melancholy prospect of the ruined cities, and not Shur, he fixed his habitation in Gerar, which was a
knowing what was become of his nephew Lot and his citv of Arabia Petrjea, under a king of the Philistines
127
 : ;;

Abimelech is warned of God GENESIS. to restore Sarah.

A. M. cir. 2107. Abimelech brother

3 But ^ God Came
in the "* inteffritv of a. M. cir. 2107.
to : '

B. C. cir. 1897.
sr
m
.j , J r
'^
/
and said my 1heart^ and innocency of my
a dream by
B. C. cix. 1897.
•

night,
u.l •
i
•

to him, ^ Behold, thou art hut a dead man, hands have I done this.
for the woman which thou hast taken for she 6 And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, ;

is a man's wife.
' I know that thou didst this in the integrity

4 But Abimelech had not come near her of thy heart for ° I also withheld thee from ;

and he said, Lord, ''wilt thou slay also a sinning ° against me therefore suffered I thee :

righteous nation ? not to touch her.

5 Said he not unto me. She is my sister? 7 Now therefore restore the man his wife
and she, even she herself said. He is my pfor he is a prophet, and he shall pray for
fPsa. cv. 14. 5 Job xxxiii. 15. ^ Ver. 7. >Heb. xxxi. 7 ; XXXV. 5 Exod. xxxiv. 24
; 1 Sam. xxv. 26, 34.;

married to a husband. * Chap, xviii. 23; ver. 18. ' 2 Kings ° Chap, xxxix. 9 Lev. vi. 2
; Psa. li. 4. ;
P 1 Sam. vii. 5 ;
XX. 3 2 Cor. i. 12.
;
"" Or, simplicity ; or, sincerity. " Chap. 2 Kings V. 11 Job xlii. 8 James v. 14, 15 1 John v. 16.
; ; ;

called Abimelech, my father king, who appears to pray, entreat, make supplication, SfC, and this mean-
have been not only the father of his people, but also ing of it I have justified at large both from its appli-
a righteous man. cation in this place, and from its pointed use in the
Verse 2. She is mi/ sister] See the parallel ac- case of Saul, mentioned 1 Sam. x., and from the case
count, chap, xii., and the notes there. Sarah was of the priests of Baal, 1 Kings xviii., where prophesy-
now about ninet}'^ years of age, and probably pregnant ing most undoubtedly means making prayer and sup-
with Isaac. Her beauty, therefore, must have been plication. As those who were in habits of intimacy
considerably impaired since the time she was taken in with God by prayer and faith were found the most
a similar manner by Pharaoh, king of Egypt but she proper persons to communicate his mind to man, both
;

was probably now chosen by Abimelech more on the with respect to the present and the future, hence, N'JJ
account of forming an alliance with Abraham, who was nabi, the intercessor, became in process of time the
very rich, than on account of any personal accom- public instructer or preacher, and also the predicter
plishments. A petty king, such as Abimelech, would of future events, because to such faithful praying men
naturally be glad to form an alliance with such a power- God revealed the secret of his will. Hence St. Paul,
ful chief as Abraham was we cannot but recollect his 1 Cor. xiv. 3, seems to restrain the word wholly to
:

late defeat of the four confederate Canaanitish kings. the interpreting the mind of God to the people, and
See on chap. xiv. 14, &c. This circumstance was their instruction in Di?ine things, for, says he, he that
cause his friend-
sufficient to establish his credit, and prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification and ex-
ship to be courted and what more effectual means
; hortation and comfort. See the discourse on this
could Abimelech use in reference to this than the text referred to above. The title was also given to
taking of Sarah, who he understood was Abraham's men eminent for eloquence and for literary abilities
sister, to be his concubine or second wife, which in hence Aaron, because he was the spokesman of Moses
those times had no kind of disgrace attached to it 1 to the Egyptian king, was termed N'DJ nabi, prophet

Verse 3. But God came to Abimelech] Thus we Exod. iv. 16; vii. 1. And Epimenides, a heathen
find that persons who were
not o( the family of Abra- poet, is expressly styled npo(pr]Tr]^, a prophet, by St.
ham had the knowledge of the true God. Indeed, all Paul, Tit. i. 12, just as poets in general were termed
the Gerarites are termed pnif MJ goi tsaddik, a right- vates among the Romans, which properly signifies the
eous nation, ver. 4. persons who professed to interpret the ivill of the gods
to their votaries, after prayers and sacrifices duly per-
Verse 5. In the integrity of my heart, cj-c] Had
formed. In Arabic the word L»j naba has nearly the
Abimelech any other than honourable views in taking
Sarah, he could not have justified himself thus to his same meaning as in Hebrew, but in the first conjuga-
Maker and that these views were of the most honour-
;
tion it has a meaning which may cast light upon the

able kind, God himself, to whom the appeal was made, subject in general. It signifies to itinerate, move from

asserts in the most direct manner. Yea, I knoio that one place or country to another, compelled thereto
thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart. eitherby persecution or the command of God exivit ;

Verse 7. He is a prophet, and he shall pray for de una regione in aliam. — sh^ migrans de loco in lo-
thee]
Greek
The word prophet, which
and which is compounded of npo,
ni-)0(p7jTrjr,
we have from the
cum. —
GoLius. Hence Mohammed was called ^r Jr

an nabi, because of his sudden removal from Mecca to

before, and 0??/if, /
speak, means, in its general accep-
Medina, when, pretending to a Divine commission, his
Htion, one who speaks of things before they happen,
toiunsmen sought to take away his life : c Mecca exiens
i. e., one who foretells future events. But that this
was not tlie original notion of the word, its use in this Medinam, wide Muhammed suis **J? ^yAj Nabi Allah
place sufficiently proves. Abraham certainly was not dictus fuit. GoLius.—If this meaning belonged ori-
a prophet in the present general acceptation of the ginally to the Hebrew word, it will apply with great
term, and for the Hebrew X'3J nabi, we must seek force to the case of Abraham, whose migratory,
some other meaning. I have, in a discourse entitled itinerant kind of life, generally under the immediate
' The Christian Prophet and his Work," proved that direction of God, might have given him the title nabi.
he proper ideal meaning of the original word is to However this may be, the term was a title of the high-
128 a
 ;.

Abimelech reproves Abraham, CHAP. XX. and restores Sarah

A. M. cir. 2107. thee, and thou shall Hve and 12 And yet indeed ^ she is my a. m. cir. 2107
—
:

B C. cir. 1897.
if thou restore her not, i know sister ; she is the daughter of —— ' '
.

thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, ""

and all my father, but not the daughter of my mother
that are thine. and she became my wife.
8 Therefore Abimelech rose early in the 13 And it came to pass, when ^ God caused
morning, and called all his servants, and told me to wander from my father's house, that I
all these things in their ears : and the men said unto her. This is thy kindness which
were sore afraid. thou shalt show unto me ; at every place
9 Then Abimelech called Abraham, and whither we shall come, ^ say of me, He is

said unto him, What hast thou done unto us ? my brother. ^

and what have I offended thee, ^ that thou 1 4 And Abimelech ^ took sheep, and oxeri,

hast brought on me and on my kingdom a and men-servants, and women-servants,, and

great sin ? thou hast done deeds unto me gave them unto Abraham, and restored him
'that ought not to be done. Sarah his wife.
10 And Abimelech said unto Abraham, 1 5 And Abimelech said, Behold, * my land

What sawest thou, that thou hast done this is before thee dwell ^ where it pleaseth thee. :

';hing ? 16 And unto Sarah he said. Behold, I have

1 1 And Abraham said, Because I thought. given ° thy brother a thousand pieces of silver
Surely, ^the fear of God is not in this ^ behold, he is to thee ® a covering of the eyes,

place ; and ^ they will slay me for my wife's unto all that are with thee, and with all oi/ier;

sake. ^thus she was reproved.

iChap.ii. 17. fNum. xvi. 32, 33. ^Chap. xxvi. 10; =fChap
Exod. xxxii. 21 Josh. vii. 25.
; * Chap, xxxiv. 7. " Chap.
xlii. 18 Psa.
; xxxvi. 1 Prov. xvi. 6. ;
' Chap. xii. 12 xxvi. 7. ;

" See chap. xi. 29.

est respectability and honour, both among the Hebrews

and Arabs, and continues so to this day. And from
the Hebrews the word, in all the importance and dig-
nity of its meaning, was introduced among the heathens
in the npo^r]Ti]g and vates of the Greeks and Romans.
See on the word seer. Gen. xv. 1.
Verse 8. Abimelech rose early, dfC.'\ God came to
Abimelech in a dream by night, and vve find as the day
broke he arose, assembled his servants, (what we would
call his courtiers,) and communicated to them what he
had received from God. They were all struck with
astonishment, and discerned the hand of God in this
business. Abraham is then called, and in a most re-
spectful and pious manner the king expostulates with
him for bringing him and his people under the Irvine
displeasure, by withholding from him the information
that Sarah was his wife when, by taking her, he;

sought only an honourable alliance with his family.

Verse 1 1 And Abraham said]
. The best excuse
he could make for his conduct, which in this instance
is far from defensible.

Verse 12. She is my sister] I have not told a lie ;

I have suppressed only a part of the truth. In this

place it may be proper to ask. What is a lie ? It is
any action done or word spoken, whether true or false
in itself, which the doer or speaker wishes the ob-
server or hearer to take in a contrary sense to that
which he knows to be true. It is, in a word, any
action done or speech delivered with the intention to
deceive, though both may be absolutely true and right
in themselves. See the note on chap. xii. 13.
The daughter of my father, but not of my mother] —
Kbn Batrick, in his annals, among other ancient tradi-
VOL. I. ( 10 )
 .

Abraham prays for Ahiinelech, GEJNE5S1S. a7id God heals his family.

A. M. cir. 17 So Abraham Sprayed unto

2107. 1 8 For the Lord ^ had fast A. M. cir. 2107
B. C. cir. 1897. B. C. cir. 1897.
and God healed Abimelech, closed up all the wombs of the
God :

and his wife, and his maid-servants and they house of Abimelech, because
; of Sarah,
bare children. Abraham's wife.

Sam. 12 Job b Chap. xii. 17 xvi. 2.

e Chap. xxix. 31 ; 1 v. 11, ; xlii. 8, 9, 10. ;

gerah weighed sixteen grains of barley. R. Maimon children was removed. And possibly this dis-
till it

observes, that after the captivity the shekel was in- Dodd conjectures, had afflicted Abimelech,
ease, as Dr.
creased to three hundred and eighty-four grains or bar- and by this he was withheld, ver. 6, from defiling
ley-corns. On the subject of ancient weights and mea- Abraham's bed.
sures, very little that is satisfactory is known.
Behold, he is to thee a covering of the eyes] It — 1 On the prevarication of Abraham and Sarah, see
the one thousand shekels, (not he —Abraham,) is to thee the notes and concluding observations on chap. xii. ; and
for a covering —
to procure thee a veil to conceal thy while we pity this iveakness, let us take it as a tvarning.
beauty (unto all that are loith thee, and ivith all other) 2. The cause why the patriarch did not acknow-
from all thy own kindred and acquaintance, and from ledge Sarah as his wife, was a fear lest he should lose
all strangers, that none, seeing thou art another man's his life on her account, for he said, Surely the fear,
wife, may covet thee on account of thy comeliness. i. the true worship, of the true God is not in this
e.,

Thus she was reproved] The original is nn^JI vc- place. Such is the natural bigotry and narrowness of
nochachath, but the word is the human heart, that we can scarcely allow that any
probably the second person
preterite, used for the imperative mood, from the root besides ourselves possess the true religion. To indulge
nDJ nachach, to make straight, direct, right ; or to speak a disposition of this kind is highly blamable. The
rightly, correctly; and may, iu connection with the true religion is neither confined to one spot nor to one
rest of the text, be thus paraphrased Behold, I have people ; it is spread in various forms over the whole
:

given thy brother (Abraham, gently alluding to the earth. He who fills immensity has left a record of
equivocation, ver. 2, 5) a thousand shekels of silver; himself in every nation and among every people under
behold, IT is (that is, the silver is, or may be, or let it heaven. Beware of the spirit of intolerance for !

be) to thee a covering of the eyes (to procure a veil bigotry produces uncharitableness
;
and uncharitable- ;

see above) with regard to all those who are ivith thee, ness, harsh judging and in such a spirit a man may ;

and to all (or and in all) speak thou the truth. Cor- think he does God service when he tortures, or makes
rectly translated by the Septuagint, /cat Tcavra a'krjdev- a burnt-offering of the person whom his narrow mind
aov, and in all things speak the truth —
not only tell a and hard heart have dishonoured with the name of
part of the truth, but tell the whole ; say not merely heretic. Such a spirit is not confined to any one com-
he is my brother, but say also, he is my husband too. munity, though it has predominated in some more than
Thus in all things speak the truth.above in others. But these things are highly displeasing in
I believe the
to be the sense of this difficult passage, and shall not the sight of God. HE, as the Father of the spirits
puzzle my readers with criticisms. See Kcnnicott. of all flesh, loves every branch of his vastly extended
Verse 17. So Abraham prayed] This was the family and as far as we love one another, no matter ;

prime office of the N'3J nabi ; see ver. 7. of what sect or party, so far we resemble him. Had
Averse 18. For the Lord had fast closed up all the Abraham possessed more charity for man and confi-
wombs] Probably by means of some disease with dence in God at this time, he had not fallen into that
which he had smitten them, hence it is said they ivere snare from which he barely escaped. A hasty judg-
healed at Abraham's intercession and this seems ne- ment is generally both erroneous and harsh and those
; ;

cessarily to imply that they had been afflicted by some who are the most apt to form it are generally the most
disease that rendered it impossible for them to have difficult to be convinced of the truth.

i'"'"

CHAPTER XXI.
Isaac IS born according to the promise, 1—3 and is circumcised when eight days old, 4. Abraham's age,
;

and Sarah's exultation at the birth of their son, 5—7. Isaac is weaned, 8. Ishmael mocking on the
occasion, Sarah requires that both he and his mother Hagar shall be dismissed, 9, 10. Abraham, distressed
on the account, is ordered by the Lord to comply, 11, 12. The promise renewed to Ishmael, 13. Abra-
ham dismisses Hagar and her son, ivho go to the wilderness of Beer-sheba, 14. They are greatly dis-
tressed for ivant of loater, 15, 16. An angel of God appears to and relieves them, 17—19. Ishmael prospers
and is married, 20, 21. Abimelech, and Phichol his chief captain, make a covenant with Abraham, and
surrender the well of Beer-sheba for seven ewe lambs, 22-32. Abraham plants a grove, and invokes the
name of the everlasting God, 33.
a 130 ( 10* )
 — 1

Isaac is horn and circumcised. CHAP. XXI. Sarah exults and tshmael mocks

A.M. 2108.
B. C. 1896.
A ND
visited Sarah
tlie 7 And she said, Who would have a. m. 2108.
Lord ''

had said, and the Lord said unto Abraham, that Sarah
as he
did unto Sarah ^ as he had spoken. should have given children suck ? ^ for I have
2 For Sarah conceived, and
" bare Abraham borne him a son in his old age.
a son in his old age, at the set time of which
"^ 8 And the child grew and was weaned and ;

God had spoken to him. Abraham made a great feast the same day
3 And Abraham called the name of his son that Isaac was weaned.
that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to 9 And Sarah saw the son of A. M. cir. 2110.
B. C. cir. 1894.
Hagar ™
TT -n • • 1

him, ® Isaac. ™ the Lgyptian, ^ which

1 V, 1
.

4 And Abraham ^ circumcised his son Isaac she had borne unto Abraham, " mocking.
being eight days old, ^ as God had command- 10 Wherefore she said unto Abraham, ^ Cast
ed him. out this bond-woman and her son fOr the :

5 And ^Abraham was a hundred years son of this bond-woman shall not be heir with
old, when his son Isaac was born unto him. my son, even with Isaac.
6 And Sarah said, God hath made me to 1 And the thing was very grievous in
*

laugh, so that all that hear ^ will laugh with me. Abraham's sight, i because of his son.

» 1 Sam. 21.
ii. ^ Chap. xvii. 19 xviii. 10, 14; Gal. iv. ;
'
Psa. cxxvi. 2 ; Isa. liv. 1 ; Gal. iv. 27. ^ Luke i. 58.
23, 28. <=
Acts vii. 8 Gal. iv. 22
; Heb. xi. 11.
;
i Chap. 'Chap, xviii. 11, 12. J"Chap. xvi. 1. "Chap. xvi. 15.
xvii. 21. 6 Chap. xvii. 19. f
Acts vii. 8. S Chap. xvii. ° Gal. iv. 22. P Gal. iv. 30 see chap. xxv. 6
; xxxvi. 6, 7. ;

10, 12. h Chap. xvii. 1, 17. 1 Chap. xvii. 18.

NOTES ON CHAP. XXI. of the mother to her son, 2 Mac. vii. 27, it seems
Verse 1 . The Lord visited Sarah] That is, God likely that among the Jews they were weaned when
promise to Sarah by giving her, at the ad-
fulfilled his three years old : O my
upon me that son, have pity
vanced age of ninety, power to conceive and bring bare thee nine months in womb, and gave thee suck my
forth a son. THREE YEARS, and nourished thee and brought thee up.
Verse 3. Isaac] See the reason and interpretation And this is farther strengthened by 2 Chron. xxxi. 16,
of this name in the note on chap. xvii. 7. where Hezekiah, inmaking provision for the Levites
Verse 4. And Abraham See
and priests, includes the children from three years old
circumcised his son]
on chap. xvii. 10, &c. and upwards which is a presumptive proof that pre^ ;

Verse 6. God hath made me to laugh] Sarah viously to this age they were wholly dependent on the
alludes here to the circumstance mentioned chap, mother for their nourishment. Samuel appears to have
xviii. 12 and as she seems to use the word to laugh been brought to the sanctuary when he was just iveaned,
;

in this place, not in the sense of being incredulous, and then he was capable of ministering before the Lord,
but to express such pleasure or happiness as almost 1 Sam. i. 22-28 and this certainly could not be be- ;

suspends the reasoning faculty for a time, it justifies fore he was three years of age. The term among the
the observation on the above-named verse. See a Mohammedans is fixed by the Koran, chap. xxxi. 14,
similar case in Luke xxiv. 41, where the disciples at two years of age.
were so overcome with the good news of our Lord's Verse 9. Mocking.] What was implied in this
resurrection, that it is said. They believed not for joy. mocking is not known. St. Paul, Gal. iv. 29, calls
Verse 8. The child grew and was iveaned] Daet cilb it persecuting ; but it is likely he meant no more than
foplice peox •] peajip jepeneb. Anglo- Saxo7i Version. some species of ridicule used by Ishmael on the occa-
Now the child ivaxed and became weaned. We have sion, and probably with respect to the age of Sarah
the verb to ivean from the Anglo-Saxon apenban aiven- at Isaac's birth, and her previous barrenness. Jonathan
dan, to convert, transfer, turn from one thing to ben Uzziel and the Jerusalem Targum represent Ish-
another, which is the exact import of the Hebrew mael as performing some idolatrous rite on the occa-
word '7DJ gamal in the text. Hence penan ivenan, to sion, and that this had given the offence to Sarah.
wean, to turn the child from the breast to receive another Conjectures are as useless as they are endless. What-
kind of aliment. And hence, probably, the word wean, ever it was, it became the occasion of the expulsion
a young child, which is still in use in the northern of himself and mother. Several authors are of opi-
parts of Great Britain and Ireland, and which from its nion that the Egyptian bondage oi four hundred years,
etymology seems to signify a child taken from the mentioned chap. xv. 13, commented with this perse-
breast ; surely not from the Scotch ivee-ane, a little cution of the righteous seed by the son of an Egyptian
one, much less from the German ivenig, little, as Dr. woman.
Johnson and others would derive it. At what time Verse 10. Cast out this bond-ivoman and her son'
children were weaned among the ancients, is a disputed Both Sarah and Abraham have been accused of cm.
point. St. Jerome says there were two opinions on elty in this transaction, because every word reads harsh
this subject. Some hold that children were always to us. Cast out ; tyiJ garash signifies not only to
weaned at Jive years of age others, that they were thrust out, drive away, and expel, but also to divorce ;
;

not weaned till they were twelve. From the speech (see Lev. xxi. 7 ;) and it is in this latter sense the
a 131
Hagar and Ishmael cast out. GENESIS. They wander in the wilderness

A. M.
B. C.
cir.
cir.
2110.
1894. ....
1 And God
2
ham, Let it
said unto Abra-
,

not be grievous
.

m J
16 And she went, and sat her
down * I
over against m?n a good
• •
,
A. M.
B. C.
cir.
cir.
2110.
1894

thy sight because of the lad, and because of way off, as it were a bow-shot : for she said,
thy bond-woman ; in all that Sarah hath said Let me not see the death of the child. And
unto thee, hearken unto her voice ; for ^ in she sat over against him, and lift up her
Isaac shall thy seed be called. voice, and wept.
13 And also of the son of the bond-vsroman 17 And "God heard the voice of the lad-
will I make ^ a nation, because he is thy seed. and the angel of God called to Hagar out of
14 And Abraham rose up early in the morn- heaven, and said unto her. What aileth thee,
ing, and took bread, and a bottle of water, Hagar ? fear not for God hath heard the ;

and gave it unto Hagar, (putting it on her voice of the lad where he is.

shoulder,) and the child, and ' sent her away: 18 Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in
and she departed, and wandered in the wilder- thine hand ; for ""
I will make him a great nation.
ness of Beer-sheba. 1 9 And ^ God opened her eyes, and she saw
15 And the water was spent in the bottle, a well of water ; and she went, and filled the
and she cast the child under one of the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink.
shrubs. 20 And God ^ was with the lad ; and he

'Rom. ix. 7, 8; Heb. xi. 18. » Ver. 18; chap. xvi. 10; " Num. xxii. 31 ; see 2 Kings vi. 17, 18, 20 ; Luke xxiv. 16, 31.
xvii. 20. « John viii. 35. » Exod. iii. 7. ' Ver. 13. * Chap, xxviii. 15 ; xxxix. 2, 3, 21.

word should be understood here. The child of Abra- chap. xvi. 16 Isaac was born when he was one hun
;

ham by Hagar might be considered as having a right dred years of age, chap. xxi. 5 hence Ishmael was ;

at least to a part of the inheritance and as it was ; fourteen years old at the birth of Isaac. Add to this
sufficiently known to Sarah that God had designed that the age of Isaac when he was weaned, which, from
the succession should be established in the line of ver. 8 of this chapter, (see the note,) was probably
Isaac, she wished Abraham to divorce Hagar, or to three, and we shall find that Ishmael was at the time
perform some sort of legal act by which Ishmael might of his leaving Abraham not less than seventeen years
be excluded from all claim on the inheritance. old ; an age at which, in those primitive times, a young
Verse 12. In Isaac shall thy seed be called.'] Here man was able to gain his livelihood, either by his bow
God shows the propriety of attending to the counsel in the wilderness, or by keeping flocks as Jacob did.
of Sarah and lest Abraham, in whose eyes the thing
; Verse 15. And she cast the child] nVn HN "jViyni
was grievous, should feel distressed on the occasion, vattashlech eth haiyeled, and she sent the lad under
God renews his promises to Ishmael and his posterity. one of the shrubs, viz., to screen him from the inten-
Verse 14. Took bread, and a bottle] By the word sity of the heat. Here Ishmael appears to be utterly
bread we understand the food or provisions
are to helpless, and this circumstance seems farther to con-
which were necessary for her and Ishmael, till they firm the opinion that he was now in a state of infancy ;
should come to the place of their destination which, ; but the preceding observations do this supposition en-
no doubt, Abraham particularly pointed out. The bot- tirelyaway, and his present helplessness will be easily
tle, which was made of skin, ordinarily a goat's skin, accounted for on this ground 1. Young persons can :

contained water sufficient to last them till they should bear much less fatigue than those who are arrived at
come to the next well ; which, it is likely, Abraham mature age. 2. They require much more fluid from
particularly specified also. This well, it appears, Ha- the greater quantum of heat in their bodies, strongly
gar missed, and therefore wandered about in the ivil- marked by the impetuosity of the blood because from ;

derness seeking more water, till all she had brought them a much larger quantity of the fluids is thrown
with her was expended. may therefore safely We offby sweat and insensible perspiration, than from
presume that she and her son were sufficiently pro- grown up or aged persons. 3. Their digestion is
vided for their journey, had they not missed their way. much more rapid, and hence they cannot bear hunger
Travellers in those countries take only, to the present and thirst as well as the others. On these grounds
day, provisions sufficient to carry them to the next Ishmael must be much more exhausted with fatigue
village or encampment and water to supply them till
; than his mother.
they shall meet with the next well. What adds to Verse 19. God opened her eyes] These words ap-
the appearance of cruelty in this case is, that our pear to me to mean no more than that God directed
translation seems
to represent Ishmael as being a her to a well, which probably was at no great distance
young childand that Hagar was obliged to carry
; from the place in which she then was and therefore ;

him, the bread, and the bottle of water on her back or she commanded, ver. 18, to support the lad, literally,
is
shoulder at the same time. But that Ishmael could to make her hand strong in his behalf namely, that —
not be carried on his mother's shoulder will be suffi- he might reach the well and quench his thirst.
ciently evident when his age is considered Ishmael ; Verse 20. Became an archer.] And by his skill in
was born when Abraham was eighty-six years of age,
132
this art, under the continual superintendence of the I
 : '

Abraham and Abimelech make CHAP. XXL a covenant at Beer-sheha.

A. M. 2110. grew, and dwelt in the wilder- done thing didst a. m.

——
cir. this : neither cir. 2118.
B. C. cir. 1894. \, ,

neither yet heard —

-, i
and became an archer.
ness, thou tell me
y ;
'-

2 1 And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran I of it, but to-day.

and his mother ^ took him a wife out of the 27 And x4.braham took sheep and oxen, and
land of Egypt. gave them unto Abimelech and both of them ;

A. M. cir. 2118. 22 And it came to pass at that ^ made a covenant.

B. C. cir. 1886. .
, * i
•
i i j r*! •

time, that Abimelech, and rhi-

set seven ewe lambs of
""
28 And Abraham
chol the chief captain of his host, spake unto by themselves. the flock
Abraham, saying, ^ God is with thee in all 29 And Abimelech said imto Abraham,
that thou doest: ^ What mean these seven ewe lambs which

23 Now therefore swear unto me here by thou hast set by themselves ?

"^

God ^ that thou wilt not deal falsely with me, 30 And he said, For these seven ewe lambs
nor with my son, nor with my son's son: hut shalt thou take of my hand, that ^ they may be
according to the kindness that I have done a witness unto me, that I have digged this well.
unto thee, thou shalt do unto me, and to the 3 1 Wherefore he called that place ^ Beer- '

land wherein thou hast sojourned. sheba because there they sware both of them. ;

24 And Abraham said, I will swear. 32 Thus they made a covenant at Beer-
25 And Abraham reproved Abimelech be- sheba then Abimelech rose up, and Phichol :

cause of a well of water, which Abimelech's the chief captain of his host, and they returned
servants * had violently taken away. into the land of the Philistines.
26 And Abimelech said, I wot not who hath 33 And Abraham planted a ^ grove in Beer-

y Chap. xvi. 12. z Chap. xxiv. 4. ^ Chap. xx. 2 xxvi. ;

e See chap. xxvi. 15, 18, 20, 21, 22. 'Chap. xxvi. 31.
26. bChap. xxvi. 28. Josh. ii. 12; 1 Sam. xxiv. 21.
<=
g Chap, xxxiii. 8. ^ Chap. xxxi. 48, 52. Chap. xxvi. 33.
''
Heb. if thou shalt lie unto me. ^ That is, the ivell of the oath. •
Or, tree; Amos viii. 14.

Divine Providence, (for God ivas with the lad,) he was especially where the flocks were numerous, because
undoubtedly enabled to procure a sufficient supply for the water was scarce, and digging to find it was- ac-
his own wants and those of his parent. companied with much expense of time and labour.
Verse 21. He dwelt in the ivilderness of Paran] Verse 26. / loot not who hath done this thing]
This is generally allowed to have been a part of the The servants of Abimelech had committed these depre-
desert belonging to Arabia Petraea, in the vicinity of dations on Abraham without any authority from their
Mount Sinai and this seems to be its uniform mean-
; master, who appears to have been a very amiable man,
ing in the sacred writings. possessing the fear of God, and ever regulating the
Verse 22. At that time} This may either refer to whole of his conduct by the principles of righteousness
the transactions recorded in the preceding chapter, or and strict justice.
to the time of Ishmael's marriage, but most probably Verse 27. Took sheep and oxen] Some think that
to the former. these were the sacrifices which were offered on the
God is with thee] meimera daiya, the '"T XI'D'D occasion, and which Abraham furnished at his own
WORD of Jehovah 1; That
see before, chap. xv. . cost, and, in order to do Abimelech the greater honour,
the Chaldee paraphrasts use this term, not for-a word gave them to him to offer before the Lord.
spoken, but in the same sense in which St. John uses Verse 28. Seven ewe lambs] These were either given
the Xoyog tov Qeov, the of God, chap, i., must WORD as a present, or they were intended as the price of the
be evident to every unprejudiced reader. See on well and being accepted by Abimelech, they served
;

chap. XV 1. as a witness that he had acknowledged Abraham's

Verst 23. Noiv therefore swear unto me] The oath right to the ivell in question.
on such occasions probably meant no more than the Verse 31. He called that place Beer-sheba] "1X3
mutual promise of both the parties, when they slew an ^2\D Beer-shaba, literally, the of sweari^ig or ofivell
animal, poured out the blood as a sacrifice to God, and the oath, because they both sware there mutually con- —
then passed between the pieces. See this ceremony, firmed the covenant.
chap. V. 18, and on chap. xv. Verse 33. Abraham planied-a grove] The original
According to the kindness that I have
The word V^X eshel has been variously translated a grove,
done]
simple claims of justice were alone set up among plantation, an orchard, a cultivated field, and an oak. a,

virtuous people in those ancient times, which con- From this word, says Mr. Parkhurst, may be derived
stitute the basis of the famous lex talionis, or law of the name of the famous asylum, opened by Romulus,
like for like, kind office for kind office, and breach for between two groves of oaks at Rome {fiedopiov dvotv ;

breach. Spvfzuv, Dionys. Hal, lib. ii. c. 16 ;) and as Abraham,

Verse 25. Ahrahan), reproved Abimelech] Wells Gen. xxi. 33, agreeably, no doubt, to the institutes of
wore of great consequence in those hot countries, and the patriarchal religion, planted an oak in Beer-sheba,
133
 ;

Abraham plants a grove, GENESIS. and invokes the everlasting God

A. M. cir. 2118. sheba, and "" called there on the 34 And Abraham sojourned a. m. cir. 2118.
B. C. cir. 1886. r TDUi •*• B. C. 1886.
name c ,-,
oi the LiORd,
„
"
^i
the ever- m ^1
the rhihstines
' 1
land
J
many
cir.

lasting God. days.

» Chap. iv. 26 ; xxvi. 23, 25, 33.- Deut. xzxiii. 27 Isa. xl. 28; Rom. i. 20; xvi. 26; 1 Tim. i. 17; Jer. x. 10.

and called on the name of Jehovah, the everlasting on this the fire was lighted and the sacrifice offered.
God, (compare Gen. xii. 8 xviii. 1,) so we find that
; Any j^lace was equally proper, as they knew that the
oaks were sacred among the idolaters also. Ye shall object of their worship filled the heavens and the earth.
be ashamed of the oaks ye have chosen, says Isaiah, when families increased, and many
In process of time
chap. i. 29, to the idolatrous Israelites. And in Greece were to be offered, groves or shady places
sacrifices
we meet in very early times with the oracle of Jupiter were chosen, where the worshippers might enjoy the
at the oaks of Dodona. Among the Greeks and Ro- protection of the shade, as a considerable time must
mans we have sacra Jovi quercus, the oak sacred to be employed in offering many sacrifices. These groves
Jupiter, even to a proverb. And in Gaul and Britainbecame afterwards abused to impure and idolatrous
we find the highest religious regard paid to the same purposes, and were therefore strictly forbidden. See
tree and to its misletoe, under the direction of the Exod. xxxiv. 13; Deut. xii. 3; xvi. 21.
Druids, that is, the oak prophets or priests, from the And called there on the name of the Lord] On this
Celtic deru, and Greek 6pvc, an oak. Few are igno- important passage Dr. Shuckford speaks thus " Our :

rant that the misletoe is indeed a very extraordinary English translation very erroneously renders this place,
plant, not to he cultivated in the earth, but always grow- he called upon the name of Jehovah ; but the expres-
ing on some other tree. " The druids," says Pliny, sion DMNip kara beshem never signifies to call upon
Nat. Hist., lib. xvii., c. 44, " hold nothing more sacred the name ;DB? X'lp kara shem would signify to invoke
than the misletoe, and the tree on which it is produced, or call upon the name, or Diy Sx Nip kara el shem would
provided it be the oak. They make choice of groves signify to cry unto the name ; but Dti;2 Nip ka7-a beshem
of oak on this account, nor do they perform any of signifies to invoke in the name, and seems to be used
their sacred rites without the leaves of those trees ;
where the true worshippers of God offered their prayers
so that one may
suppose that they are for this reason in the name of the true Mediator, or where the idola-
called, by a Greek etymology, Druids. And whatever ters offered their prayers in the name of false ones, 1
misletoe grows on the oak they think is sent from Kings xviii. 26 for as the true worshippei-s had but
;

heaven, and is a sign that God himself has chosen that one God and one Lord, so the false worshippers had
tree. This however is very rarely found, but when gods many and lords many, 1 Cor. viii. 5. We have
discovered is treated with great ceremony. They call several instances of Nip kara, and a noun after it,
it by a name which signifies m their language the curer
sometimes with and sometimes loithout the particle Sx
of all ills and having duly prepared their feasts and
; el, and then it signifies to call upon the person there
sacrifices under the tree, they bring to it two white mentioned thus, niH'' Nip kara Yehovah is to call upon
;

bulls, whose horns are then for the first time tied the ; ^AeZorrf, Psa. xiv. 4 xvii. 6 xxxi. 17
; liii. 4; cxviii.
; ;

priest, dressed in a white robe, ascends the tree, and 5, &c. and mri"' Sn Nip kara el Yehovah imports the
;

with a. golden pruning hook cuts off the misletoe, which same, 1 Sam. xii. 17 Jonah i. 6, &c. but Di^J Nip ;
;

is received into a white sagum or sheet. Then they kara beshem is either to name by the name. Gen. iv.
praying that God would bless his
sacrifice the victims, 17; Num. xxxii. 42; Psa. xlix. 11; Isa. xliii. 7;
own gift to those whom he has bestowed it." It is
on or to invoke in the name, when it is used as an expres-
impossible for a Christian to read this account without sion of religious worship." Connex. vol. i., p. 293.
thinking of him who was the desire of all nations, of I believe this to be a just view of the subject, and
the man whose name was the branch, who had indeed therefore I admit it without scruple.
no father upon earth, but came down from heaven, The everlasting God.] xhy Sn mri'' Yehovah el olam,
was given to heal all our ills, and, after being cut off Jehovah, the strong God, the eternal one. This is
through the Divine counsel, was wrapped in^ne linen the first place in Scripture in which d'?1>' olam occurs
and laid in the sepulchre for our sakes. I cannot for- as an attribute of God, and here it is evidently de-
bear adding that the misletoe was a sacred emblem to signed to point out his eternal duration that it can ;

other Celtic nations, as, for instance, to the ancient in- mean no limited time is self-evident, because
nothing
habitants of Italy. The golden branch, of which Virgil of this kind can be attributed to God. The Septuagint
speaks so largely in the sixth book of the ^neis, and render the w'ords Geof aLuvLog, the ever-existing God;
without which, he says, none could return from the in- and the Vulgate has Invocavit ibi nomen Domini, Dei
fernal regions, (see line 126,) seems an allusion to the (Bterni, There he invoked the name of the Lord, the
misletoe, as he himself plainly intimates by comparing eternal God. The Arabic is nearly the same. From
it to that plant, line 205, &c. See Parkhurst, under this application of both the Hebrew and Greek words
the word S'^N eshel. we learn that uhvj olam and aiuv aion originally signi-
In the ages of the world the worship of God
first fied eternal, or duration ivithout end. D7>* alam sig-
was exceedingly simple there were no temples nor
; nifies he was hidden, concealed, or kept secret ; and
covered edifices of any kind an altar, sometimes a ; audv, according to Aristotle, {^De Ceelo, lib. i., chap. 9,
single stone, sometimes consisting of several, and at and a higher authority need not be sought,) is com-
other tiriies merely of turf, was all that was necessary pounded of aei, always, and uv, being, aicjv eariv, aire
;

134
 —

Additional observations CHAP. XXL on the preceding accounts.

Tov aet ecvai. The same author informs us that God 1. Faithfulness is one of the attributes of God,

was termed Aisa, because he was always existing, Ae- and none of his promises can fail. According to the
yecnJat Aiaau 6e, asi ovaav. De Mundo, chap, xi., promise to Abraham, Isaac is born ; but according to
in fine. Hence we see that no words can more forci- the course of nature it fully appears that both Abraham
bly express the grand characteristics of eternity than and Sarah had passed that term of life in which it was
these. It is that duration which is concealed, hidden, possible for them to have children. Isaac is the child
or kept secret from all created beings which is always of the promise, and the promise is supernatural.
;
Ish-
existing, running on but never running out an mael is born according to the ordinary course of nature,
still ;

intermiiiable, incessant, and immeasurable duration ; it and cannot inherit, because the inheritance is spiritual,
is THAT, in the tvhole of which God alone can be said and cannot come by natural hirlh ; hence we see that
to exist, and that which the eternal mind can alone no man can expect to enter into the kingdom of God
comprehend. by birth, education, profession of the true fgith, &c.,
In all languages words have, in process of time, de- &c. Those alone who are horn from ahove, and are
viated from their original acceptations, and have become made partakers of the Divine nature, can be admitted
accommodated to particular purposes, and limited to into the family of God in heaven, and everlastingly
particular meanings. This has happened both to the enjoy that glorious inheritance. Reader, art thou born
Hebrew uh)? ala?n, and the Greek aiuv they have been again 1 Hath God changed thy heart and thy life ?
;

both used to express a limited time, but in general a If not, canst thou suppose that in thy present state thou
time the limits of which are unknoivn ; and thus a canst possibly enter into the paradise of God T I leave
pointed reference to the original ideal meaning is still thy conscience to answer.
kept up. Those who bring any of these terms in an 2. The actions of good men may be misrepresented,
accommodated sense to favour a particular doctrine, and their motives suspected, because those motives are
&c., must depend on the good graces of their oppo- not known and those who are prone to think evil are
;

nents for permission to use them in this way. For as the last to take any trouble to inform their minds, so
the real grammatical meaning of both words is eternal, that they may judge righteous judgment. Abraham,
and all other meanings are only accommodated ones, in the dismissal of Hagar and Ishmael, has been ac-
sound criticism, in all matters of dispute concerning cused of cruelty. Though objections of this kind have
the import of a word or term, must have recourse to been answered already, yet it may not be amiss farther
the grammatical meaning, and its use among the earliest to observe that what he did he did in conformity to a
and most correct writers in the language, and will de- Divine command, and a command so unequivocally given
termine all accommodated meanings by this alone. Now that he could not doubt its Divine origin and this very ;

the first and best writers in both these languages apply command was accompanied with a promise that both
olam and aiuv to express eternal, in the proper mean- the child and his mother should he taken under the Di-
ing of that word and this is their proper meaning in
;
vine protection. And it was so nor does it appear
;

the Old and New Testaments when applied to God, that they lacked any thing but water, and that only for
his attributes, his operations taken in connection with a short time, after which it was miraculously supplied.
the ends for which he performs them, for whatsoever God will work a miracle when necessary, and never
he doth, it shall he for ever —
dSi>'S riTl' yihyeh leolam, till then and at such a time the Divine interposition
;

it shall le for eternity, Eccl. iii. 14 forms and ap- can be easily ascertained, and man is under no temp-
;

pearances of created things may change, but the coun- tation to attribute to second causes what has so evi-
sels and purposes of God relative to them are perma- dently flowed from the first. Thus, while he is pro-
nent and eternal, and none of them can be frustrated moting his creatures' good, he is securing his own
;

hence the words, when applied to things which from glory and he brings men into straits and difficulties,
;

their nature must have a limited duration, are properly that he may have the fuller opportunity to convince
tobe understood in this sense, because those things, his followers of his providential care, and to prove how
though temporal in themselves, shadow forth things that much he loves them.
are eternal. Thus the JcAvish dispensation, 3. Did we acknowledge God in all our ways, he
which in

the whole and in its parts is would direct our steps.

frequently said to be D7lJ?7 Abimelech, king of Gerar,
leolam, for ever, and Phichol, captain of his host, seeing Abraham a
and which has terminated in the
Christian dispensation, has the word properly applied worshipper of the true God, made him swear by the
to it, because it typified and introduced that dispensa- object of his worship that there should be a lasting
tion which is to continue not only lohile time shall last, peace between them and him for as they saw that ;

but is to have its incessant accumulating consummation God was with Abraham, they well knew that he
throughout eternity. The word is, with the same strict could not expect the Divine blessing any longer than
propriety, applied to the duration of the rewards and he walked in integrity before God ; they therefore
punishments in a future state. And the argument that require him swear by God that he would not deal
to

pretends to prove (and it is only pretension) that in the falsely with them or their posterity. From this very
future punishment of the wicked " the worm shall die," circumstance we may see the original purpose, design,
and " the fire shall he quenched," will apply as forcibly and spirit of an oath, viz.. Let God prosper or curse
to the state of happy spirits, and as fully prove that a me in all that I do, as I prove true or false to my en-
point in eternity shall arrive when the repose of the gagements ! This is still the .spirit of all oaths where
be by the
righteous shall be interrupted, and the glorification of God is called to witness, whether the form
sign of the cross, kissing the
the children of God have an eternal end See the ! water of the Ganges, the
notes on chap. xvii. 7, 8. Bible, or lifting up the hand to heaven. Hence we
a 133
An account of tin GENESIS. temptation of Abraham.

may learn that he who falsifies an oath or promise, made regard the morals of the people should take heed not
in the presence and name of God, thereby forfeits all to multiply oaths in matters of commerce and revenue,
right and title to the approbation and blessing of his if they even use them at Who can
take the oaths
all.

Maker. presented by the custom house or excise, and be guilt-

But it is highly criminal to make such appeals to less ? I have seen a person kiss his pen or thumb nail
God upon trivial occasions. Only the most solemn instead of the book, thinking that he avoided the con-
matters should be thus determined. Legislators who demnation thereby of the false oath he was then taking !

CHAPTER XXII.
The faith andobedience of Abraham put to a most extraordinary test, 1. He is commanded to offer his beloved
son Isaac for a burnt-offering, 2. He prepares, with the utmost promptitude, to accomplish the will
of God, 3-6. Affecting speech of Isaac, 7 and Abraham's answer, 8. Having arrived at mount Moriah ;

he prepares to sacrifice his son, 9, 10; and is prevented by an angel of the Lord, 11, 12. A ram is
offered in the stead of Isaac, 13 and the place is named Jehovah-jireh, 14.
; The angel of the Lord calls
to Abraham a second time, 1 5 and, in the most solemn manner, he is assured of innumerable blessings in
;

the multiplication and prosperity of his seed, 16-18. Abraham returns and dwells at Beer-sheba, 19 ;
hears that his brother Nahor has eight children by his wife Milcah, 20 their names, 21-23 ; and four by ;

his concubine Reumah, 24.

A. M. 2132. A ND Itonly son Isaac, whom thou lovest, a. M. cir. 2132.

came to pass after these
B. C. 1872. J\. , .
^ C. cir. 1872.
, ,.
tempt and get thee "^into the land of —
, -,

Jos. Ant. things, that ^ God did

"
Abraham, and said unto him, Moriah and offer him there for a burnt-offer- ;

Abraham and he said, ^ Behold, here I am. ing, upon one of the mountains which I will
:

2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine tell thee of. <=

» 1 Cor. X. 13 ; Heb. xi. 17 ; James i. 12; 1 Pet. i. 7. b Heb. Behold me. <=
Heb xi. 17.- -<'2Chron. iii. 1.

NOTES ON CHAP. XXII.

had knowledge, thou wouldst probably not have suffered
Verse 1. God did tempt Abraham] The original thyself to be circumcised. Then Isaac answered and
here is very emphatic Dm^N nx HDJ D'nbxm veha-
: said. Behold, I am now thirty-six years old, and if the
elohim nissah eth Abraham, " And the Elohim he tried holy and blessed God should require all my members,
this Abraham ;" God brought him into such circum- I would freely surrender them. These words were
stances as exercised and discovered his faith, love, and immediately heard before the Lord of the universe,
obedience. Though the word tempt, from tento, sig- and "T {<"Tj''0 meimera daiya, the of the WORD
nifies no more than to prove or try, yet as it is now LORD, did try Abraham." I wish once for all to
generally used to imply a solicitation to evil, in which remark, though the subject has been referred to before,
way God never tempts any man, it would be well to that the Chaldee term NIO'D meimera, which we trans-
avoid it here. The Septuagint used the word ewetpaae, late loord, is taken personally in some hundreds of
which signifies tried, pierced through ; and Symma- places in the Targums. When the author, Jonathan,
chus translates the Hebrew DDJ Jiissah by edofafev, speaks of the Divine Being as doing or saying any
God glorified Abraham, or rendered him illustrious, thing, he generally represents him as performing the
supposing the word to be the same with DJ nas, which whole by his meimera, which he appears to consider,
signifies to glister -loith light, whence DJ nes, an en- not as a speech or loord spoken, but as a person quite
sign or banner displayed. Thus then, according to distinct from the Most High. St. John uses the word
him, the words should be understood " God put great "Aoyo^ in precisely the same sense with the Targumists,
:

honour on Abraham by giving him this opportunity of chap. i. 1 see the notes there, and see before or ;

showing to all successive ages the nature and efficacy chap. xxi. 22, and xv. 1.
of an unshaken faith in the power, goodness, and truth Verse 2. Take now thy sori\ Bishop Warburton's
of God." The Targumo? Jonathan ben t/i^je/ para- observations on this passage are weighty and import-
phrases the place thus " And it happened that Isaac ant,
: " The order in which the words are placed in
and Ishmael contended, and Ishmael said, I ought to the original gradually increases the sense, and raises
be my father's heir, because I am his first-born but the passions higher and higher Take now thy son, ; :

Isaac said, It is more proper that I should be my (rather, take I beseech thee NJ na,) thine only son whom
father's heir, because I am the son of Sarah his wife, thou lovest, even Isaac. Jarchi imagines this minute-
and thou art only the son of Hagar, my mother's slave. ness was to preclude any doubt in Abraham. Abra-
Then Ishmael answered, I am more righteous than ham desired earnestly to be let into the mystery of
thou, because I was circumcised when I was thirteen redemption ; and God, to instruct him in the infinite
years of age, and if I had chosen, I could have pre- extent of the Divine goodness to mankind, tvho spared
vented my circumcision but thou wert circumcised
; not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, let
when thou wert but eight days old, and if thou hadst Abraham feel by experience what it was to lose a be-
136
 — —

Abraham travels to Mount Moriah, CHAP. XXII. and prepares to offer up Isaac.

A. M. cir. 2132. 3 And Abraham rose up

® early Abide ve here with the ass and a. m. cir. 2133. :

11 B- C- cir. 1872,
-— T J -n
and saddled his I and the lad will go yonder
l!1Ii_!_: in the morning,
J 1

ass, and took two of his young men with him, and worship, and come again to you.
and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the 6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt-
burnt-offering, and rose up, and went unto the offering, and ^ laid it upon Isaac his son and ;

place of which God had told him. he took the fire in his hand, and a knife and :

4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted up they went both of them together.
his eyes, and saw the place afar off. 7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father,
5 And Abraham said unto his young men. and said, My father and he said, ^ Here am :

Psa. cxix. 60 ; Eccles. ix. 10 ; Isa. xxvi. 3, 4 ; Luke xiv. 26 ;

fisa. liii. 6; Matt. viii. 17; John xix. 17; 1 Pet. ii. 24.
Heb. xi. 17-19. s Heb. Behold me.

loved son, the son born miraculously when Sarah was Exod. XV. 22 and three days' journey the ark of the ;

past child-bearing, as Jesuswas miraculously born of covenant went before them, to search out a resting
a virgin. The duration, too, of the action, ver. 4, place, Num. x. 33 by the third day the people were ;

was the same as that between Christ's death and re- to be ready to receive God's law, Exod. xix. 11 and ;

surrection, both which are designed to be represented after three days to pass over Jordan into Canaan, Josh,
in it ; and still farther not only the final archetypical i. 1 the third day Esther put on the apparel of the
4 ;

sacrifice of the Son of God was figured in the com- kingdom, Esth. v. 1 ; on the third day Hezekiah, being

mand to offer Isaac, but the intermediate typical sacri- recovered from his illness, went up to the house of the
fice in the Mosaic economy was represented by the Lord, 2 Kings xx. on the third day, the prophet
5 ;

permitted sacrifice of the ram offered up, ver. 13, said, God will raise us up and we shall live before
instead of Isaac." See Dodd. him, Hos. vi. 2 ; and on the third day, as well as on
Only son] All that he had by Sarah his legal wife. the seventh, the unclean person was to purify himself,
The land of Moriah] This is supposed to mean all Num. xix. 12 with many other memorable things
:

the mountains of Jerusalem, comprehending Mount which the Scripture speaks concerning the third day,
Gihon or Calvary, the mount of Sion and of Acra. and not without mystery. See Gen. xl. 12, 13 xlii. ;

As Mount Calvary is the highest ground to the west, 17, 18; Jonah i. 17 Josh. ii. 16 unto which we may ; ;

and the mount of the temple is the lowest of the add a Jew's testimony in Bereshith Rabba, in a com-
mounts, Mr. Mann conjectures that it was upon this ment on this place There are many three days men-
:

mount Abraham offered up Isaac, which is well known tioned in the Holy Scripture, of which one is the
to be the same mount on which our blessed Lord was resurrection of the Messiah.''^ —Ainsworth.
crucified. Beer-sheba, where Abraham dwelt, is about Saw the place afar off.] He knew the place by
forty-two miles distant from Jerusalem, and it is not to seeing the cloud of glory smoking on the top of the
be wondered at that Abraham, Isaac, the two servants, Targum. mountain.
and the ass laden with wood for the burnt offering, did I and the lad will go and come again] Verse 5. —
not reach this place till the third day see ver. 4. How could Abraham consistently with truth say this,
;

Verse 3. Tivo of his young men] Eliezer and when he knew he was going to make his son a burnt-
Ishmael, according to the Targum. offering 1 The apostle answers for him By faith
—
:

Clave the tvood] Small wood, Jig and palm, proper Abraham, when he loas tried, offered up Isaac ac-
for a burnt-offering. Targum. counting that God was able to raise him up even from
Verse 4. The third day] "As the number seven," the dead, from lohence also he received him in a figure,
says Mr. Ainsworth, " is of especial use in Scripture Heb. xi. 17, 19. He knew that previously to the
because of the Sabbath day, Gen. ii. 2, so three is a birth of Isaac both he and his wife were dead to all
mystical number because of Christ's rising from the the purposes of procreation that his birth was a kind ;

dead the third day, Matt. xvii. 23 1 Cor. xv. 4 as of life from the dead
;
that the promise of God was
; ;

he was crucified the third hour after noon, Mark xv. most positive. In Isaac shall thy seed be called, chap,
25 and Isaac, as he was a figure of Christ, in being xxi. 12 that this promise could not fail that it was
: ;
;

the only son of his father, and not spared but offered his duty to obey the command of his Maker; and that
for a sacrifice, Rom. viii. 32, so in sundry particulars it was as easy for God to restore him to life after he
he resembled our Lord the third day Isaac was to had been a burnt-offering, as it was for him to give him
:

be ofiered up, so it was the third day in which Christ life in the beginning. Therefore he went fully pur-
also was to be perfected, Luke xiii. 32 Isaac carried posed to offer his son, and yet confidently expecting to
;

the wood for the burnt-offering, ver. 6, so Christ have him restored to life again. We ivill go yonder
carried the tree whereon he died, John xix. 17 the and worship perform a solemn act of devotion which
;
—
binding of Isaac, ver. 9, was also typical, so Christ God requires, a7id come again to you.
was bound. Matt, xxvii. 2. Verse 6. Took the wood and laid it upon Isaac] —
" In the following remarkable cases this number Probably the mountain-top to which they were going
also occurs. Moses desired to go th7-ee days' journey was too diflicult to be ascended by the ass therefore ;

in the wilderness to sacrifice, Exod. and they

v. 3 either the father or the son must carry
the wood, and
;

travelled three days in it before they found water. it was most becoming in the
latter.

137
 1

Isaac hound and laid on the altar. GENESIS. Abraham directed to spare him.

A. M. cir. 2132. I, my son. And he said, Be- 10 And Abraham stretched a. M. dr. 2132.

—— —
'.

!J
'.

hold the fire and the wood but forth his hand, and took the knife
: — —— '
^
^'

where is the ^ lamb for a burnt-offering ? to slay his son.

8 And Abraham said, My son, God will 1 And the angel of the .Lord called unto
provide himself a lamb him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abra-
' for a burnt-offering :

so they went both of them together. ham and he said. Here am 1. !

9 And they came to the place which God 1 2 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon ^

had told him of; and Abraham built an altar the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him :

there, and laid the wood in order, and bound for ""now I know that thou fearest God, see-
Isaac his son, and ^ laid him on the altar upon ing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only
the wood. son, from me.

!>
Or, kid.- i
John i. 29, 36 ; Rev. v. 6, 12 ; xiii. 8.- -k Heb. ' 1 Sam. XV. 22; Mic. vi. 7, 8. '"Chap. xxvi. 5 ; Rom. viii.
xi. 17 ; James ii. 21. 32 ; James ii. 22 ; 1 John iv. 9, 10.

Verse 7. Behold the fire and the wood : but where Allowing him be only twenty-five, he might have
to
is the lamb] Nothing can be conceived more tender, easily resisted can it be supposed that an old man
; for
and affecting, than the question of the son
affectionate, of at least one hundred and twenty-five years of age
and the reply of the father on this occasion. para- A could have bound, without his consent, a young man in
phrase would spoil it nothing can be added without
; the very prime and vigour of life ? In this case we
injuring those expressions of affectionate submission on cannot say that the superior strength of the father pre-
the one hand, and dignified tenderness and simplicity vailed, but the piety, filial affection, and obedience of
on the other. the son yielded. All this was most illustriously typical
A''erse 8. My son, God ivill provide himself a lamb] of Christ. In both cases the father himself offers up
Here we same obedient unshaken faith for
find the his only-begotten son, and the father himself binds him
which this pattern of practical piety was ever remark- on the wood or to the cross in neither case is the son ;

able. But we must not suppose that this was the lan- forced to yield, but yields of his own accord in neither ;

guage merely of faith and obedience the patriarch ; case is the life taken away by the hand of violence ;
spoke prophetically, and referred to that Lamb of God Isaac yields himself to the knife, Jesus lays down his
which HE
had provided for himself, who in the ful- life for the sheep.
ness of time should take away the sin of the world, Lord] The very person Averse 11. The angel of the
and of whom Isaac was a most expressive type. All the Lord Jesus, who was represented by this offering ;

the other lambs which had been offered from the foun- ver. 16, and on his own who calls himself Jehovah,
dation of the world had been such as men chose and authority renews the promises of the covenant. He
MEN offered ; but this was the Lamb which GOD had was ever the great Mediator between God and man.
provided —
emphatically, the Lamb of God. See this point proved, chap. xv. 7.
Verse 9. And bound Isaac his son] If the patri- Verse 12. Lay not thine hand upon the lad] As
arch had not been upheld by the conviction that he was Isaac was to be the representative of Jesus Christ's
doing the ivlll of God, and had he not felt the most real sacrifice, it was sufficient for this purpose that in
perfect confidence that his son should be restored even his own ivill, and the loill of his father, the purpose of
from the dead, what agony must his heart have felt at the immolation was complete. Isaac was now fully
every step of the journey, and through all the circum- offered both by his father and by himself The father
stances of this extraordinary business 1 What must yields up the son, the son gives up his life on both ;

his affectionate heart have felt at the questions asked sides, as far as will and purpose could go, the sacrifice
by his innocent and amiable son ? What must he have was complete. God simply spares the father the tor-
suffered while building the altar, laying on the wood, ture of putting the knife to his son's throat. Now was
binding his lovely son, placing him on the wood, taking the time when it might properly be said, " Sacrifice,
the knife, and stretching out his hand to slay the child and offering, and burnt-offering, and sacrifice for sin
of his hopes 1 Every view we take of the subject thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure in them then :

interests the heart, and exalts the character of this said the Angel
of the Covenant, Lo I come to do thy !

father of the faithful. But has the character of Isaac will, God." Lay not thy hand upon the lad ; an ir-
been duly considered 1 Is not the consideration of his rational creature will serve for the purpose of a repre-
excellence lost in the supposition that he was too youmr sentative sacrifice, from this till the fulness of time.
to enter particularly into a sense of his danger, and too But without most expressive representation of the
this
feeble to have made any resistance, had he been un- father offering his beloved, only-begotten son, what re-
willing to submit ? Josephus supposes that Isaac was ference can such sacrifices be considered to have to the
now twenty-five, (see the chronology on ver. 1 ;) some great event of the incarnation and crucifixion of Christ]
rabbins that he was thirty-six ; but it is more probable Abraham, the most dignified, the most immaculate of
that he was now about ihirty-thrce, the age at which all the patriarchs ; Isaac, the true pattern of piety to
his great Antitype was offered up and on this medium ; God and filial obedience, may well represent God the
I have ventured to construct the chronology, of which Father so loving the world as to give his only-begotten
I think it necessary to give this notice to the reader. Son, Jesl's Christ, to die for the sin of man. But
138
 ; ; ; ;

Abraham offers a ram. CHAP. XXn. God renews his promise to him.

A. M. cir. 2132. 1 3 And Abraham lifted up his stars of the heaven, and as the
'^ A. M. cir. 2132:
— — ' '
'-
eyes, and looked, and behold, sand which is upon the sea- '
^' '^""' '^^^^

behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his shore ;' and ^ thy seed shall possess * the gate
horns and Abraham went and took the ram, of his enemies
;

and offered him up for a burnt-offering in the 18" And in thy seed shall all the nations of
stead of his son. the earth be blessed; ^because thou hast
14 And Abraham railed the name of that obeyed my voice.
place ^ Jehovah-jireh 19 So Abraham returned unto his young
: as it is said to this day.
In the mount of the Lord
men, and they rose up, and went together to
it shall be seen.
15 And the angel of the Lord called unto ^ Beer-sheba and Abraham dwelt at £eer- ;

Abraham out of heaven the second time, sheba.

1 6 And said, ° By myself have I sworn, 20 And it came to pass after a. m. cir. 2142.
^ B. C. cir. 1862. . . , , ,
saith the Lord, for because thou hast done ,1
.

these thmgs, that it was told

this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine Abraham, saying. Behold, ^ Milcah, she hath
only son also borne children unto thy brother Nahor
17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and 2 1 y Huz his first-born, and Buz his brother,
in multiplying I will multiply thy seed p as the and Kemuel the father '^
of Aram,
" That is, the LORD
will see, or, provide. ° Psa. cv. 9 ;
" Chap. xii. 3; xviii. 18 ; xxvi. 4 ; Ecclus. xliv. 22 ; Acts iii.
Ecclus. xliv. 21 ; Luke i. 73 Heb. vi. 13, 14.
; P Chap. xv. 5 ;
25 ; Gal. iii. 8, 9, 16, 18. " Ver. 3, 10 ; chap. xxvi. 5.
Jer. xxxiii. 22. 1 Ch. xiii. 16. >
Heb. Up. =Chap. xxiv. "Chap. xxi. 31. =f
Chap. xi. 29. y Job i. 1. z Job
60. 1
Mic. i. 9. xxxii. 2.

the grand circumstances necessary to prefigure these that the person who was called the angel of the Lord
important points could not be exhibited through the ishere called Jehovah ; see on ver. 2. An oath or an
means of any or of the ivhole hrute creation. The appeal to God is, among men, an end to strife ; as God
whole sacrificial system of the Mosaic economy had a could swear by no greater, he sivare by himself : being
retrospective and prospective view, referring from the ivilling more abundantly, says the apostle, to shoiv unto
sacrifice of Isaac to the sacrifice of Christ ; in the the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, he
first the dawning of the Sun of righteousness was confirmed by an oath, that by tivo immutable things^
it

seen ; in the latter, his meridian splendour and glory. (his PROMISE and his oath,) in ivhich it was impossible
Taken in this light (and this is the only light in which for God to lie, ive might have a strong consolation, who
it should be viewed) Abraham offering his son Isaac is have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before
one of the mo.st important facts and most instructive ns. See Heb.'vi. 13-18.
histories in the whole Old Testament. See farther Verse 17. Shall possess the gate of his enemies]
on this subject, chap, xxiii. 2. Instead o? gale the Septuagint have noleic, cities ; but
Verse 14. Jehovah-jireh] nxT niri'' Yehovah-yireh, as there is a very near resemblance between TcoXsig,
margin. The Lo7-d will see
literally interpreted in the cities, and TruAaf, gates, the latter might have been the
that is, God every thing shall be
will take care that original reading in the Septuagint, though none of the
done that is necessary for the comfort and support of MSS. now acknowledge it. By the gates may be
them who trust in him hence the words are usually
: meant all the strength, whether troops, counsels, or for
translated, The Lord will provide ; so our translators, tified cities of their enemies. So Matt. xvi. 18 On :

ver. 8, nXT D'nbx Elohim yireh, God will provide this rock I ivill build my Church, and the gates of hell
—
;

because his eye ever affects his heart, and the wants shall not prevail against it the counsels, stratagems,
he sees his hand is ever ready to supply. But all this and powers of darkness shall not be able to prevail
seems to have been done under a Divine impulse, and against or overthrow the true Church of Christ and ;

the words to have been spoken prophetically ; hence possibly our Lord had this promise to Abraham and his
Houbigant and some others render the words thus : spiritual posterity in view, when he spoke these words.
Dominus videbitur, the Lord shall be seen and this ; Verse 18. And in thy seed, <^'C.] We have the au-
translation the following clause seems to require, As it thority of St. Paul, Gal. iii. 8, 16, 18, to restrain this
is said to this day, HN'T' nin" "IDD behar Yehovah ye- to our blessed Lord, who was the seed through whom
raeh, on this mount the Lord shall be seen. From alone all God's blessings of providence, mercy, grace,
this appears that the sacrifice offered by Abraham and glory, should be conveyed to the nations of the earth.
it

was understood to be a representative one, and a tra- Verse 20. Behold, Milcah, she hath also borne chil-
dition was kept up that Jehovah should be seen in a dren unto thy brother] This short history seems intro-
sacrificial way on this mount. And thi:: renders the duced solely for the purpose of preparing the reader
opinion stated on ver. 1 more than probable, viz., ihat for the transactions related chap, xxiv., and to show
Abraham offered Isaac on that very mountain on which, that the providence of God was preparing, in one of
in the fulness of time, Jesus suffered. See Bishop the branches of the family of Abraham, a suitable spouse
Warburtoft. for his son Isaac.
Verse 16. By myself have I sworn} So we find Verse 21 Hu:^] He is supposed to have peopled
a 139
 .

The descendants of Nahor, GENESIS. the brother of Abraham

22 And Chesed, and Hazo, and 24 And
A. M.
B. C.
cir.
cir.
2142.
1862. -r>
Pildash, and Jidlaph, and Bethuel. name was Keumah, she bare
his concubine,
111whose •=
A. M.
B. C.
cir.
cir.
2142,
1862.

23 And ^Bethuel begat ''Rebekah: these eight also Tebah, and Gaham, and Thahash, and
Milcah did bear to Nahor, Abraham's brother. Maachah.

» Chap. xxiv. 15, 24, 47 ; xxv. 20; xxviii. 2-5. * Called, Rom. ix. 10, Rebecca. <=
Chap. xvi. 3 ; xxv. 6.

the land of TJz or Ausitis, in Arabia Deserta, the coun- severe straits and difficulties, that they may have the
try of Job. better opportunity of both knowing and showing their
Buz his brother] From this person Elihu the Buzite, own faith and obedience and that he may seize on ;

one of the friends of Job, is thought to have descended. those occasions to show them the abundance of his
Kemuel the father of Ararri] Kamouel, iraTepa l,v- mercy, and thus confirm them in righteousness all their
ouv, the father of the Syrians, according to the Sep- days. There is a foolish saying among some religious
tuagint. Probably the Kamiletes, a Syrian tribe to the people, which cannot be too severely reprobated Un :

westward of the Euphrates are meant they are men- tried grace is no grace. ; On the contrary, there mav
tioned by Slrabo. be much grace, though God, for good reasons, does no/
Verse 23. Bethuel begat Rebekah] Who afterward think proper for a time to put it to any severe trial oj
became the wife of Isaac. proof. But grace is certainly not fully known but in
Verse 24. His concubine] We borrow this word being called to trials of severe and painful obedience
Trom^the Latin compound concubina, from, con, toge-
- But as all the gifts of God should be used, (and they
ther, and cubo, to lie, and apply it solely to a woman are increased and strengthened by exercise,) it would
cohabiting with a man without being legally married. be unjust to deny trials and exercises to grace, as this
The Hebrew word is '^1t2 pilegesh, which is also a would be to preclude it from the opportunities of being
compound term, contracted, according to Parkhurst, strengthened and increased. 2. The offering up of
from j'7£3 palag, to divide or share, and E/JJ nagash, to Isaac is used by several religious people in a sort of

approach because the husband, in the delicate phrase

; metaphorical way, to signify their easily -besetting sins,
of the Hebrew tongue, approaches the concubine, and beloved idols, <Sfc. But this is a most reprehensible
shares the bed, &c., of the real wife with her. The abuse of the Scripture. It is both insolent and wicked
pilegesh or concubine, (from which comes the Greek to compare some abominable lust or unholy affection
iraXXaKTi pallake, and also the Latin pellex,) in Scrip- to the amiable and pious youth who, for his purity and
ture, is a kind of secondary wife, not unlawful in the excellence, was deemed worthy to prefigure the sacri-
patriarchal times though the progeny of such could not
; fice Son of God. To call our vile passions and
of the
inherit. The word is not used in the Scriptures in that unlawful attachments by the name of our Isaacs is un-
disagreeable sense in which we commonly understand pardonable and to talk of sacrificing such to God is
;

it. Hagar was properly the concubine or pilegesh of downright blasphemy. Such sayings as these appear
Abraham, and this annuente Deo, and with his wife's to be legitimated by long use but we should be deeply
;

consent. Keturah, his second wife, is called a concu- and scrupulously careful not to use any of the words
bine, chap. xxvi. 15 1 Chron. i. 32 ;and Bilhah and ; of God in any sense in which he has not spoken them.
Ziihah were concubines to Jacob, chap. xxxv. 22. After If, in the course of God's providence, a parent is called

the patriarchal times many eminent men had concubines, to give up to death an amiable, oiily son, then there is a
viz., Caleb, 1 Chron. ii. 46, 48 Manasses, 1 Chron. ; parallel in the case and it may be justly said, if pious
;

vii. 14; Gideon, Judg. viii. 31 Saul, 2 Sam. iii. 7 ; ;

resignation fill the parent's mind, such a person, like
David, 2 Sam. v. 13 Solomon, 2 Kings xi. 3 and
; ; Abraham, has been called to give his Isaac back to God.
Rehoboam, 2 Chron. xi. 21. The pilegesh, therefore, Independently of the typical reference to this trans-
differed widely from a prostitute and however unlawful ;
action, there are two points which seem to be recom-
under the New Testament, was not so under the Old. mended particularly to our notice. 1. The astonish-
ing faith and prompt obedience of the father. 2. The
From this chapter a pious mind may much
collect innocence, filial respect, and passive submission of the
iseful instruction. From the trial of Abraham we son. Such a father and such a son were alone worthy
again see, 1. That God may bring his followers into of each other.

CHAPTER XXIII.

The age and death of Sarah, 1,2. Abraham mourns for her, and requests a burial-place from the sons of
Heth, 2—4. They freely offer him the choice of all their sepulchres, 5, 6. Abraham refuses to receive
any as a free gift, and requests to buy the cave of Machpelah from Ephron, 7—9. Ephron proffers the
cave and the field in lohich it ivas situated as a free gift unto Abraham, 10, II. Abraham insists on giving
its value in money, 12, 13. Ephron at last consents, and names the sum offour hundred shekels, 14, 15
Abraham tveighs him the money in the presence of the people ; in consequence of which the cave, the whole
field, trees, (Sfc, arc made sure to him and his family for a possession, 16-18. The transaction being
completed, Sarah is buried in the cave, 19. The sons of Heth ratify the bargain, 20.
140 a
 The age and death of Sarah. CHAP. XXIII. Preparations for her burial.

A. M. 2145. A ND Sarah was a hundred and dead, and spake unto the sons of A. m. 2145.
B. C. 1859.
B. C. 1859. TT a •

seven and twenty years old Heth, saymg, : •

these 4 I am a stranger and a sojourner with

were the years of the life of Sarah. *=

2 And Sarah died in ^ Kirjath-arba

the you ^ give me a possession of a burying ; :

same is ^ Hebron in the land of Canaan and place with you, that I may bury my dead out:

Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to of my sight.

weep for her. 5 And the children of Heth answered Abra
3 And Abraham stood up from before his ham, saying unto him.

» Joshua xiv. 15 ; Judges i. 10.

''
Chapter xiii. 18 ;
"^Chap. xvii. 8 ; 1 Chron. xxix. 15 Psa. cv. 12
; ; Hebrews xi.
ver. 19. 9, 13. <^
Acts vii. 5.

NOTES ON CHAP. XXIII. bear a son in her old age, and by whose miraculous
Verse 1 And Sarah luas a hundred and seven and
. interference a virgin conceived, and the man Christ
twenty years old^ It is worthy of remark that Sarah Jesus was born of her, can by the same power transform
is the only woman in the sacred writings whose age, the sinful soul, and cause it to bear the image of the

death, and burial are distinctly noted. And she has heavenly as it has borne the image of the earthly.
been deemed worthy of higher honour, for St. Paul, Verse 2 Sarah died in Kirjath-arba^ Literally in
.

Gal. iv. 22, 23, makes her a type of the Church of the city of the four. Some suppose this place was
Christ ; and her faith in the accomplishment of God's called the city of the four because it was the burial
promise, that she should have a son, when all natural place of Adam, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob ; others,
probabilities were against it, is particularly celebrated because according to the opinion of the rabbins. Eve
in the Epistle to the Hebrews, chap. xi. 11. Sarah was buried there, with Sarah, Rebekah, and Leah.
was about ninety-one years old when Isaac was born, But it seems evidently to have had its name from a
and she lived thirty-six years after, and saw him grown Canaanite, one of the Anakim, probably called Arba,
up to man's estate. With Sarah the promise of the (for the text. Josh. xiv. 14, does not actually say this
incarnation of Christ commenced, though a compara- was his name,) who was the chief of the four brothers
tively obscure prophecy of it had been delivered to who dwelt there the names of the others being ;

Eve, chap. iii. 15 and with Mary it terminated, having Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai.
; See Judges i. 10.
had its exact completion. Thus God put more honour These three were destroyed by the tribe of Judah ;

upon these two women than upon all the daughters of probably the other had been previously dead.
Eve besides. Sarah's conception of Isaac was super- Abraham came to mourn for Sarah] From verse
natural ; she had passed the age and circumstances in 19 of the preceding chapter it appears that Abrahani
which it was possible, naturally speaking, to have a had settled at Beer-sheba; and here we find that
child therefore she laughed when the promise was Sarah died at Hebron, which was about twenty-four
;

given, knowing that the thing was impossible, because miles distant from Beer-sheba. For the convenience
it had ceased to be with her after the manner of wo- of feeding his numerous flocks, Abraham had probably
men. God allows this natural impossibility, and grants several places of temporary residence, and particularly
that the thing must be the effect of Divine interposi- one at Beer-sheba, and another at Hebron and it is ;

tion and therefore asks, Is any thing too hard for likely that while he sojourned at Beer-sheba, Sarah
;

God ? The physical impossibility was increased in the died at Hebron and his coming to mourn and iveep ;

case of Mary, she having no connection with man but for her signifies his coming from the former to the
;

the same power interposed as in the case of Sarah and latter place on the news of her death. :

we find that when all aptitude for natural procreation Verse 3. Abraham stood up from before his dead]
was gone, Sarahreceived strength to conceive seedr^'^i^ He had probably sat on the ground some da)'s in token
bore a son, from whom, in a direct line, the Messiah, of sorrow, as the custom then was, (see Tobit ii. 12,
the Saviour of the world, was to descend and through 13; Isa. xlvii. 1
; and Gen. xxxvii. 35;) and when ;

this same power we find a virgin conceiving and bear- this time was finished he arose and began to treat
ing a son against all natural impossibilities. Every about a burying place.
thing is supernatural in the births both of the type Verse 4 I am a stranger and a sojourner] It ap- .

and antitype can it be wondered at then, if the spiritual pears from Heb. xi. 13-16
; 1 Pet. ii. 11, that these ;

offspring of the Messiah must have a supernatural birth words refer more to the state of his mind than of his
likewise 1 hence the propriety of that saying, Unless body. He felt that he had no certain dwelling place,
a man be born again — —
born from above- born, not only and was seeking by faith a city that had foundations.
of water, but of the Holy Ghost, he cannot see the king- Give me a possession of a burying place] It has
dom. of God. These may appear hard sayings, and been remarked that in different nations it was deemed
those who are little in the habit of considering spiritual ignominious to be buried in another's ground proba- ;

things may exclaim, " It is enthusiasm ! Who can bear bly this prevailed in early times in the east, and it may
it? Such things cannot possibly be." To such per- be in reference to a sentiment of this kind that Abra-
sons I have only to say, God hath spoken. This is ham refuses to accept the offer of the children of
sufficient for those who credit his being and his Bible ;
Heth to bury any of their sepulchres, and earnestly
in
nor is there any thing too hard for him. He, by whose requests them him one, that he might bury his
to sell
almighty power, Sarah had str/ngth to conceive and wife in a place that he could claim as his own.
Ml
 ;

Abraham buys the cave of GENESIS. Machpelah, and buries Sarah

A. M. 2145. 6 Hear us, my lord : thou art ® a 1 3 And he spake unto Ephron in a. m. 2145
B. C. 1859. , .
,. \. ,
1 r B. C. 1859.
.
f 4i 1
mighty prince among us
,
in the the audience 01 the people 01 the :
*

choice of our sepulchres bury thy dead none land, saying, But d thou wilt give it, I pray thee, ;

of us shall withhold from thee his sepulchre, hear me I will give thee money for the field :
;

but that thou mayest bury thy dead. take it of me, and I will bury my dead there.
7 And Abraham stood up, and bowed him- 14 And Ephron answered Abraham, saying
self to the people of the land, even to the unto him,
children of Heth. 1 5 My lord, hearken unto me : the land is
8 And he communed with them, saying, If worth four hundred ^ shekels of silver what ;

it be your mind that I should bury my dead is that betwixt me and thee ? bury therefore
out of my sight ; hear me, and entreat for me thy dead.
to Ephron the son of Zohar, 1 6 And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron

9 That he may give me the ca\^e of Mach- and Abraham ^ weighed to Ephron the silver,
pelah, which he hath, which is in the end of which he had named in the audience of the
Lis field ; for ^ as much money
worth sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver,as it is

he shall give it me current money with the merchant.

for a possession of a bury-
ing place amongst you. 17 And the field of Ephron, Avhich was in "^

10 And Ephron dwelt among the children Machpelah, which ivas before Mamre, the
of Heth and Ephron the Hittite answered field, and the cave which was therein, and all
:

Abraham in the ^ audience of the children of the trees that we7-e in the field, that were in
Heth, even of all that went in at the gate of all the borders round about, were made sure
'

his city, saying, 18 Unto Abraham for a possession in the

11^ Nay, my lord, hear me the field give presence of the children of Heth, before all
:

I thee, and the cave that is therein, I give it that went in at the gate of his city.
thee ;in the presence of the sons of my peo- 19 And after this Abraham buried Sarah
ple give I it thee : bury thy dead. his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah
12 And Abraham bowed down himself be- before Mamre: the same is Hebron in the
fore the people of the land. land of Canaan.

e Heb. a prince
of God. ^ Chap. xiii. 2 ; xiv. 14 ; xxiv. 35. ^ See 2 Sam. xxiv. 21-24. 1 Exod. xxx. 15 ; Ezek. xlv. 12.
B Heb. full money. ^ Heb. ears. '
Chap, xxxiv. 20, 24 ;
" Jer. xxxii. 9. " Chap. xxv. 9 ; xlix. 30, 31, 32 ; 1. 13 ; Acts
Ruth iv. 4. vii. IG.

Verse 6. Thou art a mighty prince] 'n7X t^'iyj IV ill give thee money for ; '^^D keseph, silver,
the field
nesi Elohim, a prince of God a person whom we — not coined money, for it is not probable that any such
know to be Divinely favoured, and whom, in conse- was then in use.
quence, we
deeply respect and reverence. Verse 15. The land worth /our hundred shekels is

Verse 8. Entreat for me to Ephron'] Abraham of silver] Though

is worth are not in the
the words
had already seen the cave and field, and finding to text, yet they are necessarily expressed here to adapt
whom they belonged, and that they would answer his the Hebrew to the idiom of our tongue. A shekel,
purpose, came to the gate of Hebron, where the elders of according to the general opinion, was equal to two
the people sat to administer justice, &c., and where bar- shillings and sixpence but according to Dr. Prideaux,
;

gains and sales were made and witnessed, and having whose estimate I shall follow, three shillings English,
addressed himself to the elders, among whom Ephron four hundred of which are equal to sixty pounds ster-
was, though it appears he was not personally known to ling ;
but it is evident that a certain iveight is intended,
Abraham, he begged them to use their influence with and not a. coin, for in verse 16 it is said. And Abraham
the owner of the cave and field to sell it to him, that it weighed 7pK''1 vaiyishkol, the silver,
and hence it ap-
might serve him and his family for a place of sepulture. pears that this iveight itself passed afterwards as a
Verse 10. And Ephron dwelt among the children current coin, for the word '7p'ki' is not only used to ex-
of Heth] And Ephron 2\S^ yosheb, was sitting among press a coin or piece of silver, but also to weigh ; see
the children of Heth, but, as was before conjectured, the note on chap. xx. 16.
was personally unknown to Abraham he therefore ; Verse 16. Current with the merchant.] inDS 12^^
answered for himself, making a free tender of the field, ober lassocher, passing to or ivith the traveller such —
&c., to Abraham, in the presence of all the people, as was commonly used by those who travelled about
which amounted to a legal conveyance of the whole with merchandise of any sort. The word signifies the
property to the patriarch. same as hawker or pedlar among us.
Verse 13. If thou wilt give it] Instead of, If thou Verse 17. All the trees that were in the field] It is
wilt give it, we should read, But if thou wilt sell it T possible that all these were specified in the agreement
148
Observations on the CHAP. XXIV. preceding chapter.

A. M. 2145. 20 And the field, and the cave that Abrahan'i for a possession of a bury- A. M. 2145.
B. C. 1859. . 1 • „ J B. C. 1859.
IS therein, ° were made sure unto ing place p by the sons of Heth.
See Ruth iv. 7, 8, 9, 10 ; Jer. xxxii. 10, 11. P Chap. 1. 13 ; 2 Kings xxi. 18.

Verse 20. And the field, d^c. were made sure] Dp"1 firstages of mankind, suspicion, deceit, and guile
vaiyakom, were established, caused to stand ; the whole seem to have had a very limited influence. Happy
transaction having been regulated according to all the days of primitive simplicity When shall they !

forms of law then in use. return ^

3. We often hear of the rudeness and barbarity of

1. In this transaction between Abraham and the the primitive ages, but on what evidence ? Every rule
sons of Heth concerning the cave and field of Mach- of politeness that could be acted upon in such a case
pelah, we have the earliest account on record of the as that mentioned here, is brought into full practice.
purchase of land. The simplicity, openness, andean- Is it possible to read the simple narration in this place

dour on both sides cannot be too much admired. without admiring the amiable, decent, and polite con
2. Sarah being dead, Abraham being only a duct displayed on both sides '{
Had even Lord Ches-
sojourner in that land, shifting from place to place for read this account, his good sense would have
terfield
the mere purpose of pasturing his flocks, and having led him to propose it as a model in all transactions be-
no right to any part of the land, wished to purchase a tween man and his fellows. There is neither awkward,
place in which he might have the continual right of stiff formality on the one hand, nor frippery or affecta-

sepulture. For this purpose, 1. He goes to the gate tion on the other. Decent respect, good sense, good
of the city, the place where, in all ancient times, jus- nature, and good breeding, are all prominently display-
tice was administered, and bargains and sales con- ed. And how highly laudable and useful is all this !

cluded, and where for these purposes the elders of the A pedant or a boor on either side might have destroyed
people sat. 2. He there proposes to buy the cave the simplicity of the whole transaction the one by ;

known by the name of the Cave of Machpelah, the cave engendering caution and suspicion, and the other by
of the turning or the double cave, for a burying place exciting disgust. In all such transactions the beaic and
for his family. 3. To prevent him from going to any the boor are equally to be avoided. From the Jirst no
unnecessary expense, the people with one voice offer sincerity can be expected, and the manners of the latter
him the privilege of burying his wife in any of their render him intolerable. The religion of the Bible re-
sepulchres this appearing to them to be no more than commends and inculcates orderly behaviour, as well as
;

the common rights of hospitality and humanity required. purity of heart and life. They who, under the sane
4. Abraham, intent on making a purchase, Ephron, tion of religion, trample under foot the decent forms
the owner of the field and cave, values them at four of civil respect, supposing that because they are reli--
hundred shekels, but at the same time wishes Abraham gious they have a right to be rude, totally mistake the
to receive the whole as a gift. 5. Abraham refuses spirit of Christianity, for love or charity (the soul and
the gift and weighs down the silver specified. 6. The essence of that religion) hehaveth not itself unseemly.
people who enter in at the gate, i. e., the inhabitants Every attentive reader of the thirteenth chapter of St.
coming from or going to their ordinary occupations in Paul's first epistle to the Corinthians, will clearly dis-
the country, witness the transaction, and thus the con- cern that the description of true religion given in that
veyance to Abraham made
sure without the inter-
is place applies as forcibly to good breeding as to inward
vention of those puzzlers of civil affairs by whose and outward holiness. What lessons of honesty, de-
tricks and chicanery property often becomes insecure, cent respect, and good manners could a sensible man
and right and succession precarious and uncertain. derive from Abraham treating with the sons of Heth
But this censure does not fall on lawyers properly so for the cave of Machpelah, and William Pen7i treating
called, who are men of honour, and whose office, in with the American Indians for the tract of land now
every well-regulated state, is as useful as it is resp"ect- called Pennsylvania I leave others to draw the pa- !

able. But the accumulation and complex nature of rallel, and to show how exactly the conduct and spirit
almost all modern systems of law puzzle even justice of patriarch the first were exemplified in the conduct
herself, and often induce decisions by which truth and spirit of patriarch the second. Let the righteous
falls in the streets and equity goes backwards In the be had in everlasting remembrance !

CHAPTER XXIV.
Abraham, being solicitous to get his son Isaac properly married, calls his confidential servant, probably Eliezer,
arid makes him swear that he will not take a wife for Isaac from among the Canaanites, 1—3, but from among
his own kindred, 4. The servant proposes certain difficulties, 5, ivhich Abraham removes by giving him
the strongest assurances of God\^ direction in the business, 6, 7, and then specifies the conditions of the
oath, 8. The form of the oath itself, 9. The servant makes preparations for his journey, and sets out
for Mesopotamia, the residence of Abraham'' s kindred, 10. Arrives at a well near to the place, 11. His
prayer to God, 12-14. Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel, son of Nahor, Abraham's brother, comes to
the ivell to draw water, 15. She is described, 16. Conversation between her and Abraham's servant, in
a 143
Abraham directs his servant GENESIS. to procure a wife for Isaac.

ivhich every thino- took place according to his prayer to God, 17-21. He
makes her presents, and learns
whose dauehter she is, 22—24. He returns thanks to God for
She invites him to her father''s house, 25.
havino- thus far o-iven him a prosperous journey, 26, 27. Rebekah runs home and informs her family, 28 ;

on which her brother Laban comes out, and invites the servant home, 29-31. His reception, 32, 33.
Tells his errand, 34, and how he had proceeded in executing the trust reposed in him, 35-48. Requests
an ansiver, 49. The family of Rebekah consent that she should become the wife of Isaac, 50, 51. The
servant worships God, 52, and gives presents to Milcah, Laban, and Rebekah, 53. He requests to be
dismissed, 54-56. Rebekah, being consulted, consents to go, 57, 58. She is accompanied by her nurse, 59 ;

and having received the blessing of her parents and relatives, 60, she departs with the servant of Abra-
ham, 61. They are met by Isaac, who ivas on an evening walk for the purpose of meditation, 62-65.
The servant relates to Isaac all that he had done, 66. Isaac and Rebekah are married, 67.

A. M. 2148. A ND Abraham ""

was old and me unto this land : must I needs
.
a. m. 2148.
B. C. 1856.
B. C. 1856. . .
^
. . ..

^ well stricken in age and the bring thy son again unto the land
:

Lord had blessed Abraham in all

"=
things. from whence thou camest ?
2 And Abraham said ^ unto his eldest servant 6 And Abraham said unto him, Beware thou
cf his house, that ^ ruled over all that he that thou bring not my son thither again.
had, ^Put, I pray thee, thy 7 The Lord God of heaven, which
hand under ray took ^

thigh : me from my father's house, and from the land

3 And I will make thee swear by the Lord, of my kindred, and which spake
^ unto me, and
the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that sware unto me, saying, ™ Unto thy seed
that ^ thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of will I give this land " he shall send his angel ;

the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto
I dwell :
my son from thence.
4 '
But thou shalt go ^ unto my country, and 8 And if the woman will not be willing to
to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son follow thee, then ° thou shalt be clear from
Isaac. this my oath : only bring not my son thither
5 And the servant said unto him, Peradven- again.
ture the woman will not be willing to follow 9 And the servant put his hand under the

a Chap, xviii. 11 xxi. 5.

;
bHeb.^orifi into days. Chap. <= 16; Deut. vii. 3. 'Chap, xxviii. 2. ''Chapter xii. 1.
xiii. 2 ver. 35 Psa. cxii. 3 Prov. x. 22.
;
^ Chap. xv. 2. 'Chap. xii. 1, 7. m Chap. xii. 7; xiii. 15; xv. 18; xvii.
; ;

« Ver. 10 ; chap, xxxix. 4, 5, 6. f

Chap, xlvii. 29 ; 1 Chron. 8 Exod. xxxii. 13
; Deut. i. 8
; xxxiv. 4 Acts vii. 5. ; ;

xxix. 24 ; Lam. v. 6. ? Chap. xiv. 22 ; Deut. vi. 13 ; Josh. " Exodus xxiii. 20, 23 xxxiii. 2 Hebrews i. 14.
;
° Josh. ;

li. 12. ' Chap. xxvi. 35 xxvii. 46 ; xxviii. 2 ; Exod. xxxiv.

;
ii. 17, 20.

NOTES ON CHAP. XXIV. he has nothing to do in the choice of a wife parents ;

Verse 1. And Abraham was old] He was now about employ others to seek wives for their sons. Those
one hundred and forty years of age, and consequently who leave their homes in search of employment always
Isaac was forty, being born when his father was one marry their children in their own country, and among
hundred years old. See chap. xxi. 5 xxv. 20. ; their acquaintance at home ; never among the people
Verse 2. Eldest servant] As this eldest servant is with whom they reside. In Asiatic countries this cus-
stated to have been the ruler over all that he had, it is tom has prevailed from the infancy of the human race.
very likely that Eliezer is meant. See chap. xv. 2,3. See Ward's Hindoo Customs.
Put, I pray thee, thy hand] See on ver. 9. Verse 5. Peradventure the tvoman will not be loilling]

Verse 3. I will make thee sioearl See on ver. 9. We may see, says Calmet, by this and other passages

Of the Canaanites] Because these had already been of Scripture, Josh. ix. 18, what the sentiments of the
devoted to slavery, &c., and it would have been utterly ancients were relative to an oath. They believed they
inconsistent as well with prudence as with the design of were bound precisely by ivhat was spoken, and had no
God to have united the child and heir of the promise with liberty to interpret the intentions of those to whom the
one who was under a curse, though that curse might oath was made.
be considered to be only of a political nature. See Verse 7. The Lord God, dfc] He expresses the
the curse of Canaan, chap. ix. 25. strongest confidence in God, that the great designs for
Verse 4. My country] Mesopotamia, called here which he had brought him from his own kindred to pro-
Abraham's country, because it was the place where the pagate the true religion in the earth would be accom-
family of Haran, his brother, had settled and where plished and that therefore, when earthly instruments
; ;

kimself had remained a considerable time with his fa- failed, heavenly ones should be employed. He shall
ther Terah. In this family, as well as in that of Nahor, send his angel, probably meaning the Angel of the
the true religion had been in some sort preserved, though Covenant, of whom see chap. xv. 7.
afterwards considerably corrupted see chap. xxxi. 19. Verse 9. Put his hand under the thigh of Abraham]
;

And take a wife unto my son] A young man in This form of swearing has greatly puzzled the com-
Bengal is precisely in the same circumstances as Isaac mentators but it is useless to detail opinions which
; ;

144
 ; 1 — ;

He departs for Mesopotamia. CHAP. XXIV. His prayer at the well.

A.M. 2148.
° of
thiffh Abraham his master, and 1 And he made his camels to A. M. 2148.
B. C. 1856. B. C. 18515.
sware to him concerning that kneel down without the city by a
matter. well of water at the time of the evening, even
10 And the servant took ten camels, of the the time that women go out to draw water.
^

camels of his master, and departed (p for ;

12 And he said, ™ O Lord God of my
^ all the goods of his master were in his master Abraham, I pray thee, ^ send me good
hand :) and he arose, and went to Mesopota- speed this day, and show kindness unto my
mia, unto the city of Nahor.
'^
master Abraham.
s
PVer. 2. qOr, and. ^ Chap, xxvii. 43. fjeb. that 11. " Ver. 27 ; chap. xxvi. 24 ; xxviii. 13 ; xxxii. Si; Exod.
women which draw water go forth, ' Exod. ii. 16; 1 Sam. ix. iii. 6, 15. "Neh. i. 11 ; Psa. xxxvii. 5.

I neither believe myself, nor would wish my readers Verse 10. Took ten camels'] It appears that Abra-
to credit. I believe given in the
the true sense is left the whole management of this business
ham had
Targum of Jonathan ben Uzziel, and that called the to the discretion of his servant, to take with him what
Jerusalem Targum. In the former it is said, Put noiv retinue and what dowry he pleased for it is added, ;

thy hand TlviriD r\T'IJ3 bigzirath mehulathi, in sectione All the goods of his master were in his hand ; and in
circumcisionis me<B ; in the latter ''Q"'p "^T' mnr\ techoth those times it was customary to give a dowry /or a
yerech key ami, sub femore fcederis mei. When we put wife, and not to receive one with her.
the circumstances mentioned in this and the third verse Verse 11. He made down\ To
his camels to kneel
together, we shall find that they fully express the an- rest themselves, or lie down, as the Septuagint has
cient method of binding by oath in such transactions very properly expressed it, Kat EKOLjxiae rac Ka/i-rjXovg.
as had a religious tendency. 1 The rite or ceremony .
The time that women go out to draw water.] In
used on the occasion the person binding himself put
: Bengal it is the universal practice for the women to go
his hand under the thigh of the person to whom he to pools and rivers to fetch water. Companies of four,
was to be bound; i. e., he put his hand on the part six, ten, or more, may be seen in every town daily
that bore the mark of circumcision, the sign of God's going to fetch water, with the pitchers resting upon
covenant, which is tantamount to our kissing the book, their sides and, on their return from bathing, women
;

or laying the hand upon the New Testament or cove- frequently bring water home. Ward.
nant of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2. The/onn of the Verse 12. And he said, O Lord God, cj-c] " The
oath itself: the person swore by Jehovah, the God of conduct of this servant," says Dr. Dodd, " appears no
heaven and the God of the earth. Three essential at- less pious than rational. By supplicating for a sign,
tributes of God are here mentioned 1 His self-exist- : .
he aclcnowledges God to be the great superintendent
ence and eternity in the name Jehovah. 2. His do- and director of the universe, and of that event in par-
minion oi glory and blessedness in the kingdom of ticular and at the same time, by asking a natural sign,
;

heaven. 3. His providence and bounty in the earth. such as betokened humanity, condescension, and other
The meaning of the oath seems to be this " As God :
qualities vv^hich promised a discreet and virtuous wife,
is unchangeable in his nature and purposes, so shall I he puts his prayer upon such a discreet, rational foot-
be in this engagement, under the penahy of forfeiting ing, as to be a proper example for all to imitate who
all expectation of temporal prosperity, the benefits of would not tempt the providence of God, by expecting
the mystical covenant, and future glory." An oath of extraordinary signs to be given them for the determi-
this kind, taken at such a time, and on such an occa- nation of cases which they are capable of deciding by
sion, can never be deemed irreligious or profane. Thou a proper use of their rational faculties." This is all
shalt swear by his name —
shall acknowledge and^bind very good but certainly the case referred to here
;
is
thyself unto the true God, as the just Judge of thy such a one as required especial direction from God
motives and actions, is a command of the Most High a case which no use of the rational faculties, without
and such an oath as the above is at once (on such an Divine influence, could be sufficient to determine. It
occasion) both proper and rational. The person bind- is easy to run into extremes, and it is very natural so
ing himself proposes for a pattern the unchangeable to do. In all things the assistance and blessing of
and just God and as He is the avenger of wrong,
; God are necessary, even where human strength and
and the punisher of falsehood, and has all power in the wisdom have the fullest and freest sphere of action ;
heavens and in the earth, so he can punish perjury by but there are numberless cases, of infinite consequence
privation of spiritual and temporal blessings, by the to man, where his strength and prudence can be of little
loss of life, and by inflicting the perdition due to un- or no avail, and where the God of all grace must work
godly men, among whom liars and perjured persons all things according to the counsel of his own will.
occupy the most distinguished rank. Our ideas of To expect the accomplishment of any good end, with-
delicacy may revolt from the rite used on this occa- out a proper use of the means, is the most reprehen-
sion ; but when
the nature of the covenant is considered, sible enthusiasm and to suppose that any good can
;

of which circumcision was the sign, we shall at once be done or procured without the blessing and mercy
perceive that this rite could not be used without pro- of God, merely because proper means are used, is not
ducing sentiments of reverence and godly fear, as the less reprehensible. Plan, scheme, and labour like
contracting party must know that the God of this cove- Eliezer, and then, by earnest faith and prayer, commit
nant was a consuming fire. the whole to the direction and blessing of God.
Vol. I. (11) 145 a
 6
8 1

Rebekah conies to draw water, GENESIS. and invites Abraham^s servant home.

A. M. 2148. 1 3 Behold, ^ I stand here by the 1 9 And when she had done giving a. m. 2148.
_! !
'-
well of water ; and * the daughters him drink, she said, I will draw ' 1

of themen of the city come out to draw water water for thy camels also, until they have :

14 And let it come to pass, that the damsel done drinking.

to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, 20 And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher
I pray thee, that I may drink and she shall into the trough, and ran again unto the well ;

say. Drink, and I will give thy camels drink to draw water, and drew for all his camels.
also ; let the same be she that thou hast ap- 2 And the man, wondering at her, held his
pointed for thy servant Isaac : and ^ thereby peace, to wit, whether ^ the Lord had made
shall I know that thou hast showed kindness his journey prosperous or not.
unto my master. 22 And it came to pass, as the camels had
15 And it came to pass, before he had done done drinking, that the man took a golden
speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, ® ear-ring ^of half a shekel weight, and two
who was born to Bethuel, son of ^ Milcah, bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight
the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, with of gold ;

her pitcher upon her shoulder. 23 And said. Whose daughter art thou ?

1 And the damsel ^ was ^ very fair to look tell me,

pray thee I is there room in thy :

upon, a virgin, neither had any man known father's house for us to lodge in ?
her and she went down to the well, and
: 24 And she said unto him, ^ I a7n the
filled her pitcher, and came up. daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, which
17 And the servant ran to meet her, and she bare unto Nahor.
said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water 25 She said moreover unto him, have We
of thy pitcher. both straw and provender enough, and room
1 •=
And she said, Drink, my lord : and she to lodge in.

hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her 26 And the man ^'
bowed down his head,
hand, and gave him drink. and worshipped the Lord.
" Ver. 43. » Chap. xxix. 9 ; Exod. ii. 16.' v See Judg. « 1 Pet. iii. 8 iv. ;
9. <i
Ver. 12, 56. « Exod. xxxii. 2,
vi. 17, 37 ; 1 Sam. vi. 7 ; xiv. 8 ; xx. 7 ; 1 Mic. v. 40. ^ Ch. 3 ; Isa. iii. 19, 20, 21 ; Ezek. xvi. 11, 12 ; 1 Pet. iii. 3. f
Or,
xi. 29 ; xxii. 23. ^ Chap. xxvi. 7. ^ Heb. good of counte- jewel for the forehead. s Chap. xxii. 23. ^ Ver. 52 ; Exod.
nance. iv. 31.

Verse 15. Behold, Rebekah came out] How admi- which is in universal use through all parts of Arabia
rably had the providence of adapted every circum- God and Persia, particularly among young women. They
stance to the necessity of the case, and so as in the are generally worn in the left nostril. The word is
most punctual manner to answer the prayer which his very properly translated em.p()U'iov, an ornament for tht
servant had offered up ! nose, by Symmachus.
Verse 19. I will draw water for thy camels also] Half a shekel] For the weight of a shekel, see
Had Rebekah done no more than Eliezer had prayed chap. XX. 16.
for, we might have supposed that she acted not as a And tivo bracelets] D''T'D2f Ti^l usheney tsemidim.
free agent, but was impelled to it by the absolutely con- As tsemidim comes from TOX tsamad, to join or couple
trolling power of God but as she exceeds all that was ; together, it may very properly mean bracelets, or what-
requested, we see that it sprang from her native be- ever may clasp round the arms or legs for rings and ;

nevolence, and sets her conduct in the most amiable ornaments are worn round both by females in India and
point of view. Persia. The small part of the leg is generally deco-
Verse 21. The man, ivondering at her] And he rated in this way, and so is the whole arm from the
was so lost in wonder and astonishment at her simpli- shoulder to the wrist. As these tsemidim vi'ere given
city,innocence, and benevolence, that he permitted this toRebekah /w her hands, it sufficiently distinguishes
delicate female to draw water for ten camels, without them from a similar ornament used for the ankles.
ever attempting to afford her any kind of assistance ! In different parts of the sacred writings there are
J know not which to admire most, the benevolence and allusions to ornaments of various kinds still in use in

condescension of Rebekah, or the cold and apparently different Asiatic countries. They are of seven different
stupid indifference of the servant of Abraham. Surely sorts: 1. iox i\ie forehead ; 2. for the nose ; 3. for the
they are both of an uncommon cast. ears; 4. for the arms ; 5. for ihe fingers ; 6. for the
Verse 22. The man took a golden ear-ring] 3711 D?J neck and breast ; 7. for the ankles. See ver. 22, 47 ;

nezem zahah. That this could not be an ear-ring is also Ezek. xvi. 12 Prov. xi. 22 Isa. iii. 21
; Gen. ; ;

very probable from its being in the singular number. XXXV. 4 Exod. xxxii. 2, 3 .Job xlii. 1 1
;
Judg. viii. ; ;

The margin calls it a jeivel for the forehead; but it 24. The principal female ornaments are enumerated
most likely means a jewel for the nose, or nose-rmg, in the third chapter of Isaiah, which are very nearly
a 146 ( 11* )
 — ;

Lahan repeats the invitation. CHAP. XXIV. The servant delivers his messase.

A. M. 2148. 27 And he said, Blessed be the ' eat : but he said, p I will not eat a. m. 2148
_ '.
'-
Lord God of my master Abraham, until I have told mine errand. —— :
"

who hath not left destitute my master ofAnd he said, Speak on.
^ his mercy and his truth : I being in the 34 And he said, I am Abraham's servant.
way, the Lord ^
led me to the house of my 3 5 And the Lord 1 hath blessed my master
master's brethren. greatly ; and he is become great : and he hath
28 And the damsel ran, and told them of given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and

her mother's house these things. gold, and men-servants, and maid-servants, and
29 And Rebekah had a brother, and his camels, and asses.
name was ™ Laban and Laban ran out unto 36 And Sarah my
: master's wife ''bare a son
the man, unto the well. she was old, and * unto to my master when
30 And it came to pass, him hath he given all when he saw
that he hath. the
ear-ring and bracelets upon his sister's hands, 37 And my master *made me swear, saying,
and when he heard the words of Rebekah Thou shalt not take a wife to my son of the
his sister, saying, Thus spake the man unto daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I
me, that he came unto the man and, behold, dwell ; :

he stood by the camels at the well. 38 " But thou shalt go unto my father's
3 1 And he said, Come in, ° thou blessed of house, and to my kindred, and take a wife
the Lord wherefore standest thou without ? unto my son.
;

for I have prepared the house, and room for 39 ^ And I said unto my master, Peradven
the camels. ture the woman will not follow me.
32 And the man came into the house : and 40 "^
And he said unto me, The Lord, * be-
he ungirded his camels, and ° gave straw and fore whom I walk, will send his angel with
provender for the camels, and water to wash thee, and prosper thy way ; and thou shalt
his feet, and the men's feet that were with him. take a wife for my son of my kindred, and of
33 And there was set meat before him to my father's house.

' Exod. 10
xviii. Ruth iv. 14
; I Sam, xxv. 32, 39
; 2 Sam. ; oChap. xliii. 24; Judg. xix. 21. PJob xxiii. 12; John iv.
xviii. 28; Luke i. 68. ^Chapter xxxii. 10; Psa. xcviii. 3. 34 ;Eph. vi. 5, 6, 7. 1 Ver. 1 chap. xiii. 2. 'Chap. xxi. ;

' Ver. 48. " Chap. xxix. 5. " Chap. xxvi. 29 Judg. xvii. 2 ; 2. s
Ch. xxi. 10 ; xxv. 5. ' Ver. 3. « Ver. 4. "Ver.
Ruth iii. 10 ; Psa. cxv. 15. 5. "' Ver. 7. ^ Chap. xvii. 1.

the same that are in use in Persia and India to the Verse 32. Provender for the camels] These werei
present time. the first objects of his care for a good man is mer- ;

Verse 26. Bowed down his head, and tvorshipped] ciful to his beast.
Two acts of adoration are mentioned here 1. Bowintr Water to ivash his feet] Thus it thus appears that
;

the head, Ip'' i/ik/iod ; and, 2. Prostration upon the he had servants with him and as the fatigues of the ;

earth, iriiTiyi vaiyishtachu. The bowing of the head journey must have fallen as heavily upon them as upon
was to Rebekah, to return her thanks for her kind in- himself, so we find no distinction made, but water
vitation. The prostration was to Jehovah, in gratitude is provided to wash their feet also.
for the success with which he had favoured him. Verse 33. / ivill not eat until I have told] In
Verse 27. The Lord led me] By desire of his master Hindoostan it is not unusual for a Brahmin to enter a
he went out on this journey and as he acknowledged ;
house and sit down, and when meat is offered, refuse
God in all his ways, the Lord directed all his steps. to eat till he has obtained the object of his errand.
Verse 28. Her mothcr''s house] Some have con- Here is a servant who had his master's interest more
jectured from this that her father Bethuel was dead ;
at heart than his own. He refuses to take even
and the person called Bethuel, verse 50, was a younger necessary refreshment till he knows whether he
brother. This is possible, but the mother's house is likely to accomplish the object of his journey.

might be mentioned were even the father alive for in ; Did not our blessed Lord allude to the conduct
Asiatic countries the women have apartments entirely of Abraham's servant, John iv. 34 My meat is :

separate from those of the men, in which their little to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his
children and grown-up daughters reside with them. work ?
This was probably the case here, though it is very Verse 36. Unto him hath he given all that he
likely that Bethuel was dead, as the whole business hath.] He
has made Isaac his sole heir. These
appears to be conducted by Rebekah's brothers. things appear to be spoken to show the relatives of
Verse 3 1 Thou blessed of the Lord]
. Probably a Rebekah that his master's son was a proper match for
usual mode of wishing prosperity, as he that is blessed her for even in those primitive times there was re-
;

of the Lord is worthy of all respect for, enjoying the Di- ; gard had to the suitableness of station and rank in life,
vine favour, he is in possession of the sum of happiness, as well as of education, in order to render a match
a 147
 ; a 1

,4/^) jJia/ns servant repeats the GENESIS. conversation he had loith Rebekak

A. M. 2148. 4 1 y Then shall thou be clear Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah a.m. 2148.
—— '
1 from this my oath, when thou bare unto him : and I ^ put the ear- ~— '-

comest to my kindred ; and

they give not ring upon her face, and the bracelets upon
if

thee one, thou shalt be clear from my oath. her hands,

42 And I came this day unto the well, and 48 ^ And I bowed down my head, and wor
said, ^ O Lord God of my master Abraham, shipped the Lord ; and blessed the Lord
ifnow thou do prosper my way which I go God of my master ;
Abraham, which had led
43 ^Behold, I standby the well of water; me in the right way, to take ''my master's
and it shall come to pass, that when the virgin brother's daughter unto his son.
Cometh forth to draw water, and I say to her, 49 And now if ye will ^ deal kindly and
Give me, I pray thee, a little water of thy truly with my master, tell me ; and if not, tell

pitcher to drink me ; that I may turn to the right hand, or to

44 And she say to me. Both drink thou, and the left.

I will also draw for thy camels ; let the same 50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered and
be the woman whom the Lord hath appointed said, ^ The thing proceedeth from the Lord :

out for my master's son.speak unto thee bad or good. we cannot '

45 ''And before I had done speaking in 5 Behold, Rebekah ^ is before thee, take '^

mine heart, behold, Rebekah came forth, with her, and go, and let her be thy master's son's
her pitcher on her shoulder and she went wife, as the Lord hath spoken. ;

down unto the well, and drew water : and I 52 And it came to pass, that, when Abra-
said unto her, Let me drink, I pray thee. ham's servant heard their words, he wor- ^

46 And she made haste, and let down her shipped the Lord, bowing himself to the
pitcher from her shoulder, and said. Drink, earth.
and I will give thy camels drink also : so I 53 And the servant brought forth ™ jewels
drank, and she made the camels drink also. of silver, " and jewels of gold, and raiment,
47 And I asked her, and said. Whose daugh- and gave them to Rebekah he gave also to :

ter art thou ? And she said. The daughter of her brother and to her mother ° precious things.
yVer. 8. ^Ver. 12. »Ver. 13. •>
Ver. 15, &c. Matt. xxi. 42 ; Mark xii. 11. ' Chap. xxxi. 24. ^ Chap. xx.
« 1 Sam. i. 13. ^ Ezek. xvi. 11, 12. e Ver. 26. ' Chap.
15. • Ver. 26. '^ Heb. vessels. ° Exod. iii. 22 ; xi. 2 xii. ;

sxii. 23. s Chap, xlvii. 29 ; Josh. ii. 14. •>

Psa. c.wiii. 23 ; 35. " 2 Chron. xxi. 3 ; Ezra i. 6.

comfortable. Persons of dissimilar habits, as well as circumstantiallyrelated verses 12—14, and again
of dissimilar religious principles, are never likely to be 42—44, was mental, and heard only by that God to
very happy in a married life. Even the poor and the whom it was directed. It would have been improper
rich may better meet together in matrimonial alliances tohave used public prayer on the occasion, as his ser-
than the religious and the profane, the well-hred and vants could have felt no particular interest in the ac-

the vulgar. A
person may be unequally yoked in a complishment of his petitions, because they were not
great variety of ways : Bear ye one another''s burdens concerned in them, having none of the responsibility
is the command of God ;but where there is unsuitable- of this mission.
ness in the dispositions, education, mental capacity, &c., That I may turn to the right hand or to
Verse 49.
of the persons, then one side is obliged to bear the the left.] That is, That I may go elsewhere and seek
whole burden, and endless dissatisfaction is the result. a proper match for the son of my master. Some have
See at the end. imagined that Eliezer intimated by these expressions
Verse 42. O Lord God of my master^ As Abra- that if he did not succeed in obtaining Rebekah, he
ham was the friend of God, Eliezer makes use of this would go and seek for a wife either among the de-
to give weight and consequence to his petitions. scendants of Ishmael or the descendants of Lot. This
Verse 43. Wh^
the virgin] r\~h];!r\ haalmah, ixom interpretation is fanciful.

ul^ alam, to hide, ^over, or conceal ; a pure virgin, a Verse 50. Laban and Bethuel] These seem both
woman not uncoveri\l, and in this respect still concealed to be brothers, of whom Laban was the eldest and
from man. The tkme as nSinn bethulah, ver. 16, chief; for the opinion of Josephus appears to be very
which, from the exf lanation there given, incontestably correct, viz., that Bethuel, the father, had been some
means a virgin in the proper sense of the word — time dead. See ver. 28.
young woman, not that is covered or kept at home, the Bad or good.] We can neither speak for noi
common gloss, but who was not uncovered in the against ; it seems to be entirely the work of God,
delicate sense in which the Scripture uses this word. and we cordially submit : consult Rebekah if she be
;

See this interpretation vindicated on Isa. vii. 14. willing, take her and go. See ver. 58.

Verse 45. Before I had done speaking in mine Verse 53. Jewels of silver, and jewels of gold]

heart] So we find that the whole of this prayer, so The word ""Sd keley, which we here translate jewels
148
He departs vnth Rehekah. CHAP. XXIV. They are met by Isaac.

A. M. 2148. 54 And they did

eat and drink, 60 And they blessed Rebekah, a. m. 214a
~^ — '.

1 he and the men

were with him, and said unto her, Thou art our
that 1 —— '.

and tarried all night and they rose up in the sister, be thou ^the mother of thousands of
;

morning, and he said, p Send me away unto millions, and * let thy seed possess the gate
my master. of those which hate them.
55 And her brother and her mother said, 61 And Rebekah arose, and her damsels,
Let the damsel abide with us i a few days, at and they rode upon the camels, and followed
the least ten after that she shall go.
; the man and the servant took Rebekah, and :

56 And he said unto them, Hinder me not, went his way.

seeing the Lord hath prospered my way; 62 And Isaac came from the way* of the
send me away that I may go to my master. " well Lahai-roi ; for he dwelt in the south
57 And they said. We will call the damsel, country.
and inquire at her mouth. 63 And Isaac went out 'to meditate in the
58 And they called Rebekah, and said unto field at the ^ eventide : and he lifted up his
her, Wilt thou go with this man ? And she eyes, and saw, and behold, the camels were
said, I will go. coming.
59 And they sent away Rebekah their sister, 64 And Rebekah lifted up her eyes,
and "
her nurse, and Abraham's servant, and and when she saw Isaac, she hghted "^
off the
his men. camel.
P Ver. 56, 59. 1 Or, a full year, or, ten months ; Judg. xiv. 8. " Chap. xvi. 14 ; xxv. 11. ^ Or, to pray.- — '^Josh. i. 8 ; Psa.
Chap. XXXV. 8. « Chap. xvii. 16. ' Chap. xxii. 17. i. 2 ; Ixxvii. 12 ; cxix. 15 ; cxliii. 5.— -=^ Josh. XV. 18.

signifies properly vessels or instruments ; and those may adopt the Syriac or the Septuagint, as he judges
presented by Eliezer might have been of various kinds. best.
What he had given before, ver. 22, was in token of Verse 58. Wilt thou go with this man?] So it

respect, what he gave now appears to have been in appears it was left ultimately to the choice of Rebekah
the way of dowry. whether she would accept the proposals now made to
Precious things.] nJTJ?0 migdanoth. This word her, unlesswe suppose that the question meant. Wilt
is used to express exquisite fruits or delicacies, Deut. go immediately, or stay ivith us a month longer ?
thou
xxxiii. 13—16 precious plants or flowers, Cant. iv.
;
She said, I loill go.] It fully appears to be the will
16 vii. 13.
; But it may mean gifts in general, though of God that it should be so, and I consent. This at .

rather of an inferior kind to those mentioned above. once determined the whole business.
Verse 54. And they did eat and drink] When Verse 59. And her nurse] Whose name, we learn
Eliezer had got a favourable answer, then he and his from chap. xxxv. 8, was Deborah, and who, as a
servants sat down to meat this he had refused to do second mother, was deemed proper to accompany
;

till he had told his message, ver. 33.

Rebekah. This was a measure dictated by good
Verse 55. Let the damsel abide ivith us a few days, sense and prudence. Rebekah had other female at-
at the least ten] The original is very abrupt and ob- tendants. See ver. 61.
scure, because we are not acquainted with the precise
Verse 60. Be thou the mother of thousands of
meaning of the form of speech which is here used ;
millions] HD^I '37X7 lealphey rehabah, for thousands
"^WJ IX D'O'' yamim or asor days or ten, probably ten thousand, or for myriads of thousands, a large
meaning a year or ten months, as the margin reads
family being ever considered, in ancient times, as a
it, or a loeek or ten days. This latter is the most
proof of the peculiar blessing and favour of God.
likely sense, as there would be no propriety after
Similar addresses to a daughter, when she is going
having given their consent that she should go, in de-
from her father's house to live with her husband, are
taining her for a year or ten months. In matters of
very common among the Hindoos ; such as, " Be thou
simple phraseology, or in those which concern peculiar
the mother of a son," " Be thou the wife of a king,"
customs, the Septuagint translation, especially in the
&c. See Wai-d.
Pentateuch, where it is most accurate and pure, may
be considered a legitimate judge this translation ;
Verse 62. Isaac came] And
Concerning this well

renders the words 7//iepac iiaei 6eKa, about ten days.

see chap. xvi. 13, &c. As it appears from chap. xxv.
11, that Isaac dwelt at the weW Lahai-roi, it has been
Houbigant contends strongly that instead of the words
conjectured that he had now come on a visit to his
^Ity;;IX D'O' yamim o asor, days or ten, we should read
aged father at Beer-sheba, where he waited in expec-
O^O' lynn chodesh yamim, a month of days, i. e., a
tation of his bride.
full month; without which emendation he asserts,
locus explicari non possit, " the passage cannot be ex- For he divelt in the south country.] The southern
plained." This emendation is supported by the Syriac part of the land of Canaan. See chap. xii. 9.
Verse 63. Isaac went out to meditate] niB?7 lasu-
version, which reads here \*JOQ;-» CKj'pji yerach He
ach, to bend down the body, or the mind, or both.
yomm, a month of days, or a full month. The reader was probably in deep thought, vrith his eyes fixed upon
149
 ! :

Rebekah veils herself. GENESIS. •S^e becomes the wife of Isaac.

A. M. 2148. 65 For she had said unto the 66 And the servant told Isaac A.M. 21 48.
B. C. 1856. B. C. 1856
servant, What man is this that all things that he had done.
walketh in the field to meet us ? And 67 And Isaac brought her into his mother
the servant had said, It is my master ^ Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and she
therefore she took ^ a veil, and covered became his wife ; and he loved her : and
herself. Isaac ^ was comforted after his mother's death.

y Chap. X3f. 16 ; 1 Cor. xi. 1, 6, 10. «Chap. xviii. 6,9, 10. aChap. xxxviii. 12; 1 Thess. iv. 15.

the ground. What the subject of his meditation was whole economy of providence and grace is ever at
it is useless to inquirehe was a pious man, and could
; work.
not be trijlingly employed. Abraham's solicitude to get a suitable wife for his
Verse 65. She took a veil] f|';^:(n hatstsaaif. This son is worthy of the most serious regard. He was
is the first time this word occurs, and it is of doubtful well aware that if Isaac formed a matrimonial alliance
signification but most agree to render it a veil or a
; with the Canaanites it might be ruinous to his piety,
cloak. The former is the most likely, as it was gene- and prevent the dissemination of the true religion ;

rally used by women in the east as a sign of chastity, therefore he binds his most trusty servant by a solemn
modesty, and subjection. oath not to take a wife for his son from the daughters
Verse 67. Sarah''s tent] Sarah being dead, her of Canaan, but from his own kindred, among whom
tent became now appropriated to the use of Rebekah. the knowledge of the true God was best preserved.
And took Rebekah, 6fc.] After what/orw this was Others had different rays of the light of truth, but
done we are not told or whether there was any form
; Abraham's family alone had the truth ; and to the
used on the occasion, more than solemnly receiving descendants of this family were the promises made.
her as the person whom God had chosen to be his How careful should parents be to procure alliances
wife for it appears from ver. 66 that the servant
; for their children with those who fear God, as so
told him all the especial providential circumstances much of the peace and comfort of the children, and the
which had marked his journey. The primitive form happiness of their posterity, depend on this circum-
of marriage we have already seen, chap. ii. 23, 24, stance But alas how many sacrifice the comfort ! !

which, it is likely, as far as form was attended to, and salvation of their offspring at the shrine of Mam-
was that which was commonly used in all the pa- mon If they can procure rich husbands and wives !

triarchal times. for their daughters and sons, then all, in their appre-
hension, is well. Marriages of this kind may be con-
In this chapter we have an affecting and edifying sidered asmere bargain and sale ; for there is scarcely
display of that providence by which God disposes and ever any reference to God or eternity in them. The
governs the affairs of the universe, descending to the Divine institution of marriage is left out of sight ; and
minutest particulars, and managing the great whole by the persons are united, not properly to each other, in
directing and influencing all its parts. This particular the love, fear, and according to the ordinance of God,
or especial providence we see is not confined to work but they are wedded to so many thousand pounds ster-
by general laws ; it is wise and intelligent, for it is ling, and many
houses, fields, &c.
to so Thus like
Gcd it steps out of
the mind, the will, and energy of ;
goes to like, metal to metal, earth to earth.
Marriages
common ways, and takes particuUr directions, as end- formed on such principles are mere licensed adulteries.
lessly varied human necessities may need, or the Let such contractors hear these awful words of God
establishment and maintenance of godliness in the " Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not tliat the
earth may require. What a history of providential friendship of the world is enmity with God 1" James
occurrences, coming all in answer to the prayer and 4.
iv. See on ver. 36.
faith of a simple, humble individual, does this chapter Although under the patriarchal dispensation parents
exhibit had a kind of absolute authority over their children,
As Abraham's servant has God's glory only in view and might dispose of them as they pleased in general
in the errand on which he is going, he may well expect cases, yet it appears that in matrimonial connections
the Divine direction. See with what The suitable person
simplicity and they were under no compulsion.
confidence he prays to God ! He
even prescribes the was pointed out and recommended but it does not ;

way in which the Divine choice and approbation shall appear that children were forced, against the whole
be made known and God honours the purity of his tide of their affections, to take those persons who were
;

motives and his pious faith, by giving him precisely the the objects of the parent's choice. Wilt thou go ivith
answer he wished. How honourable in the sight of this man ? was, in all likelihood, deemed essential to
God is simplicity of heart It has nothing to fear, the completion of the contract
! and by the answer, I ;

and all good to hope for whereas a spirit warped by will go, was the contract fully ratified. Thus the per-
;

telf-interest and worldly views is always uncertain and sons were ultimately left to their own choice, though
agitated, as it is ever seeking that from its own coun- the most prudent and proper means were no doubt
sels, projects, and schemes^ which should be sought in used in order to direct and fix it. Whether this was
God alone. In every place the upright man meets precisely the plan followed in primitive times we can-
with his God ; his heart acknowledges his Maker, not absolutely say they were times of great simpli- :

ftnd his Maker acknowledges him for such a one the city ; and probably connections on the mere principle
;

150
 ;;

Abraham's posterity by CHAP. XXV. his second wife, Keturah.

of affection, independently of all other considerations, consult the experience and wisdom of the parents ; and
seldom existed. And it must be allowed that matches the parents should ever pay much respect to the feel-
formed on the sole principle of conveniency might as ings of the child, nor oppose an alliance which may
well be formed by the parents as by any others be in all other respects suitable, because there may be
And in Asiatic countries it was generally so, for a lack of property on one side of the intended match.
there the female seldom presumes to have a choice If parents would proceed in this way, God would pour
of her own. his blessing on their seed, and his Spirit upon their
In all .cases of this kind the child should invariably offspring.

CHAPTER XXV.
Aoraham marries Keturah, 1. Their issue, 2-4. Makes Isaac his heir, 5 but gives portions to the' sons ;

of his concubines, and sends them eastivard from Isaac, to find settlements, 6. Abraham's age, 7, and
death, 8. Is buried by his sons Isaac and Ishmael in the cave of Machpelah, 9, 10. God''s blessing upon
Isaac, 11. The generations of Ishmael, 12-16. His age, 17, and death, 18. Of the generations of
Isaac, 19, who was married in his fortieth year, 20. Rebekah hisivife being barren, on his prayer to God
she conceives, 21. She inquires of the Lord concerning her state, 22. The Lord^s answer, 23. She is
delivered of tioins, 24. Peculiarities in the birth of her sons Esau and Jacob, from which they had their
names, 25, 26. Their different manner of life, 27, 28. Esau, returning from the field faint, begs pottage
from his brother, 29, 30 Jacob refuses to grant him any but on condition of his selling him his birth-
right, 31. Esau, ready to die, parts luith his birthright to save his life, 32. Jacob causes him to confirm
the sale loith an oath, 33. He receives bread and pottage of lentiles, and departs, 34.
A. M. cir. 2154. 'PHEN
X aMin ^ Abraham took 2 And ^ she bare him Zimran, a. m. dr. 2155
B. C. cir. 1850. -r
a wile, and her
i i
name ivas and Jokshan, and Medan, and ~ —— '- '-

Keturah. " Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah.

» Chap, xxiii. 1, 2. 'J

1 Chron. i. 32, 33. <=
Chap, xxxvii. 28 Exod. ii. 15, 16 ; xviii. 1-4 ; Num. xxii. 4 ; Judg. vi., vii., viii.

NOTES ON CHAP. XXV. Sarah, A. M. 2145. Jonathan ben Uzziel and the
Verse 1 . Then again Abraham took a wife] When Targum both assert that Keturah was the
Jerusalem
Abraham took Keturah we are not informed ; it might same as Hagar. Some rabbins, and with them Dr.
have been Sarah ; and the
in the lifetime of original Hammond, are of the same opinion but both Hagar ;

•^D'l vaiyoseph, and he added, dfc, seems to give some and Keturah are so distinguished in the Scriptures, that
countenance to this opinion. Indeed it is not very the opinion seems destitute of probability.
likely that he had the children mentioned here after Verse 2. Zimran^ Stephanus Byzantinus mentions
the death of Sarah and from the circumstances of
; a city in Arabia Felix called Zadram, which some sup-
his age, feebleness, &c., at the birth of Isaac, it is pose to have been named from this son of Keturah ;

still more improbable. Even at that age, forty years but it is more likely, as Calmet observes, that all these
before the marriage of Isaac, the birth of his son is sons of Abraham resided in Arabia Dese7-ta; and Pliny,
considered as not less miraculous on his part than on Hist. Nat., 28, mentions a people in that
lib. vi., c.

the part of Sarah for the apostle expressly says, Rom.

; country called Zamarenians, who were probably the
.V. 19, that Abraham considered not his own body now descendants of this person.
DEAD, when he ivas about a hundred years old, nor the Jokshan] Several learned men have been of opi-
DEADNESS of SaraWs loomb ; hence we learn that they nion that this Jokshan was the same as Kachtan, the
were both past the procreation of children, insomuch father of the Arabs. The testimonies in favour of
that the birth of Isaac ever represented as super- is this opinion see in Dr. Hunt's Oration, De Antiquitate,
natural. It is therefore very improbable that he had &c., Linguce Arabicce, p. 4. Calmet supposes that
any child after the birth of Isaac and therefore we ; the Cataneans, who inhabited a part of Arabia Deserta,
may well suppose that Moses had related this transac- sprang from this Jokshan.
tion out of its chronological order, which is not unfre- Medan, and Midian] Probably those who peopled
quent in the sacred writings, when a variety of im- that part of Arabia Petrasa contiguous to the land of
portant facts relative to the accomplishment of some Moab eastward of the Dead Sea. St. Jerome terms
grand design are thought necessary to be produced in the people of this country Madin(eans ; and Ptolemy
a connected series. On this account intervening mat- mentions a people called Madianites, who dwelt in the
ters of a different complexion are referred to a future same place.
time. Perhaps we may be justifiedin reading the Ishbak] From this person Calmet supposes the
verse :
" And Abraham had added, and had taken a brook Jabbok, which has its source in the mountains of
wife (besides Hagar) whose name was Keturah," &c. Gilead, and falls into the sea of Tiberias, took its name.
The chronology margin dates this marriage with
in the Shuah.] Or Shuach. From this man the Sacceans,
Keturah A. M. 2154, nine years after the death of near to Batania, at the extremity of Arabia Deserta,
151
 Abraham gives portions to his sons. GENESIS. Age and death of Ahraham,

A. M. cir. 3 And Jokshan begat Sheba,

2180. Abraham had, Abraham gave a. m. eir. 2175.
'-
— : and Dedan. And the sons of
'.
gifts, and ^ sent them away from "
'^""

A. M. cir. 2200. Dedan were Asshurim, and Le- Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward,
B. C. cir. 1804. ^ , t , .

tushim, and Leummim. unto ^ the east country.

4 And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and 7 And these are the days of a. m. cir. 2183.
Epher, and Hanoch, and Abidah, and Eldaah. the years of Abraham's life — '-^ .'

All these were the children of Keturah. which he lived, a hundred threescore and
A. M. cir. 2175. 5 And ^ Abraham gave
° all that fifteen years.
B. C. cir. 1829. , , , ,
he had unto Isaac. 8 Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and
6 But unto the sons of the concubines, which ^died in a good old age, an old man, and full

^ Chap. xxiv. 36. « Chap. xxi. 14. f Judg. vi. 3. e Chap. xv. 15 ; xlix. 29.

towards Syria, are supposed to have sprung. Bildad they count their lives even by years, but by days, living
the Shuhite, one of Job's friends, is supposed to have as if they were the creatures only of a day having ;

def tended from this son of Abraham. no more time than they can with any propriety call
Verses. Sheba] From whom sprang the Sabeans, their own, and living that day in reference to eternity.
who robbed Job of his cattle. See Bochart and Calmet. Verse 8. Then Abraham gave up the ghost] Highly
Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim. ] We know as I value our translation for general accuracy, fidelity,
not who these were, but as each name is plural they and elegance, I must beg leave to dissent from this
must have been tribes ot families, and not individuals. version. The original word;;U'' yigva, from the root
Onkelos interprets these words of persons dwelling in J^U gava, signifies to pant for breath, to expire, to cease
camps, tents,zxiA. islands; and Jonathan ben Uzziel calls from breathing, or to breathe one^s last; and here,
i\iem.merchants, artificers, and heads or chiefs of people. and wherever the original word is used, the simple
Verse 4. Ephah, and Epher, (^c] Of these we know term expired would be the proper expression. In our
no more than of the preceding an abundance of con- ; translation this expression occurs Gen. xxv. 8, 17;
jectures is already furnished by the commentators. XXXV. 29 xlix. 33 .Tob iii. 11 x. 18
; ; xi. 20 xiii. ; ; ;

Verse 5. Gave all that he had unto Isaac.] His prin- 19 xiv. 10 Lam. i. 19 in all of which places the
; ; ;

cipal flocks, and especially his right to the land of Ca- original is _inj gava. It occurs also in our translation,
naan, including a confirmation to him and his posterity Jer. XV. 9, but there the original is HB'DJ nni33 naphe-
of whatever was contained in the promises of God. cah naphshah, she breathed out her soul; the verb ^U
Verse G. Unto the sons of the concubines] Viz., gava not being used. Now as our English word ghost,
Hagar and Keturah, Abraham gave gifts. Cattle for from the Anglo-Saxon gars gast, an inmate, inhabitant,
breed, seed to sow the land, and implements for hus- guest, (a casual visitant,) also a spirit, is now restricted
bandry, may be what is here intended. among us to the latter meaning, always signifying the
And sent them away while he yet lived] Lest after— immortal spirit or soul of man, the guest of the body ;

his death they should dispute a settlement in the Land and as giving up the spirit, ghost, or soul, is an act not
of Promise with Isaac therefore he very prudently ; proper to man, though commending it to God, in our
sent them to procure settlements during his lifetime, last moments, is both an act of faith and piety and ;

that they might be under no temptation to dispute the ^s giving up the ghost, i. e., dismissing his spirit from
settlement with Isaac in Canaan. From this circum- his body, is attributed to Jesus Christ, to whom alone
stance arose that law which has prevailed in almost it is proper, I therefore object against its use in every
all countries, of giving the estates to the eldest son by other case.
a lawful wife for though concubines, or wives of the
; Every man since the fall has not only been liable to
second rank, were perfectly legitimate in those ancient death, but has deserved all have forfeited their
it, as
times, yet their children did not inherit, except in case lives because of sin. Jesus Christ, as born immacu-
of the failure of legal issue, and with the consent of late, and having never sinned, had not forfeited his life,
the lawful wife and it is very properly observed by
; and therefore may be considered as naturally and pro-
Calmet, that it was in consequence of the consent of
Leah and Rachel that the children of their slaves by from me, but I lay it down of myself ; I have power
perly immortal. No man, says he, taketh it my life, —
Jacob had a common and equal lot with the rest. By to lay it down, and I have power to take it again: there-
a law of Solon all natural children were excluded from fore doth the Father love me, because I lay down my
the paternal inheritance, but their fathers were per- life that I might take it agai7i, John x. 17, 18. Hence
mitted to give them any sum not beyond a thousand we rightly translate Matt, xxvii. 50, a<j>7}Ke to nvevfia,
drachma by way oi present. he gave up the ghost ; i. e., he dismissed his spirit
Eastward, unto the east country.] Arabia Deserta, that he might die for the sin of the ivorld. The Evan-
which was eastward of Beer-sheba, where Abraham gelist St. John, xix. 30, makes use of an expression
lived. to the same import, which we translate in the same
Verse 7. The days of the years, ^c] There is a way, TcapeduKE to nvevfia, he delivered up his spirit.
Deauty in this expression which is not sufficiently re- We translate Mark xv. 37, and Luke xxiii. 46, he
garded. Good men donot live by centuries, though gave up the ghost, but not correctly, because the word
many such have lived several hundred years, nor do in both these places is very different, e^envevae, h»
153
 — — — ;

Isaac and Ishmael bury Abraham CHAP. XXV in the cave of MachpelaJt.

A. M. cir. 2183. of veoj's : and ^ was gathered

° him in the cave of Machpelah, in a. m. cir. 2183.
B. C. cir. 1821. -^ ^ , , .1 r r -m 1 ^1 1 1
B. C. cir. 1821.
to his people. the held 01 Lpliron the son of
9 And '
his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried Zohar the Hittite, which is before Mamre
^ Chap. XXXV. 29 ; xlix. 33. > Chap. xxxv. 29 ; 1. 13.

breathed his last, or expired, though in the latter place Et nec mors ad caput astitit ante,
opinanti
(Luke xxiii. 46) there is an equivalent expression, O Quam satur, ac plenus possis discedere rerura.
Father, into thy hands Traparidefiai to '^rvevfia fiov, I lb. ver. 972.
commit my spirit, i. e., I place my soul in thy hand; And unexpected hasty death destroys,
proving that the act was his oivn, that no man could
Before thy greedy mind is full of jovs. Idem.
take his life away from him, that he did not die hy the
Horace makes use of the same figure :— -
perfidy of his disciple, or the malice of the Jews, but
by his own free act. Thus he laid down his life for Inde fit, ut raro, qui se vixisse beatum
the sheep. Of Ananias and Sapphira, Acts v. 5, 10, Dicat, et exacto contentus tempore vitae
and of Herod, Acts xii. 23, our translation says they Cedat, ut conviva satur, reperire queamus.
gave up the ghost ; but the word in both places is Sat. 1. i. Sat. i. ver. 117.
E^eipv^e, which simply means to breathe out, to expire,
From hence how few, like sated guests, depart
or die; but in no case, either by the Septuagint in the
From life's full banquet with a cheerful heart ?
Old or any of the sacred writers in the Neiv Testa-
Francis.
ment, is a(j)riKe to Trvevfia or TzapeduKe to nvtv/ia, he
dismissed his spirit or delivered up his spirit, spoken The same image is expressed with strong ridicule
of any person but Christ. Abraham, Isaac, Ishmael, in his last Epistle —
Jacob, &c., breathed their last ; Ananias, Sapphira, Lusisti satis, edisti satis, atque bibisti ;

and Herod expired; but none, Jesus Christ excepted, Tempus abire
ver. 216. tibi est. Epist. 1. ii.,
gave up the ghost, dismissed, or delivered up his own
Thou hast eaten, drunk, and play'd enough then why
spirit, and was consequently yree among the dead. Of ;

So stark rftluctant to leave off, and die ]

the patriarchs, &c., the Septuagint uses the word eK^ei-
TTuv, failing, or KareTravae, he ceased or rested. The poet Statius uses abire paratum, plenum vita,
An old maw] Viz., one hundred and seventy-five, " prepared to depart, being full of life," in exactly
the youngest of aU the patriarchs and full of years. the same sense
;
:

The word years is not in the text but as our trans- Dubio quem non in turbine rerura
;

lators saw that some word was necessary to fill up the

Deprcndet suprema dies sed abire paratum, ;

text, they added this in Italics. It is probable that the Ac plenum vita.
true word is CD'^D"' yamim, days, as in Gen. xxxv. 29 ;
Sylv. 1. ii.. Villa Surrentina, ver. 188.
and found in several of KennicotVs and
this reading is
De Rossi's MSS., in the Samaritan text, Septuagint, The man whose mighty soul is not immersed
In dubious whirl of secular concerns.
Vulgate, Syriac, Ai-abic, Persic, and Chaldee. On these
His final hour ne'er takes him by surprise.
authorities it might be safely admitted into the text.
Being full of days, or full of years. To be satiated — But, full of life, he stands prepared to die.

with days or life, has been in use among different na- was the opinion of Aristotle that a man should
It
tions to express the termination of life, and especially departfrom life as he should rise from a banquet.
life ended ivithout reluctance. It seems to be a meta- Thus Abraham died full of days, and satisfied toith
phor taken from a guest regaled by a plentiful banquet, life, but in a widely different spirit from that recom-
and is thus used by the Roman poets. _ mended by the above writers he left life with a hope
Lucretius, lib. iii., ver. 947, ridiculing those who full of immortality , which they could never boast ; for
were unreasonably attached to life, and grievously af- he saw the day of Christ, and ivas glad ; and his hope
flicted at the prospect of death, addresses them in the was crowned, for here it is expressly said. He loas
following manner : gathered to his fathers ; surely not to the bodies of his
sleeping ancestors, who were buried in Chaldea and
Quid mortem congemis, ac fles T
not in Canaan, nor with his fathers in any sense, for
Nam si grata fuit tibi vita anteacta, priorque,
he was deposited in the cave where his wife alone
Et non omnia pertusum congesta quasi in vas
slept but he was gathered to the spirits of just men
;

Commoda perfluxere, atque ingrata interiere :

made perfect, and to the Church of the first-born, xvhose

Cur non, ut plenhs vit^ conviva, recedis ?
names are ivritten in heaven; Heb. xii. 23.
Fond mortal, what's the matter, thou dost sigh 1 Verse 9. His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him]
Why all these fears because thou once must die 1 Though Ishmael and his mother had been expelled from
For if the race thou hast already run Abraham's family on the account of Isaac, yet, as he
Was pleasant, if with joy thou saw'st the sun, was under the same obligation to a most loving affec-
If all thy pleasures did not pass thy mind tionate father as his brother Isaac, if any personal feuds
As through a sieve, but left some sweets behind. remained, they agreed to bury them on this occasion,
Why dost thou not then, like a thankful guest, that both might dutifully join in doing the last offices
Rise cheerfully from life's abundant feast ? to a parent who was an honour to them and to human
Creech. nature and, considering the rejection of Ishmael from
:

153
 1 : 8

God blesses Isaac. GENESIS. Tlie genej-ations of Ishmael.

A. M. cir. 2183. 10 The field which Abraham

"^
1 5 P Hadar, and Tema, Jetur, a. m. cir. 2183.
B. C. cir. 1821.
purchased of the sons of Heth Naphish, and Kedemah : I
:
'.

!J
.'

^ there was Abraham buried, and Sarah his 6 These are the sons of Ishmael, and these
1

wife. are their names, by their towns, and by their

1 And it came to pass after the death of castles ; ^ twelve princes according to their
Abraham, that God blessed his son Isaac ;
nations.
and Isaac dwelt by the "» well Lahai-roi. 17 And these are the years of a. m. 2231

12 Now these are the generations of Ish- the life of Ishmael, a hundred and —1 — '.

mael, Abraham's son, " whom Hagar

Egyp- thirty and seven years and he gave up the
the :
*"

tian, Sarah's handmaid, bare unto Abraham ghost and died and was gathered unto his ;

1 3 And ° these are the names of the sons people.

of Ishmael, by their names, according to their 1 ^ And they dwelt from Havilah unto Shur,

generations the first-born of Ishmael, Neba- that is before Egypt, as thou goest toward
;

joth and Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam,

; Assyria and he died ^ in the presence of :
*

14 And Mishma, and Duma, and Massa, all his brethren.

''Chap, xxiii. 16. 'Chap. xlix. 31. ™ Chap. xvi. 14; 1 Chron. i. 30. 1 Chap. xvii. 20. f Ver. 8. « j gam. xv.
xxiv. 62. " Ch. xvi. 15. " 1 Chron. i. 29. P Or, Hadad ; 7. ^Heh. fell; Psa. Ixxviii. 64. "Chap. xv. 12.

the inheritance, this transaction shows his character in the Stoics, Avexov koi mrexov, " Sustain and abstain,''*
an amiable point of view ; for though he was a wild issupposed to be the spirit of the original words.
-man, (see chap. xvi. 12,) yet this appellation appears Verse 15. Hada?-] This name should be read Hadad
to be more characteristic of his habits of life than of as in 1 Chron. i. 30. This reading is supported by
his disposition. more than three hundred MSS., versions, and printed
For the character of Abraham See ver. 18.
see the conclusion editions.
of this chapter. Tema] Supposed to be a place in Arabia Deserta,
Verse 1 1 God Messed his son Isaac] The peculiar the same of which Job speaks, chap. vi. 19.
.

blessings and influences by which Abraham had been Jetur] From whom came the Itureans, who occu-
distinguished now rested upon Isaac but how little do pied a small tract of country beyond Jordan, which
;

we hear in him of the work of faith, the patience of was afterwards possessed by the half- tribe of Manasseh.
hope, and the labour of love Only one Abraham and ! Naphish] These are evidently the same people
one Christ ever appeared among men there have been mentioned 1 Chron. v. 19, who, with the Itureans and
;

some successful imitators, there should have been many. the people of Nadab, assisted the Hagarenes against
Verse 12. These are the generations of Ishmael] the Israelites, but were overcome by the two tribes of
The object of the inspired writer seems to be to show Reuben and Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh.
how the promises of God were fulfilled to both the Kedemah] Probably the descendants of this person
branches of Abraham's family. Isaac has been already dwelt at Kedemoth, a place mentioned Deut. ii. 26. 1
referred to ; God blessed him according to the promise. wish the reader to observe, that concerning those an-
He had also promised to multiply Ishmael, and an ac- cient tribes mentioned here or elsewhere in the Penta-
count of his generation is introduced to show how ex- teuch little is known nor of their places of settlement
;

actly the promise had also been fulfilled to him. have we more certain information. On this subject
Verse 13. Nebajoth] From whom came the Naba- many learned men have toiled hard with but little fruit

theans, whose capital was Petra, or, according to Strabo, of their labour. Those who wish to enter into dis-
Nabathea. They dwelt in Arabia Petraea, and ex- cussions of this nature must consult Bocharfs Geo-
tended themselves on the east towards Arabia Deserta. graphia Sacra, Calmet, &c.
Kedar] The founder of the Cedreans, who dwelt Verse 16. These are names] By which their
their
near to the Nabatheans. The descendants of Kedar descendants were called. Their towns places of en- —
form a part of the Saracens. campment in the wilderness, such as have been used
Adbeel, and Milsam] Where these were situated by the Arabs from the remotest times. Their castles,
is not known. ni'ta tirotham, their totvers, probably mountain tops,
Verse 14. Mishma, and Dumah, and Massa] Where fortified rocks, and fastnesses of various kinds in woods
the first and last of these settled is not known but it ; and hilly countries.
is probablf that Dumah gave his name to a place called Verse 18. They divelt from Havilah unto Shur]
Dumah in Arabia. See a prophecy concerning this The descendants of Ishmael possessed all that country
place, Isa. xxi. 11, from which we find that it was in which extends from east to west, from Havilah on the
the vicinity of Mount Seir. Euphrates, near its junction with the Tigris, to the de-
These three names have passed into a proverb among sert of Shiir eastward of Egypt and which extends ;

the Hebrews, because of their signification. J^Dt^D along the isthmus of Suez, which separates the Red
mishma signifies hearing; DOn dumah, silence; and Sea from the Mediterranean.
iWn massa, patience. Hence, " Hear much, say little, As thou goest toward Assyria] " These words," says
and bear much," tantamount to the famous maxim of Calmet, " may refer either to E^ypt, to Shur, or to
154 a
 ; : —

Isaac entreats for Rehekah, CHAP. XXV. Conception of Esau and Jacob.

A. M. 2108. 19 And these are the genera- ivas barren : y and the Lord was a. M. cir. 2157.
B. C. 1896.
tions of Isaac, Abraham's son entreated of him, and ^ Rebekah — '
— ' '-

Abraham begat Isaac his wife conceived.

M. 2148. 20 And Isaac was forty years 22 And the struggled A. M.2168.
A.
B. C. 1856.
old when he took Rebekah to wife,
,
together within her
, 1
children
;
11-1
and she said,
B. C. 1836.

^ the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian, of If it he so, why am I thus ? ^ And she went
Padan-aram, ""
the sister to Laban the Syrian. to inquire of the Lord.
A. M. cir. 2167. 2 1 And Isaac entreated the 23 And the Lord said unto her, ^ Two na-
—
B. C. cir. 1837. ,
Lord r i
•
-r
lor his wiie, because she tions are in thy womb, and two manner of
t_ i,

''Matt. i. 2. ^'Chapter xxii. 23. '^

Chapter xxiv. 29. ^Rom. ix. 10. al Samuel ix. 9 ; x. 22. ^ Chap. xvii. 16;
r\ Chron. v. 20 ; 2 Chron. xxxiii. 13 ; Ezra. viii. 23. xxiv. 60.

Havilah. The desert of Shur is on the road from On the subject of writing the same proper name
Egypt Assyria in traversing Arabia Petraea, and in
to variously in our common Bibles, the following ob-
passing by the country of Havilah. I know not," adds servations and tables will not be unacceptable to the
he, " whether Ashshurah in the text may not mark out reader.
rather the Asshurim descended from Keturah, than " Men
who have read their Bible with care," says
the Assyrians, who were the descendants of Asshur Dr. Kennicott, " must have remarked that the name
the son of Shem.''^ of the same person is often expressed differently in
He died in the presence of all his brethren.] The different places. Indeed the variation is sometimes so
original will not well bear this translation. In ver. great that we can scarcely persuade ourselves that
17 it is said, He gave up the ghost and died, and tvas one and the same person is really meant. A uniform
gathered to his people. Then follows the account of expression of proper names is diligently attended to in
the district occupied by the Ishmaelites, at the con- other books perhaps in every other book, except the
:

clusion of which it is added, bsj vnx 12 'JD h^ al peney Old Testament. But here we find strange variety in
col echaiv naphal, " It (the lot or district) fell (or was the expression, and consequently great confusion and :

divided to him) in the presence of all his brethren :" indeed there is scarcely any one general source of
and this was exactly agreeable to the promise of God, which calls for more careful correction than the
error
same proper names now wrongly expressed. I shall
chap. xvi. 12, He shall divell in the presence of all his
brethren; and to show that this promise had been add here, from the Pentateuch, some proper names
strictly fulfilled, it is here remarked that his lot or which are strangely varied first, tiventy-three names :

inheritance was assigned him by Divine Providence, expressed differently in the Hebrew text itself, and
contiguous to that of the other branches of the family. seventeen of them in our English translation and then ;

The same word, SbJ naphal, is used Josh, xxiii. 4, for thirty-one names expressed uniformly in the Hebrew
to divide by lot. yet differently in the English.
Tiie siiJjjcclwu of Esau GENESIS to Jacob foretold.

A. M. 2168. people shall be separated from thy stronger than the other people ; and a. m. 2168.
B. C. 1836 - - _ _ _

bowels ; and <=

the one people shall be ^ the elder shall serve the younger. "

2 Sam. viii. 14. d Chap, xxvii. 29 ; Mai. i. 3 ; Rom. ix. 12.

 The time of the birth CHAP. XXV. of Esau and Jacobi

A. M. 2168. 24 And when her days to hold, there were twins in her A. M. 2168.
B. C. 1836. 1 B. C. 1836.
be delivered were fulfilled, be- womb.
might have a son." God was pleased to exercise the " for some time the family of Esau was the more pow-
faith of Isaac previous to the birth of Jacob, as he had erful of the two, there having been dukes and kings
exercised that of Abraham previous to his own birth. in Edom
was any king in Israel but Da- before there ;

Verse 22. vid and his captains made an entire conquest of the
The children struggled togetherl IV^i^in"'
yithrotsatsu, they dashed against or bruised each other, Edomites, slew several thousands of them, and com-
there was a violent agitation, so that the mother was pelled the rest to become tributaries, and planted gar-
apprehensive both of her own and her children's safe- risons among them to secure their obedience. In this
ty and, supposing this was an uncommon case, she state of servitude they continued about one hundred and
;

went to inquire of the Lord, as the good women in the fifty years, without a king of their own, being govern-
present day v/ould go to consult a surgeon or physi- ed by deputies or viceroys appointed by the kings of
cian ; for intercourse with God is not so common 7iow, Judah but in the days of Jehoram they revolted, re-
;

as itwas in those times of great primitive simplicity. covered their liberties, and set up a king of their own.
There are different opinions concerning the manner in Afterwards Amaziah, king of Judah, gave them a to-
which Rebekah inquired of the Lord. Some think it tal overthrow in the valley of Salt and Azariah took ;

was hy faith and prayer simply others, that she went Elath, a commodious harbour on the Red Sea, from
;

to Shem or Melchizedek ; but Shem is supposed to them. Judas Maccabeus also attacked and defeated them
have been dead ten years before this time but as with a loss of more than twenty thousand at two dif-
;

Abraham was yet alive, she might have gone to him, ferent times, and took their chief city Hebron. At last
and consulted the Lord through his means. It is most Hyrcanus his nephew took other cities from them, and
likely that a prophet or priest was applied to on this reduced them to the necessity of leaving their country
occasion. It appears she was in considerable perplex- or embracing the Jewish religion on which they sub- ;

ity, hence that imperfect speech. If so, why am I thus ? mitted to be circumcised, and become proselytes to the
the simple meaning of which is probably this If I Jewish religion, and were ever afterwards incorporated
;

must suffer such things, why did I ever wish to have into the Jewish Church and nation."
a child ? A speech not uncommon to mothers in their The elder shall serve the younger -I " This passage,"
first pregnancy. says Dr. Dodd, " serves for a key to explain the ninth
Verse 23. Tivo nations are in thy womh] "We chapter of the Epistle to the Romans, where the words
have," says Bishop Newton, " in the prophecies de- are quoted for it proves to a demonstration that this ;

livered respecting tlie sons of Isaac, ample proof that cannot be meant of God's arbitrary predestination of
these prophecies were not meant so much of single particular persons to eternal happiness or misery, with-
persons as of whole nations descended from them for out any regard to their merit or demerit
; a doctrine —
what was predicted concerning Esau and Jacob was which some have most impiously fathered on God, who
not verified in themselves, but in their posterity. The is the best of beings, and who cannot possibly hate,
Edomites were the offspring of Esau, the Israelites far less absolutely doom to misery, any creature that
were of Jacob ; and who but the Author and Giver of he has made : but that it means only his bestowing
life could foresee that two children in the ivo7nh would if you please, higher op-
greater external favours, or,
multiply into two nations ? Jacob had twelve sons, and knowing and doing their duty, upon some
portunities for
their descendants were all united and incorporated into men, than he does upon others and that merely ac- ;

one nation and what an overruling providence was it

; cording to his own wise purpose, without any regard
that two nations should arise from the two sons only to their merits or demerits, as having a right to confer
of Isaac and that they should be two such different
! greater or smaller degrees or perfection on whom he
nations The Edomites and Israelites have been frem
! pleases."
the beginning two such different people in their man- The doctrine of unconditional predestination to eter-
ners, customs, and religion, as to be at perpetual va- nal life and eternal death cannot be supported by the
riance among themselves. The children struggled to- example of God's dealings with Esau and Jacob, or
gether in the ivomb, which was an omen of their future with the Edomites and Israelites. After long repro-
disagreement and when they grew up to manhood,
; bation the Edomitesweie incorporated among the Jews,
they manifested very different inclinations. Esau was and have ever since been undistinguishable members
a cunning hunter, and delighted in the sports of the in the Jewish Church. The Jews, on the contrary,
field Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents mind-
; — the elect of God, have been cut off and reprobated,
ing his sheep and his cattle. The religion of the Jews and continue so to this day. If a time should ever
is well known ; but whatever the Edomites were at come when the Jews shall all believe in Christ Jesus,
process of time they became idolaters.
first, in When which is a general opinion, then the Edomites, which
Amaziah king of Judah overthrew them, he brought are now absorbed among them, shall also become the
their gods, and set them up to be his gods. The king elect. And even now Isaac finds both his children
of Edom having refused a passage to the Israelites within the pale of the Jewish Church, equally entitled
through his territories on their return from Egypt,, the to the promises of salvation by Christ Jesus, of whom he
history of the Edomites afterwards is little more than was the most expressive and the most illustrious type.
the history of their wars with the Jews. See the account of Abraham's offering, chap. xxii.
The one people shall be stronger than the other Verse 24. There were tows] DOin iAomtVn, from
people] The same author continues to observe, that which comes Thomas, properly interpreted by the word
157
 — ;;

Characters of Esau and Jacob. (jENESIS. Esau returns faint Jrom tlie field

A. M. 2168. 25 And the first came out red, 29 And Jacob sod pottage : a. M. cir. 2199.
B. C. 1836.
all over like a hairy garment J -P,
and Esau came from the
r 1 r ^^
field,
B. C. cir. 1805.

and they called his name Esau. and he was faint.

26 And after that came his brother out, and 30 And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I
' hand took hold on Esau's heel and ^ his pray thee,
his ; ° with that same red pottage ; for
name was called Jacob and Isaac was three- I am faint
: : therefore was his name called
score years old when she bare them. p Edom.
27 And the boys grew and Esau was ^ a : 31 And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy
cunning hunter, a man of the field and Jacob ; birthright.
was a plain man, ^ dwelling in tents.
'
32 And Esau said, Behold, \ am i at the
28 And Isaac loved Esau, because he did ^
point to die ; and what profit shall this birth-
"* eat of his venison ^ but Rebekah loved : right do to me ?

Jacob. 33 And Jacob said. Swear to me this day;

eChap. xxvii. 11, 16, 23.- — f Hos. xii. 3. % Chap, xxvii. ' Heb. venison was in his mouth. Chap, xxvii. 19, 25, 31.
""

36. h Chap. x.\vii.

3, 5. '
Job i. 1, 8 ; ii. 3 ; Psa. xxxvii. 37. ° Chap, xxvii. 6. " Heb. with that red, with that red pottaga
k Heb. xi. 9. P That is, red. 1 Heb. going to die.

Aidvfio^, Didymus, which signifies a twin; so the first divided, and the house set in opposition to itself. The
person who was called Thomas or Didymus, we may fruitsof this unreasonable and foolish attachment were
take for granted, had this name from the circumstance afterwards seen in a long catalogue of both natural and
of his being a twin. moral evils among the descendants of both families.
Verse 25. Red, all over like a hairy garment^ This Verse 29. Sod pottage] TIJ TT yazed nazid, he
simply means that he was covered all over with red boiled a boiling and this we are informed, ver. 34,
;

hair or down
and that this must be intended here is
; was of D'"kyn^ adashim, what the Septuagint render (pa-
sufficiently evident from another part of his history, Koc, and we, following them and the Vulgate lens, trans-
where Rebekah, in order to make her favourite son late a sort of pulse.
lentiles, Dr. Shaw casts some
Jacob pass for his brother Esau, was obliged to take light on this passage, speakino- of the inhabitants of
the skins of kids, and put them upon his hands and on Barbary. " Beans, lentiles, kidney beans, and gar-
the smooth part of his neck. vancos^'' says he, " are the chiefest of their pulse kind :

They called his name Esau.^ It is difficult to assign beans, when boiled and stewed with oil and garlic, are
the proper meaning of the original Vw^J.' esau or esav the principal food of persons of all distinctions ; len-
if we derive it from nt^i' asah it must signify made, same manner with beans, dis- tiles are dressed in the
performed, and, according to some, perfected ; VamA solving easily into a mass, and making a pottage of a
esa in Arabic signifies to make firm or hard, and also chocolate colour. This we find was the red pottage
to come to mail's estate, to grow old. Probably he which Esau, from thence called Edom, exchanged for
had this name from his appearing to be more perfect, his birthright.'''' Shaiv^s Travels, p. 140, 4to. edit.
robust, &c., than his brother. Verse 30. /am faint] It appears from the whole
Verse 26. His name was called Jacob] :}p;,»' Yaacob, of this transaction, that Esau was so completely ex-
from 2p>' aJiab, to defraud, deceive, to supplant, i. e., hausted by fatigue that he must have perished had he
to overthrow a person by tripping up his heels. Hence not obtained some immediate refreshment. He had
this name was given to Jacob, because it was found been either hunting or labouring in the field, and was
he had on his brother's heel, which was em-
laid hold now returning for the purpose of getting some food, but
blematical of his supplanting Esau, and defrauding him had been so exhausted that his strength utterly failed
of his birthright. before he had time to make the necessary preparations.
Verse 27. A man of the field] r\'^'^ iy"N ish sadeh, Verse 31. Sell me this day thy birthright.] What
one who supported himself and family by hunting and the n"1D3 bechorah or birthright was, has greatly divided
by agriculture. both ancient and modern commentators. It is gene-
Jacob was a plain man] DH ly'X ish tam, a perfect rally supposed that the following rights were attached
or upright man ; divclling in tents — subsisting by breed- to the primogeniture 1. Authority and superiority
:

ing and tending cattle, which was considered in those over the rest of the family. 2. A double portion of
early times the most perfect employment and in this the paternal inheritance. 3. The peculiar benediction
;

sense the word DH iam, should be here understood, as of the father. 4. The priesthood, previous to its
in its 7no}-al meaning it certainly could not be applied establishment in the family of Aaron. Calmel contro-
to Jacob till after his name was changed, after which verts most of these rights, and with apparent reason,
time only his character stands fair and unblemished. and seems to think that the double portion of the pa-
See chap, xxxii. 26-30. ternal inheritance was the only incontestable right
Verse 28. Isaac loved Esau —
but Rebekah loved which the first-born possessed the others were such ;

Jacob.] This is an early proof of unwarrantable pa- as were rather conceded to the first-born, than fixed by
rental attachment to one child in preference to another. any law in the family. However this may be, it ap-
Isaac loved Esau, and Rebekah loved Jacob ; and in pears, 1. That the first-born were peculiarly conse-
consequence of this the interests of the family were crated to God, Exod. xxii. 29. 2 Were next in
158
 — ;

Esau sells his birthright for CHAP. XXV. bread and pottage of Untiles.

A. M. cir. 2199. and he sware unto him : and ^ he of lentiles and * he did eat and
;
A. M. cir. 2199.
J . ,
1 , , . B. C. cir. 1805.
J ;
'.
'.
sold liis birthright unto Jacob. arink, and rose up, and went his
34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage way : thus Esau despised his birthright.

"Heb. xii. 16. sEccles. viii. 15 : Isa. xxii. 13 ; 1 Cor. xv. 32.

honour to their parents, Gen. xlix. 3. 3. Had a double refused to accept even the spoils he had taken from
portion of their father's goods, Deut. xxi. 17. 4. Suc- the enemy whom his skill and valour had vanquished.
ceeded him in the government of the. family or king- At the same time he considers the excellency of the
dom, 2 Chron. xxi. 3. 5. Had the sole right of con- power to be of God, and acknowledges this by giving
ducting the service of God, both at the tabernacle and to him the tenth of those spoils of which "he would
temple and hence the tribe of Levi, which was taken
; reserve nothing for his private use. His obedience to
in lieu of the first-born, had the sole right of adminis- God, in offering up his son Isaac, we have already
tration in the service of God, Num. viii. 14-18 and ; seen and admired together with the generosity of his
;

hence we may presume, had originally a right to the temper, and that respectful decency of conduct towards
priesthood previous to the giving of the law but how- ; superiors and inferiors for which he was so peculiarly
ever this might have been, afterwards the priesthood is remarkable see on chap, xxiii. -Without disputing
;

never reckoned among the privileges of the first-born. with his Maker, or doubting in his heart, he credited
That the birthright was a matter of very great every thing that God had spoken hence he ahoays ;

importance, there can be no room to doubt and that ; walked in a plain loay. The authority of God was
it was a transferable property, the transaction here always sufficient for Abraham he did not weary him-
;

sufficiently proves. self to find reasons for conduct which he any line of
Verse 34. Pottage of lentiles] See on ver. 29. knew God had duty to obey
prescribed ; it was his ;

Thus Esau despised his birthright.] On this ac- the success and the event he left with God. His
count the apostle, Heb. xii. 16, calls Esau a profane obedience was as prompt as it was complete. As soon
person, because he had, by this act, alienated from as he hears the voice of God, he girds himself to his
himself and family those spiritual offices connected work! Not a moment is lost! How rare is such
with the rights of primogeniture. While we condemn conduct But should not ice do likewise ? The pre-
!

Esau for this bad action, (for he should rather have sent moment and its duties are ours every past mo- ;

perished than have alienated this right,) and while we ment was once present every future will be present ;

consider it as a proof that his mind was little affected and, while we are thinking on the subject, the present
with Divine or spiritual things, what shall we say of is is made up of the past and the present.
past, for life
his most unnatural brother Jacob, who refused to let Are our past moments the cause of deep regret and
him have a morsel of food to preserve him from death, humiliation ? Then let us use the present so as not
unless he gave him up his birthright ? Surely he who to increase this lamentable cause of our distresses.
bought it, in such circumstances, was as bad as he who In other words, let us now believe — — love obey. Re-
sold it. Thus Jacob verified his right to the name of gardless of all consequences, let us, like Abraham,
supplanter, a name which in its first imposition appears follow the directions of God's ivord, and the openings
to have had no other object in view than the circum- of his providence, and leave all events to Him who
stance of his catching his brother by the heel ; but all doth all things ivelL
his subsequent conduct proved that it was truly de- See to what a state of moral excellence the grace
scriptive of the qualities of his mind, as his
whole life, of God can exalt a character, when there is simple,
till the time his name was changed, (and then he had and prompt obedience
implicit faith, Abraham walked !

a change of nature,) was a tissue of cunningTind de- before God, and Abraham ivas perfect. Perhaps no
ce^jtion, the principles of which had been very early human being ever exhibited a fairer, fuller portrait of
instilled into him by a mother whose regard for trutli the perfect man than Abraham. The more I consider
and righteousness appears to have been very superfi- the character of this most amiable patriarch, the more
cial. See on chap, xxvii. I think the saying of Calmet justifiable " In the life :

epitome of the
of Abraham," says he, " we find an
The death of Abraham, recorded in this chapter, whole laiv of nature, of the loritten law, and of the
naturally calls to mind the virtues and excellences of Gospel of Christ. He has manifested in his own
this extraordinary man. His obedience to the call of person those virtues, for which reason and philosophy
God, and faith in his promises, stand supereminent. could scarcely find out names, when striving to sketch
No wonders, signs, or miraculous displays of the great the character of their sophist- wise or perfect man. —
and terrible God, as Israel required in Egypt, were St. Ambrose very properly observes that philosophy '

used or were necessary to cause Abraham to believe itself could not equal, in its descriptions and wishes,
and obey. He left his own land, not knowing lohere what was exemplified by this great man in the whole
he was going, or for what purpose God had called him of his conduct.' Magnus plane vir, quern votis suis
to remove. Exposed to various hardships, in danger philosophia non potuit aiquare ; denique minus est quod
of losing hislife, and of witnessing the violation of his illafinxit quam quod ille gessit. The law which God
wife,he still obeyed and went on courageous, hu- ; gave Moses, and in which he has proposed the great
to
mane, and disinterested, he cheerfully risked his life duties of the law of nature, seems to be a copy of the
for the welfare of others; and, contented with
having life of Abraham. This patriarch, without being under
rescued the captives and avenged the oppressed, he the law, has performed the most essential duties it
159
 ;

Isaac soiourns in Gerur GENESIS. God renews the protiiist to lam.

requires and as to the Gospel, its grand object was as a sovereign, and above all as a man of God, he
;

that on which he had fixed his eye that Jesus whose — stands unrivalled ; so that under the most exalted and
all dispensations, the Gospel of Jesus Christ,
perfect of
day he rejoiced to see and as to its spirit and design,
;

they were wondrously exemplified in that faith which proposed and recommended as the model and
he is

was imputed to him for righteousness, receiving that pattern according to which the faith, obedience, and
be
grace which conformed his whole heart and life to the perseverance of the followers of the Messiah are to
will of his Maker, and enabled him to persevere unto formed. Reader, while you admire the man, do not
death. Abraham,' says the writer of Ecclesiasticus, forget the God that made him so great, so good, and
'

xliv. 20, &c., 'was a great father of many people in Even Abraham had nothing but what he
: so useful.
glory was there none like unto him, who kept the law had received from the free unmerited mercy of God ;

of the Most High, and was in covenant with him. He proceeded all his excellences but he was a worker ;

established the covenant in his flesh, and when he was together with God, and therefore did not receive the
tried he was found faithful.' " See Calmet. grace of God in vain. Go thou, believe, love, obey,
As a son, as a husband, as a father, as a neighbour. and persevere in like mamier.

CHAPTER XXVI.
A famine in and go to Gerar, 1
the land obliges Isaac to leave Beer-sheba God appears to him, and warns .

him not to go to Egypt, 2. him which he had made to his father Abraham, 3—5.
Renews the promises to
Isaac dwells at Gerar, 6. Beiiig questioned concerning Rebekah, and fearing to lose his life on her account,
he calls her his sister, 7. Abimelech the king, discovers by certain familiarities lohich he had noticed
betioeen Isaac aiid Rebekah, that she was his wife, 8. Calls Isaac and reproaches him for his insincerity,
9, 10. He gives a strict command to all his people not to molest either Isaac or his wife, 11. Isaac
applies himself to husbandry and breeding of cattle, and has a great increase, 12-14. Is envied by the
Philistines, ivho stop up the luells he had digged, 15. Is desired by Abimelech to remove, 16. He obeys,
and fixes his tent in the valley of Gerar, 17. Opens the wells dug in the days of Abraham, ivhich the
Philistines had stopped up, 18. Digs the loell, Ezek. 19, 20; and the well Sitnah, 21 and the well ;

Rehoboth, 22. Returns to Beer-sheba, 23. God appears to him, and renews his promises, 24. He
builds an altar there, pitches his tent, and digs a well, 25. Abimelech, Ahuzzath, and Phichol, visit him,
26. Isaac accuses them of unkindness, 27. They beg him to make a covenant with them, 28, 29. He
makes them a feast, and they bind themselves to each other by an oath, 30, 31. The well dug by Isaac's
servants (ver. 25) called Shebah, 33. Esau, at forty years of age, marries two wives of the Hittites, 34 ;
at which Isaac and Rebekah are grieved, 35.

A. M. cir. 2200
1801
A ND there was a famine in ^ the land which I shall tell A.
B. C.
M. cir.
cir.
2200.
1804.
B. C. cir.
the land, beside ^ the first thee off:
famine that was in the days of Abraham. 3 ^ Sojourn in this land, and ^ I will be with
And Isaac went unto ''
Abimelech, king of the thee, and ^ will bless thee ; for unto thee, and
Philistines, unto Gerar. unto thy seed, ^ I will give all these countries
2 And tlie Lord appeared unto him, and and I will perform ^ the oath which I sware
said, Go not down into Egypt dwell in unto Abraham thy father:
;

• Chap. xii. 10. ^ Ch.ip. xx. 2. <=

Chap. xii. 1.- Chap. "Chap, xxviii. 15. 'Chap. xii. 1. sChap. xiii. 15 j xv. 18.
XX. Psa. xxxix. 12 Heb. xi. 9. >>
Chap. xxii. 16 ; Psa. cv. 9.
1 ; ;

NOTES ON CHAP. XXVI. Verse 3. Sojourn in this land] In Gerar, whither

Verse 1. There was a famine"] When this hap- he had gone, ver. 1, and where we find he settled, ver.
pened we cannot tell it appears to have been after
;
6, though the land of Canaan in general might be here

the death of Abraliam. Concerning the first famine, intended. That there were serious and important rea-
see chap. xii. 10. sons why Isaac should not go to Egypt, we may be
Abimelech} As we know not the time when the fully assured, though they be not assigned here it is ;

famine happened, so we cannot tell whether this was probable that even Isaac himself was not informed why
the same Abimelech, Phichol, &c., v/hich are men- he should not go down to Egypt. I have already sup-

tioned chap. XX. 1, &c., or the sons or other descend- posed that God saw trials in his way
which he might
ants of these persons. not have been able to bear. While a man acknow-
Verse 2. Go not doion into Egypt] As Abraham ledges God in all his ways, he will direct all his steps,
had taken refuge in that country, it is probable that though he may not choose to give him the reasons of
Isaac was preparing to go thither also and God, ; the workings of his providence. Abraham might go
safely to Egypt, Isaac might not in firmness and de-
foreseeing that he would there meet with trials, &c., ;

which might prove fatal to his peace or to his piety, cision of character there was a wide difierence be-
warns him not to fulfil his intention. tween the two men.
160
 ; 1

Isaac IS questioned CHAP. XXVI. concerning his wife.

A. M. cir. 2200. 4 And '

I will make thy seed to and behold, Isaac was sporting a. m. cir.2200.
B. C. cir. 1S04. ''' ^^°* -
multiply as the stars of heaven, with Rebekah his wife. ^- ^

and will give unto thy seed all these countries ;

9 And Abimelech called Isaac, and said,
^ and in thy seed sliall all the nations of the Behold, of a surety she is thy wife ; and how
earth be blessed saidst thou, She is my sister? And Isaac
5 ' Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, said unto him, Because I said. Lest I die
and kept my charge, my commandments, my for her.

statutes, and my laws. 10 And Abimelech said, What is this thou

6 And Isaac dwelt in Gerar. hast done unto us ? one of the people might
7 And the men of the place asked him of lightly have lien with thy wife, and p thou
his wife ; and " he said, She is my sister : for shouldest have brought guiltiness upon us.
" he feared to say. She is my wife ; lest, said 1 And Abimelech charged all his people,
he, the men of the place should kill me for saying, He that 1 toucheth this man or his
Rebekah ; because she ° was fair to look upon. wife shall surely be put to -death.
8 And it came to pass, when he had been 12 Then Isaac sowed in that land, and ''re-

there a long time, that Abimelech king of the ceived in the same year ^ a hundred-fold : and
Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, the Lord * blessed him :

Chap. XV. 5 ; xxii. 17. ^ Chap. xii. 3 ; xxii. 18. Chap.

• ° Chap. xxiv. 16. P Chap. xx. 9. 1 Psa. cv. 15. ' Heb.

xxii. 16, 18. "Chap. xii. 13; xx. 2, 13. "Proverbs found. 8 Matt. xiii. 8 Mark iv. 8. ;
' Ver. 3
; chap. xxiv.
xxix. 25. 1,35; Job.xlii. 12.

Verse 4. / will make thy need as the stars of — it was not so in the case of Isaac, for Rebekah was
heaven] A
promise often repeated to Abraham, and only his cousin. Besides, though relatives, in the
which has been most amply fulfilled both in its literal Jewish forms of speaking, are often called brothers
and spiritual sense. and sisters, and the thing may be perfectly proper when
Verse 5. Abraham obeyed my voice] 'lO'D meimeri, this use of the terms is generally known and allowed,
my WORD. See chap. xv. 1. yet nothing of this kind can be pleaded here in behalf
My charge] T\'\0^"0 mishmarti, from "TDt!^ shamar, of Isaac for he intended that the Gerarites should
;

he kept, observed, &c., the ordinances or appointments understand him in the proper sense of the term, and
of God. These were always of two kinds 1. Such : consequently have no suspicion that she was his wife.
as tended to promote moral improvement, the increase We have already seen that the proper definition of a
of piety, the improvement of the age, &c. And 2. Such lie is any word spoken ivith the intention to deceive.
as were typical of the promised seed, and the salva- See chap. xx. 12.
tion which was to come by him. For commandments, Verse 8. Isaac was sporting with Rebekah his wife.]
statutes, &c., the reader is particularly desired to refer Whatever may be the precise meaning of the word,
to Lev. xvi. 15, &c., where these things are all ex- it evidently implies that there were liberties taken and
plained in the alphabetical order of the Hebrew words. freedoms used on the occasion, which were not lawful
Verse 7. He said, She is my sister] It is very but between man and wife.
strange that in the same place, and in similar circum- Verse 10. Thou shouldest have brought guiltiness
stances, Isaac should have denied his tt;//e,'precisely upon us.] It is likely that Abimelech might have had
as his father had done before him ! It is natural to some knowledge of God's intentions concerning the
ask, Did Abraham never mention this circumstance to family of Abraham, and that it must be kept free from
his son ] Probably he did not, as he was justly ashamed all impure and alien mixtures and that consequently,
of his weakness on the occasion the only blot in his — ;

had he or any of his people taken Rebekah, the Divine

character ; the son, therefore, not being forewarned, judgments might have fallen upon the land. Abime-
was not armed against the temptation. It may not be lech was a good and holy man and he appears to have
;

well in general for parents to tell their children of considered adultery as a grievous and destructive crime.
their former failings or vices, as this
might lessen their Verse 11. He that toucheth] He who injures Isaac
authority or respect, and the children might make a or defiles Rebekah shall certainly die for it. Death
bad use of it in extenuation of their own sins. But was the punishment for adultery among the Canaanites,
there are certain cases, which, from the nature of their Philistines, and Hebrews. See chap, xxxviii. 24.
circumstances, may often occur, where a candid ac- Verse 12. Isaac sowed in that land] Being now
knowledgment, with suitable advice, may prevent those perfectly free from the fear of evil, he betakes himself
children from repeating the evil but this should be ; to agricultural and pastoral pursuits, in which he has
done with great delicacy and caution, lest even the ad- the especial blessing of God, so that his property be-
vice itself should serve as an incentive to the evil. I comes greatly increased.
had not known lust, says St. Paul, if the law had not Ahundred-fold] Dn;'ty HNO meah shearim, literally,
said. Thou shall not covet. Isaac could not say of " A
hundred-fold of barley ;" and so the Septuagint,
Rebekah, as Abraham had done of Sarah, She is my tKaToarevnvaav Kpidnv. Perhaps such a c_rop of this
sister ; in the case of Abraham this was literally
true ; grain was a rare occurrence in Gerar. The words.
Vol. T. ( 12 ) 161
 ; :

Isaac acquires much property, GENESIS. and is obliged to leave Gerar.

A. M. cir. 2200. 1 3 And the man ^ waxed great, bv which his father had called a. M. cir. 220D.

B. C. cir. 1804. / B. C. cir. 1804.

^^^ ^ ^^^^ forward, and grew them.
until he became very great 19 And Isaac's servants digged in the
14 For he had possession of flocks, and valley, and found there a well of springing
^

possession of herds, and great store of

""
ser- water.

vants and the Philistines ^ envied him.

:
20 And the herdmen of Gerar did strive •=

15 For all the wells y which his father's with Isaac's herdmen, saying. The water is
servants had digged in the days of Abraham ours and he called the name of the well :

his father, the Philistines had stopped them, ^ Esek because they strove with him. ;

and filled them with earth. 2 1 And they digged another well, and strove
16 And Alpimelech said mito Isaac, Go from for that also : and he called the name of it

us ; for ^ thou art much mightier than we. « Sitnah.

17 And Isaac departed thence, and pitched 22 And he removed from thence, and digged
his tent in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there. another well and for that they strove not ;

18 And Isaac digged again the wells of and he called the name of it ^ Rehoboth and ;

water, which they had digged in the days of he said, For now the Lord hath made room
Abraham his father for the Philistines had for us, and we shall ^ be fruitful in the land.
;

stopped them after the death of Abraham 23 And he went up from thence to Beer- :

^ and he called their names after the names sheba.

" Chap. xxiv. 35 Psa. cxii. 3 ; Prov. x. 22.

;
^ Heb. went Heb. living.
'i <=
Chap. xxi. 25. ^ That is, Contention.
qoing. '^ Or, husbandry. ^ Chap, xxxvii. 11 ; Eccles. iv. 4. « That is, Hatred. 'That is, Room. s Chap. xvii. 6 ; xxviii.
y Chap. xxi. 30. ^ Exod. i. 9. * Chap. xxi. 31. 3; xli. 52; Exod. i. 7.

however, may be taken in a general way, as signifying Pharaoh oppressed the Israelites. The
same principle
a very great increase ; so they are used by our Lord have been jealous of Isaac's grow-
Philistines appear to
in the parable of the sower. ing prosperity, and to have considered it, not as a due
Verse 13. The man loaxed great] There is a strange reward of his industry and holiness, but as their indi-
and observable recurrence of the same term in the ori- vidual loss, as though his gain was at their expense ;

ginal nxD ^ia o -\v "^n Ji l"iSn ^Vi xD'^ry Sin vaiyig- therefore they resolved to drive him out, and take his
:

dal haish vaiyelech haloch vegadel ad hi gadal meod, well-cultivated ground, &c., to themselves, and com-
And the man was great and he luent, going on, and pelled Abimelech to dismiss him, who gave this reason
;

was GREAT, until that he luas exceeding great. How for it, UOO no^fy atsamta mimtnenyiu, Thou hast ob-
simple is this language, and yet how forcible tained much ivealth among us, and my people are en-
!

Verse 14. He had possession of flocks'] He who vious of thee. Is not this the better translation ] for
blessed him in the increase of his fields blessed him it can hardly be supposed that Isaac was " mightier''^
also in the increase of his flocks ; and as he had ex- than the king of whole tribes.
tensive possessions, so he must have many haiids to Verse 18. In the days of Abraham] Instead of
manage such concerns therefore it is added, he 'DO bimey, in the days, Houbigant contends we should
:

had great store of servants he had many domestics, — read nDJ? abdey, servants. Isaac digged again the
some born in his house, and others purchased by his wells which the servants of Abraham his father had
money. digged. This reading is supported by the Samaritan,
Verse 15. For all the loells the Philistines had — Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate; and it is probably
stopped them] In such countries a good well was a the true one.
great acquisition and hence in predatory wars it was
; of springing ivater.] D'''n D'O "1N3
Verse 19. A tvell

usual for either party to fill A well of living ivaters. This is

the wells with earth or beer mayitn chaiyim,
sand, in order to distress the enemy. The filling up the oriental phrase for a sprirtg, and this is its mean-
the wells in this case was a most unprincipled trans- ing both in the Old and New Testaments Lev. xiv. :

action, as they had pledged themselves to Abraham, 5, 50; XV. 30; Num. xix. 17; Cant. iv. 15. See
by a solemn oath, not to injure each other in this or also John iv. 10-14 vii. 38 Rev. xxi. 6 xxii. 1. ; ; ;

any other respect. See chap. xxi. 25—31. And by these scriptures we find that an unfailing
Verse 16. Go from us; for thou art much mightier spring was an emblem of the graces and influences of
than loe.] This is the first instance on record of what the Spirit of God.
was termed among the Greeks ostracism ; i. e., the Verse 21. They digged another well] Never did
banishment of a person from the state, of whose power, any man more implicitly follow the Divine command,
influence, or riches, the people were jealous. There Resist not evil, than Isaac whenever he found that ;

is a remarkable saying of Bacon on this subject, which his work was likely to be a subject of strife and con-

seems to intimate that he had this very circumstance tention, he gave place, and rather chose to suffer wrong
under his eye " Public envy is an ostracism that than to have his ovi^n peace of mind disturbed.
:
Thus
eclipseth men when they grow too great.'''' On this he overcame evil with good.
a 162 ( i2» ^
 ;:

Isaac is visited by Abimelech. CHAP. XXVI. They make a covenant

A. M. cir. 2200. 24 And the Lord appeared 29 ^ That thou wilt do us no A. M. cir. 2200.
B.C. cir. 1804. .
unto him
1 • ,1
the same
•

night,
1.4
and
J
hurt, we have not touched ——
as '
— ' .*

,
said, ^1 am the God of Abraham thy father thee, and as we have done unto thee nothing
• fear not, for ^ I am with thee, and will bless but good, and have sent thee away in
thee,and multiply thy seed for my servant peace :
* thou art now the blessed of the
Abraham's sake. Lord.
25 And he ^builded an altar there, and 30 " And he made them a feast, and they
" called upon the name of the Lord, and did eat and drink. >

pitched his tent there : and there Isaac's ser- 31 And they rose up betimes in the morn-
vants digged a well. ing, and ^ sware one to another : and Isaac
26 Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar, sent them away, and they departed from him
and Ahuzzath one of his friends, '°-
and Phichol in peace.
the chief captain of his army. 32 And it came to pass the same day, that
27 And Isaac said unto them. Wherefore Isaac's servants came, and told him concern-
come ye to me, seeing ° ye hate me, and have ing the well which they had digged, and said
p sent me away from you ? unto him. We have found water.
28 And they said, We saw certainly that
i 33 And he called it "^ Shebah therefore :
^^

the Lord ^ was with thee and we said. Let the name of the city is ^ Beer-sheba unto
:

there be now an oath betwixt us, even be- this day.

twixt us and thee, and let us make a covenant 34 ^ And Esau was forty years old when he
with thee ;
took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the

h Chap. xvii. 7; xxiv. 12; xxviii. 13; Exod. iii. 6; Acts vii. Chap. xxi. 22, 23. 'Heb. if thou shdlt, &c. ' Chaptei

32. i
Chap. XV. 1. k Ver. 3, 4. Chap. xii. 7 xiii. 18. '
; xxiv. 31 Psa. cxv. 15. "Chap. xix. 3. ^Chap. xxi. 31
;

«°Psa. cxvi. 17. °Chap. xxi. 22. oj^jg. xi. 7. P Ver. "' That is, an oath. * Chap. xxi. 31. r That is, the well of
16. 1 Heb. seeing we saw. the oath. ^ Chap, xxxvi. 2.

Verse 24. The Lord appeared unto He needed

he had been lately married, and on this journey brings
him'\
especial encouragement when with him his confidential friend, to whom he had lately
insulted and outraged by
the Philistines for having returned to the place where intrusted the care of his spouse.
;

his noble father had lately died, the remembrance of Verse 27. Seeing ye hate me] He was justified in
his wrongs, and the remembrance of his loss, could thinking thus, because if they did not injure him, they
not fail to afflict his mind and God immediately ap- had connived at their servants doing it.
;

pears to comfort and support him in his trials, by a re- Verse 28. Let there be now an oath betivixt us] Let
newal of all his promises. us make a covenant by which we shall be mutually
Verse 25. Builded an altar there'] That he might bound, and let it be ratified in the most solemn manner.
have a place for God's worship, as well as a place for Verse 30. He made them a feast] Probably on the
himself and family to dwell in. sacrifice that was offered on the occasion of making
And called upon the name of the Lord] —And in- this covenant. This was a common custom.
voked in the name of Jehovah. See on chap. xii. 8 Verse 31. They rose up betimes] Early rising was
\iii. 15. general among the primitive inhabitants of the world,
Verse 26. Abimelech ivent to him] When a man's and this was one cause which contributed greatly to
ways please God, he makes even his enemies to be at their health and longevity.
peace with him so Isaac experienced on this occa-
; Verse 33. He called it Shebah] This was probably
sion. Whether this was the same Abimelech and Phi- the same tvell which was called Beer-sheba in the time
chol mentioned chap. xxi. 22, we cannot tell it is of Abraham, which the Philistines had filled up, and
;

possible both might have been now alive, provided we which the servants of Isaac had reopened. The same
suppose them young in the days of Abraham but it name is therefore given to it which it had before, with
;

is more likely that Abimelech was a general name of the addition of the emphatic letter n he, by which its
the Gerarite kings, and that Phichol was a name of signification became extended, so that now it signified
office. not merely an oath or full, but satisfaction and abun-
Ahuzzath] The Targum translates this word a com- dance.
pany, not considering it as a proper name " Abime- The name of the city is Beer-sheba] This name
:

lech and Phichol came with a company of their friends." was given to it a hundred years before this time but ;

The Septuagint calls him Oxo^ad 6 vvfi<payu-yoc, Ocho- as the well from which it had this name originally was
zath, the paranymph, he who conducts the bride to the closed up by the Philistines, probably the name of the
bridegroom's house. Could we depend on the correct- place was abolished with the well; when therefore
ness of this version, we might draw the following cu- Isaac reopened the well, he restored the ancient name
rious conclusions from it 1 That this was the son of the place.
of that Abimelech the friend of Abraham.
: .

2. That Verse 34. He took to wife — the daughter <SfC.\ l\

163
 ;;

Esau marries two Hittite women, GENESIS. which are a grief to his parents,

A. M. cir. 2200. Hittite, and Bashemaththe daugh- 35 Which ^were ''a grief of a. M. cir. 2200.
B. C. cir. 1804. ^ r t-,,
B. C. cir. 1804.
Elon the XT-**-*
^,
ter of Hittite mind unto Isaac and
: to Rebekah
^ Chap, xxvii. 46; xxviii. 1, 8.
^ Heb. bitterness of spirit.

isvery likely that the wives taken by Esau were daugh- tice or providence of God requires. There are, how-
ters of chiefs among the Hittites, and by this union he ever, many who owe their poverty to their want of
sought to increase and strengthen his secular power diligence and economy ; they sink down into indolence,
and influence. and forget that word, Whatsoever thy hand findeth to
Verse 35. Which luere a grief of mind] Not the do, do it with thy might ; nor do they consider that
marriage, though that was improper, but the persons by idleness a man is clothed with rags. Be diligent
they, by their perverse and evil ways, brought bitter- in business and fervent in spirit, and God will withhold
ness into the hearts of Isaac and Rebekah. The Tar- from thee no manner of thing that is good.
gum of Jonathan ben Uzziel, and that of Jerusalem, 2. From many examples we find that the wealth of
say they were addicted to idol worship, and rebelled the primitive inhabitants of the world did not consist
against and would not hearken to the instructions in gold, silver, or precious stones, but principally in
either of Isaac or Rebekah. From Canaanites a dif- flocks of useful cattle, and the produce of the field.

ferent conduct could not be reasonably expected. Esau With precious metals and precious stones they were
was far from being spiritual, and his wives were wholly not unacquainted, and the former were sometimes used
carnal. in purchases, as we have already seen in the case of
Abraham buying
a field from the children of Heth.
The same reflections But the blessings which God promises are such as
which were suggested by
Abraham's conduct in spring from the soil. Isaac sowed in the land, and had
denying his wife in Egypt and
Gerar, will apply to that of Isaac but the case of possessions of flocks and herds, and great store of ser-
;

Isaac was much less excusable than that of Abraham. vants, \ev. 12— l^. Commerce, by which nations and
The latter told no falsity ; he only through fear sup- individuals so suddenly rise and as suddenly fall, had
pressed a part of the truth. not been then invented every man was obliged to ac- ;

1. A good man has a right to expect God's blessing quire property by honest and persevering labour, or be
on his honest industry. Isaac sowed, and received a destitute. Lucky hits, fortunate speculations, and ad-
hundred-fold, and he had possession of flocks, &c., for venturous risks, could then have no place the field ;

the Lord blessed him. Worldly men, if they pray at must be tilled, the herds watched and fed, and the
all, ask for temporal things " What shall we eat T proper seasons for ploughing, sowing, reaping, and lay-
:

what shall we drink 1 and wherewithal shall we be ing up, be carefully regarded and improved. No man,
clothed ?" Most of the truly religious people go into therefore, could grow rich by accident. Isaac waxed
another extreme they forget the body, and ask only great, and went forward, and grew until he became
;

for the soul! and yet there are "things requisite and very great, ver. 13. was of no use, for
Speculation
necessary as well for the body as the soul," and things it could have no object and consequently many in-
;

which are only at God's disposal. The body lives for citements to knavery and to idleness, that bane of the
the soul's sake its life and comfort are in many re-
; physical and moral health of the body and soul of man,
spects essentially requisite to the salvation of the soul could not show themselves. Happy times when every !

and therefore the things necessary for its support should man wrought with his hands, and God particularly
be earnestly asked from the God of all grace, the Fa- blessed his honest industry. As he had no luxuries,
ther of bounty and providence. Ye have not because he had no unnatural and factitious ivants, few diseases,
ye ask not, may be said to many poor, afflicted religious and a long life.
people ;and they are afraid to ask lest it should ap- O fortunatos nimium, sua si bona nortnt,
pear mercenary, or that they sought their portion in Agricolas !
this life. They should be better taught. Surely to
O thrice happy husbandmen ! did they but know their
none of these will God give a stone if they ask bread :
own mercies.
he who is so liberal of his heavenly blessings will not
withhold earthly ones, which are of infinitely less con- But has not what
termed commerce produced the
is

sequence. Reader, expect God's blessing on thy honest reverse of all this A
few are speculators, and the
?

industry ;
pray for it, and believe that God does not many are comparatively slaves ; and slaves, not to
love thee less, who hast taken refuge in the same hope, enrich themselves, (this is impossible,) but to enrich
than he loved Isaac. Plead not only his promises, but the speculators and adventurers by whom they are
plead on the precedents he has set before thee. " Lord, employed. Even the farmers become, at least par-
thou didst so and so to .A^^'-aham, to Isaac, to Jacob, tially, cominercial men and ; the soil, the fruitful parent
and to others vho trusted in thee bless my field, bless of natural wealth, comparatively disregarded
is the :
;

my flock", prosper my labour, that I may be able to consequence is, that the misery of the many, and the
provide things honest in the sight of all men, and have luxury of the fetv, increase and from both these ;

something to dispense to those who are want." And

in spring, on the one hand, pride, insolence, contempt of
will not God hear such prayers'? Yea, and answer the poor, contempt of God's holy word and command-
them too, for he does not willingly afflict the children ments, with the long catalogue of crimes which pro-
of men. And we may rest assured that there is more ceed from pampered appetites and unsubdued pas-
affliction and poverty in the world than either the jus- sions : and on the other, murmuring, repining, discon-
l64
 ; : ; ;

Isaac desires his so?i Esau CHAP. XXVII. to prepare him savoury meat

tent, and often insubordination and revolt, the most of providing for the support of life. When shall
fell and most destructive of all the evils that can de- men learn that even this is but a subordinate pursuit;
grade and curse civil society. Hence wars, fightings, and that the cultivation of the soul in the know-
and revolutions of states, and public calamities of all ledge, love, and obedience of God, is essentially
kinds. Bad as the world and the times are, men have necessary, not only to future glory, but to present
made them much worse by their unnatural methods happiness ?

CHAPTER XXVII.
Isaac, grown old and feeble, and apprehending the approach of death, desires his son Esau to provide some
savoury meat for him, that having eaten of it he might convey to him the blessing connected with the right
o/" primogeniture, 1—4. Rebekah hearing of it, relates the matter to Jacob, and directs him how to person-
ate his brother, and by deceiving his father, obtain the blessing, 5—10. Jacob hesitates, 11, 12; but
being counselled and encouraged by his mother, he at last consents to use the means she prescribes, 13, 14.
Rebekah disguises Jacob, and sends him to personate his brother, 15—17. Jacob comes to his father, and
professes himself to be Esau, 18, 19. Isaac doubts, questions, and examines him closely, but does not
discover the deception, 20—24. He eats of the savoury meat, and confers the blessing upon Jacob, 25—27.
In lohat the blessing consisted, 28, 29. Esau arrives from the field with the meat he had gone to provide^
and presents hi7nself before his father, 30, 31. Isaac discovers the fraud of Jacob, and is much affected,
32, 33. Esau is greatly distressed on hearing that the blessing had been received by another, 34. Isaac
accuses Jacob of deceit, 35. Esau expostulates, and prays for a blessing, 36. Isaac describes the bless-
ing lohich he has already conveyed, 37. Esau weeps, and earnestly implores a blessing, 38. Isaac pro-
nounces a blessing on Esau, and prophecies that his posterity should, in process of time, cease to be tribu-
tary to the posterity of Jacob, 39, 40. Esau purposes to kill his brother, 41. Rebekah hears of it, and
counsels Jacob to take refuge with her brother Laban in Padan-aram, 42-45. She professes to be greatly
alarmed, lest Jacob should take any of the Canaanites to loife, 46.

A. M.
B. C.
cir.
cir.
2225.
1779.
_^ND it came to pass, that ^ know not the day of my A. M. cir. 2225.
B. C. cir. 1779.
Kennicott. when Isaac was old, and death
^ his eyes were dim, so that he 3 Now therefore take, I pray, thee, thy
*=

could not see, he called Esau weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out
his eldest son,
and said unto him, My son : and he said unto to the field, and ^ take me some venison
him. Behold, here am I. 4 And make me savoury meat, such as I
2 And he said, Behold now, I am old, I love, and bnng it to me, that I may eat ; that
* Chap, xlviii. 10 ; 1 Sam. iii. 2. ^ Prov. xxvii. 1 James iv. 14. "=
Chap. xxv. 27, 28. d Heb. hunt.

NOTES ON CHAP. XXVH. pend. Had

not the Septuagint translated the word
Verse Isaac was old] It is conjectured, on good
1. (papeTpav,and the Vulgate pharetram, a quiver, I should
grounds, that Isaac was now about one hundred and rather have supposed some kind of shield was meant
seventeen years of age, and Jacob about fifty-seven ;
but either can be suspended on the arm or from the
though the commonly received opinion makes Isaac one shoulder. Some think a sivord is meant and because ;

hundred and thirty-seven, and Jacob seventy-seven the original signifies to hang or suspend, hence they
;

but see the notes on chap. xxxi. 38, &c. think is derived our word hanger, so called because it
And his eyes were dim] This was probably the isgenerally worn in a pendent posture but the word ;

effect of that affliction, of what kind we know not, hanger did not exist in our language previously to the
under which Isaac now laboured and from which, as ;
Crusades, and we have evidently derived it from the
well as from the affliction, he probably recovered, as Persian J*^^-*-^ khanjar, a poniard or dagger, the
it iscertain he lived forty if not forty-three years after use of which, not only in battles, but in private assas-
this time, for he lived till the return of Jacob from sinations, was well known. '
Padan-aram chap. xxxv. 27-29.
; Verse 4. Savoury meat] D'^;?£D?D matammim, from
Verse 2. I knotv not the day of my death] From UyO taam, to taste or relish ; how dressed we know
his present weakness he had reason to suppose that not, but its name declares its nature.
his death could not be at any great distance, and there- That I may eat] The blessing which Isaac was to
fore would leave no act undone which he believed it confer on his son was a species of Divine right, and
his duty to perform. He who lives not in reference must be communicated with appropriate ceremonies.
to eternity, lives not at all. As eating and drinking were used among the Asiatics
Verse 3. Thy loeapons] The original word '•'73 ^-eZey on almost all religious occasions, and especially in
signifies vessels and instruments of any kind and is pro- making and confirming covenants, it is reasonable to
;

bably used here for a hunting spear, javelin, sword, 4-c. suppose that something of this kind was essentially
C^iver] 'Sn teli, from n'7n talah, to hang or sus- necessary on this occasion, and that Isaac could not
a 165
 .

Jacob counselled by Rebekah GENESIS. to supplant his hrothei

A. M. cir. 2225. hiv soul « may bless thee before 12 My^ father iperadventure will a. m.
B. C.
cir.
cir.
2225
1779.
B. C. cir. 1779. t j- . ^ ,
J , ,, ^

I die. ^ feel me, and 1 shall seem to .

And Rebekah heard when Isaac spake to him as a deceiver and I shall bring a curse
5 ;
^

Esau his son. And Esau went to the field upon me, and not a blessing.
to hunt /or venison, and to bring it. 1 3 And his mother said unto him, ™ Upon

6 And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, me be thy curse, my son only obey my :

saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak unto voice, and go fetch me them.
Esau thy brother, saying, 14 And he went, and fetched, and brought
7 Bring me venison, and make me savoury them to his mother and his mother " made :

meat, that I may eat, and bless thee before the savoury meat, such as his father loved.
Lord, before my death. 1 5 And Rebekah took ° goodly raiment of

8 Njw therefore, my son, ^ obey my voice her eldest son Esau,P which were with her in
according to that which I command thee. the house, and put them upon Jacob hei

9 Go now to the flock, and fetch me from younger son :

thence two good kids of the goats ; and I will 1 6 And she
put the skins of the kids of the
make them ^ savoury meat for thy father, such goats upon his hands, and upon the smooth
as he loveth: of his neck :

10 And thou shalt bring it to thy father, 17 And she gave the savoury meat and the
that he may eat, and that he ^ may bless thee bread, which she had prepared, into the hand
before his death. of her son Jacob.
1 1 And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother. 18 And he came unto his father, and said,
Behold, '
Esau my brother is a hairy man, and My father : and he said, Here am I ; who art
I am a smooth man thou, my son ?

•Ver. 27; chapter xlviii. 9, 15 ; xlix. 28 ; Deut. xxxiii. 1. • Chap. ix.25 Deut. xxvii. 18.
;
"> Chap, xliii. 9 ; 1 Sam.
f Ver. 13. s Verse 4. >> Verse 4. '
Chapter xxv. 25. xxv. 24 ; 2 Sam. xiv. 9 Matt, xxvii. 25.; ° Verse 4, 9.
* Ver. 22. ">
Heb. desirable. P Ver. 27.

convey the right till he had eaten of the meat pro- of the kind to plead, and therefore had recourse to the
vided for the purpose by him who was to receive the most exceptionable means to accomplish her ends.
blessing. As Isaac was now old, and in a feeble and Verse 12. I shalt bring a curse upon me] For even
languishing condition, it was necessary that the flesh in those early times the spirit of that law was under-
used on be prepared so as to in-
this occasion should stood, Deut. xxvii. 18 he that maketh the : Cursed is

vite the appetite, that a sufficiency of it might be taken blind to ivander out of the and Jacob seems to way ;

to revive and recruit his drooping strength, that he have possessed at this time a more tender conscience
might be the better able to go through the whole of than his mother.
this ceremony. Verse 13. Upoii me be thy curse, my son] Onkelos
This seems to be the sole reason why savoury meat gives this a curious turn It has been revealed to me :

is so particularly mentioned in the text. When we by prophecy that the curses will not come upon thee, my
consider, 1. That no covenant was deemed binding son. What a dreadful responsibility did this woman
unless the parties had eaten together 2. That to con- ;
take upon her at this time The sacred writer states !

vey this blessing some rite of this kind was necessary ;

the facts as they were, and we may depend on the
and, 3. That Isaac's strength was now greatly ex- truth of the statement but he nowhere says that God
;

hausted, insomuch that he supposed himself to be would have any man to copy this conduct. He often
dying we shall at once see why meat was required
; relates facts and sayings which he never recommends.
on this occasion, and why that meat was to be pre- A'^erse 15. Goodly raiment] Mr. Ainsworth has a
pared so as to deserve the epithet of savoury. As I sensible note on this place. " The priest in the law
believe this to be the true sense of the place, 1 do not had holy garments to minister in, Exod. xxviii. 2-4,
trouble my readers with interpretations which I sup- which the Septuagint there and in this place term ttjv
pose to be either exceptionable or false. CToihqv, THE robe, and aroT^riv uyiar, the holy robe.
Verse 5. And Rebekah heard] And was deter- Whether the first-born, before the law, had such to
mined, if possible, to frustrate the design of Isaac, and minister in is not certain, but it is probable by this ex-
procure the blessing for her favourite son. Some ample ; had they been common garments, why did
for
pretend that she received a Divine inspiration to the not Esau keep them 1 But being,
himself, or his wives,
purpose but if she had she needed not to have re-
; in all likelihood, holy robes, received from their ances-
course to deceit, to help forward the accomplishment. tors, the mother of the family kept them in sweet
Isaac, on being informed, would have had too much chests from moths and the like, whereupon it is said,
piety not to prefer the will of his Maker to his own ver. 27, Isaac smelted the smell of his ganyients."
partiality for his eldest son ; but Rebekah had nothing The opinion of Ainsworth is followed by many critics.
166
 1 ; :

Jacob provides savoury meat, CHAP. XXVIT. and imposes on his father.

BiaS ?m ^^ ^"^ J^^°^ ^aid unto his hands were hairy, as his brother a. m. cir. 2225.
• '
father, I am Esau thy first-born Esau's hands so he blessed him.
:
^- ^- *'^'-- 1779.
I have done according as thou badest me :
24 And he said, Art thou my very son Esau?
arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of
my venison, And he said, I a7n.
'1
that thy soul may bless me. 25 And he said. Bring it near to me, and I
20 And Isaac said unto his son. How is it will eat of my son's venison, " that my soul
that thou hast found it so quickly, my son ? may bless thee. And he brought it near to
And he said, Because the Lord thy God him, and he did
eat : and he brought •
him
brought it
"
to me. wine, and he drank.
2 And Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near, 26 And his
him, father Isaac said unto
I pray thee, that I « may feel thee, my son,
Come near now, and kiss me, my son.
whether thou he my very son Esau or not.
27 And he came near, and kissed him and
22 And Jacob went near unto Isaac his he smelled
:

the smell of his raiment, and bless-

father and he felt him, and said, The voice ed
;
him, and said. See, " the smell of my
is Jacob's voice, but the
son
hands are the hands is as the smell of a field
which the Lord hath
of Esau.
blessed
23 And he discerned him not, because '
his 28 Therefore ^ God give thee of ^ the dew
1 Verse 4. rjieb. before me. s Verse 12.- -'Verse 16. * Hosea xiv. 6.- Hebrews xi. 20. »
" Verse 4.
'
Deut. xxxiii. 13, 28 •

2 Sam. i. 21.

Verse 19. /
am Esau thy first-bom] Here are naturally suppose were laid up with the
many clothes a cus-
palpable falsehoods, and such as should neither ;
tom which prevails in many countries to the
be imitated nor excused. " Jacob," says present
Calmet, " im- day. Thyme, lavender, &c., are often deposited in
poses on his father in three different ways.
1. By his wardrobes, to communicate an agreeable scent,
words : I am thy first-born Esau. 2. By his and
actions ; under the supposition that the
he gives him kids' flesh for venison, and moths are thereby pre-
says he had vented from fretting the garments.
executed his orders, and got it by hunting. I have often seen
3. By his the leaves of aromatic
plants, and sometimes whole
clothing ; he puts on Esau's garments,
and the kids' sprigs, put in eastern MSS., to.
skms upon his hands and the smooth of his communicate a pleasant
neck. In smell, and to prevent the worms from destroying
short, he made use of every species them.
of deception that Persons going from Europe
to the East Indies put
could be practised on the occasion,
in order to accom- pieces of Russia leather
phsh his ends. " To attempt to palHate or find
among their clothes for the
excuses same purpose. Such a smell would lead Isaac's re-
for such conduct, instead of serving,
disserves the collection to the fields where
cause of religion and truth. aromatic plants grew in
Men have laboured, not abundance, and where he had often
only to excuse all this conduct of been regaled by
Rebekah and Jacob, the scent.
but even to show that it was consistent, and that the Verse 28. God give thee of the dew
whole was according to the mind and will of God ! of heaven] Bp.
Newton's view of these predictions is so
correct and
Non tali auxilio, non defensoribus istis
appropriate, as to leave no wish for
any thing farther
on the subject.
The cause of God and truth is under no obligation
to "It
here foretold, and in ver. 39, of these
is
such defenders their hands are more unhallowed two
;
than brethren, that as to situation, and
those of Uzzah and however the bearers may stum- other temporal ad-
;
vantages, they should be much alike.
ble, the ark of God requires not their It was said to
support. It was
the design of God that the elder
Jacob God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the
:

should serve the fatness of the earth, and plenty

younger, and he would have brought it about of and wine; corn
in the and much the same
is said to Esau, ver. 39
way of his own wise and just providence but Behold, :

means thy dwelling shall be the

;

such as here used he could neither sanction fatness of the earth, and of
nor recom- the dew
mend. of heaven from above. The spiritual blessing,
or the promise of the blessed
Verse 23. And he discerned him not, seed, could be given only
because his to ONE but temporal good things might be
hands were hairy] From this circumstance we may to both. imparted
;

learn that Isaac's sense of feeling

Mount Seir, and the adjacent country, was
was much impaired at first in the
by his present malady. possession of the Edomites they after-
When he could not discern wards extended I
;

the skm of a kid from the flesh themselves farther into Arabia, and
of his son, we see that mto the southern
he was, through his infirmity, in a fit state parts of Judea. But wherever they
to be im- were situated, we
posed on by the deceit of his wife, and find in fact that the Edomites, in
the cunning temporal advantages,
of his younger son. were little inferior to the Israel-
Verse 27. The smell of my son is as the
ites. Esau had cattle and beasts and substance in •

smell of abundance, and he went

to dwell in Seir of his own
afield] The smell of these garments, the
goodly rai- accord but he would
ment luhich had been laid up in the house, hardly have removed thither;

was proba- with so many cattle, had it been such a barren

bly occasioned by some and de-
aromatic herbs, which we may
solate country as some would reprfi.'=;ent it. The Edom-
 . 1 —

Isaac blesses Jacob. GENESIS. Jacobus deceit discovered

A. M. cir. 2225. of hcaven, and ^ the fatness of Isaac his father, tnat Esau his a.m. dr. 2225.
'
, , .
r I- 1 . B. C. cir. 1779.
the earth, and
; plenty of irom his hunting.
^ corn brother came in

and wine : 3 And he also had made savoury meat, and

29 * Let people serve thee, and nations bow brought it unto his father, and said unto his

down to thee be lord over thy; brethren, and father, Let my father arise, and ^ eat of his
^ let thy mother's sons bow down to thee son's venison, that thy soul may bless me. :

'^
cursed be every one that curseth thee, and 32 And Isaac his father said unto him, Who
blessed be he that blesseth thee. art thou ? And he said, I am thy son, thy
30 And it came to pass as soon as Isaac had first-born, Esau.
made an end of blessing Jacob, and Jacob 33 And Isaac ® trembled very exceedingly,
was yet scarce gone out from the presence of and said, Who ? where is he that hath ^ taken
F Chap. xlv. 18. ^Deut. xxxiii. 28. * Chap. ix. 25 ; xxv. Chap. 3. dVer. 4. Heb. trembled with a great
23. b Chap. xlix. 8. tremhling greatly.- — f Heb. hunted.

ites had dukes and kings reigning over them, while their temporal advantages were to each other," says
the Israelites were slaves in Egypt. When the Israel- Bp. Newton, "in all spiritual gifts and graces the
on their return, desired leave to pass through the
ites, younger brother was to have the superiority, \vas to be
Edom, it appears that the country abound-
territories of the happy instrument of conveying the blessing to all
ed with FRUITFUL FIELDS and VINEYARDS Let us pass, : nations In thee and in thy seed shall all the families
:

I pray thee, through thy country ; we will not pass of the earth be blessed ; and to this are to be referred,
through the fields, or through the vineyards, neither in their full force, those expressions Let people serve :

will tve drink of the ivater of the loells ; Num.

and nations how dmvn to thee. Cursed be every
xx. 17. thee,
And the prophecy of Malachi, which is generally al- one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth
leged as a proof of the barrenness of the country, is thee. The same promise was made to Abraham in
rather a proof of the contrary / hated Esau, and the name of God I ivill bless them that bless thee,
: :

laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dra- and curse him that curseth thee, chap. xii. 3 and it ;

gons of the loilderness, Mai. i. 3 for this implies that is here repeated to Jacob, and thus paraphrased in the
;

the country was fruitful before, and that its present un- Jerusalem Targum He who curseth thee shall be :
'

fruitfulness was rather an effect of war, than any natu- cursed as Balaam the son of Beor and he who bless- ;

ral defect in the soil. If the country is unfruitful now, eth thee shall be blessed as Moses the prophet, the
neither is Judea what it was formerly." As there was lawgiver of Israel.' It appears that Jacob was, on
but little rain in Judea, except what was termed the the whole, a man of more religion, and believed the
early rain, which fell about tlie beginning of spring, Divine promises more, than Esau. The posterity of
and the latter rain, which fell about September, the Jacob likewise preserved the true religion, and the wor-
lack of this was supplied by the copious dews which ship of one God, while the Edomites were sunk in
fell both morning and evening, or rather through the idolatry and of the seed of Jacob was born at last ;

whole of the night. And we may judge, says Calmet, the Saviour of the world. This was the peculiar privi-
of the abundance of these dews by what fell on Gideon's lege and advantage of Jacob, to be the happy instru-
fleece. Judges vi. 38, which being wvung filled a bowl. ment of conveying these blessings to all nations. This
And Hushai compares an army ready to fall upon its was his greatest superiority over Esau and in this ;

enemies to a dew falling on the ground, 2 Sam. xvii. sense St. Paul understood and applied the prophecy :

12, which gives us the idea that this fluid fell in great The elder shall serve the younger, Rom. ix. 12. The
profusion, so as to saturate every thing. Travellers Christ, the Saviour of the world, was to be born of
in these countries assure us that the deivs fall there in some one family ; and Jacob's was preferred to Esau's,
an extraordinary abundance. out of the good pleasure of Almighty God, who is cer-
The fatness of the earth] What Homer calls ovdap tainly the best judge of fitness and expedience, and
apovpijg, Ilias ix., 141, and Virgil uber gleba, ^neis has undoubted right to dispense his favours as he shall

i., 531, both signifying a .soil naturally fertile. Under see proper for he says to Moses, as the apostle pro-
;

this, therefore, and the former expressions, Isaac wishes ceeds to argue, ver. 15 'I will have mercy on whom
:

his son all the blessings which a plentiful country can I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on
produce for, as Le Clerc rightly observes, if the dews
; whom I will have compassion.' And when the Gen-
and seasonable rains of heaven fall upon a fruitful soil, tiles were converted to Christianity, the prophecy was
nothing but human industry is wanting to the plentiful fulfilled literally: Let people serve thee, and let nations
enjoyment of all temporal good things. Hence they bow down to thee; and will be more amply fulfilled
are represented in the Scripture as emblems of pros- when the fulness of the Gentiles shall come in, and
perity, of plenty, and of tlio blessing of God, Deut. all Israel shall be saved."
xxxiii. 13, 28 ; Micah
Zech. viii. 12 and, on
v. 7 ; ; Verse 33. And Isaac trembled] The marginal read-
the other hand, the withholding of these denotes bar- ing is very literal and proper, ^n«/ Isaac trembled with
renness, distress, and the curse of God ; 2 Sam. i. 2 1 a great trembling greatly. And this shows the deep
See Dodd. concern he felt for his own deception, and the iniquity
Verse 29. Let people serve thee] " However alike of the means by which it had been brought about,
16R a
Esau entreats his father, CHAP. XXVII. and receives a blessing

A. M. cir. 2225. veiiison, and brought it me, and I 37 And Isaac answered and a. m. cir. 2225
-r.
1 T. 1 1 T 1 1
B. C. cir. 1779
___i_^ : have eaten of all before thou said unto ±ysau, ™ Behold, i have ^^

earnest, and he made him thy lord, and all his brethren have
and have blessed him ? yea, ^
shall be blessed. I given to him for servants and ° with corn ;

34 And when Esau heard the words of his and wine have I sustained him and what
° :

father, ^ he cried with a great and exceeding shall I do now unto thee, my son ?
bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, 38 And Esau said unto his father. Hast thou
even me also, my father. but one blessing, my father ? bless i^e, even
35 And he said, Thy brother came with me also, O my father. And Esau lifted ujp
subtilty, and hath taken away thy blessing. his voice, p and wept.
3 6 And he said, Is not he rightly named 39 And Isaac his father answered and said
'

^ Jacob ? for he hath supplanted me these two unto him. Behold, 1 thy dwelling shall be >^
the
times :
^ he took away my birthright ; and fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven
behold, now he hath taken away my blessing. from above ;

And he said. Hast thou not reserved a bless- 40 And by thy sword shalt thou live, and
ing for me ? ^
shalt serve thy brother ; and * it shall come

e Chap, xxviii. 3, 4 ; Rom. xi. 29. Heb. xii. 17.

^ ' Chap. ° Or, supported. P Heb. xii. 17. 1 Ver. 28 ; Heb. xi. 20.
XXV. 26. ^ That is, a supplanter. Chap. xxv. 33.
' " Ful- ••
Or, of the fatness. ' Ch. xxv. 23 ; Obad. 18, 19, 20 ; 2 Sam.
filled, 2 Sam. viii. 14 ; ver. 29. "Ver. 28. viii. 14. 1 2 Kinars viii. 20.

Though Isaac must have heard of that which God had constant wars but that they should be of a fierce and
;

spoken to Rebekah, The elder shall serve the younger, warlike disposition, gaining their sustenance by hunt-
and could never have wished to reverse this Divine ing, and by predatory excursions upon the possessions
purpose yet he might certainly think that the spiritual
;
of others. Bishop Newton speaks on this subject with
blessing might be conveyed to Esau, and by him to all his usual good sense and judgment " The elder branch, :

the nations of the earth, notwithstanding the superiority it is here foretold, should delight more in war and vio-

of secular dominion on the other side. lence, but yet should be subdued by the younger. By
Yea, and he shall he blessed.] From what is said in thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother
with Heb. xii. 17, Ave see how bind-
this verse, collated Esau might be said to live much by the sword for he ;

ing the conveyance of the birthright was when com- was a cunning hunter, a man of the field. He and
municated with the rites already mentioned. When his children got possession of Mount Seir by force and
Isaac found that he had been deceived by Jacob, he violence, expelling from thence the Horites, the former
certainly would have reversed the blessing if he could ;
inhabitants. By what means they spread themselves
but as had been conveyed in the sacramental way
it farther among the Arabians is not known but it ap- ;

this was impossible. / have blessed him, says he, i/ea, pears that upon a sedition and separation several of
and he must, or %vill, be blessed. Hence it is said by the Edomites came and siezed upon the south-west
the apostle, Esau found no place for repentance, fiera- parts of Judea, during the Babylonish captivity, and
voiOf yap TOTvoi' ovx evpe, no place for change of mind settled there ever after. Before and after this they
or purpose in his father, though he sought it cai^efnlli/ were almost continually at war with the Jews upon ;

with tears. The father could not reverse it because every occasion they were ready to join with their ene-
the o-ra?2^ had already been made and confirmed. But mies and when Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem,
;

this had nothing to do with the final salvation of poor they encouraged him utterly to destroy the city, say-
outwitted Esau, nor indeed with that of his unnatural ing, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundations thereof.
brother. Psa. cxxxvii. 7. And even long after they were sub-
Verse 35. Hath taken away thy blessing.] This dued by the Jews, they retained the same martial
blessing, which was a different thing from the birth- spirit for Josephus in his time gives them the charac-
;

right, seems to consist of two parts : 1. The dominion, ter of a turbulent and disorderly nation, always erect
'

generally and finally, over the other part of the family ;

to commotions, and rejoicing in changes at the least ;

and, 2. Being the progenitor of the Messiah. But the adulation of those vi'ho beseech them, beginning war,
former is more explicitly declared than the latter. See and hasting to battles as to a feast.' And a little be-
the notes on chap. xxv. 31. fore the last siege of Jerusalem they came, at the en-

Verse 36. Is not he rightly named Jacob ?] See on treaty of the Zealots, to assist them against the priests
chap. xxv. 26. and people and there, together with the Zealots, com-
;

He took away my So he might say with

birthright] mitted unheard-of cruelties, and barbarously murdered
considerable propriety though he sold it to Jacob,
; for Annas, the high priest, from whose death Josephus
yet as Jacob had taken advantage of his perishing situ- dates the destruction of the city." See Dr. Dodd.
ation, he considered the act as a species of robbery. —
And when thou shalt have the dominion] It is here
to be a time when the
was elder
Verse 37. / have made him thy lord] See on ver. 28. foretold that there
Verse 40. By thy sivord shall thou live] This does was to have dominion and shake off the yoke of the

not absolutely mean that the Edomites should have younger. The word Tin tarid, which we translate

169
 ;

Esau purposes to slay Jacob. GENESIS. RehekaJi's comisel to him

A. M. cir. 2225. to pass, when thou shalt have Jacob her younger son, and said A. M. cir.2225.
B. C. cir. 1779. , ^ ' . . , , . ,
^"' ^^^
the dominion, that thou shaltunto him. Behold, thy brother _ '
"
.

break his yoke from off thy neck.

Esau, as touching thee, doth comfort him- '^

4 1 And Esau " hated Jacob because of the self, purposing to kill thee.
blessing wherewith his father blessed him 43 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice :
;

and Esau said in his heart, " The days of and arise, flee thou to Laban my brother ^ to
mourning for my father are at hand ;
"'
then Haran
will I slay my brother Jacob. 44 And tarry with him a- few days, until
42 And these words of Esau her elder son thy brother's fury turn away ;

were told to Rebekah : and she sent and called 4 5 Until thy brother's anger turn away from

<" Chap. iv. 2-8 ; xxxvii. 4, 8 Ezek. xxv. 12-15

; ; 1 John iii. *" Eccles. 9 ;
vii. Chad. 10 ; Eph. iv. 26, 27. -^
Psa. Ixiv .«,

12-15. " Chap. xxv. 29 1. 3, 4, 10.

; Prov. ii 14; iv. 16, 17. f Chap. xi. 31.

have dominion, is rather of doubtful meaning, as it may used about the end of the first century of the Chris-
be deduced from three different roots, TT' yarad, to tian era. Thus were they rewarded for insulting and
descend, to be Irought down or brought low; ra- mi oppressing their brethren the Jews and hereby other ;

dah, to obtain rule or have dominion ; and Tn rud, to prophecies were fulfilled, viz., Jer. xlix. 7,&c. Ezek. ;

complain ; meaning either that when reduced very low xxv. 12, &c. Joel iii. 19; Amos i. 11, &c.
; and ;

God would magnify his power in their behalf, and de- particularly day we see the Jews
Obadiah ; for at this
liverthem from the yoke of their brethren or when ; subsisting as a distinct people, while Edom is no more,
they should be increased so as to venture to set up a agreeably to the words of Obadiah, ver. 10 For thy :

king over them, or when they mourned for their trans- violence against thy brother Jacob, in the return of his
gressions, God would turn their captivity. The Je- posterity from Egypt, shame shall cover thee, and thou
rusalem Targum gives the words the following turn : shalt be cut off for ever. And again, ver. 18: There
" Whenthe sons of Jacob attend to the law and ob- shall 7iot be any remaining of the house of Esau, for
serve the precepts, they shall impose the yoke of ser- the Lord hath spoken it. In what a most extensive
vitude upon thy neck but when they shall turn away
; and circumstantial manner has God fulfilled all these
themselves from studying the law and neglect the pre- predictions and what a proof is this of the Divine
!

cepts, thou shalt break off the yoke of servitude from inspiration of the Pentateuch, and the omniscience of
thy neck." !"
God
" It was David who imposed the yoke, and at that Verse 41. The days of mourning for my father are
time the Jewish people observed the law but the yoke ; at hand] Such was the state of Isaac's health at that
was very galling to the Edomites from the first and ; time, though he lived more than forty years afterwards,
towards the end of Solomon's reign Hadad, the Edom- that his death was expected by all and Esau thought ;

ite, of the blood royal, who had been carried into Egypt that would be a favourable time for him to avenge him-
from his childhood, returned into his own country, and self on his brother Jacob, as, according to the custom
raised some was not able to recover
disturbances, but of the times, the sons were always present at the burial
his throne, his subjects being overawed by the garri- of the father. Ishmael came from his own country
risons which David had placed among them but in the ; to assist Isaac to bury Abraham and both Jacob and ;

reign of Jehoram, the son of Jehoshaphat king of Ju- Esau assisted in burying their father Isaac, but the en-
dah, the Edomites revolted from under the dominion mity between them had happily subsided long before
of Judah, and made themselves a king. Jehoram made that time.
some attempts to subdue them again, but could not pre- Verse 42. Doth comfort hi?nself, purposing to kill
vail; so the Edomites revolted from under the hand of thee.] p Onjri'D mithnachem lecha, which Houbi-
Judah unto this day, 2 Chron. xxi. 8, 10, and hereby gant renders cogitat super te, he thinks or meditates
this part of the prophecy was fulfilled about nine hun- to kill thee. This sense is natural enough here, but it
dred years after it was delivered." See Bishop Newton. does not appear to be the meaning of the original nor ;

" Thus," says Bishop Newton, " have we traced, in does Houbigant himself give it this sense, in his Ra-
our notes on this and the xxvth chapter, the accom- cines Hebraiques. There is no doubt that Esau, in
plishment of this prophecy from the beginning and ; his hatred to his brother, felt himself pleased with the
we find that the nation of the Edomites has at several thought that he should soon have the opportunity of
times been conquered by and made tributary to the avenging his wrongs.
Jews, but never the nation of the Jews to the Edomites Verse 44. Tarry ivith him a few days] It was
;

and the Jews have been the more considerable people, probably forty years before he returned, and it is
more known in the world, and more famous in history. likely Rebekah saw him no more ; for it is the gene-
We know indeed little more of the history of the ral opinion of the Jewish rabbins that she died before
Edomites than as it is connected with that of tlie Jews ;
Jacob's return from Padan-aram, whether the period
and where is the name or nation now ? They were of his stay be considered twenty or forty years. See
swallowed up and lost, partly among the Nabathean on chap. xxxi. 38, &c.
Arabs, and partly among the Jews and the very name, ; Verse 45. Why should I be deprived also of you
as Dr. Prideaux has observed, was abolished and dis- both] If Esau should kill Jacob, then the nearest akin
170
 ; —

Rebekah^s alarm on account CHAP. XXVIL of the daughters of Heth.

A. M. cir. 2225. thee, and he forget that which of my life because of the daugh- a. m. cir. 2225
B. C. cir. 1779. "''• '''^-
thou hast done to him Jacob take a ^- ^- : then I will ters of Heth :
- if

send, and fetch thee from thence why should wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these
:

I be deprived also of you both in one day ? lohich are of the daughters of the land, what
46 And Rebekah said to Isaac, ^ I am weary good shall my life do me ?
^ Chap. xxvi. 35 ; xxviii.'S ; Num. xi. 15 ;
1 Kings xix. 4 ; Job iii. 20-22. » Chap. xxiv. 3.

to Jacob; who was by the patriarchial law, Gen. ix. 6, I consider the whole of the conduct both of Rebekah
the avenger of blood, would kill Esau ; and both these and Jacob in some respects deeply criminal, and in all
deaths might possibly take place in the same day. highly exceptionable. And the impartial relation of
This appears to be the meaning of Rebekah. Those the facts contained in this and the xxvth chapter, gives
who are ever endeavouring to sanctify the means by me the fullest evidence of the truth and authenticity
the end, are full of perplexity and distress. God will of the sacred original. How impartial is the history
not give his blessing to even a Divine service, if not that God wTites We
may see, from several com-
!

done in his own way, on principles of truth and right- mentators, what man would have done, had he had the
eousness. Rebekah and her son would take the means same facts to relate. The history given by God de-
out of God's hands they compassed themselves with
; tails as well the vices as the virtues of those who are
their own sparks, and warmed themselves with their its subjects. How widely different from that in the
own fire and this had they at the hand of God, they
; Bible is the biography of the present day Virtuous !

lay down in sorrow. God would have brought about acts that were never performed, voluntary privations
his designs in a way consistent with his own perfec- which were never borne, piety which was never felt,
tions ; he had fully determined that the elder should
for and in a word lives which were never lived, are the
serve the younger, and that the Messiah should spring principal subjects of our biographical relations. These
not from the family of Esau, but from that of Jacob may be well termed the Lives of the Saints, for to
and needed not the cunning craftiness or deceits of these are attributed all the virtues which can adorn
men to accomplish his purposes. Yet in his mercy the human character, with scarcely a failing or a ble-
he overruled all these circumstances, and produced mish while on the other hand, those in general men-
;

good, where things, if left to their own operations and tioned in the sacred writings stand marked with deep
issues, would have produced nothing but evil. How- shades. What is the inference which a reflecting
ever, after this reprehensible transaction,hear no we mind, acquainted with human nature, draws from a
more of Rebekah. The Holy Spirit mentions her no comparison of the biography of the Scriptures with
more, her burial excepted, chap. xlix. 31. See on that of uninspired writers ] The inference is this
chap. XXXV. 8. the Scripture history is natural, is probable, bears all
Verse 46. I am tveary of my life] It is very likely the characteristics of veracity, narrates circumstances
that Rebekah kept many of the circumstances related which seem to make against its own honour, yet dwells
above from the knowledge of Isaac but as Jacob ; on them, and often seeks occasion to repeat them.
could not go to Padan-aram without his knowledge, It is true ! infallibly true ! In this conclusion common
she appears here quite in her own character, framing sense, reason, and criticism join. On the other hand,
an excuse for his departure, and concealing the true of biography in general we must say that it is often
cause. Abraham had been solicitous to get a wife unnatural, improbable ,- is destitute of many of the
for his son Isaac from a branch of his own ^mily ; essential characteristics of truth studiously avoids ;

hence she was brought from Syria. She is now afraid, mentioning those circumstances which are dishonour-
or pretends to be afraid, that her son Jacob will marry able to its subject ardently endeavours either to cast
;

among the Hittites, as Esau had done and therefore ; those which it cannnot wholly hide into deep shades,
makes this to Isaac the ostensible reason why Jacob or sublime them into virtues. This is notorious, and
should immediately go to Padan-aram, that he might we need not go numerous examples. From these
far for
get a wife there. Isaac, not knowing the true cause facts a reflecting mind will draw this general conclu-
of sending him away, readily falls in with Rebekah's
proposal, and immediately calls Jacob, gives him suit-
sion — an impartial history, in every respect true, can
be expected only from God himself.
able directions and his blessing, and sends him away. 2. These should be only preliminary observations
This view of the subject makes all consistent and to an extended examination of the characters and con-
natural and we see at once the reason of the abrupt
;
duct of Rebekah and her two sons but this in detail ;

speech contained in this verse, which should be placed would be an ungracious task, and I wish only to draw
at the beginning of the following chapter. the reader's attention towhat may, under the blessing
of God, promote his moral good. No pious man can
1. In the preceding notes I have endeavoured to read the chapter before him without emotions of grief
represent things simply as they were. I have not and pain. A
mother teaches her favourite son to
copied the manner of many commentators, vi'ho have cheat and defraud his brother, deceive his father, and
laboured to vindicate the character of Jacob and his tell the most execrable lies ! And God, the just, the
mother in the transactions here recorded. As I fear impartial God relates all the circumstances in the most
God, and wish to follow him, I dare not bless what he ample and minute detail ! I have already hinted that
hath not blessed, nor curse what he hath not cursed, this is a strong proof of the authenticity of the sacred
a 171
 —

Directions to Jacob GENESIS. concerning his marriage

book. Had the Bible been the work of an impostor, ment. The facts, however, relative to this point, may
a single trait of this history had never appeared. God, be summed up in a few words. 1 The descendants .

it is had purposed that the elder should serve

true, of Jacob were peculiarly favoured by God. 2. They
the younger ; but never designed that the supremacy- generally had the dominion, and were ever reputed
should be brought about in this way. Had Jacob's superior in every respect to the Edomites. 3. The
unprincipled mother left the matter in the hands of Edomites were generally tributary to the Israelites.
God's providence, her favourite son would have had 4. They often revolted, and sometimes succeeded so
the precedency in such a way as would not only have far in their revolts as to become an indepeyident peo-
manifested the justice and holiness of God, but would ple. 5. The Jews were never subjected to the Edom
have been both honourable and lasting to himself. ites. 6. As in the case between Esau and Jacob,
He got the birthright, and he got the blessing ; and who after long enmity were reconciled, so were the
how little benefit did he personally derive from either ! Edomites and the Jews, and at length they became
What was his life from this time till his return from one people. The Edomites, as a nation, are now
7.
Padan-aram ? A mere tissue of vexations, disappoint- totally extinct and the Jews still continue as a dis-
;

ments, and calamities. Men may endeavour to palliate tinct people from all the inhabitants of the earth So !

the iniquity of these transactions but this must pro- ; exactly have all the words of God, which he has
ceed either from weakness or mistaken zeal. God has spoken by his prophets, been fulfilled !

sufficiently marked the whole with his disapprobation. 4. On the blessings pronounced on Jacob and Esau,
3. The enmity which Esau felt against his brother these questions may naturally be asked. 1. Was there
Jacob seems to have been transmitted to all his pos- any thing these blessings of such a spiritual nature
in
terity and doubtless the matters of the birthi-ight and
; as to aiTect the eternal interests of either ? Certainly
the blessing were the grounds on which that perpetual there was not, at least as far as might absolutely in-
enmity was kept up between the descendants of both volve the salvation of the one, or the perdition of the
families, the Edomites and the Israelites. So unfor- other. 2. Was not the blessing pronounced on Esau
tunate is an ancient family grudge, founded on the as good as that pronounced on Jacob, the mere tempo-
opinion that an injury has been done by one of the rary lordship, and being the progenitor of the Messiah,
branches of the family, in a period no matter how excepted'? So it evidently appears. 3. If the bless-
remote, provided its operation still continues, and cer- ings had referred to their eternal states, had not Esau
tain secular privations to one side be the result. How as fair a prospect for endless glory as his unfeeling
possible it is to keep feuds of this kind alive to any brother ? Justice and mercy both say Yes. The
assignable period, the state of a neighbouring island truth is, it was their posterity, and not themselves,
sufficiently provesand on the subject in question, the
; that were the objects of these blessings. Jacob, per-
bloody contentions of the two houses of York and sonally, gained no benefit ; Esau, personally, sustained
Lancaster in this nation are no contemptible com- no loss.

CHAPTER XXVIII.
Isaac directs Jacob to lake a loife from the family of Laban, 1,2 blesses and sends him away, 3, 4. Jacob ;

-begins his journey, 5. Esau, perceiving that the daughters of Canaan were not pleasing to his parents,
and that Jacob obeyed them in going to get a wife of his own kindred, 6-8, ivent and took to wife Mahalath,
the daughter of Ishmael his father^ s brother, 9. Jacob, in his journey towards Haran, came to a certain
place, (Luz, ver. 19,) where he lodged all night, 10, 11. He sees in a dream a ladder reaching from
earth to heaven, on which he beholds the angels of God ascending and descending, 12. God appears above
this ladder, and renews those promises which he had made to Abraham and to Isaac, 13, 14; promises
Jacob personal protcctinn and a safe return to his oion country, 15. Jacob aivakes, and makes rejlections
upon his dream, IH, 17. Sets up one of the stones he had for his pillow, and pours oil on it, and
calls the place Beth-el, 18, 19. Makes a vow that if God ivill presei've him in his journey, and bi-ing him
back in safety, the stone should be God's house, and that he loould give him the tenths of all that he should
have, 20 — 22.

A M.cir. 2225. AND

-TL
Isaac called Jacob, and ' take a wife of the daughters
^ of a. m. cir. 2225.
B. C. cir. 1779.
" blessed him, and charged ^
Canaan.
B. C. cir. 1779.

him, and said unto him, '^

Thou shall not 2 " Arise, go to ^ Padan-aram, to the house

'Chap, xxvii. 33. 1> Cliiip. xxiv. 3. <=

Hos. xii. 11. J Chap. xxv. 20.

NOTES ON CHAP. XXVIH. obtained through subtlety. It was necessary that he

Verse 1. And Isaac called Jacob] See the note on should have this confirmation previously to his depart-
ver. 46 of the preceding chapter. ure else, considering the way in which he had obtained
;

And blessed him] Now voluntarily and cheerfully both the birthright and the blessing, he might be doubt-
confirmed to him the blessing, which he had before ful, according to his own words, whether he might not
172
 — , ;

Jacob s:oes to Padan-ara?n. CHAP. XXVIII. Esau marries Mahulath.

A. M. cir. 2225. of ^ Bethucl thy mother's father 6 When Esau saw that Isaac A. m. cir. 2225
— '
—
and take thee a wife from thence had blessed Jacob, and sent him — i_^^^l_^
'
'
;

—
of the daughters of ^ Laban thy mother's away to Padan-aram, to take him a wife from
brother. thence and that as he blessed him, he gave ;

3 s And God Almighty bless thee, and make him a charge, saying, Thou shalt not take
thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou a wife of the daughters of Canaan ;

mayest be ^ a multitude of people : 7 And that Jacob

obeyed his father, and his
4 And give thee the blessing of Abraham, *
mother, and was gone to Padan-aran^
to thee, and to thy seed with thee that : 8 And Esau seeing >" that the daughters o'f
thou mayest inherit the land ^ wherein thou ^ Canaan ^ pleased not Isaac his father ; •

art a stranger, which God gave unto Abra- 9 Then went Esau unto Ishmael, and took
ham. unto tlie wives which he had, ° Mahalath the
5 And Isaac sent away Jacob and he went : daughter of Ishmael, Abraham's son, p the
to Padan-aram unto Laban, son of Bethuel sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife.
the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob's 10 And Jacob 1 went out from Beer-sheba,
and Esau's mother. and went toward ^ Haran.

e Chap. xxii. 23. fChap. xxiv. 29. s Chap. xvii. 1,6. " Cliap. xxiv. 3 ; xxvi. 35. ° Heb. were evil in the eyes, &c.
^ Heb. an asseinbly of people. Chap. xii. 2. ''
Heb. of thy ° Chap, xxxvi. 3, she is called Bashemath. P Chap. xxv. 13.
sojournings. Chap. xvii. 8.
' iHos. xii. 12. ""Called, Acts vii. 2, Charran.

have got a curse instead of a blessing. As the bless- me, to the exclusion of Ishmael. But, according to
ing now pronounced on Jacob was obtained without St. Paul, much more than this is certainly intended
any deception on his part, it is likely that it produced here, for it appears, from Gal. iii. 6-14, that the bless-
a salutary effect upon his mind, might have led him to ing of Abraham, which is to come upon the Gentiles
confession of his sin, and prepared his heart for those through Jesus Christ, comprises the whole doctrine of
discoveries of God's goodness with which he was fa- justification by faith, and its attendant privileges, viz.,
voured at Luz. redemption from the curse of the law, remission of
Verse 2. Go to Padan-aram\ This mission, in its sins, and the promise of the Holy Spirit, including the
spirit and design, is nearly the same as that in chap, constitution and establishment of the Christian Church.
xxiv., which see. There have been several ingenious Verse 5. Bethuel the Syrian] Literally the Aramean,
conjectures concerning the retinue which Jacob had, so called, not because he was of the race of Aram the
or might have had, for his journey and by some he ; son of Shem, but because he dwelt in that country
has been supposed to have been loell attended. Of which had been formerly possessed by the descendants
this nothing is mentioned here, and the reverse seems of Aram.
to be intimated elsewhere. It appears, from ver. 1 1 Verse Then went Esau unto Ishmael] Those
9.
that he lodged in the open air, with a stone for his pil- who wrong handle,
are apt to take every thing by the
low and from chap, xxxii. 10, that he went on foot
; and who think it was utterly impossible for Esau to do
with his staff in his hand nor is there even the most
; any right action, have classed his taking a daughter
indirect mention of any attendants, nor is it probable of Ishmael among his crimes whereas there is nothing
;

there were any. He no doubt took provisions with more plain than that he did this with a sincere desire
him sufficient to carry him to the nearest encampment to obey and please his parents. Having heard the pious
or village on the way, where he would naturally re- advice which Isaac gave to Jacob, he therefore went
cruit his bread and water to carry him to the next stage, and took a wife from the family of his grandfather
and so on. The oil that he poured on the pillar might Abraham, as Jacob was desired to do out of the family
be a little of that which he had brought for his own of his maternal uncle Laban. Mahalath, whom he
use, and can be no rational argument of his having a took to wife, stood in the same degree of relationship
stock of provisions, servants, camels, &c., for which it to Isaac his father as Rachel did to his mother Re-
has been gravely brought. He had God alone with him. bekah. Esau married his father's niece Jacob mar- ;

Verse 3. That thou mayest be a multitude of people] ried his mother's niece. It w^as therefore most ob-
O'DJ? bnp; likhal ammim. There is something very viously to please his parents that Esau took this addi-
remarkable in the original w'ords they signify literally
: tional wife. supposed that Ishmael must have
It is
for an assembly, congregation, or church of peoples ; been dead thirteen or fourteen years before this time,
referring no doubt to the Jewish Church in the wil- and that going to Ishmael signifies only going to the
derness, but more particularly to the Christian Church, family of Ishmael. If we follow the common com-
composed of every kindred, and nation, and people, putation, and allow that Isaac was now about one hun-
and tongue. This is one essential part of the blessing dred and thirty-six or one hundred and thirty-seven
of Abraham. See ver. 4. years of age, and Jacob seventy-seven, and as Ishmael
Verse 4. Give thee the blessing of Abraham] May died in the one hundred and thirty-seventh year of his
he confirm the inheritance with all its attendant bless- age, which according to the common computation was
ings to thee, to the exclusion of Esau as he did to ; the one hundred and twenty-third of Isaac, then Ish-
173
 2 4
5 ;

Jacob's vision oj the ladder. GENESIS. God renews his promises.

A. M. cir. 2225. 1 1 And he lighted upon a whereon thou liest, to thee will A. M. cir. 2225.
-^ .1 B. C. cir. 1779.
and tarried there T1 give It, and to thy seed
-'
. 1 .
J
'.
certain place,
all night, because the sun was set and he 1 And ^ thy seed shall ; be as the dust of
took of the stones of that place, and put them the earth, and thou shalt y spread abroad ^ to

for his pillows, and lay down in that place the west, and to the east, and to the north,
to sleep. and to the south and inthee and ^ in thy :

1 And
dreamed, and behold a ladder seed shall all the families of the earth be
he ^

set up on the earth, and the top of it reached blessed.

to heaven and behold * the angels of God as-

; 1 And, behold, ^ I am with thee, and will
cending and descending on it. keep thee in all places whither thou goest, •=

13 ^ And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and will ^ bring thee again into this land ; for
and said, ^ I am the Lord God of Abraham ^ I will not leave thee, *"
until I have done that
thy father, and the God of Isaac : ^ the land which I have spoken to thee of.

'Chapter xli. 1 Job xxxiii. 15.

;
' John i.
51 ; Heb. i. 14. »Chap. xii. 3 ; xviii. 18 ; xxii. 18 ; xxvi. 4. ''
Seever. 20,
" Chap. XXXV. 1 xlviii. 3. ;
' Chap. xxvi. 24. '"
Chap. xiii. 21 ; chap. xxvi. 24 ; xxxi. 3. "=
Chap, xlviii. 16 ; Psa. cxxi.
15; XXXV. 12. =t
Chapter xiii. 16. yHeb. break forth. 5, 7, 8. d
Chap. xxxv. 6. « Deut. xxxviii. 6 ; Josh. i. 5 ;
» Chap. xiii. 14; Deut. xii. 20. 1 Kings viii. 57 ; Heb. xiii. 5. 'Num. xxiii. 19.

mael must have been dead about fourteen years. But meet all occurrences with the conviction that all was
if we allow the ingenious reasoning of Mr. Skinner working together for his good. 2. It might be intended
and Dr. Kennicott, that Jacob was at this time only also to point out the intercourse betioeen heaven and
fifty-seven years of age, and Isaac consequently only earth, and the connection of both worlds by the means
one hundred and seventeen, it will appear that Ishmael of angelic minis try. That this is fact we learn from
did not die till six years after this period and hence many histories in the Old Testament and it is a doc-
; ;

with propriety it might be said, Esau went unto Ish- trine that is unequivocally taught in the New Are :

mael, and took Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael to they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister
be his wife. See the notes on chap. xxxi. 38, &c. for them ivho shall he heirs of salvation ? 3. It was
Verse \\. A certain place, and tarried there] From probably a type of Christ, in whom both worlds meet,
ver. 19 we find this certain place was Luz, or some and in whom the Divine and human nature are con-
part of its vicinity. Jacob had probably intended to joined. The LADDER ivas set up on the earth, and
reach Luz but the sun being set, and night coming the TOP of it reached to heaven
; for GOD was mani- ;

on, he either could not reach the city, or he might sus- fested in the FLESH, and in him dwelt all the fulness
pect the inhabitants, and rather prefer the open field, of the Godhead bodily. Nothing could be a more ex-
as he must have heard of the character and conduct pressive emblem of the incarnation and its effects ;

of the men of Sodom and Gomorrah. Or the gates Jesus Christ is the grand connecting medium between
might be shut by the time he reached it, which would heaven and earth, and between God and man. By
prevent his admission for it frequently happens, to the him God comes down to man
; through him man as- ;

present day, that travellers not reaching a city in the cends to God. It appears that our Lord applies the
eastern countries previously to the shutting of the gates, vision in this way
1st, In that remarkable
himself,
are obliged to lodge under the walls all night, as when speech to Nathanael,
Hereafter ye shall see the heaven
once shut they refuse to open them till the next day. opened, and the angels of God ascending a?id descend-
This was probably Jacob's case. i7ig on the Son of man, John i. 5 1 2dly, In his speech .

He took of the stones] He took one of the stones to Thomas, John xiv. 6 I am the way, and the truth, :

that were in that place from ver. 18 we find it was and the life ; no man cometh unto the Father but by me.
:

one stone only which he had for his pillow. Luz was Verse 13. /am the Lord God of Abraham] Here
about forty-eight miles distant from Beer-sheba too God confirms to him the blessing of Abraham, for
;

great a journey for one day, through what we may which Isaac had prayed, ver. 3, 4.
conceive very unready roads. Verse 14. Thy seed shall be as the dust] The people
Verse 12. He dreamed, and behold a ladder] A that shall descend from thee shall be extremely nume-
multitude of fanciful things have been spoken of Ja- rous, and in thee and thy seed the Lord Jesus de- —
cob's vision of the ladder, and its signification. It scending from thee, according to the flesh, shall all the
might have several designs, as God chooses to accom- families of the earth not only all of thy race, but —
plish the greatest number of ends by the fewest and all the oibei families or tribes of mankind which have
simplest means possible. 1. It is very likely that its not proceeded from any branch of the Abrahamic family,
primary design was to point out the providence of God, be blessed ; for Jesus Christ by the grace of God tasted
by which he watches over and regulates all terrestrial death for every man, Heb. ii. 9.
things for nothing is left to merely natural causes
; a Verse 15. And, behold, 7 am %vith thee] For I fill
;

heavenly agency pervades, actuates, and directs all. the heavens and the earth. "My Word shall be thy
In his present circumstances it was highly necessary help." Targum. And will keep thee in all places, ev ry — —
that Jacob should have a clear and distinct view of 66c) -rracTj, in all this way. Septuagint. I shall direct,
this subject, that he might be the better prepared to help, and support thee in a peculiar manner, in thy
174
 ; — — —

Jacob awakes from sleep, CHAP. XXVIII. and sets up a pillar.

A.. M. cir. 2225. 1 6 And Jacob awaked out house of God, and this is the a. m. cir. 2225.
B. C.
——'—Li r , cir. 1779.
1 of his sleep, and he said, Surely gate 01 heaven.
the Lord is in ^ this place ; and I knew 18 And Jacob rose up early in the morning,
it not. and took the stone that he had put for his
17 And he was afraid, and said, How dread- pillows, and ^ set it up for a pillar, and ^

ful is this place ! this is none other but the poured oil upon the top of it.

e Exod. iii. 5; Josh. v. 15. ^ Chap. xxxi. 13, 45 ; xxxv. 14. '
Lev. viii. 10, 11, 12 ; Num. vii. 1.

present journey, be with thee while thou sojournest from Spain to Ireland, from Ireland to Scotland, and
with thy uncle, and bring thee again into this land;
loill on it the kings of Scotland sat to be crowned.; and
so that in all thy concerns thou mayest consider thy- concerning which the following leonine verses were
self under my
especial providence, jTor I will not leave made :

thee. descendants also shall be my peculiar peo-

Thy Ni fallat fatum, Scoti quocunque localum —
ple, whom I shall continue to preserve as such until I hivenieyit lapidem, regnare teneniur ibidem. —
have done that ivhich I have spoken to thee of until —
Or fate is blind or Scots shall find —
the Messiah shall be born of thy race, and all the fami-
lies of the earth — the Gentiles, he blessed through thee;
Where'er this stone — the royal throne.
Camden''s Perthshire.
the Gospel being preached to them, and they, with the
Edward I. had it brought to Westminster
and there ;
believing Jews, made one fold under one Shepherd,
this stone, called JacoFs
and JacoVs pilloiv, is
pillar,
and one Bishop or Overseer of souls. And this cir-
now placed under the chair on which the king sits when
cumstantial promise has been literallv and punctually
crowned It would be as ridiculous to attempt to dis-
!

fulfilled.
prove the truth of this tradition, as to prove that the
Verse 16. The Lord is in this place; and I knew
stone under the old chair in Westminster was the iden-
it not.'\ That is, God has made this place his pecu-
tical stone which served the patriarch for a bolster.
liar residence it is a place in which he meets with
;

and reveals himself to his followers. Jacob might

And poured oil upon the top of it.] Stones, images,
and altars, dedicated to Divine worship, were always
have supposed that this place had been consecrated to
anointed with oil. This appears to have been con-
God. And it has already been supposed that, his mind
sidered as a consecration of them to the object of tTie
having been brought into a humble frame, he was pre-
worship, and a means of inducing the god or goddess
pared to hold communion with his Maker.
to take up and answer the peti-
their residence there,
Verse 17. How dreadful is this place!] The ap-
tions of their votaries. Anointing stones, images, &c.,
pearance of the ladder, the angels, and the Divine
is used in idolatrous countries to the present day, and
glory at the top of the ladder, must have left deep,
the whole idol is generally smeared over with oil.
solemn, and even awful impressions on the mind of
Sometimes, besides the anointing, a crown or garland
Jacob and hence the exclamation in the text, How
;

was placed on the stone or altar to honour the divinity,

dreadful is this place !
who was supposed, in consequence of the anointing,
This is 7ione other but the house of God] The
to have set up his residence in that place. It appears
Chaldee gives this place a curious turn " This : is not
to have been on this ground that the seats of polished
a common place, but a place in which God delights
stone, on which the kings sat in the front of their
and opposite to this place is the gate of heaven." On-
palaces to administer justice, were anointed, merely to
helos seems to suppose that the gate or entrance into
invite the deity to reside there, that true judgment
heaven was actually above this spot, and that when the
might be given, and a righteous sentence always be
angels of God descended to earth, they came through
pronounced. Of this we have an instance in Homer,
that opening into this place, and returned by the same
Odyss. lib. v., ver. 406-410 :

way. And it really appears that Jacob himself had

a similar notion. Ek <5' clduv, Kar' ap' i^er' etvl ^eoToiat TiidoLciv,

Verse 18. And Jacob took the stone —

and set it up — 01 01 Edav irpoTTapocds dvpauv viprjXauv,
for a pillar] He placed the stone in an erect posture, Aevkoi, a7roaTi2.(3ovT€c a?.ei(paTog' olg sni /xev npiv
that it might stand as a monument of the extraordinary NrjTievQ I^eckev, deofiv /xr/crup araXavTog.
vision which he had in this place and he poured oil ;
The old man early rose, walk'd forth, and sate
upon it, thereby consecrating it to God, so that it might On polisVd stone before his palace gate ;

be considered an altar on which libations might be With unguent smooth the lucid marble shone,
poured, and sacrifices offered unto God. See chap. Where ancient Neleus sate, a rustic throne. Pope.
xxxv. 14. The Brahmins anoint their stone images
with oil before bathing and some anoint them with;
This gives a part of the sense of the passage ; but

sweet-scented oil. This is a practice which arises the last line, on which much stress should be laid, is

more from the customs of the Hindoos than from their very inadequately rendered by the English poet. It
should be translated,
idolatry. Anointing persons as an act of homage has
been transferred to their idols. Where Neleus sat, equal in counsel to the gods ;

There is a foolish tradition that the stone set up by because inspired by their wisdom, and which inspira-
Jacob was afterwards brought to Jerusalem, from which, tion he and his successor took pains to secure by con-
after a long lapse of time, it was brought to Spain, secrating with the anointing oil the seat of judgment
176
 Jacob calls the name GENESIS. qf the place Beth-d
A. M. cir. 2225. 1 9 And he called the name of ^ God will be with me, and will a. m. cir. 2225.
B. C. cir. 1779. B. C. cir. 1779.
keep me m .I,- T
•
.1. .
^ that place Beth-el but the this way that I go,
1
^ :

name of that city was called Luz at the first. and will give me ° bread to eat, and raiment
20 ™ And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If to put on,

•f
Judges i. 23, 26; Hosea iv. 15.- '
That is, the house ™Chap. xxxi. 13; Judg. xi. 30 ; 2 Sam. xv. 8. "Ver. 15.
of God. 1 Tim. vi. 8.

on which they were accustomed to sit. Some of the idolatrous purposes, and hence God strongly prohibits
ancient commentators on Homer mistook the meaning them, Lev. xxvi. 1 and it is very likely that stones
;

of this place by not understanding the nature of the of this kind were the most ancient objects of idola-
custom and these Coicper unfortunately follows, trans-
; trous worship these were afterwards formed into beau-
:

lating " resplendent as withwhich as destroys oil ;" tiful human figures, male and female, when the art of
the whole sense, and obliterates the allusion. This sculpture became tolerably perfected, and hence the
sort of anointing was a common custom in all antiquity, origin of idolatry as far as it refers to the worshipping
and was probably derived from this circumstance. Ar- of images, for these, being consecrated by anointing,
nobius tells us that it was customary with himself while &c., were supposed immediately to become instinct
a heathen, "when he saw a smooth polished stone that with the power and energy of some divinity. Hence,
had been smeared with oils, to kiss and adore it, as if then, the Baetylia or living stones of the ancient Phoe-
"pOS'sessing "a-Sivine^virtue." Si quando consfexeram nicians, &c. As oil is an emblem of the gifts and
lubricatum lapidem, et eJ: oUvi unguine sordidatum graces of the Holy Spirit, so those who receive this
{ordinatum ?) tanquam inesset vis prtEsens- adulabar, anointing are considered as being alive unto God, and
affabar. And Theodoret, in his eighty-fourth question are expressly called by St. Peter living stones, 1 Pet
on Genesis, asserts that many pious women in his time ii. 4, 5. May not the apostle have reference to those
were accustomed to anoint the coffins of the martyrs, living stones or Baetyllia of antiquity, and thus correct
&c. And in Catholic countries when a church is con- the notion by showing that these rather represented the
secrated they anoint the door-posts, pillars, altars, &c. true worshippers of God, who were consecrated to his
So under the law there was a holy anointing oil to service and made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and
sanctify the tabernacle, laver, and all other things used that these alone could be properly called the living stones
inGod's service, Exod. xl. 9, &c. out of which the true spiritual temple is composed ?
Verse 19. He called the name of that place Beth-el] Verse 20. Vowed a vow] A vow is a solemn, holy
That is, the house of God ; for in consequence of his promise, by which a man bound himself to do certain
having anointed the stone, and thus consecrated it to things in a particular way, time, &c., and for power
God, he considered it as becoming henceforth his pe- to accomplish which he depended on God hence all ;

culiar residence see on the preceding verse.

; This vows were made with prayer.
word should be always pronounced as two distinct syl- If God ivill be with me, c^c] Jacob seems to make
lables, each strongly accented, Beth-El. this vow rather for his posterity than for himself, as
Was called Liiz at the first.] The Hebrew has we may learn from ver. 13-15; for he particularly
Tw aSiN Ulam Luz, which the Roman edition of the refers to the promises which God had made to him,
Septuagint translates Ovlafilovi^ Oulamlouz ; the which concerned the multiplication of his offspring,
Alexandrian MS., Ou2,a/ifiavc Oulammaus ; the Al- and their establishment in that land. If, then, God
dine, Ovlaiifxaovg Oulammaous ; Symmachus, Aafi- shall fulfil these promises, he binds his posterity to
fiaovg Lammaous ; and some others, Ovlafi Oulam. build God a house, and to devote for the maintenance
The Hebrew iID7lX ulam is sometimes a particle sig- of his worship the tenth of all their earthly goods.
nifying as, just as; hence it may signify that the place This mode of interpretation removes that appearance
was Beth-El, as it ivas formerly called Luz.
called of self-interest which almost any other view of the
As Luz an almond, almond or hazel tree, this
signifies subjoct presents. Jacob had certainly, long ere this,
place probably had its name from a number of such taken Jehovah for his God and so thoroughly had he
;

trees growing in that region. Many of the ancients been instructed in the knowledge of Jehovah, that we
confounded this city with Jerusalemf<,^
^,hich they at- may .Z^^' satisfied no reverses of fortune could have
tribute the eight following n^^^^^
^^-^^ ^^^ ^H ^^. induced him to upostatize but as his taking refuge
:

pressed m this verse -.^ne'^

with Laban was probably typical of the sojourning of
his descendants in Egypt, his persecution, so as to be
rr ,
'
"..Ir Bethel, Hierosoliima, Jebus, JElia,
Urbs sacra ^V- ? j- •. . o / obliged to depart from Laban, the bad treatment of his
ja-,"Jiierusalem dicitur atque l^alem.
*^'
posterity by the Egyptians, his rescue from death, pre-
'Solyma, Luz, Beth-El, Hierosolyma, Jebus, .^lia. servation on his journey, re-establishment in his own
The holy city is call'd. as also Jerusalem and Salem. country, &c., were all typical of the exodus of his de-
From Beth-EI came the Baetylia, Bethyllia, Bat- scendants, their travels in the desert, and establishment
Tv'kia, or animated stones, so celebrated in antiquity, in the promised land, where they built a house to God,
and to which Divine honours were paid. The tradi- and where, for the support and maintenance of the pure
tion ofJacob anointing this stone, and calling the place worship of God, they gave to the priests and Levites
the tenth of all their icorldly produce. If all this be
Beth-El, gave rise to all the superstitious accounts of
the Baetylia or consecrated stones, which we find in understood as referring to Jacob owZy, the Scripture
Sanchoniathon and others. These became abused to gives us no information how he performed his vow.
176
 —
Jacob promises to God CHAP. XXVIII. the tenth o^ all his goods.

A. M. cir. 2225. 2 1 So that P I comc again to my a pillar, ' shall be God's house : a. m. cir. 2225.

^ ^' """ i and

house in peace then ^ of that thou shalt -L-!
'.

1 father's ; all

shall the Lord be my God : give me I will surely give the tenth unto
22 And this stone, which I have set for thee.

P Judg.xi. 31 ; 2 Samuel xix. 24, 30. 1 Exodus xv. 2 ; Deut. ""Ver. 17; chap. xiv. 20; xxxv. 7, 14. sLev. xxvii. 30-33;
xxvi. 17 2 Sara. xv. 8 2 Kings v. 17.
; ;
Deut. xiv. 22, 23.

Verse 22. This stone — That paid by some other method, as this appears in the
shall be God''s house]
is, Jacob alone,) should present state of things to be very objectionable and
(as far as this matter refers to ;

I be preserved to return in safety, I shall worship the mode of levying them is vexatious in the extremoi
God in this place. And this purpose he fulfilled, for and serves to sow dissensions between the clergyman
there he built an altar, anointed it with oil, and poured and his parishioners, by which many are nbt only
a drink-offering thereon. alienated from the Church, but also from the power as
For a practical use of Jacob's vision, see note on well as the form of godliness. But still the labourer
verse 12. is worthy of his hire and the maintenance of the pub- ;

licministry of the word of God should not be left to

On the doctrine of tithes, or an adequate support the caprices of men. He who is only supported for his
for the ministers of the Gospel, I shall here register work, will be probably abandoned when he is no longer
my opinion.Perhaps a word may be borne from one capable of puWic service. I have seen many aged and

who never received any, and has none in prospect. worn-out ministers reduced to great necessity, and
Tithes in their origin appear to have been a sort of almost literally obliged to beg their bread among those
eucharistic offering made unto God, and probably were whose opulence and salvation were, under God, the
something similar to the minchah, which we learn from fruits of their ministry Such persons may think they
!

Gen. iv. was in use almost from the foundation of the do God service by disputing against " tithes, as legal
When God established a regular, and we may institutions long since abrogated," while they permit
world.
add an expensive worship, it was necessary that proper their worn-out ministers to starve : — ^but how shall they

provision should be made for the support of those who day when Jesus shall say, Iivas hungry,
appear in that
were obliged to devote their whole time to it, and con- and ye gave me no meat ; thirsty, and ye gave me no
sequently were deprived of the opportunity of providing drink ; naked, and ye clothed me not ? It is true, that

for themselves in any secular way. It was soon found where a provision is established on a certain ordet of
that a tenth part of the produce of the whole land was priesthood by the law, it may be sometimes claimed
necessary for this purpose, as a whole triOe, that of and consumed by the worthless and the profane but ;

Levi, was devoted to the public service of God and this is no necessary consequence of such establish-
;

when the land was divided, this tribe received no in- ment, as there are laws which, if put in action, have
heritance among their brethren. Hence, for their sup- sufficient energy to expel every wicked and slothful
port, the law of tithes was enacted and by these the servant from the vineyard of Christ.
;
This however
priests and Levites were not only supported as the is seldom done. At all events, this is no reason why
ministers of God, but as the teachers and intercessors those who have served God and their generation should
of the people, performing a great variety of religious not be comfortably supported during that service and ;

duties for them which otherwise they themselves were when incapable of it, be furnished at least with the
bound to perform. As this mode of supporting the necessaries of life. Though many ministers have
ministers of God was instituted by himself, so we may reason to complain of this neglect, who have no claims
rest assured it was rational and just. Nothing can be on a legal ecclesiastical establishment, yet none have
more reasonable than to devote a portion of the earthly cause for louder complaint than the generality of those
good which we receive from the free mercy of God, called curates, or unbeneficed ministers, in the Church
to his own service ; especially when by doing it we of England their employers clothe themselves with
:

are essentially serving ourselves. If the ministers of the wool, and feed themselves with the fat they tend ;

God give up their whole time, talents, and strength, not the flock, and Jheir substitutes that perform the
to watch over, labour for, and instruct the people in labour and do the drutf^gry of the office, are permitted
spiritual things, justice requires that they shall receive at least to half starve on ah' inadequate remuneration.
their support from the work. How worthless and Let a national worship be supported, but let the sup-
wicked must that man be, who is continually receiving port be derived from a less objectionabL'^ source than
good from the Lord's hands without restoring any part tithes ; for as the law now stands relative i?,.*'^.?."??, B2.
for the support of true religion,
and for charitable pur- one purpose of moral instruction or piety can be pro-
poses ! To
such God says, Their table shall become moted by the system. On their present plan tithes
a snare to them, and that he will curse their blessings. are oppressive and unjust the clergyman has a right
;

God expects returns of gratitude in this way from by law to the tenth of the produce of the soil, and to
every man; he that has much should give plenteously, the tenth of all that is supported by it. He claims
he that has little should do his diligence to give of even the tenth egg, as well as the tetith apple ; the
that little. tenth of all grain, of all hay, and even of all the pro
It is not the business of these notes to dispute on duce of the kitchen garden; but he contributes nothing
the article of tithes ; certainly it would be well could to the cultivation of the soil. A comparatively poor
a proper substitute be found for them, and the clergy man rents a farm ; it is entirely out of heart, for it
Vol. I. ( 13 )
 ;

Jacoh travels toward Raran, GENESIS. and comes to a well.

has been exhausted it yields very little, and the tenth

;
upon sod pays tithes : his shll and industry also
the
is not much expense of all he has, he dresses
; at the are tithed ; or if he have been obliged to borroio cash,

and manures this ungrateful soil to repay him and ; he not only has to pay tithes on the produce of this bor-
heep up the cultivation would require three years' pro- rowed money, but five per cent, interest for the money
duce. It begins to yield well, and the clergyman takes itself. All this is oppressive and cruelly unjust. I
the tenth which is now in quantity and quality more in say again, let there be a national religion, and a na-
value than a pound, where before it was not a shilling. tional clergy supported by the state ; but let them be
But the whole crop would not repay the farmer's ex- supported by a tax, not by tithes, or rather let them be
penses. In proportion to the farmer's improvement is paid out of the general taxation ; or, if the tithe sys-
the clergyman's tithe, who has never contributed one tem must be continued, let the poor-rates be abolished,
shilling to aid in this extra produce! Here then not and the clergy, out of the tithes, support the poor in
only the soil pays tithes, but the ma.n's property brought their respective parishes, as was the original custom

CHAPTER XXIX.
Jacob proceeds on his journey, 1 Comes to a well where the flocks of his uncle Laban, as icell as those of
.

several others, were usually loatered, 2, 3. Inquires from the shepherds concerning Laban and his family,
4-6. While they are conversing about loatering the sheep, 7, 8, Rachel arrives, 9. He assists her to
water her flock, 10; makes himself known unto her, 11, 12. She hastens home and communicates the
tidings of JacoVs arrival
to her father, 12. Laban hastens to the ivell, embraces Jacob, and brings him.
home, 13. After a month's stay, Laban proposes to give Jacob ivages, 14, 15. Leah and Rachel described,
16, 17. Jacob proposes to serve seven years for Rachel, 18. Laban cansents, 19. When the seven years
were fulfilled, Jacob demands his wife, 20, 21. Laban makes a marriage feast, 22 and in the evening ;

substitutes Leah for Rachel, to whom he gives Zilpah for handmaid, 23, 24. Jacob discovers the fraud,
and upbraids Laban, 25. He excuses himself, 26 and promises to give him Rachel for another seven ;

years of service, 27. After abiding a week ivith Leah, he receives Rachel for wife, to whom Laban gives
Bilhah for handmaid, 28, 29. Jacob loves Rachel more than Licah, and serves seven years for her, 30.
Leah being despised, the Lord makes her fruitful, while Rachel continues barren, 31. Leah bears Reuben,
32, and Simeon, 33, and Levi, 34, and Judah ; after ivhich she leaves off bearing, 35.

A. M. cir. 2225. 'pHEN Jacob ""

went on his 3 And thither were all the flocks a. m. cir. 2225.
B. C. cir. 1779.
journey, ^ and came into gathered : and they rolled the ~ —— '. '. '.

the land of the " people of the east. stone from the well's mouth, and watered the
2 And he looked, and behold a well in the sheep, and put the stone again upon the welFs
iield, and, lo, there ivet^e three flocks of sheep mouth in his place.
lying by it ; 4 And Jacob said unto them, My brethren,
for out of that well they watered
the flocks and a great stone was upon the whence be ye ? And they said,
: Of Haran '^

well's mouth. are we.

» Heb. lift up his feet. •>
Chap, xxviii. 5-7 ; Num. xxiii. 7 "=
Hebrews, children. * Chapter xxvii. 43 ;

Judg. vi. 3, 33 Hos. xii. 12.

; xxviii. 10.

NOTES ON CHAP. XXIX. for LabaU's flock was yet to come, under the care of
Verse 1. Then Jacob luent on his journey] Th" Ilachel, ver. 6.
original is very remarkable And Jacob H^f^'} 'up his :
Verse 3. All the flocks] Instead of num^'n ha-
feet, and he travelled unto the land 9"^^iJig children of dariin, flocks, the Samaritan reads -^iTfV*^¥ haroim,
the east. There is a certain ch^^^U[aness marked in shepherds ; for which reading Houbigant strongly con-
the origmal which comporf^^^.-^-g,, ^^-^^^^
^^^ g^^te ^f tends, as well in this verse as in verse 8. It certainly
mmd mto which he had.^^^^ brought by the vision of cannot be said that all the flocks rolled the stone from
the ladder and^bg^^^^j^-^g^
^^^ ^^^^ the weWs mouth, and ivalered the sheep : and yet so
^^ ^^^ jj^
that having^^^ ^^^ j^-^ pj-Qtector he had nothing to it appears to read if we prefer the common Hebrew
•^^^^Prr*.herefore he went on his way rejoicing. text to the Samaritan. It is probable that the same
of the east.]
'eople The inhabitants of Mesopota- reading was originally that of the second verse also.
mia and the whole country beyond the Euphrates are And put the slone again upon the weWs niouth] It
called Ti^y^ kedem, or easterns, in the sacred writings. is very likely that the stone was a large one, which

Verse 2. Three flocks of sheep] jXX tson, small was necessary to prevent ill-minded individuals from

cattle, such as sheep, goals, &c. see on chap. xii. 16. ;

either disturbing the water, or filling up the well hence a ;

Sheep, in a healthy state, seldom drink in cold and great stone was provided, which required the joint exer
comparatively cold countries : but it was probably dif- tions of several shepherds to remove it; and hence those
ferent in hot climates. The three flocks, [{flocks and who arrived first waited till all the others were come up,

not shepherds be meant, which were lying now at the that they might water their respective flocks in concert.
well, did not belong to Laban, but to three other chiefs ;
Verse 4. My brethren, whence be ye f] The Ian-

178 ( 13* )
 ; 1

Jacob meets with Rachel, and CHAP. XXIX. is taken to Labans house

A. M. cir. 2225. 5 And he

Rachel the daughter of Laban a. m. cir. 2225.
said unto them,
B. C. cir. 1779.
Know ye Laban .
,/ t
his mother's brother, and the —
i.
1
*i,
the son f
oi —— ' '.

Nahoj- And they

'^
said, We know mm. sheep of Laban his mother's brother, that
6 And he said unlo them, ^ Is he well ? ^ Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from ^

And they said, He is well and behold, Ra- the well's mouth, and watered the flock of
:

chel his daughter cometh with the sheep. Laban his mother's brother.

7 And he said, ho, .^ it is yet high day: 1 And Jacob ^ kissed Rachel, and lifted up
neither is it time that the cattle should be his voice, and wept. »

gathered together : water ye the sheep, and 12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was
go and feed them. ^ her father's brother, and that he was Re-
8 And they said. We cannot, until all the bekah's son :
^ and she ran and told her
flocks be gathered together, and till they roll father.
the stone from the well's mouth ; then we 13 And it came to pass, when Laban heard
water the sheep. the ^ tidings of Jacob his sister's son, that ° he
9 And while he yet spake with them, Ra- ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed ^

chel came with her father's sheep for she him, and brought him to his house. And he :

kept them. told Laban all these things.

10 And it came to pass, when Jacob saw 14 And Laban said to him, p Surely thou

* Heb. Is there peace to him ? f

Chap, xliii. 27. s Heb. 1 Chap. xiii. 8 ; xiv. 14, 16. " Chapter xxiv. 28. » Heb.
yet the day is great. ••
E-xod. ii. 16. Exod. ii. 17.
' ' Ch. hearing. ° Chap. xxiv. 29. P Chapter ii. 23 ; Judg. ix. 2 ;

xxxiii. 4; xlv. 14, 15. 2 Sam. V. 1 ; xix. 12, 13.

guage of Laban and his family was Chaldee and not the well, as in the case of Rebekah ; or tend sheep,
Hebrew (see chap. xxxi. 47 ;) but from the names
; as in the case of Rachel. The chi&f property in those
which Leah gave to her children we see that the two times consisted in flocks : and who so proper to take
languages had many words in common, and there- care of them as those who were interested ia their
fore Jacob and the shepherds might understand each safety and increase 1 Honest labour, far from being
other with little difficulty. It is possible also that a discredit, is an honour both to high and low. The
Jacob might have learned the Chaldee or Aramitish king himself is served by the field and without it, and ;

language from his mother, as this was his mother's the labour necessary for its cultivation, all ranks must
tongue. perish. Let every son, let every daughter, learn that
Verse 5. Laban the son of Nahor] Son is here it is no discredit to be employed, whenever it may be

put for grandson, for Laban was the son of Bethuel necessary, in the meanest offices, by which the inte-
'.he son of Nahor. rests of the family may be honestly promoted.
Verse 6. Is he well .?] lS aibiyri hashalom lo ? Is Verse 10. -Jacob went near, and rolled the stone]
there peace to him? Peace among the Hebrews sig- Probably the flock of Laban was the last of those
nified all kinds of prosperity. Is he a prosperous man which had a right to the well that flock being now ;

in his family and in his property 1 And they said, come, Jacob assisted the shepherds to roll off the stone,
He is ivell, CDl^jy shalom, he prospers. — (for it is not likely he did it by himself,) and so assisted
—
Rachel cometh with the sheep.] Sni rachel (the ch his cousin, to whom he was as yet unknown, to water
sounded strongly guttural) signifies a sheep or ewe ; her flock.
and she probably had her name from her fondness for Verse 1 1 Jacob kissed Rachel] A simple and pure
.

these animals. methou by which the primitive inhabitants of the earth

Verse 7. It is yet high day] The day is but about testified their friendship to each other, first abused by
half run ; neither is it time that the cattle should be hypocrites, who pretended affection while their vile
gathered together — it is surely not time yet to put hearts meditated terror, (see the case of Joab,) and
them into the folds ; give them therefore water, and afterwards disgraced by refiners on morals, who, while
take them again to pasture. they pretended to stumble at^'^ose innocent expressions
Verse 8. We cannot, until all the flocks be gathei-ed of affection and friendship, wpre capable of committing
together] It is a rule that
the stone shall not be the grossest acts of impurity.
removed till all the shepherds and the flocks which And lifted up his voice] It may be, in thanksgiving
have a right to this well be gathered together to God he had shown him, in conduct-
for the favour
then, and not before, we may water the sheep. See ing him thus far in peace and safety.
on ver. 3.. And wept.] From a sense of the goodness of hia
Verse Rachel came with her father''s sheep] So
9. heavenly Father, and his own unworthiness of the suc-
we young women were not kept concealed in
find that cess \\dth which he had been favoured. The same
the house till the time they were married, which is the expressions of kindness and pure affection are repeated
common gloss put on n07>' almah, a virgin, one con- on the part of Laban, ver. 13.
cealed. Nor was it beneath the dignity of the daugh- Verse 14. My bone and my flesh.] One of my near-
ters of the most opulent chiefs to carry water from est relatives.
a 170
 6 79
8 — ;

Tacoh agrees to serve Laoan GENESIS. ./( ij'jurs for Rachel

A. M. 2225. artmy bone and my flesh. And 1 Leah was tender-eyed but a. m. cir. 22251
B. C.
cir.
cir. 1779.
^^ ^^^^^ ^.^j^ j^.j^ q ^j^g gp^^g Rachel was ^ beautiful and well
;

— '
— '

of a month. favoured.
15 And Laban said unto Jacob, Because 1 And Jacob loved Rachel ; and said,

thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore ^

I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy
serve me for naught ? tell me, what shall thy younger daughter.
wages he 1 1 And Laban said, ' It is better that I give

1 And Laban had two daughters : the name her to thee, than that I should give her to
of the elder was Leah, and the name of the another man : abide with me.
younger was Rachel. 20 And Jacob '^ served seven years for

1 Heb. a month of days. " Chap. xii. 11 xxiv. 16

; ; xxxix. 6 ;
t Psa. xii. 2. " Chap. xxx. 26 ; Hos. xii. 12 ; Cant. viii. 6, 7
Prov. xxxi. 30. ' Chap. xxxi. 41 xxxiv.; 12. 1 Cor. xiii. 7.

Verse 15. Because thou art my brother, djrc] David, in order to be Saul's son-in-law, must, instead
Though thou art my nearest re'ative, yet I have no of a dowry, kill Goliath and when this was done, he ;

right to thy services without giving thee an adequate was not permitted to espouse Michal till he had killed
recompense. Jacob had passed a whole month in the one hundred Philistines. The Prophet Hosea bought
family of Laban, in which he had undoubtedly render- his wife for fifteen pieces of silver, and a homer and
ed himself of considerable service. A.s Laban, who a half of barley. The same custom prevailed among
was of a very saving if not covetous disposition, saw the ancient Greeks, Indians, and Germans. The Ro-
that he was likely to be of great use to him in his mans also had a sort of marriage entitled per coemp-
secular concerns, he wished to secure his services, and lionem, " by purchase." The Tartars and Turks still
therefore asks him what wages he wished to have. buy their wives but among the latter they are bought ;

Verse 17. Leah was tender-eyed] HOI raccoth, soft, as a sort of slaves.
delicate, lovely. I believe the word means just the Herodotus mentions a very singular custom among
reverse of the signification generally given to it. The the Babylonians, which may serve to throw light on
design of the inspired writer is to compare both the Laban's conduct towards Jacob. " In every district
sisters together, that the balance may appear to be they annually assemble all the marriageable virgins on
greatly in favour of Rachel. The chief recommenda- a certain day and when the men are come together ;

tion of Leah was her soft and beautiful eyes ; but Ra- and stand round the place, the crier rising up sells one
chel was ixr\ niJ' yephath toar, beautiful in her shape, after another, always bringing forward the most beau-
person, mien, and gait, and DN"^^ HD' yephath march, tiful first and having sold her for a great sum of gold, ;

beautiful in her countenance. The words plainly sig- he puts up her who is esteemed second in beauty. On
nify a fine shape 2,nA fine features, all that can be con- this occasion the richest of the Babylonians used to
sidered as essential to personal beauty. Therefore contend for the fairest wife, and to outbid one another.
Jacob loved her, and was willing to become a bond But the vulgar are content to take the ugly and lame
servant for seven years, that he might get her to wife ;
with money ; for when all the beautiful virgins are sold,
for in his destitute state he could produce no dowry, the crier orders the most deformed to stand up and ;

and it was the custom of those times for the father to after he has openly demanded who will mary her with
receive a portion /or his daughter, and not to give one a small sum, she is at length given to the man that is
with her. One of the Hindoo lawgivers says, " A contented to marry her with the least. And in this
person may become a slave on account of love, or to 'iiauner the money arising from the sale of the hand-
obtain a wife." The bad system of education bv wlilch some served for a portion to those W'hose look was dis-
women are spoiled and rendered in general good for agreeable, or who had any bodily imperfection. A fa-
nothing, makes it necessary for the husband to get a ther was not permitted to indulge his own fancy in the
dowry with his wife to enable V.lin to maintain her choice of a husband for his daugliter neither might ;
;

whereas in former times the,y were well educated and the purchaser carry off the woman which he had bought
extremely useful, hence^fe who got a wife almost in- without giving sufficient security that he would live
variably got a./j)rize;'ox as Solomon says, got a good with her as his own wife. Those also who received
/''
thing. a sum of money with such as could bring no price in
— ^t!^5R-3J9. And Jacob served seven years for Rachel] this market, were obliged also to give sufficient secu-
In ancient times it appears to have been a custom rity that they would live with them, and if they did
men should give dowries for not they were obliged to refund the money." Thus
among all nations that
their wives; and in many countries this custom still Laban made use of the beauty of Rachel to dispose of
his daughter Leah, in the spirit of the Babylonian
cus
prevails. When Shechem asked Dinah for wife, he
said. Ask me never so much dowry and gift, and I ivill tom, though not in the letter.
give according as ye shall say unto me. When Eliezer And they seemed unto him but afeio days] If Jacob
went to get Rebekah for Isaac, he took a profusion of had been obliged to wait seven years before he mar-
ried Rachel, could it possibly be said that they
could
riches with him, in silver, gold, jewels, and raiment,
with other costly things, which, when the contract was apt,ear to him as a few days ? Though the letter of

seems to say the contrary, yet there are emi-

made, he gave to Rebekah, her mother, and her brothers. the text
180
 .

Jacob demands Rachel, hut CHAP. XXIX. Laban gives him Leah

A. M. cir. 2225. Rachel ; and they seemed unto 25 And It came to pass, that in a. m. cir. 2232.

^- ^ "'' ^"^^^-
for the love
,
the
1,11-
morning, behold, it
T
was Leah
1
B. C. cir. 1772.
him but a few days, :

he had to her. and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast

A. M. cir. And Jacob said unto La- done unto me ? did not I serve vsdth thee
2232. 21
B. C.cir. 1772.
>^ -r r
ban, (rive me my wile, tor my for Rachel ? wherefore then hast thou be-
,

days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her guiled me ?

^

22 And Laban gathered together all the 26 And Laban said. It must not be so done
^
men of the place, and made a feast. in our country, ^to give the youi^ger before
23 And it came to pass in the evening, that the first-born.

he took Leah his daughter, and brought her 27 y Fulfil her week, and we will give thee
tohim and he went in unto her.
; this also, for the service which thou shalt

24 And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah serve with me, yet seven other years.
Zilpah his maid /or a handmaid. 28 And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week :

'Judges XV. 1. ''' Judges xiv. 10; Matthew xxii. 2-10; ^B.eb. place. y Judg. xiv. 12; Lev. xviii. 1.8; Mai. ii. 15;
John ii. 1, 2. chap. xxix. 20.

nent men who brought to Jacob in the evening, the imposition here
strongly contend that he received Ra-
chel soon after the practised might easily pass undetected by Jacob, till
month was finished, (see ver. 14,)
and then served seven years for her, which might really the ensuing day discovered the fraud.
appear but a few days to him, because of his increas- Verse 24. And Laban gave Zilpah his maid] —
ing love to her but others think this quite incompati- Slaves given in this way to a daughter on her marriage,
;

ble with all the circumstances marked down in the were the peculiar property of the daughter; and over
text, and on the supposition that Jacob was not now them the husband had neither right nor power.
seventy-seven years of age, as most chronologers make Verse 26. It must not be so done, in our country]
him, but only fifty-seven, (see on chap, xxxi.,) there It was an early custom to give daughters in marriage
will be time sufficient to allow for all the transactions according to their seniority ; and it is worthy of remark
which are recorded in his history, during his stay with that the oldest people now existing, next to the Jews,
Laban. As to the incredibility of a passionate lover, I mean the Hindoos, have this not merely as a custom,
as some have termed him, waiting patiently for seven but as a positive law ; and they, deem it criminal to
years before he could possess the object of his wishes, give a younger daughter in marriage while- an elder
and those seven years appearing to him as only a few daughter remains unmarried. Among them it is a high
days, it may be satisfactorily accounted for, they think, offence, equal to adultery, " for a man to marry while
two ways : 1 He had the continual company of his
. his elder brother remains unmarried, or for a man to

elect spouse, and this certainly would take away all give his daughter to such a person, or to give his
tedium in the case. 2. Love affairs were not carried youngest daughter in marriage while the eldest sister
to such a pitch of insanity among the patriarchs as remains unmarried." —
Code of Gentoo Laws, chap.
they have been in modern times they were much XV., sec. 1, p. 204. This was a custom at Mesopo-
;

more sober and sedate, and scarcely ever married be- tamia but Laban took care to conceal it from Jacob ;

fore they were forty years of age, and then more for till after he had given him Leah. The words of La-
convenienoy, and tlie desire of having an offspring, ban are literally what a Hindoo would say on such a
than for any other purpose. At the very lowest com- subject.
putation Jacob was now fifty-seven, and consequently Verse 27. Fulfil her iveek] The marriage feast, it
must have passed those days in which passion runs appears, lasted seven days ; it would not therefore have
away with reason. Still, however, the obvious con- been proper to break off the solemnities to which all
struction of the text shows that he got Rachel the the men of the place had been invited, ver. 22, and
week after he had married Leah. probably Laban wished to keep his fraud from the pub-
Verse 2 1 My days are fulfilled] My seven years lic eye therefore he informs Jacob that if he will fulfil
. ;

are now completed, let me have my wife, for whom I the marriage iveek for Leah, he will give him Rachel
have given this service as a dowry. at the end of it, on condition of his serving seven other
Verse 22. Laban made a feast.] — this the necessity of the case caused Jacob
nni^'O mishteh years. To
signifies a feast of drinking. As marriage was a
and thus Laban had fourteen years' service
very to agree ;

solemn contract, there is that instead of seven ; J"or it is not likely that Jacob would
much reason to believe
sacrifices were offered on the occasion, and libations have served even seven days for Leah, as his affection
poured out and we know that on festival occasions a was wholly set on Rachel, the wife of his own choice.
;

cup of ivine was offered to every guest and as this By this stratagem Laban gained a settlement for both
;

was drunk with particular ceremonies, the feast might his daughters. "What a man soweth, that shall he reap.
derive its name from this circumstance, which was the Jacob had before practised deceit, and is now deceived ;

de-
most prominent and observable on such occasions. and Laban, the instrument of it, was afterwards
Verse 23. In the evening —
he took Leah his daush- ceived himself.
ter] As the bride was always veiled, and the bride Verse 28. A7id Jacob did so—and he gave him Ra-
chamber generally dark, or nearly so, and as Leah was chel] Tt is perfectly plain that Jacob did not serve
181
 ; — .

Rachel also given to Jacob. GENESIS. Leah bears Jour sons.

A. M. cir. 2232. and he gave him Rachel his 33 And she conceived again, a. M. cir. 2234
B. C. cir. 1772. , -l^Z. -r ^
— '—
daughter to wiie also. and bare a son ; and said. Be-
29 And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter cause the Lord hath heard that I loas hated
* Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid. he hath therefore given me this son also : and
30 And he went in also unto Rachel, and she called his name ^ Simeon.
he "loved also Rachel more than Leah, and 34 And she conceived again, A. M. cir. 2235.

served with him ^ yet seven other years.

J ,

and bare a son ; and

,

iNow
said,
.
1 ?T B- C. cir.
—
1769.

31 And when the Lord "^saw that Leah this time will my husband be joined unto rre,
was hated, he ^ opened her womb but Ra- because I have borne him three sons
: : there
chel was barren. fore was his name called Levi. "^

A.M. cir. 2233 32 And Leah conceived, and 35 And she conceived again, A. M. cir. 2235
B. C. cir. 1771 ° B. C. cir. 1768 , , , , . ,
bare
and she called his and bare a son
a son, and she said, ; •

name ^ Reuben for she said, Surely the Now will

: I praise the Lord therefore :

Lord hath ^ looked upon my affliction now she called his name Judah ^ and left
; > ;
^

therefore my husband will love me. bearing.

* Verse 24 chapter xxx. 3-8. » Verse 20 Deut. xxi. 15. f Exod. 7

; ; iii. ; iv. 31 ; Deut. xxvi. 7 ; Psa. xxv. 18 ; cvi. 44.
*•Chap. XXX. 26; xxxi. 41 Hosea xii. 12.
;
<=
Psa. cxxvii. 3. e That is, hearing. ••
That is, joined ; see Num. xviii. 2, 4.
* Chap. XXX. 1. e That is, see a son. ' Matt. i. 2. ^ That is, praise. '
Heb. stood from bearing.

seven years more before he got Rachel to wife but ; ben, literally, see ye or behold a son ; for Jehovah hath
having spent a week with Leah, and in keeping the looked upon, nxi raah, beheld, my affliction behold ;

marriage feast, he then got Rachel, and served after- then the consequence, I have got a son !

wards seven years for her. Connections of this kind Verse 33. She called his name Simeoii.] p;;OB'
are now called incestuous ; but it appears they were shimon, hearing; i. e., God had blessed her with
allowable in those ancient times. In taking both sis- another son, because he had heard that she was hated
ters, does not appear that any blame attached to Ja-
it — loved less than Rachel was.
cob, though in consequence of it he was vexed by their Verse 34. Therefore ivas his name called Levi.] M7
jealousies. It was probably because of this that the levi, joined; because she supposed that, in consequence
law was made, Thou shall not take a wife to her sister, of all these children, Jacob would become joined to
to vex her, besides the other in her life-time. After her in as strong affection, at least, as he was to Rachel.
this, all such marriages were strictly forbidden. From Levi sprang the tribe of Levites, who instead
Verse 31. The Lord saio that Leah was hated] of the first-born, were joined unto the priests in the
From this and the preceding verse we get the genuine service of the sanctuary. See Num. xviii. 2, 4.
meaning of the word nyi' sane, to hate, in certain dis- Verse 35. She called his name Judah] min' ye-
puted places in the Scriptures. The word simply sig- hiidah, a confessor ; one who acknoivledges God, and
nifies a less degree of love; so it is said, ver. 30: acknowledges that all good comes from his hands,
"Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah," i. e., he loved and gives him the praise due to his grace and mercy.
Leah less than Rachel and this is called hating in From this patriarch the Jeivs have their name, and
ver. 3 1 :
;

When the Lord saw that Leah loas haled —

could it be now rightly applied to them, it would
that she had less affection shown to her than was her intimate that they were a people that confess God,
due, as one of the legitimate wives of Jacob, he opened acknowledge his bounty, and praise him for his grace.
her ivomb —
he blessed her with children. Now the Left bearing.] That is, for a time ; for she had
frequent intercourse of Jacob with Leah (see the fol- several children afterwards. Literally translated, the
lowing verses) sufficiently proves that he did not hate original mS'D ^0^^^ taamod milledeth she stood still —
her in the sense in which this term is used among us from bearing, certainly does not convey the same
but he felt and showed less affection for her than for meaning as that in our translation the one appearing ;

ner sister. So Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I to signify that she ceased entirely from having
hated, simply means, I have shown a greater degree children the other, that she only desisted for a time, ;

of affection for Jacob and his posterity than I have which was probably occasioned by a temporary sus-
done for Esau and his descendants, by giving the for- pension of Jacob's company, who appears to have
mer a better earthly portion than I have given to the deserted the tent of Leah through the jealous manage-
latter, and by choosing the family oP Jacob to be the ment of Rachel.
progenitors of the Messiah. But not one word of all The intelligent and pious care of the original in-
this relates to the eternal states of either of the two habitants of the world to call their children by those
nations. Those who endeavour to support certain names which were descriptive of some remarkable
peculiarities of their creed by such scriptures as these, event in providence, circumstance of their birth, or do-
do greatly err, not knowing the Scripture, and not pro- ?nestic occurrence, is worthy, not only of respect, but
perly considering either the sovereignty or the mercy of imitation. As the name itself continually called to
of God. the mind, both of the parents and the child, the cir-
Verse 32. She called his name Reuben] pINI reu- cumstance from which it originated, it could not fail to
183 a
 ; !

Rachel envies her sister, CHAP. XXX. and IS displeased with Jacok
be a lasting blessing to both. How widely different names, so called, are absurd,
is our custom others are ridiculous,
Unthinking and ungodly, we impose
!
and a third class impious; these
names upon our offspring as we do upon our cattle last being taken from
the demon gods and goddesses
and often the dog, the horse, the monkey, of heathenism. May we
and the hope that the rational and pious
parrot, share in common with our custom recommended
children the names in the Scriptures shall
which are called Christian ! Some of our ever be restored, even among
Christian those who profess to believe in, fear, and love God

CHAPTER XXX.
Rachel envies her and chides Jacob, 1. He reproves her and
sister,
vindicates him.Plf 9 «A
her ma^d Bilhah, 3, 4. She concedes, and bears Dan, 5, 6 and ''"*
Zilpah her maid to Jacob, 9.
afTerwarll Napht^i 7 « ;
/pT
She conceives and bears Gad,
lofu^ZdafsoA^er il l^ t^T
and Zebulun, ^9, .0, and Drnlt lltel ^^ It^t 'Id ball irpHA'/^^l^^'^^-' 7' ^^'
mission from Laban to go to his own country, Jf cob requests per-
25, 26. Laban entreats hT)nt
i^hat usages he shall choose to
name, 21, Jacob 2I de^:!!;^:::^ ^:2;:1 fZL'Z t
^'^^^^^^"^^ ^^^^^^ ^^^SoatsZdV:rZ!mo!:^
S..fr3r3t""Vr"'"""'-^r/'^^
me sheep, 31-33. Laban consents, 34, and divides all the rinff-streakpd ««/=r^«fto^ ^^°^S .1. t
the speckled and spotted among the she-goats, and the
; sheep brow"! f 1^ ZXmllfTb'
care of his sons, and sets three days''
the .meiro^s, to cause the cattle to
journey betioeen himself and Jacob 7^\a fJ H ,

brig forth the ring-stTeatd speck ed,' and s'o

JTITj^Z'^

B.-acl'S A^^she^^^" Rachel saw

^
bare Jacob
that 5 And Bilhah conceived, and A. m. cir. 2237.
no chil- bare Jacob a son. B. c. dr. i767.
dren, Rachel ^ envied her sister ; and said unto 6 And Rachel said, God hath ^ judged me,
Jacob, Give me children, " or else I die. and hath also heard my voice, and
hath given
2 And Jacob's anger w^as kindled against me a son: therefore called
Rachel and he said, ^ Am I in God's she his name
:
stead, '
Dan.
who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the
7 And Bilhah Rachel's maid a. m. dr. 2239.
womb? ^- ^- ''" ^^es.
conceived again, and bare Jacob
3 And she said, Behold, « my maid Bilhah, a second son.
go in
unto her f
and she
;
my 8 And Rachel said. With "'great wrest
shall bear upon
knees, ^ that I may also
have children by her. lings have I
^^

wrestled with my sister, and I

4 And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid
have prevailed: and she called
to wife his name
'
and Jacob went in unto her.^
:
""
Naphtali.°
^Chapter xxix. 31.
chapter xxxvii. 11.
^ c
Job v 2 ^-
^^""^^ ''^'^^- 24; ^liii- 1 Lam. iii. 59.
T i"-P\''^'-
^ ^ ^^'"- ^- 5-
= ^ Chap. xvi. 2. f
Chap 1 23
'•

^Ti,ff'i,
Ih^t IS, judgmg.-~^Heh.
!J ;
Job HI. 12 . Chap, xvi. 2. h Heb. be wrestlings of God ; chap, xxiii. 6.
built by her.~ Ch.' i
"Thatis.mj/ttre^f/mg. ° Called,
Matt. iv. 13, Nephthalim.
NOTES ON CHAP. XXX. ously for their mistresses
Verse 1. Give me children, or else I die.] and this appears to be the ;

This is import of the term, she shall bear

a most reprehensible speech, and argues not upon my knees.
only envy That I may also have children by her.]
and jealousy, but also a total want of r\:^n'::i nJ3Nl
dependence on veibbaneh mimmennah, and
God. She had the greatest share of her husband's I shall be built up by her.
Hence ben, a son or child, from nJ3 bajiah, to p
affection, and yet was not satisfied build ;
unless she could because, as a house
is formed of the stones, &c., that
engross all the privileges which her
sister enjoyed enter into its composition, so is a family
'

How true are those sayings, Envy is as rottenness by children.

of Verse 6. Called she his name Dan.] Because
the bones ! and. Jealousy is as cruel she
as the grave ' found God had judged for her, and decided she
Verse 2. Am I in God's stead] Am I should
greater than have a son by her handmaid
God, to give thee what he has refused ? hence she called his ;

name dan, judging. p

Verse 3. She shall bearupon my knees]
The hand- Verse 8. She called his name Naphtah.] "b^Si
maid was the sole property of the mistress,
as has naphtah, my wrestling, according to the common mode
already been remarked in the case
of Hagar ; and of interpretation but it is more likely that the root
;
therefore not only all her labour,
but even the' chil-
dren borne by her, were the
iT\2 pathal signifies to tivist or entiuine. Hence Mr.
property of the mistress
Jhese female slaves, therefore,
bore children
Parkhurst translates the verse, " By the twistings —
vicari- agency or operation, of God, I am entwisted with my
183
 — ! 6

Account of the mandrakes. GENESIS. Issachar is born vnfo Jacob

A. M. cir. 2239. 9 When Leah saw that she 15 And she said unto her, a. M. cir. 2246
B. C. cir. 1765.
°' ^' ^^^^
had left bearing, she took Zilpah ^ Is it a small matter that thou
''""•

her maid, and p gave her Jacob to wife. hast taken my ? husband
and wouldest thou
A. M. cir. 2240. 10 And Zilpah Leah's maid take away my mandrakes also ?
son's And
—
B. C. cir. 1764.
-^
t
bare Jacob a son.
, i
Rachel said. Therefore he shall lie with thee
1 1And Leah said, A troop cometh : and she to-night for thy son's mandrakes.
called his name i Gad. 1 And Jacob came out of the field in the
A. M. cir. 2242. 2 And Zilpah Leah's
1 maid evening, and Leah went out to meet him, and
B. C. cir. 1762. , t i i
bare Jacob a second son. said, Thou must come in unto me for surely ;

13 And Leah said, ^ Happy am I, for have hired thee with my son's mandrakes.
the I
daughters ' will call me blessed : and she And he lay with her that night.
called his name * Asher. 17 And God hearkened unto a. M. cir. 2247.
T , , , . , B. C. cir. 1757.
A. M. cir. 2246. 14 And Rcubcn went
and she conceived, and in the ijean,
,

— '
— days of wheat harvest, and found bare Jacob the fifth son.
'
'.

" mandrakes in the field, and brought them 18 And Leah said, God hath given me
unto his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to my hire, because I have given my maiden
Leah, ^ Give me, I pray thee, of thy son's to my husband and she called his name :

mandrakes. ^ Issachar.

P Ver. 4. 1 That is, a troop or company ; chap. xlix. 19 ;

' That is , happy ; chapter xlix. 20 ; Deut. xxxiii. 24, 25.
Deut. xxxiii. 20, 21 Isa. Ixv. 11. ;
' Heb. in my happiness. « Cant. vii. 13. " Chapter xxv. 30. ^ Num. xvi. 9, 13.
' Pror^ XX.^i. 28 ; Cant. vi. 9 Luke i. 48. ;
^ That is, a hire.

sister; that is, my family is now entwined or inter- into the Holy Land to make discoveries in natural his-
woven with my and has a chance of
sister's family, tory, imagines that the plant commonly called man-
producing the promised Seed." The Septuagint, drake speaking of Nazareth in Galilee he
is intended ;

Aquila, and the Vulgate, have nearly the same mean- says " What I found most remarkable at this village
:

ing. It is, however, difficult to fix the true meaning was a great number of mandrakes which grew in a
of the original. vale below it. I had not the pleasure to see this plant
Verse 11. She called his name Gad.'[ This has in blossom, the fruit noiv hanging (May 5th, O. S.)
been variously translated. T J gad, may signify a troop, ripe to the stem, which lay withered on the ground.
an army, a soldier, a false god, supposed to be the From the season in which this mandrake blossoms and
*'ame as Jupiter or Mars ; for as Laban appears to ripens fruit, one might form a conjecture that it was
have been, if not an idolater, yet a dealer in a sort of Rachel's dudaim. These were brought her in the
judicial astrology, (see chap xxxi. 19,) Leah, in say- tuheat harvest, which in Galilee is in the month of May,
ing TJ3 bagad, which we translate a troop cometh, about this time, and the mandrake was now in fruit."
might mean. By or of Gad a par-
xvilh the assistance — Both among the Greeks and orientals this plant was
ticular planet or star, Jupiter possibly, I have gotten held in high repute, as being of a prolific virtue, and
this son therefore she called him after the name of
;
helping conception ; and from it philtres were made,
that planet or star from which she supposed the suc- and this is favoured by the meaning of the original,
cour came. See the note on chap. xxxi. 19. The loves, i. e., incentives to matrimonial connections and :

Septuagint translate it ev Tvxri. ivith good fortune ; the it was probably on account that Rachel desired this

\\i\gdle, felicit er, in all this diversity our

happily; but them. The whole account however is very obscure.
own translation may
appear as probable as any, if not Verse 15. Thou hast taken my husband] It ap-

the genuine one, TJ «3 ha gad, for the heri, or mar- pears probable that Rachel had found means to engross
ginal reading, has it in two words, a troop cometh ; the whole of Jacob's affection and company, and that
whereas the textual reading has it only in one, TJ3 she now agreed to let him visit the tent of Leah, on
bagad, with a troop. In the Bible published by account of receiving some of the fruits or plants which
Becke, 1549, the word is translated as an exclamation, Reuben had found.
Good luck Verse 16. I have hired thee] We may remark
Verse 13, And Leah said, Happy am I] "WHl among the Jewish women an intense desire of having
beoshri, in my happiness, therefore she called his name children and it seems to have been produced, not from
;

y^H asher, that is, blessedness or happiness. any peculiar affection for children, but through the hope
Verse 14. Reuben found mandrakes] — 'NTH of having a share in the blessing of Abraham, by bring-
dudaim. What these were is utterly unknown, and ing forth Him in whom all the nations of the earth were
learned men have wasted much time and pains in en- to be blessed.
deavouring to guess out a probable meaning. Some Verse 18. God hath given me my hire] "»3:y scchari.

translate the word lilies, others jessamine, olherscitrons, And she called his name Issachar, 1DB?*wy'. This word
others mushrooms, others ^"-s, and some think the word is compounded of W^ yesh, is, and IDU/ sachar, wages,
means ^ot<;er.s, ox fine floivcrs in general. Hassclquist, from 13K' sachar, to content, satisfy, saturate; hence
he intimate friend and pupil of Linne, who travelled a satisfaction or compensation for work done, &c.
184
 1 .

Joseph is horn unto Jacob. CHAP. XXX. Jacob's agreement xoitlx Lahan.

A. M. cir. 2249. conccived again, thou knowest mv service which I a. m. 2259.

19 And Leah -^
B. C. 1745. 1
, ,
"
and bare Jacob the sixth son.
'.
have done thee.
20 And Leah said, God hath endued me 27 And Laban said unto him, I pray thee,
with a good dowry now will my husband if I have found favour in thine eyes, tarry
;

dwell with me, because I have borne him six for ^ I have learned by experience that the
sons and she called his name ^ Zebulun.^
:
Lord hath blessed me for thy sake. ^

A. M. cir. 2250. 21 And afterwards she bare a 28 And he said, " Appoint me thy wages,
—'J^ 1 daughter, and called her name and I will give it. ,

* Dinah. 29 And he said unto him, "Thou knowest

A. M. cir. 2258. 22 And God ^ remembered how I have served thee, and how thy cattle
B. C. cir. 1746.
Rachel, and God hearkened to was with me.
her, and ^ opened her womb. 30 For it was little which thou hadst before
A.M. 2259. 23 And she conceived, and bare I came, and it is now ° increased unto a mul-
B. C. 1745.
and said, God hath taken
a son ; titude and the Lord hath blessed thee p since
;

away ^ my reproach : my coming and now, when shall I ^ provide

:

24 And she called his name ^ Joseph and ; for mine own house also ?
said, ^ The Lord shall add to me another son. 3 And he said. What shall I give thee ?

25 And it came to pass, when Rachel had And Jacob said, Thou shalt not give me any
borne Joseph, that Jacob said unto Laban, thing if thou wilt do this thing
;
for me, I will
^ Send me away, that I may go unto ^ mine again feed and keep thy flock :

own place, and to my country. 32 I will pass through all thy flock to-day
26 Give me my wives and my children, 'for removing from thence all the speckled and
whom I have served thee, and let me go : for spotted cattle, and all the brown cattle among
y That is, dwelling. ^ Called, Matthew iv. 13, Zabulon. xviii. 33 ;
' Chap. xxix.
xxxi. 55. 20, 30. ^ Chapter xxxix.
»That is, judgment. ^ Chap. viii. 1 1 Sam. ; i. 19. <=
Chap. 3, 5. ' See chap.
xxvi. 24. " Chap. xxix. 15. » Chapter
i Luke i. That xxxi. 6, 38,39, 40; Matt. xxiv. 45; Tit. 10. " Heb. broken
xxix. 31. 1 Sam. i. 6 Isa. iv. 1 ; ;
25. « is, ii.

adding. f
Chap. xxxv. 17. s Chap. xxiv. 54, 56. *> Chap. forth ; ver. 43. P Heb. at my foot. 1 1 Tim. v. 8.

Verse 20. Noio loill my husband dioell with me] I came] Jacob takes advantage of the concession
'JvJT"' and she called his name Zebulun,
yizbelem ; made by and asserts that it was for
his father-in-law,
jwD?, a dioelling or cohabitation, as she now expected his sake that the Lord had blessed him Since my :

that Jacob would dwell with her, as he had before coming, 'Sjlb leragli, according to my footsteps every —
dwelt with Rachel. step I took in thy service, God prospered to the mul-
Verse 2 1 And called her name Dinah.] T\y\ dinah,
. tiplication of thy flocks and property.
judgment. As Rachel had called her son by Bilhah When shall I provide for mine own house] Jacob
Dan, ver. 6, so Leah calls her daughter Dinah, God had already laid his plan and, from what is afterwards
;

having judged and determined for her, as well as for mentioned, we find him using all his skill and experience
her sister in the preceding instance. _ to provide for his family by a rapid increase of his flocks.
Verse 22. And God hearkened to hei-] After the Verse 32. I will pass through all thy jiock] |XV
severe reproof which Rachel had received from her hus- tson, implying, as we have before seen, all .'^mailer

band, ver. 2, it appears that she sought God by prayer, cattle, such as sheep, goats, &c.
and that he heard her so that her prayer and faith ob-
; All the speckled and spotted cattle] T\VJ seh, which
tained what her impatience and unbelief had prevented. we translate cattle, signifies the young either of sheep or
Verse 24. She called his name Joseph] '^OV Yoseph, goats, what we call a lamb or a kid. Speckledflp} nakod,
adding, or he irho adds ; thereby prophetically declaring signifies interspersed with variously coloured spots.
that God would add unto her another son, which was Spotted] ii.'hlH talu, spotted with large spots, either
accomplished in the birth o{ Benjamin, chap. xxxv. 18. same or different colours, from \^'3 lala, to patch,
of the
Verse 25. Jacob said unto Laban, Send me away] to make party-coloured or patch-ivork ; see Ezek. xvi.
Having now, as is generally conjectured, fulfilled the 16. I have never seen such sheep as are here de-
fourteen years which he had engaged to serve for Leah scribed but in the islands of Zetland. There I have
and Rachel. See ver. 26, and conclusion of chap. xxxi. seen the most beautiful broivn, or fine chocolate colonr
Verse 27. / have learned by experience] 'HjynJ among the sheep and several of the ring-streaked,
;

nichashti, from KTIJ nachash, to view attentively, to spotted, speckled, and piebald among the same and ;

observe, to pry into. I have diligently considered the some of the latter description I have brought over, and
whole of thy conduct, and marked the increase of my can exhibit a specimen of Jacob's flock brought from
property, and find that the Lord hath blessed me for the North Seas, feeding in Middlesex.
thy sake. For the meaning of the word tJ/nJ nachash, And all the broivn^] DIH chum. I should rather
see on chap. iii. 1, &c. suppose this to signify a lively broivn, as the root sig-
Verse 30. For it was little %ohtch thou hadst before nifies to be toarm or hot.
185
Separation of the GENESIS. differently coloured cattle.

A.M. 2259. the sheep, and the spotted and that were ring-streaked and spotted, a.m. 2259.
"
B C 1745
speckled among the goats : and and all the she-goats that were
'
of such shall be my hire speckled and spotted, and every one that had
33 So shall my ^ righteousness answer for so7ne white in it, and all the brown among the

me '
in time to come, when it shall come for sheep, and gave them into the " hand of his sons.
my hire before thy face : every one that not is36 And he set three days' journey betwixt
speckled and spotted among the goats, and himself and Jacob and Jacob fed the rest :

brown among the sheep, that shall be counted of Laban's flocks.

stolen with me. 37 And " Jacob took him rods of green pop-
34 And Laban said. Behold, I would it lar, and of the hazel and chestnut tree and ;

might be according to thy word. pilled white streaks in them, and made the
35 And he removed that day the he-goats white appear which was in the rods.
• Chap. xxxi. Heb. to-morrow Exod.
8. ^ pga. xxxvii. 6. '
; xiii. 14. ^ Chap. xxxi. 9. " See chap. xxxi. 9-12.

Verse 35. The he-goats

that ivere ring-streaked] perplexed. From the whole account we learn that
D"'Tp>'n hatteyashim haakuddim, the he-goats
D''K'''r\n Laban acted with great prudence and caution, and
that had rings of black or other coloured hair around Jacob with great judgment. Jacob had already served
their /ee/ or legs. fourteen years and had got no patrimony whatever,
;

It extremely difficult to find out, from the 32d

is though he had now a family of twelve children, eleven
and 35th verses, in what the bargain of Jacob with sons and one daughter, besides his two wives, and
his father-in-law properly consisted. It appears from their two maids, and several servants. See ver. 43.
verse 32, that Jacob was to have for his wages all the It was high time that he should get some property for
speckled, spotted, and brown among the sheep and the these and as his father-in-law was excessively parsi-
;

goats and of course that all those which were not

; monious, and would scarcely allow him to live, he ^as
party-coloured should be considered as the property in some sort obliged to make use of stratagem to get
of Laban. But in verse 35 it appears that Laban an equivalent for his services. But did he not push
separated all the party-coloured cattle, and delivered this so far as to ruin his father-in-law's flocks, leaving
them into the hands of his own sons ; which seems as him nothing but the refuse 1 See ver. 42.
if he had taken these for his own property, and left the Verse 37. Rods of green poplar] vh DJ^S libneh
others to Jacob. It has been conjectured that Laban, lach. The is generally understood to mean the
libneh
for the greater security, when he had separated the white poplar and the word lach, which is here joined
;

party-coloured, which by the agreement belonged to to it, does not so much imply greenness of colour as
Jacob, see verse 32, put them under the care of his being fresh, in opposition to witheredness. Had they
own sons, while Jacob fed the flock of Laban, verse not been fresh —
just cut off, he could not have pilled
36, three days' journey being between the two flocks. the bark from them.
If therefore the flocks under the care of Laban's sons And of the hazel] il'? luz, the nut or filbert tree,
brought forth young that were all of ojie colour, these translated by others the almond tree; which of the two
were put to the flocks of Laban under the care of is here intended is not known.

Jacob and if any of the flocks under Jacob's care

; And p'S'l^ armon, the plane tree,
chestnut tree]
brought forth parly-coloured young, they were put to from aram, he was naked.
D1^' The plane tree is
the flocks belonging to Jacob under the care of Laban's properly called by this name, because of the outer
sons. This conjecture is not satisfactory, and the true bark naturally peeling off, and leaving the tree bare
meaning appears to be Jacob had agreed to take
this : in various places, having smooth places where it has
all the parly-coloured for his wages. As he was now fallen off. A portion of this bark the plane tree loses
only beginning to act upon this agreement, consequently every year. The Septuagint translate it in the same
none of the cattle as yet belonged to him ; therefore way, irlaTavog- and its name is supposed to be derived
Laban separated from the flock, verse 35, all such from jr'XaTvg, broad, on account of its broad spreading
cattle as Jacob might afterwards claim in consequence branches, for which the plane tree is remarkable. So
of his bargain, (for as yet he had no right ;) therefore we find the Grecian army in Homer, //. ii., ver. 307,
Jacob commenced his service to Laban with a flock sacrificing Ka7vri vno 'jrlaTaviaTu, under a beautiful
that did not contain a single animal of the description plane tree.
of those to whicl^ he might be entitled and the others ; Virgil, Geor. iv. 146, mentions,
were sent away ulnder the care of Laban's sons, three
mitiistrantetn platanum polantibus wnbras.
days' journey froni those of which Jacob had the care.
The plane tree yielding the convivial shade.
The bargain, therefore, seemed to be wholly in favour
of Laban and to turn it to his own advantage, Jacob
;
And Petronius Arbiter in Satyr. : —
made use of the stratagems afterwards mentioned. Nobilis cBstivas platanus diffuderat umbras.
" The noble plane had spread its summer shade."
This mode of interpretation removes all the apparent
contradiction between the 32d and 35th verses, with See more Parkhurst. Such a tree would be pecu-
in
which commentators in general have been grievously liarly acceptable in hot countries, because of its shade.
186 a
 ! .

By the stratagem of the rods CHAP. XXX. Jucoh gets all tlte best cattle

A. M. 2259. 38 And he set the rods which he selves, and put them not unto A.M.22
B. C. 1745. "

had pilled before the flocks in the Laban's cattle.

gutters in the watering troughs when the flocks 4 1 And it came to pass, whensoever the
canrie to drink, that they should conceive when stronger cattle did conceive, that Jacob laid
they came to drink. the rods before the eyes of the cattle in the gut-
39 And the flocks conceived before the ters, that they might conceive among the rods.
rods, and brought " forth cattle ring-streaked, 42 But when were feeble, he put
the cattle
speckled, and spotted. them not in : so the feebler were Laban's, and
40 And Jacob did separate the lambs, and the stronger Jacob's.
set the faces of the flocks toward the ring- 43 And
increased exceedingly, and the man ^

streaked, and all the brown in the flock of had much cattle, and maid-servants, and men-
y

Laban ; and he put his own flocks by them- servants, and camels, and asses.
'^ Jer. xxvii. 5.- -^ Ver. 30. y Chap. xiii. 2 ; xxiv. 35 ; xxvi. 13, 14.

Pilled white streaks in them] Probably cutting the birth, as he renders the word mekushsharoth by npu-
bark through in a spiral line, and taking it off in a cer- Toyovoi, cattle of the first or earliest birth. Now this
tain breadth all round the rods, so that the rods would does not apply merely to ttuo births from the same
appear party-coloured, the white of the wood showing female in one year, which actually did take place
itself where the bark was stripped off. according to the rabbins, the first in Nisan, about our
Verse 38. And he set the rods ivhich he had pilled March, and the second in Tisri, about our September ;
before the flocks] It has long been an opinion that but it more particularly refers to early ahd late lambs,
whatever makes a strong impression on the mind of a &.C., in the same year ; as those that are born just at
female in the time of conception and gestation, will the termination of winter, and in the very commence-
have a corresponding influence on the mind or bod}^ ment of spring, are every way more valuable than ,

of the fetus. This opinion is not yet rationally ac- those which were born later in the same spring. Jacob
counted for. It is not necessary to look for a miracle therefore took good heed not to try his experiments
here ; for though the fact has not been accounted for, with those late produced cattle, because he knew these
it is nevertheless sufficiently plain that the effect does would produce a degenerate breed, but with the early
not exceed the powers of nature and I have no doubt
; cattle, which were strong and vigorous, by which his
that the same modes of trial used by Jacob would pro- breed must be improved. Hence the whole -flock of
duce the same results in similar cases. The finger of Laban must be necessarily injured, while Jacob's flock
God works in nature myriads of ways unknown to us ;
was preserved in a state of increasing perfection. All
we see effects without end, of which no rational cause this proves a consummate knowledge in Jacob of his
can be assigned it has pleased God to work thus and
: pastoral office. If extensive breeders in this country
thus, and this is all that we know and God mercifully were to attend to the same plan, our breed would be
;

hides the operations of his power from man in a variety improved in a most eminent degree. What a fund of
of cases, that lie may hide pride from him. Even with instruction upon almost every subject is to be found in
the little we know, how apt are we to be puffed up the sacred writings !

We must adore God in a reverential silence on such Verse 43. And the man increased exceedingly] No
subjects as these, confess our ignorance, and acknow- wonder, when he used such means as the above. And
ledge that nature is the instrument by which he chooses had maid-servants, and men-servants he was obliged —
to work, and that he performs all things according to to increase these as his cattle multiplied. And camels
the counsel of his own will, which is always infinitely and asses, to transport his tents, baggage, and family,
wise and infinitely good. from place to place, being obliged often to remove for
Verse 40. Jacob did separate the lambs, <5fC.] When the benefit of pasturage.
Jacob undertook the care of Laban's flock, according
to the agreement already mentioned, there were no We have already seen many difficulties in this chap-
party-coloured sheep or goats among them, therefore the ter, and strange incidents, for which we are not able
ring-streaked, &c., mentioned in this verse, must have to account. 1. The vicarious bearing of children;

been born since the agreement was made and Jacob ; 2. The nature and properties of the mandrakes 3. ;

makes use of them precisely as he used the pilled rods, The bargain of Jacob and Laban and 4. The business ;

that, having these before their eyes during conception, of the party-coloured flocks produced by means of the
the impression might be made upon their imagination females looking at the variegated rods. These, espe-
which would lead to the results already mentioned. cially the three last, among the most
may be ranked
Verse 41. Whensoever the stronger cattle did con- difficult Without encumbering the
things in this book.
ceive] The word mik^p^ mekushsharoth, which we page with quotations and opinions, I have given the
translate stronger, is understood by several of the an- best sense I could ;
it much better and safer
and think
cient interpreters as signifying the earhj, first-born, or to confess ignorance, under the semblance of
than,
early spring cattle ; and hence it is opposed to Q'3l2p loisdom and learning, to multiply conjectures. Jacob
atuphim, which we translate /eeJ/e, and which Symma- certainly manifested much address in the
whole of his
chus properly renders devTepoyovoi, cattle of the second conduct with L'aban ,
but though nothing can excus*«
187
 ;

Jacob is envied by GENESIS. Laban and his sons.

overreaching or insincerity, yet no doubt Jacob sup- means by the goodness of the end at which she aimed
posed himself justified in taking these advantages of a which in social, civil, and religious life, is the most
man who had greatly injured and defrauded him. Had dangerous principle on which a person can possibly
Jacob got Rachel at first, for whom he had honestly act. In this art she appears to have instructed her
and faithfully served seven years, there is no evidence son and, unfortunately for himself, he was in some
;

whatever that he would have taken a second wife. instances but too apt a proficient. Early habits are
Laban, by having imposed his eldest daughter upon not easily rooted out, especially those of a bad kind.
him, and by obliging him to serve seven years for her Next to the influence and grace of the Spirit of God
who never was an object of his aflfection, acted a part is a good and religious education. Parents should
wholly foreign to every dictate of justice and honesty teach their children to despise and abhor low cunning,
;

(for though it was a custom in that country not to give to fear a lie, and tremble at an oath and in order to ;

the younger daughter in marriage before the elder, yet, be sucesssful, they should illustrate their precepts by
as he did not mention this to Jacob, it cannot plead in their own regular and conscientious example. How far
his excuse ;) therefore, speaking after the manner of God approved of the whole of Jacob's conduct I shall
nen, he had reason to expect that Jacob should repay not inquire it is certain that he attributes his success ;

him in his own coin, and right himself by whatever to Divine interposition, and God himself censures La
means came into his power and many think that he ban's conduct towards him see chap. xxxi. 7—12. But
; ;

did not transgress the bounds of justice, even in the still he appears to have proceeded farther than this in-
ousiness of the party-coloured cattle. terposition authorized him to go, especially in the means
The by Jacob was a most danger-
talent possessed he used improve his own breed, which necessarily
to
ous one he was what may be truly called a scheming
: led to the deterioration of Laban's cattle for, after ;

man his wits were still at work, and as he devised so

;
the transactions referred to above, these cattle could be
he executed, being as fruitful in expedients as he was of but little worth. The whole account, with all its
in plans. This was the principal and the most promi- lights and shades, I consider as another proof of the
nent characteristic of his life and whatever was ex- ; impartiality of the Divine historian, and a strong evi-
cessive here was owing to his mother's tuition she ; dence of the authenticity of the Pentateuch. Neither
was evidently a woman who paid little respect to what the spirit of deceit, nor the partiality of friendship,
is called moral principle, and sanctified all kinds of could ever pen such an account.

CHAPTER XXXI.
Liohan and his sons envy Jacob, 1,2; on luhich he is commanded by the Lord to return to his own country, 3.
Having them a detailed statement of his situation in reference
called his wives together, he lays before
to their father, 4—5 the services he had rendered him, 6
; the various attempts made by Laban to defraud
;

him of his hire, 7 how, by God's providence, his evil designs had been counteracted, 8—12
;
and then ;

informs them that he is noiv called to return to his oivn country, 13. To the proposal of an immediate
departure, Leah and Rachel agree ; and strengthen the propriety of the measure by additional reasons,
14—16 on luhich Jacob collects all his family, his flocks and his goods, and prepares for his departure,
;

17, 18. Laban having gone to shear his sheep, Rachel secretes his images, 19. Jacob and his family,
unknoivn to Laban, take their departure, 20, 21. On the third day Laban is informed of their flight, 22 ;

and pursues them to Mount Gilead, 23. God appears to Lahan in a dream, and ivarns him not to molest
Jacob, 24. He comes up with Jacob at Mount Gilead, 25 reproaches him tvith his clandestine departure,
;

26-29 and charges him with having stolen his gods, 30. Jacob vindicates himself, and protests his inno-
;

cence in the matter of the theft, 31, 32. Laban makes a general search for his images in JacoFs, Leah's,
Bilhah\i, and Zilpah''s tents; and not finding them, proceeds to examine RacheVs, 33. Rachel, having
hidden thon among the cameVs furniture, sat upon them, 34; and making a delicate excuse for not rising
up, Laban desists from farther search, 35. Jacob, ignorant of RacheVs theft, reproaches Laban for his
suspicions, 36, 37 enumerates his long and faithful services, his fatigues, and Laban's injustice, 38-41
; ;

and shows that it was oiuing to God's goodness alone that he had any property, 42. Laban is moderated,
and proposes a covenant, 43, 44. Jacob sets up a stone, and the rest bring stones and make a heap, ivhich
Laban calls Jegar-Sahadutha, and Jacob Galeed, 45-47. They make a covenant, and confirm it by an
oath, 48—53. Jacob offers a sacrifice ; they eat together; and Laban and his companions, having lodged
in the mount all night, take a friendly leave of Jacob and his family next morning, and depart, 54, 55.

A. M. 2265. A
jLX.
ND he heard the words of of that which was our father's hath A- M. 2265.
B. C. 1739. t 1 1
. Laban s sons. saying, Jacob he gotten all this glory, ^

hath taken away all lliat ivas our father's ; and 2 And Jacob beheld ''the countenance of
Psa. xlix. 16. b Chap. iv. 5.

NOTES ON CHAP. XXXL and degeneracy of those of Laban, were sufficient

Verse 1 . And he heard the tvords of Laban's sons] to rouse the jealousy of Laban's sons. This, with
The multiplication of Jacob's cattle, and the decrease Tjaban's unfair treatment, and the direction he re-
188 a
 ; 1 —
;

Jacob cotnmanded to leave Lahan. CHAP. XXXI. He consults with his wives.

A. M. 2265. Laban, and, behold, it was not ' changed my wages ''ten times ; but a. m. 2265.
B. C. 1739.
° toward him ^ as before. God ^ suffered him not to hurt me. — — ' .'

3 And. the Lord said unto Jacob, ^ Return 8 If he said thus, ^ The speckled shall ha
unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kin- thy wages then ; all the cattle bare speckled
dred and I will be with thee.
;
and if he said thus. The ring-streaked shall be
4 And Jacob sent and called Rachel and thy hire then bare all the cattle ring-streaked. ;

Leah to the field unto his flock, 9 Thus God hath '^
taken away the cattle of
5 And said unto them, ^I see your father's your father, and given them to me. »
countenance, that it is not toward me as be- 10 And it came to pass at the time that the
fore but the God of my father ^ hath been cattle conceived, that I lifted up mine 6yes,
;

with me. and saw in a dream, and, behold, the ° rams

6 And ^ ye know that with all my power I which leaped upon the cattle u'ere ring-streaked,
have served your father. speckled, and grisled.
7 And your father hath deceived me, and 1 And p the angel of G od spake unto me
' Deut. xxviii. 54. ^ Heb. as yesterday and the day before i
Ver. 41. ^ Num. xiv. 22 Neh. iv. 12 Job xix. 3 Zech.
; ;
; ;

1 Sam. xix. 7. « Chap, xxviii. 15, 20, 21 ; xxxii. 9. f Ver. viii. 23. ' Chap. xx. 6; Psa. cv. 14. " Chapter xxx. 3»
2. s Ver. 3. h Ver. 38, 39, 40, 41 ; chap. xxx. 29. " Ver. 1, 16. "Or, he-goats. PChap. xlviii. 16.

ceived from God, determined him to return to his own held from him all the party-coloured lambs which had

country. been brought forth for five years, and because the ewes
Hath he gotten all this glory.] All these riches, brought forth lambs twice in the year, bis gravida pe-
this wealth, or property. The original word 12D cudes, therefore the number ten is used, Jacob having
signifies both to be ; and
rich and to be heavy been defrauded of his part of the produce of ten births.
perhaps for this simple reason, that riches ever bring It is supposed that the Septuagint use lambs for years.
with them heavy weight and burden of ca?-es and as Virgil does aristas.
anxieties.
Verse 3. And the Lord said unto Jacob, Return — En unquam patrios longo post tempore fines,
and I loill be luith thee.] I will take the same care of Pauperis et tuguri congestum cespite culmen.
thee in thy return, as I took of thee on thy way to Post aliquot mea regna videns mirabor aristas 1

this place. The Targum reads, My Word shall be ViRG. Ec. i., ver. 68.
for thy help, see chap. xv. 1. promise of this kind A Thus inadequately translated by Dryden :

Was essentially necessary for the encouragement of

Jacob, especially at this time and no doubt it was a ;
O must the wretched exUes ever mourn
^powerful means of support to him through the whole
Nor, after length of rolling years, return %
journey and it was particularly so when he heard that
Are we condemn'd by Fate's unjust decree,
;

his brother was coming to meet him, with four hundred

No more our harvests and our homes to see %
men in his retinue, chap, xxxii. 6. At that time he Or shall we mount again the rural throng.
went and pleaded the very words of this promise with And rule the country, kingdoms once our own ?

God, chap, xxxii. 9. Here which signifies ears of corn, is put for
aristas,
Verse 4. Jacob sent and called Rachel and -Leah] harvest, harvest for autumn, and autumn for years.
He had probably been at some considerable distance After all, it is most natural to suppose that Jacob uses
with the flocks and for the greater secrecy, he rather
; the word ten times for an indefinite number, which we
sends for them to the field, to consult them on this most might safely translate frequently ; and that it means an
momentous affair, than visit them in their tents, where indefinite number in other parts of the sacred writings,
probably some of the family of Laban might overhear is Ten ivomen shall bake
evident from Lev. xxvi. 26 :

their conversation, though Laban himself was at the your bread in one oven. Eccles. vii. 19 Wisdom :

time three days' journey off. It is possible that Jacob strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men the
shore his sheep at the same time and that he sent for ; city. Num. xiv. 22 Because all these men have
:

his wives and household furniture to erect tents on the tempted me now these ten times. Job xix. 3 These :

spot, that they might partake of the festivities usual TEN times have ye reproached me. Zech. viii. 23 In
—
:

on such occasions. Thus they might all depart with- those days ten men shall take hold of the skirt of
out being suspected. him that is a Jew. Rev. ii. 10 Ye shall have tribu- :

Verse Changed my tvages ten times] There is a

7. lation ten days.
strange diversity among the ancient versions, and an- Verse 11. The angel of God spake unto me in a
cient and modern interpreters, on the meaning of these dream] It is strange that we had not heard of this
words. The Hebrew is CD'J'D niiyj? asereth monim, dream before ; and yet it seems to have taken place be-
which Aquila translates 6eKa apid/j.ovg, ten numbers fore the cattle brought forth, immediately after the bar-
SjTnmachus, dsKaKig apiOfiu, ten times in number ; the gain between him and Laban. If we follow the Sa-
Septuagint 6eKa a/xvuv, ten lambs, with which Origen maritan the difficulty is at once removed, for it gives
St. Augustine thinks that by ten us the whole of this dream after verse 36 of
appears to agree. the pre
lambs five years' wages is meant that Laban had with- ceding chapter.
:

189
 2 7
9 ;

Jacob and his family GENESIS. steal away from Laban.

A. M. 2265. in a dream, saying, Jacob
and I 16 For all the riches which God A. M. 2265.
:

B. C. 1739. B. C. 1739.
Here am I.
said, hath taken from our father, that .

1 And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and is ours, and our children's: now then, what
see, all the rams which leap upon the cattle soever God hath said unto thee, do.

are ring-streaked, speckled, and grisled : for 1 Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and
1 I have seen all thatLaban doeth unto thee. his wives upon camels ;

13 I am the God of Beth-el, where thou ""

all his cattle, and 18 And he carried away
anointedst the where thou vowedst all his goods which he had gotten, (the cattle
pillar, a7id

a vow unto me now ^ arise, get thee out from of his getting, which he had gotten in Padan
:

this land, and return unto the land of thy aram,) for to go to Isaac his father in the land
kindred. of Canaan.
14 And Rachel and Leah answered and said 1 And liaban went to shear his sheep and :

unto him, ' Is there yet any portion or inherit- Rachel had stolen the ^ images ^ that were her
ance for us in our father's house ? father's.
15 Are we not counted of him strangers
20 And Jacob stole away, ^ unawares to
?

for "^
he hath sold us, and hath quite devoured Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that
also our money. he fled.

<i Exod. iii. 7.— Chap, xxviii.

-"•
18, 19,20. ' Ver. 3 ; chap. Heb. teraphim ; Judg. xvii. 5 1 Sam. xix. 13
; Hosea ; iii. 4.
xxxii. 9.- -' Chap. ii. 24. " Chap. xxix. 15, 27. " Chap. XXXV. 2. ^ Heb. the heart of Laban.

Verse 12. Grisled] Q^'}^2 beruddim ; T13 harad sig- the science of Laban the Syrian, that it might not
nifies hail,Rnd the meaning must be, they had white spots discover his departure."
on them similar to hail. Our word grisled comes from If the word be derived from X31 rapha,
to heal or
the old French, grcsle, hail, now written grele ; hence restore, then the teraphim may
be considered as a sort
g-re^/e, grisled, spotted with white upon a dark ground. of talismans, kept for the purpose of averting and curing
Verse 15. Are ive not counted of him strangers ?] diseases and probably were kept by Laban for the same
;

Rachel and Leah, who well knew the disposition of purpose that the Romans kept their lares and penates.
their father, gave him here his true character. He It is however possible that D"i3"in teraphim is the same
has treated us as strangers as slaves whom he had — as D'iJIK' seraphim, the n tau and ty si7i being changed,
a right to disjjose of as he pleased in consequence, which very frequent in the Syrian or Chaldee lan-
is
—
;

he hath sold us disposed of us on the mere princi- guage and we know that Laban was an Aramean or
;

ple of gaining by the sale. Syrian. Fire has been considered from the earliest
And
hath quite devoured also our money.] Has ap- ages as a symbol of the Deity and as the word sera- ;

plied to his own use the profits of the sale, and has phim comes from ^liy saraph, to burn, it has been con-
allowed us neither portion nor inheritance. jectured that the teraphim of Laban were luminous
Verse 19. Laban went to shear his sheep] Laban had forms, prepared of burnished brass, &c., which he
gone; and this was a favourable time not only to take his might imagine a proper medium of communication be-
images, but to return to Canaan without being perceived. tween God and his worshippers. Mr. Parkhurst has
Rachel had stolen the images] observed that the teraphim were in use among believers
D'iJin teraphim.
What the teraphim were is utterly unknown. In ver.
and unbelievers. Among the former, see this chapter
for he denies that Laban was an idolater. See also
30 they are termed TlSx elohai, gods ; and to some it
appears very likely that they were a sort of images Judg. xvii. 5 xviii. 14, 18, 20; 1 Sam. xix. 13, 16.
;

devoted to superstitious purposes, not considered as Among the latter, see 2 Kings xxiii. 24; Ezek. xxi.
gods, but as representatives of certain Divine attributes. 21 ;Zech. x. 2. Compare 1 Sam. xv. 23, and Hos.
Dr. Shuckford supposes them to be a sort of iii. 4. These are all the places in which the original
tiles, on
which the names or figures of their ancestors were en- word is found.

graven. Theodorel, in his SOth question, calls them The Persian translator seems to have considered
idols ; and says that Rachel, who was a ti/pe of the these teraphim as tables or instruments that served for
true Church, stole them from her father that he might purposes of judicial astrology, and hence translates the
be delivered from idolatry. R. S. Jarchi gives nearly word L^^ Jsuwt asterlabha, astrolabes. As the astro-
the same reason. labe was an instrument with which they took the alti-
The Targumof Jonathan ben Uzziel gives a strange tude of the pole-star, the sun, &c., it might, in the
turn to the whole passage. " And Rachel stole the notion of the Persian translator, imply tables, &c., by
images of her father had murdered a man,
: for they which the culminating of particular stars might be
who was a first-born son; and having cut off his head, determined, and the whole serve foipurposes of judi-
they embalmed it with salt and spices, and they wrote cial astrology. Now as many who have professed
divinations upon a plate of gold, and put it under his themselves to be believers in Christianity, have never-
tongue and placed it against the wall, and it conversed
; theless addicted themselves to judicial astrology, we
with them, and Laban worshipped it. And Jacob stole might suppose such a thing in this case, and still con-
190
 — —— ;

Lahan and his friends pursue, and CHAP. XXXI. overtake them at Mount Gilead.

A. M. 2265. 21 So he fled with all that he awares to me, and ^ earned away a., m. 2265.
, B. C. 1739. .
•'

and he rose up, and passed my daughters, as captives taken

' 1 ,

had ;
•

over the river, and ^ set his face toward the with the sword ?
mount Gilead. 27 Wherefore didst thou flee away secretly,
22 And it was told Laban on the third day and ® steal away from me and didst not tell ;

that Jacob was fled. me, that I might have sent thee away with
23 And he took his brethren with him, and '^
mirth, and with songs, with tabret, and with
pursued after him seven days' journey and ; harp ? *

they overtook him in the mount Gilead. 28 And hast not suffered me ^ to kiss my
24 And God ^ came to Laban the Syrian in sons and my daughters ? s thou hast nowdone
a dream by night, and said unto him, Take foolishly in so doing.
heed that thou ""
speak not to Jacob <=
either 29 It is in the power of my hand to do you
good or bad. hurt : but the ''God of your father spake unto
25 Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Ja- me yesternight, saying. Take thou heed that
cob had pitched his tent in the mount and thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad. :

Laban with his brethren pitched in the mount 30 And now, though thou wouldest needs be
of Gilead. gone, because thou sore longedst after thy
26 And Laban said to Jacob, What hast father's house, yet wherefore hast thou ^ stolen
thou done, that thou hast stolen away un- my gods ?

y Chap. xlvi. 28 2 Kings xii. 17 Luke ix. 51, 53.

; ;
^ Chap. e Heb. hast stolen me. Ver. 55 Ruth i. 9, 14 ; 1 Kings xix.
f
;

xiii. 8. » Chap. XX. 3 Job xxxiii. 15 Matt. i. 20.

; ;
•>
Ch. 20 ;Acts XX. 37. s1 Sam. xiii. 13 ; 2 Chron. xvi. 9. ^ Ver.
xxiv. 50. <=
Heb. from good to bad. 1 Sam. xxx. <* 2. 53 ; chap, xxviii. 13. » Ver. 24. ^ Ver. 19 ; Judg. xviii. 24.

elder Laban as no idolater. If the Persian translator attended to, how many of those affairs of honour, so
has not on the true meaning, he has formed the termed, which commence with, " I hope you are well"
hit
most likely conjecture. — " I am infinitely glad to see you" " I am happy —
Verse 2 1 Passed over. the river] The Euphrates, to see you well," &c., and end wdth small sivords and
as the Targum properly notices. But how could he pistol bullets, would be prevented! Where God and
pass such a river with his flocks, &c. ? This difficulty true religion act, all is fair, kind, honest, and upright;
does not seem to have struck critics in general. The but where these are not consulted, all is hollow, deceit-
rabbins and assert that God wrought a miracle
felt it, ful, or malicious. Beware o( unmeaning compliments,
for Jacob on this occasion, and that he passed over dry and particularly of saying what thy heart feels not.
shod. As we know not in what other way he could God hates a hypocrite and a deceiver.
pass, it is prudent to refer it to the power of God, Verse 27. / tnight have sent thee away ivith mirth]
which accompanied him through the whole of his jour- nnoiiO besimchah, with rejoicing, making a feast or
ney. There might, however, have been fords well entertainment on the occasion and ivith songs, CI3'"ll^3 ;

known to both Jacob and Laban, by which they might " beshirim, odes either in the praise of God, or to com-
readily pass. memorate the splendid acts of their ancestors with ;

The mount Gilead.] What the ancient name of this tabret, ^n3 bethoph, the tympanum used in the east
mountain was, we know not but it is likely that it ; to the present day, and there called c »a diff, a thin ,

had not the name of Gilead till after the transaction broad wooden hoop, with parchment extended over one
mentioned ver. 47. The mountains of Gilead were end of it, to which are attached small pieces of brass,
eastward of the country possessed by the tribes of tin, &c., which make a jingling noise it is held in ;

Reuben and Gad and extended from Mount Hermon the air with one hand, and beat on with the fingers of
;

to the mountains of Moab. Calmet. It is joined to the other. It appears to have been precisely the
Mount Libanus, and includes the mountainous region same with that which is called the tambourine, and
called in the New Testament Trachonitis. Dodd. which is frequently to be met with in our streets. And
Verse 24. And God came to Laban] God's cau- tvith harp, 11JD:: bekinnor, a sort of stringed instru-
tion to Laban was of high importance to Jacob Take ment, a lute or harp probably the same as the Greek ;

heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad KLvvpa kinura, a harp the name being evidently bor- ;

or rather, as is the literal meaning of the Hebrew, rowed from the Hebrew. These four things seem to
J?1 ^>' DIIJO mittob ad ra, from good to evil ; for had include all that was used in those primitive times, as
he neither spoken good nor evil to Jacob, they could expressive of gladness and satisfaction on the most
have had no intercourse at all. The original is, there- joyous occasions.
fore, peculiarly appropriate for when people meet, ;Verse 29. 7^ is in the poioer of my hand to do you
the language at first is the language oi friendship ; the hurt] Literally, My hand is unto God to do you evil,
command therefore implies, " Do not begin with Peace i. e., I have vowed to God that I will punish thee for
he unto thee, and then proceed to injurious language thy flight, and the stealing of my teraphim but the ;

and acts of violence.^'' If this Divine direction were God of YOUR father has prevented me from doing it.
a 191
 ; ;

Laban searches for his images GENESIS. Jacob chides with htm

—
A- M. 2265.

for I said,
1
3
to
1 And Jacob answered and
Laban, Because
Perad venture thou wouldest take
I was afraid
said
:
fore thee
is upon me.
found not the images.
; for the
And he
custom of women
searched, but —
A. M. 2265.
'.

by force thy daughters from me. 36 And Jacob was wroth, and chode with
32 With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, Laban: and Jacob answered and said to
' let him not hve before our brethren discern
: Laban, What is my trespass ? what is my sin,
thou what is thine with me, and take it to that thou hast so hotly pursued after me ?

thee. For Jacob knew not that Rachel had 37 Whereas thou hast searched all my stuff,
stolen them. what hast thou found of all thy household stuff?
33 And Laban went into Jacob's tent, and set it here before my brethren and thy bre
into Leah's tent, and into the two maid-ser- thren, that they may judge betwixt us both.
vants' tents ; Then 38 This twenty years ?iave I been with thee
but he found thein not.
went he out of Leah's and entered into thy ewes and thy she-goats have not cast
tent,
Rachel's tent. their young, and the rams of thy flock have T
34 Now Rachel had taken the images, and not eaten.
put them in the camel's furniture, and sat 39 ° That which was torn of beasts I brought
upon them. And Laban ^ searched all the not unto thee ; I bare the loss of it ; of p my
tent, but found the7n not. hand didst thou require it, ivhether stolen by
35 And she said to her father, Let it not day, or stolen by night.
displease my lord that I cannot " rise up be- 40 Thus I was in ; the day the drought
' See chap. xliv. 9.- '
Yi.eb.felt. » Exod. xx. 12 ; Lev. xix. 32. » Exod. xxii. 10, &c. P Exod. xxii. 12.

It is a singular instance that the plural pronoun, when by his services. He had served hira at least twenty
addressing an individual, should be twice used in this years, fourteen for Rachel and Leah, and six for the
place —
the God of your father, tZDD'DX abichem, for cattle and some suppose he had served him twenty
;

y2^ ahicha, thy father. years besides the above, which is not unlikely : see the
Verse 32. Let him not live] It appears that an- remarks at the conclusion of this chapter. Forty or
ciently theft was punished by death and we know that ; even twenty years of a man's life, devoted to incessant
the patriarchs had the power of life and death in their labour and constantly exposed to all the inclemencies
hands. But previously to the law, the punishment of of the weather, (see ver. 40,) deserve more than an
death was scarcely ever inflicted but for murder. The ordinary reward. Laban's constitutional sin was covei-
rabbins consider that this was an imprecation used by ousness, and it was an easily besetting sm ; for it ap-
Jacob, as if he had said, Let God take away the life pears to have governed all his conduct, and to have
of the person wlio has stolen them ! And that this rendered him regardless of the interests of his chil-
was answered shortly after in the death of Rachel, dren, so long as he could secure his own. That he had
chap. XXXV. frequently falsified his agreement with Jacob, though
Verse 35. The f^uiiom of ivomen is upoii me.] This the particulars are not specified, we have already had
one Knew must be a satisfactory reason to her father reason to conjecture from ver. 7, and with this Jacob
for if the teraphim were used to any religious purpose, charges his father-in-law, in the most positive manner,

and they seem to have been used in this way, as La- ver. 41. Perhaps some previous unfair transactions
ban calls them his gods, he therefore could not suspect of this kind were the cause why Jacob was led to adopt
that a woman in such a situation, whose touch was con- the exTpedient of outwitting Laban in the case of the spot-
sidered as defiling, would have sat upon articles that ted, spangled, ring-streaked, and grisled cattle. This
were either the objects of his adoration, or used for if it did take place, though it cannot justify the measure,
any sacred purpose. The stratagem succeeded to her is some palliation of it ; and almost the whole of Jacob's
wish, and Laban departed without suspicion. It seems conduct, as far as relates to Laban, can be better ex-
very natural to suppose that Rachel did believe that cused than his injuring Laban's breed, by leaving him
by the use of these teraphim Laban could find out their none but the weak, unhealthy, and degenerated cattle.
flight, and the direction they took, and therefore she Verse 39. That ivhich ivas torn of my hand didst —
stole them and having stolen them she was afraid to
; thou require it] This more particularly marks the
acknowledge the theft, and probably might think that covetous and rigorous disposition of Laban for the ;

they might be of some use to herself. Therefore, for law of God required that what had been torn by beasts
these reasons, she brought them away. the shepherd should not be obliged to make good, Exod.
Verse 36. And Jacob was wroth, and chode ivith xxii. 10, 13. And it is very likely that this law was
Laban] The expostulation of Jacob with Laban, and in force from the earliest times.
their consequent agreement, are told in this place with Verse 40. In the day the drought consumed me, and
great spirit and dignity. Jacob was conscious that the frost by night] The being exposed to the heathy
though he had made use of cunp.ing to increase his day, and frost by 7iight, is made part of the heaviest
flocks, yet Laban had been on the whole a great gainer punishment of Prometheus by JEschylus.
VJ2
Jacob eocpostulates with Laban. CHAP. XXXI. They set up a monument

A.M. 2265. consumed me, and the frost by

. 1 night ; and my sleep departed from
mine eyes.
4 1 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.

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 thee

yesternight.
43 And Laban answered and said unto Ja-
cob, These daughters are my daughters, and
these children are my children, and these cat-
tle are my cattle, and all that thou seest is

mine : and what can I do this day unto these

my daughters, or unto their children which
they have born ?

1 Chap.
 ;

Laban and Jacob part GENESIS. m a friendly manner.

A. M. 2265 51 And Laban said to Jacob, twixt us. And Jacob ^ sware by a. M. 2265.
B. C. 1739. '

Behold this heap, and behold this ^ the fear of his father Isaac.
pillar, which I have cast betwixt me and 54 Then Jacob ^ offered sacrifice upon the
thee mount, and called his brethren to eat bread •

62 This heap he witness, and this pillar he and they did eat bread, and tarried all night
witness, that I will not pass over this heap to in the mount.
thee,and that thou shalt not pass over this 55 Andearly in the morning Laban rose up,
heap and this pillar unto me, for harm. and kissed his sons and his daughters, and
53 The God of Abraham, and the God of blessed them and Laban departed, and
'
: ^ re
Nahor, the God of their father, « judge be- turned unto his place.

• Chap. xvi. 5. f
Chap. xxi. 23. s Ver. 42. h Or, killed beasts. . 'Chap, xxviii. 1. ^ Chap, xviii. 33; xxx. 25.

he might take others, whose children would naturally them —prayed heartily for their prosperity, though we
come a share of the inheritance to the prejudice
in for find from ver. 29 that he came having bound himself
of his daughters and grandchildren. Though the Ko- by a vow to God to do them some injury. Thus God
ran allows a man to have four loives if he can main- turned his intended curse into a blessing.
tain them, yet we learn that in many cases where a
man takes a wife, the parents or relatives of the The most important topics in this chapter have
woman stipulate that the man is not to take another already been considered in the notes, and to those the
during the lifetime of that one whom he now espouses; reader is referred. Jacob's character we have already
and notwithstanding the permission of the Koran, he seen, and hitherto have met
it little to admire
in but ;

is obliged to fulfil this agreement. we change both in his mind

shall soon find a blessed
Verse 51. And Laban said to Jacob behold this — and in his conduct. Laban's character appears in
pillar, which I have cast betwixt me and thee] But almost every instance to disadvantage he does not ;

this pillar, not cast but set up, was certainly set up by seem to be what we commonly term a loicked man,
Jacob ; for in ver. 45 we read. And Jacob took a stone, but he was certainly both iveak and covetous ; and
and set it up for a pillar : it is therefore for the honour covetousness extinguished him, as
does in all its
in it

of one Hebrew and one Samaritan MS. that they have votaries, the principles of righteousness and benevo-
preserved the true reading in ver. 51, n"T' yaritha, lence, and the very charities of human life. Provided
—
THOU hast set up. Kennicott. Instead of either of he could get an increase of property, he regarded not
the above readings the Samaritan text has Jvh^'^ who was wronged or who In this case he
suffered.
yarata,The pillar ivhich thou seest betwixt me and thee. hid himself even from his own
bowels, and cared not
Verse 53. The God of their father] As Laban cer- that his own children should lack even the necessaries
tainly speaks of the true God here, with what propriety of provided he could increase his own store
life, How !

can he say that this God was the God of Terah, the watchful should we be against this destructive, un-
father of Abraham and Nahor ? It is certain that Terah natural, and degrading vice ! It is impossible for a
was an idolater of this we have the most positive
;
man who loves money to love either God or man ; and
proof. Josh. xxiv. 2. Because the clause is not in the consequently he must be in the broad way that leads
Septuagint, and is besides wanting in some MSS., Dr. to destruction.

Kennicott consider'- it an interpolation. But there is For the difficulties in the chronology of Jacob's
no need of havi/,g recourse to this expedient if we sojourning in Padan-aram, I beg leave to refer to the
adopt the reading LZ^3':l^< abichem, your father, for following remarks.
OTT'DX abihem, their father, which is supported by
Remarks upon Gen. xxxi. 38, &c., relative to the
several of Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS., and is
time spent by Jacob in the service of his father-in-
precisely the same form made use of by Laban, ver.
law Laban, in Mesopotamia from Dr. Kennicott.
29, when addressing Jacob, and appears to me to be
;

used here in the same way for he there most mani- ; " If every reading which introduces but a single
festly uses the plural pronoun, when speaking only to difficulty demands our attention, much greater must
Jacob himself. It is therefore to be considered as a that demand be when several difficulties are caused by
form of speech peculiar to Laban at least we have ; any one mistake, or any one mistranslation. Of this
two instances of his use of it in this chapter. nature is the passage before us, which therefore shall
Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac] See be here considered more fully, especially as I have
on ver. 42. not already submitted to the learned any remarks upon
Verse 54. Offered sacrifice upon the mount] It is this subject. Jacob's age, at the time of his going to
very likely that Laban joined in this solemn religious Laban, has (till very lately) been fixed, perhaps uni-
rite, and that, having offered the blood and fat to God, versally, at seventy-seven years. But I think it has
they feasted upon the sacrifice. been shown by the learned Mr. Skinner, in an excel-
Verse 55. Kissed his sons and his daughters] That lent dissertation, (4to. 1765,) that the number seventy-
is, his grandchildren, Jacob's eleven sons with Dinah seven cannot here be right.
their sister, and their mothers Leah and Rachel. All " Jacob was one hundred and thirty when he went
these he calls his children, ver. 43. And blessed down (with sixf)/-six persons) into Egvpt. Joseph
a 194 ( 14* )
 ; —
Reasons to prove that Jacob CHAP. XXXI. was with Laban forty years.

had then been governor ten years and when made ;

his resentment and had the death of Esau happened,
;

governor was thirty ; therefore Jacob could not be Jacob would then have been secure. But let us also
more than ninety of Joseph. Now, upon
at the birth remember that Isaac was still alive, and that Esau had
supposition that Jacobwas seventy-seven at going to determined to kill Jacob whenever their father should
Laban, and that he had no son till he was eighty-five, die. It would therefore be no wonder if Jacob should

and that he, with eleven sons, left Laban at ninety- have desired to continue longer in Haran. And to
seven, there will follow these amongst other strange carry this point more effectually, he might offer to take
consequences which are enumerated by Mr. Skinner, care of Laban's cattle, and to live in his neighbourhood,
page 11, &c. I. Though Isaac and Esau married at
:
upon such terms of advantage to Laban as could not
forty, Jacob goes at seventy-seven to look for a wife, easily be withstood. Lastly, when th§ good effects
and agrees to marry her seven years after. 2. Issa- to Laban from this connection had been experienced,

char is born after the affair of the mandrakes, which without profit, nay with some losses, to Jacob, for
Reuben finds and brings home when he (Reuben) was twenty years, Jacob might naturally grow tired of thus
about four years old that is, if Issachar was born
;
assisting Laban without providing for his own growing
before Joseph, agreeably to Gen. xxx. 18, 25. 3. Ju- family. Accordingly we find that Jacob covenants
dah begets Er at thirteen ; for in the first of the fol- with Laban for six years of more close attendance and
lowing tables Judah is born in Jacob's year eighty- service in Laban's own house, for which the wages
eight, and Er in ojie hundred and tioo. 4. Er marries were expressly settled. Agreeable to the preceding
at nine, and is destroyed for profligacy. Er, born one possibilities seems to have been the fact, Jacob living

hundred and tivo, marries in one hundred and eleven. in Haran forty years, and in this manner :

See also Gen. xxxviii. 7. 5. Onan marries at eight 14 years in Laban's house, a covenant servant for his
for Onan, born in one hundred and three, marries in wives.
one hundred and eleven. 6. Shelah, being grown at 20 in Laban's neighbourhood, as a friend.
ten, ought to be married ; for Shelah, born in one 6 in Laban's house, a covenant servant for cattle.
hundred and four, is marriageable, but not married to
Tamar in one hundred and fourteen. See Gen. xxxviii. 40
14. 7. Pharez kept from marrying while young, yet " Now the tiventy concurrent years of neighbourly
has a son at thirteen ; for Pharez, born in one hundred assistance, and the disjointed tiventy of covenant ser-
and fifteen, had two sons at going to Egypt in one vice, seem both of them distinguished in the history
hundred and thirty. 8. Esau goes to Ishmael and itself. For upon Laban's pursuit of Jacob he men-
marries his daughter, after Jacob went to Laban at tions twenty years twice which two sets of tiventy,
;

seventy-seven ; though Ishmael died when Jacob was if really different, make forty. Each mention of the
sixty-three. 9. If Jacob had no son till he was eighty- twenty years is introduced with the word HT zeh, which
five, and if Joseph was born when his father was word, when repeated, is used by way of distinction ;

ninety, then the eleven sons and Dinah were born in as when we say, this and that, the one or the other.
five years. Lastly, if Jacob had no son till eighty-five, Thus, Exod. xiv. 20 So that the one came not near
:

and he went to Egypt at one hundred and thirty, with the other. Eccles. vi. 5 This hath more rest than the
:

sixty-six persons, onXy forty-five years are allowed for other. And with the two words at a great distance,
his family whereas the larger sum of sixty-five years Job
;
xxi. 23 : One dieth ver. 25 and another dieth,
; ;

seems necessary for the births of so many children and &c. Gen. xxxi. 38, Jacob says to La-
So here, in
grandchildren. On this subject Le Clerc has pro- ban, "10]) OJN nJk? ''Ityy n? zeh esrim shanah anochi
nounced, Hisce in rebus occurrunt nodi, quos nemo immach, during the one set of twenty years I was with
hactenus solvit neque porro, ut opinor, solvet. _TAere thee, <5fc. ; meaning the time in which he lived, not in
;

are difficulties here which have never been explained, Laban's house, but in his neighbourhood ; not as a
and in my opinion never can be explained. But upon servant, but a friend ; after he had served in Laban's
the single principle of Mr. Skinner, that Jacob went to house fourteen years for his daughters, and before he
Laban at fifty-seven, (instead of seventy-seven,) these served six years for his cattle. But then, as to the
difficulties are solved. And it only remains to wish other twenty, he tells Laban, at verse 41, varying the
that some may
be found to support this con-
authority phrase very remarkably, ymD;? "^n'D^ r\W Dntt'jr 'S HT
jecture, thus strongly founded on the exigentia loci. zeh li esrim shanah bebeithecha abadticha, during the
The common opinion is formed by reckoning back other twenty years {"h li) for myself (for my own

from the age of Joseph, when governor of Egypt, to benefit) in thy house I served thee fourteen years
;

the time of his birth, and from the twenty years which and six years, (SfC. And during this last period, though
Jacob was with Laban. This number, Mr. Skinner only six years, he charges Laban with changing his
thinks, was originally forty ; and I think that the He- wages ten times. So that Jacob insists upon having
brew text as it now stands confirms the conjecture, and well earned his wages through the twenty years when
furnishes the very authority which is so much wanted. he served for hire but he makes a far greater merit
;

" After Jacob had served Laban fourteen years for of having, for another twenty years, assisted him with-
his two wives, where was Jacob to reside ] Esau was out wages, and even with some losses and therefore, ;

still living and Jacob might well be afraid of return-

; with particular propriety, he reminds Laban of that set
ing to him, till more years of absence had disarmed of twenty years in the first place.

a 196
Reasons to prove that Jacob GENESIS. was with Laban forty years.
The following
 — ;

Jacob is met hy the angels CHAP. XXXII. of God at Mahanaim.

105 Tamar married to Er 106 to Onan.

108 Joseph, at seventeen, is carried into Egypt Gen. xxxvii. 3.
109 Shelah, at twenty, not given to Tamar.
110
130
121
Pharez and Zarah born of Tamar, by Judah.
Isaac dies, aged 180
Joseph, at thirty, governor of Egypt
.... Gen. XXXV. 28.
Gen. xli. 46.
123 Beriah, at twenty, marries.
125 —
Heber 127 Malchiel ^born to Beriah. —
128 Pharez, at eighteen, marries.
129 —
Hezron 130 Hamul born to Pharez. —
130

147
Benjamin, at thirty-two, has ten sons.
Jacob goes to Egypt
and dies
.....
..... Gen.
do.
xlvii. 9.
28 ; and xlix. 33.

"Our translation now is, xxxi. 38 : This twenty " It must not be omitted that Archbishop Usher and
YEARS HAVE I BEEN WITH THEE ; thy eioes and thy she- Bishop Lloyd ascribe sons to Jacob very soon after his
goats have not cast their young, and the rams of thy coming to Laban nay, assert that he was married al-
;

fiock have I not eaten. 39. That lohich was torn of most as soon as he came to Haran, instead of waiting
beasts I brought not unto thee ; I bare the loss of it seven years, as he most evidently did. And Mr. Jack-
of my hand didst thou require if, whether stolen by day son allows that some of the sons of Benjamin, who
or stolen by night. 40. Thus I was; in the day the are expressly numbered as going into Egypt with Ja-
drought consumed me, and the frost by night ; and my cob, might be born in Egypt From such distresses,
!

sleep departed from mine eyes. 41 Thus have I been . and such contradictions, does the distinction of two set^
TWENTY years IN THY HOUSE I Served thee fourteen : of twenty years happily deliver us."
years for thy tivo daughters, and six years for thy
cattle and thou hast changed my ivages ten times.
;
Hoc temporis intervallo nemo concipere poterit tot res
" The
alteration here recommended is this, chap. contingere potuisse. Spinosa.
xxxi. 38 During the one twenty years I was with
:
In such a short space of time, it is impossible that
THEE thy ewes and thy she-goats have not cast their
;
so many transactions could have taken place.
young, and the rams, SfC, <5fC. 41. During the other
twenty years for myself, in thy house, I served, 6fc. leave this subject with chronologers and
I shall
The same distinction is expressed in chap. xxx. 29 : and shall not attempt to decide on either opinion.
critics,

Thou knowest hoiv I have served thee, and how thy cat- That of Dr. Kennicott I think the most likely, and to
tle was with me ; i. e., how I behaved during the time it I have adapted the chronology in those cases to

I was with thee as thy servant, and how thy cattle which it relates but there are difficulties in both casesf.
;

fared during the time they were with me as thy friend. See the note on chap, xxxviii. 1.

CHAPTER XXXH.
Jacob, proceeding on his journey, is met by
Sends messengers before him to his
the angels of God, 1,2.
brother Esau, requesting to be favourably received, 3—5. The messengers return ivithout an answer, but
with the intelligence that Esau, with four hundred men, luas coming to meet Jacob, 6. He is greatly
alarmed, and adopts prudent means for the safety of himself and family, 7, 8. His affecting prayer to
God, 9—12. Prepares a present ofjive droves of different cattle for his brother, 13—15. Sends them
forward before him, at a certain distance from each other, and instructs the drivers what to say when met
by Esau, 15—20. Sends his ivives, servants, children and baggage, over the brook Jabbok, by night, 21—23.
Himself stays behind, and wrestles with an angel until the break of day, 24. He prevails and gets a new
name, 25—29. Calls the name of the place Peniel, 30. Is lame in his thigh in consequence of his wrest-
ling with the angel, 31, 32.

A.. M. 2265. A ND Jacob went on his way, 2 And when Jacob saw them, he A. M. 2265.
B. C. 1739.
and ^ the angels of God said, This is God's ^ host and he : —— '- '
-

met him. called the name of that place * Mahanaim.

» Psa. xci. 11 ; Heb. i. 14. •>

Josh. v. 14 ; Psa. ciii. 21 ;
cxlviii. 2 ; Luke ii. 13. <=
That is, two hosts or camps.

NOTES ON CHAP.XXXII. employ, is nearly of the same import and hence we ;

Verse The angels of God met him^ Our word may sec the propriety of St. Augustine's remark No-
1. :

angel comes from the Greek ayyeTio^, angelos, which men non natures sed officii, " It is a name, not of
literally signifies a messenger or, as translated in some nature, but of office ;" and hence it is applied indif-
;

of our old Bibles, a tidings-bringer. The Hebrew ferently to a human agent or messenger, 2 Sam. ii.
word 1N7D malach, from IxS laach, to send, minister to. 5 to a prophet, Hag. i. 13; to a priest, Mai. ;

197
 — . — ,

Jacob sends messens^ers to Esau. GENESIS. Esail comes to meet him.

A. M. 2265. 3 And Jacob sent messengers 5 And ^ I have oxen, and asses, a. m. 2265.
'.
'

before him to Esau his brother, flocks, and men-servants, and — '-

^ unto the land of Seir, ^ the ^ country of women-servants : and I have sent to tell my
Edom. lord, that '
I may find grace in thy sight.
4 And he commanded them, saying, ^ Thus 6 And the messengers returned to Jacob,
shall ye speak unto my lord Esau Thy ser- ; saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and
vant Jacob saith thus : I have sojourned with also ^ he cometh to meet thee, and four hun-
Laban, and stayed there until now : dred men with him.
' Chap, xxxiii. 14, 16. Chapter xxxvi. 6, 7, 8
= ; Deal. ii. 5. s Prov. XV. 1. ''Chapter xxx. 43. '
Chapter xxxiii. 8, 15.
Josh. xxiv. 4. 'Heh. field. ^ Chap, xxxiii. I.

ii. 7 ; to celestial spirits, Psa. ciii. 19, 20, 22 ;

among Jeivs and Christians, and perhaps most among
ci. . 4. Angels with feigned names, titles, and m- the latter.
"We often," says Mr. Parkhurst, "read of the ]n"7'D fluences, have been and still are invoked and worship-
mn"' malach Yehovah,or'CD^rhii'Diih'Omalakei/ Elohim, ped by a certain class of men because they have found ;

the angel of Jehovah, or the angels of God, that is, his that God has been pleased to employ them to minister
agent, personator, mean of visibility or action, what to mankind and hence they have made supplications ;

was employed by God to render himself visible and to them to extend their protection, to shield, defend,
approachable by flesh and blood." This angel was instruct, &c. This is perfectly absurd. 1. They are
evidently a human form, surrounded or accompanied God's instruments, not self-determining agents. 2.
by light or glory, with or in which Jehovah was pre- They can only do what they are appointed to perform,
sent; see Gen. xix 1, 12, 16; Judg. xiii. 6, 21; Exod. for there is no evidence that they have any discretion-
iii. 2,6. " By this vision," says Mr. Ainsworth, " God ary power. 3. God helps man by ten thousand means
confirmed Jacob's faith in him who commanded his an- and instruments ; some intellectual, as angels some ;

gels to keep his people in all their ways, Psa. xci. 1 1 rational, as men some irrational, as brutes and some ; ;

Angels are here called God''s host, camp, or army, as merely material, as the sun, wind, rain, food, raiment,
in wars; for angels are God's soldiers, Luke ii. 13 and the various productions of the earth. He there- ;

horses and chariots of fire, 2 Kings ii. 11 fighting fore helps by whom he will help, and to him alone be-
;

for God's people against their enemies, Dan. x. 20 longs all the glory for should he be determined to de- ;
;

of them there are thousand thousands, and tc7i thou- stroy, all these instruments collectively could not save.
sand times ten thousand, Dan. vii. 10; and they are Instead therefore of worshipping them, we should take
all sent forth to minister for them that shall be heirs their own advice See thou do it not Worship God. :
—
of salvation, Heb. i. 14 and they pitch a camp about ; Verse 3. Jacob sent messengers^ XZi^D^T^malachim,
them that fear God, Psa. xxxiv. 7." One of the oldest the same word which is before translated angels. It
of the Greek poets had a tolerably correct notion of is very likely that these messengers had been sent
the angelic ministry :
some time before he had this vision at Mahanaim, for
AvTup ETTEiKEv ToVTO ysvoc KUTU yaLU KU/ivrpev they appear to have returned while Jacob encamped at
Toi fiEV Aatfioveg elui, Atof /isyaXov dia jSovXag, the brook Jabbok, where he had the vision of angels ;

"EadXoi, ETVLxOovioL, (pvXoKEc 6vTjTo)v avdpunuv k. t. \. see verses 6 and 23.

Hesiod. Op. 4" Dies, 1. i., ver. 120. The land of Scir, the country of Edo?n.] This land,
When grave this race of men was laid,
in the
which was, according to Dr. Wells, situated on the
Soon was a world of holy demons made, south of the Dead Sea, extending from thence to the
Arabian Gulf, 1 Kings ix. 26, was formerly possessed
Aerial spirits, by great Jove design'd
To be on earth the guardians of mankind. by the Horites, Gen. xiv. 6; but Esau with his chil-
Invisible to mortal eyes they go,
dren drove them out, destroyed them, and dwelt in
their stead, Deut. ii. 22; and thither Elsau went from
And mark our actions good or bad below ;

The immortal spies ivith luatchful care preside. the face of his brother Jacob, chap, xxxvi. 6, 7. Thus
And thrice ten thousand round their charges glide :
we find he verified the prediction. By thy sivord shall
thou live, chap, xxvii. 40.
They can reward with glory or with gold,
A power they by Divine permission hold. Cooke. Verse 4. Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau]
Jacob acknowledges the superiority of his biother
Verse 2. Mahanaim.] The two hosts, if read by
for the time was not yet come in which it could be
the points, the angels forming one, and Jacob and his
said, The elder shall serve the younger.
company forming another or simply hosts or camps
in the plural. There was a
;

city built afterwards here,

Verse 6. Esau cometh —
and four hundred men —
with him.] Jacob, conscious that he had injured his
and inhabited by the priests of God, Josh. xxi. 38.
brother, was now apprehensive that he was coming
For what purpose the angels of God met Jacob, does
with hostile intentions, and that he had every evil to
not appear from the text probably it was intended to ;
fear from his displeasure. Conscience is a terrible
show him that he and his company were under the care
accuser. It was a fine saying of a heathen,
of an especial providence, and consequently to confirm
his trust and confidence in God. Hie murus aheneus esfo,
The doctrine of the ministration of angels has been Nil conscire sibi, nulla pallescere culpa.
much abused, not only among the heathens, but also HoR. Ep., 1. i., R. i., V 60.
198
 ; 1 ;

Jacob prays for deliverance CHAP. XXXII. from the hand of Esau.
A.M. 2265. 7 Then Jacob was greatly afraid showed unto thy servant for with A. M. 25J65.
B. C. 1739.
and distressed and he divided my
;

BO 17^0
^ :
^ staff I passed over this Jordan ;
' 1

the people that luas with him, and the and now I am become two bands.
flocks, and herds, and the camels into two 1 ^ Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand
bands of my brother, from the hand of Esau : for I
8 And said. If Esau come to the one com- fear him, he will come and smite me, and
lest
pany, and smite it, then the other company * the mother ^ with the children.
which is left shall escape. 12 And "^
thou saidst, I will surely do thee
And Jacob said, ° O God of my father
9 "^ good, and make thy seed as the sand of the
Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the sea,which cannot be numbered for multitude.
Lord ° which saidst unto me. Return unto 13 And he lodged there that same night;
thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will and took of that which came to his hand " a
deal well with thee : present for Esau his brother
10 P I am not worthy of the least of all the Two
hundred she-goats, and twenty he-
14
<i
mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast goats, two hundred ewes, and twenty rams,
' Chap. XXXV. 3.- -n> Psalm 1. 15. "Chapter xxviii. 13. 'Job viii. 7. 'Psalm lix. 1, 2. » Hos. x. 14. "Heb.
° Chap. xxxi. 3, 13.- -P Heb. I am less thanall, &c. 1 Chap. upon. ^Chapter xxviii. 13,14, 15. " Chapter xliii. 11;
xxiv. 27. Prov. xviii. 16.

Be this thybrazen bulwark of defence, all thecompassions, and than all the faithfulness, which
Still to preserve thy conscious innocence, thou hast showed unto thy servant. Probably St. Paul
Nor e'er turn pale with guilt. had his eye on this passage when he wrote. Unto me,
Francis.
In other words, He that has a good conscience has a who am
less than the least of all saints. A man who
sees himself in the light of God will ever feel that he
brazen wall for his defence ; for a guilty conscience
needs no accuser; sooner or later it will tell the truth, has no good but what he has received, and that he de-
and not only make the man turn pale who has it, but serves nothing of all that he has. The archangels of
also cause him to tremble even while his guilt is known God cannot use a different language, and even the
spirits of just men consummated in their plenitude of
only to himself and God.
bliss, cannot make a higher boast.
It does not appear that Esau in this meeting had
any hostile intention, but was really coming with a part For with my staff] i. e., myself alone, without any
of his servants or tribe to do his brother honour. attendants, as the Chaldee has properly rendered it.
If
he had had any contrary intention, God had removed Verse 11. And the mother loith the children.] He
it and the angelic host which Jacob met with before must have had an awful opinion of his brother when
;

might have inspired him with sufficient confidence in he used this expression, which implies the utmost cru-
proceeding in the work of slaughter to total ex-
God's protection. But we find that when he needed elty,
faith most, he appears to have termination. See Hos. x. 14.
derived but little benefit
from its from the sense he had of the
influence, partly Verse 12. Make thy seed as the sand] Having come
injury he had done to his brother, and partly from not to the promise by which the covenant was ratified both
attending sufficiently to the assurance which God had to Abraham and Isaac, he ceased, his faith having
given him of his gracious protection. gained strong confirmation in a promise which he knew
Verse 7. He divided the people^ tfc.] His prudence could not fail, and which he found was made over to
and cunning wore now turned into a right channel, for him, as it had been to his father and grandfather.
he took the most effectual method to appease his brother, Verse 13. And took of that lohich came to his hand]
had he been irritated, and save at least a part of his n'3 N^DH hahba beyado, which came under his hand,
family. This dividing and arranging of his flocks, i. e., what, in the course of God's providence, came
family, and domestics, has something in it highly cha~ under his power.
racteristic. To such a man as Jacob such expedients Verse 14. Two hundred she-goats, <5j-c.] This was a
would naturally present themselves. princely present, and such as was sufficient to have
Verse 9. O God of fwj father Abraham, d^c] This compensated Esau for any kind of temporal loss he
prayer is remarkable for its simplicity and energy might have sustained in being deprived of his birth-
;

and it is a model too for prayer, of which it contains right and blessing. The thirty milch camels were par-
the essential constituents 1 Deep self-abasement. ticularly valuable, for milch camels among the Arabs
: .

2. Magnification of God's mercy. 3. Deprecation of constitute a principal part of their riches, the creature
the evil to which he was exposed. 4. Pleading the being every way so serviceable that the providence of
promises that God had made to him. And, 5. Taking God appears peculiarly kind and wise in providing such
encouragement from what God had already wrought. a beast for those countries where no other animal could
Verse 10. I am not loorthy of the least of all the be of equal service. " The she-camel gives milk con-
mercies'] The marginal reading is more consistent tinually, not ceasing till great with young the milk ;

with the original: nnxn Sddi iID"lDnn SzJO TlJtap ka- of which," as Pliny has remarked, " when mixed with
tonti miccol hachasadim ttmiccol hcemeth, lam less than three parts of water, affords the most pleasant and

a. 199
 ;

Jacob prepares and sends forward GENESIS. a present for his brother Esau

A. M. 2265. 15 Thirty milch camels with vant Jacob behind us. For he a. m. 2265.
is
'
'
^^^^'
their colts, forty kine, and ten bulls, said, I will appease him with the
* _— ^
'-

twenty she-asses, and ten foals. present that goeth before me, and afterward I
16 And he delivered them into the hand of will see his face : peradventure he will accept
his servants, every drove by themselves and y of me. ;

said unto his servants, Pass over before me, 21 So went the present over before him :

and put a space betwixt drove and drove. and himself lodged that night in the company
17 And he commanded the foremost, saying, 22 And he rose up that night, and took his
When Esau my brother meeteth thee, and two wives, and his two women-servants, and
asketh thee, saying. Whose art thou ? and his eleven sons, ^ and passed over the ford
whither goest thou ? and whose are these Jabbok.
before thee ? 23 And he took them, and ^ sent them over
18 Then thou shalt say, They be thy servant the brook, and sent over that he had.
Jacob's it is a present sent unto my lord
; 24 And Jacob was left alone, and there
Esau : and, behold, also he is behind us. ^ wrestled a man with him until the "=
breaking
19 And so commanded he the second, and of the day.
the third, and all that followed the droves, 25 And when he saw that he prevailed not
saying, On this manner shall ye speak unto against him, he touched the hollow of his
Esau, when ye find him. thigh : and ^ the hollow of Jacob's thigh was
20 And say ye moreover. Behold, thy ser- out of joint, as he wrestled with him.

' Proverbs xxi. 14. v Heb. my face ; Job xlii. 8, 9. ^ Deut. > Hos. xii, 3, 4 ; Eph. vi. 12. Heb. ascending of the morning.
•=

in. 16. » Heb. caused to pass. d See Matt. xxvi. 44; 2 Cor. xii. 7.

wholesome beverage." Cameli lac habent, donee ite- every sensation of substance, and yet no substantiality
rum gravescant, suavissimumque hoc existimatUr, ad be in the case.
unam mensuram tribus aqucE additis. — Hist. Nat., lib. If angels, in appearing to men, borrow human bodies,
xi., chap. 41. as is thought, how can it be supposed that with such
Verse 15. Tenbidls] The Syriac and Vulgate have gross substances they can disappear in a moment ? Cer-
twenty ; but ten a sufficient proportion to the forty
is tainly they do not take these bodies into the invisible
kine. By all this we see that Jacob Avas led to make world with them, and the established laws of matter
restitution for the injury he had done to his brother. and motion require a gradual disappearing, however
Restitution for injuries done to man is essentially re- swiftly it may be effected. But this is not allowed to
quisite if in our power. He who can and will not be the case, and yet they are reported to vanish in-
make restitution for the wrongs he has done, can have stantaneously. Then they must render themselves in-
no claim even on the mercy of God. visible must be of a very dense
by a cloud, and this
Verse 22. Passed over the ford Jabbok.] This brook nature in order to hide a human body. But this very
or rivulet rises in the mountains of Galaad, and falls expedient would make their departure still more evi-
into the Jordan at the south extremity of tiie lake of dent, as the cloud must be more dense and apparent
Gennesaret. than the body in order to hide it. This does not re-
Verse 24. And there ivith him] This
wrestled a man move the difficulty. But if they assume a quantity of
was doubtless the Lord Jesus who, among the Christ, air or vapour so condensed as to become visible, and
patriarchs, assumed that human form, which in the ful- modified into the appearance of a human body, they
ness of time he really took of a woman, and in which can in a moment dilate and rarefy it, and so disappear
he dwelt thirty-three years among men. He is here for when the vehicle is rarefied beyond the power of
etyled an angel, because he was fieya^Tjc jiov2.rjq Ay- natural vision, as their own substance is invisible they
ye'kog,(see the Septuagint, Isa. ix. 7,) the Messenger can instantly vanish.
of the great counsel or design to redeem fallen man From Hos. xii. 4, we may learn that the wrestling
from death, and bring him to eternal glory see ; of Jacob, mentioned in this place, was not merely a
chap. xvi. 7. corporeal exercise, but also a spiritual one ; He ivept
But it may be asked, Had he here a real human and made supplication unto him. See the notes there.
body, or only its form ? The latter, doubtless. How Verse 25. The hollow of Jacob's thigh ivas out of
then could he wrestle with Jacob 1 It need not be joint] What this implies is difficult to find out ; it is

supposed that this angel must have assumed a human not likely that was a complete luxation of the thigh
it

body, or something analagous to it, in order to render bone. It may mean no more than he received a stroke
himself tangible by Jacob for as the soul operates on; on the groin, net a touch ; for the Hebrew word i'JJ
the body by the order of God, so could an angel ope- naga often signifies to smite ivith violence, which stroke,
rate on the body of Jacob during a whole night, and even comparatively slight, would effectually disable
if
produce in his imagination, by the effect of his power, him for a time, and cause him to halt for many hours,
every requisite idea of corporeity, and in his nerves if not ioi several days. I might add that in this place

200
 ; ;:

Jacob wrestles with an angel, CHAP. XXXII. and IS surnamed Israel.

A. M. 2265 26 And ® he said, Let me go, fore IS It that thou dost ask after my a. m. 2265.
B. C. 1739. A 1 1 11 11- 1
-^ B. C. 1739.
for the day breaketh And he name : And he
f blessed him there.

said, ^I will not let thee go, except thou 30 And Jacob called the name of the place

bless me. "^ Peniel : for ° I have seen God face to face,

27 And he said unto him. What is thy and my life is preserved.

name ? And he said, Jacob. 31 And as he passed over Penuel the sun
28 And he said, ^ Thy name shall be called ° rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh.
no more Jacob, but ^ Israel for as a prince 32:
Therefore the children of Israel eat not
hast thou power with God and with men, of
' ^ the sinew which shrank, which is upon the
and hast prevailed. hollow of the thigh, p unto this day because :

29 And Jacob asked him, and said. Tell 7ne, he touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh in the
I pray thee, thy name. And he said, ^ Where- sinew that shrank.
e See Luke xxiv. 28. 'Hos. xii. 4. s Chapter xxxv. 10 ;
m That is, the face of God. "Ch. xvi, 13 Exod. xxiv. 11 ;

2 Kings xvii. 34. ^ That is, a prince of God. ' Hos. xii. xxxiii. 20 ; Deut. v. 25 Judg. vi. 22
;
xiii. 22 ; Isaiah vi. 5.
;

3, 4. ^ Chap. XXV. 31 ; xxvii. 33. 1 Judg. xiii. IS. o Mai. iv. 2. P 1 Sam. v. 5.

— the groin, a blow might be of fatal consequence calling the things that were not as though they
God
but as the angel gave it had already taken place, because the prevalency of
only as a proof of his power,
and to show that he could not prevail because he would this people, the Israelites, by means of the Messiah,
not, hence the blow was only disabling, without being who should proceed from them, was already determined
dangerous ; and he was probably cured by the time in the Divine counsel. He has never said to the seed
the sun rose. of Jacob, Seek ye my face in vain. He who lorestles
Verse 26. Let me go, for the day breaketh] Pro- must prevail.
bably meaning, that as it was now morning, Jacob must Verse 29. Tell me, I pray thee, thy name.] It is

rejoin his wives and children, and proceed on their very likely that Jacob -wished to know the name of
journey. Though phantoms are supposed to disappear this angel, that he might invoke him in his necessities

lohen the sun rises, that could be no reason in this case. but this might have led him into idolatry, for the doc-
Most of the angelic appearances mentioned in the Old trine of the incarnation could be but little understood
and New Testaments took place in open day, which at thistime hence, he refuses to give himself any
;

put their reality out of question. name, yet shows himself to be the true God, and so
Verse 28. Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, Jacob understood him; (see verse 28 ;) but he wished
but Israel] SxTky Yisrael, from "Ity sar, a prince, or to have heard from his own lips that name by which
nitJ? sarah, he ruled as a prince, and Sn el, God or ; he desired to be invoked and worshipped.
rather from tS^'X ish, a man, (the N aleph being drop- Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name .?]
ped,) and nXT raah, he saw, bx el, God and this cor- Canst thou be ignorant loho I am ? And he blessed
—
;

responds with the name which Jacob imposed on the him there gave him the new heart and the neio na-
place, calling it Sx'JS peniel, the faces of God, or of ture which God alone can give to fallen man, and by
Elohim, which faces being manifested to him caused the change he wrought in him, sufficiently showed who
him to say, verse 30, CD'ja Sx nD'33 OTlSx ^TX"! he was. After this clause the Aldine edition of the
raithi Elohim panim el panim, i. e., "7 have seen the Septuagint, and several MSS., add 6 eavL -daviiaorov, or
Elohim faces to faces, {i. e., fully and completely, with- Kat. Tovro E(7Ti ^aviiaarov, which is ivonderful ; but this
out any medium,) 'tyiJJ 72fOm vattinnatsel napshi, and additionseems to have been taken from Judges xiii. 18.
my soul is redeemed." Verse 31. The sun rose upon him] Did the Pro-
We may learn from this that the redemption of the phet Malachi refer to this, chap. iv. 2 Unto you that :

soul will be the blessed consequence of wrestling by fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with
prayer and supplication with God "The kingdom of
: healing in his ivings Possibly with the rising of the
?

heaven sufFereth violence, and the violent tahe it by sun, which may here be understood as emblematical of
force." From this time Jacob became a new man ;
the Sun of righteousness —
the Lord Jesus, the pain and
but it was not till after a severe struggle that he got weakness of his thigh passed away, and he felt both in
his name, his heart, and his character changed. After soul and body that he was healed of his plagues.
this he was no more Jacob the supplanter, but Israel — Verse 32. Therefore the children of Israel eat not
the man who prevails with God, and sees him face to of the sineiv] What this sinew was neither Jew nor
face. Christian can tell ; and it can add nothing either to

And hast prevailed.] More literally. Thou hast had science, or to a true understanding of the text, to mul-
power with God, and with inan thou shall also prevail. tiply conjectures. I have already supposed that
the
D"n'7X D>' im Elohim, with the strong God part which the angel touched or struck was the
groin ;
D'ti^JX D;^ ;

that
im anashim, with iveak, feeble man. There is a beau- and if this be right, the sinew, nerve, or muscle
tiful opposition here between the two words Seeing shrank, must be sought for in that place.
:

thou hast been powerful with the Almighty, surely thou

shalt prevail over perishing mortals ; as thou hast pre- The serious reader must meet with
much instruc-

vailed with God, thou shalt also prevail with men : tion in this chapter.
201
Esau conies to meet Jacob GENESIS. with four hundred men
1. After his reconciliation with Laban, Jacob pro- part with it lightly they remember the vinegar ana
;

ceeds on his way to Canaan and as God, who was ; the gall, and they watch and pray that they enter not
continually watching for his welfare, saw the trials to into temptation.
which he would shortly be exposed, therefore he pro- 4. In the strife and agony requisite to enter in at
vided for him the instructive vision of angels, that he the strait gate, it is highly necessary that we should

might see that those who were for him were more know that the grace and salvation of God are not pur-
than those who could be against him. proper con- A chased by our tears, &c. for those things which are
;

sideration of God's omniscience is of the utmost advan- only proofs and arguments that we have sinned, can
tage to every genuine Christian. He knows whereof never remove the iniquity of our transgressions. A
we are made, he remembers that we are but dust, he sensible and pious man observes on this subject, " That
sees our trials and difficulties, and his eye affects his prayer and wrestling with God should be made as though
heart. Hence he
ever devising means that his ba-
is no other means were to be practised, and then the best
nished be not expelled from him. means be adopted as though no prayer or wrestling had
2. Jacob's recollection of his unkindness and injus- been used." God marks even this strife, though highly
tice to his brother, when he hears that he is coming to pleasing in his sight, with such proofs of its own ut-
meet him, fills his soul with fear, and obliges him to ter insufficiency, that we may carry about with us the
betake himself to God by prayer and supplication. memorial of our own weakness, worthlessness, and
How important is the office of conscience ! And how slowness of heart to believe. God smote the thigh of
necessary are times of trial and difficulty when its Jacob, 1. That he might know he had not prevailed
voice is loudest, and the heart is best prepared to re- by his oion strength, but by the power and mercy
ceive its reproofs ! how many cases has conscience
In of his God. 2. That he might have the most sensi-
slumbered- till it pleased God to send some trial by ble evidence of the reality of the Divine interposition
which it has been powerfully awakened, and the salva- in his behalf. 3. That he might see God's displeasure
tion of the sinner was the result ! Before I was af- against his unbelief. And 4. That men in general
flicted 1 went astray. might be taught that those who will be the disciples of
3. Though salvation be the free gift of God, yet he Christ must deny themselves, take up their cross daily,
gives it any who do not earnestly seek
not to it. and mortify their members which are upon the earth.
The deeper the conviction of guilt and helplessness is, Those who have not cut off a right hand or foot, or
the more earnest the application to God for mercy is plucked out a right eye, for the kingdom of heaven's
likely to be. They whose salvation costs them strong sake, are never likely to see God. The religion that
crying and tears, are not likely (humanly speaking) to costs us nothing, is to us worth nothing.

CHAPTER XXXIII.
Esau, with four hundred men, meets Jacob, 1. He places his children under their respective mothers, passes
over before them, and bows himself to his brother, 2, 3. Esau receives him loith great affection, 4. Re-
ceives the homage of the handmaids, Leah, Rachel, awe? their children, 5—7. Jacob offers him the present
of cattle, which he at first refuses, but after much entreaty accepts, 8—11. Invites Jacob to accompany him
to Mount Seir, 12. Jacob excuses himself because of his flocks and his children, but promises to follow
him, 13, 14. Esau offers to leave him some of his attendants, which Jacob declines, 15. Esau returns to
Seir, 16, and Jacob journeys to Succoth, 17, and to Shalem, in the land of Canaan, 18. Buys a parcel
of ground from the children o/ Hamor, 19, and erects an altar ivhich he calls El-elohe-Israel, 20.

A. M. 2265. A ND
-ijL
Jacob lifted up his eyes, Rachel, and unto
'- -^
the two hand- A. M. 2265.

~—C.
B. '
1739.
'-
and looked, and, behold, ''Esau maids.
B. C. 1739.

came, and with him four hundred men. And 2 And he put the handmaids and their chil-
he divided the children unto Leah, and unto dren foremost, and Leah and her children after,

Genesis, chap, xxxii. 6.

NOTES ON CHAP. XXXIII. then should the character of this man be perpetually
Verse 1. Behold, Esau came, and loith hi7n four vilified ] Here is the secret. With some people, on
hundred men.] It has been generally supposed that the most ungrounded assumption, Esau is a reprobate,
Esau came with an intention to destroy his brother, and the type and figure of all reprobates, and therefore
and for that purpose brought with him four hundred he 7nust be every thing that is bad. This serves a
armed men. But, 1 There is no kind of evidence of system ; but, whether true or false in itself, it has
.

this pretended hostility. 2. There is no proof that the neither countenance nor support from the character or
four hundred men that Esau brought with him were at conduct of Esau.
all armed. 3. But there is every proof that he acted Verse 2. He put the handmaids and their children
towards his brother Jacob with all openness and can- foremost] There is something so artificial in this
dour, and with such a forgelfulness of past injuries as arrangement of Jacob's family, that it must have had
none but a great mind could have been capable of Why some peculiar design. Was Jacob still apprehensive
202
 1

Esau receives Jacob kindly. CHAP. XXXIII. They part in friendship.

my
A.M. 226a
B. C. 1739
.
and
most.
Rachel my hand for there- A. M. 2265.
and
have seen thy face, as
3 And he passed over before them, and though I had seen the face of God, and thou
Joseph
^
1
hinder-
fore
present at
I 1
;

—
^ bowed himself to the ground seven times, wast pleased with me.

until he came near to his brother. 1 Take, I pray thee, "* my blessing that is
4 "^
And Esau ran
to meet him, and embraced brouglit to thee because God hath dealt ;

him, on his neck, and kissed him

^ and fell graciously with me, and because I have :

and they wept. enough. ° And he urged him'; and he '^

5 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the took it.

women and the children 12 And he said. Let us take our journey,
: and said. Who are
those ^ with thee ? And he said, The chil- and let us go, and I will go before thee.
dren ^ which God hath graciously given thy 1 3 And he said unto him, My lord knoweth
servant. that the children are tender, and the flocks and
6 Then the handmaidens came near, they herds with young are with me and if men :

and their children, and they bowed them- should overdrive them one day, all the flock
selves. will die.
7 And Leah also with her children came 14 Let my lord, I pray thee, pass over be-
near, and bowed themselves and after came fore his servant and I will lead on softly,
: ;

Joseph near, and Rachel, and they bowed according p as the cattle that goeth before me
themselves. and the children be able to endure, until I
8 And he said, What meanest thou by come unto my lord i unto Seir.
^

^ all this drove which I met ? And he said. 15 And Esau said. Let me now "
leave with
These are '
to find grace in the sight of my thee some of the folk that are with me : and
lord. he said, ^ What needeth it ? * let me find grace
9 And Esausaid, I have enough, my bro- in the sight of my lord.
ther ^
keep that thou hast unto thyself.
; 16 So Esau returned that day on his way
10 And Jacob said, Nay, I pray thee, if now unto Seir.
I have found grace in thy sight, then receive 17 And Jacob journeyed to " Succoth, and

^ Chap, xviii. 2 ; xlii. 6 ; xliii. 26. " Chap, .x.xxii. 28. "Judges i. 15 ; 1 Sam. xxv. 27; xxx. 26; 2 Kings v. 15.
<>
Chap. xlv. 14, 15. eHeb. to thee. ' Chap, xlviii. 9 Psa.
; °Heb. all things; Phil. iv. 18. °2 Kings v. 23. 1' Heb.
cxxvii. 3 Isa. viii. 18.
; sHeb. What is all this hand to thee ? according of the work, &c., a7id according to the foot of
to the foot
•Chap, xxxii. 16. Chap, xxxii. 5.' "^
Heb. be that to thee the children. 1 Ch. xxxii. 3. ^ Heb. set or place. 'Heb.
that 19 thine. 'Chap, xliii. 3; 2 Sam. iii. 13; xiv. 24, 28, Wherefore is this ? ' Chap, xxxiv. 1 1 xlvii. 25 Ruth ii. 13.
; ;

32 ; Matt, xviii. 10. " Josh. xiii. 27; Judg. viii. 5; Psa. Ix. 6.

of danger, and put those foremost whom he least es- over the left, with other ceremonies according to the
teemed, that if the foremost met with any evil, those rank of the parties.
who were behind might escape on their swift beasts ?
Verse 10. Receive my present at my hand] Jacob
chap, xxxii. 7, 8. Or
he intend to keep his did could not be certain that he had found favour with Esau,
choicest treasure to the last, and exhibit his beautiful unless the present had been received for in accepting ;

Rachel and favourite Joseph after Esau had seen all it Esau necessarily became his friend, according to

the rest, in order to make the deeper impression on the custom of those times, and in that country. In the
his mind ] eastern countries, if your present be received by your
Verse 4. Esau ran to meet hiiri] How sincere and superior, you may rely on his friendship if it be not ;

genuine is this conduct of Esau, and at the same time received, you have every thing to fear. It is on this
how magnanimous He had buried all his resentment,
! ground that Jacob was so urgent with Esau to receive
and forgotten all his injuries and receives his brother ; his present, because he knew that after this he must
with the strongest demonstrations, not only of forgive- treat him as a friend.
ness, but of fraternal affection. Verse 14. Until I come unto my lord unto Seir.]
And kissed hini] IDpi^l vaiyishshakehu. In the It is very likely that Jacob was perfectly sincere in his
Masoretic Bibles each letter of this word is noted with expressed purpose of visiting Esau at Seir, but it is as
a point over it to make it emphatic. And by this kind likely that circumstances afterwards occurred that ren-
of notation the rabbins wished to draw the attention of dered it either improper or impracticable and we find ;

the reader to the change that had taken place in Esau, that Esau afterwards removed to Canaan, and he and
and the sincerity with which he received his brother Jacob dwelt there together for several years. See chap,
Jacob. A
Hindoo when he meets a friend after ab- xxxvi. 6.
bence throws his arms round him, and head across his Verse 17. Journeyed to Succoth] So called from
his shoulders, twice over the right shoulder and once HDD succoth, the booths or tents which Jacob erected
203
 9 ;

Jacob comes to Shalem, GENESIS. and erects an altar to God,

A. M. 2265. built him a house, and made booths 1 And ^ he bought a parcel A. M. 2265.
B. C. 1739.
_! : 1 for his cattle : where he had spread
therefore the name of a field,

of the place is called " Succoth. his tent, at the hand of the children of
1 8 And Jacob came to ^ Shalem, a city of
^ Hamor, Shechem's father, for a hundred
* Shechem, ^ which is in the land of Canaan, pieces of money. ''

when he came from Padan-aram and pitched 20 And he erected there an altar and
;
:

his tent before the city. ""

called it ^ El-elohe-Israel.

" That is, booths. "^ Jc^m iii. 23. » Called, Acts vii. 16, John iv. 5. * Called, Acts vii. 16, Emmor. ''Or, lambs.
Sychem. y Josh. xxiv. 1; Judges ix. 1. ^ Josh. xxiv. 32 ;
= Chap. XXXV. 7. ^ That is, God, the God of Israel.

there for the resting and convenience of his family, in ancient times constituted the principal riches of
who in all probability continued there for some con- their owners ; but when other cattle were added, the
siderable time. word pecunia, (from pecus, cattle,) which we translate
Verse 18. And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of She- money, and from which we still have our English term
chem] The word oScy shalem, in the Samaritan Dwiy pecuniary, appears to have been substituted for oves,
shalom, should be translated here in peace, or in safety. because pecus, pecoris, and pecus, pecudis, were used
After resting some time at Succoth, which was neces- to signify all kinds of cattle la7-ge and small. Among
sary for the safety of his flocks and the comfort of his our British and Saxo7i ancestors we find coins stamp
family, he got safely to a city of Shechem, in health ed with the figure of an ox, horse, hog, goat, <SjC., and
of body, without any loss of his cattle or servants, his this custom arose in all probability, both among them
wives and children being also in safety. Coverdale and other nations, from this circumstance, that in pri-
and Matthews translate this word as above, and with mitive times the coin was the ordinary value of the
them agree the Chaldee and the Arabic : it is not likely animal whose image it bore. It is, all circumstances

to have been the name of a city, as it is nowhere else weighed, most likely that a piece of money is here in-
to be found. Shechem is called in Acts vii. 16, Sy- tended, and possibly marked with the image of a lamb
chem, and in John iv. 5, Sychar ; in the Arabic it is but as the original word nO"'typ kesitah occurs only here,
called Nahlous, and to the present day Neapolis. It and in Josh. xxiv. 32, and Job
xlii. 11, this is not

was near to Samaria; and the place where the wretched suflSciently evident, the word
being of very doubt- itself

remains of the sect of the Samaritans were lately found, ful signification. Mr. Parkhurst is of opinion that the
from whom Dr. Huntington received a perfect copy of kesitah bore the image of a lamh ; and that these lamb
the Samaritan Pentateuch. coins of the ancient Hebrews typified the Lamb of
Verse 19. For a hundred pieces of money.] The God, who in the Divine purpose was considered as slain
original, ni^'iyp HkSO^ bemeah kesitah, has been a mat- from the foundation of the world, and who purchased
ter of long and learned discussion among critics. As us unto God with his own blood. The conjecture is
kesitah signifies a lamb, it may imply that Jacob gave at least pious, and should lead to useful reflections.
the Hamorites one hundred lambs for the field but if ;
Those who wish to see more on this subject may con-
it be the same transaction that St. Stephen refers to in sult the writers in the Critici Sacri, and Calmet.
Acts vii. 16, it was money, ti/xtjq apyvpiov, a sum or Verse 20. And he erected there an altar] It ap-

price of silver, which was given on the occasion. It pears that Jacob had a very correct notion of the pro-
has been conjectured that the money had the figure of a vidence and mercy of God hence he says, ver. 5 The
; :

lamb stamped on it, because it was on an average the children ivhich God hath graciously given thy ser-
value of a lamb and hence it might be called a kesitah
; vant ; and in ver. 1 1 he attributes all his substance to
or latnb from the impression it bore. It is certain that the bounty of his Maker Take, I pray thee, my bless-
—
:

in many countries the coin has had its name from the ing because God hath dealt graciously with me, and
image it bore so among our ancestors a coin was called
; because I have enough. Hence he viewed God as the
an angel because it bore the image of an angel hence ; God of all grace, and to him he erects an altar, dedi-
also a Jacobus, a Carolus, a Lewis, {Louis Or,) a d'' cating it to God, the God of Israel, referring particu-
Joe, because certain coins in England, Spain, France, larly to the change of his own name, and the mercies
and Portugal, bore on one side the image of the kings which he then received and hence perhaps it would;

of those countries, James, Charles, Lewis, Joseph, or be best to translate the words. The strong God (is) the
Johannes. The Athenians had a coin called fSovg, an God of Israel ; as by the power of his grace and good-
ox, because it was stamped with the figure of an ox. ness he had rescued, defended, blessed, and supported
Hence the saying in Mschylus : — him from his youth up until now. The erecting altars
with particular names appears in other places so, Exod. ;

Ta 6' oA/la cnyu, (3ovg etti yXuTTrjg fisyag

xvii. 15, Moses calls his altar Jehovah-nissi, " the Lord
BefJrjKev. Agam. v. 36.
is my banner."
" I must be silent concerning other matters, a great ox
has come upon my tongue ;" to signify a person who 1 . When a man's ways please God, he maketh even
had received a bribe for secrecy, i. e., a sum of money, his be at peace with him. When Jacob had
enemies to
on each piece of which an ox was stamped, and hence got reconciled to God, God reconciled his brother to
called (Sovg, an ox. The word opes, riches, is a cor- him. The hearts of all men are in the hands of God,
ruption of the word oves, sheep, because these animals and he turns them howsoever he will.
304
 ;

Dinah is violated by Shechem, CHAP. XXXIV. which displeases Jacob s sons.

2. Since the time in which Jacob wrestled with the worship of God." Jacob buys apiece of ground, and
A.ngel of the covenant, we see in him much depend- erects an altar on it in the land of a heathen, that he
ence on God, accompanied with a spirit of deep hu- might acknowledge God among his enemies, and turn
mility and gratitude. God's grace alone can change them to the true faith ; and there is every reason to

the heart of man, and it is by that grace only that we believe that this expedient would have been success-
get a sense of our obligations this lays us in the dust,
; ful, had it not been for the base conduct of his sons
and the more we receive the lower we shall lie. How true is the saying. One sinner spoileth much
3. " The first thing," says good Bishop Wilson, good ! Reader, beware, lest thy conduct should be
" that pious men do, is to provide for the honour and come a stumbling block to any.

CHAPTER XXXIV.
Dinah, the daughter of Jacob and Leah, going out to see the daughters of the land, is ravished hy Bhechertit
the son of Hamor, 1,2. He entreats his father to get her for him to wife, 3. Jacob and his sons hear
of the indignity offered to Dinah, 5—7. Hamor proposes the suit of Shechem to Jacob and his sons, and
offers them a variety of advantages, 8—10. Shechem himself comes forward, begs to have Dinah to wife,
and offers dowry to any extent, 11, 12. The sons of Jacob pretend scruples of conscience to give their
sister to one loho ivas uncircumcised ; and require, as a condition of this marriage, and of intermarriages
in general, that all the Shechemites should be circumcised, 13—17. Hamor and Shechem consent, 18, 19.
They lay the business before the elders of their city, dwell on the advantages of a connection with Jacob
and his family and propose to them the condition required by the sons of Jacob, 20—23.
, The elders con-
sent, and all the males are circumcised, 24. While the Shechemites are incapable of defending themselves,
on the third day after their circumcision, Simeon and Levi, the brothers of Dinah, came upon the city, slew
all the males, sacked the city, took the loomen and children captives, and seized on all the cattle belonging to
the Shechemites, 25—29. Jacob is greatly displeased and alarmed at this treachery and cruelty of his sons,
and lays before them the probable consequences, 30. They endeavour to vindicate their conduct, 31.

A. M.
B. C.
cir.
cir.
2266.
1738. AND ^^
Dinah the daughter of
Leah, which she bare unto defiled Dinah his daughter
5 And Jacob heard that he had
: now
A. M.
B. C.
cir.
cir.
2266.
1738.

Jacob, ^ went out to see the daughters of the his sons were with his cattle in the field ; and
land. Jacob ^ held his peace until they were come.
2 And when Shechem the son of Hamor the 6 And Hamor the father of Shechem went
Hivite, prince of the country, "^
saw her, he out unto Jacob to commune with him.
^ took her, and lay with her, and ® defiled her. 7 And the sons of Jacob came out of the
3 And his soul clave unto Dinah the daugh- field when they heard it ; and the men were
ter of Jacob ; and grieved, and they 'were very wroth, because
and he loved the damsel,
spake ^ kindly unto the damsel. he ^ had wrought folly in Israel, in lying with
4 And Shechem ^ spake unto his father Jacob's daughter ^ which thing ought not to ;

Hamor, saying, Get me this damsel to wrfe. be done.

•J
a Chap. XXX. 21.
Chap. XX. 2.
b Tit. ii. 5. Chap. vi. 2 Judg.
<'

eHeb. humbled her ; Peut. xxii. 29.

; xiv. 1.
f Heb.
g
xlix.
Judg. xiv. 2.
7 ; 2 Sam. xiii. 21.
17 ; 2 Sam. xiii. 12.
—
h 1 Sam. x. 27 2 Sam. xiii. 22.
;

^ Josh. vii. 15; Judg. xx. 6.

* Chap.
'Deut.
to the heart of the damsel ; see Isa. xl. 2 Hos. ii. 14.
;
xxiii.

NOTES ON CHAP. iJ^XXIV. grace. It appears sufllciently evident from this and
Verse 1. And Dinah —went out to see the daughters the preceding verse that there had been no consent on
of the land.^ It is supposed that Jacob had been now the part of Dinah, that the whole was an act of vio-
about seven or eight years in the land, and that Dinah, lence, and that she was now detained by force in the
who was about seven years of age when Jacob came house of Shechem. Here she was found when Simeon
to Canaan, was now about fourteen or fifteen. Why and Levi sacked the city, verse 26.
or on what occasion she went out we know not, but Verse 7. He had wrought folly in Israel] The
the reason given by Josephus is very probable, viz., land, afterwards generally called Israel, was not as
that it was on one of their festivals. yet so named and the sons of Jacob were neither ;

Verse 2> Prince of the country'] i. e., Hamor was called Israel, Israelites nor Jews, till long after this.
prince Shechem was the son of the prince or chief. How then can it be said that Shechem had lorought
;

Our version appears to represent Shechem as prince, folly in Israel ? The words are capable of a more
but his father was the chief of the country. See literal translation : Sxi'iJ'"'^ beyisrael, may be translated,
verses 6, 8, &c. against Israel. angel had said. Thy name shall
The
Verse 3. Spake kindly unto the damsel.^ Literally, be called no more Jacob —
not only Jacob, but Israel.
he spake to the heart of the damsel endeavoured to — It was this that aggravated the offence
of Shechem

gain her affections, and to reconcile her to her dis- he wrought folly against Israel, the prince of God,
205
 2
4
51 ; 7
1 — —
Jacob's sons propone that all GENESIS. the Shechemites be circumcised.

A.. M. cir. 2266. 8 And Hamor communed with and we will dwell with you, and a. m. cir. 2266.
a C. cir. 1738. , mu f •11 B. C. cir. 173a
them, saying, Ihe soui oi my son we will become one people.
1 1 1
.

Shechem longeth for your daughter : I pray 1 Biit if ye will not hearken unto us, to be
you give her him to wife. circumcised ; then will we take our daughter,
9 And make ye marriages with us, and give and we will be gone.
your daughters unto us, and take our daughters 18 And their words pleased Hamor, and
unto you. Shechem Hamor's son.
1 And ye shall dwell with us the 19 And the young man deferred not to do
: and ""

land shall be before you dwell and trade ye the thing, because he had delight in Jacob's
;
"^

therein, and ° get you possession therein. daughter and he ivas ^ more honourable than :

1 And Shechem said unto her father and all the house of his father.
unto her brethren, Let me find grace in your 20 And Hamor and Shechem his son came
eyes, and what ye shall say unto me I will unto the gate of their city, and communed with
give. the men of their city, saying,
1 Ask me never so much p dowry and gift, 2 These men are peaceable with us ; there-
and I will give according as ye shall say unto fore let them dwell in the land, and trade
me ; but give me the damsel to wife. therein ; for the land, behold, it is large
13 And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem enough for them let us take their daughters ;

and Hamor his father i deceitfully, (and said, to us for wives, and let us give them our
Because he had defiled Dinah their sister :) daughters.
1 And they said unto them, We cannot do 22 Only herein will the men consent unto
this thing, to give our sister to one that is us for to dwell with us, to be one people, if

uncircumcised ; for ^ that were a reproach every male among us be circumcised, as they
unto us : ore circumcised.
1 But in this will we consent unto you : If 23 Shall not their cattle and their substance
ye will be as we be, that every male of you be and every beast of theirs be ours ? only let us
circumcised consent unto them, and they will dwell with us
16 Then will we give our daughters unto 24 And unto Hamor and unto Shechem his
you, and we will take your daughters to us ;
son hearkened all that * went out of the gate

"Chapter "Chapter Num.

xlvii. 27. P
xiii.9;
Exodus
xx. 15.
xxii. 16, 17;
° Chap.
Deut.
xlii. 34.
xxii. 29 ; 1 Samuel 15 ;
1 See 2 Sam. xiii. 24, &c.
2 Chron. iv. 9 Isa. iii. 3-5.
;
—
->"
Josh.
'
V.
Chap,
9.
xxiii. 10
'

; Matt.
xxii
vii.
xviii. 25. 6; Rom. ii. 28, 29.

in lying with the daughter of Jacob. Here both the of Hamor was very inconsiderable, else they would
names Jacob, whose daughter was defiled,
are given ; not have sought an alliance with the family of Jacob,
and Israel, the prince of God, against whom the offence and have come so readily into a painful, disgraceful
was committed. measure, without having either the sanction of Divine
Verse 12. Ask me never so much doivri/] See on authority or reason ; for it does not appear that the
chap. xxix. 20, &c. See the law relative to this, sons of Jacob urged either. And they are threatened
Exod. xxii. 16, 17. here that if they do not agree to be circumcised,
Verse 13. Answered —
deceitfully^ Which nothing Dinah shall be taken from them, and restored to her
could excuse yet, to show that they had had much pro- family
;
and this is probably what the Shechemitef ;

vocation, it is immediately subjoined 11DT1 vaidabberu, saw they had not power at present to prevent.
they spoke thus because he had defied Dinah their Verse 23. Shall not their cattle and their substance
sister ; for so this parenthesis should be read. be ours ?] This was a bait held out for the poor —
A'^erse 14. That were a reproach unto us] Because unsuspecting people of Hamor by their prince and his
the uncircumcised were not in the covenant of God son, who were not much less deceived than the people ;

and to have given an heiress of the promise to one themselves.

who had no kind of right to its spiritual blessings, Verse 24. Every male ivas circumcised] These
from whom might spring children who would natural- simple people must have had very great affection for
ly walk in the way of their father, would have been their chief and his son, or have been under the influ-
absurd, reproachful, and wicked. Thus far they were ence of the most passive obedience, to have come so
perfectly right but to make this holy principle a cloak readily into this measure, and to have submitted to this
;

for their deceitful and murderous purposes, was the rite. But the petty princes in Asiatic countries have
full sum of all wickedness. ever been absolute and despotic, their subjects paying
Verse 17. Then ivill we take our daughter, andive them the most prompt and blind obedience. I shall give
will be gone.] It is natural to suppose that the tribe a few examples from Mr. Richardson's Dissertations :

20f\ \
 The Shechemites consent, and CHAP. XXXIV. are treacherously murdered.

A. M. cir. 2266. of his city and every male was and their asses, and that which a. m. dr. 2266.

——
:

•
.,1 • , . , B. C. cir- ^738.
~ '- '-
'-
circumcised, all that went out of was in the city,
1 ,
and that which . _
the gate of his city. ivas in the field,
25 And it came to pass on the third day, 29 And all their wealth, and all their little

when they were sore, that two of the sons of ones, and their wives took they captive ; and
Jacob, " Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brethren, spoiled even all that ivas in the house.
took each man his sword, and came upon the 30 And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi,
city boldly, and slew all the males. "^
Ye have ^ troubled me y to make me to stink
26 And they slew Hamor and Shechemhis among the inhabitants of the land, among the
son with the ^ edge of the sword, and took Canaanites and the Perizzites :
^ and I b.eing
Dinah out of Shechem's house, and went out. few in number, they shall gather themselves
27 The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, together against me, and slay me and I shall ;

and spoiled the city, because they had defiled be destroyed, I and my house.
their sister, 3 1 And they said, Should he deal with our
28 They took their sheep, and their oxen, sister as with a harlot ?

" Chapter xlix. 5, 6, 7. ^Hebrew, mouth ; Deut. xxxii. 42 ;

'^ Chap. xlix. 6. * Josh. vii. 25. / Exod. v. 21 ; 1 Samuel
2 Sam. ii. 26; Isa. xxxi. 8. xiii. 4. z Deut. iv. 27; Psa. cv. 12.

" Abu Thaher, chief of the Carmathians, about the sons, the remaining brothers of Simeon and Levi, spoiled
year nine hundred and thirty, ravaged the territory the city. Though the others could slay the defenceless
of Mecca, defiled the temple, and destroyed nearly males, it was not likely that they could have carried
40,000 people. With only 500 horse he went to lay away all the booty, with the women, children, and cat-
siege to Bagdad the caliph's general, at the head of tle it is therefore most natural to suppose that the rest
:
;

30,000 men, marched out to seize him, but before he of the sons of Jacob assisted at last in the business.
attacked him he sent an officer to summon him to Verse 30. Ye have troubled me] Brought my mind
surrender. How many men has the caliph's general V into great distress, and endangered my personal safety
'

said Abu Thaher. Thirty thousand,' replied the offi- to make me to stink
'
to render me odious to the sur- — ;

cer Among them all,' says the Carmathian chief, rounding tribes, so that there is every reason to sus-
'

'has he got three like mine V Then, ordering his fol- pect that when this deed is come abroad they will join
lowers to approach, he commanded one to stab him- in a confederacy against me, and extirpate my whole
self, another to throw himself from a precipice, and family. And had he not been under the peculiar pro-
a third to plunge into the Tigi-is all three instantly ; tection of human probability would
God, this in all
obeyed, and perished. Then turning to the officer, have been the case; but he had prevailed with God,
he said, He who has such troops needs not value the
'
and he was also to prevail with men. That Jacob's
number of his enemies !' resentment was not dissembled we have the fullest
" Hassan Sabat, one of those petty princes formerly proof in his depriving these two sons of the birthright,
known in Asia and Europe by the title Shcekh-ul-jibel, which otherwise they had doubtless enjoyed. See
or old 7nan of the 7nountain, being required by an chap. xlix. 5, 7, where some additional circumstances
ambassador to do homage to his master, the Sultan are related.
Malekshah Jelaleddin, without giving any answer, Verse 31. Should he deal with our sister as ictth a
ordered one of his attendants to poniard himself, and harlot J] On this outrage alone they vindicated their
another to leap from the battlements of the tower ;
flagitious conduct. The word harlot first occurs here :

and he was instantly obeyed Then turning to the ! the original is not lyjiVs pilegesh, which we render con-
ambassador, he said, Seventy thousand are thus at- '
cubine, (see its explanation chap. xxii. 24,) but njU
tentive to my commands. Let this be my answer.'" zonah, which ordinarily sfgnifies one who prostitutes
On a principle of this kind w'e may account for the herself to any person for hire. Our word harlot is
prompt obedience of the people of Hamor. said to have been derived from a very odd circumstance :

Verse 25. On the thh-d day, luhen they were sore'] Robert, duke of Normandy, seeing a fine-looking coun-
When the inflammation was at the height, and a fever try girl dancing with her companions on the green, took
ensued which rendered the person utterly helpless, her She was.the daughter of a skinner,
to his bed.
and his state critical, Simeon and Levi, the half and her name was Arlotta ; and of her William, sur-
brothers of Dinah, took each man his sioord, probably named The Conqueror, was born. Hence it is said all
assisted by that portion of the servants which helped such women were from her called harlots, as William
them to take care of the flock, came on the city boldly, himself was usually termed the Bastard. But horelet,
nD3 betach, securely without being suspected, and — the diminutive of whore, is not a less likely derivation.
being in no danger of meeting with resistance, and
sletv all the males. Great as the provocation was, Solomon has very properly said, My son, enter not
and it certainly was very great, this was an act of un- of the ivicked, and go not in the way of
into the path
paralleled treachery and cruelty. evil men ; avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and
Verse 27. The sons of Jacob] The rest of Jacob's pass away, Prov. iv. 14, 15. Had not Dinah gone
a 207
 .

Jacob commanded to go to GENESIS. Bethel and build an altar

out to see the daughters of the land, and very possibly of the most base and infamous designs. The simple
at one of their idolatrous festivals, she had not suffered unsuspecting Shechemites agreed to the proposal and ;

the foul disgrace mentioned in this chapter. Not only when rendered by this religious rite incapable of de-
prudence dictates that young women should keep at fending themselves, they were basely murdered by
home, but God expressly commands it, Tit. ii. 5. Dinah Simeon and Levi, and their city destroyed. Jacob,
got among idolaters, and thus partook of their iniqui- to his great honour,remonstrated against this barbarous
ties ;and this led to the most base and cruel transac- and bloody act, committed apparently under the sanc-
tion upon record. How true is the saying, Those ivho tion of religion and God showed his abhorrence of
;

wander out of the way of understanding shall abide it by directing the patriarch, in his dying moments, to
in the congregation of the dead ! In the case before proscribe them from the blessings of the covenant, so
us blame seems to attach to all parties. that they barely retained a name among the tribes of
1 It was wrong in Jacob to suffer his daughter, alone Israel,being in general small, and ever disreputable,
and unprotected, to visit the daughters of the land. except merely in the service of the sanctuary, in which
2. It was excessively wicked in Shechem to take Levi was employed. How often since, notwithstand-
this advantage of the daughter of a respectable stran- ing this solemn warning, has the pure and benevolent
ger, who had sought his friendship, and came to sojourn religion of God been made, by wicked and designing
among his people, and whose righteous dealing they men, a political stalking-horse to serve the basest purv
must have witnessed for at least seven years past. In poses, and a covert to the worst of crimes ! But shall
his behalf we may say, and it would be unjust not to with the holy religion of the blessed God
we find fault
say it, that having done the mischief, and sinned deeply because wicked men have abused it 1 God forbid !

against the laws of hospitality, he wished to make all Were it not so good as it really is, it would be inca-
the reparation in his power and therefore in the most
; pable of such abuse. An evil cannot be abused, a
frank and liberal manner he not only offered, but most good may and the greater and the more acknowledged ;

pressingly entreated, permission to take Dinah to ivife. the good, the more liable to abuse. As every good is
This was the utmost he could do in such a case. And so capable of being abused, does he act wisely who
in this he is a saint of the first order when compared argues against the use of the thing on this account 1
with the noble and ignoble profligates who, while blas- Shall we say that various kinds of grain, fruits, and
pheming the Christian name by continuing to assume aliments are a curse, because wicked men abuse them
it, commit all kinds of breaches on the virtue of simple to the purposes of drunkenness and gluttony ? This
females, and the peace of respectable families, and not would argue an utter perversion of all reason and is :

only make no reparation, but glory in their shame. it not on such a pretext as this that many persons have

3. It was diabolical in Jacobus sons to slay a whole ventured to call in question even the truths of Chris-
tribe for the offence of one man, and especially as that tianity 1
one had offered to make all the restitution in his power. Whatever such men may be determined to thmk on
They required that Hamor, Shechem, and all their sub- the subject of this chapter, with the unprejudiced reader
»ects should be circumcised before they could conscien- the ample and detailed relation which we have here of
ously consent to give their sister to Shechem in mar- this barbarous transaction will appear an additional proof
riage. This required conformity was made the cloak of the veracity and impartiality of the sacred historian

CHAPTER XXXV.
Tacob is commanded of God
to go to Beth-el, and to build an altar there, 1. His exhortation to his family
to put awaystrange gods, dfC, 2, 3.
all They deliver them all up, and Jacob hides them in the earth, 4.
They commence their journey, 5 com,e to Luz, 6 build there the altar El-beth-el, 7. Burial place of
; ;

Deborah, RebekaVs nurse, 8. God appears again unto Jacob, 9. Blesses him and renetvs the promises,
10—13. To commemorate this manifestation of God, Jacob sets up a pillar, and calls the place Beth-el,
14, 15. They journey to Ephrath, tvhere Rachel, after hard labour, is delivered of Benjamin, and dies,
16—19. Jacob sets up a pillar on her grave, 20. They journey to Edar, 21. While at this place,
Reuben defiles his father'' s bed, 22. Account of the children of Jacob, according to the mothers, 23-26.
Jacob comes to Mamre to his father Isaac, ivho loas probably then in the one hundred and fifty -eighth year
of his age, 27. Isaac dies, and is buried by his sons Esau and Jacob, 29.

A. M. cir. 2266. A ND God said unto Jacob, God, ''that appeared unto thee a. m. cir. 2266.
B. C. cir. 1738.
Arise, go up to * Beth-el, •=
1
when 1
thou
^11
neddest
r
from
,
the
B. C. cir. 1738.

and dwell there : and make there an altar unto face of Esau thy brother.
a Chap, xxviii. 19. ''Chap, xxviii. 13. <:
Chap, xxvii. 43.

NOTES ON CHAP. XXXV. seems that while hewas reflecting on the horrible
Terse 1. Arise, go up to Beth-cl] The transaction act of Simeon and Levi, and not knowing what to
that had lately taken place rendered it unsafe for Jacob do, God graciously appeared to him, and commanded
to dwell any longer at the city of Shechem ; and it him to go up to Beth-el, build an altar there, and
308
 — — ;

Jacob arrives at Beth-el, CHAP. XXXV. where God appeared to him.

A. M. cir. 2266. 2 Then Jacob said unto his 5 And they journeyed : and A. m. cir. 2266.
-w- ^39.
-1-^^ ' ^ household, and to all that were 1 the terror of God was upon the J
with him, Put away ^ the strange gods that cities that were round about them, and they
are among you, and ^be clean, and change did not pursue after the sons of Jacob.
your garments : 6 So Jacob came to ^ Luz, which is in the
3 And let us arise, and go up to Beth-el land of Canaan, (that is, Beth-el,) he and aU
and I will make there an altar unto God, ^ who the people that were with him.
answered me in the day of my distress, ^ and 7 And he " built there an altar, And called
was with me in the way which I went. the place ° El-beth-el : because p there God
4 And they gave unto Jacob all the strange appeared unto him, when he fled from thfc

gods which were in their hand, and all their face of his brother.
'ear-rings which were in their ears and 8 But 1 Deborah, Rebekah's nurse, died, anc ;

Jacob hid them under ^ the oak which was by she was buried beneath Beth-el, under an oak
Shechem. and the name of it was called ^ Allon-bachuth-

* Chap, xviii. 19 ; ^ Chap. xxxi. 19, 34

Josh. xxiv. 15. ; xxiii. 27 ; xxxiv. 24 ; Deut. 25 Josh. ii. 9 v. 1
xi. ; ; ; 1 Sam. xiv
Josh. xxiv. 2, 23 1 Sam. vii.
; fExod. xix. 10.
3. s Chap. 15 ; 2 Chron. xiv. 14. Chap, xxviii. 19, 22.
"> > Eccles
xxxii. 7, 24 ; Psa. cvii. 6. h
Chap, xxviii. 20 xxxi. 3, 42. ; V. 4. "That is, the God of Beth-el. P Chap, xxviii. 13
•Hos. ii. 13. 1 Josh. xxiv. 26 Judg. ix. 6. ; Exod. xv. 16 '
;
1 Chap. xxiv. 59. 'That is, the oak of weeping.

thus perform the vow he had made, chap, xxviii. out of a solid piece of cornelian, now lies before me.
20, 22. It was evidently intended for the ear, as the opening
Verse 2. Put away the strange gods] lOJn "Tlbx elo- is too small for any human finger and it is engraved ;

hey hannechar, the gods of the foreigners, which were all over with strange characters and images, whicl
among them. Jacob's servants were all Syrians, and prove that it was intended for a talisman or amulei
no doubt were addicted less or more to idolatry and It seems to be such a one as St. Augustine describes
superstition. These gods might belong to the7n, or, as Epist. 73, which was suspended from the tip of the
some have conjectured, they were the teraphim which ears both of men
and women, not for the purpose pf
Rachel stole but these have already been supposed
; ornament, but through an execrable superstition, for
to be astrological tables, or something of this kind, the service of demons. " Execranda superstitio liga-
called by Laban his gods, because by them he supposed turarum, in quibus etiam inaures virorum in summis ex
he could predict future events, and that they referred una parte auriculis suspense deputantur, non ad pla-
to certain astral and planetary intelligences, by whose cendum hominibus, sed ad serviendum dasmonibus."
influences sublunary things were regulated. But it is See the notes on chap. xxiv. 22.
more natural to suppose that these gods found now in Verse 5. The terror of God] A supernatural awe
Jacob's family were images of silver, gold, or curious sent by the Almighty, was 4ipon the cities that were
workmanship, which were found among the spoils of round about, so that they were not molested in their
the city of Shechem. Lest these should become in- departure. This could be owing to nothing less than
citements to idolatry, Jacob orders them to be put away. the especial providence of God.
Be clean, and change your garments^
Personal or Verse 7. El-beth-el] Sn nO Sx, the strong God,
outward emblematical of the sanetifica-
purification, as the house of the strong God. But the first Sn el is
tion of the soul, has been in use among all the true wanting in one of De Rossi's MSS., as it is also in the
worshippers of God from the beginning of the world. Septuagint, Vulgate, Syriac, and some copies of the
In many cases the law of Moses more solemnly enjoined The sentence reads much better without it,
Arabic.
rites and ceremonies which had been in use from the much more consistent with the parallel passages.
and
earliest ages. " A Hindoo considers those clothes de- Verse 8. But Deborah, Rebekah''s nurse, died] She
which he has been employed in business,
filed in and was sent with Rebekah when taken by Abraham's
always changes them before eating and worship." servant to be wife to Isaac, chap. xxiv. 59. How she
Ward. came to be in Jacob's family, expositors are greatly
Verse 3. Answered me in the day of my distress] puzzled to find out but the text does not state that ;

Not only when he fled from the face of his brother, she ivas in JacoFs family. Her death is mentioned
but more particularly when he was in his greatest strait merely because Jacob and" his family had now arrived
at the brook of Jabbok. at the place where she was buried, and the name of
—
Verse 4. Ayid ear-rings which were in their ear*] that place was called Allon-hachuth, " the oak of
Whether these rings were in the ears of the gods, or weeping," as it is likely her death had been greatly
in those of Jacob's family, we may rest assured that regretted, and a general and extraordinary mourning
they were not mere ornaments, but served for super- had taken place on the occasion. Of Rebekah's death
stitious purposes. Ear-rings were certainly worn as we know After her counsel to her son,
nothing.
amulets and charms, first consecrated to some god, or chap, xxvii., hear no more of her history from the
we
formed under some constellation, on which magical sacred writings, except of her burial in chap. xlix. 31.
characters and images were dravm. A very ancient Her name is written in the dust. And is not this
and beautiful one of this kind brought from Egypt, cut designed as a mark of the disapprobation of God 1 It
Vol. I. ( 15 ^ 209
 21
3

The promise renewed to Jacob. GEJNri.SIS. The hii til oj Benjamin.

9 And ' God appeared unto

A. M.
B. C.
^
cir.
cir.
2266.
1738. _ ,
t ^.
Jacob again, when he came out
of Padan-arara, and blessed him.
10 And God said unto him, Thy name is

Jacob :
* thy name shall not be called any
more Jacob, " but Israel shall be thy name :

and he called his name Israel.

1 And God said unto him, ^ 1 am 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 :

1 And the land ^ which Igave Abraham

and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy
seed after thee will I give the land.
1 And God y went up from him in the
place where he talked with him.
14 And Jacob ^ set up a pillar in the place

»Hos. xii
 The tespass of Reuben. CHAP. XXXV. The twelve sons of Jacob,

A. M. cir. 2266. 20 And Jacob set a pillar upon 24 The sons of Rachel; Joseph, a. m. cir. 2266.
B. C. cir. 1738. J -P, . .
^ ' B. C. cir. 1738.
her grave : that is the pillar of and ±5enjamin.
Rachel's grave ^ unto this day. 25 And the sons of Bilhah, Rachel's hand-
21 And Israel journeyed, and spread his maid; Dan, and Naphtali.
lent beyond the tower of Edar. ^ 26 And the sons of Zilpah, Leah's hand-
22 And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt maid Gad, and Asher. ; These are the sons
in that land, that Reuben went and ^ lay with of Jacob, which were born to him in Padan-
Bilhah his father's concubineand Israel heard aram. : ,

it. Now were twelve 27 And Jacob came unto Isaac his father
the sons of Jacob :

23 The sons of Leah; ^ Reuben, Jacob's unto ^ Mamre, unto the ° city of Arbah, (which
first-born, and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, is Hebron,) where Abraham and Isaac so-
and Issachar, and Zebulun. journed.

•»
1 Sam. X. 2 ; 2 Sam. xviii. 18. Mic. iv. 8. ' ^ Chap. xlix. '
Chap. xlvi. 8 ; Exod. i. 2.- '
Chapter xiii. 18 ; xziii. 2, 19
4 ; 1 Chron. v. 1 ; see 2 Sam. xvi. 22; xx. 3 ; 1 Cor. v. 1. » Josh. xiv. 15 ; xv. 13.

handi Psa. Ixxx. 17, signifies one much loved and re- ed by Jonathan, and glanced at by the Jerusalem
garded of God. The Samaritan has Benyamin, the Targum, chap. xlix. 4. Could this view of the sub-
son of days ; i. e., the son of his old age, as Judah ject be proved to be correct, both piety and candour
calls him, chap. xliv. 20 and Houbigant contends ;
would rejoice.
that this is the true reading, and that the Chaldee A7id Israel heard it.] Not one word is added far-
termination in for im is a corruption. If it be a cor- ther in the Hebrew text but a break is left in the
;

ruption, it is as old as the days of St. Jerome, who verse, opposite to which there is a Masoretic note, which
translates the place Benjamin, id est, filius dextrcR ; simply states that thei-e is a hiatus in the verse. This
Benjamin, that is, the son of the right hand. hiatus the Septuagint has thus supplied nac novtjpov :

Verse 20. Jacob set a pillar upon her grave} Was e(pav7i evavTtov avrov, and it appeared evil in his sight.

not this the origin of funeral monuments T In ancient Now the sons of Jacob ivere twelve] Called after-
times, and among rude nations, a heap of stones desig- wards the twelve patriarchs, because they became heads
nated the burial place of the chief ; many of these or chiefs of numerous families or tribes, Acts vii. 8 ;
still remain in different countries. Afterwards a rude and the people that descended from them are called
stone, with a simple inscription, was. used, containing the twelve tribes. Acts xxvi. 7 James i. 1. Twelve ; ,

only the name of the deceased, and that of his father. princes came from Ishmael, chap. xxv. 16, who were
But where arts and sciences flourished, superb monu- heads of families and tribes. And in reference to the
ments were erected highly decorated, and pompously twelve patriarchs, our Lord chose twelve apostles.
inscribed. It is very likely from the circumstances Strictly speaking, there were thirteen tribes among the
of Jacob that a single stone constituted the pillar in Hebrews, as Ephraim and Manasses were counted for
this case, on which, if writing did then exist, the name, tribes, chap, xlviii. 5, 6 but the Scripture in naming
;

or rather some hieroglyphical device, was probably them, says Mr. Ainsw^orth, usually sets down but twelve,
inscribed. That which is now called RacheVs pillar omitting the name now of one, then of another, as may
is allowed, by those who have examined it, to be a in sundry places be observed, Deut. xxxiii. Ezek.
comparatively modern structure.
" xlviii Rev. vii., &c. .
;

Verse 21. Tower of Edar.] Literally, the tower of Verse 2 3 The sons of Leah] The children are ar- .

the jiock, and so translated Mic. iv. 8. supposed It is ranged under their respective mothers, and not in order
that this tower was about a mile from Bethlehem, of their birth.
and to have been the place where the angels appeared Verse 26. Born to him in Padan-aram.] i. e., all
to the shepherds. The Targum of Jonathan expressly but Benjamin was born in Canaan, ver. 16, 17.
6ays " It is the place in which the King Messiah
: It is well known that Padan-aram is the same as
shall be manifested in the end of days." By the Mesopotamia, and hence the Septuagint translate Me-
tower of the flock we may understand a place built by aoTiOTa/zia rric Iivpiag, Mesopotamia of Syria. The
the shepherds near to some well, for the convenience word signifies between the two rivers, from fieaoc, the
of watering their flocks, and keeping watch over them midst, and TroTufiog, a river. It is situated between
by night. the Euphrates and Tigris, having Assyria on the east,
Verse 22. Reuben went and lay ivith Bilhah his Arabia Deserta, with Babylonia, on the south, Syria on
fathers concubine] Jonathan, in his Targum, says the ivest, and Armenia on the north. It is now the
that Reuben only overthrew the bed of Bilhah, which province of Diarbek, in Asiatic Turkey, and is some-
was set up opposite to the bed of his mother Leah, times called Maverannahar, the country beyond the
and that this was reputed to him as if he had lain river and Aram Naharaim, Aram or Syria of the two
;

with her. The colouring given to the passage by the rivers.

Targumist is, that Reuben was incensed, because he Verse 27. The city of Arbah, (which is Hebron)]
found Bilhah preferred after the death of Rachel to See chap, xxiii. 2. It has been conjectured that Ja-
his ovra mother Leah ; and therefore in his anger he cob must have paid a visit to his father before this
time, as previously to this he had been some
overthrew her couch. The same sentiment is repeat- years in
a 211
 !

Isaac's age and death. GEJNEblS. Esau and Jacob bury htm
A. M. 2288. 28 And the days of Isaac were a and °was gathered unto his people, a.m. 2888,
B. C. 1716. B. C. 1716.
hundred and fourscore years. 'eing old and full of days : and
29 And Isaac gave up the ghost and died, P his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.
o Chap. XV. 15 xxv.
; 8. P So chap. xxv. 9 ; xlix. 31.

Canaan ; but now, as he was approaching to his end, that the neighbouring tribes did not join together and
Jacob is supposed to have gone to live with and com- extirpate the whole family 1 And so they certainly
fort him in his declining days. would, had not the terror of God fallen upon them,
Verse 29. Isaac gave up the ghost and was ga- — ver. 5. Jacob and the major part of his family were
thered unto his people] See on chap. xxv. 8. innocent of this great transgression and on the ;

Esau and Jacob buried him.] See chap. xxv. 9. preservation of their lives, the accomplishment of
Esau, as we have seen chap, xxxiii., was thoroughly great events depended ; therefore God watches over
reconciled to his brother Jacob, and now they both join them, and shields them from the hands of their
in fraternal and filial affection to do the last kind office enemies.
to their amiable father. It is generally allowed that 3 The impatience and fate of the amiable Rachel,
.

the death of Isaac is mentioned here out of its chrono- who can read of without deploring T Give me children,
logical order, as several of the transactions mentioned said she, or else I die, chap. xxx. 1. Her desire was
in thesucceeding chapters, especially xxxvii. and granted, and her death was the consequence ! God's
xxxviii., must have happened during his life but that ; way is ever best. We know not what we ask, nor what
the history of Joseph might not be disturbed, his death we ought to ask, and therefore often ask amiss when
is anticipated in this place. It is supposed that he lived we petition for such secular things as belong to the
at least twelve years after Joseph was sold into Egypt. dispensations of God's providence. For things of this
kind we have no revealed directory
ask ; and when we
This chapter contains several subjects which are for them, should be with the deepest submission to
it
well worthy of the reader's most serious attention. the Divine will, as God alone knows what is best for
1. That such a family as that of Jacob should have us. With respect to the soul, every thing is clearly
had false gods in it, is a matter not less astonishing revealed, so that we may
ask and receive, and have a
than real : and suppose that we allow, as is very pro- fulness of joy but as to our bodies, there is much
;

bable, that their images and rings were got from stran- reason to fear that the answer of our petitions would
gers, the Syrians and the Shechemites/ yet their being be, in numerous cases, our inevitable destruction. How
tolerated in the family, though it is probable tliis was many prayers does God in mercy shut out
for a very short time, cannot be easily accounted for. 4. The transgression of Reuben, of whatsoever kind,
It is true the law was not then given, and the unity was marked, not only by the displeasure of his father,
of God not so particularly taught as it was afterwards. but by that of God also ; see chap. xlix. 4. It brought
Besides, we have already seen that certain supersti- a curse upon him, and he forfeited thereby the right
tions were compatible in those early times with general of primogeniture and the priesthood : the first was
sincerity and attachment to the truth those times and ; given to Judah, the second to Levi. Is it not in refer-
acts of ignorance were winked at, till superior liglit ence to this that our Lord addresses these solemn
shone upon the world. Between many of the prac- words to the angel of the Church of Philadelphia Be- :

tices of Laban's family and those of the surrounding hold, I come quickly ; hold that fast ivhich thou hast,
heathenish tribes, there might have been but little dif- that NO MAN TAKE THT CROWN ? A man, by sowing a
ference and this was probably the reason why Dinah
; grain of forbidden sweets, may reap an abundant har-
could so readily mix with the daughters of the land, vest of eternal wretchedness. Reader, let not si7i rob
chap, xxxiv. 1, which led to the fatal consequences thee of the kingdom of God.
already reviewed. Sin is like the letting out of wa- 5. Here we have the death of Isaac recorded most
—
:

ter when once a breach is made in the dyke, the that can can be said of his character has been already
stream becomes determined to a wrong course, and its anticipated, see chap, xxii., &c. He appears to have
progress is soon irresistible. Had not Jacob put away been generally pious, deeply submissive and obedient.
these strange gods, the whole family might have been He was rather an amiable and good, than a great and
infected with idolatry. This saying of one of the an- useful, man. If compared with his son Jacob, in the
cients is good, Vitia transmittit ad posteros, qui prtE- early part of their lives, he appears to great advantage,
sentibus culpis ignoscit. — Seneca. " He who is in- as possessing more sincerity and more personal piety.
dulgent to present offences, transmits sin to posterity.'''' But if compared with his father Abraham, O, what a
The first motions of it should be firmly resisted after ; falling off" is here Abraham is the most perfect cha-
!

struggles are too often fruitless. racter under the Old Testament, and even under the
2. The doctrine of s, particular and especial provi- New he has no parallel but St. Paul. Isaac, though
dence has another proof in this chapter. After the falling far short of his father's excellences, will ever
Banguinary conduct of Jacob's sons, is it not surprising remain a pattern of piety and filial obedience
212

re.
spea.
 ; 1

The generations of Esau CHAP. XXXVI. hy his Canaanitish wives.

CHAPTER XXXVI.
The genealogy of Esau, i. e., his sons, hy his Canaanitish wives Adah, Aholibamah, and Bashemath, 1—3.
The children of Adah and Bashemath, 4. Of Aholibamah, 5. Esau departs from Canaan and goes to
Mount Seir, 6-8. The generations of Esau, i. e., his grandchildren, while in Seir, 9-19. The genera-
tions qfSeir, the Horite, 20-30. Anah finds mules (Yemim) in the wilderness, 24. The kings which
reigned in Edam, 31-39. The dukes that succeeded them, 40-43.

A. M. cir. 2225. IVrOW these are the genera- went into the country from the K M. cir. 2266.
B. C. cir. 1779. L\ . r-r^ , i •
"nj . r 1 • , 1 T 1
B- C. cir. 1738.
Edom. tions of Esau, '^wno is lace 01 his brother Jacob.
A. M. cir. Esau took his wives of the
2288 2 7 ^ For their riches were more than- that
^
B. C. cir. 1716,
daughters of Canaan Adah the they might dwell together and ^ the land ; ;

daughter of Elon the Hittite, and " Ahohbamah wherein they were strangers could not bear
the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon them, because of their cattle.
the Hivite ;
8 Thus dwelt Esau in mount Seir ^ Esau ^ :

A. M. cir. 2225. 3 And ^ Bashemath Ishmael's is Edom.

B. C. cir. 1779,
daughter, sister of Nebajoth. 9 And these are the generations of Esau
A. M. cir. 2230. 4 And ^ Adah bare to Esau the father of the Edomites in mount Seir. ^

- '-^ '— Ehphaz the names of a. M. cir. 2230.

and Bashemath bare
_ 10 These are _,..
;

"^ Ehphaz the son

B. C. cir. 1774. , .
,

Reuel. Esau's sons ; .

A. M. cir. 2292. 5 And Ahohbamah bare Jeush, of Adah the wife of Esau, Reuel the son of
J — and Jaalam, and Korah these Bashemath the wife of Esau.
; 1 :

are the sons of Esau, which were born unto

him in the land of Canaan. were Teman, Omar,
1 And the sons of Eliphaz
^ Zepho, and
^ ,
A. M.
B. C.
cir.
cir.
2270.
1734.

A. M. cir. 2266. 6 And Esau

Gatam, and Kenaz. took his wives,
B. C. cir. 1738. . , .
i i •
i i
and his sons, and his daughters, 12 And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz
and all the ^ persons of his house, and his Esau's son and she bare to Eliphaz ° Ama- ;

cattle, and all his beasts, and all his substance, lek : these tuere the sons of Adah Esau's
which he had got in the land of Canaan ; and wife.

Chap. XXV. bChap.xxvi. 34. Ver.25. d Chap. ^ Ver. 1. ' Heb. Edom. °»
1 Chron.
» 30.. <=
ii. 5 ; Josh. xxiv. 4.
xxviii. 9. Chron. i. 35.
= 1 f Heb. sovlt. e Chap. xiii. i. 35, &c. ° Or, Zephi ; 1 Chron. i. 36. » Exodus xvii. 8,
6, 11. h Chap. xvii. 8 xxviii. 4. Chap, xxxii. 3 ; Deut.
;
'
14 ; Num. xxiv. 20 ; 1 Sam. xv. 2, 3, &c.

NOTES ON CHAP. XXXVI. and the fourteenth verse he is said to be the daughter
Verse 1 These are the generations of Esau'\
. We of Zibeon. But the Samaritan, the Septuagint, (and
have here the genealogy of Esau in his sons and grand- the St/riac, in ver. 2,) read son instead of daughter^
sons, and also the genealogy of Seir the Horite." The which Houbigant and Kennicott contend to be the true
genealogy of the sons of Esau, born in Canaan, is re- Others say that daughter should be referred reading.
lated ver. 1-8 ; Aholibamah, who was the daughter of Anah, and
those of his grandchildren born in to
Seir, 9-19 those of Seir the Horite, 20-30.
; The granddaughter of Zibeon. I should rather prefer the
generations of Esau are particularly marked, to show reading of the Samaritan, Septuagint, and Syriac, and
how exactly God fulfilled the promises he made to him, read, both here and in ver. 14, "Aholibamah, the
chap. XXV. and x.xvii. and those of Seir the Horite daughter of Anah the son of Zibeon," and then the
;

are added, because his family became in some measure whole will agree with verse 24.
blended with that of Esau. Verse 6. Esau took his wives, dfC-l So it appears
Verse 2. His icives'] It appears that Esau's wives that Esau and Jacob dwelt together in Canaan, whither
went by very different names. Aholibamah is named the former removed fromSeir, probably soon after the
Judith, chap. xxvi. 34 Adah is called Bashemath in return of Jacob. That they were on the most friendly-
;

the same place and she who is here called Bashemath footing this sufficiently proves
; and Esau shows the ;

is called Mahalath, chap, xxviii. 9. These are varia- same dignified conduct as on other occasions, in leav-
tions which cannot be easily accounted for; and they ing Canaan to Jacob, and returning again to Mount
are not of sufficient importance to engross much time. Seir certainly a much less fruitful region than that ;

It is well same persons in Scripture are which he now in behalf of his brother voluntarily
known that the
often called by different names. See the Table of abandoned.
variations, chap, xxv., where there are some slight Verse 12. Timna was concubine to Eliphaz] As
examples. Timna was sister to Lotan the Horite, ver. 22, we
Anah the daughter of Zibeon] But this same Anah see how the family of Esau and the Horites got in-
is said to be the soii of Zibeon, ver. 24, though
in this termixed. This might give the sons of Esau a pre-
213
 ; — ;

Dukes of the house of Esau. GENESIS. Descendants oj Seir, the Horite

A. M. cir. 2270. 13 And these are the sons Esau's wife duke Jeush, duke ; From
B. C. cir. 1734.
of Reuel; Nahath, and Zerah, Jaalam, duke Korah these were : ' '
tT
B. c. 1533.
Shammah, and Mizzah : these were the sons the dukes that came of Aholi- cir.

of Bashemath Esau's wife. bamah the daughter of Anah, Esau's wife.

A. M. cir. 2292. 14 And these were the sons 19 These are the sons of Esau, who is
B. C. cir. 1712.
of Ahohbamah, the daughter of Edom, and these are their dukes.
Anah the daughter of Zibeon, Esau's wife : 20 P These are the sons of a m. cir. 2198.
and she bare to Esau Jeush, and Jaalam, and Seir 1 the Horite, who inhabited — L-2!!l___
Korah. and Zibeon, the land ; Lotan, and Shobal,
First aristocracy 15 These Were dukes of the and Anah.
of dukes. From r -n r -m-
A. M. cir. 2429 sons 01 Esau the sons of Eh- 2 1 And Dishon, and Ezer, and a. m. cir. 2204.
——
:

A. M. ci°. 2471. phaz the first-born son of Esau Dishan these are the dukes of - ;
:
'- '. .'

From duke Temau, duke Omar,

C Cir. 1o7d
Jt5.
duke the Horites,
' the children of Seir in the land '

to Zepho, duke Kenaz, of Edom.

B. C. cir. 1533. ,r, A t^ i ^ i i i
16 JJuke Korah, duke Cratam, 22 And the children of Lotan A. M. cir. 2248.
B- C. cir. 1756.
and duke Amalek these are the dukes that were TT
:
TT
Hon, and ^ Hemam and
•
1
;
1
•

came of Ehphaz in the land of Edom these Lotan's sister was Timna. :

were the sons of Adah. 23 And the children of Shobal were these
17 And these are the sons of Reuel Esau's * Alvan, and Manahath, and Ebal, * Shepho,
son duke Nahath, duke Zerah, duke Sham- and Onam.
;

mah, duke Mizzah these are the dukes that : 24 And these are the children of Zibeon ,

came of Reuel in the land of Edom these both Ajah, and Anah this was that Anah : :

are the sons of Bashemath Esau's wife. that found " the mules in the wilderness, as
18 And these are the sons of Aholibamah he fed the asses of Zibeon his father.

P 1 Chron. i. 38. 1 Chapter xiv. 6 Deut.

; ii. 12, 22.- •Or, « Or, Alian ; 1 Chron. i. 40. < Or, Shephi ; 1 Chron. i. 40.
Homam ; 1 Chron. i. 39. " See Lev. xix. 19.

text to seize the land, and expel the ancient inhabit- fore, that some transcriber has improperly inserted
ants, as we find they did, Deut. ii. 16th verse; from which interpo-
12. duke Korah in the
AmaleJc] The father of the Amalekites, afterwardsSamaritan text and the Samaritan ver- lation both the
bitter enemies to the Jews, and whom God commanded sion are free." Kennicott's Remarks. Everything
to be entirely exterminated, Deut. xxv. 17, 19. considered, I incline to the opinion that these words
Verse 15. Dukes of the sons of Esau] The word were not originally in the text.
duke comes from the Latin dux, a captain or leader. Verse 20. These are the sons of Seir the Horite]
The Hebrew fjl^x alluph has the same signification These Horites were the original inhabitants of the ;

and as it is also the term for a thousand, which is a country of Seir, called the land of the Horites, and
grand capital or leading number, probably the '£)lSx afterwards the land of the Idumeans, when the descend-
alluphey or dukes had this name from being leaders ants of Esau had diriven them out. These people are
of or captains over a company of one thousand men first mentioned chap. xiv. 6. ;

just as those among the Greeks called chiliarchs, which Verse 21. These are the dukes of the Horites] It
signifies the same and as the Romans called those appears pretty evident that the Horites and the de-
;

centurions who were captains over one hundred men, scendants of Esau were mixed together in the same
from the Latin word centum, which signifies a hun- land, as before observed and Calmet has very pro- ;

dred. The ducal government was that which prevailed perly remarked, that if we compare this verse with
first among the Idumcans, or descendants of Esau. verse 30, there were princes of Seir in the country
Here fourteen dukes are reckoned to Esau, seven that of Seir, and in that of Edom and in comparing the ;

came of his wife Adah, four of Bashemath, and three generations of Seir and Esau, we are obliged to con-
Nof Aholibamah. sider these princes as contemporary.
Verse 16. Duke Korah] This Dr. Kennicott pro- Verse 24. This was that Anah that found the jyiules
nounces to be an interpolation " It is certain, from in the wilderness] The words DD'H nx eth haii/emim,
verse 4, that Eliphaz was Esau's son by Adah and here translated mules, has given rise to a great variety
;

from verses 11, 12, that Eliphaz had but six sons, of conjectures and discordant opinions. St. Jero?ne,
Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, Kenaz, and Amalek. who renders it aquas calidas, luarm springs, or hot
It is also certain, from verses 5 and 14, that Korah baths, says there are as many opinions concerning it
was the son of Esau (not of Eliphaz) by Aholibamah as there are commentators.
and as such he is properly mentioned in ver. 18 The Septuagint has tov lapecv, which seems to be :

These are the sons of Aholibamah, Esau's wife duke the name of a man ; but this is expressed in a great :

Jeush, duke Jaalam, duke Korah. It is clear, there- variety of ways in different MSS. of that version
214 a
 ! ;; — ;

Dukes of the Hontes, CHAP. XXXVI. and kings of the Edomites.

A. M. cir. 2248. 25 And the children of Anah 30 Duke Dishon, duke Ezer, a. M cir. 2248.
B. C. cir. 1756.
we'^ e these ; Dishon, and Ahoh- duke Dishan these are the : _ '.

— '.

bamah the daughter of Anah. dukes that came of Hori, among their dukes
26 And these a?-e the children of Dishon in the land of Seir.
^ Hemdan, and Eshban, and Ithran, and Cheran. 31 And =^
these are the kings
^ 1^1*^^20931
27 The children of Ezer are these Bilhan, ;
that reigned in the land of B. C. cir. I9ii,

and Zaavan, and '''

Akan. Edom, before there reigned a. m. cir. 2429^

28 The children of Dishan are these ; Uz, any king over the children o{^^_^_^}!l^
and Aran. Israel.

29 These are the dukes that came of the 32 And Bela the son of Beor a. m. cir. 2093.

Horites duke Lotan, duke Shobal, duke reigned in Edom and the name -
; :
'
— '-

Zibeon, duke Anah, of his city was Dimhabah.

Or, A77iram ; 1 Chron. i. 41. w' Or, Jakan ; 1 Chron. i. 42.- 1 Chron. i. 43.

The Syriac renders it i iC * maye, waters ; the the wilderness. Is it not probable that from this Anah,
J
author of this version having read in the Hebrew copy or nJJ^ enah, the Enetce derived at least their fabulous
from which he translated, D"D mayim, waters, for DD' origin, whom Homer mentions as famous for their race
yemim, the two first letters being transposed. of ivild mules ?

On^e/o5 translates the word N'lJJ gibbaraiy a, giants,

HafXayovuv 6' T)yeiTo HvXaipieveo^ Xaaiov KTjp,
or strong or powerful men.
Ef Everuv, bdev 7)/iiovuv yevog ayporepauv.
The Samaritan text has 'Unt^ttt^X haaimim, II., lib. ii., v. 853.
and the Samaritan version (TfAviinf-A^ -iSV am
The Paphlagonians Pylamenes rules,
aimai, the Emim, a warlike people, bordering upon the
Where rich Henetia breeds her savage mules. Pope.
Horites.
The Targum o^ Jonathan ben Uzziel paraphrases The EnetcE or Henetcs, who were, a people contigu-
the place thus :
" This is the Anah who united the ous to Paphlagonia, Cappadocia, and Galatia, might
onager with the tame ass, and in process of time he have derived their origin from this Anah, or Henah,
found mules produced by them." R. D. Kimchi says, out of which the Eve-oi of the ancient Greek writers
that " Zibeon was both the father and brother of Anah ;
might have been formed and according toTheophrastus,;

and this Anah, intent on heterogeneous mixtures, caused Strabo, and Plutarch, the first mules were seen among
asses and horses to copulate, and so produced mules." these people. See Ludov. De Dieu and Scheuchzer.
R. S. Jarchi is of the same opinion. See his com- Verse 31. Before there reigned any king over —
ment on this place. Israel.] I suppose all the verses, from this to the 39th
Bochart believes the Emim are meant and argues ; inclusive, have been transferred to this place from
forcibly, 1 That X}f D matsa, he found, never signifies
. 1 Chron. i. 43-50, as it is not likely they could have

to invent, but rather the meeting tvith or happening on been written by Moses and it is quite possible they ;

a thing which already exists. 2. That mules are might have been, at a very early period, written in the
never called DO^ yemim 'in the Scriptures, but oni-J margin of an authentic copy, to make out the regal
peradim. 3. That Anah fed asses only, not horses. succession in Edom, prior to the consecration of Saul
And, 4.That there is no mention of mules inJPalestine which words being afterwards found in the margin of
till the days of David. From the whole he concludes a valuable copy, from which others were transcribed,
that the Emim are meant, with whom Anah. fought were supposed by the copyist to be a part of the text,
and he brings many places of Scripture where the same which having been omitted by the mistake of the ori-
form of expression, he or they found, signifies the on- ginal writer, had been since added to make up the de-
set to battle, Judg. i. 5 1 Sam. xxxi. 3 1 Kings
; ; ficiency on this conviction he would not hesitate to
;

xiii. 24 2 Chron. xxii. 8

; Num. xxxv. 27 Gen. iv.; ;
transcribe them consecutively in his copy. In most
14 with many others.
; See the Hierozoicon, vol. i., MSS. sentences and paragraphs have been left out by
cap. 21, p. 238., edit. 1692. the copyists, which, when perceived, have been added
Gusset, in Comment. Heb. Ling., examines what in the margin, either by the original ^^Titer, or by some
Bochart has asserted, and supposes that mules, not the later hand. Now, as the margin was the ordinary
Emim, were found by Anah. place where glosses or explanatory notes were written,
Wagenseil would credit what Bochart has asserted, it is easy to conceive how the notes, as well as the
did not stronger reasons lead him to believe that the parts of the original text found in the margin, might
word means a sort of plant be all incorporated with the text by a future transcriber;
From the above opinions and versions the reader and his MSS., being often copied, would of course
may choose which he likes best, or invent one for him- multiply the copies with such additions, as we have j

self My own opinion is, that mules were not known much reason to believe has been the case. This ap- j

before the time of Anah and that he was probably pears very frequently in the Vulgate and Septuagint;
;

the first who coupled the mare and ass together to and an English Bible now before me, written some
produce this mongrel, or was the first who met with time in the fourteenth century, exhibits several proofs
creatures of this race in some very secluded part of of this= principle. See the prefnce to this work.
;

21.T
 — — —

Th^ kings and dukes GENESIS. of the Ed 0771 lies.

A-JJ. ciif. 2135. 33 And Bela 39 And Baal-hanan the son of A. M. cir. 2387.
died, and Jobab
the son of Zerah of Bozrali Achbor died, and y Hadar reign- —
'
'
'
" '.
'. '-

jfeigned in hi^ Stead. ed in his stead and the name of his city :

A. M. cir. 2177. 34 And Jobab died, and Hu- was Pau and his wife's name was Mehetabel, ;

.
'
'
sham of the land of Temani
'
the daughter of Hatred, the daughter of
reigned in his stead. Mezahab.
A. M. cir. 2219. 35 And Husham died, and 40 And these are the names of Second aristo-

-— '
'.

Hadad the son of Bedad, who ^ the dukes that came of Esau, ^^
^From
smote Midian in the field of Moab, reigned in according to their families, after g q ;
'

^l^' ^33^
^o^
his stead and the name of his city ivas Avith. their places, by their names ^ ^
:
;
2513,
A. M. cir. 2261. 36 And Hadad died, and duke Timnah, duke * Alvah, duke B. c. cir. 1491.

— '
— '
'.
Samlah Masrekah reigned Jetheth.
of
in his stead. 41 Duke Aholibamah, duke Elah, duke
A. M. cir. 2303. 37 And Samlah died, and Saul Pinon,
B. C. cir. 1701. r -n 1 1 1 7 1
. . 01 Kenoboth, 02/ the river, reign- 42 Duke Kenaz, duke Teman, duke Mibzar,
ed in his stead. 43 Duke Magdiel, duke Iram these he the :
'^

A. M. cir. 2345. 38 And Saul died, and Baal- dukes of Edom, according to their habitations
B. C. cir. 1659. , r »
,
1 1 •
i
hanan the son oi Achbor reigned in the land of their possession he is Esau '^
:

in his stead. the ^ father of the Edomites.

y 1 Chron. i. 50 ; Hadad Pat ; after his death was an aristo- bVer.31; Exod.xv. 15; Num. xx. 14. c Ver.7,8; Deut.ii.5
cracy ; Exodus XV. 15. * 1 Chron. i. 51. » Or, Aliah. d Chap. XXV. 30 ; xlv. 8 ; xxxvi. 43 1 Chron. iv. 14 Heb. Edom.
; ;

I know there is another way of accounting for those or Idumea at the time of the exodus of Israel from
words on the ground of their being \vritten originally Egypt.
by Moses but to me it is not satisfactory.
; It is sim- Verse 43. He is Esau the father of the Edomites.]
ply this the word king should be considered as imply-
:
That The preceding list contains an account of the
is,

ing any kind of regular government, whether by chiefs, posterity of Esau, who was the father of Edom. Thus
dukes, judges, dfc, and therefore when Moses says ends Esau''s history ; for after this there is no farther
these are the kings which reigned in Edom, before account of his life, actions, or death, in the Pentateuch.
there was any king in Israel, he may be only under-
stood as saying that these kings reigned among the 1. As Esau is so considerable a person in polemic
Edomites before the family of Jacob had acquired any divinity, it may be necessary, in this place especially,
considerable power, or before the time in which his to say something farther of his conduct and character.
twelve sons had become the fathers of those numerous I have already, in several places, endeavoured, and I
tribes, at the head of which, as king himself in, Jeshu- hope successfully, to wipe off the odium that has been
run, he now stood. thrown upon this man, (see the notes on chap, xxvii.
Esau, had eight kiiigs, who reigned
after his dukes, and chap, xxxiii.,) without attempting to lessen his
successively over their people, while Israel were in faults and the unprejudiced reader must see that, pre-
;

affliction in Egypt. viously to this last account we have of him, his cha-
Verse 33. Jolab the son of Zerah'] Many have racter stands without a blot, except in the case of sell-
supposed that Johab is the same as Job, so remarkable ing his birthright, and his purpose to destroy his brother.
for his afflictions and patience and that Eliphaz, men- ; To the he was led by his famishing situation and
first
tioned verse 10, &c., was the same who book
in the the unkindness of his brother, who refused to save his
of Job is called one of his friends : but there is no life but on this condition ; and the latter, made in the
proper proof of this, and there are many reasons heat of vexation and passion, he never attempted to
against it.
execute, even when he had the most ample means and
Verse 35. Smote Midian in the field of Moah] the fairest opportunity to do it.
Bishop Cumberland supposes that this was Midian, the Dr. Shuckford has drawn an impartial character of
son of Abraham by Keturah, and that he was killed Esau, from which I extract the following particulars :

by Hadad some time before he was one hundred and " Esau was a plain, generous, and honest man, for we
nine years of age and that Moses recorded this, pro- ;
have no reason, from any thing that appears in his life
bably, because it w-as a calamity to the ancestor of or actions, to think him wicked beyond other men of
Jethro, his father-in-law. Orig. of Nat., p. 14. his age or times and his generous and good temper
;

Verse 40. These are the names of the dukes that appears from all his behaviour towards his brother.
came of Esau] These dukes did not govern the whole When they first met he was all humanity and affection,
nation of the Idumeans, but they were chiefs in their and he had no uneasiness when he fcund that Jacob
respective yami7te5, in their places the districts they — followed him not to Seir, but went to live near his fa-
governed, and to which they gave their names. Calmet ther. And at Isaac's death we do not find that he made
thinks that those mentioned above were dukes in Edom any difficulty of quitting Canaan, which was the very
216
 ; —
7
Observations on CHAP. XXXVII. the preceding chapter.

point which, if he had harboured any latent (evil) in- thoughts do appear to have been such as to evidence
tentions, would have revived all his resentments. He that God's purpose towards Jacob was founded on the
is indeed called in Scripture the profane Esau and it ;
truest wisdom." Shuckford's Connections, vol. ii.,
is written, Jacob have I loved, and Esau have I hated p. 174, &c.
but there is, I think, no reason to infer, from any of The truth is, the Messiah must spring from some
those expressions, that Esau was a very wicked man, omK family, and God chose Abraham''s through Isaac,
or that God hated or punished him for an immoral life. Jacob, dfc, rather than the same through Ishmael,
For, 1 . The sentence here against him is said expressly Esau, and the others in that line but from this choice
;

to be founded, not upon his actions, for it was deter- it does not follow that the first were all necessarily

mined before the children had done good or evil. 2. saved, and the others necessarily lost, t
God's hatred of Esau was not a hatred which induced 2 . To some the genealogical lists in this chapter will
him to punish him with any evil, for he was as happy doubtless appear uninteresting, especially those which
in all the blessings of this life as either Abraham, Isaac, concern Esau and his descendants but it was as ne- ;

or Jacob and his posterity had a land designed by

; cessary to register the generations of Esau as to re-
God to be their possession, as well as the children of gister those of Jacob, in order to show that the Mes-
Jacob, and they were put in possession of it much siah did not spring from the former, but that he did
sooner than the Israelites and God was pleased to
; spring from the latter. The genealogical tables, so
protect them in the enjoyment of and to caution the it, frequentlymet with in the sacred writings, and so little
Israelites against invading them with a remarkable regarded by Christians in general, are extremely use-
strictness, Deut. ii. 4, 5. And as God was pleased ful. 1. As they are standing proofs of the truth of
thus to bless Esau and his children in the blessings of the prophecies, which stated that the Messiah should
this life, even as much as he blessed Abraham, Isaac, come from a particular family, which prophecies were
or Jacob, if not more, why may w-e not hope to find clearly fulfilled in the birth of Christ. 2. As they
him with them at the last day, as well as Lot or Job Jews, that the Messiah
testify, to the conviction of the

or any other good and virtuous man, who was not de- thus promised is found in the person of Jesus of Na-
signed to be a partaker of the blessing given to Abra- zareth, who incontestably sprang from the last, the only
ham ? 3. All the punishment inflicted on Esau was remaining branch of the family of David. These re-
an exclusion from being heir to the blessing promised gisters were religiously preserved aniong the Jews till

to Abraham and to his seed, which was a favour not the destruction of Jerusalem, after which they were
granted to Lot, to Job, to several other very virtuous all destroyed, insomuch that there is not a Jew in the
and good men. 4. St. Paul, in the passage before universe who can trace himself to the family of David ;

cited, only intends to show the Jews that God had all consequently, expectation of a Messiah to come is,
all

along given the favours that led to the Messiah where even on their own principles, nugatory and absurd, as
he pleased to Abraham, not to Lot ; to Jacob, not to
;
nothing remains tcjUfiffitimate his birth. When Christ
Esau; as at the time St. Paul wrote the Gentiles were came all these registers were in existence. When St.
made the people of God, not the Jews. 5. Esau is Matthew and St. Luke wrote, all these registers were
indeed called profane, {jBsjSTtXoc,) but I think that word existence
still in and had they pretended what could
;

does not mean ivicked or immoral, aaefiTjg or afiapru- not have been supported, an appeal to the registers
Aof he•
was called profane for not having that due value would have convicted them of a falsehood. But no
for the priest's office which he should have had
and ; Jew attempted to do this, notwithstanding the excess
therefore, though I think does not appear that he was
it of their malice against Christ and his followers and ;

cut off from being the heir of the promises by any because they did not do it, we ma)' safely assert no
pp.rticular action in his life, yet his turn of mind and Jew could do it. Thus i\\e foundation standeth sure

CHAPTER XXXVII.
acob continues to sojourn in Canaan, 1. Joseph, being seventeen years of age, is employed in feeding the
flocks of his father, 2. Is loved by his father more than the rest of his brethren, 3. His brethren envy
him, 4. His dream of the sheaves, 5—7. His brethren interpret it, and hate him on the account, 8. His
dream of the sun, moon, and eleven stars, 9—11. Jacob sends him to visit~his brethren, who ivere with the
flock in Shechem, 13, 14. He wanders in the field, and is directed to go to Dothan, whither his brethren
had removed the flocks, 15—17. Seeing him coming they conspire to destroy him, 18-20. Reuben,
secretly intending to deliver him, counsels his brethren not to kill, but to put him into a pit, 21, 22. They
strip Joseph of his coat of many colours, and put him into a pit, 23, 24. They afterwards draw him out,
and sell him to a company of Ishmaelite merchants for twenty pieces of silver, who carry him into Egypt,
25-28. Reuben returns to the pit, and not finding Joseph, is greatly affected, 29, 30. Joseph's brethren
Jacob
dip his coat in goafs blood to persuade his father that he had been devoured by a ivild beast, 3 1-33.
%$ greatly distressed, 34, 35. Joseph is sold in Egypt to Potiphar, captain of Pharaoh's guard, 36.
a 217
 :

Commencement of the GENESIS. history of Joseph.

A ND Jacob dwelt in the land * wherein father loved him more than all his a. m. 2276.
^ his father was a stranger, in the land of brethren, they hated him, and could ^ — "

Canaan. not speak peaceably unto him.

A. M. 2276. 2 These are the generations of 5 And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told
B. C. 1728.
Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen it his brethren : and they hated him yet the
years old, was feeding the flock with his bre- more.
thren ; and the lad was with the sons of 6 And he said unto them. Hear, I pray you,
Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his this dream which I have dreamed
father's wives : and Joseph brought unto his 7 For, ^ behold, we were binding sheaves in
father '^
their evil report. the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also
3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all stood upright ; and, behold, your sheaves stood
his children, because he was the son of his round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf
'^

old age : and he made him a coat of maiiy 8 And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou
^ colours. indeed reign over us ? or s^alt thou indeed
4 And when his brethren saw that their have dominion over us ? and they hated him
*Heb. of his father's sojournings. •>
Chap. xvii. 8 ; xxiii. 4 ;
xliv. 20. e Or, pieces ; Judg. v. 30 ; 2 Sam. xiii. 18. ' Ch.
xxviii. 4; xxxvi. 7 Heb. xi. 9. ;
"=
1 Sam. ii. 22-24. <J
Ch. xxvii. 41 ; xlix. 23. s Chap. xlii. 6, 9 ; xliii. 26 ; xliv. 14.

NOTES ON CHAP. XXXVII. father had thus made him such a distinguished object
Verse Wherein his father loas a stranger] ""lUD of his partial love. We have already seen some of
1.

V:iX megurey abiv, Jacob dwelt in the land of his the evils produced by this unwarrantable conduct of
father'^s sojournings, as the margin very properly parents in preferring one child to all the rest. The
reads it. The place was probably the vale of Hebron, old fable of the ape and her favourite cub, which she
see ver. 14. hugged to death through kindness, was directed against
Verse 2. These are the generations] r\)'\br\ toledoth, such foolish parental fondnesses as these.
the history of the lives and actions of Jacob and his A^'erse 4. And could not speak peaceably unto him.]

sons ; for in this general sense the original must be Does not this imply, in our use of the term, that they
taken, as in the whole of the ensuing history there is were continually quarrelliiig with him ] but this is no
no particular account of any genealogical succession. meaning of the original Dbi^b ^''\'2'\ iSd' nSi veto ya- :

Yet the words may

be understood ae referring to the chelu dabbero leshalom, they could not speak peace to
tables or genealogical lists in the^ preceding chapter him, i. e., they would not accost him in a friendly
;

and if so, the original must be understood in its com- manner. They would not even wish him well. The
mon acceptation. eastern method of salutation is. Peace be to thee ! DlSty
The lad was luith the sons of Bilhah] It is supposed "]S shalom lecha, among the Hebrews, and »\X*«
that our word lad comes from the Hebrew '\h" yeled,
salam, peace, or (S^^^^
*vXv salam hebibi, peace to
a chid, a son ; and that lass is a contraction of ladess,
the female of lad, a girl, a young woman. Some thee my
friend, among the Arabs. Now as peace
have supposed tliat King James desired the trans- among those nations comprehends all kinds of bless-
lators to insert this word ; but this must be a mistake, ings spiritual and temporal, so they are careful not to
as the word occurs in this place in Edmund Becke\s say it to those whom they do not cordially wish well.
Bible, printed in 1549; and still earlier in that of It is not an unusual thing for an Arab or a Turk to
Cover dale, printed in 1535. hesitate to return the salam, if given by a Christian,
Brought unto his father their evil report .] Conjec- or by one of whom
he has not a favourable opinion :

ture has been busily employed to find out what this and this, in theircountry, may be ever considered
own
evil report might be but it is needless to inquire what
; as a mark of hostility ; not only as a proof that they
it was, as on this head the sacred text is perfectly do not wish you well, but that if they have an oppor-
silent. we can make of this information
All the use tunity they will do you an injury. This was precisely
is, thatwas one cause of increasing his brothers'
it the case with respect to Joseph's brethren they would :

hatred to him, which was first excited by his father's not give him the salam, and therefore felt themselves
partiality, and secondly by his own dreams. at liberty to take the first opportunity to injure him.
Verse 3. A coat o/many colours.] D'D£3 nJHD ke- Verse 7. We were binding sheaves in the field]
thoneth passim, a coat made up of stripes of diflferently Though times we read little of tillage,
in these early
coloured cloth. Similar to this was the toga pratexta yet evident from this circumstance that it was
it is
of the Roman youth, which was ichitc, striped or practised by Jacob and his sons. The whole of this
fringed with purple ; this they wore till they were dream so very plain as to require no comment, un-
is
seventeen years of age, when they changed it for the less we
could suppose that the sheaves of grain might
toga virilis, or toga pura, which was all white. Such have some reference to the plenty in Egypt under
vestures as clothing of distinction are worn all over Joseph's superintendence, and the scarcity in Canaan,
Persia, India, and China to the present day. It is no which obliged the brethren to go down to Egypt for
wonder that his brethren should envv him, when his corn, where the dream was most literally fulfilled
218
 31 61 —

Joseph relates his two dreams. CHAP. XXXVII, His brethren conspire against him.

A. M. 2276. yet the more for his dreams, and for again. So he sent him out of the a. m. 2276.
B. C. 1728. 1 .

his words.
1
vale of ^ Hebron, and he came to _ '.

9 And he dreamed Schehem.

yet another dream, and
told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have 15 xAnd a certain man found him, and, be-
dreamed a dream more and, behold, ^ the hold, he was wandering in the field
; and the :

sun and the moon and the eleven stars made man asked him, saying, What seekest thou ?
obeisance to' me. 1 And he said, I seek my brethren ° tell :

10 And he told it to his father, and to his me, I pray thee, where they feed their
brethren and his father rebuked him, and flocks.
:

said unto him,What is this dream that thou 17 And the man said. They are departed
hast dreamed ? Shall I and thy mother and hence for I heard them say. Let us go to ;

'
thy brethren indeed come to bow down our- Dothan. And Joseph went after his brethren,
selves to thee to the earth ? and found them in p Dothan.
1 And ^ his brethren envied him ; but his 18 And when they saw him afar off", even
father ^ observed the saying. before he came near unto them, they con- "^

12 And his brethren went to feed their spired against him to slay him.
father's flock in Shechem. 19 And they said one to another. Behold,
1 And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy this ^ dreamer cometh.
brethren feed the flock in Shechem? come, 20 * Come now therefore, and let us slay
and I will send thee unto them. And he said him, and cast him into some pit, and we will
to him. Here am I. say, Some evil beast hath devoured him :

14 And he said to him. Go, I pray thee, and we shall see what will become of his
^ see whether it be well with thy brethren, dreams.
and well with the flocks ; and bring me word 2 And * Reuben heard it, and he delivered
''Ch. xlvi. 29. i
Ch. xxvii. 29. Acts ^ Dan. vii. 9. ' 1 1 Sam. xix. 1 ; Psa. xxxi. 13 ; xxxvii. 12, 32 ; xciv. 21 ;

vii. 28 ; Luke ii. 19, 51. " Heb. see the peace of thy brethren, Matt, xxvii. 1 ; Mark xiv. 1 ; John xi. 53 ; Acts xxiii. 12.
6cc. ; chapter xxix. 6. ° Chapter xxxV. 27. " Cant. i. 7. "Heb. master of dreams. ^ Proverbs i. 11, 16 ; vi. 17 ; xxvii. 4.
P2 Kings vi. 13. t
Chap. xlii. 22.

his brethren there bowing in the most abject manner ver. 4. As Jacob's sons were now gone to feed the
before him. flock on the parcel of ground they had bought from the
Verse 9. He dreamed This is Shechemites, (see chap, xxxiii. 19,) and where they
yet another dream]
as clear as the preceding. But how could Jacob say, had committed such a horrible slaughter, their father
Shall I and thy mother, d^c, when Rachel his mother might feel more solicitous about their welfare, lest the
was dead some time before this 1 Perhaps Jacob might neighbouring tribes should rise against them, and re-
hint, by this explanation, the impossibility of such a venge the murder of the Shechemites.
^ dream being fulfilled, because one of the persons who As Jacob appears to have been at this time in the
should be a chief actor in it was already dead. But vale of Hebron, it is supposed that Shechem was about
any one wife or concubine of Jacob was quite suffi- sixty English miles distant from it, and that Dothan
cient to fulfil this part of the dream. It is possible, was about eight miles farther. But I must again ad-
some think, that Joseph may have had these dreams vertise my readers that all these calculations are very
before his mother Rachel died but were even this the dubious for we do not even know that the same place
; ;

case, she certainly did not live to fulfil the part which is intended, as there are many proofs that different
appears to refer to herself. places went by the same names.
The sun and the moon and the eleven stars] Why Verse 19. Behold, this dreamer comet Ji.] moSnn h})2
eleven stars ? Was it merely to signify that his bro- baal hachalomoih, this master of dreams, this master
thers might be represented by stars \ Or does he not dreamer. A
form of speech which conveys great
rather there allude to the Zodiac, his eleven brethren contempt.
answerihg to eleven of the celestial signs, and himself Verse 20. Come noiu —and let us slay him] What
to the twelfth ? This is certainly not an unnatural unprincipled savages these must have been to talk
thought, as it is very likely that the heavens were thus coolly about imbruing their hands in an innocent
thus measured in the days of Joseph for the zodiacal ; brother's blood ! How necessary is a Divine revelation,
constellations have been distinguished among the east- to show man what God hates and what he loves ! Fe-
ern nations from time immemorial. See the notes at rocious cruelty is the principal characteristic of the na-
the end of chap. xlix. tions and tribes who receive not the law at his mouth.
Verse 14. Go — see whether it be well with thy bre- Verse 2 1 Reuben heard it] Though Reuben ap-
.

thren] Literally, Go, I beseech thee, and see the pears to have been a transgressor of no ordinary mag-
peace of thy brethren, and the peace of the flock. Go nitude, if we take chap. xxxv. 22 according to the
and see whether they are all in prosperity. See on letter, yet his bosom was not the habitation of crvelii/
a 219
 ; 1 ! !

Joseph sold to the Ishmaelites. GENESIS. Jacob is deceived by his sons.

A. M. 2276. him out of their hands ; and said, 27 Come, and let us sell him to a.m. 2276
^- ^- ^^^^-
'

Let us not kill him. the Ishmaelites, and ^ let not our L
22 And Reuben said unto them, Shed no hand be upon him ; for he is '^
our brother and
blood, hut cast him into this pit that is in the ^ our flesh. were content. And his brethren "^

wilderness, and lay no hand upon him ; that 28 Then by Midianites, mer there passed ^

he might rid him out of their hands, to de- chantmen and they drew and lifted up Joseph
;

liver him to his father again. out of the pit, " and sold Joseph to the Ish-
23 And it came to pass, when Joseph was maelites for ^twenty pieces of silver and they ;

come unto his brethren, that they stripped Joseph brought Joseph into Egypt.
out of his coat, his coat of many " colours that 29 And Reuben returned unto the pit and :

was on him behold, Joseph was not in the pit and he ;

24 And they took him, and cast him into a ^rent his clothes.
pit and the pit loas empty, there was no
: 30 And he returned unto his brethren, and
water in it. said, The child ^ is not ; and I, whither shall
25 "^
And they sat down to eat bread : and I go?
they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, be- 3 And they took '
Joseph's coat, and killed
hold, a company of ""
Ishmaelites came from a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the
Gilead, with their camels bearing spicery, and blood ;

^balrn and myrrh, going to carry it down to 32 And they sent the coat of many colours,
Egypt. and they brought it to their father and said, ;

26 And Judah said unto his brethren. What This have we found know now whether it :

profit is it if we slay our brother, and ^ con- be thy son's coat or no.
ceal his blood ? 33 And he knew it, and said, It is my son's
" Or, pieces. " Prov. xxx. 20 ; Amos vi. 6. '" See verse = Heb. hearkened. Judg. vi. 3 ch. xlv.<J
; 4, 5. ' Psa. cv.
28, 36. » Jer. viii. 22. y Chap. iv. 10 ; ver.20 Job xvi.
; 18. 17 ; Wisd. x. 13 Acts vii. 9. ;
f
See Matt, xxvii. 9. s Job
^ 1 Sam. xviii. 17. »Chap. xlii. 21. ''
Chap. xxix. 14. i. 20. b Chap. xlii. 13, 36 ; Jer. xxxi. 15. ' Ver. 23.

He determined, if possible, to save his brother from for a slave ; but the practice certainly did not commence
death, and deliver him safely to his father, with whose now, it had doubtless been in use long before. Instead
fondness for him he was sufRciently acquainted. Jo- of pieces, which our translators supply, the Persian has
sephus, in his usual way, puts a long flourishing speech ^Uiio miskal, which was probably intended to signify
in the mouth of Reuben on the occasion, spoken in order
them at a shekel ; and if shekels be intended, taking
to dissuade his brethren from their barbarous purpose was sold for about three ; three shillings each, Joseph
but as it is totally unfounded, it is worthy of no regard.
pounds sterling. I have known a whole cargo of
Yerse23. The}/ stripped Joseph otit of his coat] This slaves, amounting to eight hundred and thirteen, bought
probably was done that, if ever found, he might not by a slave captain in Bonny river, in Africa, on an
be discerned to be a person of distinction, and conse- average, for six pounds each and this payment was ;

quently, no inquiry made concerning hira. made in guns, gunpowder, and trinkets ! As there
A^'erse 25. They sat down to eat bread] Every act were only nine of the brethren present, and they sold
is perfectly in character, and describes forcibly the Joseph for tiventy shekels, each had more than two
Irutish and diabolic nature of their ruthless souls. shekels as his share in this most infamous transaction.
company of Ishmaelites] We may naturally sup-
A A'erse 29. Reuben returned unto the pit] It appears
pose that this was a caravan, composed of different he was absent when the caravan passed by, to whom
tribes that, for their greater safety, were travelling to- the other brethren had sold Joseph.
gether, and of which Ishmaelites and Midianites made Verse 30. The child is not ; and I, lohither shall 1
the chief In the Chaldee they are called Arabians, go f] The words in the original are very plaintive,
which, from 2'\^ arah, to mingle, was in all probability N'3 ''J^? n^X 'JJ^I Urx nVn haiyeled eijiennu, vaani
used by the Targumist as the word Arabians is used anah, ani ba !

among us, which comprehends a vast number of clans, Verse 32. SeJit the coal o/many colours — to their
or tribes of people. The Jerusalem Targum calls them father] What deliberate cruelty to torture the feelings
J'pID Sarkin, what we term Saracens. In the Persian, of their aged father, and thus harrow up his soul
Verse 33. Joseph is ivithout doubt rent in pieces .']
the clause stands thus : L»f m .^ r^**+^) 6^'J>'-^*
It is likely he inferred this from the lacerated state of
karavanee ishmaaleem araban aya. " A caravan of
the coat, which, in order the better to cover their wick-
Ishmaelite Arabs came." This seems to give the true
edness, they had not only besmeared with the blood of
sense. And
the goat, but it is probable reduced to tatters.
Verse 28. For twenty ^^xqqqs, of silver] \x\^\h(i Anglo- what must a father's heart have felt insuch a case
Saxon it is pjiicisum penejum, thirty pence. This, I As this coat is rent, so is the body of my beloved son
hink, is the first instance on record of selling a man rent in pieces ! and Jacob rent his clothes.
280
 ! ! ;

^acob mourns for Joseph. CHAP. XXXV^ll. He is sold into E^i/pf.

A. M. 2276 coat ^ an evil beast hath devoured ^ rose up to comfort him ; but he A.M. 2276.
B. C. 1728. B. C. 1728.
hun ; Joseph is without doubt rent refused to be comforted: and he
in pieces ' said, For " I virill go down into the grave unto my
34 And Jacob ^ rent his clothes, and put son mourning. Thus his father wept for him.
sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his 3 6 And ° the Midianites sold him into Egypt,
son many days. unto Potiphar, an p officer of Pharoah's, and
35 And all his sons and all his daughters 1 captain of the guard.''

kVer. 20; chap. xliv. 28. 'Ver. 29; 2 Sam. iii. 31. eunuchs, but also chamberlains, courtiers, and oficers ; Esth. i. 10.
° Chapter 1 Heb. chief of the slaughtermen or executioners. " Or,
n>2 Sam. xii. 17. ° Chap. xlii. 38; xliv. 29, 31. cTiief

xxxix. 1. PHeb. eunuch. But the word doth signify not only marshal.

Verse 35. All his so7is and all his daughters] He them that love him. Joseph has often been consider-
had only one daughter, Dinah ; but his sons'' ivives may ed as a type of Christ, and this subject in the hands
be here included. But what hypocrisy in his sons to of different persons has assumed a great variety of
attempt to comfort him concerning the death of a son colouring. The following parallels appear the most
who they knew was alive and what cruelty to put ;
probable ; but I shall not pledge myself for the pro-
their aged father to such torture, when, properly speak- priety of any of them " Jesus Christ, prefigured by
:

ing, there was no ground for it Joseph, the beloved of his father, and by him sent to
Verse 36. Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's] The visit his brethren, is the innocent person whom his

word D'lD saris, translated officer, signifies a eunuch brethren sold for a few pieces of silver, the bargain
and lest any person should imagine that because this proposed by his brother Judah, (Greek Judas,) the
Potiphar had a ivife, therefore it is absurd to suppose very namesake of that disciple and brother (for so
him to have been a eunuch, let such persons know that Christ vouchsafes to call him) who sold his Lord and
it is not uncommon in the east for eunuchs to have Master and who by this means became their Lord
;

wives, nay, some of them have even a harem or sera- and Saviour nay, the Saviour of strangers, and of
;

glio, where they keep many women, though it does not the whole world ; which had not happened but for this
appear that they have any progeny ; and probably dis- plot of destroying him, the act of rejecting, and ex-
content on this ground might have contributed as much posing him to sale. In both examples we find the
to the unfaithfulness of Potiphar's wife, as that less same fortune and the same innocence Joseph in the :

principled motive through which it is commonly be- prison between two criminals Jesus on the cross ;

lieved she acted. between two thieves. Joseph foretells deliverance to

Captain of the guard.] D'H^DH ^p sar hattabbachim, one of his companions and death to the other, from the
chief of the butchers ; a most appropriate name for the same omens : of the two thieves, one reviles Christ,
guards of an eastern despot. If a person offend one and perishes in his crimes the other believes, and is ;

of the despotic eastern princes, the order to one of assured of a speedy entrance into paradise. Joseph
the life-guards is, Go and bring me his head ; and this requests the person that should be delivered to be
command is instantly obeyed, without judge, jury, or mindful of him in his glory the person saved by ;

any form of law. Potiphar, we may therefore sup- Jesus Christ entreats his deliverer to remember him
pose, was captain of those guards whose business it when he came into his kingdom." See PascaVs —
was to take care of the royal person, and execute his Thoughts. Parallels and coincidences of this kind
sovereign will on all the objects of his displeasure. should always be received cautiously, for where the
Reader, if thou hast the happiness to live under the Spirit of God has not marked a direct resemblance,
British constitution, be thankful to God. Here, the and obviously referred to it as such in some other part
will, the power, and utmost influence of the king, were of his word, it is bold, if not dangerous, to say " such
he even so disposed, cannot deprive the meanest sub- and such things and persons are types of Christ." We
ject of his property, his liberty, or his life. All the have instances sufficiently numerous, legitimately at-
solemn legal forms of justice must be consulted the tested, without having recourse to those which are of
;

culprit, however accused, be heard by himself and his dubious import and precarious application. See the
counsel ; and in the end twelve honest, impartial men, observation on chap. xl.
chosen from among his fellows, shall decide on the va- 2. Envy has been defined, "pain felt, and malig-
lidity of the evidence produced by the accuser. For nity conceived, at the sight of excellence or happiness
the trial by jury, as well as for innumerable political in another." Under this detestable passion did the
blessings, may God make the inhabitants of Great brethren of Joseph labour and had not God particu-
;

Britain thankful larly interposed, would have destroyed both its sub-
it

jects and its object. Perhaps there is no vice which

1. With this chapter the history of Joseph com- so directly filiates itself on Satan, as this does. In
mences, and sets before our eyes such a scene of opposition to the assertion that ive cannot envy that by
wonders wrought by Divine Providence in such a which we profit, it may be safely replied that we may
variety of surprising instances, as cannot fail to con- envy our neighbour's toisdom, though he gives us good
firm our faith in God, show the propriety of resigna- counsel his riches, though he supplies our wants and
; ;

tion to his will, and confidence in his dispensations, his greatness, though he employs it for our protection.
and prove that all things work together for good to 3. How ruinous are family distractions
I
A house !

221
 Judah marries a Canaanite, GENESIS. of ivhom three sons are horn

divided against itself cannnot stand. Parents should parents on the subject ; they will give way to foolish
take good heed that their own conduct be not the predilections, till, in the prevailing distractions of
first and most powerful cause of such dissensions, by- meet with the punishment of their
their families, they

exciting envi/ in some of their children through undue imprudence, when regrets are vain, and the evil past
partiality to others but it is in vain to speak to most
; remedy.

CHAPTER XXXVIII.
Judah marries the daughter of a Canaanite, 1, 2 and begets of her Er, 3, Onan, 4, and Shelah, 5. Er ;

marries Tamar, 6 is slain for his wickedness, 7. Onan, required to raise up seed to his brother, refuses,
;

8, 9. He also is slain, 10. Judah promises his son Shelah to Tamar, when he should be of age ; but
performs not his promise, 11. Judah'' s wife dies, 12. Tamar in disguise receives her father-in-law, he
leases his signet, bracelets, and staff in her hand, and she conceives by him, 13—23. Judah is informed
that his daughter-in-law is ivith child; and, not knoiving that himself ic as the father, condemns her to be
burnt, 24. She produces the signet, bracelets, and staff, and convicts Judah, 25, 26. She is delivered of
twins, loho are called Pharez and Zarah, 27—30.

A. M. cir. 2251. A ND it Came to pass at that 4 And she conceived again, A. M. cir. 2253.
B. C. cir. 1751.
J '. '. '.

time, that Judah went down and bare a son and she called ;

from his brethren, and ^ turned in to a certain his name ^ Onan.

^ Adullamite, whose name loas Hirah. 5 And she yet again con- A. M. cir. 2256.
B. C. cir. 1748.
2 And Judah saw there a daughter of a
'^
ceived, and bare a son ; and
certain Canaanite, whose name was ^ Shuah ;
called name s Shelah
his and he was at :

and he took her, and went in unto her. Chezib, when she bare him.
A. M. cir. 2252. 3 And shc conceived, and 6 And Judah ^ took a wife for A. M. cir. 2273.
B. C. cir. 1752. , n
, ,
j i-
bare a son : and he called his shY, his nrst-born, whose name
name Er. was Tamar.
» Chap. xix. 2, 3 ; Judg. iv. 18 ; 2 Kings iv. 8 Prov. xiii. 20.
;
^ 1 Chron. ii. 3. e Chap. xlvi. 12 ; Num. xxvi. 19. f
Ch.
•>
Josh. XV. 35 ; 1 Sam. xxii. 1 ; 2 Sam. xxiii. 13 Mic. i. 15. ; xlvi. 12 ; Num. xxvi. 19. s Chapter xlvi. 12 ; Num. xxvi. 20.
' Chap, xxxiv. 2. ••Chap. xxi. 21.

NOTES ON CHAP. XXXVIII.

chem, chap, xxxiii. 18, before the history of Dinah,
Verse 1. And it came to pass at that time] The chap, xxxiv., though Moses for special cause relates it
facts mentioned here could not have happened at the in this place." I should rather suppose that this chap-
times mentioned in the preceding chapter, as those ter originally stood after chap, xxxiii., and that it got
times arc all unquestionably too recent, for the very by accident into this place. Dr. Hales, observing that
earliest of the transactions here recorded must have some of Jacob's sons must have married remarkably
occurred long before the selling of Joseph. Mr. Ains- young, says that " Judah was about forty-seven years
worth remarks " that Judah and his sons must have old when Jacob's family settled in Egypt. He could
married when very young, else the chronology will not not therefore have been above fifteen at the birth of
Vgree. For Joseph was born six years before Jacob his eldest son Er ; nor Er more than fifteen at his
left Laban and came into Canaan chap. xxx. 25, and marriage with Tamar nor could it have been more
;
;

xxMk. 41. Joseph was seventeen years old when he than two years after Er's death till the birth of Ju-
vi^as sdld into Egypt, chap, xxxvii. 2, 25 he was thirty dah's twin sons by his daughter-in-law Tamar nor
; ;

years old when he interpreted Pharaoh's dream, chap, could Pharez, one of them, be more than^'^een at the
xli. 46. And ni?ie years after, when there had been birth of his twin sons Hezron and Hamul, supposing
seven years of plenty and two years of famine, did they were twins, just born before the departure from
Jacob with his family go down into Egypt, chap. xli. Canaan. For the aggregate of these numbers, 15, 15,
53, 54, and xlv. 6, 11. And at their going down 2, 15, or 47 years, gives the age of Judah compare ;

thither, Pharez, the son of Judah, whose birth is set chap, xxxviii. with chap. xlvi. 12." See the remarks
down at the end of this chapter, had two sons, Hezron of Dr. Kennicott, at the end of chap. xxxi.
and Ilamul, chap. xlvi. 8, 12. Seeing then from the Adullamite'] An inhabitant of AduUam, a city of
selling of Joseph unto Israel's going down into Egypt Canaan, afterwards given for a possession to the sons
there cannot be above twenty-three years, how is it of Judah, Josh. xv. 1, 35. It appears as if this Adul-

possible that Judah should take a wife, and have by lamite had kept a kind of lodging house, for Shuah the
her three sons successively, and Shelah the youngest Canaanite and his family lodged with him and there ;

of the three be marriageable when Judah begat Judah lodged also. As the woman was a Canaanitess,
Pharez of Tamar, chap, xxxviii. 14, 24, and Pharez Judah had the example of his fathers to prove at least
be grown up, married, and have tivo sons, all within so the impropriety of such a connection.
short a space ? The time therefore here spoken of Verse 5. And he was at Chezib when she bare Azm.]
seems to have been soon after Jacob's coming to She- This town is supposed to be the same with Achzib,
222
 1 ^

Er and Onan are slain. CHAP. XXXVIII. Judah deceived hy Tamar.

A. M. cir. 2273. went up unto his sheep-shearers a. m. cir. 2277.

7 And '
El, Judah's first-born,
-' '.
to Timnath, he and his friend —
was wicked in the sight of the
'.
'.

Lord ^ and the Lord slew him.

;
Hirah the Adullamite.
A. M. cir. 2274. 8 And Judah said unto Onan, 13 And it was told Tamar, saying. Behold,
.

^^ .^ ^^^^ J ^^^ brother's wife, thy father-in-law goeth up * to Timnath to

and marry her, and raise up seed to thy shear his sheep.
brother. 14 And she '^put her widow's garments off
9 And Onan knew that the seed should not from her, and covered her with a veil, and
be ^ his and it came to pass, when he went wrapped herself, and ^ sat in "^ an open place,
;

in unto his brother's wife, that he spilled it which is by the way to Timnath for she saw ;

on the ground, lest that he should give seed ^ that Shelah was grown, and she was not
to his brother. given unto him to wife.
And the thing which he did displeased
1 ^ 1 5 When Judah saw her, he thought her to

the Lord wherefore he slew ° him also.: he a harlot : because she had covered her face.
1 Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter- 1 6 And he turned unto her by the way, and
in-law, P Remain a widow at thy father's said, Go to, I pray thee, let me come in unto
house, Shelah my son be grown (for thee
till (for he knew not that she was his : ;

he Lest peradventure he die also, as his daughter-in-law.)

said, And she said. What wilt
brethren did.) And Tamar went and dwelt thou give me, that thou mayest come in
1 in her father's house. unto me ?

A. M. cir. 2277. 1 2 17 And he said, ^ I will send thee ^ a kid

And ^ in process of time
—— '.

— the daughter of Shuah Judah's from the flock.

'-

And she said, Wilt thou °-

wife died, and Judah ^ was comforted, and give me a pledge till thou send it ?

5 2 Samuel
' Chap.
xlv. 12 Num. xxvi. 19. 1^ 1 Chron. ii. 3.
;
'
Deut. xiii. 39. 'Joshua xv. 10, 57; Judges xiv. 1.
XXV. 5 Matt. xxii. 24.
;
™ Deut. xxv. 6. " Heb. was evil in "Judith X. 3. 'Prov. vii. 12. '' Heb. the door
of eyes or
the eyes of the LORD. " Chap. xlvi. 12 Num. xxvi. 19. ; of Enajim. "^ Verse
11, 26. y Ezek. xvi. 33. ^ Heb. a

P Ruth i. 13. 1 Lev. xxii. 13. 'Heb. the days were multiplied. kid of the goats. * Ver. 20.

which fell to the tribe of Judah, Josh. xv. 44. " The Verse 12. In process of ti7ne] This phrase, which
name," says Ainsworth, " has in Hebrew the signifi- is in general use in the Bible, needs explanation ; the
cation of lying ; and to it the prophet alludes, saying original is D''D"'n DTI vaiyirbu haiyamim, and the days
the houses of Achzib shall be (Achzab) a lie to the tvere multiplied. Though it implies an indefinite time,
kings of Israel, Mic. 14." yet it generally embraces a pretty long period, and in
VerseEr was wickedin the sight of the Lord]
7. — i.

this place may mean several years.

What wickedness consisted in we are not told
this ;
Verse 15. Thought her to be a harlot] See the
but the phrase sight of the Lord being added, proves original of this term, chap, xxxiv. 31. The Hebrew
that it was some very great evil. It is worthy of is njlf zonah, and signifies generally a person who

remark that the Hebrew word used to express- Er''s prostitutes herself to the public for hire, or one who
wickedness is his oivn name, the letters reversed. Er lives by the public ; and hence very likely applied to a
1J^ wicked, ^"l ra.
; As if the inspired writer had publican, a tavern-keeper, or hostess. Josh. ii. 1 ; trans-
said, " Er was altogether wicked, a completely aban- lated by the Septuagint, and in the New Testament,
doned character." TvopvTj,from nepvau, to sell, which certainly may as
Verse 9. Onan knew that the seed should not be his] well apply to her goods as to her person.
That is, that the child begotten of his brother's widow It appears that in very ancient times there were
should be
reckoned as the child of his deceased public persons of this description ; and they generally
brother, and his name, though the real father of it, veiled themselves, sat in public places by the highway
should not appear in the genealogical tables. side,and received certain hire. Though adultery was
Verse 10. Wherefore he slew him also.] The sin reputed a very flagrant crime, yet this public prostitu
of Onan has generally been supposed to be self-pollu- tion was not for persons whose characters were on
;

lion ; but this is certainly a mistake his crime was ; the whole morally good had connections with them
his refusal to raise up seed to his brother, and rather But what could be expected from an age in which there
than do it, by the act mentioned above, he rendered was no ivritten Divine revelation, and consequently the
himself incapable of it. We find from this history bounds of right and wrong were not sufficiently ascer-
that long before the Mosaic law it was an established tained? This defect was supplied in a considerable
custom, probably founded on a Divine precept, that if measure by the laiv and the prophets, and now com-
a man died childless his brother was to take his wife, pletely by the Gospel of Christ.
and the children produced by this second marriage Verse 17. Will thou give me a pledge till thou send
^ere considered as the children of the first husband, it 1] The word pn'^p erabon signifies an earnest of
and in consequence inherited his possessions. something promised, a part of the price agreed for
223
 9 ;

.^r veil. GENESIS. Judaic s rank judgment.

Judah marries a Canao

divided against itself r^

And he said, What pledge place said, that there was no A.M. 2277.
B.C. 1727.
take good heed tb-^hall I give thee ? And she said, harlot in this place.
first and most piiet, and thy bracelets, and thy staff 23 And Judah said, Let her take it to her,
exciting envy in ^^jj^g And he gave
j^and. it her, lest we « be shamed behold, I sent this : kid,
partiality
'^ to o*^"^ , . , , , • j r
v.cime in unto her, and she conceived by and thou hast not found her.
24 And it came to pass about three months
1 And she arose, and went away, and "^
laid after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamai
by her veil from
and put on the garments thy daughter-in-law hath Splayed the harlot
her,
of her widowhood. and also, behold, she is with child by whore
20 And Judah sent the kid by the hand of dom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, ? and
his friend the Adullamite, to receive his pledge
let her be burnt.
from the woman's hand but he found her not. 25 When she loas brought forth, she sent to
:

21 Then he asked the men of that place, her father-in-law, saying, By the man, whose
saying, Where is the harlot that was ^ openly these are, am I with child and she said, :

by the wayside ? And they said. There was ^ Discern, I pray thee, whose are these, the ^

no harlot in this place. signet, and bracelets, and staff.

'il'2, And he returned to Judah, and said, I 26 And Judah acknowledged them, and
^

cannot find her : and also the men of the said, ^

She hath been more righteous than I
»> Ver. 25.- -"= Ver. 14. ^ Or, in Enajim. ^ Heb. become a ^ Chapter xxxvii. 32. 'Verse 18. •
Chapter xxxvii. 33.
contempt.- — fJudg. xix. 2. E Lev. xxi. 9 ; Deut. xxii. 21. ' 1 Sam. xxiv. 17.

between a buyer and seller, by giving and receiving Verse 23. Lest we be ashamed] Not of the ac^, for
of which the bargain was ratified or a deposit, which this he does not appear to have thought criminal but
; ;

was to be restored when the thing promised should be lest he should fall under the raillery of his companions
given. St. Paul uses the same word in Greek letters, and neighbours, for having been tricked out of his sig-
ap/>al3uv, 2 Cor. i. 22 Eph. i. 14. From the use net, bracelets, and staff, by a prostitute.
;

of the term in this history we may at once see what Verse 24. Bring her forth, and let her be burnt.] As
the apostle means by the Holy Spirit being the earn- he had ordered Tamar to live as a widow in her own
est, ap^ajSuv, of the promised inheritance ; viz., a se- father's house till his son Shelah should be marriage-
curity given in hand for the fulfilment of all God's pi-o- able, he considers her therefore as the wife of his son;
mises relative to grace and eternal life. We may learn and as Shelah was not yet given to her, and she is
from this that eternal life will be given in the great day found with child, she is reputed by him as an adulteress,
to all who can produce this erabon or pledge. He and burning, it seems, was anciently the punishment
who has the earnest of the Spirit then in his heart of this crime. Judah, being a patriarch or head of a
shall not only be saved from death, but have that eter- family, had, according to the custom of those times,
nal life of which it is the pledge and the evidence. the supreme magisterial authority over all the branches
What the pledge given by Judah was, see on ver. 25. of his own family therefore he only acts here in his ;

Verse 21. Where is the harlot that was openly by juridical capacity. How strange that in the very place
the wayside ?] Our translators often render different where adultery was punished by the most violent
Hebrew words by the same term in English, and thus death, prostitution for money and for religious pur-
many important shades of meaning, which involve trails poses should be considered as no crime !

of character, are lost. In ver. 15, Tamar is called a Verse 25. The signet] JTDnn cAoMeme</t, properly a
harlot, n^U zonah, which, as we have already seen, seal, or instrament v.'ith which impressions were made
signifies a person who prostitutes herself i^O^ money. to ascertain property, &c. These exist in all countries.

In this verse she is called a harlot '\\^ our version •

but Bracelets] U'h'PiB pcthilim, from hr\iipathal, to twist,
the original is not n:n but n^^yp hcdeshah, a holy or wreathe, twine, may signify a girdle or a collar by
consecrated person, from IX--, p kadash, to make holy, or which precedency, &c., might be indicated not the ;

to consecrate to rcligir^^g purposes. And the word muslin, silk, or linen wreath of his turban, as Mr.
here must necessaj-^iy signify a person consecrated by Harmer has conjectured.
prostitution worship of some impure goddess.
to^^'jjjg Staff.] HDO matteh, either what we would call a
T'^f^P.^tlic prostitutes in the temple of Venus are common walking stick, or the staff which was the en-
'"'called kpoSov'Aoi yvvaiKec, holy or consecrated female sign of his tribe.
servants, by Strabo ; and it appears from the words Verse 26. She hath been more righteous than I] It
zonah and kedeshah above, that impure rites and public is Tamar was influenced by no other mo-
probable that
prostitution prevailed in the worship of the Canaanites tive than that which was common to all the Israelitish
h
And among these people we women, the desire to have children who might be heirs
o. in the time of Judah.
of the promise made to Abraham, 6fC. And as Judah
Phahave much reason to believe that Astarte and Asteroth
under
be grCcupied the same place in their theology as Venus did had obliged her to continue in her widowhood
the promise of giving her his son Shelah
when he
short a^ng the Greeks and Romans, and were worshipped
seems to the same impure rites. should be of age, consequently his refusing or delaying
2SJ4
 Tamar bears twins, which CHAP. XXXVIII. are named Pharez and Zarah
A. M. cir. 2277. bccause that "'
I gave her not to 29 And it came to pass, as A. M. cir. 2277
——_^^^_J__ Shelah my son. And he knew he drew back his hand, that,
^^^^

her again ^ no more. behold, his brother came out : and she said,
27 And it came to pass in the time of her ° How hast thou broken forth ? this breach
travail, that, behold, twins were in her womb. he upon thee : therefore his name was called
28 And it came to pass, when she travailed, p Pharez.i
that the one put out his hand : and the mid- 30 And afterward came out his brother, that
wife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet had the scarlet thread upon his -tiand : and
thread, saying. This came out first. his name was called Zarah.

» Ver. 14.- -"Job xxxiv. 31, 32. "Or, Wherefore hast thou P That is, a breach- -1 Chap. xlvi. 12 ; Num. xxvi. 20 ; 1 Chron.
made this breach against thee ? ii. 4 Matt. i.
; 3.

to accomplish this promise was a breach of truth, and so laboriously delicate as to cover the sin which it

an injury done to Tamar. Elaborate treatises on the

professes to disclose ?

Verse 28. The midwife bound upon his hand a — subject will never be read by those who need them
scarlet thread] The binding of the scarlet thread about most, and anonymous pamphlets are not likely to be
the wrist of the child whose arm appeared first in the regarded.
birth, serves to show us how solicitously the privileges The sin of self-pollution, which is generally con-
of the birthright were preserved. Had not this cau- sidered to be that of Onan, is one of the most de-
tion been taken by the midwife, Pharez would have had structive evils ever practised by fallen man. In many
the rig\i\. oi primogeniture to the prejudice of his elder respects it is several degrees worse than common
brother Zarah. And yet Pharez is usually reckoned whoredom, and has in its train more awful consequences,
in the genealogical tables before Zarah and from him, though practised by numbers who would shudder at the
;

not Zarah, does the line of our Lord proceed. See thought of criminal connections with a prostitute. It
Matt. i. 3. Probably the two brothers, as being twins, excites the powers of nature to undue action, and pro-
were conjoined in the privileges belonging to the birth- duces violent secretions, which necessarily and speedily
right. exhaust the vital principle and energy ; hence the mus-
Verse 29. How hast thou broken forth .?] nV"l£) nn cles become flaccid and feeble, the tone and natural
mah paratsta, this breach be upon thee, ]*1i3 y 7>' aleycha action of the nerves relaxed and impeded, the under-
parets ; thou shalt bear the name of the breach thou standing confused, the memory oblivious, the judgment
hast made, i. e., in coming first into the world. There- perverted, the will indeterminate and wholly .without
fore his name was called y\2 i. e., the person
Parets,
energy to resist; the eyes appear languishing and with-
who made the breach. The breach here mentioned out expression, and the countenance vacant the ap^ ;

refers to a certain circumstance in parturition which it petite ceases, for the stomach is incapable of perform-
is unnecessary to explain. ing its proper office nutrition fails, tremors, fears, and ;

Verse 30. His name was called Zarah.] nil Zarach, terrors are generated and thus the wretched victim ;

risen or sprung up, applied to the sun, rising and dif- drags out a most miserable existence, till, superannu-
fusing his light. " He had this, name," says Ainsworth, ated even before he had time to arrive at man''s estate,
"because he should have risen,!, e., have been born with a mind often debilitated even to a state of idiot-
first, but for the breach which his brother made." ism, his worthless body tumbles into the grave, and his
guilty soul (guilty of self-murder) is hurried into the
There are several subjects in this chapter on which awful presence of its Judge Reader, this is no cari-
!

it may not be unprofitable to spend a iew additional cature, nor are the colourings overcharged in this shock-
moments. Worse woes than my pen can relate I
ing picture.
1. The insertion of this chapter is a farther proof
have witnessed in those addicted to this fascinating,
of the impartiality of the sacred writer. The facts unnatural, and most destructive of crimes. If thou
detailed, considered in themselves, can reflect no credit hast entered into this snare, flee from the destruction
on the patriarchal history but Judah, Tamar, Zarah, both of body and soul that awaits thee
; God alone !

and Pharez, were progenitors of the Messiah, and can save thee. Advice, warnings, threatenings, in-
therefore their birth must be recorded; and as the bi7-th, creasing debility of body, mental decay, checks of con-
so also the circumstances of that birth, which, even science, expostulations of judgment and medical assist-
had they not a higher end in view, would be valuable ance, will all be lost on thee God, and God alone, :

as casting light upon some very ancient customs, which can save thee from an evil which has in its issue the
it is interesting to understand. These are not forgot- destruction of thy body, and the final perdition of thy
ten in the preceding notes. soul Whether this may have been the sin of Onan
!

3. On what is generally reputed to be the sin of or not, is a matter at present of small moment it may ;

Onan, something very pointed should be spoken. But be thy sin ; therefore take heed lest God slay thee for
who dares and will do it, and in such language that it it. The intelligent reader will see that prudence for-
DO'.y neither pollute the ear by describing the evil as bids me to enter any farther into this business. See
i Ml nor fail of its effect by a language so refined and the remarks at the end of chap, xxxix.
Vol. I. ( 16 ) 225
I
 ^ ; —
Joseph is bought hy Potiphar, GENESIS. and advanced in his house

CHAPTER XXXIX.
Joseph, being brought to Potiphar^s house, prospers in all his undertakings, 1—3. Potiphar makes him his
overseer, 4. Is prospered in all his concerns for JosepKs sake, in whom he puts unlimited confidence, 5, 6.
The wife of Potiphar him to criminal correspondence, 7. He refuses, and makes a fine apology
solicits

for his conduct, 8, 9. She continues her solicitations, and he his refusals, 10. She uses violence, and he
escapes from her hand, 11—13. She accuses him to the domestics, 14, 15, and afterward to Potiphar,
16-18. Potiphar is enraged, and Joseph is cast into prison, 19, 20. The Lord prospers him, and gives
him great favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison, 21, who intrusts him with the care of the house
and all the prisoners, 22, 23.

A. M. 2276. A ND
Joseph was brought down he served him and he made him A. M. 2276.
B. C. 1728,
:

—^— '-
to Egypt; and ^Potiphar, an ^ overseer over his house, and all
cfficer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an that he had he put into his hand.
Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the
''
5 And it came to pass from the time that
Ishmaehtes, which had brought him down he had made him overseer in his house, and
thither. over all that he had, that ^ the Lord blessed
2 And the Lord was with Joseph, and he the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake and
•=
;

was a prosperous man and he was in the the blessing of the Lord was upon all that
;

house of his master the Egyptian. he had in the house and in the field.
3 And his master saw that the Lord ivas 6 And he left all that he had in Joseph's
with him, and that the Lord ^ made all that hand and he knew not aught he had, save ;

he did to prosper in his hand. the bread which he did eat. And Joseph
4 And Joseph ® found grace in his sight, and ^was a goodly person, and well-favoured.
« Ch. xxxvii. 36 Psa. cv. 17. tich. xxxvii. 28. Ver. 21 <=
14, 28 Acts vii. 9. d Psa. i.3. ^ Chap, xviii. 3 ; xix. )9;
; ;

chap. xxi. 22 xxvi. 24, 28

; xxviii. 15; 1 Sam. xvi. 18; xviii.
; ver. 21. f
Gen, xxiv. 2. s Ch. xxx. 27. h 1 Sam, xvi. 12.

NOTES ON CHAP. XXXIX. is none other than a glorious angel !"

— Surat xii.,

Verse 1. An officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard] verse 32.

Mr. Ainsworth, supposing that his office merely con- Two of the finest poems in the Persian language
sisted in having charge of the king's prisoners, calls were written by the poets Jamy and Nizamy on the
Potiphar provost marshal! See on chap, xxxvii. 36, subject of Joseph and his mistress; they are both en
and xl. 3. titled Yusuf ive Zuleekha. These poems represent
Verse 4. He made him overseer] TDDH AipMid,from Joseph as the most beautiful and pious of men and ;

np3 pakad, to visit, take care of, superintend ; the same Zuleekha the most chaste, virtuous, and excellent of
as eTTiaKOTToc, overseer or bishop, among the Greeks. women, previous to her having seen Joseph but they ;

This is the term by which the Septuagint often express state that when she saw him she was so deeply af-
the meaning of the original. fected by his beauty that she lost all self-governmept,
Verse 6. Joseph luas a goodly person, and v) ell fa- and became a slave to her passion. Hafiz expresses
voured.] nxiO T\ii^'\ INH HD'' yepheh thoar, vipheh this, and apologizes for her conduct in the following
march, beautiful in his person, and beautiful in his elegant couplet :

countenance. The same expressions are used relative

to Rachel see them explained chap. xxix. 17.
; The
beauty of Joseph is celebrated over all the East, and
the Persian poets vie with each other in descriptions of
his comeliness. Mohammed spends the twelfth chapter
of the Koran entirely on Joseph, and represents him as
Men az an husn-i roz afzoon keh Yusuf dasht danistam
a perfect beauty, and the most accomplished of mortals.
Keh ishk az pardah-i ismat beroon arad Zuleekhara.
From his account, the passion of Zuleekha (for so the " I understand, from the daily increasing beauty which
Asiatics call Potiphar's wife) being known to the ladies Joseph possessed.
of the court, they cast the severest reflections upon How love tore away the veil of chastity from Zu-
"
her : excuse herself, she invited forty of
in order to leekha.
them to dine with her, put knives in their hands, and The Persian poets and eastern historians, however,
gave them oranges to cut, and caused Joseph to attend. contrive to carry on a sort of guiltless passion be-
When they saw him they were struck with admiration, tween them till the death of Potiphar, when Zuleekha,
and so confounded, that instead of cutting their oranges grown old, is restored to youth and beauty by the power
they cut and hacked their own hands, crying out, of God, and becomes the wife of Joseph. What tra-
ditions they had beside the Mosaic text for what they
say on this subject, are now unlcnown but the whole ;

hasha lillahi ma hadha hashara in hadha ilia inalakon story, with innumerable embellishments, is so generally
kareemon. " O God this is not a human being this
! ; current in the East that I thought it not amiss to take
a 236 ( 16* )
 31 ; ;

Joseph IS tempted to sm CHAP. XXXIX.

A. M. cir. 2285. 7 And it Came to pass after
-' master's
1 these things, that his
wife cast her eyes upon Joseph ; and she said,
' Lie with me.
8 But he refused, and said unto his master's
wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is

with me in the house, and he hath committed

all that he hath to my hand
9 There is none greater in this house than I

neither hath he kept back any thing from me but

thee, because thou art his wife :
^ how then can I
do this great wickedness, and ^ sin against God ?
10 And it came to pass, as she spake to
Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not
unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her.
1 And it came to pass about this time, that
Joseph went into the house to do his business ;

and there was none of the men of the house

there within.
1 2 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.

1 And it came to pass, when she saw that
he had left his garment in her hand, and was
fled forth,
14 That she called unto the men of her
house, and spake unto them, saying, See, he
hath brought in a Hebrew unto us to mock
us he came in unto me to lie with me, and
:

I cried with a ° loud voice :

15 And it came to pass, when he heard that

i2S
Imprisonment oj the GENESIS. chief butler and baker.

1. He who acknowledges God in all his ways, has fight and when to fly are of great
importance in the
the promise that God shall direct all his steps. Jo- Christian life. Some
temptations must be manfully
seph's captivity shall promote God's glory; and to met, resisted, and thus overcome from others we ;

this end God works in him, for him, and by him. must fly. He
who stands to contend or reason, espe-
Even the irreligious can see when the Most High dis- cially in such a case as that mentioned here, is infalli-

tinguishes his followers. Joseph's master saw that bly ruined. Principiis obsta, " resist the first overtures
Jehovah was with him ; and from this we may learn of sin," is a good maxim. After-remedies come too late.
that the knowledge of the true God was in Egypt, 4. A woman of the spirit of Potiphar's wife is

even before the time of Joseph, though his worship capable of any species of evil. When she could not
was neither established nor even tolerated there. get her wicked ends answered, she began to accuse.
Both Abraham and Isaac had been in Egypt, and This precisely Satan's custom
is he first tempts men :

they had left a savour of true godliness behind them. to sin, and then accuses them as having committed it,
2. Joseph's virtue in resisting the solicitations of even where the temptation has been faithfully and per-
his mistress was truly exemplar3^ Had he reasoned severingly resisted By this means he can trouble a
!

a^ter the manner of men, he might have soon found tender conscience, and weaken faith by bringing con-
that the proposed intrigue might be carried on with fusion into the mind. Thus the inexperienced especially
the utmost secrecy and greatly to his secular advan- are often distracted and cast down hence Satan is pro- ;

tage. But he chose to risk all rather than injure a perly called the accuser of the brethren, Rev. xii. 10.
Itind^ benefa ctor, defile his conscience, and sin against Very useful lessons may be drawn from every part
God. Such conduct is so exceedingly rare that his of the relation in this chapter, but detailing the facts
example has stood on the records of time as almost and reasoning upon them would be more likely to pro-
•without a parallel, admired by all, applauded by most, duce than prevent the evil. An account of this kind
and in similar circumstances, I am afraid, imitated cannot be touched with too gentle a hand. Others
by few. The and virtuous Bellero-
fable of the brave have been profuse here I chose to be parsimonious, ;

phon and Sthenoboea, wife of Prcetus, king of the for reasons which the intelligent reader will feel as
Aigives, was probably founded on this history. well as myself. Let this remark be applied to what
3. Joseph fied and got him out. To know ivhen to has been said on the sin of Onan, chap, xxxviii.

CHAPTER XL,
PharaoK's cAi'e/ butler and his chief hdker, having offended their lord, are put in prison, 1—3. The captain
of the guard gives them into the care of Joseph, 4. Each of them has a dream, 5. Joseph, seeing them,
sad, questions them on the subject, 6, 7. Their answer, 8. The chief butler tells his dream, 9—11.
Joseph interprets it, 12, 13. Gives a slight sketch of his history to the chief butler, and begs him to think
upon him when restored to his office, 14, 15. The chief baker tells his dream, 16, 17. Joseph interprets
this also, 18, 19. Both dreams are fulfilled according to the interpretation, the chief butler being restored
to his office, and the chief baker hanged, 20—22. The chief butler makes no interest for Joseph, 23.
•

A. M. cir. 2286. A
1\.
ND it camc to pass
/,
after 3 " And he put them in ward A. M.
B.C.
cir. 2286.
B.C. cir. 1718. , , . ., . , .
, ,
^r ^
.
I.
cir. 1718.
these things, that the * but- Ill the house oi the captain oi
ler of the king of Egypt and his baker had the guard, into the prison, the place where
offended their lord the king of Egypt. Joseph was bound.
2 And Pharaoh was ^ wroth against two of 4 And the captain of the guard charged
his officers, against the chief of the butlers, Joseph with them, and he served them and :

and against the chief of the bakers. they continued a season in ward.

^Neh. i. 11 -Tr 14. <=

Chap, xxxix. 20, 23.

NOTES ON CHAP. XL. personal liberty. As

the butler and the baker were
Verse 1. The butler] npB'D mashkeh, the same as state criminals theywere put in the same prison with
y^ tw saky among the Arabians and Persians, and Joseph, which we learn from the preceding chapter,
verse 20, was the king''s prison. All the officers in
signifying a cup-bearer.
the employment of the ancient kings of Egypt were,
Baker] n3N opheh ; rather cook, confectioner, or
according to Diodorus Siculus, taken from the most
the like.
illustrious families of the priesthood in the country no
Had offended] They had probably been accused ;

slave or common person being ever permitted to serve

of attempting to take away the king's life, one by
poisoning his drink, the other by poisoning his bread
in the presence of the king. As these persons, therefore,
were of the most noble families, it is natural to expect
or confectionaries.
they would be put, when accused, into the state prison.
Verse 3. Where Joseph was bound.] The place in
which Joseph was now confined; this is what is im- Verse 4. They continued a season] CD''3' yamim,
plied in being bound; for, without doubt, he had his literally dnys ; how long we cannot tell. But many
228
 1 ; : 3
5 — : ;

Dreams of the butler and baker. CHAP. XL. JosepKs interpretation of thenu

A. M. cir. 2287. 5 And they dreamed a dream, 1 2 And Joseph^ said unto him,
a. m. cir. 2287.
B. C. cir. 1717. B. C. cir. 1717.
both of them, each man his ^ This is the interpretation of it
dream in one night, each man according to The three branches "^
are three days :

the interpretation Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift ^

of his dream; the butler 1 '

and the baker of the king of Egypt, which up thine head, and restore thee unto thy place
were bound in the prison. and thou shalt deliver Pharaoh's cup into his
6 And Joseph came in unto them in the hand, after the former manner when thou wast
"
morning, and looked upon them, and, behold, his butler.
they were sad. 14 But think ^ on me when it shall be wel. ^

7 And he asked Pharaoh's officers that ivere with thee, and show kindness, I pray thee "^

with him in the ward of his lord's house, saying, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pha
Wherefore ^ look ye so sadly to-day ? raoh, and bring me out of this house
8 And they said unto him, ^ We have dream- 1 For indeed I was stolen away out of the
ed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. land of the Hebrews ° and here also have I :

And Joseph said unto them, Do not inter- done nothing that they should put me into
^

pretations belong to God ? tell me them, I the dungeon.

pray you. 16 When the chief baker saw that the in-
9 And the chief butler told his dream to terpretation was good, he said unto Joseph, I
Joseph, and said to him. In my dream, behold, also was in my dream, and, behold, / had
a vine was before me three p white baskets on my head :

1 And in the vine ivere three branches : 17 And in the uppermost basket there was
and it was as though it budded, and her blos- of all manner of i bakemeats for Pharaoh
soms shot forth and the clusters thereof
; and the birds did eat them out of the basket
brought forth ripe grapes : upon my head.
1 And Pharaoh's cup ivas in my hand 18 And Joseph answered and said, " This is
and I took the grapes, and pressed them into the interpretation thereof: The three baskets
Pharaoh's cup, and I gave the cup into Pha- are three days :

raoh's hand. 19 ^ Yet within three days shall Pharaoh

<•
Heb. are your faces evil? Neh. ii. 2. •'Chap. xli. 15. • Heb. remember me with thee. " Luke xxiii. 42. ° Josh.
'See chap. xli. 16 Dan. ii. 11, 28, 47. e Ver. 18 chap. 12 ; 1 Sam. xx. 14, 15 2 Sam. ix. 1 1 Kings ii. 7. " Chap.

12, 25 Judg. vii. 14

;
;

Dan. ii. 36 ;
iv. 19. h Chap. xli.
;
; xli.
26.
ii.

xxxix. 20. P Or, full of holes.-

;

— ;

i Heb. meat of Pharaoh, the

'2 Kings XXV. 27 Psa. iii. 3 Jer. lii. 31.
;
^ Or, reckon.
;
work of a baker or cook. " Ver. 12. ' Ver. 13.

suppose the word signifies a complete year ; and as bunch, pressed the juice into the cup, and instantly de-
Pharaoh called them to an account on his birthday, livered it into the hands of his master. This was
verse 20, Calmet supposes they had offended on the J" yayin of the Heb?-ews, the
anciently the oivog of the
preceding birthday, and thus had been one whole year Greeks, and the mustum of the ancient Latins.
in prison. Verse 12. The three branches are three days] That
Verse 5. Each man according to the interpretation'] is, The three branches signify three days ; so, this is

Not like dreams in general, the disordered workings my body, that is, this bread signifies or represents my
of the mind, the consequence of disease or repletion ;
body this cup is my blood, represents my blood a
; ;

these were dreams that had an interpretation, that is, form of speech frequently used in the sacred writings,
that were prophetic. for the Hebrew has no proper word by which our terms
Verse 6. They were sad.] They concluded that &c., are expressed; therefore it
signifies, represents,
their dreams portended something of great importance, says such a thing is, for represents, points out, &c.
out they could not tell lohat. And because several of our ancestors would understand
Verse 8. no interpreter] They either had
There is such words in their true, genuine, critical, and sole
access to none, or those to whom they applied could meaning, Queen Mary, Bishops Gardiner, Bonner, and
give them no consistent, satisfactory meaning. the rest of that demoniacal crew, reduced them to ashes
Do not interpretations belong to God 1] God alone, in Smithfield and elsewhere !

the Supreme Being, knows what is in futurity and if ; Verse 14. Make 7nention of me unto Pharaoh] One
he have sent a significant dream, he alone can give the would have supposed that the very circumstance of
solution. his restoration, according to the prediction of Joseph,
Versp. 1 1 . And I took the grapes and pressed them would have almost necessarily prevented him from for-
into Pharaoh^s cup] From this we find that wine an- getting so extraordinary a person. But what have mere
ciently was the mere expressed juice of the grape, with- courtiers to do either with gratitude or kindness ?
out fermentation. The saky, or cup-bearer, took the Verse 15. For indeed I was stolen] 'n3JJ 3 JJg^nnoi
a 229
 ; 1 : —

The butle)- is resto7ed. GENESIS. The baker is Iiani^ed.

A. M. cir. up thy head from off thee,

2287. ' lift 2 And he ^ restored the a. m. dr. 2287
J-—^ 1 hang thee on a tree chief butler unto his butlership —
and shall '
— '.

and the birds shall eat thy flesh from off thee. again and ^ he gave the cup into Pharaoh's ;

20 And it came to pass the third day, which hand

was Pharaoh's " birthday, that he ^ made a 22 But he ^ hanged the chief baker, as
feast unto all his servants and he '^ lifted up Joseph had interpreted to them.
:
"^

the head of the chief butler and of the chief 23 Yet did not the chief butler remember
baker among his servants. Joseph, but ^ forgat him.

* Or, reckon thee, and takp thy office /rom thee. " Afatt. xiv. 6. 7 Ver. 13. ^ Neh. ii. 1 . s Ver. 19. »>
Job xix. 14 ; Psa,
»Mark vi. 21. « Ver. 13, 19 ; Matt. xxv. 19. » Or,reckoned. x-xxi. 12; Eccles. ix. 15, 16 ; Amos vi. 6.

gunnabti, stolen, I have been stolen —most assuredly I been restored to his liberty but, owing to the ingrati- ;

was stolen ; and here also have I done These tude of the chief
nothing. butler, he was left tivo years longer
were simple assertions, into the proof of which he was in prison.
ready to enter if called on.
Verse 19. Lift up thy head from off thee] Thus we Many commentatorshave seen in every circumstance
find that beheading, hanging, and gibbeting, were modes in the history ofJoseph a parallel between him and
of punishment among the ancient Egyptians but the ;
our blessed Lord So, " Joseph in prison represents
criminal was beheaded before he was hanged, and then Christ in the custody of the Jews ; the chief butler
either hanged on hooks, or by the hands. See Lam. and the chief baker represent the two thieves which
V. 12. were crucified with our Lord and as one thief was ;

Verse 20. Pharaoh'' s birthday] The distinguishing pardoned, and the other left to perish, so the chief
a birthday by a feast appears from this place to have butler was restored to his office, and the chief baker
been a very ancient custom. It probably had its origin hanged." I believe God never designed such parallels ;

from a correct notion of the immortality of the soul, and I am astonished to find comparatively grave and
as the commencement of life must appear of great con- judicious men trifling in this way, and forcing the fea-
sequence to that person who believed he was to live tures of truth into the most distorted anamorphosis, so
for ever. St. Matthew, xiv. 6, mentions Herod's keep- that even her friends blush to acknowledge her. This
ing his birthday and examples of this kind are fre- is not a light matter we should beware how we attri-
; ;

quent to the present time in most nations. bute designs to .God that he never had, and employ the
Lifted up the head of the chief butler, (^c] By Holy Spirit in forming trifling and unimportant simili-
lifting up the head, probably no more is meant than tudes. Of plain, direct truth we shall find as much
bringing them to trial, tantamount to what was done in the sacred A^Tritings as we can receive and compre-
by Jezebel and the nobles of Israel to Naboth Set hend let us not therefore hew out unto ourselves broken
: ;

Naboth on high among the people ; and set two men, cisterns that can hold no water. Interpretations of
sons of Belial, to bear luitness against him, SfC. ; 1 this kind only tend to render the sacred writings un-
Kings xxi. 9, &c. The issue of the trial was, the certain to expose to ridicule all the solemn types and
;

baker alone was found guilty and hanged and the ;

figures which it really contains and to furnish pretexts ;

__Jbutlar, being acquitted, was restored to his office. to infidels and irreligious people to scoff at all spiritu-
Yet did not the chief butler remember
Vel"*e 23. ality, and lead them to reject the word of God entii-ely,
Joseph\ Had he mentioned the circumstance to Pha- as incapable of being interpreted on any fixed or ra-
raoh, theM is no doubt that Joseph's case would have tional plan. The mischief done by this system is really
been exainined into, and he would in consequence have incalculable. See the observations on chap, xxxvii

CHAPTER XLl.

Pharaoh's dream 5/ the seven welUfavoured and seven ill-favoured Hne, 1—4. His dream oj the seven full
and seven thin ears of corn, 5—7. The magicians and wise men applied to for the interpretation of them,
but could give no solution, 8. The chief butler recollects and recommends Joseph, 9-13. Pharaoh com-
mands him to be brought out of prison, 14. Joseph appears before Pharaoh, 15, 16 Pharaof^ repeats his
dreams, 17-24. Joseph interprets them, 25^32, and gives Pharaoh directions how to provide against the
approaching scarcity, 33-36. Pharaoh, pleased with the counsel, appoints Joseph to be superintendent of
all his affairs, 37—41. Joseph receives the badges of his new office, 42, 43, and has his powers defined,
44 receives a new name, and marries Asenath, daughter of Yoiv-Yhexah, priest of ON, 45. Joseph's age
;

when brought before Pharaoh, 46. Great fertility of Egypt in the seven plenteous years, 47. Joseph
hoards up the grain, 48, 49. Ephraim and Manasseh born, 50-52. The seven years of famine commence
with great rigour, 53—55. Joseph opens the storehouses to the Egyptians, 56. People from the neigh-
bouring countries come to Egypt to buy com, the famine being in all those lands, 57.
330
 —

PharaoKs prophetic dreams CHAP. XLI. of the kine and cars of corn.

A. M. 2289. A ND it came to pass at the end time: and, behold, seven ears of
,, , ,
A.M.
B.C.
2289.
1715.
,-
'
!l :of two full years, that Pharaoh corn came up upon one stalk, rank °-
.

' dreamed and, behold, he stood by ^ the and good.

:

river. 6 And, behold, seven thin ears and blasted

2 And, behold, there came up out of the with the east wind sprung up after them.
river seven well-favoured " kine and fat-flesh- 7 And the seven thin ears devoured the
ed and they fed in a meadow
;
seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh
3 And, behold, seven other kine came up awoke, and, behold, it was a dream.
after them out of the river, ill-favoured and 8 And it came to pass in the morning, ® that
lean-fleshed and stood by the other kine his spirit was troubled and he sent and called
; ;

upon the brink of the river. for all f the magicians of Egypt, and all the
4 And the ill-favoured and lean -fleshed kine ^ wise men thereof and Pharaoh told them :

did eat up the seven well-favoured and fat his dreams but there was none that could ;

kine. So Pharaoh awoke. interpret them unto Pharaoh.

5 And he slept and dreamed the second 9 Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh,

• Chap, xxxvii. 5-10 ; xl. 5 ; Esth. vi. 1 ; Dan. ii. 1-3 ; iv. 5 ;
d Heh.fat. « Dan. ii. 1 iv.5, 19.
;
f
Exodus vii. 11, 22 ; Isa.
Matt, xxvii. 19. b Ezek. xxix. 3, 9. " See ver. 17-27. xxix. 14 ; Dan. i. 20 ii. 2 ; iv.
; 7. e Matt. ii. 1.

NOTES ON CHAP. XLI. a part of it nor was I free from an asthmatic sensa- ;

Verse 1. Two full years] rTD"' TZ2^r\y^ shenatha- tion till I had been some months in Italy, at the baths
tfim yamim, two years of days, two complete solar of Poretta, near two years afterwards." Travels, vol. —
revolutions, after the events mentioned in the preced- vi. p. 462. On another occasion the whole company
ing chapter. were made ill by one of these pestilential blasts, so
The river.'] The Nile', the cause of the fertility of that they had scarcely strength to load their camels.
Egypt. Ibid. p. 484. The action of this destructive wind is
Verse 2. There came up out of the river seven referred to by the Prophet Hosea, chap. xiii. 1.5 :

well-favoured kine] This must certainly refer to the Though he be fruitful among his brethren, an east
hippopotamus or river horse, as the circumstances of WIND shall come, the wind of the Lord shall come up
coming up out of the river and feeding in the field FROM THE WILDERNESS, and his spring shall become
characterize that animal alone. The hippopotamus is DRY, and his fountain shall be dried up : he shall spoil
the well-known inhabitant of the Nile, and frequently the treasure of all pleasant vessels.
by night comes out of the river to feed in the fields, Verse 8. Called for all the magicians] D'OD^n
or in the sedge by the river side. chartummim. The word here used may probably
Verse 6. Blasted loilh the east ivind] It has been mean no more than interpreters of abstruse and diffi-
very properly observed that all the mischief done to cult subjects ; and especially of the Egyptian hiero-
corn or fruit, by blasting, smutting, mildews, locusts, glyphics, an art which is now entirely lost. It is most
&c., is attributed to the east ivind. See Exod. x. 13 lilvely that the. term is Egyptian, and consequently its ;

xiv. 21 Psa. Ixxviii. 26; Ezek. xvii. 10; Jonah iv. 8

; etymology must remain unknown to us. If Hebrew,
In Egypt it is peculiarly destructive, because it_€omes Mr. Parkhurst's definition may be as good as any :
through the parched deserts of Arabia, often destroy- " tD"in cheret, a pen or instrument to xvrite or draw
ing vast numbers of men and women. The destruc- with, and DH tam, to perfect or accomplish ; those who
tive nature of the simoom or smoom is mentioned by were perfect in drawing their sacred, astrological, and
almost all travellers. Mr. Bruce speaks of it in his hieroglyphical figures or characters, and who, by means
Travels in Egypt. On their way to Syene, Idris of them, pretended to extraordinary feats, among which
their guide, seeing one of these destroying blasts was the interpretation of dreams. They seem to have
coming, cried out with a loud voice to the company, been such persons as Josephus (Ant., lib. ii., c. 9, s. 2)
•'
Fall upon your faces, for here is the simoom .'" "I calls 'lepoypaft^aTEif;, sacred scribes, or professors of
saw," says Mr. B., " from the S. E. a haze come, in sacred learning."
colour like the purple part of the rainbow, but not so Wise men] D'ODn chacameyha, the persons who,
compressed or thick. It did not occupy twenty yards according to Porphyry,- " addicted themselves to the
in breadth, and was about tivelve feet high from the worship of God and the study of wisdom, passing
ground. It was a kind of blush upon the air, and it their whole life in the contemplation of Divine things.
moved very rapidly, for I scarce could turn to fall Contemplation of the stars, self-purification, arithmetic,
upon the ground, with my head northward, when I felt and geometry, and singing hymns in honour of their
the heat of its current plainly upon my face. We all gods, was their continual employment." See Dodd. —
lay flat upon the gtound, as if dead, till Idris told us It was probably among these that Pythagoras con-
it was blown over. The meteor or purple haze which versed, and from whom he borrowed that modest name
I saw, was indeed passed, but the light air that still by which he wished his countrymen to distinguish him,
blew was of a heat to threa*,en suffocation. For my viz.,<pi?.o(jo(poc, a philosopher, simply,
a lover of wisdom.
It is not pos-
part, I fdiind distinctly in m^ breast that I had imbibed Verse 9. I do remember my faults]
231
 1 : 7
61

Pharaoh calls Joseph, and GENESIS. repeals Jus dreams to him

A, M. 2289. saying, I do remember my faults 1 And Joseph answered Pha- a. m. 2289.

B. C. 1715.
this day raoh,
1 n is not^ in me
saying, "M It :
B. C. 1715.

10 Phara.oh was ''wroth with his servants, ' God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.
* and put me in ward in the captain of the 1 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, "^ In my
guard's house, both me and the chief baker dream, behold, I stood upon the bank of the :

1 And ^ we dreamed a dream in one night, river.

L^d he we dreamed each man according 18 And, behold, there came up out of the
;

to the interpretation of his dream. river seven kine, fat-fleshed, and well favour-
12 And there was there with us a young ed and they fed in a meadow ; :

man, a Hebrew, ^ servant to the captain of the 19 And, behold, seven other kine came up
guard and we told him, and he ™ interpreted after them, poor, and very ill-favoured and
;

to us our dreams to each man, according to lean-fleshed, such as I never saw in all the
;

his dream, he did interpret. land of Egypt for badness :

13 And it came to pass, "as he interpreted 20 And the lean and the ill-favoured kine
to us, so it was me he restored unto mine did eat up the first seven fat kine
;
;

office, and him he hanged. 2 And when they had ^ eaten them up, it
14 ° Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, could not be known that they had eaten them ;

and they p brought i him hastily ^ out of the but they were still ill-favoured, as at the be-
dungeon and he shaved himself, and changed ginning.
: So I awoke.
his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh. 22 And I saw in my dream, and, behold,
15 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have seven ears came up in one stalk, full and
dreamed a dream, and the7'e is none that can good :

interpret it ^ and I have heard say of thee,

: 23 And, behold, seven ears, ^ withered, thin,
that * thou canst understand a dream to inter- and blasted with the east wind, sprung up
pret it. after them :

hChapter xl. Chapter xxxix. 20.

2, 3. k Chapter xl. 5.
' ' Or, when thou hearest a dream, thou canst interpret it.
Chap, xxxvii. 36. "> Chap. xl. 12, &c.- ° Chapter xl. 22. " Dan. 30 Acts 2 Cor. 5. »Chap. xl. 8 Dan.
'
ii. ; iii. 12 ; iii. ;

Psa. cv. 20. P Dan. ii. 25. 1 Hcb. made him run. ' 1 Sam. ii. 22, 28, 47 ; iv. 2. «• Ver. 1. ^ Heb. come to the inward
ii. 8 Psa. cxiii. 7, 8.
;
' Ver. 12 Psa. xxv. 14 Dan. v. 16. ; ; parts of them. V Or, small.

sible he could ha.ve forgotten the circumstance to which he will send thee, or answer thee, peace ; thou shall
he here alludes it was too intimately connected with
; have prosperity (CDlS'J/ shelom) howsoever ominous
all that was dear to him, to permit him ever to forget thy dreams may appear. By this answer he not only
it. But it was not convenient for him to remember this conciliated the mind of the king, but led him to expect
before and probably he would not have remembered
; his help from that God from whom alone all comfort,
it now, had he not seen, that giving this information in protection, and prosperity, must proceed.
such a case was likely to serve his own interest. We Verse 18. Seven kine, fat-fleshed] See on ver. 2.
man because of his
are justified in thinking evil of this And observe farther, that the seven fat and the seven
scandalous neglect of a person who foretold the rescue lean kine coming out of the same river plainly show,
of his life from imminent destruction, and who, being at once, the cause both of the plenty and the dearth.
unjustly confined, prayed to have his case fairly repre- It is well known that there is scarcely any rain in
sented to the king that justice might be done him ; but Egypt and that the country depends for its fertility
;

this courtier., though then in the same circumstances on the overflowing of the Nile and that the fertility ;

himself, found it convenient to forget the poor, friend- is in proportion to the duration and quantity of the
less Hebrew slave ! overflow. We
may therefore safely conclude that the
Verse 14. Theij brought him hastily out of the dun- seven years of plenty were owing to an extraordinary
geon] Pharaoh was in perplexity on account of his overfloioing of the Nile and that the seven years of ;

dreams and when he heard of Joseph, he sent imme-

; dearth were occasioned by a very partial, or total want
diately to get him brought before him. He shaved of this essentially necessary inundation. Thus then
himself —having
let his beard grow all the time he the two sorts of cattle, signifying years of plenty and
was in prison, he now trimmed it, for it is not likely want, might be said to come out of the same river, as
that either the Egyptians or Hebrews shaved thcm- the inundation was either complete, partial, or wholly
-elves in our sense of the word the change of raiment :
restrained. See on ver. 31.
s,no doubt, furnished out of the king's wardrobe ; Verse 21. And ivhen they had eaten them up, djrc]
^^sep^, in his present circumstances, could not be Nothing can more powerfully mark the excess and se-
44, ^
to have any changes of raiment. verity of the famine than creatures af the beeve or of
' 6 It is not in me, dfc] 'l^'Sj biladai, with- the hippopotamus kind eating each other, and yet with-
, J

6
,
' pdently of me —
I am not essential to thy out any eflfect remaining as lean and as wretched as
;

bourtng countrib.
'*vself has thee under his care. And they were before. A sense of want increases the
_„„
 — — — : 1 ; ;

Joseph interprets the CHAP. XLI. two dreams of Pharaoh

A. M. 2289. 24 And the thin ears devoured years of famine ; and all the plenty a. m. 2289.

— '.
'-
the seven good ears : and '^
I told shall be forgotten in the land of —— '

^his unto the magicians ; but there was none Egypt ; and the famine ^ shall consume the
that could declare it to me. land
25 And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The 3 And the plenty shall not be known in
dream of Pharaoh is one * God hath showed the land by reason of that famine following
:

Pharaoh what he is about to do. for it shall he very ^ grievous.

26 The seven good kine are seven years 32 And for that the dream was doubled unto ;

and the seven good ears are spven years the Pharaoh twice it is because the ^ thing is : ;

dream is one. established by God, and God will shortly '

27 And the seven thin and ill-favoured kine bring it to pass.

thatcame up after them, are seven years 33 Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a ;

and the seven empty ears, blasted with the man discreet and wise, and set him over the
east wind, shall be ^ seven years of famine. land of Egypt.
28 " This is the thing which I have spoken 34 Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint
unto Pharaoh : what God is about to do, he ^ officers over the land, and ^ take up the fifth

showeth unto Pharaoh. part of the land of Egypt in the seven plen-
29 Behold, there come "^
seven years of teous years :

great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt 35 And "" let them gather all the food of
30 And there shall ® arise after them seven those good years that come, and lay up corn

-= Dan. — -h
Ver. 8 Daniel iv. 7. 28, 29, 45 Rev. iv. 1. S Heb. heavy.
—Num. Isa. xlvi. 10, 11.
2 ; ii. xxiii. 19; '
Or,
;

'>2Kings viii. 1. <=

Ver. 25. '^
Verse 47. -eVer. 54. piepared of God- ^ Or, overseers. '
Proverbs vi. 6, 7, 8
fChap. xlvii. 13. nVer. 48.

appetite, and stimulates the digestive powers to unusual " The ordinary height of the inundations is sixteeJi .c\x-

action hence the concoction of the food becomes very

; bits. When the waters are lower than this standard
rapid, and it is hurried through the intestines before its they do not overflow the whole ground ; when above
nutritive particles can be sufficiently absorbed and ;
this standard, they are too long in running off. In the
thus, though much is eaten, very little nourishment is first case the ground by the second,
is not saturated ;

derived from it. And when they had eaten them up, the waters are detained so long on the ground that
it could not he linoiun that they had eaten them ; but seed-time is lost. The province marks both. If it
they were still ill-favoured, as at the beginning. A rise only twelve cubits, a famine is the consequence.
most nervous and physically correct description. Even at thirteen cubits hunger prevails fourteen ;

Verse 25. God hath shoived Pharaoh ivhat he is cubits produces general rejoicing ; fifteen, perfect
about to do.^ Joseph thus shows the Egyptian king security ; and sixteen, all the luxuries of life."
that though the ordinary cause of plenty or want is When the Nile rises to eighteen cubits it prevents
the river Nile-, yet its inundations are under the direc- the sowing of the land in due season, and as necessa-
tion of God the dreams are sent by him, not -only to
: rily produces a famine as when it does not overflow
signify beforehand the plenty and ivant, but to sJiow its banks.
also that all these circumstances, however fortuitous Verse 33. A man
and wise] As it is im-
discreet
they may appear to man, are under the direction of an possible that Joseph couldhave foreseen his own ele-
overruling Providence. vation, consequently he gave this advice without any
Verse 31. The plenty shall not be hnoum in the land reference to himself. The counsel therefore was either
by reason of that famine following^ As Egypt de- immediately inspired by God, or was dictated by policy,
pends for its fertility on the flowing of the Nile, and prudence, and sound sense.
this flowing is not always equal, there must be a point Verse 34. Let him appoint officers] L:D'"\p2 pekidtmy
to which it must rise to saturate the land sufficiently, visiters, overseers translated by Ainsworth, bishops ;
:

in order to produce grain sufficient for the support of see chap, xxxix. 1.
its inhabitants. Pliny, Hist. Nat., lib. v., cap. 9, has Take up the fifth part of the land] What is still
given us a scale by which the plenty and dearth may called the mcery, or that part of the produce which is
be ascertained; and, from what I have been able to claimed by the king by way of tax. It is probable
collect from modern travellers, this scale may be yet that in Joseph's time it was not so much as z. fifth part,
considered as perfectly correct. Justum incrementum most likely a tenth : but as this was an extraordinary
est cubitorum xvi. Minorcs aqua non omnia rigant, occasion, and the earth brought forth by handfuls, ver.
ampliores detinent, tardius recedendo. HiE serendi 47, the king would be justified in requiring a. fifth ; and
tempora absumunt, solo madente, ill^ non dant, si- fVom the great abundance, the people could pay this
tiente. Utrumque reputat provincia. In xii. cubitis increased tax without feeling it to be oppressive.
famem sentit. In xiii. etiamnwn esurit; xiv. cubita Verse 35. Under the hand of Pharaoh] To be com-
hilaritatem afferunt ; xv. securitatem ; xvi. delicias. pletely at the disposal of the king.
233
 ;

Joseph's pi udent counsel.

\ GENESIS. He is advanced bi^ Pharaoh.

A. M. 22S». under the hand of Pharaoh, and let 4 ^ Thou shalt be over my house, a. m.
B. C. 1715. , , i- J -
i_
-
'

them keep food in the cities. and according unto thy word shall
36 And that food shall be for store to the all my people * be ruled : only in the throne
land against the seven years of famine, which will I be greater than thou.
shall be in the land of Egypt ; that the land I
4 1 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See. I
* perish * not tlirough the famine. have * set thee over all the land of E^^-pt.
\

37 And I"
the thing was good in the eyes of , 42 And Pharaoh '^
took off liis rinff from his
Pharaoh, and in the eves of all his servants. hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and
3S And Pharaoh said unto his servants. Can j
^ arrayed him in vestures of "^
fine linen, * and
we find sucJi a one as this is, a mam ^ in whom put a gold chain about his neck
ihe Spirit of God w ?
I
43 And he made him to ride in the second
39 And Pharaoh sjiid unto Joseph, Foras- j
chariot which he had ;
>"
and thev cried before
much as God hath showed thee all this, there him, " Bow the knee :
' and he made him
is none so discreet and wise as thou art : I
ruler *•
over all the land of Eg^-pt.

* Heb. bemtcmt ef. » Chap, xlvii. J 5. 19. ^ Psalm cr. *Heb.

} 3 ; Acts rii. la <iNnjn. xxrii. 15 : Job xnii. S Pror. ii. :

6 ; Diu. iT. 9. IS t. 11. 14 -n 3

:
• Psi, cr.
: CI. CC 1 Mac. :

iL 53 ; Acts ni. 10.

Verse ST. Thi ;''i:ng teas good] Pharaoh and his

courtiers saw thai the counsel was prudent, and should
be carefoEy followed.
Terse 3S. /n whom th( Spirit o/Godis^] DTiSs nn
•uoch Eiohim, the identical words used chap. i. 2 and :

certainly to be understood here as in the preceding

place. If the Egyptians were idolaters, they acknow-
ledged Joseph's God and it is not to be supposed that
;

they only became acquainted with him on this occasion.

The knowledge of the true God was in Egypt long
before ; but it vS very likely that though they acknow-
ledged his influence with respect to Joseph, as they
saw most clearly that he acted under an influence far
beyond that of their magicians, for hi interpreted
dreams which t^t^y could ROt yet they might, notwith- ;

s:ar.i:ng, hare their gods many and their lords many

i: :;.:s tune, for we know that in religious matters they
were exceedingly cormpt afterwards.
Terse 40. According unto thy irord shaU all my
pecpli If ruled] Literally, At thy mouth shall all my
peopli hss. In the eastern countries it is customary
to kiss any thing that comes from a superior, and this
is done by way of testifying respect and submission.

In this sense the words in the text are to be under-

stood All the people shall pay the profoundest respect
:

and obedience to all thy orders and commands.

Only in the throne veil! I be greater than thou.']
This, in one word, is a perfect description of a prime
minister. Thou shall have the sole mana^ment,
under me, of all state affairs.
Terse 42. And Pharaoh took off his ring and put —
it upon Joseph's hand] In this ring was probablv set
the king's signet, by which the royal instruments were
sealed ; and thus Joseph was constituted what we would
call Lord Chancellor, or Lord Keeper of the PVivy Seal.
Vestures offine iineri] car shesh. Whether this
mean linen or cotton is not known. It seems to have
been a term by which both were denominated or it :

may be some other substance or cloth with which we

are imacquaiated. If the fine linen of Egypt was
such as that which invests the bodies of the mummies,
and these in general were persons of the first distinc-
234
 . ,, :

foseph is mamed to Asenath. CHAP. XLI. Afv-' id Ephraim bom.

A.]f.28». 44 And Pharaoh asDdmrto Joseph, food

B. C. 1715. .-
-r, . B. C. e=-- ITli
I am Pharaoh, and wUioat thee ".^-^,

shall no man Uft up his hand or foot in all t.'.

land of Egypt. rci » ci 'J*

45 And Phazadi called Josep..
' Zaphnatb-paaneah ; and he gare him to wife 49 And Josc hs sand
Asenath the dao^iter of Poti-pherah ' ptiest <^ the sea. - :rr.ber-

of On. And Jo6e{^ went oat orer all Hae ing ; fw i

land of Egypt. 50 ^ And unto Josqph we:
46 And Joseph was thirty years dd when before the years of faadne c-
he « Phaiaoh long of Egypt. natfa tbe dan^bter of Pod-p
stood before
And Joseph went out from the poiesence ci On bare nnto him.
Pharac^ and wait tfaroo^ioiit all the land oC 51 And Joseph caDed the a. }£. dr. ^aaa,
Egypt- name of the fiistrbom 'Manas
From 47 And in the seven plenteous sdi : for God, said he, hath made me ibf;get
A. M. 2289.
B. C. 1715. years the earth brought forth by an my tod, and all my ^ttfaei's house.
to
A. M. 2296. handfbls. 52 And the name (rf the second A.M.exr.
B. C. iroii.
4S And he gathered op all the callei r.e ^Ephraim: for God '—^
!?1L "^
— —
_ 17 ; Ja^ TiL 12 ; 1
mmtUwktmmenUmnnmtki. *Ot, frimee; Eaad.iLIS; P- ^rL3ib ; ^nn. S. *Or. _
2 8aa.TiiL lBiXK.26. 'ISoaLxriSl; 1 Kni^ziL6,8; 43 frvxr'mL

as eoapoaaded of 2K ab, father, and "p roei, tender

far Joseph oi^bt be tjp i wi
a jied 9. father, bc<aiac
ius core otct tbe peo^e, aad the frvcisum hs w
makiag lor tfaeir preaerratiaa ; aad tender beeanae
his jTOTtfi. Or it maj be eooipoaaded of 3lt sii, /
ther, tad pQ isreei, Uesmg, the latter 3 fefil beiz
eaaOjr lost in the preeediBg oae ; and Joseph t^
hare this ^idiet as wefl as Ae ocker, aa act:
the care he was \aidag to tmm aside Ae hear;
of the seren yeais of fatmt^, \tj
iUssings o€ the aeren yeazs of pkalj.
ther seems to hare been a Baae of office, ami
\Aj father of the bmg at father af Pharaoh mi.
n^ the same an Hhs Uaig^s miaister zammg ^
chap. zhr. 8. But if k be aa Egyptiaa wimi, ::

Tain to look for its signifieatioB in Hefacew.

Terse 44. / am Pharaok\ The same as iflie hi
said, I am the king; fat Pharaoh vas the eoooi
title of die sOT c reigBs of Egypt.
Terse 45. Zaphnath-paaneah] The meanii^ of tP
title isashttfe known as that of ^redk in Ae pcec^
ding Teiae. Some translate it. The rereakr of secret:
aOteOj The treasmry efgieriams eamfart. St. Jenr
translates the whole Terse m
Ae tnoat aibitiary mamt^
Vertitqme n wm en epu, et vacant emm, UngmmJBgyp:
aeoj S^aatarem mandi. **
And he changed his nair ^
and caDed him in the Egyptian bngnage, J%e sari:
of the worid." None of the A*rt*ir » eiaiu«a ac'^-^-
ledge this extraordinary gkias, and it is certain. -lies.
At of no regard. The An^o-Saxon near^^ - -^
haadfals.i
Talgate : j memihr Ime aa eggtare jSihamz .'. grows m
And named him in Egyptian, The healer - ~ the
An the etymidogies hitherto grren of Ais roee
say the least irf" them, dMii0i/. /befiere 31.
an Egyptian epithet, dea^nating the dE: Tteo s^ms] W^im
he caBed fay namea
he was now raised ; and similar to our eon: 's rTqyt|fBlT a»d huamifiil ptoTJdcte

Prhme-mnister, Lord-ChaaceOar. J^- 1 .'-LVxsSiH, 1033 aafwatithri, upi-

CUef-Jitstiee, 4c. Js^xr. from mn nash^ to fargrt mai.
S35
 — ;

The dearth sommences, and GENESIS. prevails over all the earth

A. M. cir. 2293. hath caused me to be '

fruitful in bread and Pharaoh said unto all a. m. 2296.
—
:

-^
' '
'.

the land of my affliction. the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; —L !.

A. M. 2296. 53 And the seven years of plen- what he saith to you, do.
B. C. 1708.
teousness, that
,

was
-,,,/.
in the land oi 56 And the famine was over all the face
Egypt, were ended. of the earth. And Joseph opened ° all the
54 *" And the seven years of dearth began to store-houses, and p sold unto the Egyptians ;

come, o
according as Joseph had said and : and the famine waxed sore in the land of
the dearth v\ras in all lands but in all the land ; Egypt.
of Egypt there vi^as bread. 57 1 And all countriescame into Egypt, to
55 And when all the land of Egypt was Joseph, for to buy corn; because that the
famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for famine was so sore in all lands.

'Chapter xlix. 22.- -™ Psalm cv. 16; Acts vii. 11. oHeb. all wherein was. PChap. xlii. 6; xlvii. 14, 24.
n Ver. 30. 1 Deut. ix. 28.

Ephraim, Dn£)X ephrayim,fruitfulness, from pa- m3 the preceding chapter, so his Spirit in Joseph led to
rah, to be fruitful ; and he called his sons by these the true interpretation of them. \^Tiat a proof do all
"namesT-tee-aiise. God had enabled him to forget all his these things give us of a providence that is so general
toil, disgrace, and affliction, and had made him fruitful as to extend its influence to every part, and so parti-
in the very land in which he had suffered the greatest cular as to notice, influence, and direct the most
misfortune and indignities. minute circumstances ! Surely God " has way every
Verse 54. The seven years of dearth began to come] where, and all things serve his ivill.''''

Owing in Egypt to the Nile not rising more than 2. Dreams have been on one hand superstitiously
twelve or thirteen cubits ;
(see on ver. 31;) but there regarded, and on the other skeptically disregarded.
must have been other causes which affected other That some are prophetic there can be no doubt ; that
countries,not immediately dependent on the Nile, others are idle none can hesitate to believe. Dreams
though remotely connected with Egypt and Canaan. may be divided into the six following kinds : 1. Those
The dearth loas in all lands] All the countries which are the mere nightly mind's re-
result of the
dependent on the Nile. And it appears that a general flections and perplexities during the business of the
drought had taken place, at least through all Egypt day. 2. Those which spring from a diseased state of
and Canaan for it is said, ver. 57, that the famine
; the body, occasioning startings, terrors, &c. 3. Those
was sore in all lands — Egypt and Canaan, and their which spring from an impure state of the heart, men-
respective dependencies. tal repetitions of those acts or images of illicit plea-
Verse 55. When all the land of Egypt was famished] sure, riot, and excess, which form the business of a
As Pharaoh, by the advice of Joseph, had exacted a profligate life. 4. Those which proceed from a dis-
fifth part of all the grain during the
seven years of eased mind, occupied with schemes of pride, ambition,
plenty, very likely that no more was left than
it is grandeur, &c. These, as forming the characteristic
what was merely necessary to supply the ordinary conduct of the life, are repeatedly reacted in the deep
demand both in the way of home consumption, and watches of the night, and strongly agitate the soul with
for the purpose of barter or sale to neighbouring illusive enjoyments and disappointments. 5. Those
countries. which come immediately from Satan, which instil
Verse 56. Over all the face of the earth] The thoughts and principles opposed to ti-uth and righteous-
original, yiNH 1J3 Sd col peney haarets, should be ness, leaving strong impressions on the mind suited to
translated, all the face o/that land, viz., Egypt, as it its natural bent and turn, which, in the course of the
is explained at the end of the verse. day, by favouring circumstances, may be called into
Verse 57. All countries came into Egypt to buy] — action. 6. Those which come from God, and which
As there had not been a sufficiency of rains, vapours, necessarily lead to him, whether prophetic of future
&c., to swell the Nile, to effect a proper inundation in good or evil, or impressing holy purposes and heavenly
Egypt, the same cause would produce drought, and resolutions. Whatever leads away from God, truth,
consequently scarcity, in all the neighbouring coun- and righteousness, must be from the source of evil
tries ;
and this may be all that is intended in the text. whatever leads to obedience to God, and to acts of be-
nevolence to man, must be from the source of good-
1. As the providence of God evidently led the but- ness and truth. Reader, there is often as much super-
ler and baker of Pharaoh, as well as the king himself, stition in disregarding as in attending to dreams ; and
to dream the prophetic dreams mentioned in this and he who fears God will escape it in both.

mean
been a
may ^ so

sue
and u
 1

Jacob sends his ten sons CHAP. XLIl. / to Egypt to buy food.

CHAPTER XLH.
Jacob sends his ten sons to Egypt to buy com, 1-3 hut refuses to -permit Benjamin to go, 4. They arrive;

in Egypt, and bow themselves before Joseph, 5, 6. He treats them roughly and calls them spies, 7-10.
They defend themselves and give an account of their family, 11-13. He appears unmoved, and puts
them all in prison for three days, 14—17. On the third day he releases them on condition of their bring-
ino- Benjamin, 18-20. Being convicted by their consciences, they reproach themselves with their cruelty
to their brother Joseph, and consider themselves under the displeasure of God, 21-23. Joseph is greatly
affected, detains Simeon as a pledge for Benjamin, orders their sacks to he filled loith corn, and the purchase
money to he put in each man's sack, 24, 25. When one of them is going to give his asr provender he
discovers his money in the mouth of his sack, at luhich they are greatly alarmed, 26-28. They come to
their father in Canaan, and relate what happened to them in their journey, 29-34. On emptying their
sacks, each man's money is found in his sack's mouth, which causes alaivn both to them and their father, 35.
Jacob deplores the loss of Joseph and Simeon, and refuses to let Benjamin go, though Reuben offers his
two sons as pledges for his safety, 36—38.

A. M. 2297. IVrOW when ^ Jacob saw that of the land : and Joseph's brethren A. M. 2297.
B. C. 1707. 1>I 1 .
T^ T
there was corn ni Xigypt, J acob
1
came, and ^ bowed down them-
said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon selves before him loith their faces to the earth.

another ? 7 And Joseph saw his brethren, and he

2 And he said, Behold, I have heard that knew them, but made himself strange unto
there is corn in Egypt : get you down thither, them, and spake ^ roughly unto them and ;

and buy for us from thence that we may ;

said unto them. Whence come ye ? And they
''
live, and not die. said. From the land of Canaan to buy food.

3 And Joseph's ten brethren went down to 8 (And Joseph knew his brethren, but they
buy corn in Egypt. knew not him.)
4 Rtt Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob 9 And Joseph ^ remembered the dreams
sent not with his brethren for he said, Lest which he dreamed of them, and said unto
;
"^

peradventure mischief befall him. them, Ye are spies to see the nakedness of ;

And the
5 sons of Israel came to buy corn the land ye are come.
among those that came : for the famine was 10 And they said unto him, Nay, my lord,,
* in the land of Canaan. but to buy food are thy servants come.
6 And Joseph was the governor ^ over the 1 We are all one man's sons ; we are true
land, and he it was that sold to all the people men, thy servants are no spies.
• Acts vii. 12. b Chap, xliii. 8 Psa. cxviii. 17 Isa. xxxviii. 1. e Chap. —fChap. Heb. hard things with
<:
Ver. 38.
;

^ Acts vii. 11.

; xli. 41.-
them. — xxxvii. 7.
-^ Chap, xxxvii. 5,
-e
9.

NOTES ON CHAP. XLIL medan governors of Egypt, &c., took the title of
V erse Jacob saw that there ivas co7-n^
1 . Tliat is, sultan ?
Jacob heard from the report of others that there was
Bowed down thejnselves before him] Thus fulfilling
plenty in Egypt. The operations of one sense, in the prophetic dream, chap, xxxvii. 7, 8, which they
Hebrew, are often put for those of another. Before
had taken every precaution to render null and void.
agriculture was properly known and practised, famines
But there is neither might nor counsel against the Lord.
were frequent Canaan seems to have been peculiarly
;
Verse 9. Ye are spies] DTMi DwJID meraggelim
vexed by them. There was one in this land in the
attem, ye are footmen, trampers about, footpads, vaga-
time of Abraham, chap. xii. 10 another in the days of ;
bonds, lying in wait for the property of others persons ;

Isaac, chap. xxvi. 1 and now a third in the time of

;
who, under the pretence of wishing to buy corn, desire
Jacob. To this St. Stephen alludes, Acts vii. 11 :
only to find out whether the land be so defenceless
there was great affliction, and our fathers found no
which ye belong (see ver. may that the tribes to 11)
sustenance.
attack it successfully, drive out the inhabitants, and
Verse 6. Joseph was the governor'] D''Sb' shallit, an
settle in it themselves ; or, having plundered it, retire
mtendant, a protector, from ah\i/ shalat, to be over as
to their deserts. This is a frequent custom among
a protector ; hence Wt^bw shelatim, shields, or ai-ms
the Arabs to the present day. Thus Joseph spake
for protection and defence, 2 Sam. viii. 7 and jIDViy warmth of affec-
;
roughly to them merely to cover that
shilton, fower and authority, Eccles. viii. 4, 8 and
tion which he felt towards them and that being thus ;
;

hence the Arabic (.liaXw sultan, a lord, prince, or brought, apparently, into straits and dangerous circum-
king, from
JJ^jj^ salata, he obtained and exercised stances, their consciences might
be awakened to reflect
dominion, he ruled. Was it not from this very cir- on and abhor their own wickedness.
cumstance, Joseph being shallit, that all the Moham- Verse 11. We are all one man's sons] We do not
237
Joseph deals roughly
\ GENESIS. with his brethren

A. M. 2297. 12 And he said unto them, Nay, thren be bound in the house of vour a. m. 2297.
B. C. 1707. B. C. 1707.
nakedness of the prison go ye, carry corn ^for the
-^
,
but to see the : .

land ye are come. famine of your houses :

13 And they said. Thy servants are twelve 20 But ° bring your youngest brother unto
brethren, the sons of one man in the land of me : so shall your words be verified, and ye
Canaan ; and, behold, the youngest is this day shall not die. And they did so.
with our father, and one ' is not. 2 1 And they said one to another, p We are
14 And Joseph said unto them, That is it verily guilty concerning our brother, in that
that I spake unto you, saying. Ye are spies : we saw the anguish of his soul, when he
1 5 Hereby ye shall be proved :
^ By the besought us, and we would not hear ;
1 there-
life Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, fore is this distress come upon us.
of
except your youngest brother come hither. 22 And Reuben answered them, saying,
1 6 Send one of you, and let him fetch your Spake I not unto you, saying. Do not sin
brother, and ye shall be kept in prison, that against the child ^
and ye would not hear ? ;

your words may be proved, whether there he therefore, behold, also his blood is ' required.
amj_ truth in you or else by the life of Pha- : 23 And they knew not that Joseph under-
raoh surely ye are spies. stood them ; for * he spake unto them by an
17 And he ™ put them all together into ward interpreter.
three days. 24 And he turned himself about from them,
18 And Joseph said unto them the third and wept and returned to them again, and ;

day. This do, and live ^for I fear God communed with them, and took from them
; :

19 If ye he true men, let one of your bre- Simeon, and bound him before their eyes.
'Chap, xxxvii. 30 Lam. v. 7 ; see chap. xliv. 20. ^ See
; P Job xxxvi. 8, 9 ; Hos. v. 15. 1 Prov. xxi. 13 ; Matt. vii. 2.
1 Sam.
gathered.
i. 26 xvii. 55 Judith xi. !:
;

"Lev. xxv. 43; Neh. v. 15.

; Heb. bound. •" Heb.

» Ver. 24; chapter

'
f Chap, xxxvii. 21.
xxiv. 22 ;Psa. ix. 12 ;
» Chap. ix. 5

Luke xi. 50,

;

51.——
1 Kings ii. 32 2 Chron. ;

Heb. an interpreter
'

xliii. 5 xliv. 23.

; was between them.

belong to different tribes, and it is not likely that one seems to say to his brethren, I am a, worshipper of the
fam.ily would make a hostile attempt upon a whole trueGod, and ye have nothing to fear.
kingdom. This seems to be the very ground that Verse 21. We are verily guilty] How finely are
Joseph took, viz., that they were persons belonging to the office and influence of conscience exemplified in
different tribes. Against this particularly they set up these words It was about tiventy-livo years since
!

their defence, asserting that they all belonged to one they had sold their brother, and probably their con-
family and it is on the proof of this that Joseph puts
;
science had been lulled asleep to the present hour.
them, ver. 15, in obliging them to leave one as a God combines and brings about those favorable cir-
hostage, and insisting on their bringing their remaining cumstances which produce attention and reflection,
brother so that he took exactly the same precautions
;
and give weight to the expostulations of conscience.
to detect them as if he had had no acquaintance with How necessary to hear its voice in time, for here it
them, and had every reason to be suspicious. may be the instrument of salvation but if not heard ;

Verse 13. One is not.'] An elliptical sentence, One in this world, it must be heard in the next and there, ;

is not alive. in association with i\\e unquenchable fire, it will be the

Verse 15. By the life of Pharaoh] HJ^'^S "TI chey never-dying ivorm. Reader, has not thy sin as yet
Pharoh, Pharaoh hveth. As if he had said. As surely found thee out ] Pray to God to take away the veil
as the king of Egypt lives, so surely shall ye not go from thy heart, and to give thee that deep sense of
hence unless your brother come hither. Here there- guilt which shall oblige thee to flee for refuge to
fore is no oath ; it is just what they themselves make the hope which is set before thee in the Gospel of
it in their report to their father, chap, xliii. 3 : the Christ.
man did solemnly protest unto us ; and our translators Verse 23. For he spake unto them by an interpreter.]
should not have put it in the form of an oath, espe- Either there was a very great difference between the
cially as the original not only will bear another ver- two languages as then spoken, or Joseph, to prevent
sion, but is absolutely repugnant to this in our sense all suspicion, might affect to be ignorant of both. We
of the word. have many evidences in this book that the Egyptians,
Verse 18. I fear Gol] NT 'JN D'hSxH nx eth ha- Hebrews, Canaanites, and Syrians, could understand
elohim ani yare, literally translated the passage runs each other in a general way, though there are also
thus, I also fear the gods ; but the emphatic n ha is proofs that there was a considerable difference between
probably added by Joseph, both here and in his con- their dialects.
versation with Pharaoh, tlie more particularly to point Verse 24. —
Took Simeon and bound him before
out the eminence and perfection of the Supreme Being their eyes.] This was retaliation, if, as the rabbins
as contradistinguished from the gods c*". Egypt. He suppose, it was Simeon v/ho bound Joseph, and put him
238
 1 ; —
/
They return to Jacob, and give CHAP. XLII. an account of their journey.

A. M. 2297. 25 Then Joseph commanded to 32 We be twelve brethren, sons a.m. 2297.

-1-1 1 fill their sacks with corn, and to of our father ; one is not, and the — i
'
1.

restore every man's money into his sack, and youngest is this day with our father in the
to give them provision for the way : and ^ thus land of Canaan.
did he unto them. man, the lord of the country, 33 And the
26 And they laded Hereby shall I know that ye
their asses with the corn, said unto us, y
and departed thence. are true men ; leave one of your brethren
27 And as " one of them opened his sack to Aere with me, and take food for the famine
give his ass provender in the inn, he espied of your households, and be gone ."
his money for, behold, it was in his sack's
; 34 And bring your youngest brother unto
mouth. me then shall I know that ye are no spies, :

28 And he said unto his brethren. My mo- but that ye are true men : so will I deliver
ney is restored and, lo, it is even in my you your brother, and ye shall ^ traffic in the
;

sack and their heart "^ failed them, and they land.
:

were afraid, saying one to another, What is 35 And it came lo pass as they emptied
this that God hath done unto us ? their sacks, that, behold, * every man's bundle
29 And they came unto Jacob their father of money was in his sack and when both :

unto the land of Canaan, and told him all that they and their father saw the bundles of mo-
befell unto them saying, ; ney, they were afraid.
30 The man, tvho is the lord of the land, 36 And Jacob their father said unto them,
spake ^ roughly to us, and took us for spies Me have ye ^ bereaved of 7ny children : Joseph
of the country. is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take

3 And we said unto him, We are true 7ne?i Benjamin aioay : all these things are against
we are no spies : me.

"Matt. V. 44; Rom. xii. 17, 20, 21. ^ See chap, xliii. 21. » Heb. with us hard things. v Ver. 15, 19, 20. ^ Ch. xxxir.
"Heb. went forth. 10. a See chap, xliii. 21. ^ Chap, xliii. 14.

into the pit. A

recollection of this. circumstance must In the inn] pSoD bammalon, from p Ian, to lodge,
exceedingly deepen the sense he had of his guilt. stay, remain, <5fc. The place at which they stopped .

Verse 25. Commanded to Jill their sacks] DHv^ to bait or rest themselves and their asses. Our word
keleyhem, their vessels ; probably large woollen bags, inn gives us a false idea here ; there were no such
or baskets lined with leather, which, as Sir John Char- places of entertainment at that time in the desert over
din says, are still in use through all Asia, and are called which they had to pass, nor are there any to the pre-
tambellet ; they are covered with leather, the better to sent day. Travellers generally endeavour to reach a
resist the wet, and to prevent dirt and sand from mix- ivell,where they fill their girbahs, or leathern bottles,
ing with the grain. These vessels, of whatever sort, with fresh water, and having clogged their camels,
must have been different from those called pti' sak in asses, &c., permit them to crop any little verdure there
the twenty-seventh and following verses, which was ma)"^ be in the place, keeping watch over them by turns.
probably only a small sack or bag, in which each had This is all we are to understand by the malon or inn

reserved a sufficiency of corn for his ass during the were not then in
in the text, for even caravanseries
journey ; which are generally no more than four walls per-
the larger vessels or bags serving to hold the use,
wheat or rice they had brought, and their own packages. fectly exposed, the place being open at the top.
The reader will at once see that the English word sack Verse 28. Their heart failed them] onS XX'1 vai-
is plainly derived from the Hebrew. yetse libham, their heart ivent out. This refers to that
Verse 26. They laded their asses] Amounting, no spasmodic affection which is felt in the breast at any
doubt, to several scores, if not hundreds, else they sudden alarm or fright. Among the common people
could not have brought a sufficiency of corn for the in our own country we find an expression exactly sim-
support of so large a family as that of Jacob. ilar, " My heart was ready to leap out at my mouth,"
Verse 27. One of them opened his sack] From used on similar occasions.
ver. 35 we learn that each of the ten brethren on What is this that God hath done unto us ?] Their
emptying his sack when he returned found his money guQty consciences, now thoroughly awakened, were in
in it can we suppose that this was not discovered by continual alarms they felt that they deserved God's
;
;

them all before 1 It seems not and the reason was curse, and every occurrence served to confirm and in-
;

probably this the money was put in the mouth of the crease their suspicions.
:

sack of one only, in the sacks of the others it was Verse 35. As they emptied their sacks] See on
placed at or near to the bottom ; hence only one dis- ver. 27.
covered it on the road, the rest found it when they Verse 36. All these things are against me.] VT\ "1^
came to empty their sacks at their father's house. HjSd alai hayu cullanah ; literally, All these things are
230
 — ;

Reuben oj^ers his two sons as GENESIS. pledges f07' Benjaminh safety

A. M. 2297. 37 And Reuben spake unto his with you for his brother is dead, A. M. 2297. ;
"=

B. C. 1707.
Slay my two sons, and he is left alone
father, saying, ^ if mischief 1 : — '

if I bring him not to thee deUver him into befall him by the way in the which ye go,
:

my hand, and I will bring him to thee again. then shall ye ^ bring down my gray hairs with
38 And he said, My son shall not go down sorrow to the grave.

<=
Ver. 13 ; chap, xxxvii. 33 ; xliv. 28. ^ Ver. 4 ; chap. xliv. 29.- ' Chap, xxxvii. 35 ; xliv. 31.

upon me. Not badly translated by the Vulgate, In me injured, if it lie in the compass of his power. If he
hmc omnia mala reciderunt, " All these evils fall back do not, God will take care to exact it in the course of
upon me." They lie upon me as heavy loads, hasten- his providence. Such respect has he for the dictates
ing my death they are more than I can bear.
; of infinite justice that nothing of this kind shall pass
Verse 37. Slay my two sons, if I bring hirn not to unnoticed. Several instances of this have already oc-
thee] Whata strange proposal made by a sori to his curred in this history, and we shall see several more.
father, concerning his grandchildren ! But they show No man should expect mercy at the hand of God who,
the honesty and affection of Reuben's heart he felt ; having wronged his neighbour, refuses, when he has it
deeply for his father's distress, and was determined to in his power, to make restitution. Were he to weep
risk and hazard every thing in order to relieve and tears of blood, both the justice and mercy of God would
comfort him. There is scarcely a transaction in which shut out his prayer, if he made not his neighbour
Reuben is concerned that does not serve to set his amends for the injury he may have done him. The
character in an amiable point of view, except the single mercy of God, through the blood of the cross, can
instance mentioned chap. xxxv. 22, and which for the alone pardon his guilt but no dishonest man can ex-
;

sake of decency and piety we

should wish to understand pect this and he is a dishonest man who illegally holds
;

as the Targumists have explained it. See the notes. the property of another in his hand. The unnatural
Verse 38. He is left alone] That is, Benjamin is brethren who sold their brother are now about to be
the only remaining son of Rachel ; for he supposed captivated themselves and the binder himself is bound
;

Joseph, who was the other son, to be dead. in his turn and though a kind Providence permits not
:

Shall ye bring down my giay hairs loith sorrow] the evil to fall upon them, yet, while apprehending it,
Here he keeps up the idea of the oppressive burden they feel all its reality, conscience supplying the lack
mentioned ver. 36, to which every occurrence was oi prison, jailer, and bonds.
adding an additional weight, so that he felt it impos- 2. The ways of Providence are often to us dark and
sible to support it any longer. perplexed, so that we are ready to imagine that good
The following observations of Dr. Dodd on this can never result from what appears to us to be directly
verse are very appropriate and judicious " Nothing : contrary to our interest and we are often tempted to
;

can be more tender and picturesque than the words of think that those very providential dealings of God,
the venerable patriarch. Full of affection for his be- which have for their object our present and eternal
loved Rachel, he cannot think of parting with Benja- welfare, are rather proofs of his displeasure, or evi-
min, the only remaining pledge of that love, now Jo- dences of his vindictive judgment. All these things
seph, as he supposes, is no more. We seem to behold are against me, said poor desponding Jacob whereas, ;

the gray-headed, venerable father pleading with his instead of being against him, all these things were for
sons, the beloved Benjamin standing by his side, im- him and by all these means was the merciful God
;

patient sorrow in their countenances, and in his all the working for the preservation of himself and his family,
bleeding anxiety of paternal love. It will be difficult and the fulfilment of his ancient promise, that the pos-
to find in any author, ancient or modern, a more exqui- terity of Abraham should be as the stars of heaven for
site picture." multitude. How strange is it that our faith, after so
many evidences of his goodness, should still be so weak
1. There one doctrine relative to the economy
is and that our opinion of him should be so imperfect,
of Divine Providence little heeded among men; I mean that we can never trust in him but while he is under
the doctrine of restitution. When a man has done our own eye If we see him producing good, we can
!

wrong to his neighbour, though, on his repentance, believe that he is doing so, and this is all. If we be-
ind faith in our Lord Jesus, God forgives him his sin, lieve not, he abides faithful; but our unbelief must
yet he requires him to make restitution to the person make our own way extremely perplexing and difficult.

CHAPTER XLITI.
The famine continuing, Jacob go again to Egypt and buy some food, 1,2. Judah shows
desires his sons to
the necessity of Benjamin's accompanying them, loithout lohom it loould be useless to return to Egypt, 3-5.
Jacob expostulates loith him, 6. Judah replies, and offers to become surety for Benjamin, 7—10. Jacob
xefli last consents, and desires them to take a present with them for the governor of Egypt; and double
out V.ney, that which they had brought back in their sacks' mouth, and the price of the load they were notv to
as coritr; and, having prayed for them, sends them away, 11-15. They arrive in Egypt, and are brought
240 a
 : 1

Judah shows the necessity of CHAP. XLIII. going immediately to Egypk

house to dine with him, at which they are greatly alarmed, 16—18.
to Joseph's They speak to the steward
of Josephs house concerning the money returned in their sacks, 19—22. He gives them encouragement,
23, 24. Having made ready the present, they bring it to Joseph when he came home to dine, 25, 26. He
speaks kindly to them, and inquires concerning their health, and that of their father, 27, 28. Joseph ts
greatly affected at seeing his brother Benjamin, 29—31. They dine with him, and are distinguished accord-
ing to their seniority ; but Benjamin receives marks of peculiar favour, 32-34.

A. M. 2297.
B. C. 1707.
A ND the famine was sore m your father yet alive ? have ye a. m. 2297.

the land. another brother ? and we told him —— ' '

-1

2 And it came to pass, when they had eaten according to the ® tenor of these woi:^s : ^ could
up the corn which they had brought out of we certainly know that he would say. Bring
Egypt, their father said unto them, Go again, your brother down ?
buy us a httle food. 8 And Judah said unto Israel his father,
3 And Judah spake unto him, saying. The Send the lad with me, and we will arise and
man ^ did solemnly protest unto us, saying, go that we may live, and not die, ; both we,
Ye shall not see my face, except your ^ bro- and thou, and also our little ones.
ther be with you. 9 I will be surety for him ; of my hand shalt
4 If thou wilt send our brother with us, we thou require him : ^ if I bring him not unto
willgo down and buy thee food thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear
5 But if thou wilt not send him, we will not the blame for ever :

go down for the man said unto us, Ye shall

: 10 For except we had lingered, surely now
not see my face, except your brother be with we had returned ^this second time.
you. 1 And their father Israel said unto them,
6 And Israel said. Wherefore dealt ye so ill If it must he so now, do tliis ; take of the
with me, as to tell the man whether ye had best fruits in the land in your vessels, and
yet a brother ? ^ carry down the man a present, a little '^
balm,
7 And they said. The man ^ asked us straitly and a little honey, spices and myrrh, nuts and
of our state, and of our kindred, saying, Is almonds :

Chap. xli. 54, 57.

» Heb. protesting protested.
•*
Chap. <^
sChap. xliv. 32; Philera. 18, 19. -h Or, tvoice by this.
20 xliv. 23.
xlii. ;
^ Heb. asking asked us. Heb. mouth.'"
'Chap, xxxii. 20; Prov. xviii. 16.— Chap, xxxvii. 25 ;
'Heb. knowing could we know. Jer. viii. 22.

NOTES ON CHAP. XLIII. what was the present brought to Josepl on this occa-
Verse 8. Send me] As the original
the lad with sion 1 After all the labour of commentators, we are
is not lih^ yeled, from which we have derived our word obliged to be contented with probabilities and conjec-
lad, but "^yj naar, it would have been better had our ture. According to our translation, the gifts were
translators rendered it by some other term, such as balm, honey, spices, myrrh, nuts, and almonds.
the youth, or the young man, and thus the distinction Balm] supposed to signify resin in
"'"IV tsori is
in the Hebrew would have been better kept up. Ben- general, or some kind of gum
issuing from trees.
jamin was at this time at least twenty-four years of Honey] 1^31 debash has been supposed to be the
age, some think thirty, and had a family of his own. same as the rob of grapes, called in Egypt dibs.
See chap. xlvi. 21. Others think that honey, in the common sense of the
That we may live, and not die] An argument drawn term, is to be understood here we know that honey :

from self-preservation, what some have termed the first was plentiful in Palestine.
law of nature. By your keeping Benjamin we are pre- Spices] nxUJ nechoth is supposed to mean gum
vented from going to Egypt if we go not to Egypt
; storax, which might be very valuable on account of
we no corn if we get no corn we shall all
shall get ; its qualities as a
perfume.
perish by famine and Benjamin himself, who other-
; Myrrh] supposed by some to mean stacte;
wS lot,
wise might live, must, with thee and the whole family, by others to signify an ointment made of myrrh.
infallibly die. Nuts] CJD!] botnim, by some rendered pistachio
Verse 9. Let me bear the blame for ever] TINt^m nuts, those produced in Syria being the finest in the
D''D"n 73 "]7 vechatathi lecha col haiyamim, then shall world by others, dates ; others, walnuts ; others, pine
;

I sin against thee all my days, and consequently be apples ; others, the nuts of the terebinth tree.
liable to punishment for violating my faith. Almonds] Dnpt? shehedim, correctly enough trans-
Verse 1 1 Carry down the man a present]
. From lated, and perhaps the only article in the collection of
the very earliest times presents were used as means of which we know any thing with certainty. It is gene-
introduction to great men. This is particularly noticed rally allowed that the land of Canaan produces the
by Solomon A man's gift maketh room for him, and best almonds in the east and on this account they
: ;

bnngeth him before great men, Prov. xviii. 16. But might be deemed a very acceptable present to the
Vol. I ( 17 ) 341
 5 : 1

Benjamin accompanies GENESIS. his brethren to Egypt.

A.M. 2297. 12 And take double money in in our sacks at the first time are A. M. 2297.

—^ your hand ; and the money ^ that we brought in : that he may ""
seek
B. C. 1707.

was brought again in the mouth of your sacks, occasion against us, and fall upon US, and
carry it again in your hand ;
peradventure it take us for bondmen, and our asses.
was an oversight 19 And they came near to the steward of
13 Take also your brother, and arise, go Joseph's house, and they communed with him
again unto the man : at the door of the house,
14 And God Almighty give you mercy before 20 And said, sir, ^ we ^ came indeed down
the man, that he may send away your other at the first time to buy food :

brother, and Benjamin. ™ If ° I be bereaved 2 And " it came to pass, when we came
of my children, I am bereaved. to the inn, that we opened our sacks, and,
1 And the men took that present,
and they behold, every man's money was in the mouth
took double money in their hand, and Benja- of his sack, our money in full weight and :

min and rose up, and went down to Egypt, we have brought it again in our hand.
;

and stood before Joseph. 22 And other money have we brought down
16 And when Joseph saw Benjamin with in our hands to buy food ; we cannot tell who
hem, he said to the ° ruler of his house, Bring put our money in our sacks.
thesemen home, and p slay, and make ready 23 And he said. Peace he
; to you, fear not
for thesemen shall i dine with me at noon. your God, and the God of your father, hath
17 And the man did as Joseph bade and given you treasure in your sacks ^ I had your ; :

the man brought the men into Joseph's house. money. And he brought Simeon out unto
18 And the men were afraid, because they them.
were brought into Joseph's house and they 24 And the man brought the men intc ;

said. Because of the money that was returned Joseph's house, and ^ gave them Avater, and

• Chap. xlii. 25, 35. "> Esth. iv. 16. » Or, and I, as I have Heb. roU himself upon us ; Job xxx. 14. 'Ch. xlii. 3, 10
been, &c. ° Chap. xxiv. 2; xxxix. 4; xliv. 1. PHeb. kill a ' Heb. coming down we came down. " Chap. xlii. 27, 35
killing ; 1 Sam. xxv. 11. 1 Heb. eat. ^ Heb. your money came to me. "^ Chap, xviii. 4 xxiv. 32. ;

governor of Egypt. Those who wisli to see this sub- number with them and which, if captured, would have
;

ject exhausted must have recourse to the Physica Sa- been a great loss to the family of Jacob, as such cattle
cra of Scheuchzer. must have constituted a principal part of its riches.
Yerse 12. Double monei/] What was returned in Yerse 20. O sir, ive came indeed to buy food] —
iheir sacks, and what was farther necessary to buy There is a frankness now in the conduct of Joseph's
another load. brethren that did not exist before they simply and ;

Verse 14. This verse may be literally translated honestly relate the whole circumstance of the money
thus " And God, the all-sufficient, shall give you being found in their sacks on their return from their
:

tender mercies before the man, and send to you your last journey. Afflictions from the hand of God, and
other brother, and Benjamin and I, as I shall be child- under his direction, have a wonderful tendency to hum-
;

less, so I shall be childless." That is, I will submit ble the soul. Did men know how gracious his designs
to this privation, till God shall restore my children. are in sending such, no murmur would ever be heard
It appears that this verse
is spoken prophetically ; and against the dispensations of Divine Providence.
that God time gave Jacob a supernatural evi-
at this Verse 23. And he said] The address of the steward
dence that his children should be restored. in this tlie knowledge of the
verse plainly proves that
Verse 16. Slay, and make ready] r\20 n3JD teboach true God was
Egypt.in It is probable that the stew-
tebach, stay a slaying, or make a great slaughter — ard himself was a Hebrew, and that Joseph had given
let preparations be made for a great feast or entertain- him intimation of the whole affair and though he was ;

ment. See a similar form of speech, Prov. ix. 2 ;

not at liberty to reveal it, yet he gives them assu-
J Sam. xxv. 11 and Gen. xxxi. 54.
;
rances that the whole business would issue happily.
Verse 18. And the men ivere afraid] A guilty con- I had your money.] "'Sx X3 D33DD ca.tpcchem ba
science needs no accuser. Every thing alarms them ;
elai, your money comes to me. As I am the steward,
they now feel that God is exacting retribution, and the cash for the corn belongs to me. Ye have no rea-
they know not what the degrees shall be, nor where son to be apprehensive of any evil the whole trans- ;

it shall stop. action is between myself and you receive therefore ;

Fall upon us] li'Sj? SSjnn hithgolel alainu, roU the money as a present from the God of your father,
himself upon us. A
metaphor taken from torestlers ; no matter whose hands he makes use of to convey it.
when a man has overthrown his antagonist, he rolls The conduct of the steward, as well as his tvords, had
himself upon him, in order to keep him down. a great tendency to relieve their burdened minds.
And our asses.] Which they probably had in great Verse 24. Brought the men into Joseph^s house, <!ffC.]
242 { 17* )
 1 ;

Joseph's interview CHAP. XLIII. with his brethren.

A. M. 2297. thev washed their feet : and he gave

° 30 And Joseph made haste ; for a.m. 2297.
B. C. 1707. , r
their asses provender.
, '
* his bowels did yearn upon his —I 1

25 And they made ready the present against brother : and he sought where to weep
Joseph came at noon for they heard that and he : entered into his chamber, and ^wept
they should eat bread there. there.
26 And when Joseph came home, they 3 And he washed his face, and went out,
brought him the present which was in their and refrained himself, and said. Set on ^ bread.
hand into the house, and ' bowed themselves 32 And they set on for him by himself, and
to him to the earth. for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians
27 And he asked them of their y welfare, which did eat with him, by themselves : be-
and said, ^ Is your father well, the old man cause the Egyptians might not eat bread with
* of whom ye spake ? Is he yet alive ? the Hebrews for that is ^ an abomination ;

28 And they answered. Thy servant our unto the Egyptians.

father is in good health, he is yet alive. 33 And they sat before him, the first-born
''
And they bowed down their heads, and made according to his birthright, and the youngest
obeisance. according to his youth and the men marvelled :

29 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his one at another.

brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said,
<=
34 And he took and sent messes unto them
Is this your younger brother, ^ of whom ye from before him but Benjamin's mess was :

spake unto me ? And he said, God be gra- five times so much as any of theirs. And '

cious unto thee, my son they drank and ^ were merry with him.
!

* Chap, xxxvii. 7, 10. y Heb. peace ; chap, xxxvii, 14. dChap. xlii. 13. ^i Rings iii. 26. f.Chap. xlii. 24.
*Heb. Is there peace to your father? »Chap. xlii. 11, 13. g Ver. 25. ^ Chap. xlvi. 34 ; Exod. viii. 26. * Chap. xlv.
22.
Chap, xxxvii. 7, 10.
fc
Chap. xxxv. 17, 18.
<= ^ Heb. drank largely ; see Hag. i. 6 ; John ii. 10.

This is way in which a Hindoo receives a

exactly the brews] There might have been some political reason
guest. As
soon as he enters, one of the first civilities for this,with which we are unacquainted but inde- ;

is the presenting of water to wash his feet. So indis- pendently of this, two may be assigned. 1. The He-
pensable is this, that water to wash the feet makes a brews were shepherds ; and Egypt had been almost
part of the offerings to an image. ruined by hordes of lawless wandering banditti, under
Verse 27. And he asked
ihem of their welfare] This the name of Hycsos, or King-shepherds, who had but
verse may " And he asked theiii
be thus translated :
a short time before this been expelled from the land
concerning their prosperity and he said, Is your ; by Amasis, after they had held it in subjection for
father prosperous, the old nian who ye told me was 259 years, according to Manetho, committing the most
alive And they said. Thy servant our father pros-
?
wanton cruelties. 2. The Hebrews sacrificed those
pers he is yet alive."
; animals which the Egyptians held sacred, and fed on
Verse 29. He lifted up his eyes, and saw his bro- their flesh. The Egyptians were in general very su-
ther Benjamin] They were probably introducfid to perstitious, and would have no social intercourse with
him successively ; and as Benjamin was the youngest, people of any other nation hence we are informed
;

he would of course be introduced last. that they would not even use the knife of a Greek,
God be gracious unto thee, my son !] A usual because they might have reason to suspect it had cut
salutation in the east from the aged and superiors to the fiesh of some of those animals which they held sa-
the younger and inferiors, which, though very em- cred. Among the Hindoos difierent castes will not
phatic and expressive in ancient times, in the present eat food cooked in the vessel. same
If a person of
day means no more than " I am your humble servant," another cooking vessel, it is thrown
caste touch a
or " I am exceedingly glad to see you ;" words which away. Some are of opinion that the Egyptian idola-
—
among us mean just nothing. Even in David's time
they seem to have been, not only devoid of meaning,
try, especially their worship of Apis under the figure
of an ox, was posterior to the time of Joseph ancient ;

but to be used as a cloak for the basest and most monuments are rather against this opinion, but it is

treacherous designs : They bless with their mouths, impossible to decide either way. The clause in the
hut they curse inwardly. Hence Joab salutes Amasa, Alexandrian Septuagint stands thus, BdeAuy/za yap
kisses him with apparent and stabs him in
affection, EdTLV ToiQ AiyvnTLOig [nag Troifirjv TTpojSaruv,] " For
;"
the same, moment The case of Judas, betraying the
! [every shepherd] isan abomination to the Egyptians
Son of man with a kiss, will not be forgotten. but this clause is probably borrowed from chap. xIti.
Verse 32. They set on for him by himself, <^c.] 34, where it stands in the Hebrew as well as in the
From the text it appears evident that there were three Greek. See the note on chap. xlvi. 34.
tables, one for Joseph, one for the Egyptians, and one Verse 33. The first-born according to his birth-
for the eleven brethren. right] This must greatly astonish these brethren, to
The Eygptians might not eat bread with the He- find themselves treated with so much ceremony, and
24?
 ;

Joseph's cup IS put GENESIS. into Benjamtn^s sack.

same time with so much discernment of their 1. THEscarcity in Canaan was not aJioZw^e; though
at the
respective ages. they had no corn, they had honey, nuts, almonds, &c.
Verse 34. Benjamin's mess was Jive times so much In the midst of judgment, God remembers mercy. If
as any of theirs.] Sir John Chardin observes that therewas scarcity in Canaan, there was plenty in
" in Persia, Arabia, and the Indies, there are several Egypt; and though his providence had denied one
houses where they place several plates in large salvers,country com, and accumulated it in the other, his
and set one of these before each person, or before two bounty had placed in the former money enough to
or three, according to the magnificence of each house. procure it from the latter. How true is the saying,
This is the method among the Hindoos the dishes " It is never ill with any but it might be ivorse .'"
;

are not placed on the table, but messes are sent to Let us be deeply thankful to God that we have any
each individual by the master of the feast or by his thing, seeing we deserve no good at his hands.
substitute. The great men of the state are always 2. If we examine our circumstances closely, and
served by themselves, in the feasts that are made for call to remembrance the dealings of God's providence
them and with greater profusion, their part of each towards us, we shall find that we can sing much both
;

kind of provision being always double, treble, or a of mercy and of judgment. For one day of absolute
ij\RGEtt proportion of each kind of meat." The cir- unavoidable want, we shall find we had three hundred
cumstance of Benjamin's having a mess five times as and sixty-four, if not of fulness, yet of a competency.
large as any of his brethren, shows the peculiar honour Famines, though rarely happening, are everywhere
which Joseph designed to confer upon him. See recorded ; innumerable years of abundance are scarcely
several useful observations on this subject in Harmer^s ever registered! Such is the perverseness and in-
Observ.y vol. ii., p. 101, «fec„ Edit. 1808. gratitude of man!

CHAPTER XLIV.
Joseph commands his steward to put his cup secretly into Benjamin's sack, 1, 2. The sons of Jacob depart
with the corn they had purchased, 3. Joseph commands his steward to pursue them, and charge them with
having stolen his cup, 4—6. The brethren excuse themselves, protest their innocence, and offer to submit
to be slaves should the cup be found with any of them, 7—9. Search is made, and the cup is found in
Benjamin's sack, 10—12. They are brought back and submit themselves to Joseph, 13-16. He deter-
mines that Benjamin alone, with whom the cup is found, shall remain in captivity, 17. Judah, in a most
affecting speech, pleads for Benjamin's enlargement, and offers himself to be a bondman in his stead, 18-34.

A.M. 2297. A ND he commanded * the steward 4 And when they were gone out
°^
a. m. 2297.
B.C. f , . ,
-^
„ B. C. 1707.
of his house, saying, Fill the 01 the city, and not yet lar on, .^

men's sacks ivith food, as much as they can Joseph said unto his steward, Up, follow after
cany, and put every man's money in his the men and when : thou dost overtake them,
sack's mouth say unto them. Wherefore have ye rewarded
2 And put my cup, the silver cup, in the evil for good ?

sack's mouth of the youngest, and his corn which my lord drinketh,
5 Is not this it in
money. And he did according to the word and whereby indeed he ^ divineth ? ye have
that Joseph had spoken. done evil in so doing.
3 As soon as the morning was light, the men 6 And he overtook them, and he spake unto
were sent away, they and their asses. them these same words.
' Heb. him that was over his house. ^ Or, makelh trial.

NOTES ON CHAP. XLIV. Joseph from the impeachment of sorcery and divina-
Verse 2. Put my cup — in the sack's mouth of the tion. I take the word {JTIJ nachash here in its gene-
youngest] The stratagem of the cup seems to have ral acceptation of to view attentively, to inquire. Now
been designed to bring Joseph's brethren into the there has been in the east a tradition, the commence-
highest state of perplexity and distress, that their de- ment of which is lost in immemorial time, that there
liverance by the discovery that Joseph was their bro- was a CUP, which had passed successively into the
ther might have its highest effect. hands of different potentates, which possessed the
Verse 5. Whereby
he divineth 1] —
Divination by
strange property of representing in it the whole world
The
cups has been from time immemorial prevalent amonn- and all the things which were then doing in it.
the Asiatics and for want of knowing this, com-
; cup is called t\.M!ww»afc f^^ jami Jemshced, the cup of
mentators have spent a profusion of learned labour Jemsheed, a very ancient king of Persia, whom late
upon these words, in order to reduce them to that historians and poets have confounded with Bacchus,
kind of meaning which would at once be consistent Solomon, Alexander the Great, dfc. This cup, filled
with the scope and design of the history, and save with the elixir of immortality, they say was discovered
244
 2 ; 6
3

TTie embarrassed situation CHAP. XLIV. of JosepJCs hrethretu

A. M. 2297. 7 And they said unto him, Where- 1 Then they ® rent their clothes, a. m. 2297.
B C
~— 1707
L fore saith my lord these words ? and laded every man his ass, and — '

God forbid that thy servants should do accord- returned to the city.
ing to this thing : 14 And Judah and his brethren came to
8 Behold, «=
the money, which we found
he was yet there and in Joseph's house ; for :

our sacks' mouths, we brought again unto thee they f fell before him on the ground.
out of the land of Canaan how then should 15 And Joseph said unto them, What deed
:

we steal out of thy lord's house silver or gold ? is this that ye have done ? wot ye not that
9 With whomsoever of thy servants it be such a man as I can certainly & divine ?
found, ^ both let him die, and we also will be 1 And Judah said. What shall we say unto
my lord's bondmen. my lord ? what shall we speak ? or how shall
10 And he said. Now also let it he accord- we clear ourselves ? God hath found out the
ing unto your words he, with whom it is iniquity of thy servants
: behold, ^ we are my :

found, shall be my servant ; and ye shall be lord's servants, both we, and he also with
blameless. the cup is found. whom
11 Then they speedily 7 And he said, God forbid that I should
took down every ] '

man his sack to the ground, and opened every do so hut the man in whose hand the cup :

man his sack. is found, he shall be my servant and as for ;

1 And he searched, and began at the eldest, you, get you up in peace unto your father.
and left at the youngest and the cup was 18 Then Judah came near unto him, and
;

found in Benjamin's sack. said, O, my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee,
"=
Chap, xliii. 21. J Chap. xxxi. 32. « Chap, xxxvii. 29, 34 ; 'Chap, xxxvii. -s Or, Tnake trial ; verse 5.- Verse 9.
Num. xiv. 6 2 Sam.
; i. 11. • Prov. xvii. 15.

when digging to lay the foundations of Persepolis. The Joseph says, ver. 1 5 : Wot ye no^—did ye not know,
Persian poets are full of allusions to this cup, which, that such a person as I (having such a cup) loould
from its property of representing the whole world and accurately and attentively look into it ? As I consider

^^ tj^f^ f *^ jam this to be the true meaning, I shall not trouble the
its transactions, is styled by them
reader v\'ith other modes of interpretation.
jehan nima, " the cup showing the universe ;" and to
Verse 16. What shall No words can
toe say, 4"C.]
the intelligence received by means of it they attribute
more strongly mark confusion and perturbation of mind.
the great prosperity of their ancient monarchs, as by it
They, no doubt, all thought that Benjamin had actually
they understood all events, past, present, and to come.
stolen the cup ; and the probability of this guilt might
Many of the Mohammedan princes and governors affect
be heightened by the circumstance of his having that
still have information of futurity by means of a cup.
to
very cup to drink out of at dinner for as he had the
When Mr. Norden was at Derri in the farthest part
;

most honourable mess, so it is likely he had the most

of Egypt, in a very dangerous situation, an ill-natured
honourable cup to drink out of at the entertainment.
and powerful Arab, in a threatening way, told one of
Verse 18. Thou art even as Pharaoh.] As wise,
their people whom they sent to him that " he knew
as powerful, and as much to be dreaded as he. In
what sort of people they were, for he had consulted
the Asiatic countries, the reigning monarch is always
his cup, and found by it that they were thosS"of whom
considered to be the pattern of all perfection ; and the
one of their prophets had said, that Franks (Europeans)
highest honour that can be conferred on any person, is
would come in disguise and, passing everywhere,
;
to resemble him to the monarch as the monarch him- ;
examine the state of the country and afterwards ;
same complimentary way, to an
self is likened, in the
bring over a great number of other Franks, conquer
angel of God. See 2 Sam. xiv. 17, 18. Judah is the
the country, and exterminate all." By this we see chief speaker here, because it was in consequence of his
that the tradition of the diviningcup still exists, and
becoming surety for Benjamin that Jacob permitted him
in the very same country too in which Joseph formerly
to accompany them to Egypt. See chap, xliii. 9.
ruled. Now though it is not at all likely that Joseph
practised any kind of divination, yet probably, accord-
ing to the superstition of those times, (for I suppose " Every man who reads," says Dr. Dodd, " to the
the tradition to be even older than the time of Joseph,) close of this chapter, must confess that Judah acts here
supernatural influence might be attributed to his cup the part both of the affectionate brother and of the du-
and as the whole transaction related here was merely tiful son,who, rather than behold his father's misery
intended to deceive his brethren for a short time, he in case of Benjamin's being left behind, submits to be-
might as well affect divination by his cup, as he affected come a bondman in his stead and indeed there is such :

to believe they had stolen it. The steward therefore an air of candour and generosity running through the
uses the word tynJ nachash in its proper meaning: whole strain of this speech, the sentiments are so tender
Is not this it out of which my lord drinJceth, and in and affecting, the expressions so passionate, and flow so
which he inspecteth arrurately 1 ver. 5. And hence much from artless nature, that it is no wonder if they
245
 19

JudaKs affecting speech

\ GENESIS. in behalf of Benjamin
A. M. 2297.speak a word in my lord's ears, 27 And thy servant my father A. M. 2297.
B. C. 1707.
and ^ let not thine anger bum said unto us. Ye know that p my -^ - —
against thy servant for thou art even as wife bare me two sons :
:

Pharaoh 28 And the one went out from me, and I

1 My lord asked his servants, saying, Have said, 1 Surely he is torn in pieces and I saw :

ye a father, or a brother ? him not since :

20 And we said unto my lord. have a We

29 And if ye ^ take this also from me, and
father, an old man, and ^ a child of his old age, mischief befall him, ye shall bring down my
a little one and his brother is dead, and he gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.
;

alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth 30 Now therefore, when I come to thy ser-
him. vant my father, and the lad be not with us ;

2 And thou saidst unto thy servants, ™ Bring (seeing that ^ his life is bound up in the lad's
him down unto me, that I may set mine eyes life ;)
upon him. 31 It shall come to pass, when he seeth
22 And we said unto my lord. The lad that the lad is not with us, that he will die ;

cannot leave his father : for if he should leave and thy servants shall bring down the gray
Jiis. father, his father would die. hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to
23 And thou saidst unto thy servants, ° Ex- the grave.
cept your youngest brother come down with 32 For thy servant became surety for the
you, ye shall see my face no more. lad unto my father, saying, * If I bring him
24 And it came to pass when we came up not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame to
unto thy servant my father, we told him the my father for ever.
words of my lord. 33 Now therefore, I pray thee, " let thy
25 And ° our father said. Go again, and huy servant abide instead of the lad, a bondman
us a httle food. to my lord ; and let the lad go up with his
26 And we said, We cannot go down : if brethren,
our youngest brother be with us, then will we 34 For how shall I go up to my father, and
go down : for we may not see the man's face, the lad be not with me ? lest peradventure I
except our youngest brother be with us. see the evil that shall ^ come on my father.

^ Chap, xviii. 30, 32 Exod. xxxii. 22.

;
' Chap, xxxvii. 3. "•Chap. xlii. 36, 38. '1 Sam. xviii. 1. 'Chap, xliii. 9.
"Chap. xlii. 15, 20. "Chapter xliii. 3, 5. "Chap, xliii. 2. " Exod. xxxii. 32. "Keh. find my father ; Exod. xviii. 8 Job ;

PChap. xlvi. 19. qChap. xxxvii. 33. xxxi. 29; Psa. cxvi. 3; cxix. 143.

came home Joseph's heart, pnd forced him to throw

to To two such able and accurate testimonies I may be
off the " "Wlien one sees," says Dr. Jackson,
mask." permitted to add my own. No paraphrase can heighten
" such passages related hy men who affect no art, and the effect of Judah's address to Joseph. To add would
who lived long c/Ver the parties who first uttered them, be to diminish its excellence to attempt to explain ;

we cannot conceive how all particulars could be so would be to obscure its beauties to clothe the ideas ;

naturally and fully recorded, unless they had been sug- in other language than that of Judah, and his transla-
who gives mouths and speech unto
gested by His Spirit tors in our Bible, would ruin its energy, and destroy
men who, being alike present to all successions, is
; its influence. It is perhaps one of the most tender,
able to communicate the secret thoughts of forefathers affecting pieces of natural oratory ever spoken or
to their children, and put the very words of the de- penned; and we need not wonder to find that when
ceased, never registered before, into the mouths or pens Joseph heard it he could not refrain himselt, but wept
of their successors born many ages after; and that as aloud. His soul must have been insensible beyond
exactly and distinctly as if they had been caught, in what is common to human nature, had he not imme-
characters of steel or brass, as they issued out of their diately yielded to a speech so delicately tender, and so
mouths. For it is plain that every circumstance is powerfully impressive. We
cannot but deplore the
here related with such natural specifications, as if Moses unnatural and unscientific division of the narrative in
had heard them talk and therefore could not have
; our common Bibles, which obliges us to have re-
been thus represented to us, unless they had been writ- course to another chapter in order to witness the
ten by His direction who knows all things, fore-past, effects which this speech produced on the heart of
present, or to come." Joseph.
246
 ;

Joseph, deeply affected, makes CHAP. XLV. himself known to his brethren.

CHAPTER XLV.
Joseph, deeply affected ivith the speech of Judah, could no longer conceal himself, but discovers himself to his
brethren, 1-4. Excuses their conduct towards him, and attributes the whole to the providence of God, 6-8.
Orders them to hasten to Canaan, and bring up their father and their own families, cattle, <^c., because
famine yet to come, 9-13.
there luere five years of the He embraces and converses with all his brethren,
14, 15. Pharaoh, hearing that Joseph's brethren were come to Egypt, and that Joseph had desired them
to return to Canaan and bring back their families, not only confirms the order, but promises them the
best

part of the land of Egypt to dwell in; and provides them carriages to transport themselves and their house-
holds, 16-20. Joseph provides them with ivagons according to the commandment of Pharaoh; and
having given them various presents, sends them away tvith suitable advice, 21-24. They depart, arrive
in Canaan, and announce the glad tidings to their father, who for a time believes not, but Ireing assured of
the truth of their relation, is greatly comforted, and resolves to visit Egypt, 26-28.

A. M. 2297. T^HEN Joseph could not refrain brethren could not answer him A. M. 2297.
B. C. 1707.
B. C. 1707.
himself before all them that for they were " troubled at his
stood by him ; and he cried, Cause every presence.
man to go out from me. And there stood 4 And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come
no man with him, while Joseph made himself near to me, I pray you. And they came near.
known unto his brethren. And he said, I am Joseph your brother,

2 And he wept aloud and the Egyptians

'^ whom ye sold into Egypt.
:
"^

and the house of Pharaoh heard. 5 Now therefore « be not grieved, ^ nor angry
3 And Joseph said unto his brethren, ^ lam with yourselves, that ye sold me hither ^ for :

Joseph doth my father yet live ? And his God did send me before you to preserve life
;

»Heb. gave forth his voice in weeping ; Num. xiv. 1. •> Acts « Isa. xl. 2 ; 2 Cor. ii. 7. f
Heb. neither let there he anger in
vii. 13. <=
Or, terrified ; Job iv. 5 ; xxiii. 15 ; Matt. xiv. 26 ;
your eyes. eChap. 1. 20; Psa. cv. 16, 17; see 2Sam.xvi. 10,

Mark vi. 50. '^

Chap, xxxvii. 28. 11 ; Acts iv. 24.

NOTES CHAP. XLV. ON they cease all at once, and then begin as suddenly,
Verse Joseph could not refrain himself]
1. The with a greater shrillness and loudness than one .could
word p3Xnn hithappek is very emphatic it signifies to easily imagine." This circumstance Sir John brings
;

force one's self, to do something against nature, to do to illustrate the verse in question. See Harmer, vol.
violence to one''s self. Joseph could no longer constrain iii. p. 17. But the house of Pharaoh may certainly
himself to act a feigned part —
all the brother and the signify Pharaoh's servants, or any of the members of
son rose up in him at once, and overpowered all his his household, such as those whom Joseph had desired
resolutions; he felt for h.\s father, he realized his dis- to withdraw, and who might still be within hearing of
appointment and agony and he felt for his brethren, his voice.
;
After all, the words may only mean that the
" now at his feet submissive in distress ;" and, that he report was brought to Pharaoh's house. See ver. 16.
might give free and full scope to his feelings, and the Verse 3. / am Joseph] Mr. Pope supposed that
most ample play to the workings of his affectionate the discovery of Ulysses to his son Telemachus bears
heart, he ordered all his attendants to go out, while he some resemblance to Joseph's discovery of himself to
made himself known to his brethren. " The^ beauties his brethren. The passage may be seen in Homer,
of this chapter," says Dr. Dodd, " are so striking, that Odyss. 1. xvi., ver. 186-218.
it would be an indignity to the reader's judgment to A few lines from Coivper''s translation will show
point them out all who can read and feel must be sen- much of the spirit of the original, and also a consider
;

sible of them, as there is perhaps nothing in sacred or able analogy between the two scenes :—
profane history more highly wrought up, more interest-
"I am thy father, for whose sake thou lead'st
ing or affecting."
The Egyptians and
A life of wo by violence oppress'd.
Verse 2. the house of Pharaoh while from his cheeks
So saying, he kiss'd his son ;

heard.] It seems strange that Joseph should have

Tears trickled, tears till then perforce restrain'd.
wept so loud that his cries should be heard at some
Then threw Telemachus
considerable distance, as we may suppose his dwelling
" But this," says
His arms around his father's neck, and ivept.
was not very nigh to the palace !
Pangs of soft sorrow, not to be suppress''d,
Sir John Chardin, " is exactly the genius of the people
of Asia — their sentiments of joy or grief are properly
Seized both.
So they, their cheeks with big round drops of wo
transports, and their transports are ungoverned, exces-
Bedeiuing, stood."
sive, and truly outrageous. When any one returns
from a long journey, or dies, his family burst into cries Verse 5. Be not grieved, nor angry ivith yourselves]
that may be heard twenty doors off ; and this is re- This discovers a truly noble mind : he not only for-
those who had
newed at different times, and continues many days, gives and forgets, but he wishes even
the injury they had done, that
according to the vigour of the passion. Sometimes wronged him to forget
247
 — ; 21 :

Joseph directs his brethren GENESIS. to brmg their father to him.

A. M. 2297. 6 For these two years hath the Goshen, and thou shalt be near a. m. 2297.
— ^
'
'-
famine been in the and yet unto me, thou, and thy children,
land :
B. C. 1707,

there are five years, in the which there shall and thy children's children, and thy flocks,
neither be earing nor harvest. and thy herds, and all that thou hast
7 And God sent me before you ^ to preserve 1 And there will I nourish thee ;
(for yet
you a posterity in the earth, and to save your there are five years of famine ;) lest thou,
lives by a great deliverance. and thy household, and all that thou hast»
8 So now it was not you that sent me hither, come to poverty.
but God and he hath made me
: a father to '
1 And, behold, your eyes see, and the eyes
Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler of my brother Benjamin, that it is ^ my mouth
throughout all the land of Egypt. that speaketh unto you.
9 Haste ye, and go up to my father, and 13 And ye shall tell my father of all my
say unto him, Thus saith thy son Joseph, God glory in Egypt, and of all that ye have seen;
hath made me lord of all Egypt come down and ye shall haste and :
*" bring down my fa-
unto me, tarry not. ther hither.
1 And ^ thou shall dwell in the land of 14 And he fell upon his brother Benjamin's
•> Heb. to put for you a re/nnant. '
Ch. xli. 43 ; Judg. xvii. 10 Jobxxix. 16. k Ch. xlvii. 1. 1 Ch. xlii. 23.- '
Acts vii. 14.

they might not suffer distress on the account and with with me, and be unto me a father and a priest. And
;

deep piety he attributes the whole to the providence Diodorus Siculus remarks that the teachers and coun-
of God for, says he, God did send me before you to sellors of the kings of Egypt were chosen out of the
;

preserve life. On every word here a strong emphasis priesthood.

may be laid. It is not you, but God; it is not you Verse 10. Thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen]
that sold me, but God who sent me Egypt and Ca- Probably this district had been allotted to Joseph by
;

naan must both have perished, had not a merciful pro- the king of Egypt, else we can scarcely think he could
vision been made you were to come down hither, and have promised it so positively, without first obtaining
;

God sent me before you death must have been the Pharaoh's consent. Goshen was the most easterly
;

consequence of this famine, had not God sent me here province of Lower Egypt, not far from the Arabian
to preserve life. Gulf, lying next to Canaan, (for Jacob went directly
Verse 6. There shall neither he earing nor harvest.] thither when he came into Egypt,) from whence it is
Earing has been supposed to mean collecting the ears supposed to have been about fourscore miles distant,
of corn, which would confound it with harvest : the though Hebron was distant from the Egyptian capital
word, however, mea,ns ploughing or seed-time, from the about three hundred miles. At Goshen Jacob stayed
Anglo-Saxon ejuan erian, probably borrowed from the till Joseph visited him, chap. xlvi. 28. It is also called
Latin aro, io plough, and plainly means that there should the land of Rameses, chap, xlvii. 11, from a city of
be no seed-time, and consequently no harvest; and why ? that name, which was the metropolis of the country.
Because there should be a total want of rain in other Josephus, Antiq., 1. ii., c. 4, makes Heliopolis, the city
countries, and the Nile should not rise above twelve of Joseph's father-in-law, the place of the Israelites'
cubits in Egypt; see on chap. xli. 31. But the ex- residence. As Dt^J geshem signifies rain in Hebrew,
pressions here must be qualified a little, as we find from St. Jerome and some others have supposed that "ilOl
chap, xlvii. 19, that the Egyptians came to Joseph to GosheJi comes from the same root, and that the land
buy seed ; and it is probable that even during this in question was called thus because it had rain, which
famine they sowed some of the ground, particularly on was not the case with Egypt in general and as it was ;

the borders of the river, from which a crop, though on the confines of the Arabian Gulf, it is very probable
not an abundant one, might be produced. The passage, that it was watered from heaven, and it might be ow-
however, in the above chapter may refer to the last ing to this circumstance that it was peculiarly fertile,
year of the famine, when they came to procure seed for it is stated to be the best of the land of Egypt.
^for the ensuing year. See chap, xlvii. 6, 11. See also Calmet and Dodd
Verse 8. He hath made me a father to Pharaoh] It Verse 12. That it is my mouth that speaketh unto
has already been conjectured that father was a name you.] The Targum of Jonathan ben TJzziel renders
9i^ office in Egypt, and th^it father of Pharaoh might the place thus " Your eyes see, and the eyes of my :
—
among them signify the same as prime minister or the brother Benjamin, that it is my own mouth that speaketh
king''sSiiinister does among us. Calmet has remarked with you, in the language of the house of the sanc-
that among the Phoenicians, Persians, Arabians, and tuary." Undoubtedly Joseph laid considerable stress
Romans, the title o( father was given to certain oflicers on his speaking with them in the Hcbreiv tongue, with-
of state. The Roman emperors gave the name of out the assistance of an interpreter, as in the case
father to the prefects of the Praetorium, as appears by mentioned chap. xlii. 23.
the letters of Constantine to Ablavius. The caliphs Verse 14. He fell tipon his brother Benjamin's neck]
gave the same name to their prime ministers. In Among the Asiatics kissing the beard, the 7teck, and
Judges xvii. 10, Micahsaysto the young Levite, Divfll the shoulders, is in use to the present day and probably :

248
 —

They return to Canaan CHAP. XLV. laden tvith rich presents

A.M. 2297. neck, and wept and Benjamin Joseph gave them wagons, accord- a.m. 2297.
;

B.C. 1707.
wept ^
upon I,-
his neck. ing to the ^ commandment of Pha-
1
L —— '.

15 Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and raoh, and gave them provision for the way.
wept upon them and after that his brethren
: 22 To all of them he gave each man changes
talked with him. of raiment but to Benjamin he gave three ;

16 And the fame thereof was heard in hundred pieces of silver, and ^ five changes of
Pharaoh's house, saying, Joseph's brethren raiment.
are come : and it ° pleased Pharaoh well, and 23 And to his father he sent after this man-
his servants. ner ; ten asses ^ laden with the good things
17 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Say unto of Egypt, and ten she-asses laden with corn
thy brethren, This do ye lade your beasts, and bread and meat for his father by the way
:

and go, get you unto the land of Canaan 24 So he sent his brethren away, and they
;

18 And take your father, and your house- departed and he said unto them. See that :

holds, and come unto me and I will give you ye fall not out by the way.
:

the good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall 25 And they went up out of Egypt, and
eat ° the fat of the land. came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their
19 Now thou art commanded, this do ye ;
father,
take you wagons out of the land of Egypt for 26 And told him, saying, Joseph is yet alive,
your little ones, and for your wives, and bring and he is governor over all the land of Egypt.
your father, and come. * And " Jacob's heart fainted, for he believed
20 Also P regard not them not.
your stuff; for the
good of all the land of Egypt is yours. 27 And they told him all the words of
21 And the children of Israel did so: and Joseph, which he had said unto them and :

"Heb. was good in the eyes of Pharaoh; chap. xli. 37. iHeh. mouth ; Num. iii. 16. > Chap, xliii. 34. ^Heb.
°Chap. xxvii. 28; Num. xviii. 12, 29. PHeb. let not your eyes carrying. Job xxix. 24; Psa. cxxvi. 1 ;' Luke xxiv. 11, 41.
'

spare, &c. "Heb. his.

falling on the neck signifies no more than kissing the prepared meat, some made-up dish, delicacies, confec-
neck or shoulders, with the arms around. tionaries, &c. As the word is used, 2 Chron. xvi. 14,
Verse 20. Regard not your stuff] Literally, Let for aromatic preparations, it may be restrained in its
not your eye spare your instruments or vessels. 03^73 meaning to something of that kind here. Jn Asiatic
heleychem, a general term, in which may be included countries they have several curious methods of pre-
household furniture, agricultural utensils, or implements serving flesh by potting, by which it may be kept for
of any description. They were not to delay nor en- any reasonable length of timo sweet and wholesome.
cumber themselves with articles which could be readily Some delicacy, similar to the savoury food which Isaac
found in Egypt, and were not worth so long a carriage. loved, may be here intended and this was sent to Ja-
;

Verse 2 1 Joseph gave them wagons] mSji? agaloth,

. cob in consideration of his age, and to testify the re
from 7J>' agal, which, though not used as a verb in the spect of his son. Of other kinds of meat he could
Hebrew Bible, evidently means to turn round, roll need none, as he had large herds, and could kill a lamb,
round, be circular, &c., and hence very properly ap- whenever he pleased.
kid, sheep, or goat,
plied to wheel carriages. It appears from this that Verse 24. See that ye fall not out by the \vay.] This
such vehicles were very early in use, and that the road prudent caution was given by Joseph, to prevent his
from Egypt to Canaan must have been very open and brethren from accusing each other for having sold him ;

much frequented, else such carriages could not have and to prevent them from envying Benjamin, for the
passed by it. superior favour shown him by his brother. It is strange,
Verse 22. Changes of raiment] It is a common but so it is, that children of the same parents are apt
custom with all the Asiatic sovereigns to give both to envy each other, fall out, and contend and there-
;

garments and money to ambassadors and persons of fore the exhortation in this verse must be always sea-
distinction, whom they particularly wish to honour. sonable in a large family. But a rational, religious
Hence they keep in their wardrobes several hundred education will, under God, prevent every thing of this
changes of raiment, ready made up for presents of this sort.
kind That such were given by way of reward and Verse 26. JacoVs heart fainted] Probably the good
honour, see Judges xiv. 12, 19 Rev. vi. 11. At the ; so overpowered him as to cast him into a swoon.
news
close of a feast the Hindoos, among other presents to He believed them not he thought it was too good news —
the guests, commonly give new garments. A Hindoo to be true ; and though it occasioned his swooning, yet
garment is merely a piece of cloth, requiring no work on his recovery he could not fully credit it. See a
of the Ward. Luke
tailor.
Verse 23. Meat for his father by the way.] piD
similar case,
Verse 27. When
xxiv. 41.
he saw the loagons
— the spirit of
mazon, from |t zan, to prepare, provide, &c. Hpnce Jacnh—revived] The wagons were additional '^v?

a 249
 ! —
JacoVs joy upon hearing GENESIS. that Joseph was yet alive.

A. M. 2297. when he saw the wagons which 28 And Israel said, It is enouffh ;
a.m. 2297.
B. C. 1707. T , . T T B.C. 1707.
Joseph had sent to carry him, the Joseph my son
•

is yet alive : I

spirit of Jacob their father revived : will sfo and see him before I die.

dences of the truth of what he had heard from his desolate father, in whose affection he himself had long
sons and the consequence was, that he was restored
; lived, is the most difficult to be satisfactorily accounted
to fresh vigour, he seemed as if he had gained new for. Unless the Spirit of prophecy had assured him
life, Tim vattechi, and he lived; revixit, says the Vul- that this experiment would terminate
most fa- in the
gate, he lived afresh. The Septuagint translate the vourable manner, his conduct in making cannot well it

original word by avei^uTzvprjae, which signifies the bloiv- be vindicated. To such prophetic intimation this con-
ing and stirring up of almost extinguished embers that duct has been attributed by learned men and we may ;

had been buried under the ashes, which word St. Paul say that this consideration, does not untie the knot,
if it

uses, 2 Tim. i. 6, for stirring up the gift of God. The at least cuts it. Perhaps it is best to say that in all
passage at once shows the debilitated state of the vene- these things Joseph acted as he was directed by a pro-
rable patriarch, and the wonderful effect the news of vidence, under the influence of which he might have
Joseph's preservation and glory had upon his mind. been led to do many things which he had not previously
Verse 28. It is enough ; Joseph my son is yet alive] designed. The issue proves that the hand of God's
It was not the state of dignity to which Joseph had wisdom and goodness directed, regulated, and governed
arisen that particularly affected Jacob, it was the con- every circumstance, and the result was glory to God in
sideration that he was still alive. It was this that the highest, and on earth, peace and good will among men.
caused him to exclaim 31 rab ; " much ! multiplied 4. This chapter, which contains the unravelling of
my son is yet alive I will go and see him before I
! the plot, and wonderfully illustrates the mysteries of
die." None can realize this scene the words, the ; these particular providences, is one of the most in-
circumstances, all refer to indescribable feelings. teresting in the whole account : the speech of Joseph
to his brethren, ver. 1—13, is inferior only to that of
1. In Joseph's conduct to his brethren there are Judah in the preceding chapter. He saw that his
several things for which it is difficult to account. It brethren were confounded at his presence, that they
is strange, knowing how much were struck with his present power, and that they keenly
his father loved him,
that he never took an opportunity, many of which must
remembered and deeply deplored their o\vn guilt. It
have offered, to acquaint him that he was alive and was necessary to comfort them, lest their hearts should
;

that self-interest did not dictate the propriety of this have been overwhelmed with overmuch sorrow. How
to him is at first view surprising, as his father would delicate and finely wrought is the apology he makes
undoubtedly have paid his ransom, and restored him to for them the whole heart of the affectionate brother
!

liberty but a little reflection will show that prudence is at once seen in it art is confounded and swallowed
:

dictated secrecy. His brethren, jealous and envious up by nature " Be not grieved, nor angry with your- —
in the extreme, would soon have found out other methods selves —
it \\2iS not you that sent me hither, but God."

of destroying his life, had they again got him into their What he says also concerning his father shows the
power. Therefore for his personal safety, he chose warmest feelings of a benevolent and filial heart. In-
rather to be a bond-slave in Egypt than to risk his life deed, the whole chapter is a master-piece of composi-
by returning home. On this ground it is evident that tion and it is the more impressive because it is evi-
;

he could not with any safety have discovered the place dently a simple relation of facts just as they occurred;
of his residence. for no attempt is made to heighten the eflfect by rhe-
His carriage to his brethren, previously to his
2. torical colouring or philosophical reflections ; it is all

making himself known, appears inexcusably harsh, if simple, sheer nature, from beginning to end. It is a
not vindictive ; but when the men are considered, it history that has no fellow, crowded with incidents as
will appear sufficiently evident thatno other means probable as they are true ; where every passion is called
would have been adequate to awaken their torpid con- into action, where every one acts up to his own cha-
sciences, and bring them to a due sense of their guilt. racter, and where nothing is outre in time, or extrava-
A desperate disease requires a desperate remedy. The gant in degree. Had not the history of Joseph formed
event ju.stificd all that he did, and God appears to have a part of the sacred Scriptures, it would have been
been the director of the whole. published in all the living languages of man, and read
3. His conduct in requiring Benjamin to be as it throughout the universe But it contains the things
!

were torn away from the bleeding heart of an aged, of God, and to all such the carnal mind is enmity.

CHAPTER XLVI.
Jacob begins his journey to Egypt, comes to Beer-sheba, and offers sacrifices to God, I God appears to him .

in a vision, gives him gracious promises, and assures him of his protection, 2-4. He proceeds, loith his
family and their cattle, on his journey toioards Egypt, 5-7. A genealogical enumeration of the seventy
persons who went down to Egypt, 8, dj-c. The posterity of Jacob by Lkah. Reuben and his sons, 9,
Simeon ajid hissui,!!, 10. TiPvi and bis sons, 11. .liulah and his sons, 12. lssach;ir and his sons, 13.
J.')0 a
 : .

Jacob and his family CHAP. XLVI. go into Egypt

And Zebulun and his sons, 14. All the posterity 0/ Jacob by Leah, thirty and three, 15.
The posterity
of Jacob by Zilpah. Asher and his sons, 17. All the posterity of Jacob by
Gad and his sons, 16.
ZiLPAH, sixteer, 18. The posterity o/" Jacob by Rachel. Joseph an^ his sons, 19, 20. Benjamin and
his S071S, 21. All the posterity of Jacob by Rachel, fourteen, 22. The posterity 0/ Jacob by Bilhah.
Dan and his sons, 23. Naphtali a7id his sons, 24. All the posterity of Jacob by Bilhah, seven, 25.
All the immediate descendants of Jacob by his four loives, threescore and six, 26 and all the descendants ;

of the house of Jacob, seventy souls, 27. Judah is sent before to inform Joseph of his father's coming, 28.
Joseph goes to Goshen to meet Jacob, 29. Their affecting intervieiv, 30. Joseph proposes to return to
Pharaoh, and inform him of the arrival of his family, 31, and of their occupation, as keepers of cattle, 32.
Instructs them what to say when called before Pharaoh, and questioned by him, that they might he per-
mitted to dtvell unmolested in the land of Goshen, 33, 34.

A.M. 2298. AND Israel took his journey and their little ones, and their wives, a. m. 2298.

.^1— '-
with all that he had, and came in the wagons ^ which Pharaoh had —— '
^

to ^ Beer-sheba, and offered sacrifices ^ unto sent to carry him.

the God of his father Isaac. 6 And they took their cattle, and their goods,
2 And God spake unto Israel "^
in the visions which they had gotten in the land of Canaan,
of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And and came into Egypt, Jacob, and all his seed ^

he said, Here am 1. with him :

3 And he said, I am God, ^ the God of thy 7 His sons, and his sons' sons with him,
father : fear not to go down into Egypt ; for and his sons' daughters, and all
his daughters,
I will there ^make of thee a great nation : his seed brought he with him into Egypt.
4^1 will go down with thee into Egypt, 8 And ^ these are the names of the children
and I will also surely ^ bring thee up again which came into Egypt, Jacob and
of Israel,
and ^ Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes. his sons ^ Reuben, Jacob's first-born.
:

6 And Jacob rose up from Beer-sheba

' : and 9 And the sons of Reuben Hanoch, and ;

the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, Phallu, and Hezron, and Carmi.

Chap. xxvi. 24, 25 s Chap. XV. 16 1. 13, 24, 25 Exod. iii. 8. ^ Chap. 1. t.
» Chap. xxi. 31,33; xxviii. 10. *•
; xxviii. ; ;

'Acts vii. 15. ^ Chap. xlv. 19, 21. ' Deut. xxvi. 5 Josh.
13 ; xxxi. 42. cChap. xv. 1 ; Job xxxiii. 14, 15. ^ Chap. ;

xxviii. 13. "=Chap. xii. 2; Deut. xxvi. 5. ' Chap, xxviii. xxiv. 4; Psa. cv. 23; Isa. Iii. 4. "Exod. i. 1; vi. 14.
° Num. xxvi. 5 1 Chron. v. 1
15; xlviii. 21. ;

NOTES ON CHAP. XLVI. upon thine eyes. It is not likely that Jacob would have

Verse 1 . And came

Beer-sheba] This place ap-to at allattempted to go down to Egypt, had he not re-
pears to be mentioned, not only because it was the way ceived these assurances from God and it is very likely ;

from Hebron, where Jacob resided, to Egypt, whither that he offered his sacrifice merely to obtain this in-
he was going, but because it was a consecrated place, formation. It was now a time of famine in Egypt,

a place where God had appeared to Abraham, chap, and God had forbidden his father Isaac to go down to

xxi. 33, and to Isaac, chap. xxvi. 23, and where Jacob Egypt when there was a famine there, chap. xxvi.
is encouraged to expect a manifestation of the same 1—3 besides, he may have had some general intima-
;

goodness he chooses therefore to begin his journey

: tion of the prophecy delivered to his grandfather Abra-
with a visit to God''s house ; and as he was going into ham, that his seed should be afflicted in Egypt, chap.
a strange land, he feels it right to renew his^ovenant XV. 13, 14 and he also knew that Canaan, not Egypt,
;

with God by sacrifice. There is an old proverb which was &c.

to be the inheritance of his family, chap, xii.,
applies strongly to this case " Prayers and provender : On all these accounts it was necessary to have the most
never hinder any man's journey." He who would travel explicit directions from God, before he should take such
safely must take God with him. a journey.
Verse 3. Fear not to go down into Egypt] It ap- Verse 7. All his seed brought he ivilh him into
pears that there had been some doubts in the patriarch's Egypt.] When Jacob went down into Egypt he was
mind relative to the propriety of this journey he found, ; in the one hundred and thirtieth year of his age, tioo
from the confession of his own sons, how little they hundred and fifteen years after the promise was made
were to be trusted. But every doubt is dispelled by to Abraham, chap. xii. 1-4, in the year of the world
this Divine manifestation. 1. He may go down con- 2298, and before Christ 1706.
fidently, no evil shall befall him. 2. Even in Egypt Verse 8. These are the names of the children of
the covenant shall be fulfilled, God will make of him Israel] It may be necessary to observe here, First,
there a great nation. 3. God himself will acompany that several of these names are expressed differently
him on his journey, be with him in the strange land, elsewhere, Jemuel for Nemuel, Jachin for Jarib, Ger-
and even bring back his bones to rest with those of his shon for Gershom, &c. compare Num. xxvi. 12
;
1 ;

fathers. 4. He shall see Joseph, and this same be- Chron. iv. 24. But it is no uncommon case for the
loved son shall be with him in his last hours, and do same person to have different names, or the same
the last kind office for him. Joseph shall put his hand name to be differently pronounced see chap. xxv. 15. ;

251
 21 76 . ;

Enumeration of the seventy GENESIS. persons who went into Egypt

A. M. 2298. 1 And ° the sons of Simeon ;

his daughters were thirty and A. M. 2298.
B. C. 1706. B. C. 1706.
pJemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, three
and 1 Jachin, and ""
Zohar, and Shaul the son of 1 And the sons of Gad ;
^ Ziphion, and
a Canaanitish woman. Haggi, Shuni, and " Ezbon, Eri, and ^ Arodi,
1 And the sons of ^ Levi ;
' Gershon, Ko- and Areli.
hath, and Merari. 1 " And the sons of Asher
Jimnah, and ;

1 And
Judah Er, and Onan, Ishuah, and Isui, and Beriah, and Serah their
the sons of " ;

and Shelah, and Pharez, and Zarah but sister and the sons of Beriah Heber, and :
: ;

' Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. Malchiel.

And ^ the sons of Pharez were Hezron and 18'^ These are the sons of Zilpah, ^ whom
Hamul. Laban gave to Leah, his daughter ; and these
"•»«J-^« And the sons of Issachar : Tola, and she bare lintc Jacob, even sixteen souls.
yPhuvah, and Job, and Shimron. 19 The sons of Rachel ''Jacob's wife;
M
And the sons of Zebulun Sered, and Joseph and Benjamin. ;

Elon, and Jahleel, 20 ^And unto Joseph in the land of Egypt

15 These he the sons of Leah, which she were born Manasseh and Ephraim, which
bare unto Jacob in Padan-aram, with his Asenath the daughter of Poti-pherah ^ priest
daughter Dinah all the souls of his sons and of On bare unto him.
:

oExod. vi. 15; 1 Chron. iv. 24. P Or, Nemuel. Or, <) ^ 1 Chron. vii. 1. y Or, Puah, and Jashub. ^ Num. xxvi.
Jarib. fOr, Zcrah ; 1 Chron. iv. 24. '1 Chron. vi. 1, 16. 15, &c., Zephon. ' Or, Ozni. ^ Or, Arod. •=
Chron. vii
1
'Or, Gershom. " J Chron. ii. 3 iv. 21. Chap, xxxviii.
; '' 30. d Chap. XXX. 10. e Chap. xxix. 24. ' Chap. xliv. 27.
3, 7, 10. "•
Chap, xxxviii. 29 1 Chron. ii. 5. ; e Chap. xli. 50. Or, prince.
•>

Secondlj/, that it is probable that some names in this list found in either the Hebrew or the Samaritan at present
are brought in by prolepsis or anticipation, as the per- and some suppose that it was taken either from
sons were born (probably) during the seventeen years Num. xxvi. 29, 35, or 1 Chron. vii. 14-20, but in
which Jacob sojourned in Egypt, see ver. 12. Thirdly, none of these places does the addition appear as it
that the families of some are entered more at large than stands in the Septuagint, though some of the names
others because of their peculiar respectability, as in the are found interspersed. Various means have been pro-
case of Judah, Joseph, and Benjamin ; but see the posed to find the seventy persons in the text, and to
tables under verse 20. reconcile the Hebrew with the Septuagint and the New
Verse 12. The sons of Pharez ivere Hezron and Testament.
Hamuli] It is not likely that Pharez was more than A table given by Scheuchzer, extracted from the Me-
ten years of age when he came into Egypt, and if so moires de Trevoux, gives the following general view :

he could not have had children therefore it is neces- ;

The twelve sons of Jacob with their children and
sary to consider Hezron and Hamul as being born du-
grandchildren
ring the seventeen years that Jacob sojourned in Egypt,
see on ver. 8 and it appears necessary, for several
Reuben and his four sons .... 5
:

reasons, to take these seventeen years into the account,

Simeon and his six sons .... 7
very probable that what Levi and his three sons 4
as it is is called the going down
Egypt includes the seventeen years which Jacob
Judah and his seven sons and grandsons 8
into
spent there.
Issachar and h.\s four sons .... 5
Unto Joseph
Verse 20. were born Manasseh and — Zebulun and his three sons 4 ....
Total sons of Jacob and Leah 33
Ephraini] There is a remarkable addition here in the . .

Septuagint, which must be noticed Eyevovro 6e vloi :

Gad and his seven sons 8
^avaaoT], ovc ereKsv avru naT^Mnr)
Asher and his seven sons and grandsons 8
?/ rj "Lvpa, tov Maxip'
Total sons of Jacob and Zilpah 16
'^axip Se Eyevvrjcre tov Ta?.aad. TIol 6e Eippatfi adeTiijiov
. .

Mavaafffi, 'Lovralaafi Kai Taa/i. Tloi

Joseph and his two sons 3
6e Iiovralaa/n,
ESefi- These loere the sons of Manasseh ivhom his Benjamin and his ten sons .11 . . .

Syrian concubine bore unto him : Machir ; and Ma- Total sons of Jacob and Rachel . 14
chir begat Galaad. The sons of Ephraim, Manas- Dan and his son 2
scVs brother, were Sutalaam and Taam ; and the Naphtali and his four sons 5 ....
.tons of Sutalaam, Edcm. These add five per- Total sons of Jacob and Bilhah . 7
sons to the list, and make out the number given by
Stephen, Acts vii. H, which it seems he had taken Total sons of Jacob and his four tvives 70
from the text of the Septuagint, unless we could sup- " To harmonize this with the Septuagint and St.
pose that the text of Stephen had been altered to make Stephen, Acts vii. 14, to the number sixty-six (all the
it correspond to the Septuagint, of which there is souls that came
out of Jacob's loins, ver. 26) add nine
not the slightest evidence from ancient MSS. or of the patriarchs' wives, Judah's wife being already
vprsinns. The addition in the Septuagint is not dead in Canaan, (chap, xxxviii. 12.) Benjamin being
253 4
 ; — — — ;

Enumeration of the seventy CHAP. XLVl. persons who went into Egypt.

21
A. M. 2298. And the sons of Benjamin
'
26 ^ All the souls that came with a.m. 2298.
_! — were Bela, and Becher, and Ash-
'-
Jacob into Egypt, which came out
^^^' "

bel, Gera, and Naaman, ^ Ehi, and Rosh, of his * loins, besides Jacob's sons' wives, all
^ Muppim, and ™ Huppim, and Ard. the souls were threescore and six
22 These are the sons of Rachel, which 27 And sons of Joseph, which were
the
were born to Jacob all the souls were fourteen.
: born him Egypt, were two souls
in ^ all the :

23 ° And the sons of Dan ° Hushim. ; souls of the house of Jacob, which came into
24 P And the sons of Naphtali Jahzeel, and ; Egypt, were threescore and ten.
Guni, and Jezer, and Shillera. 28 And he sent Judah before him unto Jo-
25 1 These aj-e the sons of Bilhah, ^ which seph, ^ to direct his face unto Goshen and ;

Laban gave unto Rachel his daughter, and they came ^ into the land of Goshen.
she bare these unto Jacob all the souls were : 29 And Joseph made ready his chariot, and
seven. went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen,

'IChron. vii. 6; viii. 1. 'Num. xxvi. 38; Ahiram. ham ; Num. xxvi. 42. P 1 Chron. vii. 13. 1 Chap. xxx. 5, 7.
'Numbers xxvi. 39 Shupham ; 1 Chron. vii.
; 12 ; Shuppim. •Ch. xxix. 29. 'Exod. i. 5. ' Heb. thigh;
chap. xxxv. 11.
" Hupham, Num. xxvi. 39. " 1 Chrou. vii. 12. <>
Or, Shrc- " Deut. X. 22 see Acts vii.
; 14. " Ch. xxxi. 21. •"
Ch. xlvii. 1.

supposed to be as yet unmarried, and the wife of Jo- turah. Thus does the New Testament furnish an admi-
seph being already in Egypt, and therefore out of the rable comment on the Old." Analysis, vol., ii. p. 159.
case the number will amount to seventy-Jive, which is
: It is necessary to observe that this statement, which
that found in the Acts." Universal History. appears on the whole the most consistent, supposes that
Dr. Hales' method is more simple, and I think more Judah was married when about ybwr^eew years of age,
satisfactory :
" Moses states that all the souls that came his son Er at the same age, Pharez at the same, Asher
with Jacob into Egypt, ivhich issuedfrorn his loins, (ex- and his fourth son Beriah under twenty, Benjamin
cept his sons' wives,) were sixty-six souls. Gen. xlvi. ^ovX fifteen, and Joseph's sons and grandsons about
26 ; and this number is thus collected :
twenty. But this is not improbable, as the children
of Israel must all have married at a very early age, to
Jacob's children, eleven sons and one daughter . 12
have produced in about two hundred and fifteen years
Reuben's sons 4
no less than six hundred thousand persons above tiventy
Simeon^s sons 6
years old, besides women and children.
Levies sons 3
Verse 28. He sent Judah before him unto Joseph]
JudaK's three sons and two grandsons .... 5
Judah was certainly a man of sense, and also an elo-
Issachar's sons 4
quent man and of him Joseph must have had a very
;

Zebulun's sons 3
favourable opinion from the speech he delivered before
Gad''s sons 7
him, chap. xliv. 18, &c. he was therefore chosen as
;
Asher^s four sons, one daughter, and two grandsons 7
the most proper person to go before and announce Ja-
Dan's son 1
cob's arrival to his son Joseph.
NaphtaWs sons 4
To direct his face untoGoshen] The land of Go-
Benjamin's sons 10
shen is the same, according to the Septuagint, as the
land of Rameses, and Goshen itself the same as
66
Heroopolis, 'Hpuuv 'HO?.ig Heroon-polis, the city of
" If to these sixty-six children, and grandehildren, heroes, a name by which it went in the days of the
and great grandchildren, we add Jacob himself, Joseph Septuagint, and which it still retained in the time of
and his two sons, the amount is seventy, the whole Josephus, for he makes use of the same term in speak-
amount of Jacob's family which settled in Egypt. ing of this place. See on ver. 34.
" In this statement the wives of Jacob's sons, who Verse 29. And Joseph made ready his chariot]
formed part of the household, are omitted but they ; in3D")0 mercabto. In chap. xli. 43, we have the first
amounted to nine, for of the twelve wives of the twelve mention of a chariot, and if the translation be correct,
sons of Jacob, Judah's wife was dead, chap, xxxviii. it is a proof that the arts were not in a rude state in

12, and Simeon's also, as we may collect from his Egypt even at this early time. When we find wagons
youngest son Shaul by a Canaanitess, ver. 10, and used to transport goods from place to place, we need
Joseph's wife was already in Egypt. These nine not wonder that these suggested the idea of forming
wives, therefore, added to the sixty-six, give seventy- chariots for carrying persons, and especially those of
five souls, the whole amount of Jacob's household that high rank and authority. Necessity produces arts,
went down with him to Egypt ; critically correspond- and arts and science produce not only an increase of
ing with the statement in the New Testament, that the conveniences but also of the refinements and luxu-
'Joseph sent for his father Jacob and all his kindred, ries of life. It has been supposed that a chariot is
amounting to seventy-five souls.' The expression all not intended here for as the word n^DIO mercabah, ;

his kindred, including the wives which were Joseph's which we and most of the ancient versions translate
kindred, not only by affinity, but also by consanguinity, chariot, comes from 221 rachab, he rode, saddling his
being probably of the families of Esau, Ishmael, or .£"6- horse may be all that is intended. But it is more
253
 1 ; ;

\
Joseph meets his father, and tells his GENESIS. brethren what to sai/ to Pharaoh.

A.M. 2298. and presented himself unto him; trade hath been to feed cattle and ;
a. m. 2298
"

and he ^ fell on his neck, and wept they have brought their flocks, and .

on his neck a good while. their herds, and all that they have.
30 And Israel said unto Joseph, ^ Now let 33 And it shall come to pass, when Pharaoh
me die, since I have seen thy face, because shall call you, and shall say, ^ What is your
hou art yet alive. occupation ?

3 And Joseph 34 That ye shall say. Thy servants' trade

said unto his brethren, and *=

unto his father's house, go up, and hath been about cattle ^ from our youth even
^ I will
show Pharaoh, and say unto him. My bre- until now, both we, and also our fathers ;

thren, and my father's house, which were in that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen for ;

the land of Canaan, are come unto me. every shepherd is ® an abomination unto the
32 And the men arc shepherds, for ^ their Egyptians.
X So chap. xlv. 14. y So Luke ii. 29, 30. ^ Chap, xlvii. 1. « Ver. 32.- -^ Chap. XXX. 35 xxxiv. 5 xxxvii.
; ; 12.- Chap.
*Heb. they are men of cattle. •> Chap, xlvii. 2, 3. xliii. 32 Exod. viii. 26.
;

likely to signify a chariot, as the verb "IDX asar, which credited. Hordes of marauders under this name, from
signifies to bi7id, tie, or yoAe, is used ; and not lyjn Arabia, Syria, and Ethiopia, (whose chief occupation,
chabash, which signifies to saddle. like theBedouin Arabs of the present day, was to keep
Fell on his neck] See chap. xlv. 14. flocks,)made a powerful irruption into Egypt, which
Verse 30. Noiv let me die, since I have seen thy they subdued and ruled with great tyranny for 259
face'] Perhaps old Simeon had this place in view when, years. Now, though they had been expelled from that
seeing the salvation of Israel, he said. Lord, now let- land some considerable time before this, yet their name,
test thou thy servayit depart in peace, d^-c, Luke ii. 29. and all persons of a similar occupation, were execrated
Verse 3 4 . Thy servants'' trade hath been about cattle] by the Egyptians, on account of the depredations and
"The land of Goshen, called also the land of Rameses, long-continued ravages they had committed in the coun-
lay east of the Nile, by whichit was never overflowed, try. 3. The last and probably the best reason why
and was bounded by the mountains of the Thebaid on the Egyptians abhorred such shepherds as the Israel-
the south, by the Nile and Mediterranean on the west ites were, was, they sacrificed those very animals, the
and north, and by the Red Sea and desert of Arabia ox and the sheep, which the Egyptians
particularly,
on the east. It was the Heliopolitan nome or district, held sacred. Hence the Roman historian Tacitus,
and its capital was called ON. Its proper name was speaking of the Jews, says " Caeso ariete velut in :

Geshen, the country of grass or pasturage, or of the contumelia Ammonis Bos quoque immolatur, quem
;

shepherds, in opposition to the rest of the land which ^gyptii Apim colunt." " They sacrifice the ram in
was sown after having been overflowed by the Nile." order to insult Jupiter Ammon, and they sacrifice the
— Bruce. As this land was both fruitful and pleasant, ox, which the Egyptians worship under the name of
Joseph wished to fix his family in that part of Egypt Apis.'''' Though some contend that this idolatry was
hence he advises them to tell Pharaoh that their trade not as yet established in Egypt, and that the king-shep-
had been in cattle from their youth and because every : herds were either after the time of Joseph, or that
shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians, hence he Manetho by them intends the Israelites themselves
concluded that there would be less difficulty to get them yet, as thearguments by w-hich these conjectures are
quiet settlement in Goshen, as they w^ould then be se- supported are not suflScient to overthrow those which
parated from the Egyptians, and consequently have the are brought for the support of the contrary opinions,
free use of all their religious customs. This scheme and as there was evidently an established religion and
succeeded, and the consequence was the preservation priesthood in Egypt before Joseph's time, (for we find
both of tlieir religion and their lives, though some of the priests had a certain portion of the land of Egypt
their posterity did afterwards corrupt themselves see which was held so sacred that Joseph did not attempt
;

Ezek. XX. 8 Amos v. 26. As it is well known that to buy it in the time of the famine, when he bought
;

the (Egyptians had cattle and Jloc/cs themselves, and all the land which belonged to the people, chap, xlvii.
that Xharaoh even requested that some of Joseph's 20-22,) and as that established priesthood was in all
brethreVi should be made rulers over his cattle, how likelihood idolatrous, and as the worship of Apis under
could it L1^ said, as in ver. 34, Every shepherd is an the form of an ox was one of the most ancient forms
^omin^if^ unto the Egyptians ? Three reasons may of worship in Egypt, we may rest tolerably certain that
1- Shepherds and feeders of cat-
be'^^s^gnedV"'^ ^^'^ • it was chiefly on this account that the shepherds, or

^ ^°^' °f lawless, freebooting banditti, those who fed on and sacrificed these objects of their
tle were usua\"y
inroads on villages, &c., carrying worship, were an abomination to the Egyptians. Cal-
frequently maiii"S
whatever spoils they could find. This met has entered into this subject at large, and to his
off cattle, and
been the case formerly, for it is notes I must refer those readers who wish for farther
might probably h^^^
well known it has
J^en been the case since. On this information. See on chap, xliii. 32.
must have been universally de-
account such persot?
abhorred shepherds if Ma- On the principal subject of this chapter, the going
tested. 2. They musi'iave
^'Jcsos or king-shepherds can be down of Jacob and his family into Egypt, Bishop War-
netho's account of the
854
 —

Joseph informs Pharaoh CHAP. XLVIl. uf his father's arrival.

burton, in his Divine Legation of Moses, makes the and unconfounded with the natives, the ancient Egyp-
following judicious reflections: "The promise God tians being by numerous institutions forbidden all fel-

made to Abraham, to give his posterity the land of Ca- lowship with strangers, and bearing besides a particular
naan, could not be performed till that family was grown aversion to the profession of the Israelites, who were
strong enough to take and keep possession of it. In shepherds. Thus the natural dispositions of the Is
the meantime, therefore, they were necessitated to raelites, which in Egypt occasioned their superstitions,
reside among idolaters, and to reside unmixed but ;
and in consequence the necessity of a burdensome ritual,
whoever examines their history will see that the Is- would in any other country have absorbed them into
raelites had ever a violent propensity to join themselves Gentilism, and confounded them with idolaters. From
to Gentile nations, and practise their manners. God the Israelites going into Egypt arises a new occasion
therefore, in his infinite wisdom, brought them into to adore the footsteps of Eternal Wisdom in his dis-

Egypt, and kept them there during this period, the only pensations to his chosen people."
place where they could remain for so long a time safe

CHAPTER XLVn.
toseph informs Pharaoh that his father and brethren are arrived in Goshen, 1 He presents five of his .

brethren before the king, 2, who questions them concerning their occupation; they inform him that they are
shepherds, and request permission to dwell in the land o/ Goshen, 3, 4. Pharaoh consents, and desires
that some of the most active of them should be made rulers over his cattle, 5,6. Joseph presents his
father Pharaoh, 7, who questions him concerning his age, 8, to ivhich Jacob returns an affecting answer,
to
and Pharaoh, 9, 10.
blesses Joseph places his father and family in the land o/ Ranieses, {Goshen,) and
furnishes them ivith provisions, 11, 12. The famine prevailing in the land, the Egyptians deliver up all
their money to Joseph to get food, 13-15. The next year they bring their cattle, 16, 17. The third,
their lands and their persons, 18-21. The land of the priests Joseph does not buy, as it was a royal grant
to them from Pharaoh, 22. The people receive seed to sow the land on condition that they shall give a
fifth part of the produce to the king, 23, 24. The people agree, and Joseph makes it a law all over Egypt,
25, 26. The Israelites multiply exceedingly, 27. Jacob, having lived seventeen years in Goshen, and
being one hundred and forty-seven years old, 28, inakes Joseph promise not to bury him Egypt, but in m
Canaan, 29, 30. Joseph promises and confirms it loith an oath, 31.

A. M. 2298. 'T^HEN Joseph ^ came and told unto Pharaoh, ® Thy servants are A. M. 2298.
B. C. 1706. B.C. 1706.
Pharaoh, and said, My father shepherds, both we, and also our

and my brethren, and their flocks, and their fathers.

herds, and all that they have, are come out of 4 (They said moreover unto Pharaoh,) ^ For
the land of Canaan ; and, behold, they are in to sojourn in the land are we come ; for thy
^ the land of Goshen. servants have no pasture for their flocks ;
^ for

2 And he took some of his brethren, even the famine is sore in the land of Canaan : now
five men, and ° presented them unto Pharaoh. therefore, we pray thee, let thy servants ''
dwell
3 And Pharaoh said unto his brethren, in the land of Goshen.
^ What is your occupation ? And they said 5 And Pharaoh spake unto Joseph, saying,

« Chap. xlvi. 31. b Chap. xlv. 10 ; xlvi. 28. « Acts vii. 13. f
Chap. XV. 13 ; Deut. xxvi. 5. s Chap. xli. 27, 30, 31, 50, 56 ;

d Chap. xlvi. 33. « Chap. xlvi. 34. xliii. 1 Acts vii. 11.
;
hdjap. xlvi. 34.

NOTES ON CHAP. XLVII. family which he had just now brought into Egypt, and
Verse 2. He took some of his brethren^ There is to do himself honour. 4. Joseph took five of the
something very strange in the original literally trans- ; youngest of his brethren. 5. He
took five of the eldest
lated it signifies " from the end or extremity (Hi'pO of his brethren. 6. He took five from the extremity

miktseh) of his brethren he took five men." This has or end of his brethren, i. e., some of the eldest and
been understood six different ways. 1. Joseph took some of the youngest, viz., Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Is-
five of his brethren that came first to hand at random, — sachar,. and Benjamin. Rab. Solomon, It is certain

without design or choice. 2. Joseph took five of the that in Judges xviii. 2, the word may be understood
7neanest-looking of his brethren to present before Pha- as implying dignity, valour, excellence, and pre-emi-
raoh, fearing if he had taken the sightliest that Pha- nence : And the children of Dan sent of their family
raoh would detain them for his service, whereby their FIVE men Dnii'M miktsotham, not from their coasts,
religion and morals might be corrupted. 3. Joseph but of the most eminent or excellent they had ; and it
took five of the best made and finest-looking of his isprobable they might have had their eye on what Jo-
brethren, and presented them before Pharaoh, wishing seph did here when they made their choice, choosing
to impress his mind with a favourable opinion of the the same number, five, and of their principal
men, as
255
 32 ;

Jacob is introduced to Pharaoh. GENESIS. He and his sons placed in Goshen

A.M. 2298. Thv -^

father and thy brethren are
"^
1 And Jacob p blessed Pha- A. M. 2298.
B. C. 1706.
raoh, and went out from before —
,
. come unto thee :
'
1

6 The land of Egypt is before thee in Pharaoh.

^ ;

the best of the land make thy father and bre- 11 And Joseph placed his father and his
thren to dwell ^ in the land of Goshen let brethren, and gave them a possession in the
;

them dwell and if thou knowest any men of land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the
:

activity among them, then make them rulers land of 1 Rameses, ^ as Pharaoh had com-
over my cattle. manded.
7 And Joseph brought in Jacob his father, 1 And Joseph nourished his father, and hw
and set him before Pharaoh and Jacob brethren, and all his father's household, witli
:

blessed Pharaoh. bread, ^according to their families.*

8 And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, ^ How old 1 And there was no bread in all the land
art thou 1 famine was very sore, ^ so that the land
for the
9 And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, ™ The days of Egypt, and all the land of Canaan, fainted
of the years of my pilgrimage are a hundred by reason of the famine.
— -and thirty years :
'^
few and evil have the days
''And Joseph gathered up a. M. cir. 2300
.^ B. C. cir. 1704. „
14
,

of tlie~year3 -of my life

r
money that was lound
been, and
in ° have not all the
1 1

attained unto the days of the years of the the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan,
life of my fathers, in the days of their for the corn which they bought and Joseph :

pilgrimage. brought the money into Pharaoh's house.

Chap. XX. 15.

i ^ Ver. 4.- Heb. how many are the days
" Heb. xi. 9, 13
— ' 1 Exod. i. 1 1 ; xii. 37. ' Ver. 6. » Or, as a little child is
of the years of thy life ? Psa. xxxix. 12. ; nourished. Heb. according
'
to the little ones ; chap. 1. 21.
° Job xiv. 1. ° Chap. xxv. 7 XXXV. 28. P Ver. 7. ;
"Chap. xli. 30; Acts vii. 11. ^ c^ap. xli. 56.

did Joseph, because the mission was important, to go had always lived a migratory or wandering life, in dif-
and search out But the word may be under-
the land. ferent parts of Canaan, Mesopotamia, and Egypt,
stood simply as signifying some ; out of the lohole of scarcely ever at rest and in the places where he lived ;

his brethren he took only five men, &c. longest, always exposed to the fatigues of the field and
Verse 6. In the best of the land make thy father the desert. Our word pilgrim comes from the French
and brethren to dwell ; in the land of Goshen let them pelerin and pelegrin, which are corrupted from the Latin
dwell] So it appears that the land of Goshen was the peregrinus, an alien, stranger, or foreigner, from the
best of the land of Egypt. adverb peregre, abroad, not at home. The pilgrim was
Men
of activity] i^T\ 'lyJN anshey chayil, stout or a person who took a journey, long or short, on some
robust men —
such as were capable of bearing fatigue, religious account, submitting during the time to many
and of rendering their authority respectable. hardships and privations. more appropriate term A
Rulers over my cattle.] nJpO mikneh signifies not could not be conceived to express the life of Jacob,
only cattle, but possessions or property of any kind ;
and the motive which induced him to live such a life.
though most usually cattle are intended, because in an- His journey to Padan-aram or Mesopotamia excepted,
cient times they constituted the principal part of a the principal part of his journeys were properly piU
man's property. The word may be taken here in a grimages, undertaken in the course of God's provi-
more extensive sense, and the circumstances of the dence on a religious account.
case seem obviously to require it. If every shepherd Have not attained unto the life of my fathers] —
was an abomination to the Egyptians, however we may Jacob lived in the whole one hundred and forty-seven
understand or qualify the expression, is it to be sup- years Isaac his father lived one hundred and eighty;
;

posed that Pharaoh should desire that the brethren of and Abraham his grandfather, one hundred and seventy-
his prime minister, of his chief favourite, should be Jive. These were days of years in comparison of the
employed in some of the very meanest offices in the lives of the preceding patriarchs, some of whom lived
land ] We may therefore safely understand Pharaoh nearly ten centuries !
as expressing his will, that the brethren of Joseph A''erse 14. Gathered up all the money] i. e., by selling
should be appointed as overseers or superintendents of corn out of the public stores to the people and this ;

his domestic concerns, while Joseph superintended he did till the money failed, ver. 15, till all the money
those of the state. was exchanged for corn, and brought into Pharaoh's
Verse Jacob blessed Pharaoh.]
7. Saluted him on treasury. Besides the fifth part of the produce of the
his entrance with Peace be unto thee, or some such seven plentiful years, Joseph had bought additional com
expression of respect and good will. For the mean- with Pharaoh's money to lay up against the famine that
ing of the term to bless, as applied to God and man, was to prevail in the seven years of dearth ; and it is
see on chap. ii. 3. very likely that this was sold out at the price for which
Verse 9. The days of of my pilgrimage]
the years it was bought, and the fifth part, which belonged to
'*^1JD megurai, of my sojourning or wandering. Jacob Pharaoh, sold out at the same price. And as money
256
 6 ; 1

Joseph buys all the land CHAP. XLVII. of Egypt for Pharaoh

A. M. 2301. 15 And when money failed in both we and our land ? buy us and a. m. 2302.
B. C. 1703.
the land of Egypt, and in the land our land for bread, and we and — '

of Canaan, all the Egyptians came unto Joseph, our land will be servants unto Pharaoh and :

and Give us bread for ^ why should give Its seed, that we may live, and not die, that
said, :

we die in thy presence ? for the money faileth. the land be not desolate.
1 And Joseph said. Give your cattle and 20 And Joseph bought all the land of Egypt ;

I will give you for your cattle, if money fail. for Pharaoh for the Egyptians sold every ;

17 And they brought their cattle unto Jo- man his field, because the famine prevailed
seph and Joseph gave them bread in ex- over them
: so the land became Pharaoh's. :

change for horses, and for the flocks, and for 2 (And as for the people, he removed theiiti
the cattle of the herds, and for the asses and to cities, from one end of the borders of ;

he fed them with bread for all their cattle, Egypt even to the other end thereof.)
"^

for that year. 22 y Only the land of the ^ priests bought

A. M. 2302. 1 8 When that year was ended, he not for the priests had a portion assigned ;
B. C. 1702. , , •
, 1
they came unto him the second them, of Pharaoh, and did eat their portion
year, and said unto him, We will not hide it which Pharaoh gave them wherefore they :

from my lord, how that our money is spent sold not their lands.
my lord also hath our herds of cattle there 23 Then Joseph said unto the a.m. 2203. ;

is not aught left in the sight of my lord, but people. Behold, I have bought you

our b'^odies and our lands this day and your land for Pharaoh
: lo, here :

1 9 Wherefore shall we die before thine eyes. IS seed for you, and ye shall sow the land.

Ver. 19. Heb. led them.- -y Ezra vii. 24. •

Or, princes ; chap. xli. 45 ; 2 Sara. viii. 18.

at that time could not be plentiful, the cash of the whole Verse 2 1 . And as for the people, he removed them to
nation was thus exhausted, as far as that had circulated cities] It is very likely that Joseph was influenced

among the common people. by no political motive in removing the people to the
Verse 16. Give your cattle] This was the wisest cities, but merely by a motive of humanity and pru-
measure that could be adopted, both for the preserva- dence. As the corn was laid up in the cities he found
tion of the people and of the cattle also. As the people it more convenient to bring them to the place where
had not grain for their own sustenance, consequently they might be conveniently fed each being within the ;

they could have none for their cattle hence the cattle reach of an easy distribution.
; Thus then the country
were in the most imminent danger of starving and the which could afford no sustenance was abandoned for
;

people also were in equal danger, as they must have the time being, that the people might be fed in those
divided a portion of that bought for themselves with places where the provision was deposited.
the cattle, which for the sake of tillage, &c., they Verse 22. The land of the priests bought he noi\
wished of course to preserve till the seven years of From this verse it is natural to infer that whatever the
famine should end. The cattle being bought by Joseph religion of Egypt was, it ivas established by law and
were supported at the royal expense, and very likely supported by the state. Hence when Joseph bought
returned to the people at the end of the famine for all the lands of the Egyptians for Pharaoh, he bought
;

how else could they cultivate their ground, transport not the land of the priests, for that was a portion as-
their merchandise, &c., &c. ] For this part of Jo- signed them by Pharaoh ; and they did eat — did live
seph's conduct he certainly deserves high praise and on, that portion. This is the earliest account we have
no censure, of an established religion supported by the state.
Verse 18. When that year was ended] The sixth Verse 33. / have bought you this day and your land
year of the famine, they came unto him the second for Pharaoh] It fully appears that the kingdom of
year, which was the last or seventh year of the famine, Egypt was previously to the time of Joseph a very
in which it was necessary to sow the land that there limited monarchy. The king had his estates the ;

might be a crop the succeeding year for Joseph, on ; priests had their lands and the common people their
;

whose prediction they relied, had foretold that the fa- partrimony independently of both. The land of Ra-
mine should continue only seven years, and consequently meses or Goshen appears to have been the king's land,
they expected the eighth year to be a fruitful year pro- ver. 1 1 The priests had their lands, which they did
.

vided the land was sowed, without which, though the not sell to Joseph, ver. 22, 26 and that the people ;

inundation of the land by the Nile might amount to the had lands independent of the crown, is evident from
sixteen requisite cubits, there could be no crop. the purchases Joseph made, ver. 19, 20 and we may ;

Verse 19. Buy us and our land for bread] In times conclude from those purchases that Pharaoh had no
of famine in Hindostan, thousands of children have power upon his subjects to increase his
to levy taxes
been sold to prevent their perishing. In the Burman own revenue he had bought the original right
until
empire the sale of whole families to discharge debts which each individual had in his possessions. And
is very common.- -Ward'' s Customs. when Joseph bought this for the king he raised tha
Vol. I. ( 18 ) 257 a
 — ; 1 .

The Israelites are multiplied. GENESIS. JacoVs death draws r.ear.

A- M. 2303. 24 And it shall come to pass in 28 And Jacob lived in the land a. M. 2315.
B. C. 1701. r T? , . , , B. C. 1689.
the increase, that ye shall give the 01 Es^'pt seventeen years : so '
the
part unto Pharaoh, and four parts shall whole age of Jacob was a hundred forty and
fifth

be your own, for seed of the field, and for seven years.
your food, and for them of your households, 29 And the time ^ drew nigh that Israel must
and for food for your little ones, die and he called his son Joseph, and said
;

25 And they said, Thou hast saved our unto him. If now I have foimd grace in thy
lives :
* let us find grace in the sight of my sight, ^ put, I pray thee, thy hand under my

lord, we will be Pharaoh's servants.

and thigh, and ' deal kindly and truly with me ;

26 And Joseph made it a law over the land ''

bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt
of Egypt unto this day, that Pharaoh should .30 But ^ I will lie with my fathers, and thou
have the fifth part ; ^ except the land of the shalt carry me out of Egypt, and ^ bury me
^ priests only,which became not Pharaoh's. in their burj'ing-place. And he said, I will
27 And Israel ^ dwelt in the land of Egypt, do as thou hast said.
in the country of Goshen and they had pos- 3 1 And he said. Swear unto me
; and he ;

sessions therein, and ^ grew, and multiplied sware unto him. And "Israel bowed himself
exceedingly. upon the bed's head.
—
» Chap, xxxiii. 15.-
oVer. 11.
Verse 22.
'Chap. dvi. 3. ' Heb.
'' <=

the
Or, princes ; verse 22.

days of the years of '

• Chap. xxiv.
2 Sarn. xix. 37.- Ch. xlix. 29
2.-
'
'
Chap. xxiv.
; 1. 13. —So
°
chap.
Chap,
1.

xlviii
25

hh Uft ; see ver. 9. -s So Deut. Xixi. 14 ; 1 Kings ii. 1. 2 ; 1 Kings i. 47 Heb. xi. 21. ;

crown an ample revenue, though he restored the lands, cious men will consider what Joseph did by Divine
by obliging each to pay one fifth of the product to the appointment as a prophet of God, and what he did
king, ver. 24. And it Is worthy of remark that the merely as a statesman from the circumstances of the
people of Egypt well understood the distinction be- case, the complexion of the times, and the character
tween subjects and servants ; for when they came to of the people over whom he presided. When this is
they offered to sell themselves also, and
sell their land, dispassionately done, we shall see much reason to
said But/ us and our land, and we and our land will
: adore God, applaud the man, and perhaps in some
he servants unto Pharaoh, ver. 19. cases censure the minister. Joseph is never held up
Diodoms Siculus, lib. i., gives the same account of to our view as an unerring prophet of God. He was
the ancient constitution of Egypt. " The land," says an honoured instrument in the hands of God of saving
he, " was divided into three parts : 1 . One belonged two nations from utter ruin, and especially of pre-
to the PRIESTS, with which they provided all sacri- serving that family from which the Messiah was to
fices,and maintained all the ministers of religion. spring, and of perpetuating the true religion among
2. Asecond part was the king's, to support his court them. In this character he is represented in the
and family, and to supply expenses for wars if they sacred pages. His conduct as the prime minister of
should happen. Hence there were no taxes, the king Pharaoh was powerfully indicative of a deep and con-
having so ample an estate. 3. The remainder of the summate politician, who had high notions of preroga-
land belonged to the subjects, who appear (from the tive, which led him to use every prudent means to
account of Diodorus) to have been all soldiers, a kind aggrandize his master, and at the same time to do
of standing rnilitia, liable, at the king's expense, to what he judged best on the whole for the people he
serve in all wars for the preservation of the state." governed. See the conclusion of the 50th chapter.
This was a constitution something like the British Verse 29. Put thy hand under my thigh] — See
the government appears to have been mixed, and the on chap. xxiv. 2.
monarchy properly limited, till Joseph, by buying the Verse 30. I will lie with my fathers] As God had
land of the people, made the king in some sort de- prorni-sed the land of Canaan to Abraham and his
spotic. But it does not appear that any improper u.se posterity, Jacob considered it as a consecrated place,
was made of this, as in much later times we find it under the particular superintendence and blessing of
still a comparatively limited monarchy. God and as Sarah, Abraham, and Isaac were interred
:

Verse 24. Ye shall give the fifth part unto Pharaoh] near to Hebron, he in all probability wished to lie, not
This is precisely the case m Hindostan ; the king has only in the same place, but in the same grave and it ;

the fifth part of all the crops. is not likely that he would have been solicitous about
^''erse 26. And Joseph made it a lavj] That the this, had he not considered that promised land as being
people should hold their land from the king, and give a tifpe of the rest that remains for the people of God,
him the fifth part of the produce as a yearly tax. and a pledge of the inheritance among the saints in

Beyond this it appears the king had no farther de- light.

mands. The whole of this conduct of Joseph has Verse 3 And Israel bowed himself upon the bed's
.

been as strongly censured by some as applauded by head.] Jacob was now both old and feeble, and we
others. It is natural for men to run into extremes in may suppose him reclined on his couch when Joseph
tttacking or defending any position. Sober and judi- came that he afterwards sat up erect (see chap.
;

a 258 ( 18* )
Joseph visits CHAP. XLVill. Ids dying father.

xlviii. 2) while conversing with his son, and receiving the Hebrews, chap. xi. Ql, quotes literatim; there-
his oath and promise and that when this was finished fore some have supposed that Jacob certainly had a
—
;

\\c. bowed himself upon the bed's head exhausted with carved im a^e on the head or top of his staff, to which
tiie conversation, he again reclined himself on his bed he paid a species of adoration or that he bowed him- ;

as before. This seems to be the simple meaning, self to the staff or sceptre of Joseph, thus fulfilling the
which the text, unconnected with any religious system prophetic import of his son's dreams The sense of !

or prejudice, naturally proposes. But because nnC' the Hebrew text is given above. If the reader pre-
shachah, signifies not only to how but to tcorship, be- fers the sense of the Septuagint and the Epistle to
cause acts of religious worship were performed by the Hebrews, the meaning is, that Jacob, through
bowing or prostration, and because HO'^ mittah, a bed, feebleness, supported himself with a staff, and that,
by the change of the points, only becomes matteh, a when he got the requisite assurance from Joseph that
staff, in which sense the Septuagint took it, translating his dead body should be carried to Canaan, leaning on
the original words thus Kat -pcasKWjjaev lapari?. e-l
: his staff he bowed his head in adoration to God, who
TO anpov T7JC l)aj36ov avrov, and Israel worshipped upon had supported him all his life long, and hitherto fol
the top of his staff, which the writer of the Epistle to filled all his promises.

CHAPTER XLVIH.
Joseph, hearing that his father teas near death, took his ttco sons Ephraim and Manasseb, and went to Goshen,
to visit him, 1. Jacob strengthens himself to receive them. 2. Gives Joseph an account of God's appear-
ing to him at Luz, and repeating the promise, 3, 4. Adopts Ephraim a«rf Manasseh as his own sons, 5, 6.
Mentions the death of Rachel at Ephrath, 7. He blesses Ephraim and Manasseh, preferring the former,
who was the younger, to his elder brother, 8—17. Joseph, supposing his father had mistaken in giving the
right of primogeniture to the youngest, endeavours to correct him, 18. Jacob shows that he did it design-
edly, prophecies much good concerning both ; but sets Ephraim the youngest before Manasseh, 19, 20.
Jacob speaks of his death, and predicts the return of his posterity from Egypt, 21. And gives Joseph a
portion above his brethren, which he had taken from the Amorites, 22.

A. M. 2315.
B. C. 1689.
A
J\.
ND It came to pass
^ after these g..v.
ffive this land to thy seed after A. M. 2315.
B. c. ies9.
, . , ,j T 1
things, that one told Joseph, thee, *>
for an everlasting pos-
Behold, thy father is sick and he took with
: session.
him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. 5 And now thv "^
two sons, Ephraim and
2 And one told Jacob, and said, Behold, thy ^lanasseh, which were born unto thee in the
son Joseph cometh imto thee and Israel : land of £g}-pt, before I came unto thee into
strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed. Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon,
3 And Jacob said vinto Joseph, God almighty thev shall be mine.
appeared unto ine at * Luz in tlie land of 6 And thy issue, which tliou begettest after
Canaan, and blessed me, them, shall be thine, and shall be called after
4 And said unto me. Behold, I will make the name of their brethren in their inheritance.
ihee fruitful, and multiply thee, and -i will 7 And as for me, when I came from Padan,
make of thee a multitude of people ; and will "^
Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan
» Ch. xxviii. 13, 19 ; xxxv. 6, 9, &,c. >>
Ch. xrii. 8. « Ch. xli. 50 ; xlvi. 20 ; Josh. liii. 7 ; xiv. 4 Ch. xxxv. 9, 16, 19,

NOTES ON CHAP. XLVHI. (see chap. xvii. 1,) appeared to me at Luz, afterwards
Verse 1. One told Joseph, Behold, thy father is sick] called Beth- El ; see chap, xxviii. 13 ; xxxv. 6, 9.
He was ill knew it but it appears
before, and Joseph Verse 5. And now thy two sons, Ephraim and Ma-
;

that a messenger had been now despatched to inform nasseh are mine] I now adopt them into ray own —
Joseph that his father was apparently at the point of family, and they shall have their place among my
death. twelve sons, and be treated in every respect as those,
Verse 2. Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon and have an equal interest in all the spiritual and tem-
the bed] He
had been confined to his bed before, poral blessings of the covenant.
(see chap, xlvii. 31,) and now, hearing that Joseph Verse 7. Rachel died by me, J^-c.] Rachel was the
was come to see him, he made what efforts his little wife of Jacob's choice, and the object of his unvary-
remaining strength would admit, to sit up in bed to ing affection he loved her in life
; he loves her in —
receive his son. This verse proves that a bed, not a death many waters cannot quench love, neither can :

staff, is intended in the preceding chapter, ver. 31. the floods diovra it. A match of a man's own making,
Verse 3. God Almighty] 'T^y Sx El Shaddai, the all- when guided by reason and religion, will necessarily
sufficient God,\he Outpourer and Dispenser of mercies. be a happy one. When fathers and mothers make
359
 1 ;

Ephraim and. Manasseh blessed, GENESIS. and made tribes in Israel

A. M. 2315. in the way, when yet there was brought them near unto him and he ; A. M. 2315.
B. C. 1689. B. C. 1689.
but a little way to come unto 'kissed them, and en .braced them.
Ephrath and I buried her there in the way
: 1 And Israel said unto Joseph, ^ 1 had not
of Ephrath the same is Beth-lehem.
; thought to see thy face and lo, God hath :

8 And Israel beheld Joseph's sons, and said, showed me also thy seed.
Who are these ? 12 And Joseph brought them out from be-
9 And Joseph said unto his father, ^ They tween his knees, and he bowed himself with
are my sons, whom God hath given me in his face to the earth,
this place. And he said. Bring them, I pray 13 And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in
thee, unto me, and ^ I will bless them. his right hand toward Israel's left hand, and
10 (Now ^ the eyes of Israel were ^ dim for Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel's right
age, so that he could not see.) And he hand, and brought them near unto him.
^ Po chapter xxxiii. 5. f
Chapter xxvii. 4. s Chapter fi
Heb. heavy; Isaiah vi. 10; lix. 1.- '
Chap, xxvii. 27.
xxvii. 1. ^ Chap. xlv. 26.

matches for their children, which are dictated by mo- gular goodness, and be highly meritorious." Should
tives, not of affection, but merely of convenience, positions of this kind pass without reprehension ? 1
worldly gain, &c., &c., such matches are generally trow not. By the law of God and nature Joseph was
wretched it is Leah in the place of Rachel to the end
; as much bound to pay his dying father this filial re-
of life's pilgrimage. spect, as he was to reverence his king, or to worship
Verse 8. Who are these 'f'\
At verse 10 it is said, his God. As to myself, 1 must freely confess that I
that Jacob's eyes were dim for age, that he could not see nothing peculiarly amiable in this part of Joseph's
see —could not discern any object unless it were near conduct he simply acquitted himself of a duty which
;

him therefore, though he saw Ephraim and Manas-

; God, nature, decency, and common sense, imperiously
seh, yet he could not distinguish them till they were demanded of him, and all such in his circumstances,
brought nigh unto him. to discharge. To the present day children in the east,
Verse 11.7 had not thought to see thy face] There next to God, pay the deepest reverence to their pa-
is muchdelicacy and much tenderness in these expres- rents. Besides, before whom was Joseph bowing ?
sions. He feels himself now amply recompensed for Not merely his father, but a most eminent patriarch ;

his long grief and trouble on account of the supposed one highly distinguished by the Lord, and one of the
death of Joseph, in seeing not only himself but his two three of whom the Supreme Being speaks in the most
sons, whom God, by an especial act of favour, is about favourable and affectionate manner the three who ;

to add to the number of his own. Thus we find that received and transmitted the true faith, and kept un-
as Reuben and Simeon were heads of two distinct broken the Divine covenant; I am the God o/ Abra-
tribes in Israel, so were Ephraim and Manasseh be- ; ham, the God o/" Isaac, and the God o/ Jacob. He
cause Jacob, in a sort of sacramental way, had adopted has never said, I am the God of Joseph. And if we
them with equal privileges to those of his own sons. compare the father and the son as men, we shall find
Verse 12. Joseph —
bowed himself with his face to that the latter was exceeded by the former in almost
the earth.] This act of Joseph has been extravagantly endless degrees. Joseph owed his advancement and
extolled by Dr. Delaney and others. " When I con- his eminence to what some would call good foi'tune,
sider him on his knees to God," says Dr. Deianey, and what loe know to have been the especial providence
" I regard him as a poor mortal in the discharge of his
of God working in his behalf, wholly independent of
duty to his Ceeator. When I behold him bowing his own industry, &c., every event of that providence
before Pharaoh, I consider him in the dutiful posture issuing in his favour. Jacob owed his own support
of a suhject to his prince. But when I see him bend- and preservation, and the support and preservation of
ing to the earth before a poor, old, blind, decrepit father, his numerous family, under God, to the continual ex-
I behold him with admiration and delight. How doth ercise of the vast powers of a strong and vigorous
that humiliation exalt him !" This is insufferable for mind, to which the providence of God seemed ever in
!

it in effect says that it is a wondrous condescension in opposition ; because God chose to try to the uttermost
a young man, who, in the course of God's providence, the great gifts which he had bestowed. If therefore
with scarcely any efforts of his own, was raised to the most humble and abject inferior should reverence
affluence and worldly grandeur, to show respect to his dignity and eminence raised to no common height, so
father ! And that respect was the more gratuitous should Joseph bow down his face to the earth before
and condescending, because that father was poor, old, JACOB.
blind, and decrepit ! The maxim of this most excep- Besides, Joseph, in thus reverencing his father, only
tionable flight of admiration is, that " children who followed the customs of the Egyptians among whom he
have risen to affluence are not obliged to reverence lived, who, according to Herodotus, (Euterpe, c. 80,)
when reduced in
their parents their circumstances, and were particularly remarkable for the reverence they
Drought down by the weight of years and infirmities paid to old age. " For if a young person meet his
to the sides of the grave ; and should they acknow- senior, he instantly turns aside to make way for him
ledge and reverence them, it would be a mark of sin- if an aged person enter an apartment, the youth alwa.vs
260 a
 — — ; ;

Form of the Messing pronounced CHAP. XLVIII. on Ejjhraim and Manasseh

A. M. 2315. 14 And Israel stretched out his did walk, the God which fed me A. M. 2315.
B. C. 1689. B. C. 1689.
right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim's all my life long unto this day,
head, who was the younger, and his left hand 1 6 The Angel ° which redeemed me from all
upon Manasseh's head, ^ guiding his hands evil, bless the lads ; and let p my name be
wittingly ; for Manasseh was the first-born. named on them, and the name of my fathers
1 5 And ^ he blessed Joseph, and said, God, Abraham and Isaac and let them i grow into ;

° before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac a multitude in the midst of the earth.

'Ver. 19. »Heb. xi. 21. "Chap. xvii. 1; xxiv. 40. PAmosix. 12; Acts xv. 17. —-iHeb. as fishes do increase;
"Chap, xxviii. 15 ; xxxi. 11, 13, 24 Psa xxxiv. 22 ; cxxi.
; 7. see Niun. i. 46 ; xxvi. 34, 37.

rise from their seats ;" and Mr. Savary observes that certainly comes from the mere mercy of God, without
the reverence mentioned by Herodotus is yet paid to any merit on man's part and a sufficiency of this is
;

old age on every occasion in Egypt. In Mohammedan offered to every man, Tit. ii. 11, 12. But it is not
countries the children sit as if dumb in the presence less certain that God loves those best who are most
of their parents, never attempting to speak unless faithful to this grace.
spoken to. Among the ancient Romans it was consi- Verse 15. He blessed Joseph] The father first,

dered a crime worthy of death not to rise up in the and then the sons afterwards. And this is an addition-
presence of an aged person, and acting a contrary al proof to what has been adduced under ver. 12, of

part was deemed an awful mark of the deep degene- Jacob's superiority ; for the less is always blessed of
racy of the times. Thus the satirist :
the greater.
The God which fed me all my life long] Jacob is
Credehant hoc grande nefas, et morte piandum,
now standing on the verge of eternity, with his faith
Si Juvenis vetulo non assurrexerat et si ;

Jut. Sat. xiii., v. 54.

strong in God. He sees his life to be a series of
Barbato cuicumque puer.
mercies ; and as he had been affectionately attentive,
And had not men the hoary heads revered, provident, and kind to his most helpless child, so has
Or boys paid reverence when a man appear'd,
God been unto him he has fed him all his life long ;

Both must have died. Dryden.

he plainly perceives that he owes every morsel of food
Indeed, though Dr. Delaney is much struck with which he has received to the mere mercy and kindness
what he thinks to be great and meritorious condescen- of God.
sion and humility on the part of Joseph yet we find Verse 16. The Angel ivhich redeemed me from all
;

the thing itself, the deepest reverence to parents and evil] hii.lT\ 1>?Son hammalac haggoel. The Messen-

old age, practised by all the civilized nations in the ger, the Redeemer or Kinsman ; for so 7XJ goel signi-
world, not as a matter of meritorious courtesy, but as fies for this term, in the law of Moses, is applied to ;

a point of rational and absolute duty. that person whose right it is, from his being nearest
Verse 14. Israel stretched out his right hand, c^c.] akin, to redeem or purchase back a forfeited inherit-
Laying hands on the head was always used among ance. But of whom does Jacob speak T We have
the Jews in giving blessings, designating men to any often seen, in the preceding chapters, an angel of God
office, and in the consecration of solemn sacrifices. appearing to the patriarchs (see particularly chap. xvi. ;

This is the first time we find it mentioned but we 7, and the note there ;) and we have full proof that
;

often read of it afterwards. See Num. xxvii. 18, this was no created angel, but the Messenger of the
23 Deut. xxxiv. 9 Matt. xix. 13, 15 Acts vi. 6
; ; Divine Council, the Lord Jesus Christ.
; Who then
;

1 Tim. iv. 14. Jacob laid his right hand on the head was the angel that redeemed Jacob, and whom he in-
of the younger, which we are told he did tvittingly voked to bless Ephraim and Manasseh ? — Is it not
well knowing what he was about, for (or although) JESUS ? He alone can be called Goel, the redeem-
Manasseh was the first-horn, knowing by the Spirit ing Kinsman ; for he alone took part of our flesh and
of prophecy that Ephraim's posterity would be more blood that the right of redemption might be his ; and
powerful than that of Manasseh. It is observable how that the forfeited possession of the favour and image
God from the beginning has preferred the younger to of God might be redeemed, brought back, and restored
the elder, as Abel before Cain ; Shem before Japheth; to all those who believe in his name. To have invoked
Isaac before Ishmael ; Jacob before Esau ; Judah and any other angel or messenger in such a business would
Joseph before Reuben ; Ephraim before Manasseh have been impiety. Angels bless not to God alone ;

Moses before Aar-on ; and David before his brethren. this prerogative belongs. With what confidence may
" This is to be resolved entirely into the wise and se- a truly religious father use these words in behalf of his
cret counsel of God, so far as it regards temporal bless- children " Jesus, the Christ, who hath redeemed :

ings and national privileges, as the apostle tells us, me, bless the lads, redeem them also, and save them
Rom. ix. 11 see the notes on chap. xxv. 23. But unto eternal life !"
;

this preference has no concern with God's conferring Let my name be named on them] " Let them be
a greater measure of his love and approbation on one ever accounted as a part of my own family let them ;

person more than another ; compare Gen. iv. 7, with be true Israelites —
persons who shall prevail with God
—
Heb xi. 4, and you will see that a difference in moral as I have done and the name of Abraham being
character was the sole cause why God preferred Abel
;

partakers of his faith; and the name of Isaac let —

to Cain." Dodd. The grace that converts the soul I them be as remarkable for submissive obedience as he
261
 9
8

Ephraim preferred before GENESIS. his elder brother

A. M. 2315.17 And when Joseph saw that he, and his seed shall become a A. M. 2315.
B. C. 1689. B. C. 1689,
father ""laid his right hand " multitude of nations,
his
Upon the head of Ephraim, it ^ displeased 20 And he blessed them that day, saying,
him and he held up his father's hand, to "^ In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make
:

remove it from Ephraim's head unto Manas- thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh and he :

seh's head. set Ephraim before Manasseh.

1 And Joseph said unto his father. Not so, 21 And Israel said unto Joseph, Behold, I
my father : for this is the first-born ;
put thy die : but '^
God shall be with you, and bring
right hand upon his head. you again unto the land of your fathers.
1 And his father refused, 22 Moreover ^ I have given to thee one
and said, ' I know
it, my son, I know it : he also shall become a portion above thy brethren, which I took out
people, and- he also shall be great but truly of the hand ^ of the Amorite, with my sword
:

" h's younger brother shall be greater than and with my bow.

A'^er. 14. ' Was evil in his eyes ; chap, xxviii. 8. ' Ver. ''So Ruth iv. 11, 12. »Chap. xlvi. 4; 1.24. yJosk
14. " Num. i.33, 35 ; ii. 19, 21 ; Deut. ixxiii. 17 ; Rev. vii. xxiv. 32 1 Chron. v. 2
; John iv. 5. ;
^ Chap. xv. 16 ; xxxiv.
6, 8. ^ Heb. fulness. 28 Josh. xvii. 14, &c.
;

was. Let the virtues of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob fectly willing to bid adieu to earthly things, and lay his
be accumulated in them, and invariably displayed by body in the grave. Could any person act as the pa-
them !" These are the very words of adoption and ; triarchs did in their last moments, who had no hopes
by the imposition of hands, the invocation of the Re- of eternal life, no belief in the immortality of the soul ?
deemer, and the solemn blessing pronounced, the adop- Impossible With such a conviction of the being of
!

tion was completed. From this moment Ephraim and God, with such proofs of his tenderness and regard,
Manasseh had the same rights and privileges as Jacob's with such experience of his providential and miracu-
sons, which as the sons of Joseph they could never lous interference in their behalf, could they suppose
have possessed. that they were only creatures of a day, and that God
And let them grow into a multitude^ 317 UT1 ve- had wasted so much care, attention, providence, grace,
yidgu larob ; Let them increase like fishes into a mul- and goodness, on creatures who were to be ultimately
titude. Fish are the most prolific of all animals see ; like the beasts that perish 1 The supposition that they
the instances produced on chap. i. 20. This prophetic could have no correct notion of the immortality of the
blessing was verified in a most remarkable manner ;
soul is as dishonourable to God as to themselves. But
see Num. xxvi. 34, 37 Deut. xxxiii. 17; Josh. xvii. what shall we think of Christians who have formed
—
;

17. At one tim.e the tribe of Ephraim amounted to this hypothesis into a system to prove what Why, '\

40,500 effective men, and that of Manasseh to 52,700, that the patriarchs lived and died in the dark ! That
amounting in the whole to 93,200. either the soul has no immortality, or that God has not
Verse 18. Joseph said Not so, 7ny father"] Joseph — thought proper to reveal it. Away with such an
supposed that his father had made a mistake in laying opinion It cannot be said to merit serious refutation.
!

his right hand on the head of the youngest, because Verse 22. Moreover I have given to thee one por-
the right hand was considered as the most noble, and tion] inx DDE' shechem achad, one shecheni or one
the instrument of conveying the highest dignities, and shoulder. We have already seen the transactions be-
thus it has ever been considered among all nations, tween Jacob and his family on one part, and Shechem
though the reason of it is not particularly obvious. and the sons of Hamor on the other. See chap, xxxiii.
Even in the heavens the right hand of God is the place 18, 19, and chap, xxxiv. As he uses the word she-
of the most exalted dignity. It has been observed that chem here, I think it likely that he alludes to the pur-
Joseph spoke here as he was moved by natural affec- chase of the field or parcel of ground mentioned chap,
tion, and that Jacob acted as he was influenced by the xxxiii. 18, 19. It has been supposed that this parcel
Holy Spirit. of ground, which Jacob bought from Shechem, had
Verse 20. In thee shall Israel bless] That is, In been taken from him by the Amorites, and that he af-
future generations the Israelites shall take their form terwards had recovered it by his sivord and by his boio,
of wishing prosperity to any nation or family from the i. e., by force of arms. Shechem appears to have
circumstance of the good which it shall be known that fallen to the lot of Joseph's sons; (see Josh. xvii. 1,
God has done to Ephraim and Manasseh May God : and XX. 7 ;) and in our Lord's time there was a parcel
make thee as fruitful as Ephraim, and multiply thee of ground near to Sychar or Shechem which was still
as Manasseh ! So, to their daughters when married, considered as that portion which Jacob gave to his son
the Jewish women are accustomed to say, God make Joseph, John iv. 5 and on the whole it was probably
;

thee as Sarah and Rebekah ! The forms are still in use. the same that Jacob bought for a hundred pieces of
Verse 21. Behold, I die] With what composure money, chap, xxxiii. 18, 19. But how it could be said
is this most awful word expressed Surely of Jacob it !
that he took this out of the hand of the Amorite icith
might be now said, " He turns his sight undaunted on hissword and his bow, we cannot tell. Many attempts
the tomb ;" for though it is not said that he teas full have been made to explain this abstruse verse, but they
of days, as were Abraham and Isaac, yet he is per- have all hitherto been fruitles.*;. Jacob's words were
262
 . ! ;

Jacob calls his sons whether CHAP. XLIX. that he may hless them.

no doubt perfectly well understood by Joseph, and pro- ritance] Or dost thou expect redemption from all evil
bably alluded to some transaction that is not now on by any other means! Through him, and him alone,
record and it is much safer for us to confess our ig-
; God will redeem thee from all thy sins and as thoa ;

norance, than to hazard conjecture after conjecture on knowest not what a moment may bring forth, thou hast
a subject of which we can know nothing certainly. not a moment to lose. Thou hast sinned, and there
is no name given under heaven among men whereby

1 Gn filial respect to aged and destitute parents we thou canst be saved but Jesus Christ. Acquaint thy-
have already had occasion speak; seever. 11. The to self now with him, and be at peace, and thereby good
duty of children to their parents only ceases when the shall come unto thee.
parents are laid in their graves, and this duty is the 3. We find that the patriarchs ever held the pro-
next in order and importance to the duty we owe to mised land in the most sacred point of view. It was
God. No circumstances can alter its nature or lessen God''s gift to them it was confirmed by a covenant
;

its importance Honour thy father and thy mother is

;
that spoke of and referred to better things. We be-
the sovereign, everlasting command of God. While lieve that this land typified the rest which remains for
the relations oi parent and child exist, this command- the people of God, and can we
be indifferent to the ex-
ment will be in full force. cellence of this rest ! A
patriarch could not die in
2. The Redeeming Angel, the Messenger of the peace, however distant from this land, without an as-
covenant, in his preserving and saving influence, is in- surance that his bones should be laid in it. How can
voked by dying Jacob to be the protector and Saviour how can we die comfortably, without the as-
ive live,
of Ephraim and Manasseh, ver. 16. With what ad- surance that our lives are hid with Christ in God, and
vantage and effect can a dying parent recommend the that we shall dwell in his presence for ever 1 There
Lord Jesus to his children, who can testify with his remains a rest for the people of God, and only for the
last breath that this Jesus has redeemed him from all people of God for those alone who love, serve, re-
;

evil ! Reader, canst thou call Christ thy Redeemer ? verence, and obey him, in his Son Jesus Christ, shall
Hast thou, through him, recovered the forfeited inhe- ever enjoy it.

CHAPTER XLIX.
may bless them, or give prophetic declarations concerning
Jntob, about to die, calls his sons together that he
^Aej'r Prophetic declaration concerning, Reuben, 3, 4. Concerning Simeon and Levi, 5—7;
posterity, 1, 2.
concerning Judah, 8-12 concerning Zebulun, 13 concerning Issachar, 14, 15
; concerning DdJa, 16—18 ; ; ;

concerning Gad, 19 concerning Asher, 20 concerning Naphtali, 21

; concerning Joseph, 22-26 con- ; ; ;

cerning Benjamin, 27. Summary concerning the ttvelve tribes, 28. Jacob gives directions concerning his
being buried in the cave of Machpelah, 29—32. Jacob dies, 33.

M. 2315. A ND
Jacob called unto his sons, 2 Gather yourselves together, A. M. 2315.
B. C. 1689.
and said, Gather yourselves and hear, ye sons of Jacob and ;

together, that I may ^ tell you that which shall ° hearken unto Israel your father.
Defall you ""
in the last days. 3 Reuben, thou art ^ my first-born, my might,
> Deut. xxxiii. 1 ; Amos iii. 7. •>
Deut. iv.30 Numbers
; 29 ; Acts ii. 17 ; Heb. i. 2. -cPsa. xxxiv. 11.- 'Chap.
xxiv. 14 ; Isa. ii. 2 ; xxxix. 6 ; Jer. xxiii. 20 Dan. ii. 28,
; xxix. 32.

NOTES ON CHAP. XLIX. text and the common version the reader is ultimately
Verse HhdXiohich shall befall you in the last days.]
1. referred.
It is evident from this, and indeed from the whole com-
2. Come together and hear, O sons of Jacob
plexion of these important prophecies, that the twelve
And hearken unto Israel your father.
sons of Jacob had very little concern in them, person-
ally considered, as they were to be fulfilled in the last Bishop Newton has justly observed that Jacob had
days, i. c., in times remote from that period, and con- received a double blessing, spiritual and temporal;
sequently to their posterity, and not to themselves, or the promise of being progenitor of the Messiah, and
to their immediate families. The whole of these pro- the promise of the land of Canaan. The promised
phetic declarations, from ver. 2 to ver. 27 inclusive, is land he might divide among his children as he pleased,
delivered in strongly figurative language, and in the but the other must be confined to one of his sons
poetic form, which, in every translation, should be pre- he therefore assigns to each son a portion in the land
served as nearly as possible, rendering the version line of Canaan, but limits the descent of the blessed seed
for line with the original. This order I shall pursue Judah.
to the tribe of Some have put themselves to
in the succeeding notes, always proposing the verse a great deal of trouble and learned labour to show
first, in as literal a translation as possible, line for line that it was a general opinion of the
ancients that the
with the Hebrew after the hemistich form, from which soul, a short time previous to its departure from the
the seme will more readily appear ; but to the Hebrew body, becomes endued with a certain measure of th«
a 263
 : — ; !

The prophecy concerning GENESIS. Reuben, Simeoii, and Levi

—
A. M. 2315.

excellency of power
'-
e
gj^^j t}^g bcffinninff of

the excellency of dignity, and the

my strenffth, then defiledst thou
up
5
to
''
my couch.
Simeon and Levi are
it : '
he went

'
brethren
A. M. 2315.
B. C. 1689.

; "" in
4 Unstable as water, ^ thou ^ shalt not excel struments ""
of cruelty are in their habitations.
because thou ^ wentest up to thy father's bed 6 O my soul, "come not thou into then
e Deut. xxi. 17 Psa. Ixxviii. 51.
; ' Heb. do not thou excel. ' Or, my couch is gone. ''
Chap. xxix. 33, 34. ' Prov. xviii.
SlChron. V. 1. h Chap. xxxr.
22; 1 Chron. v. 1: Deut. 9. " Or, their swords are weapoiu of violence. ° Ch. xxxiv.
xxvii. 20. 25. o Prov. i.
15, 16.

prophetic gift ox foresight ; and that this was probably ject, passing over a transaction covertly, which deli-
the case with Jacob. But it would be derogatory to cacy forbade Jacob to enlarge on. For the crime of
the dignity of the prophecies delivered in this chap- Reuben, see the notes on chap. xxxv. 22.
ter, to suppose that they came by any other means
than direct inspiration, as to their main matter, though
5. Simeon and Levi, brethren :

certain circumstances appear to be left to the patri-

They have accomplished their fraudulent purposes.

arch himself, in which he might express his own

6. Into their secret council my soul did not come ;

feelings both as a father and as a judge.

In their confederacy my honour was not united :

This is
strikingly evident, 1. In the case of Reuben, from
For in their anger they slew a man,(B'"N ish, a noble,)
whom he had received the grossest insult, however And in their pleasure they murdered a prince.

the passage relative to him may be understood ; and,

7. Cursed was their anger, for it was fierce !

2. In the case of Joseph, the tenderly beloved son of

And their excessive wrath, for it was inflexible

I will divide them out in Jacob,

his most beloved loife Rachel, in the prophecy con-
And I will disperse them in Israel.
cerning whom he gives full vent to all those tender
and affectionate emotions which, as Verse 5. Simeon and Levi are brethren] Not only
2i father and a hus-
band, do him endless credit. springing from the same parents, but they have the
same kind of disposition, headstrong, deceitful, vindic-
3. Reuben, my first-born art thou !
tive, and cruel.
My might, and the prime of my strength,
They have accomplished, dfc] Our margin has it,
Excelling in eminence, and excelling in power :
Their swords are weapons of violence, i. e. Their
4. Pouring out like the waters thou shalt not excel, :
— swords, which they should have used in defence of
For thou wentest up to the bed of thy father, their persons or the honourable protection of their
Then thou didst defile to my couch he went up :
!
families, they have employed in the base and dastardly

Verse 3. Reuben as the first-born had a right to a

murder of an innocent people.
double portion of all that the father had ; see Deut.
The Septuagint gives a different turn to this line
xxi. 17. from our translation, and confirms the translation
The eminence or dignity mentioned here may refer
given above I,vveTe?.Ecav adiKiav e^atpeaeuc avruv
:

to the priesthood the poiver, to the r-tgal government

They have accomplished the iniquity of their purpose ;
;

or kingdom. In this sense with which the Samaritan Version agrees. In the
it ha^, been understood by
the ancient Targumists. Samaritan text we read "^^iU calu, they have accom-
all The Targum of Onkelos
paraphrases it thus " Tnou shouldst have plished, instead of the Hebrew '•^2 keley, loeapons or in-
:
received
three portions, the birthright, the priesthood, and the struments, which reading most critics prefer and as to :

kingdom :" and Targums of Jonathan ben Dri'mDO mecher othey hem, ixdi,ns\d,te([ above their frau-
to this the
JJzziel and Jerusalem add " But because thou hast dulent purposes, and which our translation on almost
:

sinned, the birthright is given to Joseph, the kingdom

no authority renders their habitations, it must either
to Judah, and the priesthood to Levi." come from the Mthiopic 1D0 macar, he counselled, de-
That the
birthright was given to the sons of Joseph vised stratagems, SfC, (see Castel,) or from the Arabic
we have
the fullest proof from 1 Chron. v. 1. jjy^macara, he deceived, practised deceit, plotted, &,c.,
Verse 4. Pouring out like the ivaters'] This an which is nearly of the same import.
is This gives not
obscure sentence because unfinished. It evidently only a consistent but evidently the true sense.
relates to the defilement of his father's
couch and ; Verse 6. Into their secret council, &c.] Jacob here
the word mS
pachaz, here translated pouring out, and
exculpates himself from all participation in the guilt
in our Version unstable, has a bad meaning
in other of Simeon and Levi in the murder of the Shechemites.
places of the Scripture, being applied to dissolute,
de- He most solemnly declares that he knew nothing of
bauched, and licentious conduct. See Judg. ix. 4 the confederacy by which it was executed, nor of the
•

Zeph. iii. 4 Jer. xxiii. 14, 32 xxix. 23.

;
;
secret council in which itwas plotted.
Thou shalt not excel]
to any This tribe never rose
If it should be said that the words N3n tabo and
eminence in Israel; was not
numerous by one *inr\ techad should be translated in the future tense
so
third as either Judah, Joseph, or Dan, when
Moses or in the imperative, as in our translation, I shall not
took the sum of them in the wilderness. Num.
i. 21 contend though it is well known that the preterite is •

;
and was among the first that were carried into
cap- often used for the future in Hebrew, and vice versa.
tivity, 1 Chron. v. 26.
Taken thus, the words mark the strong detestation
Then thou didst defile] Another unfinished sen- which this holy man's soul felt for the villany of his
tence, similar to the former, and upon the same sub-
sons : " My soul shall not come into their secret
264
 r :

The prophecy CHAP. XLIX. concerning Judah.

A. M. 2315. secret ; p unto their assembly, and their wrath, for it was cruel :
* I A. M. 2315.
B. C. 1689. B. C. 1689.
1 mine honour, be not thou united : will divide them in Jacob, and scat-
for ^ in their anger they slew a man, and in ter them in Israel.

their self-will they ^ digged down a wall. 8 " Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren
7 Cursed he their anger, for it was fierce ;
shall praise ;
" thy hand shall be in the neck

P Psa. xxvi. 9 ; Eph. v. 11. 1 Psa. xvi. 9 ; xxx. 12 ; Ivii. 8. 5, 6, 7 ; 1 Chron. iv. 24, 39.- -" Chap. xxix. 35 ; Deut. xxxiii. 7.
" Chap, xjcxiv. 26. ' Or, houghed oxen. ' Josh. xix. 1
; xxi. ^ Psa. xviii. 40.

council. My honour shall not be united to their con- were not only separated from each trther, but even
federacy." divided from themselves, according to this prediction
For anger they slew a man]
in their K/'^X ish, a of Jacob.
man, viz., Shechem.
noble, an honourable
8. Judah thou !Thy brethren shall praise thee.
!

And in their pleasure] This marks the highest

Thy hand, in the neck of thine enemies
degree of wickedness and settled malice, they were
The sons of thy father shall bow themselves to thee.
delighted with their deed. A similar spirit Saul of
9. A lion's whelp is Judah :

Tarsus possessed previously to his conversion speak-

;

From the prey, my son, thou hast ascended.

ing of the martyrdom of St. Stephen, St. Luke says.
1,av?iOg 6s rjv awsvdoKuv
He couched, lying down like a strong lion,
Acts viii, 1 : ttj avaipeuei
And like a lioness who shall arouse him ?
;

avTov And Saul ivas gladly consenting to his death.

10. From Judah the sceptre shall not depart,
He was with the others highly delighted with it ; and
Nor a teacher from his offspring,
thus the prediction of our Lord was fulfilled, John
Until that Shiloh shall come,
xvi. 2 Yea, the time cometh, that ivhosoever killeth
:

And to him shall be assembled the peoples.

you loill think that he doeth God service. And it is
1 1. Binding his colt to the vine.
represented as the highest pitch of profligacy and
And to the choice vine the foals of his ass,
wickedness, not only to sin, but to delight in it ; see
He washed his garments in wine,
Rom. i. 32. As the original word |i:f"i ratson signifies,
His clothes in the blood of the grape.
in general, pleasure, benevolence, delight, &c., it should
12. With wine shall his eyes be red,
neither be translated self-ivill nor wilfulness, as some
And his teeth shall be white with milk.
have done, but simply as above and the reasons ;

appear sufficiently obvious. They murdered a prince — Verse 8. Thy brethren shall praise thee.] As the
Hamor, the father of Shechem. Instead of "W^i) shor, name Judah signifies praise, Jacob takes occasion from
which we have translated a wall, and others an ox, I its meaning to show that this tribe should be so emi-
read Ti? sar, a prince, which makes a consistent sense ;
nent and glorious, that the rest of the tribes should
(see Kennicott's first Dissertation, p. 56, &c. ;) as there praise it that is, they should acknowledge its supe-
;

is no evidence whatever that Simeon and Levi either rior dignity, as in its privileges it should be distinguished
dug down a wall or houghed the oxen, as some have beyond all the others. On the prophecy relative to Ju-
translated the passage (see the margin ;) on the con-
;
dah, Dr. Hales has several judicious remarks, and has
trary, the text, chap. xxxv. 28, 29, proves that they left very little to be farther desired on the subject.
had taken for their own use the sheep, oxen, asses, all Every reader be glad to meet with them here.
will
their wealth, their ivives, and their little ones. " begins with his name Judah, sig-
The prophecy
Verse 7. Cursed luas their anger] The first motions nifying the praise of the Lord, which was given to
of their violence tvere savage ; and their excessive or him at his birth by his mother Leah, chap. xxix. 35.
overflowing tvrath, ni3J.' ebrah, for it ivas inflexible It then describes the warlike character of this tribe,
— 'neither the supplications of the males, nor the en- to which, by the Divine appointment, was assigned the
and shrieks of the helpless females,
treaties, tears, cries, first lot of the promised land, which was conquered
could deter them from their murderous purpose ; for accordingly by the pious and heroic Caleb ; the first
this, ver. 5, they are said to have accomplished. who laid hands on the necks of his enemies, and routed
Iivill divide them out, UpiTMi achallekem, Iivill make and subdued them. Josh. xiv. 11 xv. 1 Judg. i. 1, ; ;

them into lots, giving a portion of them to one tribe, 2 and Jed the way for their total subjugation under
;

and a portion to another but they shall never attain

; David ; who, in allusion to this prediction, praises God,
to any political consequence. This appears to have and says Thou hast given me the necks of mine ene-
:

been literally fulfilled. Levi had no inheritance mies, that I might destroy them that hate me, Psa.
except forty-eight cities, scattered through different xviii. 40. In the- different stages of its strength, this
parts of the land of Canaan and as to the tribe of
: tribe is compared groivn
to a lion''s ivhelp, to a full
Simeon, it is generally believed among the Jews that lion, a nursing lioness, the fiercest of all.
and to
they became schoolmasters to the other tribes and ; Hence a lion was the standard of Judah compare ;

when they entered Canaan they had only a small por- Num. ii. 3, Ezek. i. 10. The city of David, where
tion, a few towns and villages in the worst part of he reposed himself after his conquests, secure in the
Judah's lot. Josh. xix. 1, which afterwards finding terror of his name, 1 Chron. xiv. 17, was called
too little, they formed different colonies in districts Ariel, the lion of God, Isa. xxix. 1 and our Lord ;

which they conquered from the Idumeans and Ama- himself, his most illustrious descendant, the Lion of
iekttes, 1 Chron. iv. 39, &c. Thus these two tribes the tribe of Judah, Rev. v. 5.
265
 — — :

The prophecy GENESIS. concerning Judah.

A. M. 2315. of thine enemies ;

"^
thy father's chil- my son, thou art gone up : y he A. M. 2315.
— '
'-
dren shall bow down before thee. stooped down, he couched as a
^' ^' ^^^^'

9 Judah is "^
a lion's v/help : from the prey, lion, and as an old lion ; who shall rouse him up ?
Chap, xxvii. 29 ; 1 Cliron. v. 2. ^ Hos. V. 4 ; Rev. v. 5. 7 Num. xxiii. 24 xxiv. 9.
;

" The duration of the power of this famous tribe is 36, as a prelude to his second coming in glory *to
next determined :
' the sceptre of dominion,' as it is restore again the kingdom to Israel.''
understood Esth. 4
viii. Isa. xiv. 5, &c., or its civil
;
" The iiengeance to be then inflicted on all the
government , was not to cease or depart from Judah enemies of his Church, or congregation of faithful
until the birth or coming of Shiloh, signifying the
is expressed by the symbolical imagery of Christians,
Apostle, as Christ is stj'^led,Heb. iii. 1 nor was the
washing his garments in ivine, and his clothes in the
;
'

native lawgiver, or expounder of the law, teacher, or blood of grapes which to understand literally, would ;''

scribe, intimating their ecclesiastical polity, to cease, be incongruous and unusual any where, while it aptly
until Shiloh should have a congregation of peoples, represents his garments crimsoned in the blood of his
or religious followers, attached to him. And how foes, and their immense slaughter an imagery fre- ;

accurately was this fulfilled in both these respects ! quently adopted in the prophetic scriptures.
"
1. Shortly before the birth of Christ a decree was " The strength and wholesomeness of Shiloh's doc-
issued by Augustus Caesar that all the land of Judea trine are next represented by having his eyes red '

and Galilee should be e?iro//e6?, or a registry of persons with ivine, and his teeth white with milk.'' And thus
taken, in which Christ was included, Luke ii. 1-7 the evangelical prophet, in similar strains, invites the
;

whence Julian the apostate unwittingly objected to his world to embrace the Gospel :

title of Christ or King, that he was born a subject '

of Cssar About eleven years after Judea was made

I'
Ho, every one that thirsteth, come to the waters.
a Roman province, attached to Syria on the deposal And he that hath no money ; come, buy and eat
and banishment of Archelaus, the son of Herod the Yea, come, buy wine a7id milk.
Great, for maladministration Without money and ivithout price. Isa. Iv. 1.
and an assessment of ;

properties or taxing was carried into effect by Cyre- " On the last day of the feast of tabernacles it was
nius, then governor of Syria, the same who before, as customary among the Jews for the people to bring
the emperor's procurator, had made the enrolment, water from the fountain of Siloah or Siloam, which
Luke ii. 2 Acts v. 37 and thenceforth Judea was
; ;
they poured on the altar, singing the words of Isaiah,
governed by a Roman deputy, and the judicial power xii. 3 With joy shall ye draw loater from the foun-
:

of life and death taken away from the Jews, John tain of salvation ; which the Targum interprets, With '

xviii. 31. joy shall ye receive a new doctrine from the elect
" 2. Their ecclesiastical polity ceased with the of the JUST ONE ;' and the feast itself was also called
destruction of their city and temple by the Romans, Hosannah, Save, ive beseech thee. And Isaiah has
A. D. 70 at which time the Gospel had been preach-
; also described the apostasy of the Jews from their tu-
ed through the known world by the apostles, his wit- ' telar God Immanuel, under the corresponding imagery
nesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, of their ' rejecting the gently-flowing waters of Siloah,''
and unto the uttermost parts of the earth ;' Acts ii. 8 Isa. viii. 6-8.
;

Rom. X. 18. "Hence our Lord, on the last day of the feast, sig-
" Our Lord'.s triiimpliant entry into Jerusalem, be- nificantly invited the Jews to come unto him as the
/ore^his crucifixion, 'riding on an ass, even a colt the true and living Fountain of waters, Jer. ii. 13. 'If
Joal of an ass,' which by his direction his disciples any man thirst, let him come to me and drink ;' John
brought to him for this purpose, — Go ' into the village vii. 37. He also compared his doctrine to new ivine,
over against you, and presently ye shall find an ass which required to be put into neiv bottles, made of
tied, and a colt with her loose them, and bring them ; skins strong enough to contain it, Matt. ix. 17 ; while
to me,' Matt. xxi. 2-5, remarkably fulfilling the pro- the Gospel is repeatedly represented as affording milk
phecy of Zechariah, ix. 9, is no less a fulfilment of for babes, or the first principles of the oracles of God
this prophecy of Shiloh. binding or tying his foal to ' for novices in the faith, as well as strong meat [and
the vine, even his ass\'; colt to the choice vine.'' In strong wine] for masters in Christ or adepts. Matt,
ancient times to ride upon ivhite asses or ass-colts was xiii. 11 ; Heb. v. 12-14.
the privilege of persons of high rank, princes, judges, " And our Lord's most significant miracle v/as
and prophets, Judg. v. 10; x. 4 ; Num. xxii. 22. wrought at this fountain, when he gave sight to a man
And as the children of Israel were symbolized by the forty years old, who had been blind from his birth, by
vine, Psa. Ixxx. 8, Hos. x. 1, and the men of Judah sending him, after he had anointed his eyes with
by a (choice) vine of Sorek,'' in the original, both
'
moistened clay, to wash in the pool of Siloam, which
here and in the beautiful allegory of Isaiah, v. 1—7, is the Greek pronunciation of the Hebrew rh'tif Siloah

adopted by Jeremiah, ii. 21, and by our Lord, Matt, or Siloh, Isa. viii. 6, where the Septuagint version
xxi. 3 1, who styled himself the true vine, John xv. 1 ;
reads "Liluan, signifying, according to the evangelist,
so the union of both these images signified our Lord's a-eara'AHEvo^, sent forth, and consequently derived
assumption, as the promised Shiloh, of the dignity of from nSiV shalach, to send, John ix. 7. Our Lord
the king of the Jews, not in a temporal but in a thus assuming to himself his two leading titles of
spiritual sense, as he declared to Pilate, John xviii. Messiah, signifying anointed, and Shiloh, sent forth
266 a
 — ; ;

Shiloh's coming foretold. CHAP. XLIX. Prophecy concerning Zehulun

A. M. 2315. 10 ^ The sceptre shall not depart 1 2 His ^ eves shall be red with A. M. 2315-
B. C. 1689. /. B. C. 1689, 1 1 , . .
1
from Judah, nor * a lawgiver ^ from Wine, and his teeth white with
between his feet, " until Shiloh come ^ and milk, ;

unto him shall the gathering of the people be. 13^ Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the
11' Binding his foal unto the vine, and his sea and he shall be for a haven of ships ; ;

ass's colt unto the choice vine he washed and his border shall be unto Zidon. ;

his garments in wine, and his clothes in the 14 Issachar is a strong ass couching down
blood of grapes : between two burdens :

Zech. =iPsa. Ix. 7 33. d Isa. ii. 2 10 1,4;

''Num. xxiv. 17; Jer. xxx. 21 ; x. 11. ; ; xi. ; xlii. xlix. 6, T, 22, 23 ; Iv. 4, 5 ;
cviii. 8, or Num. xxi. 18. ''
Deut. xxviii. 57. '^
Isa. xi. 1 ;
Ix. 1, 3, 4, 5 ; Hag. ii. 7 ; Luke ii. 30, 31, 32. « 2 Kings xviii. 32.

l-cii. 11 ; Ezek. xxi. 27; Dan. ix.25; Matt. xxi. 9; Luke i. 32, f
Prov. xxiii. 29. 5 Deut. xxxiii. 18, 19 ; Josh. xix. 10, 11.

or delegated from God as he had done before at the

; Verse 10. Froin Judah the sceptre shall not depart]
opening of his mission The Spirit of the Lord is :
' The Jews have a quibble on the word \5'2W shebet,
upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the which we translate sceptre ; they say it signifies a
Gospel to the poor he hath sent me forth (anEaTalKs)
; staff or rod, and that the meaning of it is, that " afflic-
to heal the broken-hearted,' &c. Luke iv. 18. ;
tions shall not depart from the Jews till the Messiah
" And in the course of it he declared, I was not comes ;" that they are still under affliction, and there-
sent forth {anearalriv) but unto the lost sheep of the fore the Messiah is not come. This is a miserable
house of Israel, Matt. xv. 24, by a twofold reference shift to save a lost cause. Their chief Targumist,
to his character in Jacofs prophecy of Shiloh and Onkelos, understood and translated the word nearly as
Shepherd of Israel, Gen. xlix. 10—24. 'This is we do and the same meaning is adopted by the Jeru-
;

life eternal, to know thee the only true God, and Jesus salem Targum, and by all the ancient versions, the
Christ whom thou sentest forth,'' {aneareiTiac,) to in- Arabic excepted, which has .
* hazeeb, a rod; but ' ^^
struct and save mankind, John xvii. 3 and he thus ; in a very ancient MS. of the Pentateuch in my own
distinguishes his own superior mission from his com- possession the word sebet is used, which
iaJ>^>** signi-
mission to his apostles As the F.4.ther hath sent :
'

fies a tribe. Judah shall continue a distinct tribe till

ME, {aTTEOTokKE fie,) so I send you,' Trsfiivo) vfxag, John
the Messiah shall come and it ; did so and after his
;

XX. 21. Whence St. Paul expressly styles Jesus

coming it was confounded with the others, so that all
Christ the Apostle ('O ATroa-olog) and High Priest
'

distinction has been ever since lost.

of our profession,' Heb. iii. 1 and by an elaborate ;
Nor a teacher from his offspring] I am sufficiently
argument shows the superiority of his mission above
aware that the literal meaning of the original V7JI JOD
that of Moses, and of his priesthood above that of
mibbeyn raglaiv is from between his feet, and I am as
Aaron, in the sequel of the epistle. His priesthood
fully satisfied that it should never be 50 translated
was foretold by David to be a royal priesthood, after
from between the feet and out of the thigh simply
the order of Melchizedek, Psa. ex. 4. But where shall
mean progeny, natural offspring, for reasons which
we find his mission or apostleship foretold, except in
surely need not be mentioned. The Targum of Jona-
Jacob's prophecy of Shiloh which was evidently so 1
than ben Uzziel, and the Jerusalem Targum, apply
understood by Moses when God offered to send him
the whole of this prophecy, in a variety of very minute
as his ambassador to Pharaoh, and he declined at first
particulars, to the Messiah, and give no kind of coun-
the arduous mission :
'
O my Lord, send I pray thee
tenance to the fictions of the modern Jews.
by the hand of Him whom thou loilt send,'' or by the
promised Shiloh, Exod. iii. 10; iv. 13; by whom in
13. At the haven of the seas shall Zebulun dwell,

his last blessing to the Israelites, parallel to that of

And he shall be a haven for ships.
Jacob, he prayed that God would bring back Judah
'
And his border shall extend unto Sidon.
to his people' from captivity, Deut. xxxiii. 7. Verse 13. Zebulun's lot or portion in the division

" Here then we find the true meaning and deriva- of the Promised Land extended from the Mediterra-
tion of the much disputed term Shiloh in this prophecy
nean Sea on the west, to the lake of Gennesareth on
of Jacob, which is fortunately preserved by the Vul-
the east; see his division, Josh. xix. 10, &c. The
gate, rendering qui mittendus est, he that is to be sent,
Targum of Jonathan ben Uzziel paraphrases the pas-
sage thus " Zebulun shall be on the coasts of the sea,
and also by a rabbinical comment on Deut. xxii. 7
:
:

subdue
' If you keep this precept, you hasten the coming of and he shall rule over the havens ; he shall
the provinces of the sea with his ships, and his border
the Messiah, who is called Sent.'
" This important prophecy concerning Judah inti- shall extend unto Sidon."
mates, 1 The warlike character and conquests of this 14. Issachar is a strong ass
.

tribe 2. The cessation of their civil and religious

;
Couching between two burdens.
polity at the first coming of Shiloh ; 3. His meek and 15. And he saw the resting place that it was
good,

owly inauguration at that time, as spiritual King of And the land that it was pleasant
And he inclined his shoulder to the load.
the Jews, riding on an ass like the ancient judges and
"prophets ; 4. His second coming as a warrior to And became a servant unto tribute.
trample on all his foes ; and, 5. To save and instruct Verse 1 4. Issachar is a strong ass] D"lJ "inn chamot
his faithful people." Hales' Anal., vol. ii.. p. 167, &c. garem is properly a strong-limbed ass ; couching be
267
 The prophecy concerning GENESIS. Issachar and Dan
A. M. 2315. 15 And he saw that rest was 1 6 " Dan shall judge his people, a. m. 2315.
B. C. 1689.
good, and the land that it was as one of the tribes of Israel. — "

pleasant and bowed ^ his shoulder

; to bear, \1 ^ Dan shall be a serpent by the way,
and became a servant unto tribute. ^ an adder in the path, that biteth the horse
h I Sam. X. 9. ' Deut. xxxiii. 22 ; Judg. xviii. 1, 2. ^ Judg. xviii. 27. 1 Heb. an arrow-snake.

tiveen two burdens —

bearing patiently, as most under- phon, which is nowhere else to be found in the Bible,
stand it, the fatigues of agriculture, and submitting to is thus translated by the Vulgate, and Bochart approves
exorbitant taxes rather that exert themselves to drive of the translation. The cerastes has its name from
out the old inhabitants. two little horns upon its head, and is remarkable for
The two burdens literally mean the two sacks or the property here ascribed to the shephiphon. The
panniers, one on each side and of the animal's body ; word mx orach, which we translate path, signifies the
couching down between these refers to the well-known track or 7-ut made in the ground by the wheel of a
propensity of the ass, whenever wearied or overload- cart, wagon, &c. And the description that Nicander
ed, to lie down even with its burden on its back. gives of this serpent in his Theriaca perfectly agrees
Verse 15. He saw that rest] The inland portion with what is here said of the shephiphon
that was assigned to him between the other tribes.
Ev 6' apadotaiv
He inclined his shoulder to the load ; the Chaldee pa-
raphrast gives this a widely different turn to that given
H Kai d/iarpoxiriat izapa arijSov evSuKsc avEi. v. 262.
it by most commentators " He saw his portion that
:
It lies under the sand, or in some cart rut by the loay.
it was good, and the land that it was fruitful and he ;
It is intimated that this tribe should gain the prin-
shall subdue the provinces of the people, and drive out
more by cunning and stra-
cipal part of its conquests
their inhabitants, and those who are left shall be his
tagem, than by valour ; and this is seen particularly
servants, and his tributaries." Grotius understands it in their conquest of Laish, Judges xviii., and even
nearly in the same way. The pusillanimity which is in some of the transactions of Samson, such as burn-
generally attributed to this tribe certainly does not ing the corn of the Philistines, and at last pulling down
agree with the view in which they are exhibited in
their temple, and destroying three thousand at one time,
Scripture. In the song of Deborah this tribe is praised
see Judg. xvi. 26-30.
for the poiverful assistance which it then afforded,
Judg. V. 15. And Chron. vii. 1-5, they are ex-
in 1 18. For thy salvation have I waited, O Lord!
pressly said to have been valiant men of might in all This is a remarkable ejaculation, and seems to stand
their families, and in all their generations; i. e., perfectly unconnected with all that went before and all
through every period of their history. It appears they that follows though it is probable that certain pro-
;

were a laborious, hardy, valiant tribe, patient in labour, phetic views which Jacob now had, and which he
and invincible in war; bearing both these burdens does not explain, gave rise to it and by this he at ;

with great constancy whenever it was necessary. once expressed both his faith and hope in God. Both
When Tola of this tribe judged Israel, the land had Jewish and Christian commentators have endeavoured
rest twenty-three years, Judg. x. 1. to find out the connection in which these words ex
isted in the mind of the patriarch. The Targum of
16. Dan shall judge his people,
Jonathan expresses the whole thus "When Jacob :

As one of the tribes of Israel.

saw Gideon the son of Joash, and Samson the son of
17. Dan shall be a serpent on the way,
Manoah, which were to be saviours in a future age,
A cerastes upon the track,
he said I do not wait for the salvation of Gideon, I
:

Biting the heels of the horse,

do not expect the salvation of Samson, because their
And his rider shall fall backwards.
salvation is a temporal salvation but I wait for and ;

Verse 16. Dan shall judge] Dan, whose name sig- expect thy salvation, O Lord, because thy salvation is
nifies judgment, was the eldest of Jacob's sons by Bil- eternal." And the Jerusalem Targum much to the
hah, Rachel's maid, and he is here promised an equal same purpose " Our father Jacob said Wait not, my
: :

rule with those tribes that sprang from either Leah or

soul, for the redemption of Gideon the son of Joash
Rachel, the legal wives of Jacob. which is temporal, nor the redemption of Samson which
Some Jewish and some Christian writers under- is a created salvation but for the salvation which
;

stand this prophecy of Samson, who sprang from this thou hast said by thy Word should come to thy peo-
tribe, and judged, or as the word might be translated
ple the children of Israel : my soul waits for this thy
avenged, the people of Israel twenty years. See Judg. salvation." Indeed these Targums understand almost
xiii. 2 XV. 20.
the whole of these prophecies of the Messiah, and es-
;

Verse 17. Dan shall be a serpent] The original pecially what is said about Judah, every word of which
word nachash, and we have seen on chap. iii.
is ISTIJ
they refer to him. Thus the ancient Jeivs convict the
that this has a great variety of significations. and vain expecta-
It is moderns of both false interpretations
probable that a serpent is here intended, but of what tions. As the tribe of Dan was
first that appears the
kind we know not yet as the principal reference in
; to have been seduced from the true worship of God,
the text is to guile, cunning, &c., the same creature (see Judg. xviii. 30,) some have thought that Jacob
may be intended as in chap. iii. refers particularly to this, and sees the end of the
A cerastes upon the track] The word pD'Diy shephi- general apostasy only in the redemption by Jesus
268
 : ; — ;

The prophecy concerning CHAP. XLIX. Gad, Asher, and Naphtali

A. M. 2315. heels, so that his rider shall fall 20 ° Out of Asher his bread 5/jaZZ6e a.m. 2315.
B. C. 1689. ,
backward.
,
J
fat, and he shall yield royal dainties. — '.
'.

18 ""I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord ! 21 P Naphtali is a hind let loose : he giveth
19'' Gad, a troop shall overcome him : but goodly words.
he shall overcome at the last. 22 Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruit-

™ Psa. X3W. 6 ; cxix. 166, 174 ; Isa. xxv. 9. " Deut. xxxiii. 20 • Deuteronomy xxxiii. 24 ; Joshua xix. 24. p Deuteronomy
1 Chron. v. 18. xxxiii. 23.

Christ, considering the nachash above as the seducer, be here intended. From his four sons Jahzeel, Guniy
and the Messiah the promised seed. Jezer, and Shillem, which he took down into Egypt,
chap. xlvi. 24, in the course of two hundred and fifteen
19. Gad, an army shall attack hira,
And he shall attack in return. years there sprang of effective men 53,400 : but as
great increase in this way was not an uncommon' case
This is one of the most obscure prophecies in the descendants of Jacob, this may refer particu-
in the
whole chapter and no two interpreters agree in the
;
larly to the fruitfulness and the especial
of their soil,
translation of the original words, which exhibit a most
singular alliteration — providential care and blessing of the Almighty to
which indeed Moses seems particularly to refer, Deut.
;

1JTU' nnJl "M gad gedud yegudennu ; xxxiii.23 O Naphtali, satisfied luith favour, and full
:

Dp>' ~\y Xim vehu yagud akeb. with the blessing of the Lord. So that he may be re
The prophecy seems to refer generally to the fre- presented under the notion of a tree planted in a rich
quent disturbances to which this tribe should be ex- soil, growing extending its branches
to a prodigious size,

posed, and their hostile, warlike disposition, that would in all directions, and becoming a shade for men and
always lead them to repel every aggression It is .
cattle, and a harbour for the fowls of heaven
likely that the prophecy had an especial fulfilment 22. The son of a fruitful (vine) is Joseph ;

when this tribe, in conjunction with that of Reuben The son of a fruitful (vine) by the fountain :

and the half tribe of Manasseh, got a great victory The daughters (branches) shoot over the wall.
over the Hagarites, taking captive one hundred thou- 23. They sorely afflicted him and contended with him
sand men, two thousand ?isses, fifty thousand camels, The chief archers had him in hatred.
and two hundred and fifty thousand sheep see ;
24. But his bow remained in strength,
1 Chron. v. 18-22. Dr. Durell and others translate And the arms of his hands were made strong
the last word 2py akeb, rear " He shall invade their — By the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob :

rear ;" which contains almost no meaning, as it only By the name of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel
seems to state that though the army that invaded Gad 25. By the God of thy father, for he helped thee;
should be successful, yet the Gadites would harass And God All-sufficient, he blessed thee.
'

their rear as they returned but this could never be a :

The blessing of the heavens from above.
subject of sufficient consequence for a prophecy. The And the blessings lying in the deep beneath,
word 2pj? ekeb is frequently used as a particle, signi- The blessings of the breasts and of the womb.
fying in consequence, because of, on account of. After 26. The blessings of thy father have prevailed
the Gadites had obtained the victory above mentioned, Over the blessings of the eternal mountains.
they continued to possess the land of their enemies And the desirable things of the everlasting hills.
till they were carried away captive. The Chaldee These shall be on the head of Joseph,
paraphrasts apply this to the Gadites going armed And on his crown who was separated from his
over Jordan before their brethren, discomfiting their brethren.
enemies, and returning back with much spoiL See
Verse 22. The son of a fruitful
vine] This ap-
Josh. iv. 12, 13, and xxii. 1, 2, 8.
pears to me Jacob himself, who was blessed
to refer to
20. From Asher his bread shall be fat. with such a numerous posterity that in two hundred
And he shall produce royal dainties. and fifteen years after this his own descendants amount-
This refers to the great fertility of the lot that fell ed to upwards of 600,000 effective men and the ;

to Asher, and which appears to have corresponded figures here are intended to point out the continual
with the name, which signifies happy or blessed. His growth and increase of his posterity. Jacob was a
great prosperity is described by Moses in this figura- fruitful tree planted by a fountain, which because it
tive way " Let Asher be blessed with children, let
:
was good would yield good fruit ; and because it was
him be acceptable to his brethren, and let hira dip his planted neax z. fountain, from being continually watered,
foot in oil;''"' Deut. xxxiii. 24. would be perpetually fruitful. The same is used and
applied to Jacob, Deut. xxxiii. 28 The fountain of:

21. Naphtali is a spreading oak.

Jacob shall be upon a land of corn, and wine, cfc.
Producing beautiful branches.
The daughters, niJ2 banoth, put here for branches
This is BocharVs and perhaps no man shoot over or run upon the ivall.]
translation ; Alluding probably
who understands the genius of the Hebrew language to the case of the vine, which requires to be supported
will attempt to dispute its propriety it is as literal as by a wall, trees, &c.
; Some commentators have un-
It is correct. Our own translation scarcely gives any derstood this literally, and have applied it to the Egyp-
sense. The fruitfulness of this tribe in children may tian women, who were so struck with the beauty of
a 969.,
 :

Joseph IS blessed with GENESIS. extraordinary privileges

A. M. 2315. ful bough by a well ; whose shall bless thee with blessings of a. M. 2315.
B. C. 1689.
1 branches run over the wall heaven above, blessings of the deep - ——'
^

23 The archers have ' sorely grieved him, that lieth under, blessings of the breast and
and shot at him, and hated liim of the womb :

24 But his ^ bow abode in strength, and the 26 The blessings of thy father have prevailed
arms of his hands were made strong by the above the blessings of thy progenitors, unto '^

hands of * the mighty God of Jacob " (from the utmost bound of the everlasting hills-*
;

thence "'is the shepherd, '^

the stone of Israel :) ^ they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on
25 ^ Eveji by the God of thy father, who the crown of the head of him that was sepa
shall help thee : y and by the Almighty, ^ who rate from his brethren.
'i'Heh. daughters. ""Chap, xxxvii. 4,24, 28; xxxix. 20 ; xlii. " Psa. Ixxx. 1. '^ Isa. xxviii. 16. ^Chap. xxviii. 13, 21 ;
21 ; Psa. cxviii. 13. Job xxix. 20 ; Psa. xxxvii. 15.
' ' Psa. XXXV. 3 xliii. 23.
;
y Chap. xvii. 1 ; xxxv. 11. ^ Deut. xxxiii.

cxxxii. 2, 5. « Chap. xlv. 11 xlvii. 12 ; 1. 21.

;
13. a Deut. xxxiii. 15 ; Hab. iii. 6. Deut. xxxiii. 16.
•=

Joseph as to get upon walls, the tops of houses, &c., THE Almighty or All-sufficient ; I read njy 7X El Shad-
to see him as he passed by. This is agreeable to the dai, God All-sufficient ; which is the reading of the
view taken of the subject by the Koran. See the Samaritan, Septuagint, Syriac, and Coptic, and of three
notes on chap, xxxix. 7. reputable MSS. in the collections of Kennicott and De
Verse 23. The chief archers] D'^fn 'Sj^J baalerj Rossi. The copies used by those ancient versions had
chitstsim, the masters of arrows — Joseph's brethren, evidently 7X El, God, and not nx eth, the, a mistake
who either used such weapons, while feeding their produced in later times. On the word ntJ' '7N El
flocks in the deserts, for the protection of themselves Shaddai, see the note on chap. xvii. 1.
and cattle, or for the purpose of hunting; and who pro- The blessing of the heavens from above] gene- A
bably excelled in archery. It may however refer to the rally pure, clear, serene sky, frequently dropping down
hitter speeches and harsh loords that they spoke to and of fertilizing showers and dews, so as to make a very
him, for thei/ hated him, and could not speak peaceably fruitful soil and salubrious atmosphere.
to him, chap, xxxvii. 4. Thus they sorely afflicted Blessings lying in the deep beneath] Whatever riches
him, and were incessantly scolding or finding fault. could be gained from the sea or rivers, from mines and
Verse 24. But his bow remained in strength] The minerals in the bowels of the earth, and from abundant
more he was persecuted, either by his brethren or in springs in different parts of his inheritance. Our trans-
Egypt, the more resplendent his uprightness and vir- lation of this line is excessively obscure : Blessings
tues shone and the arms
: his extended power and
—
— of the deep that lieth under. What is it that lies un-
influence, of his hands plans, designs, and particular der the deep ? By connecting ^\D'^2 bircoth, blessings,

operations of his prudence, judgment, discretion, ^c, with ni*J"l robetseth, lying, all ambiguity is avoided,
were all rendered successful by the hand the power- — and the text speaks a plain and consistent sense.
ful succour and protection, of the Mighty One of Ja- The blessings of the breasts and of the icomb.] A
cob —
that God who blessed and prospered all the coun- numerous offspring, and an abundance of cattle. The
sels and plans of Jacob, and protected and increased progeny of Joseph, by Ephraim and Manasseh, amount-
him also when he was in a strange land, and often un- ed at the first census or enumeration (Num. i.) to 75,900
der the power of those who sought opportunities to men, which exceeded the sum of any one tribe Ju- ;

oppress and defraud him. dah, the greatest of the others, amounting to no more
By the name of the Shepherd ; the Rock of Israel] than 74,600. Indeed, Ephraim and Manasseh had
Jehovah, and El-Elohey Israel; see chap, xxxiii. 20. multiplied so greatly in the days of Joshua, that a com-
This appears to me to refer to the subject of the thirty- mon lot was not sufficient for them. See their com-
second chapter, where Jacob wrestled with God, had plaint, Josh. xvii. 14.
God's name revealed to him, and his own name changed Verse 26. The blessing of thy father, dfc] The
from Jacob to Israel, in consequence of which he built blessings which thy father now prays for and pronounces
an altar, and dedicated it to God, who had appeared to are neither temporal nor transitory ; they shall exceed
him under the name of Elohey -Israel, the strong God in their duration the eternal mountains, and in their
of Israel ; which circumstance led him to use the term value and spiritual nature all the conveniences, com-

Rock, which, as an emblem of power, is frequently forts, and delicacieswhich the everlasting hills can
given to God in the sacred writings, and may here re- produce. They shall last when the heavens and the
fer to the stone which Jacob set up. It is very pro- earth are no more, and shall extend throughout eter-
bable that the word shepherd is intended to apply to nity. They are the blessings which shall be commu-
our blessed Lord, who is the Shepherd of Israel, the nicated to the world by means of the Messiah.
good Shepherd, John x. 11-17 and who, beyond all ; The Jerusalem Targum paraphrases the place thus :

controversy, was the person with whom Jacob wrestled. " The blessing of this father shall be added unto the
See the notes on chap. xvi. 7, and xxxii. 24. blessings wherewith thy fathers Abraham and Isaac,
Verse 25. The God of thy father] How frequently who are likened to mountains, have blessed thee and ;

God is called the God of Jacob none needs be told who they shall exceed the blessings of the four mothers,
reads the Bible. Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, and Leah, who are likened
God All-sufficient] Instead of ni^ nx eth Shaddai, to the hills : all these blessings shall be a crown of
270
 —

Prophecy concerning Benjamin. CHAP. XLIX. Jacob's dying request.

A. M. 2315. 27 Beniamin shall " raven as a Canaan,) ^ which Abraham bought a. m. 2316.
T? O 1 689
.^ _
'.

wolf : in the morning he shall devour with the field of Ephron the Hit-
the prey, ^ and at night he shall divide the spoil. tite for a possession of a burying-place.
28 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel : 31 {' There they buried Abraham and Sarah
and this is it that their father spake unto them, his wife ^ there they buried Isaac and Re
;

and blessed them ; every one according to bekah his wife ; and there I buried Leah.)
his blessing he blessed them. 32 The purchase of the field and of the
29 And he charged them, and said unto cave that is therein ivas from the children of
them, I « am to be gathered unto my people : Heth.
^ bury me with my 33 And when Jacob had made an end of
fathers s in the cave that
is in the field of Ephroncommanding his sons, he gathered up his. feel
the Hittite.
30 In the cave that is in the field of Mach- into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and
pelah, (which is before Mamre in the land of was gathered unto his people. ^

<:
Judg. XX. 21, 25 ; Ezek. xxii. 25, 27. dNum. xxiii. 24 Esth. ;
f
Ch. xlvii. 30 2 Sam. xix. ; 37. e Ch. 1. 13. »> Ch. xxiii. 16
viii. 11 Ezek. xxxix. 10 ; Zech. xiv. 1,7.
;
= Ch. xv. 15 ; xxv. 8. i
Chap, xxiii. 19 xxv. 9. ;
^ Chap. xxxv. 29. 'Ver. 29.

magnificence on the head of Joseph, and on the crown In the morning, according Mr. Ainsworth, " sig- to
of the head of him who was a prince and governor in nifies the first of Benjamin was the
times; for Ehud
the land of Egypt." second judge that saved the Israelites from the hands
27. Benjamin is a ravenous wolf: of the Moabites, Judg. iii. 15, &c. Saul of Benja-
In the morning he shall devour the prey, min was the first king of Israel he and his son were ;

And in the evening he shall divide the spoil. great warriors, making a prey of many enemies
1 Sam. xi. 6, 7, 11; xiv. 13, 15, 47, 48. And the
This tribe is very fitly compared to a ravenous loolf,
evening, the latter times ; for Mordecai and Esther
because of the rude courage and ferocity which they
of Benjamin delivered the Jews from a great destruc-
have invariably displayed, particularly in their war with
tion, and slew their enemies, Esth. viii.. 7,9,11; ix
the other tribes, in which they killed more men than
5, 6, 15, 16."
the whole of their own numbers amounted to.
Yerse 28. Every one according to his blessing]
" This last tribe," says Dr. Hales, " is compared to
That is, guided by the unerring Spirit of prophecy
a wolf for its ferocious and martial disposition, such
Jacob now foretold to each of his sons all the import-
as was evinced by their contests with the other tribes,
ant events which should take place during their suc-
in which, after two victories, they were almost exter-
cessive generations, and the predominant characteristic
minated, Judg. xix., XX." Its union \vith the tribe of
of each tribe and, at the same time, made some com-
;

Judah seems to be intimated in their joint conquests,

paratively obscure references to the advent of the
expressed nearly in the same terms "Judah went up :

Messiah, and the redemption of the world by him.

from the prey ;" "Benjamin devoured the prey." Moses
Verse 29. Bury me ivith my fathers, cj-c] From
in his parallel prophecy, Deut. xxxiii. 12, confirms this
this it appears that the cave at Machpelah was a com-
by signifying that the sanctuary should be fixed in his
mon burying-place for Hebrews of distinction ; and
lot,and that he should continue as long as the exist-
indeed the first public burying-place mentioned in his-
ence of the temple itself:
tory. From ver. 31 we find that Abraham, Sarah,
The beloved of the Lord shall dwell with him
Isaac, Rebekah, and Leah, had been already deposited
'~
in safety,
there, and among them Jacob wished to have his bones
And shall cover him all the day long, laid ; and he dying charge with his children to
left his
And shall dwell between his shoulders. bury him in this place, and this they conscientiously
Deut. xxxiii. 12. performed. See chap. 1. 13.
In the morning, ^-c] These expressions have been Verse 33. He gathered up his feet into the bed] It
variously understood. The sense given above is that is very probable that while delivering these prophetic
in which the principal interpreters agree but Houhi- ; blessings Jacob sat upon the side of his bed, leaning
gant protests against the prophecy signifying the con- upon his staff; and having finished, he lifted up his
tiriuance of this tribe, as the words, " in the morning feet into the bed, stretched himself upon it, and
devouring the prey," and " in the evening dividing the expired !
spoil," are supposed to imply " because," he observes,
; And teas gathered unto his people.] The testimony
" after the return from the Babylonish captivity, this that this place bears to the immortality of the soul,
tribe is no more mentioned." But this may be ac- and to its existence separate from the body, should
counted for from the circumstance of its being asso- not be lightly regarded. In the same moment in
ciated with that of Judah, (see 1 Kings xii. 21-24,) which Jacob is said to have gathered up his feet into
after which it is scarcely ever mentioned but in that the bed, and to have expired, it is added, and was
union. Being thus absorbed in the tribe of Judah, it gathered unto his people. It is certain that his body
continued from the morning till the evening of the Jew- was not then gathered to his people, nor till seven
ish dispensation, and consequently till the Lion of the
weeks after and it is not likely that a circumstance, ;

so distant in point both of time and place, would

tribe of Judah was seen in the wilderness
of Israel.
271
 . — — ;

Jacobus sons supposed to have GENESIS. given rise to the ancient Zodiac.

have been thus anticipated, and associated with facts cannot pretend to say but that the twelve signs wvte
;

that took place in that moment. cannot help there-

I at that time known in Egypt and Chaldea, there can
fore considering this an additional evidence for the be little doubt.
immateriality of the soul, and that it was intended 2. We
have now seen the life of Jacob brought to
by the Holy Spirit to convey this grand and conso- and have carefully traced it through all Its
a close ;

latory sentiment, that when a holy man ceases to live various fortunes, as the facts presented themselves in
among his fellows, his soul becomes an inhabitant of the preceding chapters. Isaac his father was wiiat
another world, and is joined to the spirits of just men might properly be called a good man ; but in strene^th
made perfect. of mind he appears to have fallen far short of his
father Abraham, and his son Jacob. Having left the
1. It has been conjectured (see the note, chap, management of his domestic concerns to Rebekah his
xxxvii. 9) that the eleven stars that bowed down to wife, who was an artful and comparatively irreligious
Joseph might probably refer to the signs of the Zodiac, woman, the education of his sons was either neglected
which were very anciently known in Egypt, and are or perverted. The unhappy influence which the pre-
supposed to have had their origin in Chaldea. On cepts and example of his mother had on the mind
this supposition Joseph's eleven brethren answered of her son we have seen and deplored. Through the
to eleven of these signs, and himself to the twelfth. mercy of God Jacob outlived the shady part of his
General Valiancy has endeavoured, in his Collectanea own character, and his last days were his brightest
de Rebus Hibernicis, vol. vi., part ii., p. 343, to trace and his best. He had many troubles and difllculties
out the analogy between the twelve sons of Jacob in life, under which an inferior mind must have neces-
and the twelve signs of the Zodiac, which Dr. Hales sarily sunk but being a worker together with the
;

{Analysis, vol. ii., p. 165) has altered a little, and providence of God, his difficulties only served in gene-
placed in a form in which it becomes more generally ral to whet his invention, and draw out the immense
applicable. As this scheme is curious, many readers resources of his own mind. He had to do with an
who may not have the opportunity of consulting the avaricious, procrastinating relative, as destitute of
above works will be pleased to find it here. That humanity as he was of justice. Let this plead some-
there is an allusion to the twelve signs of the Zodiac, thing in his excuse. He certainly did outivit his
and probably to their ancient asterisms, may be readily father-in-law and yet, probably, had no more than
;

credited ; but how far the peculiar characteristics of the just recompense of his faithful services in the
the sons of Jacob were expressed by the animals in successful issue of all his devices. From the time in
the Zodiac, is a widely different question. which God favoured him with that wonderful mani-

Reuben —
festation of grace at Peniel, chap, xxxii., he became
1 " Unstable (rather pouring out) as
He
—
waters'''' the sign Aquarius, represented as a
a neio man. had frequent discoveries of God
before, to encourage him in journeys, secular affairs,
man pouring out waters from an urii.
2. —
Simeon and Levi "The united brethren'''' — &c. ;but none in which the heart-changing power of
Divine grace was so abundantly revealed. Happy he
the sign Gemini or the Twins.
3. — —
JuDAH " The strong lion''' the sign Leo.
whose last days are his best We can scarcely con-
!

4. —
AsHER " His bread shall be faf' the sign — ceive a scene more noble or dignified than that
exhibited at the deathbed of Jacob. This great man
Virgo or the Virgin, generally represented as
was now one hundred and forty-seven years of age
holding a full ear of corn.
5. —
Issachar " A strong ass^'' or ox, both used in
though his body, by the waste of time, was greatly

husbandry —the sign Taurus or the Bull.

enfeebled, yet with a mind in perfect vigour, and a
hope full of immortality, he calls his numerous family
6. and 7. Dan-^" A serpent biting the horse's
together, all of them in their utmost state of pros-
heels" Scorpio, the Scorpion. On the celes- perity, and gives them his last counsels, and his
tial sphere the Scorpion is actually represented
dying blessing. His declarations show that the secret
as biting the heel of the horse of the archer
of the Lord was with him, and that his candle shone
Sagittarius ; and Chela, " his claws," origin-
bright upon his tabernacle. Having finished his work,
ally occupied the space of Libra.
Joseph —" His bow remained in strength" the — with perfect possession of all his faculties, and being
determined that while he was able to help himself
sign Sagittarius, the archer or boiv-man ; com-
none should be called in to assist, (which was one of
monly represented, even on the Asiatic Zodiacs,
the grand characteristics of his life,) he, with that
with his bow bent, and the arrotv draivn up to the
dignity which became a great man and a man of God,
—
head the bow in full strength.
—
Naphtali by a play on his name, nStO taleh, the
stretched himself upon his bed, and rather appears to
Who,
— —
ram the sign Aries, according to the rabbii.'S.
have conquered death than to have suffered it.
seeing the end of this illustrious patriarch, can help
10. Zebulun " A haven for ships" denoted by — exclaiming, There is none like the God of Jeshurun !

Cancer, the crab.

Gad —
Let Jacob's God be my God Let me die the death
11 " A troop or army" — reversed, dag, afish
!

— the sign Pisces.

—
of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!
Reader, God is still the same: and though he may
12. Benjamin "A ravening wolf" Capricorn,
not make thee as great as was Jacob, yet he is ready
which on the Egyptian sphere was represented
to make thee as good; and, whatever thy past life
by a goat led by Pan, with a wolfs head.
may have been, to crown thee with loving-kindness
What likelihood the reader may see in all this, I and tender mercies, that thy end also may be p^eace.
272
Joseph mourns for the CHAP. L. death of his father.

CHAPTER L.

Joseph bewails the death of his father, and commands the physicians to embalm him, 1, 2. The Egyptians
mourn for him seventy days, 3. Joseph begs permission from Pharaoh to accompany his father'' s corpse to
Canaan, 4, 5. Pharaoh consents, 6. Pharaoh's domestics and elders, the elders of Egypt, Joseph and
his brethren, with chariots, horsemen, dfC.,form the funeral procession, 7-9. They come to fAe threshing-
floor o/Atad, and mourn there seven days, 10. The Canaanites call the place Abel-Mizraim, 11. They
bury Jacob in the cave of Machpelah, 12, 13. Joseph returns to Egypt, 14. His brethren, fearing his
displeasure, send messengers to him to entreat his forgiveness of past wrongs, 15-17. They follow, and
prostrate themselves before him, and offer to be his servants, 18. Joseph receives them affectionately, and
assures them and theirs of his care and protection, 1 9—2 1 Joseph and his brethren diveWin Egypt, and .

he sees the third generation of his children, 22, 23. Being about to die, he prophecies the return of the
children of Israel from Egypt, 24, and causes them to swear that they ivill carry his bones to Canaan, 25.
Joseph dies, aged one hundred and ten years is embalmed, and put in a coffin in Egypt, 26.
;

A. M. 2315.
B. C. 1689.
A
XX
ND Joseph ^ fell upon his fa- 2 And Joseph commanded his ser- A. M. 2315.
B. C. 1689.
, , r 1 h
tner s lace, and " wept upon vants the physicians to ° embalm his
him, and kissed him. father and the physicians embalmed Israel.
;

» Chapter xlvi. 4. >> 2 Kings xiii. 14. <=

Ver. 26 ; 2 Chron. xvi. 14 ; Matt. xxvi. 12 ; Mark xiv. 8 ; xvi. 1 ; Luke xxiv. L

NOTES ON CHAP. L. thus preserved and though the work had been done
;

Verse Josephfell upon his father'' s face] Though

1. for so?ne thousands of years, the very feathers were
this act appears to be suspended by the unnatural divi- in complete preservation, and the colour of the plumage

sion of this verse from the preceding chapter, yet we discernible. The account of this curious process, the
may rest assured it was the immediate consequence of articles used, and the manner of applying them, I sub-
Jacob's death. join from Herodotus and Diodorus Siculus, as also the
Verse 2. The physicians] D'KS"^ ropheim, the healers, manner of their mournings and funeral solemnities,
those whose business it was to heal or restore the body which are highly illustrative of the subjects in this
from sickness by the administration of proper medi- chapter.
cines ; and when death took place, to heal or preserve " When
any man of quality dies," says Herodotus,
it from dissolution by embalming, and thus give it a
" all the women
of that family besmear their heads and
sort of immortality or everlasting duration. The ori-
faces with dirt then, leaving the body at home, they
;

ginal word which we translate to embalm,

£3Jn chanat,
go lamenting up and down the city with all their rela-
has undoubtedly the same meaning with the Arabic
tions their apparel being girt about them, and their
;

^Xss'hanata, which also signifies to embalm, or to pre- breasts left naked. On the other hand the men, having
serve from putrefaction by the application of spices, likewise their clothes girt about them, beat themselves.
&c., and hence >" .U^I*«» hantat, an embalmer. The These things being done, they carry the dead body to
word is used to express the reddening of leather and ; be embahned ; for which there are certain persons ap-
probably the ideal meaning may be something analogous pointed who profess this art. These, when the body
to our tanning, which consists in removing the moisture, is brought to them, show to those that bring it certain
and closing up the pores so as to render them imper- models of dead persons in wood, according to any of
vious to wet. This probably is the grand principle in which the deceased may be painted. One of these
embalming and whatever effects this, will preserve they say is accurately made like to one whom, in such
;

flesh as perfectly as shin. Who can doubt that a hu- a matter, I do not think lawful to name tov ovk oolov ;

man muscle, undergoing the same process of tanning itoLovfiac TO ovvofia em toiovtg) TrpTjy/iari ovo/ia^ecv (pro- ;

as the hide of an ox, would not become equally incor- bably Osiris, one of the principal gods of Egypt, is
ruptible ? I have seen a part of the muscle of a hu- here intended ;) then they show a second inferior to it,
man thigh, that, having come into contact with some and of an easier price and next a third, cheaper than ;

tanning matter, either in the coffin or in the grave, was the former, and of a very small value which being ;

in a state of perfect soundness, when the rest of the seen, they ask them after which model the deceased
body had been long reduced to earth and it exhibited shall be represented.
; When they have agreed upon
the appearance of a thick piece of ivell tanned leather. the p7-ice they depart and those with whom the dead ;

In the art of embalming, the Egyptians excelled all corpse is left proceed to embalm it after the following
nations in the world with them it was a common prac- manner
; First of all, they with a crooked iron draw :

tice. Instances of the perfection to which they car- the brain out of the head through the nostrils next, ;

ried this art may be seen in the numerous mummies, with a sharp Mthiopic stone they cut up that part of
as they are called, which are found in different Euro- the abdomen called the ilia, and that way draw out all
pean cabinets, and which have been all brought from the bowels, which, having cleansed and washed with
Egypt. This people not only embalmed men and ivo- palm wine, they again rinse and wash with wine per-
men, and thus kept the bodies of their beloved relatives fumed with pounded odours then filling up the belly :

from the empire of corruption, but they embalmed use- with pure myrrh and cassia grossly powdered, and all
animals also. other odours except frankincense, they sew it up again.
ful I have seen the body of the Ibris
Vol. I.
( 19 ) 273 a
 — ; ;

The Egyptians mourn GENESIS. fo)- Jacob seventy days.

A.M. 2315. 3 And forty days were fulfilled Egyptians ^ mourned ^ for him A. M. 2315.
B. C. 1699.
' '
for him ;
(for so are fulfilled the threescore and ten days.
days of those which are embalmed :) and the 4 And when the days of his mourning were
dHeb. wept. e Num. XX. 29 ; Deut. xxxiv. 8.

Having so done, they salt it up close with nitre seventy taught that art by their ancestors. These, showing
days, for longer ihey may not salt it. After this num- each kind of burial, ask them after what manner they
ber of days are over they wash the corpse again, and will have the body prepared. When they have agreed
then roll it up with fine linen, all besmeared with a sort upon the manner, they deliver the body to such as are
of gum, commonly used by the Egyptians instead of usually appointed for this office. First, he who has
glue. Then is the body restored to its relations, who the name of scribe, laying it upon the ground, marks
prepare a wooden coffin for it in the shape and likeness about the flank on the left side how much is to be cut
of a man, and then put the embalmed body into it, and away then he who is called i^apaaxLarr}?, paraschistes,
;

thus enclosed, place it in a repository in the house, set- the cutter or dissector, with an JEthiopic stone, cuts
ting- it upright against the wall. After this manner away as much of the flesh as the law commands, and
they, with great expense, preserve their dead ; whereas presently runs away as fast as he can those who are ;

those who to avoid too great a charge desire a medi- present, pursuing him, cast stones at him, and curse
ocrity, thus embalm them they neither cut the belly : him, hereby turning all the execrations which they
nor pluck out the entrails, but fill it with clysters of oil imagine due to his office upon him. For whosoever
of cedar injected up the anus, and then salt it the afore- offers violence, wounds, or does any kind of injury to
said number of days. On the last of these they press a body of the same nature with himself, they think
out the cedar clyster by the same way they had in- him worthy of hatred but those who are rapixEvrai,
:

jected it, which has such virtue and efficacy that it taricheutcB, the embalmers, they esteem worthy of ho-
brings out along with it the bowels wasted, and the nour and respect for they are familiar with their priests,
;

nitre consumes the flesh, leaving only the skin and and go into the temples as holy men, without any pro-
bones having thus done, they restore the dead body
:
hibition. As soon as they come to embalm the dis-
to the relations, doing nothing more. The third way sected body, one of them thrusts his hand through the
of embalming is for those of yet meaner circumstances wound into the abdomen, and draws forth all the bowels
they with lotions wash the belly, then dry it up with but the heart and kidneys, which another washes and
salt for seventy days, and afterwards deliver it to be cleanses with wine made of palms and aromatic odours.
carried away. Nevertheless, beautiful women and Lastly, having washed the body, they anoint it with oil
ladies of qualitywere not delivered to be embalmed of cedar and other things for about thirty days, and
three or four days after they had been dead ;" for
till afterwards with myrrh, cinnamon, and other such like
which Herodotus assigns a sufficient reason, however matters, which have not only a power to preserve it a
degrading to human nature : Tovto 6e Trouovai ovtu long time, but also give it a sweet smell after which ;

Tov6e elvEKa, Iva jii] aij>i, oi Tapix^vrat /iiayuvrai rijat they deliver it to the kindred in such manner that
yvvai^f ?.afi<()di]vai yap riva <paoi fiiayofxevov veKpo) npocr- every member remains whole and entire, and no part
<j)aruyvvaiKoc Karemai 6e rov ofio-exvov. [The ori- of it changed, but the beauty and shape of the face
ginal should not be put into a plainer language the ; seem just as they were before and the person may;

abomination to which it refers being too gross.] " But be known, even the eyebrows and eyelids remaining as
if any stranger or Egyptian was either killed by a they were at first. By this means many of the Egyp-
crocodile or drowned in the river, the city where he tians,keeping the dead bodies of their ancestors in
was cast up was to embalm and bury him honourably magnificent houses, so perfectly see the true visage and
in the sacred monuments, whom no one, no, not a re- countenance of those that died many ages before they
lation or friend, but the priests of the Nile only, might themselves were born, that in viewing the proportions
touch because they buried one who was something
;
of every one of them, and the lineaments of their
more than a dead man." Herod. Euterpe, p. 120, faces, they take as much delight as if they were still

ed. Gale. living among them. Moreover, the friends and nearest
Diodorus Siculus relates the funeral ceremonies relations of the deceased, for the greater pomp of the

of the Egyptians more distinctly and clearly, and solemnity, acquaint the judges and the rest of their
with some very remarkable additional circumstances. friends with the time prefixed for the funeral or day
" When
any one among the Egyptians dies," says he, of sepulture, declaring that such a one (calling the
" all and friends, putting dirt upon their
his relations dead by his name) is such a day to pass the lake at ;

heads, go lamenting about the city, till such time as the which time above forty judges appear, and sit together
in a semicircle, in a place prepared on the hither
side
body shall be buried in the meantime, they abstain :

from baths and wine, and all kinds of delicate meats of the lake, where a ship, provided beforehand by such
neither do they, during that time, wear any costly ap- as have the care of the business, is haled up to the
parel. The manner of their burials is threefold: one shore, and steered by a pilot whom the Egyptians in
their language called Charon. Hence they say Or-
very costly, a second sort less chargeable, and a third
while he was in
very mean. In the first, they say, there is spent a pheus, upon seeing this ceremony
twenty mincB but Egypt, invented the fable of hell, partly imitating
talent of silver in the second, ; ; in

the last there is very little expense. Those who have therein the people of Egypt, and partly adding some-
the care of ordering the body are such as have been what of his own.
The ship being thus brought to the
274 ( 19* )
a
Joseph goes up to Canaan CHAP. L. to bury his father

A. M. 2315.

—B —C 1689 '-
'-
past, Joseph
r

found grace in your eyes, speak,

r'
spake
IT
unto
of Pharaoh, saying, If now
I
^ the house
I
7 And Joseph went up to bury his
have father and with him went up all
;

pray you, the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house,

—
a. m. 2315

in the ears of Pharaoh, saying, and all the elders of the land of Egypt,
5 s My father made me swear, saying, Lo, 8 And all the house of Joseph, and his
I die : in my grave ^ which I have digged for brethren, and his father's house only their :

me, in the land of Canaan, there shalt thou little ones, and their flocks, and their herds,
bury me. Now, therefore, let me go up, I they left in the land of Goshen.
pray thee, and bury my father, and I will 9 And there went up with him both chariots
come again. and horsemen : and it was a very great com-
6 And Pharaoh said, Go up, and bury thy pany.
father, according as he made thee swear. 1 And they came to the threshing-floor of
f
Esth. iv. 2. s Chap, xlvii. 29. '>2 Chron. xvi. 14; Isa. xxii. 16; Matt, xxvii. 60.

lake side, before the coffin is put on board every one balming ; afterwards
it lay in natron thirty days more,

is at liberty by the law accuse the dead of what he

to making whole seventy days, according to the
in the
thinks him guilty. If any one proves he was a bad preceding accounts, during which the mourning was
man, the judges give sentence that the body shall be continued.
deprived of sepulture but in case the informer be; Verse 4. Speak, I pray you, in the ears of Pharaoh]
convicted of false accusation, then he is severely pun- But why did not Joseph apply himself? Because he
ished. If no accuser appear, or the information prove was now in his mourning habits, and in such none
false, then all the kindred of the deceased leave oiF must appear in the presence of the eastern monarchs.
mourning, and begin to set forth his praises, yet say See Esth. iv. 2.
nothing of his birth, (as the custom is among the Verse 7. The elders of his house] Persons who,
Greeks,) because the Egyptians all think themselves by reason of their age, had acquired much experience;
equally noble but they recount how the deceased was
; and who on this account were deemed the best quali-
educated from his youth and brought up to man's estate, fied to conduct the affairs of the king's household.
exalting his piety towards the gods., and justice towards Similar to these were the Caibojimen, Eldermen, or
men, his chastity, and other virtues wherein he excel- Aldermen, among our Saxon ancestors, who were sena-
led and lastly pray and call upon the infernal deities
; tors and pee7-s of the realm.
(jovg Karu deovg, the gods below) to receive him into The funeral procession of Jacob must have been
the societies of the just. The common people take truly grand. Joseph, his brethren and their descend-
thisfrom the others, and consequently all is said in his ants, the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house,
praise by a loud shout, setting forth likewise his vir-
tues in the highest strains of commendation, as one
and all the elders —
all the principal men, of the land

of Egypt, ivith chariots and horsemen, must have ap-

that is to live for ever with the infernal gods. Then peared a very great company indeed. We have seen
those that have tombs of their own inter the corpse in LORDS, for their greater honour, buried at the public
places appointed for that purpose and they that have ; expense; and all the male branches of the royal family,
none rear up the body in its coffin against some strong as well as the most eminent men of the nation, join in
wall of their house. But such as are denied sepul- the funeral procession, as in the case of the late Lord
ture on account of some crime or debt, are laid -up at Nelson ; but what was
comparison of the
all this in
home ivithout coffins ; yet when it shall afterwards funeral solemnity now before us ? Here was no con-
happen that any of their posterity grows rich, he com- queror, no mighty man of valour, no person of proud
monly pays off the deceased person's debts, and gets descent ; here was only a plain man, who had dwelt
his crimes absolved, and so buries him honourably for ; almost all his life long in tents, without any other
the Egyptians are wont to boast of their parents and subjects than his cattle, and whose kingdom was not
ancestors that were honourably buried. It is a custom of this ivorld. Behold this man honoured by a na-
likewise among them to pawn the dead bodies of their tioiml mourning, and by a national funeral ! It may
parents to their creditors but then those that do not ; be said indeed that " all this was done out of respect
redeem them under the greatest disgrace imagin-
fall to Joseph." Be it so ivhy was Joseph thus respect-
;

able, and are denied burial themselves at their deaths." ed 1 Was it because he had conquered nations, had
— Diod. Sic. Biblioth., lib. i., cap. 91-93., edit. Bi- made his sword drunk with blood, had triumphed over
pont. See also the Necrokedia, or
Art of Embalm- the enemies of Egypt 1 NO But because he had !

ing, by Greenhill, 4to., p. 241, who endeavoured in saved men alive ; because he was the king^s faithful
vain to recommend and restore the art. But he could servant, the rich man's counsellor, and the poor man's
not give his countrymen Egyptian manners ; for a friend. He was a national blessing and the nation ;

dead carcass is to the British an object of horror, and mourns in his affliction, and unites to do him honour.
scarcely any, except a surgeon or an undertaker, cares Verse 10. The threshing-floor of Alad] As n£3N
to touch it. atad signifies a bramble or thorn, it has been under-
Verse 3. Forty days] The body it appears required stood by the Arabic, not as a tnan's name, but as the
this number of days to complete the process of em- name of a place ; but all the other versions and the
275
 1 : — : ;

Jacob is buried in the GENESIS cave of Machpelah.

A. M. 2315. beyond Jordan, and of Canaan, and buried him in the a. m. 23J5
Atad, which is

. mourned with a great cave of the field of Machpelah,

there ihey *

and very sore lamentation ^ and he made a (which Abraham bought with the field, for a
:
"^

mourning for his father seven days. possession of a burying-place, of Ephron the
1 And when the inhabitants of the land, Hittite,) before Mamre.
the Canaanites, saw the mourning in the floor 14 And Joseph returned into Egypt, he
of Atad, they said, This is a grievous mourn- and his brethren, and all that went up with
ing to the Egyptians wherefore the name of him to bury his father, after he had buried
:

it was called Abel-mizraim, which is beyond his father.

^

Jordan, 15 And when Joseph's brethren saw that

12 And his sons did unto him according as their father was dead, ° they said, Joseph will
he commanded them peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite
13 For "^his sons carried him into the land us all the evil which we did unto him.
>2 Sam. i. 17 ; Acts viii. 2. ''1 Sam. xxxi. 13; Job ii. 13. "Chapter xlix. 29, 30; Acts vii. 16.— '
Chapter xxiii. 16.
' That is, the mourning of the Egyptians. oJobxv. 21, 22.

Targums it as the name of a man.

consider Thresh- In a kind of politico-religious institution formed by
ing-floorswere always in a field, in the open air and ; his late majesty Ferdinand IV., king of Naples and
Atad was probably what we would call a great farmer the Sicilies, I find the following rational institute rela-
or chief of some clan or tribe in that place. Jerome tive to this point " There shall be no mourning among
:

supposed the place to have been about two leagues you but only on the death of a father, mother, husbandy
from Jericho ; but we have no certain information on or wife. To render to these the last duties of affec-
this point. The funeral procession stopped here, pro- tion, children, wives, and husbands only shall be per-
bably as affording pasturage to their cattle while they mitted to wear a s'lgn or emblem of grief a man may :

observed the seven mourning which terminated

days'' wear a crape tied round his 7-ight arm ; a woman, ablack
the funeral solemnities, after which nothing remained handkerchief around her 7ieck; and this in both cases
but the interment of the corpse. The mourning of the for only two months at the most." Is there a purpose
ancient Hebrews was usually of seven days' continu- which religion, reason, or decency can demand that
ance, Num. xix. 19 1 Sam. xxxi. 13
; though on ; would not be answered by such external mouiming as
certain occasions it was extended to thirty days. Num. this ? Only such relatives as the above, brothers and
XX. 29 Deut. xxi. 13
; xxxiv. 8, but never longer.
; sisters being included, can mourn all others make ;

The seventy days' mourning mentioned above was that only a part of the dumb hypocritical show.
of the Egyptians, and was rendered necessary by the Yerse 12. And his sons did unto him'] This and
long process of embalming, which obliged them to keep the thirteenth verse have been supposed by Mr. Locke
the body out of the grave for seventy days'' as we and others to belong to the conclusion of the preceding
learn both from Herodotus and Diodorus. Seven days chapter, in which connection they certainly read more
by the order of God a man was to mourn for his dead, consistently than they do here.
because during that time he was considered as unclean ; Verse 15. Saw that their father icas dead] This at
but when those were finished he was to purify him- once argues both a sense of guilt in their own con-
self, and consider the morning as ended; Num. xix. sciences, and a ioant of confidence in their brother.
11, 19. Thus God gave seven days, in .some cases They might have supposed that hitherto he had for-
thirty, to mourn in man, ever in his own estimation
: borne to punish them merely on their father's account
wiser than the word of God, has added eleven whole but now that he was dead, and Joseph having them
months to the term, which nature itself pronounces to completely in his power, they imagined that he would
be absurd, because it is incapable of supporting grief take vengeance on them for their former conduct to-
for such a time and thus mourning is now, except in
; wards him.
the first seven or thirty days, a mere solemn ill-con- Thus conscience records criminality and, by giving ;

ducted FARCE, a grave mimicry, a vain shoiv, that con- birth to continual fears and doubtfulness, destroys all
victs itself of its own hypocrisy. Who will rise up peace of mind, security, and confidence. On this sub-
on the side of God and common sense, and restore be- ject an elegant poet has spoken with his usual point
coming sorrow on the death of a relative to decency and discernment :

of garb and moderation in its continuance Suppose "!

the near relatives of the deceased were to be allowed Exemplo quodcumque malo commitiitur, ipsi
seven days of seclusion from society, for the purpose Displicet auctori.Prima est hmc ttltio, quod se
of meditating on death and eternity, and after this to Judice nemo nocens absolvitur, rmproba quamvis
appear in a mourning habit for thirty days ; every im- Gratia fallaci Preetoris vicerit urna.
portant end would be accomplished, and hypocrisy, Juv. Sat. xiii. 1, &c.

Happily metaphrased by Mr. Dry den —

the too common attendant of man, be banished, espe-
cially from that part of his life in which deep sincerity
is not less becoming than in the most solemn act of He that commits a fault shall quickly find
his religious intercourse with God The pressing guilt lie heavy on his inind.
276
 91 :: ;

Josephs brethren ask forgiveness. CHAP. L. JosepKs last charge to them.

And sent a messenger nourish you, and your

A. M. 2315.

——
command
'.
'-
1 6
unto Joseph, saying,
before he died, saying,
they p

Thy father did And he

y kindly unto them.
comforted them, and spake
little ones.
—a.m. 2315.
^ 1

17 So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I 22 And Joseph dwelt in Egypt, A. M. 2369.

pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, he, and his father's house and —^— : ^
'-

and their sin ^ for they did unto thee evil Joseph lived a hundred and ten years.
;

and novir, we pray thee, forgive the trespass 23 And Joseph saw Ephraim's children ^of
of the servants of the God of thy father. the third generation : ^ the childxen also of
'^

And Joseph wept when they spake unto him. Machir, the son of Manasseh, ^ were brought •=

18 And his brethren also went and * fell up upon Joseph^s knees.
down before his face and they said. Behold, 24 And Joseph said unto his brethren, I
;

we he thy servants. die and ^ God will surely visit you, and :

1 And Joseph said unto them, Fear not bring you out of this land, unto the land '

" for a7n I in the place of God ? ® which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and
20 " But as for you, ye thought evil against to Jacob.
me ; hut ^^
God meant it unto good, to bring 25 And ^ Joseph took an oath of the chil
to pass, as it is this day, to save much people dren of Israel, saying, God will surely visit
alive. you, and ye shall carry up my bones from
2 Now therefore fear ye not :
^ I will

P Heb. charged. 1 Prov. xxviii. 13. Chap. xlix. 25. y Heb. to their hearts; chap, xxxiv. Job xlii. 16.
3. ^^

'Chap, xxxvii. 7, 10. 'Chap. xlv. 5. "Deut. xxxii. 35; a Num. xxxii. 39. ^ Chap. xxx. 3. Heb. home.= Ch. <i

Job xxxir. 29 Rom. xii. 19 Heb. x. 30 2 Kings v. 7.

; ;
^ Psa. ; XV. 14 ; xlvi. 4 ; xlviii. 21 Exod.
; iii. 16, 17 Heb. xi. 22. ;

Ivi. 5 Isaiah x. 7.
;
"" Chapter xlv.
5, 7 Acts iii. 13, 14, 15. ; «Chap. XV. 14; xxvi. 3; xxxv. 12; xlvi. 4. ' Exod. xiii. 19 ;
X Chap, xlvii. 12 Matt. v. 44. ; Josh. xxiv. 32 ; Acts vii. 16.

Though bribes ox favour shall assert his cause, as therefore God had honoured him by making him
Pronounce him guiltless, and elude the laws, vicegerent in the dispensations of his especial bounty
None quits himself; his own impartial thought towards so many people, it was impossible he should
Will damn, and conscience will record the fault. be displeased with the means by which this was
This, first, the wicked feels. brought about.
We have seen this in the preceding history often Verse 22. Joseph divelt in Egypt] Continued in
exemplified in the case of Joseph's brethren. Egypt after his return from Canaan till his death ; he,
Verse 16. Thy father did command] Whether he and his father''s house all the descendants of Israel, —
did or not we cannot tell. Some think they had till the exodus or departure under the direction of
feigned this story, but that is not so likely. Jacob Moses and Aaron, which was one hundred and forty-
might have had suspicions too, and might have thought four years after.
that the best way to prevent evil was to humble them- Verse 23. Were brought up upon Joseph's knees.]
selves before their brother, and get a fresh assurance They were educated by him, or under his direction his ;

of his forgiveness. — sons and their children continuing to acknowledge him

Verse 17. The servants of the God of thy father.] as patriarch, or head of the family, as long as he lived.
These words were wonderfully well chosen, and spo- Verse 24. Joseph said Idle] That is, I am dying —
—
;

ken in the most forcible manner to Joseph's piety and and God will surely visit you he will yet again give
filial affection. No wonder then that he wept ivhen you, in the time when it shall be essentially necessary,
they spake to him. the most signal proof of his unbounded love towards
Verse 19. Am I in the place of God?] These the seed of Jacob.
words may be understood either as a question, or an And bring you out of this land] Though ye have
affirmative proposition. should I take any far- How here every thing that can render life comfortable, yet
ther notice of your transgression ^ I have passed it this is not the typical land, the
land given by covenant,
by, the matter lies now between God and you. Or, the land which represents the rest that remains for the
In the order of Divine providence I am now in God's people of God.
place he has furnished me with means, and made
;
Verse 25. Ye shall carry tip my bones] That I may
me a distributor of his bounty ; I will therefore not finally rest with my ancestors in the land which God
only nourish you, but also your Jittle ones, ver. 21 : gave to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob and which ;

and therefore he spake comfortably unto them, as in is a pledge as it is a type of the kingdom of heaven.
chap. xlv. 8, telling them that he attributed the whole Thus says the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews,
business to the particular providence of God rather chap. xi. 22 " By faith Joseph, when he died,
:

than to any ill ivill or malice in them, and that, in made mention of the depar-
(reTiEVTuv, when dying,)
'permitting him to be brought into Egypt, God had
ture (e^oSov, of the exodus) of the children of Israel
graciously saved their lives, the life of their father,
and gave commandment concerning his bones." From
thelivesofthe people of Canaan, and of the Egyptians : this it is evident that Joseph considered all these
Q77
 : —

Joseph dies, is embalmed, GENESIS. and put in a coffin in Egypt

A. M. 2369. 26 So Joseph died, heing a hun- ^ embalmed him, and he was put a. m. 2369.

—— '
'.
dred and ten years old : and they m ai T'
a comn ni -cjgypt.
•
.
B. C. 1635.
.

e Genesis, chap. 1. 2.

things as typical, and by this very commandment of Joseph that he was not only embalmed, but was
expressed his faith in the immortality of the soul, and also put in a coffin, both being practices almost pecu-
the general resurrection of the dead. This oath, by liar to the Egyptians.
which Joseph then bound his brethren, their posterity " Mr. Maillet conjectures that all were not inclosed
considered as binding on themselves and Moses took ; in coffins which were laid in the Egyptian reposi
care, when he departed from Egypt, to carry up tories of the dead, but that it was an honour appro
Joseph's body with him, Exod. xiii. 19 which was ; priated to persons of distinction for after having ;

afterwards buried in Shechem, Josh. xxiv. 32, the given an account of several niches which are found in
very portion which Jacob had purchased from the those chambers of death, he adds But it must not :
'

Amorites, and which he gave to his son Joseph, Gen. be imagined that the bodies deposited in these gloomy
xiviii. 22 Acts vii. 16.
; See the reason for this apartments were all inclosed in chests, and placed in
command as given by Chrysostom, vol. ii., p. 695, niches. The greater part were simply embalmed and
sec. D. E. swathed, after which they laid them one by the side
Verse 26. Joseph died, being a hundred and ten of the other, without any ceremony. Some were even
years old] D'Jty "liyj^l PINO ben meah vaeser shanim ;p put into these tombs loithout any embalming at all, or
literally, the son of a hundred and ten years. Here with such a slight one that there remains nothing of
the period of time he lived is personified, all the years them in the linen in which they were wrapped but the
of which it was composed being represented as a bones, and these half rotten. It is probable that each
nurse or father, feeding, nourishing, and supporting considerable family had one of these burial-places to
him to the end. This figure, which is termed by themselves ; that the niches were designed for the
rhetoricians prosopopma, is very frequent in Scripture ;
bodies of the heads of the family and that those of ;

and by this virtues, vices, forms, attributes, and quali- their domestics and slaves had no other care taken of
ties,with every part of inanimate nature, are repre- them than merely laying them in the ground after
sented as endued with reason and speech, and perform- being slighty embalmed, and sometimes even without
ing all the actions of intelligent beings. that which was probably all that was done to heads
;

They embalmed hi?n] See on ver. 2. The same of families of less distinction.' Lett. 1, p. 281. The
precautions were taken to preserve his body as to same author gives an account of a mode of burial
preserve that of his father Jacob and this was parti- ; anciently practised in that country, which has been
cularly necessary in his case, because his body was but recently discovered : it consisted in placing the
to be carried to Canaan a hundred and forty-four bodies, after they were swathed up, on a layer of char-
years after which was the duration of the Israelites'
; coal, and covering them with a mat, under a bed of
bondage after the death of Joseph. sand seven or eight feet deep.
And he was put Egypt.] On this
in a coffin in " Hence it seems evident that coffins were not
subject I shall subjoin some useful remarks from universally used in Egypt, and were only used for
Harmer^s Observations, which several have borrowed persons of eminence and distinction. It is also rea-
without acknowledgment. I quote my own edition of sonable to believe that in times so remote as those of
this Work, vol. iii., p. 69, &c. Lond. 1808. Joseph they might have been much less common than
" There were some methods of honouring the dead afterwards, and that consequently Joseph's being put
\ which demand our attention the being put into a ; in a coffin in Egypt might be mentioned with a de-
\tiiMn has been in particular considered as a mark of sign to express the great honours the Egyptians did
dwsjpction. him in death, as well as in life ; being treated after
" tVith us the poorest people have their coffins ; if the most sumptuous manner, embalmed, and put into
the reih^ions cannot afford them, the parish is at the a coffin.''''

expense. \ In the east, on the contrary, they are not It is no objection to this account that the widow
always used, even in our times. The ancient Jews of Nain's son is represented as carried forth to be
probably buried their dead in the same manner buried in a aopo^ or bier ; for the present inhabitants
neither was the body of our Lord put in a coffi.n, nor of the Levant, who are well known to lay their dead
that of Elisha, whose bones were touched by the in the earth uninclosed, carry them frequently out to
corpse that was let down a little after into his se- burial in a kind of coffin, which is not deposited in the
pulchre, 2 Kings xiii. 2 1 . That coffins were anciently grave, the body being taken out of it, and placed in
used in Egypt, all agree and antique coffins of stone
; the grave in a reclining posture. It is probable that
and of sycamore wood are still to be seen in that the coffins used atNain were of the same kind, being
country, not to mention those said to be made of a intended for no other purpose but to carry the body to
sort of pasteboard, formed by folding and gluing cloth the place of interment, the body itself being buried
together a great number of times, curiously plastered, without them.
and then painted with hieroglyphics. Jt is very probable that the chief difference was
" As it nQT an ancient Egyptian custom, and was not in being with or without a coffin, but in the expen-
not used, .in the neighbouring countries, on these ac- siveness of the coffin itself; some of the Egyptian
counts t.ne sacred historian was doubtle.ss led to observe coffins being made of granite, and covered all over
27S
 ;

Observations on the CHAP. L. character of Joseph

with hieroglyphics, the cutting of which must have more clearly seen in the providential deliverances by
been done at a prodigious expense, both of time and which he was favoured.
money the stone being so hard that we have no
;
tools On the political conduct of Joseph there are con-
by which we can make any impression on it. Two fficting opinions. On the one hand it is asserted that
of these are now in the British Museum, that appear " he found the Egyptians a free people, and that he
to have belonged to some of the nobles of Egypt. availed himself of a most afflicting providence of God
They are dug out of the solid stone, and adorned with to reduce them all to a state of slavery, destroyed
almost innumerable hieroglyphics. One of these, their political consequence, and made their king des-
vulgarly called Alexander's tomb, is ten feet three potic." In all these respects his political measures
inches and a quarter long, ten inches thick in the have been strongly vindicated, not only as being di-
sides, in breadth at top five feet three inches and a rected by God, but as being obviously X\\& best, every
half, in breadth at bottom four feet two inches and a thing considered, for the safety, honour, and welfare
half, and three feet ten in depth, and weighs about ten of his sovereign and the kingdom. It is true he

tons. In such a coffin I suppose the body of Joseph bought the lands of the people for the king, but he
was deposited and such a one could not have been
; farmed them to the original occupiers again, at the
made and transported to Canaan at an expense that moderate and fixed crown rent of one fifth part of the
an}' private individual could bear. It was with incre- produce. " Thus did he provide for the liberty and
dible labour and at an extraordinary expense that the independence of the people, while he strengthened the
coffin in questionwas removed the distance of but a authority of the king by making him sole proprietor
few miles, from the ship that brought it from Egypt, of the lands. And to secure the people from farther
to its present residence in the British Museum. Judge, exaction, Joseph made it a law over all the land of
then, at what an expense such a coffin must have been Egypt, that Pharaoh (i. e. the king) should have only
digged, engraved, and transported over the desert the fifth part which law subsisted to the time of
;

from Egypt Canaan, a distance of three hundred

to Moses, chap, xlvii. 21—26. By this wise regulation,'
miles We need not be surprised to hear of car-
!
continues Dr. Hales, " the people had four-fifths of
riages and horsemen, a very great company, when the produce of the lands for their own use, and were
such a coffin was to be carried so far, with a suitable exempted from any farther taxes, the king being bound
company to attend it. to support his civil and military establishment out of

Joseph's life was the shortest of all the patriarchs, the crown rents." By the original constitution of
for which Bishop Patrick gives a sound physical Egypt established by Menes, and Thoth or Hermes
reason — he was the son of his father's old age. It his prime minister, the lands were divided into three
appears from Archbishop Usher's Chronology that Jo- portions, between the king, the priests, and the mili-
seph governed Egypt under four kings, Mephramutho- tary, each party being bound to support its respective
sis, Thmosis, Amenophis, and Orus. His government, establishment by the produce.
. See the quotations
we know, lasted eighty years for when he stood from Diodorus Siculus, in the note on chap, xlvii. 23.
;

before Pharaoh he was thirty years of age, ^hap. xli. It is certain, therefore, that the constitution of Egypt
46, and he died when he was one hundred and ten. was considerably altered by Joseph, and there can be
On the character and conduct of Joseph many re- no doubt that much additional power was, by this
marks have already been made in the preceding notes. alteration, vested in the hands of the king but as we ;

On the subject of his piety there can be but one opi- do not find that any improper use was made of this
nion. It was truly exemplary, and certainly was tried power, we may rest assured that it was so qualified
in cases in which few instances occur of persevering and restricted by wholesome regulations, though they
fidelity. His high sense of the holiness of God, the are not here particularized, as completely to prevent
strong claims of justice, and the rights of hospitality all abuse of the regal power, and all tyrannical usurpa-
and gratitude, led him, in the instance of the solicita- tion of popular rights. That the people were nothing
tions of his master's wife, to act a part which, though but slaves to the king, the military, and the priests
absolutely just and proper, can never be sufficiently before, appears from the account given by Diodorus ;
praised. Heathen authors boast of some persons of each of the three estates probably allowing them a
such singular constancy but the intelligent reader certain portion of land for their own use, while culti-
;

will recollect that these relations stand in general in vating the rest for the use and emolument of their
tlieir fabulous histories, and are destitute of those masters. Matters, however, became more regular
characteristics which truth essentially requires such, under the administration of Joseph
;
and it is perhaps ;

I mean, as the story of Hippolytus and PhcEdra, Belle- not too much Egypt
to say, that, previously to this,
roplion and Antea or Sthenobma, Peleus and Asiyda- was without a fixed regular constitution, and that it
mia, and others of this complexion, which appear to was not the least "of the blessings that it owed to the
be marred pictures, taken from this highly finished wisdom and prudence of Joseph, that he reduced it to
original which the inspired writer has fairly drawn a regular form of government, giving the people such
from life. an interest in the safety of the state as was well cal-
His fidelity to his master is not less evident, and culated to insure their exertions to defend the nation,
God's approbation of his conduct is strongly marked and render the constitution fixed and permanent.
for he caused whatsoever he did to prosper, whether It is well known that Justin, one of
the Roman

a slave in the house of his master, a prisoner in the historians, has made particular and indeed
honourable
dungeon, or a prime minister by the throne, which is mention of Joseph's administration in Egypt, in the
a full proof that his ways pleased him account he gives of Jewish affairs, lib. xxxvi. cap. 2.
and this is ;

270
 ;

Im^ortaripe of the GENESIS. book of Genesis

How the reja^tion ipay have stood in Trogus^ Pompe- of the earth by a flood, noticed, then the Almighty
ius, from whose voluminous works in forty-four books Creator is next introduced as the Restorer and Pre-
or volumes Justin abridged his history, we cannot tell, server of the world and thus the history of Provi-
;

as. the work of Trogus is irrecoverably lost but it is ; dence commences a history in which the mind of
:

evident that the account was taken in the main from man is alternately delighted and confounded with the
the Mosaic history, and it is written with as much infinitely varied plans of wisdom and mercy in pre-
.candour as can be expected from a prejudiced and serving the human species, counteracting the evil
' unprincipled heathen. propensities of men and devils by means of gracious
Minimus cetate inter fratres Joseph fuit, <3fc. " Jo- influences conveyed through religious institutions,
seph was the youngest of his brethren, who, being planting and watering the seeds of righteousness which
envious of his excellent endowments, stole him and himself had sowed in the hearts of men, and leading
privately soldhim to a company of foreign merchants, forward and maturing the grand purposes of his grace
by whom he was carried into Egypt where, having ; in the final salvation of the human race.
diligently cultivated magic arts, he became, in a short After giving a minutely detailed account of the
time, a prime favourite with the king himself. For peopling of the earth, ascertaining and settling the
he was the most sagacious of men in explaining pro- bounds of the different nations of mankind, the sacred
digies ;and he was the first who constructed the writer proceeds with the history of one family only
science of interpreting dreams. Nor was there any but he chooses that one through which, as from an
thing relative to laws human or Divine with which he ever-during fountain, the streams of justice, grace,
seemed unacquainted for he predicted a failure of the
; goodness, wisdom, and truth, should emanate. Here
crops many years before it took place and the in- we see a pure well of living water, springing up unto
;

habitants of Egypt must have been famished had not eternal life, restrained in its particular influence to
the king, through his counsel, made an edict to pre- one people till, in the fulness of time, the fountain
serve the fruits for several years. And his experi- should be opened in the house of David for sin and
ments were so powerful, that the responses appear to for uncleanness in general, and the earth filled with
have been given, not by man, but by God." Tanta- the knowledge and salvation of God thus by means ;

que experimenta ejus fuerunt, ut non ah homine, sed a of one family, as extensive a view of the economy of
Deo, responsa dari viderentur. I believe Justin refers providence and grace is afforded as it is possible for
here, in the word experimenta, to his figment of magi- the human mind to comprehend.
cal incantations eliciting oracular answers. Others In this epitome how wonderful do the workings of
have translated the words " So excellent ivere his Providence appear
: An astonishing concatenated train
!

regulations that they seemed rather to be oracular of stupendous and minute events is laid before us
responses, not given by man, but by God." and every transaction is so distinctly marked as every-
I have already compared Joseph with his father where to exhibit the finger, the hand, or the arm of
Jacob, see chap, xlviii. 12, and shall make no apology God But did God lavish his providential cares and
!

for having given the latter a most decided superiority. attention on this one family, exclusive of the rest of
Joseph was great but his greatness came through his intelligent offspring ?
; No for the same superin- :

the interposition of especial providences. Jacob was tendence, providential direction, and influence, would
great, mentally and practically great, under the ordi- be equally seen in all the concerns of human life, in
nary workings of Providence and, towards the close the preservation of individuals, the rise and fall of
;

of his life, not less distinguished for piety towards kingdoms and states, and in all the mighty revolu-
God than his son Joseph was in the holiest period of tions, natural, moral, and political, in the universe,
his life. were God, as in the preceding instances, to give us
the detailed history but what was done in the family ;

Thus terminates the Book of Genesis, the most of Abraham, was done in behalf of the whole human
ancient record in the world including the liistory of race.
; This specimen is intended to show us that God
two grand subjects, Creation and Providence, of does ivorJc, and that against him and the operations of
each of which it gives a summary, but astonishingly his hand, no might, no counsel, no cunning of men or
minute, and detailed account. From this book almost devils, can prevail that he who walks uprightly walks ;

all the ancient philosophers, astronomers, chronologists, securely and that all things work together for good
;

and historians have taken their respective data ; and to them who love God that none is so ignorant, low, ;

all the modern improvements and accurate discoveries or lost, that God cannot instruct, raise up, and save.
in different arts and sciences have only served to con- In a word, he shows himself by this history to be the
firm the facts detailed by Moses and to show that all invariable friend of mankind, embracing every oppor-
;

the ancient writers on these subjects have approached tunity to do them good, and, to speak after the manner
to or receded from truth and the phenomena of na- of men, rejoicing in the frequent recurrence of such
ture, in proportion as they have followed the Mosaic opportunities; that every man, considering the sub-
history. ject, may be led to exclaim in behalf of all his fellows,

In this book the creative power and energy of BEHOLD HOW HE loveth THEM !

God are first introduced to the reader's notice, and On the character of Moses as a historian and phi-
the mind is overwhelmed with those grand creative losopher (for in his legislative character he does not
acts by which the universe was brought into being. yet appear) much might be said, did the nature of this
Yibeu this occount is completed, and the introduction work admit. But as brevity has been everywhere
couni. and its awful consequences in the destrnoiion stiulied. and minule details rarely admitted, and only
280 a
Objections against the CHAP. L. Mosaic chronology answered

where absolutely necessary, the candid reader will ex- in assigning a comparatively recent date, not only to
cuse any deficiencies of this kind which he may have his own must have
nation, but to the universe itself, he

already noticed. been actuated by motives essentially different from

Of the accuracy and impartiality of Moses as a those which have governed all other ancient historians
historian, many examples are given in the course of and chronologists.
the notes, with such observations and reflections as the The generally acknowledged extravagance and ab-
subjects •
themselves suggested ; and the succeeding surdity of all the chronological systems of ancient
books will afford many opportunities for farther remarks times, the great simplicity and harmony of that of
on these topics. Moses, its facts evidently borrowed by others, though
The Moses as a philosopher and chro-
character of disgraced by the fables they have intermixed with
nologist, has undergone the severest scrutiny. class A them, and the very late invention of arts' and sciences,
of philosophers, professedly infidels, have assailed the all tend to prove, at the very first view, that the Mo-

Mosaic account of the formation of the universe, and saic account, which assigns the shortest duration to
that of the general deluge, with such repeated attacks the earth, is the most ancient and the most likely to
as sufficiently prove that, in their apprehension, the be true. But all this reasoning has been supposed to
pillars of their system must be shaken into ruin if be annihilated by an argument brought against the
those accounts could not be proved to be false. Tra- Mosaic account of the creation by Mr. Patrick Bry-
ditions, supporting accounts different from those in done, F. R. S., drawn from the evidence of different
the sacred history, have been borrowed from the most eruptions of Mount ^tna. The reader may find this
barbarous as well as the most civilized nations, in in his " Tour through Sicily and Malta," letter vii.,
order to bear on this argument. These, backed by where, speaking of his acquaintance with the Cano-
various geologic observations made in extensive travels, nico Recupero at Catania, who was then employed on
experiments on the formation of different strata or writing a natural history of Mount JEtna, he says :

beds of earth, either by inundations or volcanic erup- " Near to a vault which is now thirty feet below
tion, have been all condensed into one apparently ground, and has probably been a burying-place, there
strong but strange argument, intended to overthrow is a draw-well where there are several strata of lavas,
the Mosaic account of the creation. The argument (i. e., the liquid matter formed of stones, &o., which

may be stated thus " The account given by Moses

: is discharged from the mountain in its eruptions,) with

of the time when God commenced his creative acts earth to a considerable thickness over each stratum.
is too recent according to his Genesis, six thou-
; for, Recupero has made use of this as an argument to
sand years have not yet elapsed since the formation of prove the great antiquity of the eruptions of this moun-
the universe whereas a variety of phenomena prove
; tain. For if it requires two thousand years and up-
that the earth itself must have existed, if not from wards to form but a scanty soil on the surface of a
eternity, yet at least fourteen if not tioenty thousand lava, there must have been more than that space of
years." This I call a strange argument, because it time between each of the eruptions which have formed
is well known that all the ancient nations in the world, these strata. But what shall we say of a pit they
the Jeivs excepted, have, to secure their honour and sunk near to Jaci, of a great depth 1 They pierced
respectability, assigned to themselves a duration of the through seven distinct lavas, one under the other, the
most improbable length; and have multiplied months, surfaces of which were parallel, and most of them
weeks, and even days, into years, in order to support covered loith a thick bed of rich earth. Now, says
their pretensions to the most remote antiquity. The he, the eruption which formed the lowest of these
millions of years which have been assumed by the lavas, if we may be allowed to reason from analogy,
Chinese and the Hindoos have been ridiculed for their must have flowed from the mountain at \east fourteen
manifest absurdity, even by those philosophers 'Nvho thousand years ago Recupero tells me, he is ex-
!

have brought the contrary charge against the Mosaic ceedingly embarrassed by these discoveries, in writing
account So notorious are the pretensions to remote
! the history of the mountain that Moses hangs like a
;

ancestry and remote eras, in every false and fabricated dead weight upon him, and blunts all his zeal for in-
system of family pedigree and national antiquity, as to quiry, for that he really has not the conscience to make
produce doubt at the very first view of their subjects, his mountain so young as that prophet makes the
and to cause the impartial inquirer after truth to take world.
every step with the extreme of caution, knowing that " The bishop, who is strenuously orthodox, (for it is

in going over such accounts he everywhere treads an excellent see,) has already warned him to be upon
on a kind of enchanted ground. his guard and not to pretend to be a better natural
;

When in the midst of these a writer is found who, historian than Moses, nor to presume to urge any thing
without saying a word of the systems of other nations, that may in the smilllest degree be deemed contradic-
professes to give a simple account of the creation and tory to his sacred authority."
peopling of the earth, and to show the very conspicu- Though Mr. Brydone produces this as a sneer
ous part that his own people acted among the various against revelation, bishops, and orthodoxy, yet the
nations of the world, and who assigns to the earth sequel will prove that it was good advice, and that
and a duration comparatively but as
to its inhabitants the bishop was much better instructed than either
Re-
been much
of yesterday, he comes forward with such a variety cupero or Brydone, and that it would have
of claims to be heard, read, and considered, as no to their credit had they taken his advice.
given, however, this argument
other writer can pretend to. at length ;
And as he departs from I have
Brvdone, whose
the universal custom of all writers on similar subjects, and even in the insidious dress of Mr.
a 281
 The geology and astronomy GENESIS. of the book of Genesis

faith inDivine revelation appears to have been upon ing a minute philosopher to rob us of our religion."
a par with that of Signior Recupero, both being built In this, as well as in all other cases, the foundation stands
nearly on the same foundation; to show from the sure,bemg deeply and legibly impressed with God's seal
answer how slight the strongest arguments are, pro- See also Dr. Greaves''s Lectures on the Pentateuch.
duced from insulated facts by prejudice and partiality, There is a very sensible paper written by Don Jo-
when brought to the test of sober, candid, philosophi- seph Gioeni* on the eruption of ^tna in 1781 in ;

by an increased knowledge of
cal investigation, aided which, among many other valuable observations, I find
the phenomena of nature. " In answer to this argu- the following note :
" I was obliged to traverse the
ment," says Bishop Watson, (Letters to Gibbon,) " it current of lava made by the eruption of 1766, the most
might be urged that the time necessary for converting ancient of any that took this direction, viz., Bronte.
lavas into fertile fields must be very different, accord- saw several streams of lava which had crossed others,
I
ing to the different consistencies of the lavas, and and which afforded me evident proofs of the fallacy of
their different situations with respect to elevation and the conclusions of those who seek to estimate the
depression, or their being exposed to ivinds, rains, and period of the formation of the beds of lava from the
other circumstances as for instance, the quantity of change they have undergone.
; Some lava of earlier
ashes deposited over them, after they had cooled, &c., date than others still resist the iveather, and present a
&c., just as the time in which heaps of iron slag, vitreous and unaltered surface, while the lava of later
which resembles lava, are covered with verdure, is date already begin to be covered with vegetation." See
different at different furnaces, according to the nature Pinkerton on Rock, vol. ii.,
—
p. 395.
of the slag and situation of the furnace and something
; On the geology and astronomy of the book of Gene-
of this kind is deducible from the account of the Canon sis, much has been written, both by the enemies and
(Recupero) himself, since the crevices in the strata are friends of revelation but as Moses has said but very
;

often full of rich good soil, and have pretty large trees little on these subjects, and nothing in a systematic
growing upon them. But should not all this be thought way, it is unfair to invent a system pretendedly col-
Sufficient to remove the objection, I will produce the lected out of his words, and thus make him account-
canon an anaiogy in opposition to his analogy, and able for what he never wrote. There are systems of
which is grounded on more certain facts. this kind, the preconceived fictions of their authors,
" ^tna and Vesuvius resemble each other in the for which they have sought support and credit by tor-
causes which produce their eruptions, in the nature of tured meanings extracted from a few Hebrew roots,
their lavas, and in the time necessary to mellow them and then dignified them with the title of The Mosaic
into soil fit for vegetation or, if there be any slight
; System of the Universe. This has afforded infidelity
difference in this respect, it is probably not greater a handle which it has been careful to turn to its own
than what subsists between different lavas of the same advantage. On the first chapter of Genesis, I have
mountain. This being admitted, which no philosopher given a general view of the solar system, without pre-
will deny, the canon's (Recupero's) analogy will prove tending that I had found it there. I have also ven-
just nothing at all if we can produce an instance of tured to apply the comparatively recent doctrine of
seven different lavas, with interjacent strata of vegeta- caloric to the Mosaic account of the creation of light
ble earth, which have flowed from Mount Vesuvius previous to the formation of the sun, and have sup-
within the space, not of fourteen thousand, but of ported it with such arguments as appeared to me to
somewhat less than one thousand seven hundred years render it at least probable
;
but I have not pledged
:

for then, according to our analogy, a stratum of lava Moses to any of my explanations, being fully convinced
may be covered with vegetable soil in about tivo hun- that it was necessarily foreign from his design to enter
dred and fifty years, instead of requiring two thousand into philosophic details ofany kind, as it was his grand
for that purpose. object, as hasbeen already remarked, to give a history
" The eruption of Vesuvius, which destroyed Her- of Creation and Providence in the most abridged
culaneum and Pompeii, is rendered still more famous form of which it was capable. And who, in so few
by the death of Pliny, recorded by his nephew in his words, ever spoke so much 1 By Creation I mean the
letter to Tacitus. This event happened A. D. 79 ;
production of every being, animate and inanimate,
but we are informed by unquestionable authority, {Re- material and intellectual. And by Providence, not
marks on the nature of the soil of Naples and its only the preservation and government of all being,
vicinity, by Sir William Hamilton, Philos. Transact., but also the various and extraordinary provisions made
vol. Ixi., p. 7,) that the matter which covers the an- by Divine justice and mercy for the comfort and final
cient town of Herculaneum is not the produce of one salvation of man. These subjects I have endeavoured
eruption only, for there are evident marks that the to trace out through every chapter of this book, and to
matter of six eruptions has taken its course over that exhibit them in such a manner as appeared to me the
which lies immediately over the town, and was the best calculated to promote glory to God in the highest,
cause of its destruction. The strata are either of and upon earth peace and good will among men.
lava or burnt matter with veins of good soil betiveen
Observations on the Jewish ?nanner of dividing and
them. You perceive," says the bishop, " with what
ease a littleattention and increase of knoivledge may
reading the Law and the Prophets.

remove a great difficulty but had we been able to say

;
The ancient Jews divided the whole law of Moses
nothing in explanation of this phenomenon, we should into fifty-four sections, which they read in their syna-
not have acted a very rational part in making our
* The Chexalier Gioeni was an inhabitant of the first regio»
ignorance tlie foundation of our infidelity, or suffer- of jEtna.
2R9
 , — ; .

Jewish division of the Pentateuch. CHAP. L. Masoretical notes.

gogues in the course of the fifty-two Sabbaths in the These sections have their technical names, from the
year, joining of the shortest twice together, that
tiuo words with which they commence and are marked in ;

the whole might be finished in one year's space but ;

the Hebrew Bibles with three 333 pe''s, which are an
in their intercalated years, in which they added a month, abbreviation for ntyi3 parashah, a section or division
they hzi fifty -four Sabbaths, and then they had a sec- and sometimes with three DDD samech''s, which are an
tion for each Sabbath and it was to meet the exigency
:
abbreviation for the word "no seder, or XIID sidra, an
of the intercalated years that they divided the law into order, a full and absolute division. The former are
fifty-four sections at first. When Antiochus Epiphanes generally called nviyi3 parashioth, distinctions, divi-
forbade the Jews on pain of death to read their law, sions, sections ; the latter
sedarim, orders, ar-Dmo
they divided the prophets into the same number of sec- rangements ; as supposed that the sense is more
it is

tions,and read them in their synagogues in place of full and complete in these than in the parashioth. See-

the law ; and when, under the Asmoneans, they re- the Tables, &c., at the end of the Book of Deuteronomy,
covered their liberty, and with it the free exercise of where all these matters, and others connected with
their religion, though the reading of the law was re- them, are considered in great detail.

sumed, they continued the use of the prophetic sections,

reading them conjointly with those in the law. To Masoretic Notes on the Book of Genesis.
and mode of reading the law there
this first division
is a reference. Acts xv. 21 For Moses of old time
: At the end of all the books in the Hebrew Bible,
hath in every city them that preach him, being read the Masoretes have affixed certain notes, ascertaining
IN THE SYNAGOGUES EVERY SABBATH DAY. To the the number of greater and smaller sections, chapters,
second division and conjoint reading of the law and verses, and letters. These they deemed of the greatest
the prophets we also find a reference. Acts xiii. 1 5 : importance, in order to preserve the integrity of their
And after the reading of the law and the prophets, law, and the purity of their prophets. And to this
the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, end they not only numbered every verse, word, and
6{C. And that the prophets were read in this way in letter, but even went so far as to ascertain how often
our Lord's time, we have a proof, Luke iv. 16, &c. each letter of the alphabet occurred in the ivhole Bible !
where, going into the synagogue to read on the Sab- Thus sacredly did they watch over their records in or-
bath day, as was his custom, there was delivered unto der to prevent every species of corruption.
him the book of the Prophet Isaiah : and it appears The sum of all the verses in Bereshith (Genesis)
that i\ie prophetical section for that Sabbath was taken is 1534. And the memorial sign of this sum is nb "jX

from the sixty-first chapter of his prophecies. aleph X signifying 1 000 final caph 1500; lamed b 30,
;

Of these sections the book of Genesis contains and daleth T 4.= 1534.
twelve : The middle verse of Genesis is the fortieth of chap,
The FIRST, called fl'tyiD bereshith, begins chap. i. xxvii. : By thy sioord shalt thou live.

ver. 1, and ends chap. vi. ver. 8. The PARASHIOTH, or greater sections, are twelve.
The second, called nJ Noach, begins chap. vi. ver. The symbol of which is the word n? zeh, this, Exod.
9, and ends chap. xi. iii. 15 : And this is my memorial to all generations
The third, called "jS "j^ lech lecha, begins chap, xii., Where zain T stands for 7, and he T\ for 5.^12.
and ends chap, xviii. The SEDARIM, or orders, (see above) are forty-three.
The fourth, called iiTyvaiyera, begins chap, xviii., The symbol of which is the word Ul gam. Gen. xxvii.
and ends chap. xxii. 33 Yea (a J gam) and he shall be blessed.
: Where
The chaiyey Sarah, begins gimel J stands for 3, and mem D for 40.
FIFTH, called Hlty "n 43. =
chap, xxiii., and ends chap. xxv. ver. 18. — The PERAKiM, or modern division of chapters, are
The SIXTH, called mSin toledoth, begins chap. xxv. fifty the symbol of which is "j'? lecha, Isa. xxxiii. 2
;
:

ver. 19, and ends chap, xxviii. ver. 9. We have waited for thee. Where lamed h stands for
The seventh, called Xi"! vaiyetse, begins chap, 30, and caph •] for 20. = 50.
xxviii. ver. 10, and ends chap, xxxii. ver. 3. The open sections are 43, the close sections 48,
The eighth, called nbty'1 vaiyishlach, begins chap, total 91 the numerical sign of which is >{}f tse, get
:

xxxii. ver. 4, and ends chap, xxxvi. thee out, Exod. xi. 8, where tsaddi ^ stands for 90,
The ninth, called Styi vaiyesheb, begins chap, and aleph X for l.=91.
xxxvii., and ends chap. xl. The number of letters is about 52,740 but this ;

The TENTH, called ^po mikkets, begins chap, xli., last is more a matter of conjecture and computation
and ends chap. xliv. ver. 17. than of certainty, and on it no dependence can safely
The ELEVENTH, Called tyj'l vaiyiggash, begins chap, be placed, it being a mere multiplication by twelve, the
xliv. ver. 18, and ends chap, xlvii. ver. 27. number of sections, of 4395, the known number of
The TWELFTH, called TT'I vayechi, begins chap, xlvii. letters in the last or tivelfth section of the book. On
ver. 28, and ends chap. 1. this subject see Buxtorf's Tiberias, p. 181.
283
 —

A CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE
OP THE PRINCIPAL TRANSACTIONS RELATED IN THE BOOK OF GENESIS, ACCORDING TO THE COMPUTATION OF ARCH-
BISHOP USHER, WHICH IS CHIEFLY FOLLOWED IN THE PRECEDING NOTES SHOWING IN WHAT YEAR OF THB ;

WORLD, AND WHAT YEAR B'EFORE CHRIST, EACH EVENT HAPPENED.

The reader will observe, from the chronological notes in the margin of the preceding work, that in a few
instances I have departed from the Usherian computation, for which he will find my reasons in the notes.
This table have considerably enlarged by inserting the Edomitish kings and dukes, and a few other trans-
I
actions of profane history contemporary with the facts mentioned by Moses, by which the reader will have a
synopsis or general view of all the transactions of the first two thousand four hundred years of the world,
which stand upon any authentic records.
The first year of the world, answering to the 710th year of the Julian period, and supposed to be 4004
bjfore the vulgar era of the birth of Christ.

M. B.C. A. M. B. C.
1 First day's work
Creation of the hea- : 4004 687 Birthof Methuselah, sonofEnoch,v. 21. 3317
vens and earth of light, with the ; 874 of Lamech, son of Methuselah, 3130
distinction of day and night. Gen. i. V. 25.
1-5. 930 Death of Adam, aged 930 years, v. 5. 3074
Second day : Creation of the firmament, 987 Enoch is translated in the 365th year 3017
and separation of the superior and of his age, v. 24.
inferior waters, i. 6—8. 1042 Seth dies, aged 912 years, v. 8. 2962
Third day The earth drained, the seas,
: 1056 Birth of Noah, son of Lamech, v. 29. 2948
lakes, &c., formed trees, plants, and ; 1140 Enos dies, aged 905 years, v. 11. 2864
vegetables produced, i. 9—13. 1235 Cainan dies, aged 910 years, v. 14. 2769
Fourth day : The sun, moon, planets, 1290 Mahalaleel dies, aged 895 years, v. 17. 2714
and stars produced, i. 14—19. 1422 Jared dies, aged 962 years, v. 20. 2582
Fifth day All kinds of fowls and fishes
: 1536 God commissions Noah to preach re- 2468
created, i. 20-23. pentance to the guilty world, and to
Sixth day Beasts wild and tame, rep-
: announce the deluge. He commands
tiles, insects, and man, i. 24—28. him also to build an ark for the safety
Seventh day : Set apart and hallowed of himself and his family. This com-
to be a Sabbath, or day of rest for mission was given 120 years before
ever, ii. 2, 3. the flood came, 1 Pet. iii. 20 ; 2 Pet.
Tenth day : The first woman sins, ii. 5 ; Gen. vi. 17.
leads her husband into the trans- 1556 Birth of Japheth, son of Noah, v. 32, 2448
gression, 1—20. is called Eve, iii. compared with x. 21.
They are both expelled from Para- 1558 of Shem. 2446
dise, iii. 22-24. 1560 of Ham. 2444
N. B. This opinion, though rendered 1651 Death of Lamech, aged 777 years, v. 2353
respectable by great names, is very 31.
doubtful, and should be received with 1656 of Methuselah, aged 969 years, 2348
very great caution. I think it ivholly V. 27.
inadmissible; and though I insert it The general DELUGE, vii.

as the generally received opinion, Noah, his family, and the animals to
yet judge it best to form no guesses be preserved, enter the ark the 17th
and indulge no conjectures on such day of the 2d month of this year,
an obscure point. vii. 11. The rain commences, and
2 Cain and Abel born, iv. 1, 2. 4002 continues 40 days and nights, and
129 Abel killed by his lirother Cain, iv. 8. 3875 the waters continue without decreas-
130 Birth of Seth, iv. 25. 3874 ing 150 days; they afterwards be-
235 Enos son of Seth born, iv. 26. Hence 3769 gin to abate, and the ark rests on
followed the distinction between the Mount Ararat, viii. 4.
descendants of Cain and those of Noah sends out a raven, viii. 7.
—
Seth the former being called sons of
; Seven days after he sends out a dove,
men, the latter sons of God, vi. 1—4. which returns the same day ; after

325 Birth of Cainan, son of Enos, v. 9. 3679 seven days he sends out the dove a
395 of Mahalaleel, son of Cainan, v. 3609 second time, which returns no more,
12. viii. 8-12.
no'^.O
•
of Tared, son of Mahalaleel, v. 15. 3544 1057 Noah, his family, &c., leave the ark. He S347
of Enoch, son of .Tared, v. 18. 3382 offers sacrifices to God, viii. and ix.
igno.
284
 — . ;

CHRONOLOGY TO GENESIS.
A. M. B. C. A.M. B.@
1658 Birth of Arphaxad, son of Shem, xi. 2346 his allies pursues Chedorlaomer, de-
10, 11. feats him and the confederate kings
1693 ofSalah, son of Arphaxad, xi. 12. 2311 deliversLot and the other captives,
1723 of Eber, son of Salah, xi. 14. 2281 and is blessed by Melchizedek, king
1757 of Peleg, son of Eber, xi. 16. 2247 of Salem, xiv.
BuildingoftheTower of Babel, xi. 1—9. 2093 God promises Abram a numerous pos- 1911
1771 About this time Babylon was built by 2233 terity, XV. ]

the command of Nimrod. About this time Bela, the first king
1787 Birth of Reu, son of Peleg, xi. 18. 2217 of the Edomites, began to reign,
1816 Commencement ofthe regal government 2188 xxxvi. 32.
of Egypt, from Mizraim, son of Ham. 2094 Sarai gives Hagar to Abram, svi. 2. 1910
Egypt continued an independent Of her Ishmael is born, xvi. 15, Abram
kingdom from this time to the reign being then 86 years old.
of Cambyses, king of Persia, which 2096 Arphaxad dies, 403 years after the 1908
was a period of 1663 years, accord- birth of Salah, xi. 13.
ing to Constantinus Manasses. 2107 God makes a covenant with Abram 1897
1819 Birth of Serug, son of Reu, xi. 20. 2185 gives him the promise of a son ;

1849 of Nahor, son of Serug, xi. 22. 2155 changes his name into Abraham, and
1878 of Terah, son of Nahor, xi. 24. 2126 Sarai's into Sarah, and enjoins cir-
1915 About this time, ^gialeus founds the 2089 cumcision, xvii. 1, 5, 6, &c. Abra-
kingdom of Sicyon, according to ham entertains three angels on their
Eusebius. way to destroy Sodom, &c., xviii.
1948 Birth of Nahor and Haran, sons of 2056 He intercedes for the inhabitants
Terah, xi. 26. but as ten righteous persons could
1996 Peleg dies, aged 239 years, xi. 19. 2008 not be found in those cities, they
1997 Nahor dies, aged 148 years, xi. 25. 2007 are destroyed, xix. 23. Lot is de-
2006 Noah dies, aged 950 years, 350 years 1998 livered, and for his sake Zoar is
after the flood, ix. 29. preserved, ver. 19, &c.
2008 Birth of Abram, son of Terah, xi. 26. 1996 Abraham retires to Beer-sheba, after-
2018 of Sarai, wife of Abram. 1986 wards sojourns at Gerar. Abime-
2026 Reu dies, xi. 21. 1978 lech, king of Gerar, takes Sarah,
2049 Serug dies, xi. 23. 1955 in order to make her his wife, but
2079 Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, subdues 1925 is obliged to restore her, xx.
the kings of the Pentapolis, Sodom, 2108 Isaac is born, xxi. 2, 3. 1896
Gomorrah, &c., to whom they con- Moab and Ben-ammi, the sons of Lot,
tinued in subjection 12 years, xiv. 4. born, xix. 37, 38.
S083 The calling of Abram out of UR ofthe 1921 2110 Abraham sends away Ishmael, xxi. 1894
Chaldees, where the family had been 13, 14.
addicted to idolatry, Josh. xxiv. 2. 2118 Abimelech and Phichol his chief cap- 1886
He comes to Haran in Mesopotamia, tain make an agreement with Abra-
with Lot his nephew, Sarai his wife, ham, and surrender the well of Beer-
and his father Terah, who dies at sheba for seven ewe lambs, xxi.
Haran, aged 205 years, xi. 31, 32. 22, &c.
'
'

— Abram comes to Canaan, when 75 years ^= 2126 Salah dies 403 years after the birth of 1878
of age, Gen. xii. 4. From this period Eber, xi. 15.
the 430 yearsof the sojourning ofthe 2135 About this time Jobab, the second king 1869
Israelites, mentioned Exod. xii. 40, of the Edomites, began to reign,
41, is generally dated. xxxvi. 33.
2084 Abram goes into Egypt because of the 1920 2141 Abraham is called to sacrifice his son 1863
famine, xii. causes Sarai to pass
10 ;
Isaac, xxii.
for his sister. Pharaoh (Apophis) 2145 Sarah dies, aged 127 years, xxiii. 1. 1859
takes her to his house but soon re- ; 2148 Abraham sends Eliezer to Mesopotamia 1856
stores her, finding her to be Abram's to get a wife for his son Isaac, xxxiv.
wife, ver. 14-20. 2154 About this time Abraham marries Ke- 1850
3086 Abram and Lot, having returned to the 1918 turah, XXV. 1.
land of Canaan, separate ; Lot goes 2158 Shem, son of Noah, dies 500 years 1846
to Sodom, and Abram to the valley after the birth of Arphaxad, xi. 11.
of Mamre, near to Hebron, xiii. 2168 Birth of Jacob and Esau, Isaac their 1836
3090 The kings of the Pentapolis revolt from 1914 father being 60 years old, xv. 22, &c.
Chedorlaomer, xiv. 4. 2177 About this time Husham, the third 1827
9091 Chedorlaomer and his allies make war 1913 king of the Edomites, began to
with the kings of the Pentapolis; reign, xxxvi. 34.
Lot is taken captive Abram with ;
2183 Abraham dies, aged 175 years, xxv. 7, 8, 1821
285
 ;:

CHRONOLOGY TO GENESIS.
A.M. B.C.
2187 Eber dies, 430 years after the birth of 1817
Peleg, xi. 17.
2200 God appears to Isaac, and gives him 1804
glorious promises, xxvi. 4. He
stays at Gerar during the famine,
xxvi. 6.
2208 Esau marries tvi^o Canaanitish vpomen, 1796
xxvi. 34.
2219 About this time Hadad, the fourth king 1785
of the Edomites, began to reign,
xxxvi. 35.
Deluge ofOgygesin Greece, 1020 years
before the first Olympiad.
2225 Jacob by subtlety obtains Esau's bless-
ing, xxvii. He goes to Haran, and
engages to serve Laban seven years
for Rachel, xxviii., xxix.
Esau marries Mahalath, the daughter
of Ishmael, xxviii. 9.
2231 Ishmael dies, aged 137 years, xxv. 17.
2232 Jacob espouses Rachel seven years
after his engagement with Laban
Leah is put in the place of her sis-
ter but seven days after he receives
;

Rachel, xxix.
2233 Reuben is born, xxix. 32.
2234 Simeon is born, xxix. 33.
2235 Levi is born, xxix. 34.
2236 Judah is born, xxix. 35.
2237 Dan is born, xxx. 5, 6.
2239 Naphtali is born, xxx. 7, 8.
2240 Gad is born, xxx. 10, 11.
2242 Asher is born, xxx. 12, 13.
Evechous begins to reign over the Chal-
deans 224 years before the Arabs
reigned in that country (Julius Afri-
canus.) Usher supposes him to have
been the same with Belus, luho was
afterwards worshipped by the Chal-
deans.
2247 Issachar is born, xxx. 17, 18.
2249 Zebulun is born, xxx. 19, 20.
2250 Dinah is born, xxx. 21.
2259 Joseph is born, xxx. 23, 24.
2261 About this time Samlah, the fifth king
of the Edomites, began to reign,
xxxvi. 36.
2265 Jacob and his family, unknown to La-
ban, set out for Canaan. Laban,
hearing of his departure, pursues
him after seven days he comes up
;

with him at the mountains of Gilead

they make a covenant, and gather a
heap of stones, and set up a pillar as
a memorial of the transaction, xxxi.
Jacob wrestles with an Angel, and has
his name changed to that of Israel,
xxxii. 24-29.
Esau meets Jacob, xxxiii. 4.
Jacob arrives Canaan, and settles
in
among the Shechemites, xxxiii. 18.
2266 Benjamin born, and Rachel dies imme-
diately after his birth, xxxv. 18.
286
 CHRONOLOGY TO GENESIS.
iLM. B.C. A.M. B. C
eighth and last king of the Edom- 2474 Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, born fortj' 1530
ites, began to reign, xxxvi. 39. years before he was sent by Moses
2429 About government
this time the regal 1575 to spy out the land of Canaan.
of the Edomites is abolished, and 2494 Ramasses Miamun died in the 67th 1510
the first aristocracy of dukes begins, year of his reign, under whom, and
xxxvi. 15, 16. his son Amenophis, who succeeded
2471 About this time the second aristocracy 1633 him, the children of Israel endured
of Edomitish dukes begins, xxxvi, the cruel bondage and oppression
40-43. mentioned in Exodus i.

Finished the correction of this Partf April 6th, 1837. — ^A. Clarke.

a 887
 — ;

PREFACE TO THE BOOK

OF

EXODUS.
nPHE name by which book
generally distinguished is borrowed from the Septuagtnt,
this is

in which it Exodus, the going out or departure ; and by the Codex

is called Efodof,
Alexandrinus, Efodof AiywTrrov, the departure from Egypt, because the departure of the
Israelites from Egypt is the most remarkable fact mentioned in the whole book. In the
Hebrew Bibles it is called nioty nSxi ve-elleh shemoth, these are the names, which are the
words with which it commences. It contains a history of the transactions of 145 years,

beginning at the death of .Joseph, where the book of Genesis ends, and coming down to the
erection of the tabernacle in the wilderness at the foot of Mount Sinai.
In this book Moses details the causes and motives of the persecution raised up against the
Israelites in Egypt, the orders given by Pharaoh to destroy all the Hebrew male children,
and the prevention of the execution of those orders through the humanity and piety of the
midwives appointed to deliver the Hebrew women. The marriage of Amram and Jochebed
is next related the birth of Moses
; the manner in which he was exposed on the river Nile,
;

and in which he was discovered by the daughter of Pharaoh; his being providentially put
under the care of his own mother to be nursed, and educated as the son of the Egyptian
princess how, when forty years of age, he left the court, visited and defended his brethren
;

the danger to which he was in consequence exposed his flight to Arabia his contract with
; ;

Jethro, priest or prince of Midian, whose daughter Zipporah he afterwards espoused. While
employed in keeping the flocks of his father-in-law, God appeared to him in a burning bush,
and commissioned him to go and deliver his countrymen from the oppression under which
they groaned. Having given him the most positive assurances of protection and power to
tvork miracles, and having associated with him his brother Aaron, he sent them first to the
Israelites to declare the purpose of Jehovah, and afterwards to Pharaoh to require him, in
the name of the Most liigh, to set the Israelites at liberty. Pharaoh, far from submitting,
made their yoke more grievous and Moses, on a second interview with him, to convince him
;

by whose authority he made the demand, wrought a miracle before him and his courtiers.
This being in a certain way imitated by Pharaoh's magicians, he hardened his heart, and
refused to let the people go, till God, by ten extraordinary plagues, convinced him of his
omnipotence, and obliged him to consent to dismiss a people over whose persons and pro-
perties he had claimed and exercised a right founded only on the most tyrannical principles.
The plagues by which God afflicted the whole land of Egypt, Goshen excepted, where the
Israelites dwelt, were the following:
1 . He turned all the waters of Egypt into blood. 2. He caused innumerable frogs to
come over the whole land. 3. He afflicted both man and beast with immense swarms of
vermin. 4. Afterwards with a multitude of rf^^eren< kinds of 2;j5ecf5. 5. He sent a grievous
pestilence among their cattle. 6. Smote both man and beast with boils. 7. Destroyed their
388 a
 PREFACE TO EXODUS
crops with grievous storms of hail, accompanied with the most terrible thunder and lightning,
8. Desolated the whole land by innumerable swarms of locusts. 9. He spread a palpable
darkness all over Egypt; and, 10. In one night slew all the first-born, both of man and
beast, through the whole of the Egyptian territories. What proved the miraculous nature of
all these plagues most particularly was, Their coming exactly according to the prediction,
1 st,

and at the command 2dly, Their extending only to the Egyptians,

of Moses and Aaron.
and leaving the land of Goshen, the Israelites, their cattle and substance, entirely untouched.
After relating all these things in detail, with their attendant circumstances, Moses describes
and celebration oi the passover ; the preparation of the "Israelites for
the institution, reason,
their departure their leaving Goshen and beginning their journey to the promised land, by
;

the way of Rameses, Succoth, and Etham. How Pharaoh, repenting of the permission he
had given them to depart, began to pursue them with an immense army of horse and foot, and
overtook them at their encampment at Baal-zephon, on the borders of the Red Sea. Their
destruction appearing then to be inevitable, Moses farther relates that having called earnestly
upon God, and stretched his rod over the waters, they became divided, and the Israelites
entered into the bed of the sea, and passed over to the opposite shore. Pharaoh and his host
madly pursuing in the same track, the rear of their army being fairly entered by the time the
last of the Israelites had made good their landing on the opposite coast, Moses stretching
his rod again over the waters, they returned to their former channel and overwhelmed the
Egyptian army, so that every soul perished.
Moses next gives a circumstantial account of the different encampments of the Israelites
in the wilderness, during the space of nearly forty years the miracles wrought in their
:

behalf; the chief of which were the pillar of cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night,
to direct and protect them in the wilderness ; the bringing water out of a rock for them and
their cattle ; feeding them with manna from heaven ; bringing innumerable flocks of quails
to their camp ;
giving them a complete victory over the Amalekites at the intercession of
Moses and particularly God's astonishing manifestation of himself on Mouat Sinai, when
;

he delivered to Moses an epitome of his whole law, in what was called the Ten Words or
Ten Commandments.
Moses proceeds to give a circumstantial detail of the diiferent laws, statutes, and ordinances
which he received from God, and particularly the giving of the Ten Commandments on Mount
Sinai, and the awful display of the Divine Majesty on that solemn occasion the formation ;

of the Ark, holy Table and Candlestick ; the Tabernacle, with its furniture, covering,
courts, &c., the brazen Altar, golden Altar, brazen Laver, anointing oil, perfume, sacer-
dotal garments for Aaron and his sons, and the artificers employed on the work of the
Tabernacle, &c. He then gives an account of Israel's idolatry in the matter of the golden
calf, made under God's displo^ ;— -^ and the death of the principal
the direction of Aaron ;

idolaters the erection and consecration of the Tabernacle, anu its being filled and encom-
;

passed with the Divine glory, with the order and manner of their marches by direction of
the miraculous pillar ; with which the book concludes.
Vol. I. ( 20 ) 289
 —

THE SECOND BOOK OF MOSES,

EXODUS.
Year before the common Year of Christ, 1706. — Julian Period, 3008. —
Cycle of the Sun, 7. Dominical —
Letter, F. — Cycle of the Moon, 2. — Indiction, 15. — Creation from Tisri or September, 2298

CHAPTER I.

The names and number of the children of Israel that went down into Egypt ^ 1—5. Joseph and all his bre-
thren of that generation die, 6. The great increase of their posterity, 7. The cruel policy of the king of
Egypt to destroy them, S—l\. They increase greatly, notioithstanding their affliction, 12. Account of
theirhard bondage, 13, 14. Pharaoh'' s command to the Hebrew midwives to kill all the male children,
15, 16. The midwives disobey the king''s commandment, and, on being questioned, vindicate themselves,
17—19. God is pleased loith their conduct, blesses them, and increases the people, 20, 21. Pharaoh gives
a general command to the Egyptians to drown all the male children of the Hebreios, 22.

A. M. 2298.
B. C. 1706.
ATOW
Ly
^ these are the names of ^ loins of Jacob were ° seventy souls A. M. 2298.
B. C. 1706.
,
the children of Israel, which for Joseph was in Egypt already.
came into Egypt ; every man and his house- 6 And '^
Joseph died, and all his A. M. 2369.

hold came with Jacob. brethren, and all that generation. —— ^

'.

2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, 7 ^ And the children of Israel were fruitful,
3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and
4 Dan, and Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. waxed exceeding mighty ; and the land was
5 And all the souls that came out of the filled with them.

a Gen. xlvi. 8 chap. Heb. Gen. Gen. Acts 15. eGen.

; vi. 14. 1"
thigh. <=
xlvi. 26, iJ
1. 26 ; vii. xlvi. 3 ; Deut. xxvi. 5;
27 ; ver. 20 ; Deut. x. 22. Psa. cv. 24 : Acts vii. 17.

NOTES ON CHAP. I. paru, a general term, signifying that they were like
Verse These are the names'\
1 . Though this book healthy trees, bringing forth an abundance of fruit.
is a continuation of the book of Genesis, with which And increased] 2f liy yishretsu, they increased like
probably wa& in former times conjoined, Moses
it fishes, as the original word implies. See Gen. i. 20,
thought necessary to introduce it with an account of
it and the note there.
the names and number of the family of Jacob when Abundantly] IDT yirbu, they multiplied ; this is a
they came to Egypt, to show that though they were separate term, and should not have been used as an
then very few, yet in a short time, under the especial adverb by our translators.
blessing of God, they had multiplied exceedingly and ; And waxed exceeding mighty] IXD nx03 lOVJ^M
thus the promise to Abraham had been literally fulfilled. vaiyaatsmu bimod meod, and they became strong be-
See the notes on Gen. xlvi. yond measure superlatively, superlatively so that —
Verse 6. Joseph died, and all his brethren] That the land (Goshen) ivas filled tvith them. This astonish-
is, Joseph had now been some time dead, as also all ing increase was, under the providence of God, chiefly
his brethren, and all the Egyptians who had known owing to two causes : 1 . The Hebrew women were
Jacob and his twelve sons and this is a sort of reason
;
exceedingly very little in parturition,
fruitful, suffered
why the important services performed by Joseph were and probably often brought forth twins. 2. There ap-
forgotten. pear to have been no premature deaths among them.
Verse 7. The children of Israel were fruitful] na Thus in about two hundred and fifteen years they were
290 ( 20* )
 1 ;;
,

The Hebrews are persecuted CHAP. I. by the Egyptians.

A. M. cir. 2400. 8 Now there ^ arose up a new agamst us, and so get them up a. m. dr. 2400.
B.C. cir. 1604. , .
-n i,- 1 \ B- C. cir. 1604.
out, ot( ,X
.
king over Egypt, which knew
i
the land.
-i

not Joseph. 1 Therefore they did set over them task-

9 Andhe said unto his people, Behold, masters ^ to afflict them with their ^ burdens.
^ the people of the children of Israel are more And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities,
and mightier than we : Pithom ™ and Raamses.
10 ^ Come on, let us 12 But the more they afflicted them,
'deal wisely with '^

them ; lest they multiply, and it come to the more they multiplied and grew. And
pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they were grieved because of the children
they join also unto our enemies, and fight of Israel.

'Acts vii. 18. ffPsa. cv. 24. •>

pga. x. 2; Ixxxiii. ^ Gen. XV. 13 ; chap. iii. 7 ; Deut. xxvi. 6. ' Chap. ii. 11
3, 4. '
Job V. 13 ; Psa. cv. 25 ; Prov. xvi. 25 ; xxi. 30 ; v. 4, 5; Psa. Ixxxi. 6. "" Gen. xlvii. 11, " Heb. and as
Acts vii. 19. they ajjiicted them, so they multiplied, &c.

multiplied to upwards of 600,000, independently of old dotus calls Patumos. Raamses, or rather Rameses,
men, women, and children. (for same Hebrew word as in Gen. xlvii. 1 1
it is the
Verse 8. There arose up a neio king] Who this and should be written the same way here as there,) is
was it is It was probably Ramesses supposed to have been the capital of the land of
difficult to say.
Miamun, Amenophis, who succeeded him Goshen, mentioned in the book of Genesis by antici-
or his son
in the government of Egypt about A. M. 2400, before pation ; for it was probably not erected till after the
Christ 1604. days of Joseph, when the Israelites were brought
Which knew not Joseph.] The verb^H' yada, which under that severe oppression described in the book of
we translate to know, often signifies to acknowledge or Exodus. The Septuagint add here, Kai Qv, rj eariv
approve. See Judges ii. 10; Psa. i. 6; xxxi. 7; 'B.?uov7ro?i,ic' and ON, which is Heliopolis ; i. e., the
Hos. ii. 8 Amos iii. 2.
; The Greek verbs ei.6u and city of the Sun. The same reading is found also in
ycvuaicu are used precisely in the same sense in the the Coptic version.
New Testament. See Matt. xxv. 12, and 1 John iii. 1. Some writers suppose that beside these cities the
We may therefore understand by the new king^s not Israelites built the pyramids. If this conjecture be
knowing Joseph, his disapproving of that system of well founded, perhaps they are intended in the word
government which Joseph had established, as well as niJDDD misceiiotk, which, from pD sachan, to lay up
his haughtily refusing to acknowledge the obligations in store, might be intended to signify places where
under which the whole land of Egypt was laid to this Pharaoh laid up his treasures and from theiir structure ;

eminent prime minister of one of his predecessors. they appear to have been designed for something of
Verse 9. He said unto his people] He probably this kind. If the history of the pyramids be not found
summoned a council of his nobles and elders to con- in the book of Exodus, it is nowhere else extant
sider the subject and the result was to persecute and their origin, if not alluded to here, being lost in their
;

destroy them, as is afterwards stated. very remote antiquity. Diodorus Siculus, who has
Verse 10. They join also unto our enemies] It has given the best traditions he could find relative to them,
been conjectured that Pharaoh had probably his eye says that there was no agreement either among the
on the oppressions which Egypt had suffered under the inhabitants or the historians concerning the building of
shepherd-kings, who for a long series of yea,rs had, the pyramids. — Bib. Hist., lib. i., cap. Ixiv
according to Manetho, governed the land with extreme Josephus e.xpressly says that one part of the op-
cruelty. As the Israelites were of the same occupa- pression suffered by the Israelites in I'jgypt was occa-
king found it
tion, (viz., shepherds,) the jealous, cruel sioned by building pyramids. See on ver. 14.
easy to attribute to them the same motives taking it ; In the book of Genesis, and in this book, the word
for granted that they were only waiting for a favoura- Pharaoh frequently occurs, which, though many sup-
ble opportunity to join theenemies of Egypt, and so pose it to be a proper name peculiar to one person,
overrun the whole land. and by this supposition confound the acts of several
Averse 11. Set over them task-masters] D'D'J ^'\'<L' Egyptian kings, yet is to be understood only as a name
sarey missim, chiefs or princes of burdens, ivorks, or of office.
tribute ; emaTaTag tuv epyuv, Sept. overseers of the It may be necessary to observe that all the Egyp-
works. The who
appointed them their work, tian kings, whatever their oiun
persons name was, took the sur-
and exacted the performance of it. The ivork itself name of Pharaoh when they came to the throne a ;

being oppressive, and the manner in which it was ex- name which, in its general acceptation signified the same
acted still more so, there is some room to think that as king or monarch, but in its literal meaning, as Bo-
they not only worked them unmercifully, but also obliged chart has amply proved, it signifies a crocodile, which
them pay an exorbitant tribute at the same time.
to being a sacred animal among the Egyptians, the word
Treasure cities] mjDD'3 ""^^ a?-ey miscenoth, store might be added to their kings in order to procure them
cities —
public granaries. Calmet supposes this to be the greater reverence and respect.
the name of a city, and translates the verse thus Verse 12. But the more they afflicted them]
:
The
"They built cities, viz., Miscenoth, Pithom, and Ra- margin has pretty nearly preserved the import of the
meses." Pithom is supposed to be that which Hero- original And as they afflicted them, so they multiplied :

a 291
 TTie midwives are commanded EXODUS. to destroy the male children

A. M. cir. 2400. 1 3 And the Egyptians made a midwife to the Hebrew women, A. M. cir. 2400.

~— '-

— ' '

the children of Israel to serve and see them upon the stools — -^ ; — .'

with rigour : if it be a son, then ye shall kill him but : if

14 And they ° made their lives bitter with it be a daughter, then she shall live.
hard bondage, p in mortar, and in brick, and 17 But the midwives ^feared God, and did
in all manner of service in the field : all their not ^ as the king of Egypt commanded them,
service,wherein they made them serve, ivas but saved the men children alive.
with rigour. 18 And the king of Egypt called for the
15 And the king of Egypt spake to the midwives, and said unto them, Why have ye
Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the done this thing, and have saved the men
one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other children alive ?
Puah: 19 And Mhe midwives said unto Pharaoh,
16 And he said. When ye do the office of Because the Hebrew women are not as the
« Chapter ii. 23 ; vi. 9 ; Num. xx. 15 ; Acts vii. 19, 34. iProv. xvi. 6. rDan. ill. 16, 18; vi. 13; Acts v. 29.
P Psa. Ixxxi. 6. s See Josh. ii. 4, &c. ; 2 Sam. xvii. 19, 20.

and so they grew. That is, in proportion to their poses there could not have been fewer than five hun-
afflictions was and had their suffer-
their prosperity ; dred midwives among the Hebrew women at this time ;

ings been greater, their increase would have been still but that very few were requisite see proved on verse 19.
more abundant. Verse 16. Upon the stools] CD'^^Nn hy al haob-
Verse 13. To serve with rigour] '\'^-i2 bepharech, nayim. This is a difficult word, and occurs nowhere
with cruelty, great oppression ; being ferocious with else in the Hebrew Bible but in Jer. xviii. 3, where
them. The word fierce is supposed by some to be we translate it the potter''s wheels. As pX signifies
derived from the Hebrew, as well as the Latin /eroT, a stone, the obnayim has been supposed to signify a
-from which we more immediately bring our English washed the
stone trough, in which they received and
term. This kind of cruelty to slaves, and ferocious- infant as soon as born. Jarchi, in his book of Hebrew
ness, unfeelingness, and hard-heartedness, were par- it he roots, gives a very different interpretation of ;

ticularly forbidden to the children of Israel. See Lev. from ben, a son, or "'J3 banim, children ; derives it p
XXV. 43, 46, where the same word is used Thou shalt his words must not be literally translated, but this is
:

not rule over him with rigour, but shalt fear thy God. the sense " When ye do the office of a midwife to :

Verse 14. They made their lives bitter] So that the Hebrew women, and ye see that the birth is
they became weary of life, through the severity of broken forth, if it be a son, then ye shall kill him."
their servitude. Jonathan ben Uzziel gives us a curious reason for the
With hard bondage] nt^p m:]>'3 baabodah kashah, command given by Pharaoh to the Egyptian women:
tv.iih grievous servitude. This was the general cha- " Pharaoh slept, and saw in his sleep a balance, and
racter of their life in Egypt it was a life of the most behold the whole land of Egypt stood in one scale,
;

painful servitude, oppressive enough in itself, but made and a lamb in the other and the scale in which the ;

much more so by the cruel manner of their treatment lamb was outweighed that in which was the land of
while performing their tasks. Egypt. Immediately he sent and called all the chief
Li mortar, and in brief:] First, in digging the clay, magicians, and told them his dream. And Janes and
kneading, and preparing it, and secondly, forming it Jimbres, (see 2 Tim. iii. 8,) who were chief of the
into bricks, drying them in the sun, &c. magicians, opened their mouths and said to Pharaoh,
Service in the field] Carrying these materials to A child is shortly to be born in the congregation of '

the places where they were to be formed into build- the Israelites, whose hand shall destroy the whole
ings, and serving the builders while employed in those land of Egypt.' Therefore Pharaoh spake to the
public works. Josephus says " The Egyptians con- midwives, dfc."
trived a variety of ways to afflict the Israelites for Verse 17. The midwives feared God^ Because;

they enjoined them to cut a great number of channels they knew that God had forbidden murder of every
for the river, and to build walls for their cities and kind for though the law was not yet given, Exod. xx. ;

ramparts, that they might restrain the river, and hin- 13, being Hebrews they must have known that God
der its waters from stagnating upon its overrunnmg had from the beginning declared, Whosoever sheddeth
its own banks they set them also to build pyramids, man^s blood, by man shall his blood be shed, Gen. ix. 6.
;

(TTvpa/iiidac te avoLKoSo/xovvrec,) and wore them out, Therefore they saved the male children of all to whose
and forced them to learn all sorts of mechanic arts, assistance they were called. See ver. 19.
and to accustom themselves to hard labour." Antiq., —
Verse 19. The Hebreiu women are not as the Egyp-
lib. ii., cap. ix., sec. 1. Philo bears nearly the same tian ivomen] This is a simple statement of what
testimony, p. 86, Edit. Mangey. general experience shows to be a fact, viz., that
Verse 15. Hebrew jnidwives] Shiphrah and Puah, women, who during the whole of tlieir pregnancy are
who are here mentioned, were probably certain chiefs, accustomed to hard labour, especially in the open air,
under whom all the rest acted, and by whom they have comparatively little pain in parturition. At this
were instructed in the obstetric art. Aben Ezra sup- time the whole Hebrew nation, men and women, were
292 3
 ; ; ;

TTie midwives refuse, CHAP. 1. and God blesses them.

A. M. cir. 2400. Effvptian women ; for they are midwives and the people mul-
: a. m. cir. 2400.
IT —— —
B.C. cir. 1604. ,.°V 1 J 1 '^"

lively, and are deliverea ere the tiplied, and waxed very mighty. '.

midwives come in unto them. 21 And it came to pass, because the mid-
20 ^ Therefore God dealt well with the wives feared God, " that he made them houses.

' Proverbs xi. 18 ;

Eccles. viii. 12 Isaiah iii. 10 " 1 Samuel ii. 35 ; 2 Samuel vii. 11, 13, 27, 29 ; 1 Kings ii. 24;
Heb. vi. 10. xi'. 38; Psa. cxxvii. 1.

in a state of slavery, and were obliged to work in mighty.'] This shows an especial providence and
mortar and brick, and all manner of service in the blessing of God for though in all cases where fe- ;

FIELD, ver. 14, and this at once accounts for the ease males are kept to hard labour they have comparatively
and speediness of their travail. With the strictest easy and safe travail, yet in a state of slavery the in-
truth the midwives might say, The Hehreiv women are crease is generally very small, as the children- die for
not as the Egyptian loomen : the latter fare delicately, want of proper nursing, the women, through their
are not inured to labour, and are kept shut up at home, labour, being obliged to neglect their offspring ; so
therefore they have hard, difficult, and dangerous that in the slave countries the stock is obliged to be
labours ; but the Hebrew women are lively, nrn cha- recruited by foreign imports : yet in the case above
yoth, are strong, hale, and vigorous, and therefore are it was not so ; there was not one barren among theit
delivered ere the midwives come in unto them. In tribes, and even their women, though constantly obliged
such cases we may naturally conclude that the midwives to perform their daily tasks, were neither rendered un-
were very seldom even sent for. And this is proba- fruitful by it, nor taken off by premature death through
bly the reason why we find but two mentioned as in ;
the violence and continuance of their labour, when
such a state of society there could be but very little even in the delicate situation mentioned above.
employment for persons of that profession, as a mother, Verse 21. He 7nade them houses.] Dr. Shuckford
an aunt, or any female acquaintance or neighbour, thinks that there is something wrong both in the
could readily afford all the assistance necessary in punctuation and translation of this place, and reads
such cases. Commentators, pressed with imaginary the passage thus, adding the 21st to the 20th verse :

difficulties, have sought for examples of easy parturi- " And they multiplied and waxed mighty and this ;

tion in .Ethiopia, Persia, and India, as parallels to the happened (TIM vayehi) because the midwives feared
case before us but they might have spared them-
; God and he {Pharaoh) made (CDD? lahem, masc.)
;

selves the trouble, because the case is common in all them {the Israelites) houses and commanded all his ;

parts of the globe where the women labour hard, and people, saying, Every son that is born, &c." The
especially in the open air. I have known several in- doctor supposes that previously to this time the Is-
stances of the kind myselfamong the labouring poor. raelites had no fixed dwellings, but lived in tents, and
I shall mention one saw a poor woman in the open therefore had a better opportunity of concealing their
: I
field she stayed away in the afternoon, children
at hard labour ; but now Pharaoh built them houses, and ;

but she returned the next morning to her work with obliged them to dwell in them, and caused the Egyp-
her infant child, having in the interim been safely de- tians to watch over them, that all the male children
livered She continued at her daily work, having
! might be destroyed, which could not have been easily
apparently suffered no inconvenience ! effected had the Israelites continued to live in their
I have entered more particularly into this subject usual scattered manner in tents. That the houses in
because, through want of proper information, (perhaps question were not made for the midwives, but for the
from a worse motive,) certain persons have spoken Israelites in general, the Hebrew text seems pretty
very unguardedly against this inspired record r " The plainly to indicate, for the pronoun Uvh lahem, to them,
Hebrew midwives told palpable lies, and God com- is the masculine gender ; had the midwives been meant,
mends them for it thus we may do evil ; that good the feminine pronoun |n ? lahen would have been used.
may come of it, and sanctify the means by the end." Others contend that by making them houses, not only
Now I contend that there was neither lie direct nor the midwives are intended, but also that the words
even prevarication in the case. The midwives boldly mark an increase of their families, and that the objec-
state to Pharaoh a fact, (had it not been so, he had a tion takenfrom the masculine pronoun is of no weight,
thousand means of ascertaining the truth,) and they because these pronouns are often interchanged see ;

state it in such a way as to bring conviction to his 1 Kings xxii. 17, where hvh lahem is written, and in
mind on the subject of his oppressive cruelty on the the parallel place, 2 Chron. xviii. 6, \Th lahen is used.
one hand, and the mercy of Jehovah on the other. As So DH^ hahem, in 1 Chron. x. 7, is written |n!J bahen,
if they had said, " The very oppression under vi^hich, 1 Sam. xxxi. 7, -and in several other places. There
through thy cruelty, the Israelites groan, their God has is no doubt that God did bless the midwives, his ap-
turned to their advantage they are not only f-uitful, ; probation of their conduct is strictly marked and ;

but they bring forth with comparatively no trouble there can be no doubt of his prospering the Israelites,
we have scarcely any employment among them." for it is particularly said that the people multiplied and
Here then is a fact, boldly announced in the face of waxed very mighty. But the words most probably
danger and we see that God was pleased with this
; refer to the Israelites, whose houses or families were
frankness of the midwives, and he blessed them for it. builtup by an extraordinary increase of children, not-
Verse 20. Therefore God dealt well ivith the mid- withstanding the cruel policy of the Egyptian king
wives : and the people multiplied, and ivaxed very Vain is the counsel of man when opposed to the de
293
 s;

Pharaoh commands all his people EXODli'.S. to destroy the male children.

A. M. cir. 2431. 22 And Pharaoh cliargecl all his born ye shall cast into the river, and a. m, cir. 2431
B. C. cir. 1573.
Every son J 11 1 .
T 1 B. C. cir. 1573.
people, saying, ^ that is every daughter ye shall save alive.

'
Acts vii. 19 ; chap. vii. 19-21 ;
Rev. xvi. 4-6.

terminations of God ! All the means used for the de- that the midwives —
the law and the Gospel, by teach-
struction of this people became in his hand instruments ing the fear of God, build the houses of the Church,
of their prosperity and increase. How true is the and fill the whole earth with houses of prayer. There-
saying, If God be for us, who can be against us T fore these midwives, because they feared God, and
Verse 22. Ye shall cast into the rivei-] As the iVz/e, taught the fear of God, did not fulfil the command of
which is here intended, was a sacred river among the the king of Egypt — they did not
males, and I kill the
Egyptians, it is not unlikely that Pharaoh intended the dare confidently affirm that they did not preserve the
young Hebrews as an offering to his god, having two females alive ; for they do not teach vicious doctrines
objects in view 1 To increase the fertility of the
: . in the Church, nor preach up luxury, nor foster sin,
country by thus procuring, as he might suppose, a pro- which are what Pharaoh wishes in keeping the females
per and sufficient annual inundation; and 2. To prevent alive ; for by these virtue alone is cultivated and nou-
an increase of population among the Israelites, and in rished. By Pharaoh^s daughter I suppose the Church
process of time procure their entire extermination. to be intended, Avhich is gathered from among the Gen-
It is conjectured, with a great show of probability, tiles and although she has an impious and iniquitous
;

that the edict mentioned in this verse was not made father, yet the prophet says unto her, Hearken, O daugh-
till after the birth of Aaron, and that it was revoked ter, and consider, incline thine ear ; forget also thine
soon after the birth of Moses as, if it had subsisted
; oiun people, and thy father'^s house, so shall the king
in its rigour during the eighty-six years which elapsed greatly desire thy beauty, Psa. xlv. 10, 11. This
between and the deliverance of the Israelites, it
this therefore is she who is come to the tvaters to bathe,
is not at all likely that their males would have amounted i. e., baptismal font, that she may be washed
to the
to six hundred thousand, and those all effective men. from the sins which she has contracted in her father^
house. Immediately she receives bowels of commise-
In the general preface to this work reference has ration, and pities the infant : that is, the Church, com-
been made to Origen's method of interpreting the ing from among the Gentiles, finds Moses — the law,
Scriptures, and some specimens promised. On the lying in the pool, cast out, and exposed by his own peo-
plain account of a simple matter of fact, related in the ple in an ark of bulrushes, daubed over tvith pitch —
preceding chapter, this very eminent man, in his 2d deformed and obscured by the carnal and absurd glosses
Homily on Exodus, imposes au interpretation of which of the Jews, who are ignorant of its spiritual sense ;

the following is the substance. and while it continues with them is as a helpless and
" Pharaoh, king of Egypt, represents the deoil ; the destitute infant ; but as soon as it enters the doors of
male zxi^ female children of the Hebrews represent the the Christian Church it becomes strong and vigorous
animal and rational faculties of the soul. Pharaoh,
the devil, wishes to destroy all the males, i. e., the
and thus Moses —
the law, grows up, and becomes,
through means of the Christian Church, more respect-
seeds of rationality and spiritual science through which able even in the eyes of the Jews themselves, accord-
the soul tends to and seeks heavenly things ; but he ing to his own prophecy / ivill move them to jealousy
:

wishes to preserve the females alive, i. e., all those ivith those which are not a people; I luill provoke them
animal propensities of man, through which he becomes to anger ivith a foolish nation, Deut. xxxii. 21. Thus
carnal and devilish. Hence," says he, " when you taught by the Christian Church, the synagogue forsakes
see a man living in luxury, banquetings, pleasures, and idolatry ; for when it sees the Gentiles worshipping
sensual gratifications, know that there the king the true God, ashamed of and worships
of it is its idols,
Egypt has slain all the males, and preserved all the them no more. In like manner, though we have had
females alive. The midlives represent the Old and
New Testaments: the one is called Sephorn, which
Pharaoh for our father though the prince of this —
world has begotten us by wicked works, yet when we
signifies a sparrow, and means that sort of instruction come unto the waters of baptism we take unto us Mo-
by which the soul is led to soar aloft, and contemplate
heavenly things the other is called Phua, which sig-
ses —
the law of God, in its true and spiritual mean-
;
ing what is low or weak in it we leave, what is strong
;

nifies ruddy or bashful, and points out the Gospel, which and perfect we take and place in the royal palace of
is ruddy with the blood of Christ, spreading the doc-
trine of his passion over the earth. By these, as mid-
our heart. Then we have Moses grown up we no —
longer consider the law as little or mean ; all is mag-
wives, the souls that are born into the Church are
heal- nificent, excellent, elegant, for all is spiritually under-
ed, for the reading of the Scriptures corrects
and heals stood. Let us beseech the Lord Jesus Christ that he
what is amiss in the mind. Pharaoh, the devil, wishes may more and more, and show us
reveal himself to us
to corrupt those midwives, that all tlie
males the how great and sublime Moses is for he by his Holy ;

spiritual propensities, may be destroyed and this he

; Spirit reveals these things to whomsoever he will. To
endeavours to do by bringing in heresies and corrupt him be glory and dominion for ever and ever Amen." !

opinions. But the foundation of God standeth sure. Neitlier tiie praise of piety nor the merit of inge-
The midwives feared God, therefore he builded them nuity
can be denied to this eminent man in such inter-
houses. If this be taken literally, it has little or no
pretations as these. But who at the same time does
meaning, and is of no importance but it points out not
see that if such a mode of exposition were to be
;

294 a
 ;

Moses IS born. CHAP II a7icl put into an ark.

allowed, the trumpet could no longer give a certain with the testimonies of God, and all the
sible to trifle
sound ? Every passage and fact might then be obliged while speak serious things ; but if all be not done ac-
to say something, any thing, every thing, or nothing, cording to the pattern shown in the mount, much evil
according to the fancy, peculiar creed, or caprice of may be produced, and many stumbling blocks throwu
the interpreter. in the way of others, which may turn them totally out
Ihave given this large specimen from one of the of the way of understanding and then what a dreadful ;

ancients, merely to save the moderns, from whose works account must such interpreters have to give to that God
on the sacred writings I could produce many specimens who has pronounced a curse, not only on those who take
equally singular and more absurd. Reader, it is pos- away from his word, but also on those who add to iti

CHAPTER- H.
Amram and Jocheled marry, 1. Moses is lorn, and is hidden by his mother three months, 2. Js exposed m
an ark of bulrushes on the river Nile, and watched by his sister, 3, 4. He is found by the daughter of
Pharaoh, tvho commits him to the care of his own mother, and has him educated as her own son, 5—9.
When groivn up, he is brought to Pharaoli's daughter, who receives him as her oion child, and calls him
Moses, 10. Finding an Egyptian smiting a Hebreio, he kills the Egyptian, and hides him, in the sand,
11, 12. Reproves tico Hebrews that were contending together, one of lohom charges him ivith killing the
Egyptian, 13, 14. Pharaoh, hearing of the death of the Egyptian, sought to slay Moses, who, being
alarmed, escapes to the land of Midian, 15. Meets ivith the seven daughters of Reuel, priest or prince of
Midian, ivho came to water their flocks, and assists them, 16, 17. On their return they inform their
father Reuel, ivho invites Moses to his house, 18—20. Moses divells with him, and receives Zipporah his
daughter to wife, 21. She bears him a son whom he calls Gershom, 22. The children of Israel, griev-
ously oppressed in Egypt, cry for deliverance, 23. God remembers his covenant with Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob, and hears their prayer, 24, 25.

A. M.
B. C.
cir. 2432.
1572.
A
XJl
ND there went ^ a man of the 3 And when she could not longer A. M. 2433.
B. C. 1571.
_ cir. ,

house
r
01
t •

Levi, and took to

i i .
hide him, she took for him an ark
wife a daughter of Levi. of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and
A. M. 2433. 2 And the woman conceived, and with pitch, and put the child therein and she ;
B. C. 1571.
bare a son and ^ when she saw laid it in the flags by the river's brink.
:

him that he was a goodly child, she hid him 4 ° And his sister stood afar off, to wit what
three months. would be done to him.
a Chap. vi. 20; Num. xxvi. 59; 1 Chron. xxiii. 14. b Acts vii. 20 ; Heb. xi. 23. <=
Ch. xv. 20 ; Num. xxvi. 59.

NOTES ON CHAP. II. beautiful; hence the Septuagint translate the place,
Verse There loent a man] Amram, son of Ko-
1. ISovrec (5e avro ugtelov. Seeing him to be beautiful,
hath, son of Levi, chap. vi. 16—20. A daughter of which St. Stephen interprets, Hv aareioc rip 9ea>, He
Levi, Jochebed, sister to Kohath, and consequently both ivas comely to God, or divinely beautiful. This very
the wife and aunt of her husband Amram, chap. vi. 20 circumstance was wisely ordained by the kind provi-
Num. xxvi. 59. Such marriages were at this time dence of God to be one means of his preservation.
lawful, though they were afterwards forbidden, Lev. Scarcely any thing interests the heart more than the
xviii. 12. But it is possible that daughter of Levi sight of a lovely babe in distress. His beauty would
means no more than a descendant of that family, and induce even his parents to double their exertions to
that probably Amram and Jochebed were only cousin save him, and was probably the sole motive which led
germans. As a new law was to be given and a new the Egyptian princess to take such particular care of
priesthood formed, God chose a religious family out him, and to educate him as her own son, which in all
of which the lawgiver and the high priest were both likelihood she would not have done had he been only
to spring. an ordinary child.
Verse Bare a son] This certainly was not her
2. Verse 3. An ark of bulrushes] XDJ T\2T\ tebath
first child,Aaron was fourscore and three years old
for gome, a small boat or basket made of the Egyptian
when Moses was but fourscore, see chap. vii. 7 and : reed called papyrus, so famous in all antiquity. This
there was a sister, probably Miriam, who was older plant grows on the banks of the Nile, and in marshy
than either; see below, ver. 4, and see Num. xxvi. 59. grounds the stalk rises to the height of six or s^^)
;

Miriam and Aaron had no doubt been both born before cubits above the water, is triangular, and termip i
the decree was passed for the destruction of the He- in a crown of small filaments resembling hair, which
brew male children, mentioned in the preceding chapter. the ancients used to compare to a thjTrsus. This reed
Goodly child] The text simply says Nin 2)0 O ki tob was of the greatest use to the inhabitants of Egypt,
hu, thai he was good, which signifies that he was not the pith contained in the stalk serving them for foo-'
only a perfect, well-formed child, but that he was very and the woody part to build vessels with which _ ;

^^^
295
 —
PharaoKs daughter sees EXODUS. Moses among the flags.

A. M. 2433. 5 And the "^

daughter of Pharaoh river's side ; and when she saw A. M. 2433.
B. C. 1571. B. C. 1571.
came down to wash herself at the the ark among the flags, she sent

rivef; and her maidens walked along by the her maid to fetch it.

^ Acts, chap. vii. 21.

Bels frequently appear on engraved stones and other wash, is repeatedly used in the Pentateuch to signify
monuments of Egyptian antiquity. For this purpose religious ablutions of different kinds. Jonathan in his
they made it up like rushes into bundles, and by tying Targum says that God had smitten all Egypt with
them together gave their vessels the necessary figure ulcers, and that the daughter of Pharaoh came to wash
and solidity. " The vessels of bulrushes or papyrus," in the river in order to find relief; and that as soon
says Dr. Shaw, " were no other than large fabrics of as she touched the ark where Moses was, her ulcers
the same kind with that of Moses, Exod. ii. 3, which were healed. ThisI believe there was
is all fable.

from the late introduction of planks and stronger mate- no bathing in the case, but simply what the text states,
rials are now laid aside." Thus Pliny, lib. vi., cap. washing, not of her person, but of her clothes, which
16, takes notice of the naves papyraceas armamcnta- was an employment that even kings' daughters did
que Nili, " ships made of papyrus and the equipments not think beneath them in those primitive times. Ho-
of the Nile :" and lib. xiii., cap. 11, he observes. Ex mer, Odyss. vi., represents Nausicaa, daughter of
ipsi quidem papyro navigia texunt : " Of the papyrus Alcinous, king of the Phceacians, in company with her
itselfthey construct sailing vessels." Herodotus and maidens, employed at the seaside in washing her own
Diodorus have recorded the same fact and among ; clothes and those of her five brothers While thus !

the poets, Lucan, lib. iv., ver. 136 Conseritur bibula : employed they find Ulysses just driven ashore after
Memphitis cymba papyro, " The Memphian or Egyp- having been shipwrecked, utterly helpless, naked, and
tian boat is constructed from the soaking papyrus." destitute of every necessary of life. The w'hole scene
The epithet bibula is particularly remarkable, as cor- is so perfectly like that before us that they appear to
responding with great exactness to the nature of the me to be almost parallels. I shall subjoin a few lines.
plant, and to its Hebrew name XDJ gome, which signi- The princess, having piled her clothes on a carriage
fies to soak, to drink up. See Parkhursl sub voce. drawn by several mules, and driven to the place of
She laid it in the flags] Not willing to trust it in washing, commences her work, which the poet de-
the stream for fear of a disaster ; and probably choos- scribes thus :

ing the place to which the Egyptian princess was Tat 6' flTT* anrivrjg
accustomed to come for the purposes specified in the
'Elfj.ara ;i;£pfftv eXovTO, kql eafopeov /leXav idop,
note on the following verse.
"LteijSov 6' ev (iodpoiai Ooug, epida 7vpo<j>£povaai.
Verse 5. And the daughter of Pharaoh] Josephus
Avrap enei TvXvvav re, Kadrjpav te ()VKa navra,
calls her Thermuthis, and says that " the ark was
E^siTjQ Treraaav napa 6iv' u?.og, t)xi- paXiara
borne along by the current, and that she sent one that
Aaiyyac tvoti ;^;f/^o•ol' aKonXvvicrKE OaXaaaa.
could swim after it ; that she was struck with the
Odyss., lib. vi., ver. 90.
figure and uncommon beauty of the child ; that she
inquired for a nurse, but that he having refused the " Light'ning the carriage, next they bore in hand

breasts of several, and his sister proposing to bring a The garments doicn to the unsullied loave.
Hebrew nurse, his own mother was procured." But And thrust them heap'd into the pools ; their task
all this is Josephus's manner, as well as the long
in Despatching brisk, and with an emulous haste.
circumstantial dream that he gives to Amram concern- When all tvere purified, and neither spot
ing the future greatness of Moses, which cannot be Could be perceived or blemish more, they spread
considered in any other light than that of a fable, and The raiment orderly along the beach.
not even a cunningly devised one. Where dashing tides had cleansed the pebbles most."
To wash herself at the river] Whether the daugh- COWPER.
ter of Pharaoh went to bathe in the river through When this task was finished we find the Phaeacian
motives of pleasure, health, or religion, or whether princess and her ladies {Kovpr) S" ek dalafioio — afjL<^i-

she bathed at all, the text does not specify. It is KoXoi a?.lai) employed in amusing themselves upon
merely stated by the sacred writer that she xoenl doivn the beach, till the garments they had washed should
to the river to w.\sn ; for the word herself is not in be dry and fit be folded up, that they might reload
to
the original. Mr. Harmer, Observat., vol. iii., p. 529, their carriage and return.
is of opinion that the time referred to above was that In the text of Moses the Egyptian princess, accom-
in wliich the Nile begins to rise and as the dancing ; panied by her maids, n''m>'J naarothcyha, comes down
girls in Egypt are accustomed now to plunge them- to the river, not to bathe herself, for this is not inti-
selves into the river at its rising, by which act they mated, but merely to tvash, rniS lirchots ; at the time
t^.slify their gratitude for the inestimable blessing of in which the ark is perceived we may suppose that
:\'^inundations, so might have been formerly; and
it she and her companions had finished their task, and,
thai Pharaoh's daughter was now coming down to the like the daughter of Alcinous and her maidens, wero
river on a similar account. I see no likelihood in all amusing themselves walking along by the river's side,
^^ ^^^ washed herself at all, it rtiight have been as the others did by tossing a ball, ^(paipi^ rat r' op
hous^^'
and yet extended no farther than
ablution, en-a(,'or, when they as suddenly and as une.xpectedly
meanini!'^'""^
hands and face ; for the word ]*n"> rachats, to 1 discovered Moses adrift on the flood, as Nausicaa
"JOG
 1

Moses IS given to his mother. CHAP. n. He slays an Egyptian.

A. M. 2433. 6 And when 10 And the child grew, and she a.m. 2433.
she had opened it,
B. C. 1571.
she saw the child brought him unto Pharaoh's daugh-
: and, behold, the 1 ——
babe wept. And she had compassion on him, ter, and he became « her son. And she called
and said. This is name ^ Moses and she said, Because I
one of the Hebrews' children. his :

7 Then said his Pharaoh's daughter. drew him out of the water.
sister to
Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the 1 And it came to pass in those A. M. 2473.
J u
Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child days, ^^ when Ti/r
Moses was grown,
B- C. 1531.
—
for thee ? that he went out unto his brethren, and
8 And Pharaoh's daughter said to her. Go. looked on their ^ burdens and he spied an :

And the maid went, and called the child's Egyptian smiting a Hebrew, one of his
mother. brethren.
And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her,
9 12 And he looked this way and that way,
Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and and when he saw that there was no man,
I will give thee thy wages. And the woman he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in •

took the child, and nursed it. the sand.

« Acts vii. 21. -'That is, drawn out.- Acts vii. 23, 24; Heb. xi. 24, 25, 26.- Chapter i. 11. ' Acts vii. 24

and her companions discovered Ulysses just escaped nature probably exceeded all the nations then on the
naked from shipwreck. In both the histories, that of face of the earth.
the poet and this of the prophet, both the strangers, And she called his name] Htt'D mosheh, because
the shipwrecked Greek and the ahnost drowned He- D'On min hammayim, out of the waters inn'iyD me-
|i3

brew, were rescued by the princesses, nourished and shithihu, have I drawn him- Hty^ mashah signifies to
preserved alive Were it lawful to suppose that Ho-
! draiv out ; and mosheh is the person drawn out ; the
mer had ever seen the Hebrew story, it would be word is used in the same sense Psa. xviii. 17, and
reasonable to conclude that he had made it the basis 2 Sam. xxii. 17. What name he had from his parents
of the 6th book of the Odyssey. we know not but whatever it might be it was ever
;

Verse 6. She had compassion on him] The sight of after lost in the name giv«n to him by the princess of
a beautiful babe in distress could not fail to make the Egypt. Abul Farajius says that Thermuthis delivered
impression here mentioned ; see on ver. 2. It has him to thewise men Janees and Jimbrees to be in •

already been conjectured that the cruel edict of the strucled in wisdom.
Egyptian king did not continue long in force see ; Verse 11. When Moses was groivn] Being full
chap. i. 22. And it will not appear unreasonable to forty years of age, as St.. Stephen says, Acts vii. 23,
suppose that the circumstance related here might have it came into his heart to visit his brethren, i. e., he was

brought about its abolition. The daughter of Pharaoh, excited to it by a Divine inspiration and seeing one ;

struck with the distressed state of the Hebrew chil- of them suffer ivrong, by an Egyptian smiting him,
dren from what she had seen in the case of Moses, probably one of the task-masters, he avenged him and
would probably implore her father to abolish this san- smote- slew, the Egyptian, supposing that God who
guinary edict. had given him commission, had given also his brethren
Verse 7. Shall I go and call — a 7iurse] Had not to understand that they were to be delivered by his
the different circumstances marked here been placed hand; see Acts vii. 23—25. Probably the Egyptian
under the superintendence of an especial providence, killed the Hebrew, and therefore on the Noahic pre-
there is no human probability that they could have cept Moses w-as justified in killing him and he was ;

had such a happy issue. The parents had done every authorized so to do by the commission which he had
thing to save their child that piety, affection, and pru- received from God, as all succeeding events amply
dence could dictate, and having done so, they left the prove. Previously to the mission of Moses to deliver
event to God. By faith, says the apostle, Heb. xi. the Israelites, Josephus says, " The Ethiopians hav-
23, Moses, when he was born, was hid three months ing made an irruption into Egypt, and subdued a
of his parents, because they saw he teas a proper child; great part of it,a Divine oracle advised them to em-
and they were not afraid of the king'^s commandment. ploy Moses the Hebrew. On this the king of Egypt
Because of the king's commandment they were obliged made him general of the Egyptian forces with these ;

to make use of tlie most prudent caution to save the he attacked the ^Ethiopians, defeated and drove them
child's life and their faith in God enabled them to back into their own land, and forced them to take
;

risk their oion safety, for they were not afraid of thg refuge in the city of Saba, where he besieged them.
king's commandment —
they feared God, and they had Tharbis, daughter of the Ethiopian king, seeing him,
no other fear. felldesperately in love with him, and promised to give
Verse 10. And he became her son.] From this time up the city to him on condition that he would take her
of his being brought home by his nurse his education to wife, to which Moses agreed, and the city was put
commenced, and he was learned in all the wisdom of into the hands of the Egj^ptians." Jos. Ant. lib. ii., —
the Egyptians, Acts vii. 22, who in the knowledge of chap. 9. St. Stephen probably alluded to something
297
 5 76
9 ;

Moses flees from Pharaoh, EXODUS. and goes to Midian.

A. M. 2473.
1 3 And wlien he went out the 1 Now 1 the priest of Midian a. m. 2473.
'' I'

B. C. 1531.
second day, behold, two men of had seven daughters and they -^ :
'- '-

the Hebrews strove together and he said to came and drew water, and filled the troughs
:

him that did the wrong. Wherefore smitest to water their father's flock.
thou thy fellow ? 1 And the shepherds came and drove them
14 And he said, ^ Who made thee ™ a prince away but Moses stood up and helped them, :

and a judge over us ? intendest thou to kill and ^ watered their flock.
me, as thou killedst the Egyptian ? And Moses 18 And when they came to ' Reuel, their
feared, and said, Surely this thing is known. father, he said, How is it that ye are come
1 Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he so soon to-day ?
sought to slay Moses. But " Moses fled from 1 And they said. An Egyptian delivered us
the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of out of the hand of the shepherds, and also drew
Midian and he sat down by ° a well.
: toater enough for us, and watered the flock.

^ Acts vii. 26. Acts vii. 27, 28.

' m Heb. a man, a prince 'i Or, prince, as Gen. xli. 45. 'Genesis xxiv. 11 xxix. 10;
;
;
Gen. xiii. 8. ° Acts vii. 29 Heb.; xi. 27. ° Gen. xxiv. 11
;
1 Sam. ix. 11. « Gen. xxix. 10. Num. x. 29 ; called also
'

jcxix. 2. P Chap. iii. 1. Jethro or Jether ; chap. iii. 1 ; iv. 18 xviii. 1, &c.
;

of this kind when he said Moses was mighty in deeds ran, Jokshan, Medan and Midian, Raguel, Jethro
as well as ivords. see Gen. xxv. But Calmet contends that if Jethro
1.
Verse 1 3. Tioo men of the Hebrews strove together^ had been of the family of Abraham, either by Jokshan,
How strange that in the very place where they were or Midian, Aaron and Miriam could not have re-
suffering a heavy persecution because they were He- proached Moses with marrying a Cushite, Zipporah,
brews, the very persons themselves who suffered it the daughter of Reuel. He thinks therefore that the
should be found persecuting each other ! has been
It Midianites were of the progeny of Cush, the son of
often seen that in those times in v/hich the ungodly Ham; see Gen. x. 6.
oppressed the Church of Christ, own members have its Verse 16. The priest of Midian] Or prince, or
been separated from each other by disputes concern- both ; for the original jPID cohen has both meanings.
ing comparatively unessential points of doctrine and See it explained at large. Gen. xv. 18. The trans-
discipline, in consequence of which both they and the action here very nearly resembles that mentioned Gen.
truth have become an easy prey to those whose de- xxix. concerning Jacob and Rachel ; see the notes
sire was to waste the heritage of the Lord. The there.
Targum of Jonathan says that the two persons who Verse 17. The shepherds drove them] The verb —
Btrove were Dathan and Abirani. DliyiJ'' yegareshum, being in the masculine gender,
Verse 14. And Moses feared] He saw that the seems to imply that the shepherds drove away the
Israelites were not as yet prepared to leave their flocks of Reuel's daughters, and not the daughters
bondage and that though God had called him to be
; themselves. The fact seems to be, that, as the daugh-
their leader, yet his providence had not yet suffi- ters of Reuel filled the troughs and brought their flocks
ciently opened the way and had he stayed in Egypt
; to drink, the shepherds drove those away, and, profit-
he must have endangered his life. Prudence there- ing by the young women's labour, watered their own
fore dictated an escape for the present to the land of cattle. Moses resisted this insolence, and assisted
Midian. them to water their flocks, inconsequence of which
Verse 15. Pharaoh —
sought to slay Moses. But they were enabled to return much sooner than they
Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh] How can this were wont to do, ver. 18.
be reconciled with Heb. xi. 27 By faith he (Moses) Verse 18. Reuel, their father] In Num. x. 29 this
:

forsook Egypt, not fearing the lorath of the king ? person is called Raguel, but the Hebrew is the same
Very easily. The apostle speaks not of this forsak- in both places. The reason of this difference is that
ing of Egypt, but of his and the Israelites' final de- the >' ain in Sxi^n is sometimes used merely as voioel,
parture from it, and of the bold and courageous manner sometimes as g, ng, and gn, and this is occasioned by
in wliich Moses treated Pharaoh and the Egyptians, the difficulty of the sound, which scarcely any Euro-
disregarding his threatenings and the multitudes of pean organs can enunciate. As pronounced by the
them that pursued after the people whom, in the name Arabs it strongly resembles the first effort made by
and strength of God, he led in the face of their ene- the throat in gargling, or as Meninski says. Est vox
mies out of Egypt. vituli ?nalrem vocantis, " It is like the sound made by
Dwelt in the land of Midian] A country generally a calf in seeking its dam." Raguel is the worst
supposed to have been in Arabia Petrsea, on the east- method of pronouncing it Re-u-el, the first syllable ;

ern coast of the Red Sea, not far from Mount Sinai. strongly accented, is nearer to the true sound. A
This place is still called by the Arabs the land proper uniformity in pronouncing the same word where-
of
Midian or the land of Jethro. Abul Farajius calls ever it may occur, either in the Old or New Testa-
itthe land of the Arabs. It is supposed that the Mi- ment, is greatly to be desired. The person in question
dianites derived their origin from Midian, the fourth appears to have several names. Here he is called
eon of Abraham by Keturah, thus :
— Abraham, Zim- Rcucl; in Num. x. 29, Raguel; in Exod. iii. \,Jethor ;
298
 .

Moses marries Zipporah. CHAP. II, God hears the cry of his people

A. M. 2473. 20 And he said unto his daugh- time, thatthe king of Egypt a. m. cir. 2504.
B. C. 1531. "

And where
ters, is he ? why is it died : and the children of Israel
that ye have left the man 1 call him, that he ^ sighed by reason of the bondage, and they
may ^ eat bread. cried, and ''
their cry came up unto God by
21 And Moses was content to dwell with reason of the bondage.
the man and he gave Moses
: 24 And God heard their groaning, and God ^ Zipporah his <=

.daughter. remembered his ^ covenant with Abraham, ^

22 And she bare him a son, and he called with Isaac, and with Jacob.
his name "^ Gershom ^ for he said, I have 25 And God ^ looked upon the children
:

been y a stranger in a strange land. of Israel, and God ^ had respect unto
23 And it came to pass in process of them?' '=

"Gen. xxxi. 54; xliii. 25. ^Chapter iv. 25; xviii. 2. ''Gen. xviii. 20; chap. 9; xsii. 23,27; Deut. xxiv. 15;
iii.

"That is, a stranger here. ^ Chap, xviii. 3. rActs vii. 29 ;

James v. 4. Chap. vi.
"=
5. Chap. vi. 5 ; Psa. cv. 8, 42 ;
'^

Heb. xi. 13, 14. ^ Chap. vii. 7 ; Acts vii. 30. » Num. xx. cvi. 45. « Gen. xv. 14 ; xlvi. 4. fCh. iv. 31 1 Sam. i. 11;
;

16 ; Deut. xxvi. 7 ; Psa. xii. 5. 2 Sam. xvi. 12 ; Luke i. 25. S Heb. knew. ^ Chap. iii. 7.

in Judges 11, Hobab ; and in Judges i. 16 he

iv. ivas in many days from these that the king, &c. It
is called Tp
Keyni, which in chap. iv. we translate has already been remarked that Archbishop Usher
Kenite. Some suppose that Re-u-el was father to supposes this king to have been Ramesses Miamun,
Hobab, who was also called Jethro. This is the most who was succeeded by his son Amenophis, who was
likely see the note on chap. iii. 1
; drowned in the Red Sea when pursuing the Israelites,
Verse 20. That he may eat bread.] That he may but Abul Farajius says it was Amunfathis, (Ameno-
be entertained, and receive refreshment to proceed on phis,) he who made the cruel edict against the Hebrew
his journey. Bread, among the Hebrews, was used to children.
signify all kinds of food commonly used for the support Some suppose that Moses wrote the book of Job
of man's life. during the time he sojourned in Midian, and also the
Verse 21. Zipporah his daughter.] Abul Farajius book of Genesis. See the preface to the book of Job,
calls her " Saphura the black, daughter of Rewel the where this subject is considered.
Midianite, the son of Dedan, the son of Abraham by Sighed by reason of the bondage] For the nature of
his wife Keturah." The Targum calls her the grand- their bondage, see on chap. i. 14.
daughter of Reuel. It appears that Moses obtained Verse 24. God remembered his covenant] God's
Zipporah something in the same way that Jacob ob- covenant is God's engagement he had promised to ;

tained Rachel namely, for the performance of certain

; Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give their posterity
services, probably keeping of sheep; see chap. iii. 1. a land flowing with milk and honey, &c. They are
Verse 22. Called his name Gershom] Literally, a now under the most oppressive bondage, and this was
stranger ; the reason of which Moses immediately the most proper time for God to show them his mercy
adds, for I have been an alien in a strange land. and power in fulfilling his promise. This is all that is
The Vulgate, the Septuagint, as it stands in the meant by God's re?nembering his covenant, for it was
Complutensian Polyglot, and in several MSS., the Sy- noiv that he began to give it its effect.
riac, the Coptic, and the Arabic, add the following Verse 25. And God had respect unto them.] ^T'1
words to this verse And the name of the second he: D'rivX vaiyeda Elohim, God knew them, i. e., he ap-
called Eliezer, for the God of my father has been my proved of them, and therefore it is said that their cry
help, and delivered me from the hand of Pharaoh. came up before God, and he heard their groaning. The
These words are found in chap, xviii. 4, but they are word ^'T yada, to know, in the Hebrew Bible, as well
certainly necessary here, for it is very likely that these as yivuGKu in the Greek Testament, is frequently used
two sons were born within a short space of each in the sense of approving ; and because God knew—
other ; for in chap. iv. 20 it is said, Moses took his had respect for and approved of, them, therefore he was
wife and his sons, by which it is plain that he had determined to deliver them. For D'H^X Elohim, GOD,
both Gershom and Eliezer at that time. Houbigant in the last clause of this verse, Houbigant reads Dn'/X
introduces this addition in his Latin version, and con- aleyhem, upon them, which is countenanced by the
tends that this is its most proper place. Notwith- Vulgate, Septuagint, Chaldee, Coptic, and Arabic, and
standing the authority of the above versions, the appears to have been the original reading. The dif-
clause is found in no copy, printed or MS., of the He- ference in the original consists in the interchange of
brew text. two letters, the "'
yod and n he. Our translators in-
Verse 23. In process of time the king of Egypt — sert unto them, in order to make up that sense which
ditd] According to St. Stephen, (Acts vii. 30, com- this various reading gives without trouble.
pared with Exod. vii. 7,) the death of the Egyptian
king happened about forty years after the escape o-f The farther we proceed in the sacred writings, the
Moses to Midian. The words D'3"in D'O'IJ Tl'l Dm more the history both of the grace and providence of
vayehi baiyamim harabbim hahem, which we translate God opens to our view. He ever cares for his crea-
And it came to pass in process of time, signify, And it tures, and is mindful of his promise. The very means
a 299
Moses keeps the Jiock of EXODUS. Jethro at Mount Horeb.
made use of to destroy his work are, in his hands, the were employed in the most laborious offices. Kings'
instruments of its accomplishment. Pharaoh orders daughters performed the office of the laundress to their
the male children of the Hebrews to be thrown into own families and the daughters of princes tended and
;

the river Moses, who was thus exposed, is found by

; watered the flocks. We
have seen similar instances
his own daughter, brought up as her own son, and from in the case of Rehekah and Rachel ; and we cannot
his Egyptian education becomes much better qualified be too pointed in calling the attention of modern deli-
for the great work to which God had called him and ; cate females, who are not only above serving their own
his being obliged to leave Egypt was undoubtedly a parents and family, but even their own selves : the con-
powerful means to wean his heart from a land in which sequence of which is, they have neither vigour nor
he had at his command all the advantages and luxuries health their growth, for want of healthy exercise, is
;

of life. His sojourning also in a strange land, where generally cramped ; their natural powers are prema-
he was obliged to earn his bread by a very painful em- turely developed, and their whole course is rather an
ployment, fitted him for the perilous journey he was apology for living, than a state of effective life. Many
obliged to take in the wilderness, and enabled him to of these live not out half their days, and their ofispring,
bear the better the privations to which he was in con- when they have any, is more feeble than themselves ;

sequence exposed. so that the race of man where such preposterous con-
The bondage of the Israelites was also wisely per- duct is followed (and where is it not followed 1) is in
mitted, that they might with less reluctance leave a a state of gradual deterioration. Parents who wish
country where they had suffered the greatest oppres- to fulfil the intention of God and nature, will doubtless
sion and indignities. Had they not suffered severely see it their duty to bring up their children on a different
previously to their departure, there is much reason to plan. A worse than the present can scarcely be found
believe that no inducements could have been sufficient out.
to have prevailed on them to leave it. And yet their Afflictions, under the direction of God's providence
leaving it was of infinite consequence, in the order both and the influence of his grace, are often the means of
of grace and providence, as it was indispensably ne- leading men to pray to and acknowledge God, who in
cessary that they should be a people separated from all the time of their prosperity hardened their necks from
the rest of the world, that they might see the promises his fear. When the Israelites were sorely oppressed',
of God fulfilled under their own eyes, and thus have they began to pray. If the cry of oppression had not
the fullest persuasion that their law was Divine, their been among them, probably the cry for mercy had not
prophets inspired by the Most High, and that the Mes- been heard. Though afflictions, considered in them-
siah came according to the prophecies before delivered selves, can neither atone for sin nor improve the moral
concerning him. state of the soul, yet God often uses them as means to
From the example of Pharaoh's daughter, (see note bring sinners to himself, and to quicken those who,
ver. 4,) and the seven daughters of Jethro, (ver. 16,) having already escaped the pollutions of the world, were
we learn that in the days of primitive simplicity, and falling again under the influence of an earthly mind.
in this respect the best days, the children, particularly Of many millions besides David it may truly be said,
the daughters of persons in the highest ranks in life, Before they were afflicted they went astray.

CHAPTER III.

Moses keeping the flock o/ Jethro at Mount Horeb, the angel of the Lord appears to him in a burning bush,
1, 2. Astonished at the sight, he turns aside to examine it, 3, ivhen God speaks to him out of the fire,
and declares himself to he the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, 4-6 announces his purpose of deliver-
;

ing the Israelites from their oppression, and of hinging them into the promised land, 7-9 commissions ;

him to go to Pharaoh, and to be leader of the children of Israel from Egypt, 10. Moses excuses him-
self, 11 and God, to encourage him, promises him his protection, 12.
; Moses doubts whether the Israel-
ites loill credit him, 13, and God reveals to him his N.ime, and informs him what he is to say to the people,
14~1~> fl"<^ instructs him and the elders of Israel to apply unto Pharaoh for permissioii to go three days^
journey into the wilderness, to sacrifice unto the Lord, 18 foretells the obstinacy
; of the Egyptian king,
and the miracles ivhich he himself should work in the sight of the Egyptians, 19, 20 and promises that, ;

on the departure of the Israelites, the Egyptians should be induced to furnish them with all necessaries for
their journey, 21,22.

backside of the desert, and came a. m. 2513.

B. C. 1451.
Jelhro his father-in-law, '^
the to ° the mountain of God, even
priest of Midian : and he led the flock to the to Horeb.
• Chap. ii. 16.
''Chap, xviii. 5 ; 1 Kings xix. 8.

NOTES ON CHAP. III. are not agreed on the signification of the word jnn
Verse Jethro his father-in-law]
1. Concerning chothen, which we translate father-in-law, and which
Jethro, see the note on chap. ii. 18. Learned men in Gen. xix. 14, we translate son-in-law. It seems to
300
 — —
rhe angel appears to Moses, CHAP. III. out of the burning bush.

A. M. 2513. 2 And '^

the angel of the Lord ap- and see this ^ great sight, why the a. m. 2513.
B. C. 1491. B C
" 1491
peared unto him in a flame of fire, bush is not burned.
out of the midst of a bush and he looked, 4 And when the Lord saw that he turne<l
:

and, behold, thebush burned with fire, and aside to see, God called « unto him out of the
the bush was not consumed. midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses
3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, And he said. Here am 1.

' Deut. xxxiii. 16 ; Isa. Ixiii. 9 ; Acts vii. 30. ^ Psa. cxi. 2 ; Acts vii. 31. « Deut. xxxiii. 16.

be a general term for a relative by marriage, and the formation on this subject in his Zend Avesta. The
connection only in which it stands can determine its modern Parsees call fire the offspring of Ormusd, and
precise meaning. It is very possible that Reuel was worship'it with a vast variety of ceremonies.
now dead, it being forty years since Moses came to Among the fragments attributed to ^schylus, and
Midian ; that Jethro was
and had succeededhis son, collected by Stanley in his invaluable edition of this
him in his office of prince and priest of Midian that ; poet, p. 647, col. 1, we find the following beautiful
Zipporah was the sister of Jethro and that conse- ; verses :

quently the word |nn cholhen should be translated Xupi^e OvTjTuv Tov Qeov, Kai Sokei
fir}
brother-in-law in this place as we learn from Gen. :
'0/iotov aVTo) aapKivov KaOtaravai.
xxxiv. 9, Deut. vii. 3, Josh, xxiii. 12, and other places, OvK oiada 6' avrov irore fiev ug nvp <j>aiveTai
that it simply signifies to contract affinity by marriage. ATvTiaarov opfii^' kote 6' vdup, jrore de yvo(f>o(.
If this conjecture be right, we may well suppose that,
"Distinguish God from mortal men ; and do not
Reuel being dead, Moses was continued by his brother-
suppose that any thing fleshly is like unto him. Thou
in-law Jethro in the same employment he had under
knowest him not sometimes indeed he appears as a
:

his father.
formless and impetuous fire, sometimes as water,
Mountain of God^ Sometimes named Horeb, at
sometimes as thick darkness." The poet proceeds :

other times Sinai. The mountain

itself had two peaks;
Horeb was Tpe/iEi 6' opjj, Kai yaia, Kai ne^uptog
one was called Horeb, the other Sinai.
probably the primitive name of the mountain, which Bvdoc daXaaarjg, KUpeuv vrpog /j.eya,
was afterwards called the mountain of God, because 'Orav eTvijSTiEijjri yopyov ofifia deanoTov.

God appeared upon it to Moses and Mount Sinai, "J'D, " The mountains, the earth, the deep and extensive
;

from nJD seneh, a bush, because it was in a bush or sea, and the summits of the highest mountains tremble
bramble, in a flame of fire, that this appearance was whenever the terrible eye of the Supreme Lord looks
made. down upon them."
Verse 2. The angel of the Lord] Not a created These are very remarkable fragments, and seem all

angel certainly he is called mn'' Jehovah, ver. 4,

; for to be collected from traditions relative to the diflferent
&c., and has the most expressive attributes of the manifestations of God to the Israelites in Egypt, and
Godhead applied to him, ver. 14, &c. Yet he is an in the wilderness. Moses wished to see God, but he
angel, ]xS'D ?nalach, a 7nessengcr, in whom was the could behold nothing but an indescribable glory : no-
name of God, chap, xxiii. 21 and in ; whom dwelt all thing like mortals, nothing like a hmnan body, appear-
the fulness of the Godhead
ii. 9 and who, ed at any time to his eye, or to those of the Israelites.
bodily, Col. ;

in all these primitive times, Messenger of the " Ye saw no manner of similitude," said Moses, " on
was the
covenant, Mai. iii. 1. And who was this but Jesus, the day tliat the Lord spake unto you in Horeb, out
the Leader, Redeemer, and Saviour of mankind ? See of the midst of the fire," Dout. iv. 15. But some-
the note on Gen. xvi. 7. times the Divine power and justice were manifested
A fame of fire, out of the midst of a busli] Fire was, by the indescribable, formless, impetuous, consuming
not only among the Hebrews but also among many flame ; at other times he appeared by the water which
otherlmcient nations, a very significant emblem of the he brought out of the flinty rock and in the thick ;

Deity. God accompanied the Israelites in all their darkness on Horeb, when the fiery law proceeded from
journeyings through the wilderness as a pillar of fire his right hand, then the earth quaked and the mountain
by night and probably a fire or flame in the holy of
; trembled : and when his terrible eye looked out upon
holies,between the cherubim, was the general symbol the Egyptians through the pillar of cloud and fire,
of his presence and traditions of these things, which
; their chariot wheels were struck off", and confusion and
must have been current in the east, have probably given dismay were spread through all the hosts of Pharaoh ;
birth, not only to the pretty general opinion that God Exod. xiv. 24, 25.
appears in the likeness of fire, but to the whole of the And the bush was not consumed.'] I. An emblem
Zoroastrian system of fire-worship. It has been re- of the state of Israel in its various distresses and per-
ported of Zoroaster, or Zeradusht, that having retired secutions : it was in the fire of adversity, but was not
to a mountaiti for the study of wisdom, and the benefit consumed. 2. An emblem also of the state of the
of solitude, the whole mountain was one day enveloped Church of God in the wilderness, in persecutions often,
with flame, out of the midst of which he came with- in the midst of its enemies, in the region of the shadow
out receiving any injury
to
;

God, who, he was persuaded, had then appeared to

on which he offered sacrifices of death yet not consumed. —
3. An emblem also of
the state of every follower of Christ cast down, but :

him. M. Anquetil du Perron gives much curious in- not forsaken grievously tempted, but not destroyed ;
;

301
 — —

God converses with Moses, EXODUS. and makes "known his purpose,

A. M. 2513. 5 And he said, Draw not nigh and ' have heard their cry ^ by rea- A. M. 2513.
B. C. 1491.
hither :
^ put off thy shoes from son of their task-masters ; for ^ I ' 1

oflf thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest know their sorrows ;

is holy ground. 8 And "* I am come down to "^

deliver them
6 Moreover he said, ^1 am the God of thy out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring
father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, them up out of that land ° unto a good land
and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his and a large, unto a land p flowing with milk
face for ^ he was afraid to look upon God.
; and honey unto the place of ^ the Canaanites, ;

7 And the Lord said, I have surely seen and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the
the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

'Chap. xix. 12 Josh. v. 15 ; Acts vii. 33.

; s Gen. xxviii. 13; 'Gen.xviii. 21 ; ch. ii. 25. " Gen. xi. 5, 7 ; xviii. 21 1. 24. ;

ver. 15 ; chap. iv. 5 Matt. xxii. 32 Mark xii. 2C Luke xx. 37 ;

; ; ;
» Ch. vi.
6, 8 ; xii. 51. ° Deut. i. 25 ; viii. 7, 8, 9. P Ver.
Acts vii. 32. So 1 Kings xix. 13; Isa. vi. 1, 5 Neh. ix. 9 ;
1"
; 17 ; chap. xiii. 5 ; xxxiii. 3 ; Num. xiii. 27 ; Deut. xxvi. 9, 15 ;
Psa. cvi. 44 ; Acts vii. 34. Ch. ii. 23, 24.
' ^ Chap. i. 11. Jer. xi. 5 ; xxxii. 22 ; Ezek. xx. 6. iGen. xv. 18.

through the fire, but stOl unconsumed

••valking ! Why their shoes at the door. It would be a great affront
are these preserved in the midst of those things
all not to attend to this mark of respect when visiting ;

which have a natural tendency to destroy them 1 Be- and to enter a temple without pulling off the shoes
cause God is in the midst of them ; it was this that would be an unpardonable offence." Ward.
preserved the bush from destruction ; and it was this The place whereon thou standest is holy ground.^ It
that preserved the Israelites and it ; is this, and this was now particularly sanctified by the Divine pre-
alone, that preserves the Church, and holds the soul sence ; but if we may credit Josephus, a general opi-
of every genuine believer in the spiritual life. He in nion had prevailed that God dioelt on that mountain ;
whose heart Christ dwells not by faith, will soon be and hence the shepherds, considering it as sacred
consumed by the world, the flesh, and the devil. ground, did not dare to feed their flocks there. Moses,
Verse 5. Put off thy shoes]
from It is likely that however, finding the soil to be rich and the pasturage
this circumstance all the eastern nations have agreed good, boldly drove his flock thither to feed on it.
to perform all the acts of their religious worship bare- Antiq., b. ii., c. xii., s. 1.
footed. All the Mohammedans, Brahmins, and Par- Verse 6. /am the God of thy father} Though the
sees do so still. The Jews were remarked for this in word '3X abi, father, is here used in the singular, St.
the time of Juvenal hence he speaks of their per- Stephen, quoting this place, Acts vii. 32, uses the
;

forming their sacred rites barefooted ; Sat. vi., ver. 1 58 plural, 'O Geof -uv narepuv cov. The God of thy :

f.'VThers and that this is the meaning the following ;

Observant ubi festa mero pede sabbata reges.
words prove The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, :

The ancient Greeks did the same. Jamblichus, in the and the God of Jacob. These were the fathers of
life of Pythagoras, tells us that this was one of his Moses in a direct line. This reading is confirmed by
maxims, kvvno6r]Tog 6ve Kac npoaKwei, Offer sacrifice the Samaritan and by the Coptic. Abraha.m was the
and worship luith your shoes off. And Solinus asserts father of the Ishmaelites, and with him was the cove-
that no person was permitted to enter into the temple nant first made. Isaac was the father of the Edom-
of Diana, in Crete, till he had taken off his shoes. ites as well as the Israelites, and with him was the
" JEdem Numinis {Diana) prccterquam nudus vestigio covenant reneived. Jacob was the father of the
nullus licito ingreditur.^'' Tertullian observes, de je- twelve patriarchs, who were founders of the Jewish
junio, that in a time of drought the worshippers of nation, and to him were the promises particularly con-
Jupiter deprecated his wrath, and prayed for rain, firmed. Hence we see that the Arabs and Turks in
walking barefooted. "Cum stupet ccelum, et aret general, who are descendants of Ishmael ; the Edom-
annus, ni/c?/pfirfa/!a,denunciantar."It is probable that ilcs, now absorbed among the Jews, (see the note on
nealim, in the text, signifies sandals, translated
D^*7>'J Gen. XXV. 23,) who are the descendants of Esau;
by the Chaldee SlJD sandal, and nSiJD sandala, (see and the Jewish people, wheresoever scattered, who
Gen. xiv. 23,) which was the same as the Roman all heirs of the pro- so- are the descendants of Jacob, are
lea, a sole alone, strapped about the foot. As
mises included in this primitive covenant this sole
and their ;

must let in du.st, gravel, and sand about the foot in gathering in with the fulness of the GentUes may be
travelling, and render it very uneasy, hence the cus- confidently
expected.
tom of frequently washing the feet in those countries Ayid Moses hid his face] For similar acts, see the
where these sandals were worn. Pulling off the shoes passages referred to in the margin. He was afraid to
was, therefore, an emblem of laying aside the pollu- look
tions contracted by xoalking in the xvay of sin.
he was overawed by God's presence, and daz- —
Let zled with the splendour of the appearance.
those who name the Lord Jesus Christ depart from Verse 7. I have surely seen] Tl'N"! DNI raoh raithi,
iniquity. In our western countries reverence is ex- seeing, I have seen
pressed by pulling off the hat
I have not only seen the afllic-
but how much more tions of this people because I am omniscient, but I have
;
—
significant is the eastern custom " The natives of sorrows, and my eye affects my
considered !
tlieir heart.
Bengal never go into their own houses with their shoes Verse 8. And I am come down to deliver them]
on, nor into the houses of others, but always leave This is the very purpose for which 1 am now com©
302 a
 1 — — — 3 ;

God commissions Moses CHAP. III. to go to Pharaoh

A.M. 2513. 9 Now therefore, behold, ""the should bring forth the children of a. m. 2513.
B. C. 1491. ^- ^- ^'^'-
cry of the children of Israel is Israel out of Egypt ?

come unto me : and I have also seen the 12 And he said, ^ Certainly I will be with
oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress thee and this shall be a token unto thee that
;

them. I have sent thee When thou hast brought

:

10 * Come now therefore, and I will send forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve
thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring God upon this mountain,
forth my people the children of Israel out of 1 And :*Ioses said unto God, Behold, when
Egypt. Icome unto the children of Israel, and shall
1 And Moses said unto God, " Who aw I, say unto them, The God of your fathers hath
that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I sent me unto you and they shall' say to me,;

'Chap. ii. 23. ' Chap. i. 11, 13, 14, 22. < Psa. cv. 26; Jer. i. 6. ^'
Genesis xxxi. 3 ; Deut. xxxi. 23 ; Josh. i. 5
Mic. vi. 4. " See chap. vi. 12 ; 1 Sam. xviii. 18 ; Isa. vi. 5, 8 ;
Eom. viii. 31.

down upon this mountain, and for which I manifest Verse 12. Certainly I ivill be ivith thee] This
myself to thee. great event shall not be left to thy wisdom and to th).
Large — land'\ Canaan, when compared with the power ; my counsel shall direct thee, and my power
small tract of Goshen, in which they were now situat- shall bring all these mighty things to pass.
ed, and where, we learn, from chap. i. 7, they were And be a token]
this shall Literally, And this to
straitened for room, might be well called a large land. theefor a sign, i. e., this miraculous manifestation of
See a fine description of this land Deut. viii. 7. the burning bush shall be a proof that I have sent
Aland jlotving with millc and hone]/] Excellent for thee or, My being luilh thee, to encourage thy heart,
;

pasturage, because abounding in the most wholesome strengthen thy hands, and enable thee to work mira-
herbage and flowers and from the latter an abundance ; cles, shall be to thyself and to others the evidence of
of wild honey was collected by the bees. Though cul- thy Divine mission.
tivation is now almost entirely neglected in this land, Ye shall serve God upon this mountain.] This was
because of the badness of the government and the not the sign, but God shows him, that in their return
scantiness of the inhabitants, yet it is still good for from Egypt they should take this mountain in their
pasturage, and yields an abundance of honey. The way, and should worship him in this place. There
terms used in the text to express the fertility of this may be a prophetic allusion here to the giving of the
land, are commonly used by ancient authors on similar law on Mount Sinai. As Moses received his com-
subjects. a metaphor taken from a breast pro-
It is mands here, so likewise should the Israelites receive
ducing copious streams of milk. Homer calls Argos theirs in the same place. After all, the Divine Being
ovdap apovpyjc, the breast of the country, as affording seems to testify a partial predilection for this moun-
streams o{ milk and honey, II. ix.,ver.l41. So Virgil: tain, for reasons that are not expressed. See the
Prima tulit tellus, eadem vos ubere laeto note on ver. 5.
Accipiet. JEn., lib. iii., ver. 95. Verse 13. They shall say What is his name?] —
" The land that first produced you shall receive you Does not suppose that the Israelites had an idola-
this

joyous bosom.^^ trous notion even of the Supreme Being 1 They had
again into its
probably drank deep into the Egyptian superstitions,
The poets feign that Bacchus, the fable of whom
and had gods many and lords many and Moses con- ;
they have taken from the history of Moses, produced
jectured that, hearing of a supernatural deliverance,
rivers of milk and honey, of water and wine :

they would inquire who that God was by whom it was

'Pel (5e ya?iaKTc tteSov,
^ to be eflTected. The reasons given here by the rab-
'Pet (5' o(vu, /iet 6e fitXiaoav
bins are too refined for the Israelites at this time.
"SeKTapi. EuRip. Bacch., E'nod., ver. 8. " When God," say they, '^judgeth his creatures, he is
" The land flows with -milk it flows also with wine called D''n'7X Elohim when he
;
; ; luarreth against the
it flows also with the nectar of bees, (honey.)" This wicked, he is called niN3i* Tsebaoth ; but when he
seems to be a mere poetical copy from the Pentateuch, showeth mercy unto the world, he is called mri' Ye-
where the sameness of the metaphor and the corre- hovah.'''' It is not likely that the Israelites had much
spondence of the descriptions are obvious. knowledge of God or of his ways at the time to which
Place of the Canaanites, c^c.] See Gen. xv. 18, &c. the sacred text refers ; it is certain they had no writ-
Verse 1 1 Who am / that I should bring]
. He ten word. The book
of Genesis, if even written, (for
was so satisfied that this was beyond his power, and some suppose had been composed by Moses during
it
all the means that he possessed, that he is astonished his residence in Midian,) had not yet been communi-
that even God himself should appoint him to this cated to the people and being so long without any
;

work Such indeed was the bondage of the children

!
revelation, and perhaps without even the form of Di-
of Israel, and the power of the people by whom they vine worship, their minds being degraded by the state
were enslaved, that had not their deliverance come of bondage in which they had been so long held, and
through supernatural means, their escape had been seeing and hearing little in religion but the supersti-
utterly impossible. tions of those among whom they sojourned, they could
303
 6 8 :

God reveals his name to Moses, EXODUS. and gives particular instructions

A. M. 2513. What IS his name ? what shall I of your fathers, the God of Abra- A. M. 2513.
B. C. 1491.
. say unto them
^ , o
; ham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, ap- L —— '. '.

14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT peared unto me, saying, ^ I have surely visited
I AM
and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto you, and seen that w^hich
: is done to you in
the children of Israel, * I hath sent me Egypt AM
unto you. 17 And I have said, *I will bring you up
15 And God said moreover unto Moses, out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land
Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the
The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites,
Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with
Jacob, hath sent me unto you : this is ' my milk and honey.
name for ever, and this is my memorial unto 1 And ^ they shall hearken to thy voice : and
all generations. •^
thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel,
1 Go, and ^ gather the elders of Israel unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto
cogether, and say unto them, The Lord God him. The Lord God of the Hebrews hath ^ met
"^ Chap. vi. 3 ; John viii. 58 ; 2 Cor. i. 20 ; Heb. xiii. 8 ; Rev. 1. 24 ; ch. ii. 25 ; iv. 31 ; Luke i. 68. = Gen. xv. 14, 16 ; ver 8.
i. 4. ^ Psa. cxxxv. 13 ; Hos. xii. 5. r Ch. iv. 29. ^ Gen. b Ch. iv. 31. <:
Ch. v. 1, 3. ^ Num. xxiii. 3, 4, 15, 16.

have no distinct notion of the Divine Being. Moses here referred to is that which immediately precedes,
himself might have been in doubt at first on this sub- DTlSx mrr' Yehovah Elohim, which we translate the
ject, and he seems to have been greatly on his guard Lord God, the name by which God had been known
against illusion hence he asks a variety of questions,
; from the creation of the world, (see Gen. ii. 4,) and
and endeavours, by all prudent means, to assure him- the name by which he is known among the same
self of the truth and certainty of the present appear- people to the present day. Even the heathens knew
ance and commission. He well knew the power of this name and hence out of our niiT'
of the true God ;

the Egyptian magicians, and he could not tell from Yehovah they formed their Jao, Jeve, and Jove ; so
these first views whether there might not have been that the word has been literally fulfilled, This is my
some delusion in this case. God therefore gives him memorial unto all generations. See the note on the
the fullest proof, not only for the satisfaction of the word Elohim, Gen. i. I. As to be self-existent and
people to whom he was to be sent, but for his own eternal must be attributes of God for ever, does it not
full conviction, that it was the supreme God who now follow that the uljjh leolam, for ever, in the text sig-
spoke to him. nifies eternity ? " This is my name to eternity and —
Verse 14. I am that am] DTIN 1'2'N HTIX Eheyeh I my memorial," "IT "n"? ledor dor, " to all succeeding
asher Eheyeh. These words have been variously generations." While human generations continue he
understood. The Vulgate translates Ego sum qui sum, shall be called the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac,
/ am luho am. The Septuagint, Ej'w eifii 6 Uv, I am and the God of Jacob but when time shall be no ;

he who exists. The Si/riac, the Persic, and the Chal- more, he shall be Jehovah Elohim. Hence the first
dee preserve the original words without any gloss. expression refers to his eternal existence, the latter to
The Arabic paraphrases them, The Eternal, ivho passes the discovery he should make of himself as long as
not away ; which is the same interpretation given by time should last. See Gen. xxi. 33. Diodorus Sicu-
Abul Farajius, who also preserves the original words, lus says, that " among
Moses is reported the Jews,
and gives the above as their interpretation. The Tar- to have received his laws from the God named Jao,"
gum of Jonathan, and the Jerusalem Targum para- law, i. e., Jeue, Jove, or Jeve ; for in all these ways
phrase the words thus " lie who spake, and the world : the word Din"' Yehovah may be pronounced and in ;

was who spake, and all things existed." As the ori-

;
J^is way I have seen it on Egyptian monuments. See
ginal words literally signify, / will be ivhat I ivill be, Died., lib. 1., c. xciv.
some have supposed that God simply designed to in- Verse 16. Elders of Israel] Though it is not likely
form Moses, that what he had been to his fathers the Hebrews were permitted to have any regular go-
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, he would be to him and vernment at this time, yet there can be no doubt of
the Israelites and that he would perform the promises
; their having such a government in the time of Joseph,
he had made to his fathers, by giving their descend- and for some considerable time after the elders of ;

ants the promised land. It is difficult to put a mean- each tribe forming a kind of court of magistrates, by
ing on the words they seem intended to point out the
; which all actions were tried, and legal decisions made,
eternity and self-existence of God. Plato, in his Par- in the Israelitish community.
menides, where he treats sublimely of the nature of / have surely visited you] An exact fulfilment of
God, says, Ov6' apa ovoua eariv avru, nothintr can ex- the prediction of Joseph, Gen. 1. 24, God tvill surely
press his nature ; therefore no name can be attributed visit you, and in the same words too.
to him. See the conclusion of this chapter, and on Verse 18. They shall hearken to thy voice] This
the word Jehovah, chap, xxxiv. 6, 7. assurance was necessary to encourage him in an en-
Verse 15. This is my name for ever] The name terprise so dangerous and important.
304
 ; .;

Obstinacy of Pharaoh foretold. CHAP. III. The people not to go out empty

A. M. 2513.
with us and now let us go, we 21 And ''I will give this people A. M. 251S.
:

B. C. 1491. B. C. 1491.
beseech thee, three days' journey favour in the sight of the Egyptians :

into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go,
the Lord our God. ye shall not go empty.
19 And I am sure that the king of Egypt 22 ^ But every woman shall borrow of her
* you go,
will not let ^ no, not by a mighty hand. neighbour, and of her that sojourneth in her
20 And I will ^ stretch out my hand, and house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold,
smite Egypt with ^ all my wonders which I and raiment and ye shall put them upon
:

will do in the midst thereof : and '

after that your sons, and upon your daughters and ^ ye ;

he will let you go. shall jipoil ^ the Egyptians.

' Chap. V. 2 ; vii. 4. ' Or, but by strong hand. s Ch. vi. chap. vii. to xiii. Chap. xii. 31.
' ^ Chap. xi. 3 ; xii. 36
6 ; 5
vii. ix. 15.
; Chap. vii. 3 xi. 9
•>
Deut. vi. 22
; Neh. ; ; Psa. cvi. 46 Prov. xvi. 7.
; Gen. xv. 14 ; ch. xi. 2 xii. 35, 36.
'
;.

ix. 10; Psa. cv. 27; cxxxv. 9; Jer. xxxii. 20 Acts vii. 36; see ;
">Job xxvii. 17 ; Prov. xiii. 22 Ezek. xxxix. 10.
;
" Or, Egypt.

Three days'' journey into the wilderness] Evidently are the same as the Hebreiv. The European ver-
intending Mount Sinai, which is reputed to be about sions are generally correct on this point ; and our
three days' journey, the shortest way, from the land common English version is almost the sole transgress-
of Goshen. In ancient times, distances were com- or : I say, the common version, which, copying the
puted by the time required to pass over them. Thus, Bible published by Becke in 1549, gives us the ex-
instead of miles, furlongs, &c., it was said, the dis- ceptionable term borrow, for the original ^ii.'\it shaal,
tance from one place to another was so many days'', which in the Geneva Bible, and Barker^s Bible of
so many hours'' journey ; and it continues the same 1G15, and some others, is rightly translated aske.
in all countries where there are no regular roads or God commanded the Israelites to ask or demand a
highways. certain recompense for their past services, and he in-
Verse 19. I am sure that the king of Egypt will clined the hearts of the Egyptians to give liberally
not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand] When the and from being a matter of oppression, wrong,
this, far
facts detailed in this history have been considered in or even charity, was no more than a very partial
connection with the assertion as it stands in our Bibles, recompense for the long and painful services which we
the most palpable contradiction has appeared. That may say six hundred thousand Israelites had rendered
the king of Egypt did
them go, and that by a let to Egypt, during a considerable number of years. And
mighty hand, the book itself amply declares. We there can be no doubt that while their heaviest op-
should therefore seek for another meaning of the ori- pression lasted, they were permitted to accumulate
ginal word. nSi velo, which generally means and not, no kind of property, as all their gains went to their
has sometimes the meaning of if not, unless, except, oppressors.
&c. and in Beckers Bible, 1549, it is thus translated
; Our exceptionable translation of the original has
:

/ am sure that the kyng of Egypt wyl not let you go, given some countenance to the desperate cause of in-
EXCEPT ivyth a myghty hand. This import of the fidelity its abettors have exultingly said " Moses re- ; :

negative particle, which is noticed by Noldius, Heb. presents the just God as ordering the Israelites to bor-
Part., p. 328, was perfectly understood by the Vul- row the goods of the Egyptians under the pretence of
gate, where it is translated nisi, unless ; and the Sep- returning them, whereas he intended that they should
tuagint in their eav fitj, which is of the same import march off with the booty." Let these men know that
and so also the Coptic. The meaning therefore is there was no borrowing in the case and that if ac- ;

very plain The king of Egypt, who now profits much counts were fairly balanced, Egypt would be found
:

by your servitude, will not let you go till he sees my still in considerable arrears to Israel. Let it also be
hand, stretched out, and he and his nation be smitten considered that the Egyptians had never any right to
with ten plagues. Hence God immediately adds, ver. the services of the Hebrews. Egypt owed its policy,
20 / will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt its opulence, and even its political existence, to the
—
:

with all my wonders and after that, he will let Israelites. What had Joseph for his important ser-
you go. vices ? Nothing He had neither district, nor city, !

Verse 22. Every woman shall borrow] This is nor lordship in Egypt nor did he reserve any to his ;

certainly not a very correct translation the original children. All his services were gratuitous; and being
:

word hn'^ shaal signifies simply to ask, request, de- animated with a better hope than any earthly posses-
mand, require, inquire, &c. but it does not signify to sion could inspire, he desired that even his bones should
;

borrow in the proper sense of that word, though in a be carried up out of Egypt. Jacob and his family, it
very few places of Scripture it is thus used. In this is true, were permitted to sojourn in Goshen, but they
and the parallel place, chap. xii. 35, the word signifies 'were not provided for in that place for they brought ;

to ask or demand, and not to borrow, which is a gross their cattle, their goods, and all that they had into
mistake into which scarcely any of the versions, an- Egypt, Gen. xlvi. 1,6; so that they had nothing but
cient or modern, have fallen, except our own. The the bare land to feed on and had built treasure cities ;

Septuagint has aiTrjcet, she shall ask ; the Vulgate, or fortresses, we know not how many and two whole ;

postulabit, she shall demand; the Syriac, Chaldee, cities, Pithom and Raamses, besides and for all these ;

Samaritan, Samaritan Version, Coptic, and Persian, services they had no compensation whatever, but were
Vol. I. ( 21 ) 305
 .

Observations on the EXODUS. preceding chapiei

besides cruelly abused, and obliged to witness, as the very name itself is a proof of a Divine revelation
for ;

sum of their calamities, the daily murder of their male it isnot possible that such an idea could have ever
infants. These particulars considered, will infidelity entered into the mind of man, unless it had been com-
ever dare to produce this case again in support of its municated from above. It could not have been pro-
worthless pretensions 1 duced by reasoning, for there were no premises on
Jewels of silver, <^c.] The word ''Sd keley we have which it could be built, nor any analogies
by which it
already seen signifies vessels, instruments, weapons, could have been formed. We can as easily compre-
&c., and may be very well translated by our English hend eternity as we can being,
simply considered in and
term, articles or goods. The Israelites got both gold of itself, when nothing of assignable forms, colours, or
and silver, probably both in coin and in plate of dif- qualities existed, besides its infinite
and illimitable self.
ferent kinds ; and such raiment as was necessary for To this Divine discovery the ancient Greeks owed
the journey which they were about to undertake. the inscription which they placed above the door of
Ye shall spoil the Egyptians.] The verb S^J natsal the temple of Apollo at Delphi: the whole of
the
signifies, not only to spoil, snatch away, but also to get
inscription consisted in the simple monosyllable EI,
away, to escape, to deliver, to regain, or recover. Spoil THOU
ART, the second person of the Greek sub-
signifies what is taken by rapine or violence ; but this
stantive verb e I fit, Jam. On this inscription Plutarch,
cannot be the meaning of the original word here, as one of
the most intelligent of aU the Gentile philoso-
the Israelites only asked, and the Egyptians without phers,
made an express treatise, Tvepi rov EI ev AeA^oif,
,'ear, terror, or constraint, freely gave. It is worthy having received the true interpretation in his travels in
of remark that the original word is used, 1 Sam. xxx.
Egypt, whither he had gone for the express purpose
22, to signify the recovery of property that had heen of inquiring
into their ancient learning, and where he
taken away by violence : " Then answered all the wicked bad doubtless
seen these words of God to Moses in
men, and men of Belial, of those that went with Da- the Greek version of the
Septuagint, which had been
vid, Because they went not with us we will not give
current among the Egyptians (for ivhose sake it teas
them aught of the spoil (SSk/HO mehashsHxhAh) that
first made) about four hundred years previously to the
we have recovered, IJ^yn "la^N asher hitstsalnu. In death of Plutarch. This philosopher observes
that
this sense we should understand the word here. The " this title is not only proper, but peculiar to God, be-
Israelites recovered a part of their property —
their cause He alone is being ; for mortals have no partici-
wages, of which they had been most unjustly deprived pation of true being, because that which begins
and
by the Egj'ptians. ends, and is continually changing, is never one nor the
same, nor in the same state. The deity on whose
we have much curious and important
In this chapter temple this word was inscribed was called Apollo, knoX-
information what is most interesting is the name luv, from a, negative, and ttoTiv^, many, because God
; but
by which God was pleased to make himself known to is ONE, his nature simple, his essence uncompounded.''^
Moses and to the Israelites, a name by which the Su- Hence he informs us the ancient mode of addressing
preme Being was afterwards known among the wisest God was, " EI 'EN, Thou art One, ov jap irolXa to
inhabitants of the earth. He who IS and who AVILL Oelov tariv, for many cannot be attributed to the Divine
BE what he IS. This is a proper characteristic of nature Kai ov nporepov ovSev etrriv, ov6' varepov, oviSe
:

the Divine Being, who is, properly speaking, the only //eAXov, ovSe Trap(j;:(r}/XEVov, ovSe npeajSvTEpov, ov6e v£(,>-
Being, because he is ijidependent and ete7-nal ; whereas TEpov, in which there is neither first nor last, future
all other beings, in whatsoever forms they may appear, nor past, old nor young ; aXk' Eig av evi ro) vvv to aei
are derived, finite, changeable, and liable to destruc- TTEirXripuKE, but as being one, fills up in one NOW an
tion, decay, and even to annihilation. God, When eternal duration." And he concludes with observing
therefore, announced himself to Moses by this name, that " this word corresponds to certain others on the
he proclaimed his own eternity and immateriality ; and same temple, viz., rNS2ei SEAYTON, Know thy-
the very name itself precludes the possibility of idol- self; as if, under the name EI, Thou Art, the Deity
atry, because it was impossible for the mind, in con- designed to excite men to venerate Him as eternally
sidering it, to represent the Divine Being in any existing, ug ovra JtcTravrof, and to put them in mind
assignable shape for who could represent Being or
; of the frailty and mortality of their own nature."
Existence by any limited form ? And who can have What beautiful things have the ancient Greek phi-
any idea of a form that is unlimited 1 Thus, then, we losophers stolen from the testimonies of God to enrich
find that the first discovery Avhich God made of him- their own works, without any kind of acknowledgment!
self was intended to show the people the simplicity And, strange perversity of man these are the very
!

and spirituality of his nature that while they con- ; things which we so highly applaud in the heathen co-
sidered him as Being, and the Cause of all Being, they pies, while we neglect or pass them by in the Divine
might be preserved from all idolatry for ever. The originals !
a 306 SI* )
(
 : ;

The rod changed into a aerpent. CHAP. IV. The hand of Moses becomes leprouf

CHAPTER IV.

Moses continuing to express his fear that the Israelites would not credit his Divine mission, 1, God, to

strengthen his faith, and to assure him that his countrymen would believe him, changed his rod into a ser-
pent, and the serpent into a rod, 2-5 made his hand leprous, and afterwards restored it, 6,7; intimating
;

that he had now endued him with power to work such miracles, and that the Israelites would believe, 8
and farther assures him that he should have power to turn the water into blood, 9. Moses excuses himself
on the ground of his not being eloquent, 10, and God reproves him for his unbelief, and promises to give
him supernatural assistance, 11, 12. Moses expressing his utter unwillingness to go on any account, God^
is angry, and then promises to give him his brother Aaron to be his spokesman, 13—16, and appoints his
rod to be the instrument of working miracles, 17. Moses returns to his relative Jethro, and requests
liberty to visit his brethren in Egypt, and is pgrmittted, 18. God appears to him in Midian, and assures
him that the Egyptians who sought his life were dead, 19. Moses, with his wife and children, set out on
their journey to Egypt, 20. God instructs him what he shall say to Pharaoh, 21-23. He is in danger
of losing his life, because he had not circumcised his son, 24. Zipporah immediately circumcising the
child, Moses escapes unhurt, 25, 26. Aaron is commanded to go and meet his brother Moses; he goes
and meets him at Horeb, 27. Moses informs him of the commission he had received from God, 28. They
both go to their brethren, deliver their message, and loork miracles, 29, 30. The people believe and adore
God, 31.

A. M. 2513.
B. C. 1491.
\ ND Moses answered and said, put forth his hand, and caught A. M. 2513.
B. C. 1491.
But, behold, they will not he- it, and it became a rod in his
lieve me, nor hearken unto my voice : for hand
they will say, The Lord hath not appeared 5 That they may ^ believe that " the Lord
unto thee. God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the
2 And the Lord said unto him, What is God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath
hand ? And he said, * A rod.
that in thine appeared unto thee.
3 And he said. Cast it on the ground. And 6 And Lord said furthermore unto him.
the
he cast it on the ground, and it became a Put now hand into thy bosom.
thine And
serpent and Moses fled from before it.
; he put his hand into his bosom and when :

4 And the Lord said unto Moses, Put forth he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous
thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he ^ as snow.

aVer. 17, 20. >>

Chap. xix. 9. <'
Chap. iii. 15. d Num. xii. 10^ 2 Kings v. 27.

NOTES ON CHAP. IV. ample of what is called an imperfect or unfinished

Verse 1. They will not believe me] As if he had speech, several of which occur in the sacred writings.
said. Unless I be enabled to work miracles, and give Itmay be thus supplied Do them, that they
: this before
thera proofs by extraordinary ivorks as well as by ivords, may believe that the Lord —
hath appeared unto thee.
they will not believe that thou hast sent me. Verse 6. His hand was leprous as snow.] That is,
Verse 2. A rod.] PIDO matteh, a staff, probably his the leprosy spread itself over the whole body in thin
shepherd's crook see Lev. xxvii. 32.
; As it was ivhite scales and from this appearance it has its Greek
;

made the instrument of working many miracles, it was name Xenpa, from
Xetzi^, a scale. Dr. Mead says, " I
afterwards called the rod of God; see ver. 20. have seen a remarkable case of this in a countryman,
Verse 3. A serpent] Of what sort we know not, whose whole body was so miserably seized with it, that
as the word tSTIJ nachash is a general name for serpents, his skin was shining as if covered ivith snow ; and as
and also means several other things, see Gen. iii. 1 : the furfuraceous scales were daily rubbed off, the flesh
but it was either of a kind that he had not seen before, appeared quick or raw underneath." The leprosy, at
or one that he knew to be dangerous for it is said, ; least among the Jews, was a most inveterate and con-
he fled from before it Some suppose the staff was tagious disorder, and deemed by them incurable. Among
changed into a crocodile; see on chap. vii. 7. the heathens it was considered as inflicted by their gods,
Verse 4. He put forth his hand, and caught it] and it was supposed that they alone could remove it.
Considering the light in which Moses had viewed this It is certain that a similar belief prevailed among the
serpent, it required considerable faith to induce him Israelites ; hence, when the king of Syria sent his
thus implicitly to obey thecommand of God; but he general, Naaman, to the king of Israel to cure him of
obeyed, and the noxious serpent became instantly the his leprosy, he rent his clothes, saying, Am I God, to
miraculous rod in his hand Implicit faith and obe-
! kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me
dience conquer all difficulties ; and he who believes in to recover a man of his leprosy ? 2 Kings v. 7. Ihis
God, and obeys him in all things, has really nothing to appears, therefore, to be the reason chose this why God
fear. and removal of this
sign, as the instantaneous infliction
Verse 5. That they may believe] This is an ex- disease were demonstrations which all would allow of
307
 . 3
2
1 ;

Moses pleads his unfitness EXODUS. for the Divine inission.

A. M. 2513. 7 And
he saiJ; l"ui thine hand of the river ^ shall become blood A. M. 2513.
~— '
bosom aga.n. And he put upon the dry land.
into thy
B.C. 1491.

liis hand into his bosom again and plucked 10 And Moses said unto the Lord, O my
;

it out of his bosom, and, behold, * it was turn- Lord, I am not ^ eloquent, neither heretofore '

ed again as his other flesh. nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant
8 And it shall come to pass, if they will but am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.
^ I

not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice And the Lord said unto him, Who hath
1 ^

of the first sign, that they will believe the made man s mouth ? or who maketh the dumb,
voice of the latter sign. or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind ? have not
9 And it shall come to pass, if they will not I the Lord?
believe also these two signs, neither hearken 1 Now therefore go, and I will be ™ with
unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.
water of the river, and pour it upon the dry 1 And he said, O my Lord, ° send, I pray
land : and ^ the water which thou takest out thee, by the hand of him luhom thou ° wilt send.

« Deut. xxxii. 39 ; Num. xii. 13, 14 ; 2 Kings v. 14 ; Matt. viii. 3. ^ Chap. vi. 12 ; Jer. i. 6. ' Psa. xciv. 9. » Isa. 1. 4 ; Jer
'Chap. vii. 19. eHeb. shall be and shall be. •>
Heb. a man i. 9 ; Matt. x. 19 ; Mark xiii. 11 ; Luke xii. 11, 12; xxi. 14, 15
of words. '
Heb. since yesterday, nor since the third day. ° See Jonah i. 3. ° Or, ahouldest.

the sovereign power of God. We need, therefore, dor of God. Though Moses was slow of speech,
3.
seek for no other reasons for this miracle : the sole yet when God his word
acting as the messenger of
reason is sufficiently obvious. was with power, for at his command the plagues came
Verse 8. If they will not believe — the voice of the and the plagues were stayed thus was he mighty in ;

first sign, d^c] Probably intimating that some would ivords as well as in deeds : and this is probably the
be more difficult to be persuaded than others : some meaning of St. Stephen.
would yield to the evidence of the first miracle ; others By the expression, Jieither heretofore, nor since thou
vii iJd hesitate till they had seen the second; and others hast spoken unto thy servant, he might possibly mean,
would not believe till they had seen the water of the speak readily, which he
that the natural inaptitude to
Nile turned into blood, when poured upon the dryland; even since God had be-
had felt, he continued to feel,
ver. 9. gun
to discover himself; for though he had wrought
Verse 10. /am not eloquent] O'l^T ti^'K N^ lo ish several miracles for him, yet he had not healed this in-
debarim, I am not a man of ivords ; a periphrasis com- firmity. See on chap. vi. 12.
mon in the .Scriptures. So Job xi. 2, D'HUty IV'X ish Verse 11. Who hath made man'' s mouth? <^c.] Can-
sephathayim, a man of lips, signifies one that is talkative. not he who formed the mouth, the whole organs of
Psa. cxl. 12, \y\in K/'X ish lashon, a 7nan of tongue, sig- speech, and hath given the gift of speech also, cannot
nifies a prattler. But how could it be said that Moses he give utterance 1 God can take away those gifts
was not eloquent, when St. Stephen asserts. Acts vii. and restore them again. Do not provoke him he who :

23, that he was mighty in ivords as well as in deeds ? created the eye, the ear, and the mouth, hath also made
There are three ways of solving this difficulty 1 the blind, the deaf, and the dumb.
:

Moses might have had some natural infirmity, of a late Verse 12. I will be with thy mouth] The Chaldee
standing, which at that time rendered it impossible for translates. My WORD, meimeri, shall be with thy
liim to speak readily, and which he afterwards over- mouth. And Jonathan ben Uzziol paraphrases, / and
came so that though he was not then a tnan of ivords, my
; will be with the speech of thy mouth. WORD
See
yet he might afterwards have been mighty in ivords as on Gen. xv. 1, and Lev. xxv. 10.
—
.

well as deeds. 2. It is possible he was not intimately Verse 13. Send by the hand of him whom thou
acquainted with the Hebrew tongue, so as to speak will send.] Many commentators, both ancient and mo-
clearly and distinctly in it. The first forty years of dern, have thought that Moses prays here for the im-
his life he had spent in Egypt, chiefly at court ; and mediate mission of the Messiah ; as if he had said :

though it is very probable there was an affinity between "Lord, thou hast purposed to send this glorious person
the two languages, yet they certainly were not the at some time or other, I beseech thee send him now,
same. The last forty he had spent in Midian, and it for who can be sufficient to deliver and rule this people
is not likely that the pure Hebrew tongue prevailed but himself alone 1" The Hebrew nSti'n no NJ nSiy
there, though it is probable that a dialect of it was shelach na beyad tishlach literally translated is. Send
there spoken. On these accounts Moses might find now (or, / beseech thee) by the hand thou wilt send ;

it express himself with that readiness and

difficult to which seems to intimate. Send a person more fit for
persuasive flow of language, which he might deem es- the work than I am. So the Septuagint Upoxeipiaai :

sentially necessary on such a momentous occasion as ;

Svva/jLevov al'kov, bv anoaTeleic Elect another powerfiu
he would frequently be obliged to consult his memory person, luhom thou wilt send. It is right to find out

for proper expressions, wliich would necessarily pro- the Messiah wherever he is mentioned in the Old Tes-
duce frequent hesitation, and general slowness of utter- tament; but to press scriptures into this service which
ance, which he might think would ill suit an ambassa- have not an obvious tendency that way, is both impro-
308
 . ; ;

Godf greatly displeased, appoints CHAP. IV Aaron to accompany Moses.

A. M. 2513. 14 And the anger of the Lord thy mouth, and with his mouth, A. M. 2513.
B. C. 1491. B. C. 1491.
was kindled against Moses, and he and « will teach you what ye
said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother ? I shall do.

know that he can speak well. 16 And he shall be thy spokesman unto
And also, be-
hold, V and the people and he shall be, even he shall be
he Cometh forth to meet thee ; :

when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his to thee instead of a mouth, and ' thou shalt
heart. be to him instead of God.
15 And 1 thou shalt speak unto him, and 17 And thou shalt take "this rod in thine
' put words in his mouth and I will be with
: hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs.

P Ver. 27 1 Sam. x. 2, 3, 5.
; -J Chapter vii. 1, 2. ''Num. i. 9. » Deuteronomy v. 31 -* Chap. vii. 1 ; xviii. 19.
xxii. 38; xxiii. 5, 12, 16; Deut. xviii. 18; Isa. li. 16; Jer. " Ver. 2.

per and dangerous. I am firmly of opinion that Moses Nile ; but, according to the common opinion, he was
had no reference to the Messiah when he spoke these born on the banks of that river. Bacchus is expressly
words. said to have been exposed on the river Nile, hence he
Verse 14. And the anger of the Lord was kindled is called Nilus, both by Diodorus and Macrobius

against Moses] Surely this would not have been the and in the hymns of Orpheus he is named Myses,
case had he only in modesty, and from a deep sense because he was drawn out of the water. He is repre-
of his own unfitness, desired that the Messiah should sented by the poets as being very beautiful, and an
be preferred before him. But the whole connection illustrious warrior ; they report him to have overrun
shows that this interpretation is unfounded. all Arabia with a numerous army both of men and wo-

Is not Aaron the Levile thy brother 1] Houbigant men. He is said also to have been an eminent law-
endeavours to prove from this that Moses, in ver. 13, giver, and to have wTitten his laws on tioo tables. He
did pray for the immediate mission of the Messiah, always carried in his hand the thyrsus, a rod wreathed
and that God gives him here a reason why this could with serpents, and by which he is reported to have
not be, because the Levitical priesthood was to precede wrought many miracles. Any person acquainted with
the priesthood of our Lord. Is not Aaron the Levite, the birth and exploits of the poetic Bacchus will at
&c. Must not the ministry of Aaron be first esta- once perceive them to be all borrowed from the life
blished, before the other can take place ? Why then and acts of Moses, as recorded in the Pentateuch and ;

ask for that which is contrary to the Divine counsel ? it would be losing time to show the parallel, by quot-
From the opinion of so great a critic as Houbigant no ing passages from the book of Exodus.
man would wish to dissent, except through necessity The caduceus or rod of Mercury is well known in
:

however, I must say that it does appear to me that his poetic fables. It is anothercopy of the rod of Moses.
view of these verses is fanciful, and the arguments by He also is reported to have WTOught a multitude of
which lie supports it are insufficient to establish his miracles by this rod; and particularly he is said to
point. kill and make alive, to send souls to the invisible world
I know that lie can speak well.] XIH "^DT* IDT O
'HJ^T and bring them back from thence. Homer represents
yadati ki dabher yedahber hu, I knoio that in speaking Mercury taking his rod to work miracles precisely in
he loill speak. That is, he is apt to talk, and has a the same way as God commands Moses to take his.
ready utterance.
'Ep/XT}g 6e rpvxag Kv?.X7]viog e^eKaXecTo
He Cometh forth to meet thee] He shall meet thee
Avdpuv fivTjaTTJpuv' ex^ ^^ 'PABAOIV /iero ;t^p«^
at my mount, (ver. 27,) shall rejoice in thy mission,
Ka'kip, xpv(T£i7]v, 77} r* avSpuv o/xfiara deXyei,
and most heartily co-operate with thee in all things.
'Qv ede2,£t, rovg 6' avre kul vTcvuovrag eyeipei.
A necessary assurance, to prevent Moses from sus-
Odyss., lib. xxiv., ver. 1.
pecting that Aaron, who was his elder brother, would
envy his superior call and office. Cyllenian Hermes now call'd forth the souls
Verse 15. 7 tvill be with thy mouth, and with his Of all the suitors with his golden wand ;

mouth] Ye shall be both, in all things which I ap- Of power, to seal in balmy sleep lohose eyes
point you to do in this business, under the continual Soe''er he will, and open them again. Cowper.
inspiration of the Most High.
Virgil copies Homer, but carries the parallel far-
Verse 16. He shall be thy spokesman] Literally,
ther, tradition having probably furnished him with
He shall speak for thee (or in thy stead) to the people.
more particulars ; see a disguised
but in both we may
He shall be to thee instead of a mouth] He shall
copy of the sacred history, from which indeed the
convey every message to the people ; and thou shall
Greek and Roman poets borrowed most of their
be to him instead of God —
thou shalt deliver to him
beauties.
what I communicate to thee.
Verse 17. Thou shalt take this rod] From the Turn viRGAM CAPiT : hac animas ille evocat Oreo
story of Moses's rod the heathens have invented the Pallentes, alias sub tristia Tartara mittit
fables of thethyrsus of Bacchus, and the caduceus Dat somnos, adimitque, et lumina morte resignat.
of Mercury. Cicero reckons five Bacchuses, one of Illa fretus agit ventos, et turbida tranat.
which, according to Orpheus, was born of the river ^neid.Jib. iv., ver. 249.
309
 ; 1

Moses returns to Midian, and EXODUS. brings his family to Egypt

A. M. 2513. 18 20 And Moses took his wife and a. m. 2513.

And Moses went and returned
B. C. 1491. "

to ' Jethro and set them upon an ass,

his father-in-law, and his sons,

said unto him, Let me go, I pray thee, and and he returned to the land of Egypt and :

return unto my brethren which are in Egypt, Moses took ^ the rod of God in his hand.
and see whether they be yet aHve. And Jethro 2 And the Lord said unto Moses, When
said to Moses, Go in peace. thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou
1 9 And the Lord said unto Moses in Midian, do all those wonders before Pharaoh which
^

Go, return into Egypt : for ^ all the men are I have put in thine hand but ^ I will harden :

dead which sought thy life. his heart, that he shall not let the people go.

» Heb. Jetker. " Chap. ii. 15, 23 ; Matt. ii. 20. ' Chapter » Chap. vii. 3, 13 ; ix. 12, 35 ; x. 1 ; xiv. 8 ; Deut. ii. 30 ; J >sh.
xvii. 9 ; Num. xx. 8, 9. 7 Chap. iii. 20. xi. 20 ; Isa. l.xiii. 17 ; John xii. 40 ; Rom. ix. 18.

But first he grasps within his awful hand certainly required more than one to carry Zipporah,
The mark of sovereign power, magic wand ; the Gershom, and Eliezer.
With this he draws the ghosts from hollow graves, The rod of God] The sign of sovereign power, by
With this he drives them down the Stygian leaves which he was to perform all his miracles ; once the
With this he seals in sleep the wakeful sight, badge of his shepherd''s office, and now that by which
And eyes, though closed in death, restores to light. he is to feed, rule, and protect his people Israel.
Thus arm'd, the god begins his airy race, Verse 21. But I ivill harden his heart] The case
And drives the racking clouds along the liquid space.
of Pharaoh has given rise to many fierce controver-
Dryden. sies, and to several strange and conflicting opinions.
Many other resemblances between the rod of the Would men but look at the whole account without the
poets and that of Moses, the learned reader will medium of their respective creeds, they would find
readily recollect. These specimens may be deemed little difficulty to apprehend the truth. If we take up
sufficient. the subject in a theological point of view, all sober
Verse 18. Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto Christians will allow the truth of this proposition of
my brethren] Moses, having received his commission St. Augustine, when the subject in question is a person
from God, and directions how to execute it, returned who has hardened his own heart by frequently resist-
to his father-in-law, and asked permission to visit his ing the grace and Spirit of God Non ohdurat Deus :

family and brethren in Egypt, without giving him any impertiendo malitiam, sed non impei-tiendo miseri-
intimation of the great errand on which he was going. cordiam; Epist. 194, ad Sixtum, "God does not
His keeping this secret has been attributed to his sin- harden men by infusing malice into them, but by not
gular modesty: but however true it might be that imparting mercy to them." And this other will be as
Moses was a truly humble and modest man, yet his readily credited Non operatur Deus in homine ipsam :

prudence alone was sufficient to have induced him to duritiam cordis ; sed indurare eum dicitur quern mol-
observe silence on this subject for, if once imparted lire noluerit, sic etiam exccRcare quern illuminare nolue-
;

to the family of his father-in-law, the news might have rit, et repellere eum quem noluerit vocare. *'
God
reached Egypt before he could get thither, and a ge- does not work this hardness of heart in man but he ;

neral alarm among the Egyptians would in all proba- may be said to harden him whom he refuses to soften,
bility have been the consequence as fame would not to blind him whom he refuses to enlighten, and to
;

fail to represent Moses as coming to stir up sedition repel him whom he refuses to call." It is but just
and rebellion, and the whole nation would have been and right that he should withhold those graces which
armed against them. It was therefore essentially ne- he had repeatedly offered, and which the sinner had
cessary that the business should be kept secret. despised and rejected. Thus much for the general
In the Septuagint and Coptic the following addition principle. verb pTH chazak, which we translate
The
is made to this verse Msro 6e rac viiepag rac n-oTiXag
:
harden, literally signifies to strengthen, confirm, make
CKeivac erelevTrjaev 6 jBaaiXevc AiyvTZTOv
After these hold or courageous ; and is often used in the sacred
many days, the king of Egypt died. This was pro- writings to excite to duty, perseverance, Sic, and is
bably an ancient gloss or side note, which in process placed by the Jews at the end of most books in the
of time crept into the text, as it appeared to throw Bible as an exhortation to the reader to take courage,
lighton the following ver.se. and proceed with his reading and with the obedience
Verse 19. In Midian] This was a new revelation, it requires. It constitutes an essential part of the
and appears to have taken place after Moses returned Only be
exhortation of God to Joshua, chap. i. 7 :

to his father-in-law previous to his departure And of Joshua's

for thou STRONG, prn p"l rak chazak.
Egypt. dying exhortation to the people, chap, xxiii. 6 Be ye :

Verse 20. His wife and his sons] Both Gershom therefore very courageous, Dnpim vachazaktem, to
and Eliezer, though the birth of the latter has not yet all that is written in the book of the
keep and to do
been mentioned in the Hebrew text. See the note on laiv. Now
would be very strange in these places
it
chap. ii. 22.
to translate the word harden : Only be thou hard. Be
Set them upon an ass] The Septuagint reads tlie ye therefore very hard ; and yet if we use the word
word in the plural, em ra virol^vyia, upon asses, as it hardy, it would sr.lt the sense and context perfectly
310
 —

The Lord meets him by the way. CHAP. IV. Zipporah circumcises her son.

A. M. 2513. 22 And thou shall say unto Pha- 24 And it came to pass by the A. M. 2513
B. C. 1491
B.C. 1491.
raoh, Thus saith the Lord, * Israel way in the inn, that the Lord ^ met

is my son, ^ even my first-born : him, and sought to ® kill him.

23 And I say unto thee, Let my son go, 25 Then Zipporah took ^a sharp ^ stone,

that he may serve me : and if thou refuse to and cut off the foreskin of her son, and ^ cast
let him go, behold, <>
I will slay thy son, even it at his feet, and said. Surely a bloody hus-
thy first-born. band art thou to me.

<JNum. xxii. 22. e Gen. xvii. 14. f Josh. v. 2, 3.- fOr,

«Hos. xi. 1; Rom. ix. 4; 2 Cor. vi. 18. ^jgr. xxxi. 9;
James i. 18. =Chap. xi. 5 ; xii. 29. knife. •> Heb. made it touch.

well : Only be thou hardy ; Be ye therefore very mitting a capital crime, and then- hangs him for it, is

HARDY. suppose we apply the word in this way

Now surely the most execrable of mortals. What then
to Pharaoh, the sense would be good, and the justice should we make of the God of justice and mercy
of God equally conspicuous. I will make his heart should we attribute to him a decree, the date of which
hardy, bold, daring, presumptuous for the same prin- ; is lost ineternity, by which he has determined to cut
ciple acting against God's order is presumption, which offfrom the possibility of salvation millions of millions
when acting according to it is undaunted courage. of unborn souls, and leave them under a necessity of
verb nt^p kashah is used, chap. vii.
It is true that the sinning, by actually hardening their hearts against the
3, which signifies to render stiff, tough, or stubborn, influences of his own grace and Spirit, that he may,
but it amounts to nearly the same meaning with the on the pretext of justice, consign them to endless per-
above. dition ? Whatever may be pretended in behalf of
All those who have read the Scriptures with care such unqualified opinions, it must be evident to all
and attention, know well that God is frequently repre- who are not deeply prejudiced, that neither the justice
sented in them as doing what he only permits to be nor the sovereignty of God can be magnified by them.
done. So because a man has grieved his Spirit and See farther on chap. ix. 16.
resisted his grace he withdraws that Spirit and grace Verse 22. Israel is my son, even my first-born\
from him, and thus he becomes bold and presumptuous That is, The Hebrew people are unutterably dear to me.
in sin. Pharaoh made his own heart stubborn against Verse 23. Let my son go, thai he may serve me]
God, chap. ix. 34 and God gave him up to judicial
;
Which they could not do in Goshen, consistently with
blindness, so that he rushed on stubbornly to his own the policy and religious worship of the Egyptians;
destruction. From the whole of Pharaoh's conduct because the most essential part of an Israelite's wor-
we learn that he was bold, haughty, and cruel ; and ship consisted in sacrifice, and the animals which they
God chose to permit these dispositions to have their offered to God were sacred among the Egyptians.
full sway in his heart without check or restraint from Moses gives Pharaoh this reason chap. viii. 26.
Divine influence the consequence was what God in-
: I will slay thy son, even thy first-born.] Which, on
tended, he did not immediately comply with the requi- Pharaoh's utter refusal to let the people go, was ac-
sition to let the people go and this was done that; cordingly done ; see chap. xii. 29.
God might have the fuller opportunity of manifesting Verse 24. By the See the note on
xoay in the inn]
his power by multiplying signs and miracles, and thus Gen. xlii 27. The and the following
account in this
impress the hearts both of the Egyptians and Israelites verse is very obscure. Some suppose that the 23d
with a due sense of his omnipotence and justice. The verse is not a part of the message to Pharaoh, but
whole procedure was graciously calculated to do end- was spoken by the Lord to Moses and that the whole ;

less good to both nations. The Israelites must be may be thus paraphrased " And I have said unto thee,
:

satisfied that they had the true God for their protector ;
(Moses,) Send forth {vhvi shallach) my son, (Gershom,
and thus their faith was strengthened. The Egyp- by circumcising him,) that he may serve me, (which he
tians must see that their gods could do nothing against cannot do till entered into the covenant by circumci-
the God of Israel ; and thus their dependence on them sion,) but thou hast refused to send him forth behold, ;

was necessarily shaken. These great ends could not (therefore,) / ivill slay thy son, thy first-born. And
have been answered had Pharaoh at once consented it came pass by the way in the inn, (when he was
to
to let the people go. This consideration alone unra- on his journey to Egypt,) that Jehovah met him, and
vels the mystery, and explains every thing. Let it be sought (threatened) to kill him (Gershom.) Then
observed that there is nothing spoken here of the Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut away the fore-
eternal state of the Egyptian king nor does any thing ; skin of her son, and caused it to touch his feet, (Jeho-
in the wiioie of the subsequent account authorize us vah's, who probably appeared in a bodily shape the ;

to believe that God hardened his heart against the Septuagint call him the Angel of the Lord,) and said
influences of his oion grace, that he might occasion unto him, A
spouse by blood art thou unto me. Then
him so to sin that his justice might consign him to he (Jehovah) ceased from him (Gershom.) Then she
hell. This would be such an act of flagrant injustice said, Aspouse by blood art thou unto me, because of
aswe could scarcely attribute to the worst of men. this circumcision.'' That is, I who am an alien have
He who leads another into an oflfence that he may entered as fully into covenant with thee by doing
this
have a fairer pretence to punish him for it, or brings act, as mv son has on whom this act has
been performed.
him into such circumstances that he cannot avoid com- The meaning of the whole passage seems to be this :

311
 1 : ;

Moses and Aaron meet at Horeb. EXODUS. They make known their mtsstoft'

A. M. 2513. 26 So he let him go: then she thered together all the elders of A. M. 2513.
B. C. 1491. B, C. 1491.
said, A bloody husband thou art, the children of Israel

because of the circumcision. 30 °And Aaron spake all the words which
37 And the Lord said to Aaron, Go into the the Lord had spoken unto Moses, and did
wilderness meet Moses. And he went, and
' to the signs in the sight of the people.
met him the mount of God, and kissed him.
in ^ 3 And the people p believed : and when
28 And Moses told Aaron all the words ^ they heard that the Lord had <J
visited the
of the Lord who had sent him, and all the children of Israel, and that he ""
had looked upon
" signs which he had commanded him. their affliction, then ^ they bowed their heads
29 And Moses and Aaron ^ went and ga and worshipped.

Ver. 14. ^ Chap. iii. 1. ' Verses 15, 16. » Verses 8, 9. 1 Chapter iii. 16. ' Chap. ii. 25 iii. 7.
; » Gen. xxiv. 26 ;

» Chap. iii. 16. " Ver. 16. p Chap. iii. 18 ver. 8, 9.

; chap. xii. 27 ; 1 Chron. xxix. 20.

The son of Moses, Gershom or Eliezer, (for it does not Verse 3 1 The people believed] They credited the
.

appear which,) had not been circumcised, though it account given of the Divine appointment of Moses
would seem that God had ordered the father to do it ;
and Aaron to be their deliverers out of their bondage,
but as he had neglected this, therefore Jehovah was the miracles wrought on the occasion confirming the
about to have slain the child, because not in cove- testimony delivered by Aaron.
nant with him by circumcision, and thus he intended They bowed their heads and worshipped.^ See a
to have punished the disobedience of the father by the similar act mentioned, and in the same words. Gen.
natural death of his son.Zipporah, getting acquainted xxiv. 26. The bowing the head, &c., here, may pro-
with the nature of the case and the danger to which bably refer to the eastern custom of bowing the head
her first-bom was exposed, took a sharp stone and down to the knees, then kneeling down and touching
cut off the foreskin of her son. By this act the dis- the earth with the forehead. This was a very painful
pleasure of the Lord was turned
and Zipporah aside, posture and the most humble in which the body could
considered herself as now allied to God because of this possibly be placed. Those who pretend to worship
circumcision. According to the law, (Gen. xvii. 14,) God, either by prayer or thanksgiving, and keep them-
the uncircumcised child loas to be cut off from his selves during the performance of those solemn acts in
people., so that there should be no inheritance for that a state of perfect ease, either carelessly standing or
branch of the family in Israel. Moses therefore, for stupidly sitting, surely cannot have a due sense of the
neglecting to circumcise the child, exposed him to this majesty of God, and their own sinfulness and unwor-
cutting off, and it was but barely prevented by the thiness. Let the feelings of the body put the soul in
prompt obedience of Zipporah. As circumcision was remembrance of its sin against God. Let a man put
the seal of that justification by faith which comes himself in such a position (kneeling for instance) as it
through Christ, Moses by neglecting it gave a very is generally acknowledged a criminal should assume,

bad example, and God was about to proceed against when coming to his sovereign and judge to bewail his
him with that severity which the law required. sins, and solicit forgiveness.

The sharp stone mentioned ver. 25 was probably a The Jewish custom, as we learn from Rabbi May-
knife made oi flint, for such were anciently used, even mon, was to bend the body so that every joint of the
where knives of metal might be had, for every kind backbone became incurvated, and the head was bent
of operation about the human body, such as embowel- towards the knees, so that the body resembled a boiu
ling for the purpose of embalming, circumcision, &c. and prostration implied laying the body flat upon the
Ancient authors are full of proofs of these facts. See earth, the arms and legs extended to the uttermost,
the note on Gen. 1. 2. the month and forehead touching the ground. In
It is probable that Zipporah, being alarmed by this Matt. viii. 2 the leper is said to worship our Lord,
circumstance, and fearing worse evils, took the reso- KpocEKwet avru- but in Luke v. 12 he is said to have
lution to return to her father's house with her two fallen on his face, ireauv etti irpoaunov. These two
sons. See chap, .xviii. 1, &c. accounts show that he kneeled down, probably first

Verse 27. The Lord said to Aaron'\ See ver. 14. putting his face down to his knees, and touching the
By some secret but powerful movement on Aaron's earth with his forehead and then prostrated himself,
;

mind, or by some voice or angelic ministry, he was his legs and arms being both extended. See on
now directed to go and meet his brother Moses and ; Gen. xvii. 3.
80 correctly was
the information given to both, that
they arrived at the same time on the sacred mountain. The backwardness of Moses to receive and execute
Verse 30. Aaron spake words^ It is likelyall the the commission to deliver the children of Israel, has
that Aaron was better acquainted with the Hebrew something very instructive in it. He felt the import-
tongue than his brother, and on this account he be- ance of the charge, his own insufliciency, and the
came the spokesman. See on ver. 8. awful responsibility under which he should be laid if
Did the signs^ Turned the rod into a serpent, made he received it. Who then can blame him for hesitat-
the hand leprous, and changed the water into blood. ing ? If he miscarried (and how difficult in such a
See on ver. 8 and 9. case not to misrnrry !) he must account to a jealous
313
 3 ^

God'^s message to Pharaoh CHAP. V. He refuses to let the people go.

God, whose justice required him to punish every de- at the watchman's hands ! Were these things duly-
linquency. What should ministers of the Gospel feel considered by those who are candidates for the Gos-
on such subjects 1 Is not their charge more important who could be found to undertake it ?
pel ministry, We
and more awful than that of Moses ? How few con- should then indeed have the utmost occasion to pray
sider this ! It is respectable, it is honourable, to be in the Lord of the harvest, eKpalleiv, to thrust out

the Gospel ministry, but who is sufficient to guide and labourers into the harvest, as no one, duly considering
feed the flock of God f If through the pastor's unfii- those things would go, unless thrust out by God him-
. ness or neglect any soul should go astray, or perish self. O ye ministers of the sanctuary tremble for !

through want of proper spiritual nourishment, or your own souls, and the souls of those committed to
through not getting his portion in due season, in what your care, and go not into this work unless God go
a dreadful state is the pastor That soul, says God,
! with you. Without his presence, unction, and appro-
shall die in his iniquities, but his blood will I require bation, ye can do nothing.

CHAPTER V.

Moses and Aaron open their commission to Pharaoh, 1. He insultingly asks who Jehovah is, in whose name
they require him to dismiss the people, 2. They explain, 3. He charges them with making the people
disaffected, 4, 5 and commands the task-masters to increase their work, and lessen their means of perform-
;

ing it, 6—9. The task-masters do as commanded, and refuse to give the people straw to assist them in
making brick, and yet require the fulfilment of their daily tasks as formerly, when furnished with all the
necessary means, 10—13. The Israelites failing to produce the ordinary quantity of brick, their own
officers, set over them by the task-masters, are cruelly insulted and beaten, 14. The officers complain to
Pharaoh, 15, 16 but find no redress, 17, 18.
; The officers, finding their case desperate, bitterly reproach
Moses and Aaron for bringing them iiito their present circumstances, 1 9—2 1 Moses retires, and lays the .

matter before the Lord, and pleads with him, 22, 23.

A.M. 2513. A ND afterward Moses and Aaron I know not the Lord, *=
neither a.m. 2513
B. C. 1491.
went in, and told Pharaoh, will I let Israel go. —— -

Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Let my 3 And they said, ^ The God of the Hebrews
people go, that they may hold ^ a feast unto hath met with us : let us go, we pray thee,
me in the wilderness. three days' journey into the desert, and sacri-
2 And Pharaoh said, Who ''
is the Lord, fice unto the Lord our God lest he fall upon ;

obey his voice to

that I should let Israel go ? us with pestilence, or with the sword.

'Chap. X. 9. ''2 Kings xviii. 35; Job xxi. 15. Chap. iii. 19. ^ Chap. iii. 18.

NOTES ON CHAP. V. And sacrifice unto the Lo7-d] Great stress is laid
Verse 1. And afterward Moses and Aaron went] on this circumstance. God required sacrifice ; no re-
This chapter is properly a continuation of the preced- ligious acts which they performed could be acceptable
ing, as the succeeding is a continuation of this and ; to him without this. He had now showed them that
to preserve the connection of the facts they should be it was their indispensable duty thus to worship him,

read together. and that if they did not they might expect him to senA
How simply, and yet with what authority, does Moses the pestilence —
some plague or death proceeding im-
deliver his message
to the Egyptian king Thus saith ! mediately from himself, or the sivord — extermination
JEHOVAH, God of Israel, Let my people go. It is by the hands of an enemy. The original word IDT
well in this, as in almost every other case where mri'' deber, from ^3T dabar, to drive off, draw under, dfC,
Jehovah occurs, to preserve the original word our which we translate pestilence from the Latin pestis, the
:

using the word Lord is not sufficiently expressive, and plague, signifies any kind of disease by which an ex-
often leaves the sense indistinct. traordinary mortality is occasioned, and which appears
Verse 2. Who is the Lord] Who is Jehovah, that from the circumstances of the case to come imme-
I should obey his voice 1 What claims has he on ?we ? diately from God. The Israelites could not sacrifice
I am under no obligation to him. Pharaoh spoke here in the land of Egypt, because the animals they were
under the common persuasion that every place and to offer to God were held sacred by the Egyptians ;

people had a tutelary deity, and he supposed that this and they could not omit this duty, because it was essen-
Jehovah might be the tutelary deity of the Israelites, tial to religion even before the giving of the law. Thus
to whom he, as an Egyptian, could be under no kind we find that Divine justice required the life of the ani-
of obligation. It is not judicious to bring this ques- mal for the life of the transgressor, and the people were
tion as a proof that Pharaoh was an atheist : of this conscious, if this were not done, that God would con-
the text affords no evidence. sume them with the pestilence or the sword. From
Verse 3. Three days^ journey] The distance from the foundation of the world the true religion required
Goshen to Sinai see chap. iii. 18.
; sacrifice. Before, under, and after the 'aw, this was
3 1
 1

The Israelites are ordered EXODUS. to make brick without sifu^

—A.M. 4 And the king of Egypt said make heretofore, ye shall lay upon A. M. 2513.
2513.

them, Wherefore
unto do ye, them ye shall not diminish aught
Moses and Aaron, let the people from their thereof for they be idle therefore they cry,
;

:
;
—— ' '-

works ? get you unto your ^ burdens. saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God.
5 And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of 9 ^ Let there more work be laid upon the
the land now
many, and ye make them men, that they may labour therein and let
are ^ ;

rest from their burdens. them not regard vain words.

6 And Pharaoh commanded the same day 10 And the task-masters of the people went
the ^ task-masters of the people, and their out, and their officers, and they spake to the
officers, saying, people, saying. Thus saith Pharaoh, I will not
7Ye shall no more give the people straw to give you straw.
make brick, as heretofore : let them go and 1 Go ye, get you straw where ye can find
gather straw for themselves. it : yet not aught of your work shall be dimi-
8 And the tale of the bricks, which they did nished.

= Chap. i. 11. f Chap. i. 7, 9. s Chap. i. 11. •* Heb. Let the work be heavy upon the men.

deemed essential to salvation. Under the Christian an inferior sort of officers, who attended on supe-
dispensation Jesus is the lamb of God that taketh rior officersor magistrates to execute their orders.
away the sin of the world ; and being still the Lamb They are supposed to have been something like our
newly slain before the throne, no man cometh unto the sheriffs.
Father but by him. Verse 7. Straw to make brick] There have been
" In this first application to Pharaoh, we observe," many conjectures concerning the use of straw in mak-
says Dr. Dodd, " that proper respectful submission ing bricks. Some suppose it was used merely for
which is due from subjects to their sovereign. They burning them, but this is unfounded. The eastern
represent to him the danger they should be in by dis- bricks are often made of clay and straw kneaded to-
obeying their God, but do not so much as hint at any gether, and then not burned, but thoroughly dried in
punishment that would follow to Pharaoh." the sun. This is expressly mentioned by Philo in his
Averse 4. Wherefore do i/e, Moses and Aaron] He life of Moses, who says, describing the oppression of
hints that theHebrews are in a state of revolt, and the Israelites in Egypt, that some were obliged to work
charges Moses and Aaron as being ringleaders of the in clay for the formation of bricks, and others to gather
sedition. This unprincipled charge has been, in nearly straw for the same purpose, because straw is the bond
similar circumstances, often repeated since. Men who by which the brick is held together, 'izlivdov yap axvpa
have laboured to bring the mass of the common people deafioc. —
Phil. Oper., edit. Mang., vol. ii., p. 86.
from ignorance, irreligion, and general profligacy of And Philo's account is confirmed by the most intelli-
manners, to an acquaintance with themselves and God, gent travellers. Dr. Shaw says that the straw in the
and to a proper knowledge of their duty to him and to bricks still preserves its original colour, which is a
each other, have been often branded as being disaffect- proof that the bricks were never burned. Some of
ed to the state, and as movers of sedition among the these are still to be seen in the cabinets of the curious;

people See on ver. 17.

! and there are several from ancient Babylon now before
Let the people] 1^"13r\ taphriu, from J?"l£3 para, to me, where the straw which was amalgamated with the
which we
loose or disengage, translate to let, from the clay is still perfectly visible. From this we may see
Anglo-Saxon lectan lettan, to hinder. Ye hinder the reason of the complaint Pharaoh, ver. 16 made to :

the people from working. Get ye to your burdens. the Egyptians refused to give the necessary portion
" Let religion alone, and mind your work." The of straw for kneading the bricks, and yet they required
language not only of tyranny, but of the basest that the full tale or number of bricks should be pro-
irreligion also. duced each day as they did when all the necessary
Verse 5. The people of the laJid now are many] materials were brought to hand so the people were ;

The sanguinary edict had no doubt been long before obliged to go over all the cornfields, and pluck up the
repealed, or they could not have multiplied so greatly. stubble, which they were obliged to substitute for straw.
Verse 6. The task-masters of the people and their See ver. 12.
officers] The
task-masters were Egyptians, (see on Verse 8. And the tale of the bricks] Tale signi-
chap. i. 11,) the officers were Hebrews see below, ; fies the number, from the Anglo-Saxon fcSBiian, to num-
ver. 14. But it is probable that the task-masters, ber, to count, &c.
chap. i. 11, who are called D'DO nty sarey missim, For they be idle ; therefore they cry Let us go and —
princes of the burdens or taxes, were different from sacrifice] Thus their desire to worship the true God
those termed task-masters here, as the words are dif- in a proper manner was attributed to their unwilling-
ferent D'lyjJ nogesim signifies exactors or oppressors
; ness to work a reflection which the Egyptians (in
— persons who exacted from them an unreasonable principle) of the present
;

day cast on those who, while

proportion either of labour or money. they are fervent in spirit serving the Lord, are ot
Officers. — O'lOty shoterim ; those seem to have been slothful in business. See below, ver. 17.
314 a
 9 :

The Israelites cruelly oppressed. CIL\P. V Moses pleads ivith tho Lord.

A. M. 2513. 12 So the people were scallercd shall no straw be ffiven vou, vet a.m. 2513.
R P
__ abroad throughout all the land of shall ye deliver the tale of bricks. -— 14.Q1
'-

Egypt, to gather stubble instead of straw. 1 And the officers of the children of Israel
13 And the task-masters hasted them, say- did see that they were in evil case, after it

ing, Fulfil your works, your '

daily tasks, as was said, Ye shall not diminish aught from
when there was straw. your bricks of your daily task.
14 And the officers of the children of Israel, 20 And they met Moses and Aaron, who
which Pharaoh's task-masters had set over stood in the way, as they came forth from
them, were beaten, and demanded, Wherefore Pharaoh
have ye not fulfilled your task, i» making 21'' And they said unto them. The Lord
brick both yesterday and to-day, as heretofore ? look upon you, and judge ; because ye have
1 5 Then the officers of the children of Israel made our savour ^
to be abhorred in the eyes
came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Where- of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants,
fore dealest thou thus with thy servants ? to put a sword in their hand to slay us.
16 There is no straw given unto thy ser- 22 And Moses returned unto the Lord, and
vants, and they say to us, Make brick : and, said. Lord, wherefore hast thou so evil en-
behold, thy servants are beaten ; but the fault treated this people ? why is it that thou hast
is in thine own people. sent me ?

17 But he said, Ye are idle, ye are idle : 23 For since I came to Pharaoh to speak
therefore ye say, Let us go and do sacrifice in thy name, he hath done evil to this peo-
to the Lord. ple ;
" neither hast thou delivered thy people
18 Go therefore now, and work; for there at all.

' Heb. a matter of a day inhis day. ^ Chap. vi. 9. Heb. '
X. 6 ; I Chron. xix. 6.- -"> Hebrew, delivering thou hast not
to stink ; Gen. xxxiv. 30 1 Sam. xiii. 4 xxvii. 12
; 2 Samuel
, ; delivered.

Verse 14. And the officers — luere beaten] Probably it isall the solace that such sorrow can find and if ;

bastinadoed; for this is common punishment in

the in such distress words are spoken which should not
Egypt to the present day for minor offences. The be justified, yet the considerate and henevolent will
manner of it is this the : culprit lies on his belly, his hear them with indulgence. God is merciful and ;

legs being turned up behind erect, and the executioner the stroke of this people was heavier even than their
gives him so many blows on the soles of the feet with groaning.
a stick. This is a very severe punishment, the suf- Put a sword in their hand] Given them a pretence
ferer not being able to walk for many weeks after, and which they had not before, to oppress us even unto
3ome are lamed by it through the whole of their lives. death.
Verse 16. The fault vs in thine own people.'] nXDn Verse 22. And Moses returned unto the Lord]
chatath, the sin, is in thy own people. 1st. Because This may imply, either that there was a particular
they require impossibilities and, 2dly, because they place into which Moses ordinarily went to commune
;

punish us for not doing what cannot be performed. with Jehovah or it may mean that kind of turning of
Verse 17. Ye are idle —
therefore ye say, Let us heart and affection to God, which every pious mind
;

go and do sacrifice] It is common for those who feel feels itself disposed to practise in any time or place.
unconcerned about their own souls to attribute the The old adage will apply here " A praying heart :

religious earnestness of others, who feel the impor- never lacks a praying place.''''
tance of eternal things, to idleness or a disregard of Lord, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this
their secular concerns. Strange that they cannot see people ?] It is certain that in this address Moses uses
there is a medium! He who has commanded them great plainness of speech. Whether the offspring of
to be diligent in business, has also commanded them to a testy impatience and undue familiarity, or of strong
be fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. He whose faith which gave him more than ordinary access to
diligence in business is not connected with a true reli- the throne of his gracious Sovereign, it would be diffi-

gious fervour of spirit, is a lover of the world ; and cult to say. The latter appears to be the most pro-
whatever /orwi he may have he has not the power of bable, as we do not find, from the succeeding chapter,
godliness, and therefore is completely out of the road that God was displeased with his freedom we may ;

to salvation. therefore suppose that it was kept within due bounds,

Verse 19. Did see that they were in evil case] and that the principles and motives were all pure and
They saw that they could neither expect justice nor good. However, it should be noted, that such free-
mercy that their deliverance was very doubtful, and dom of speech with the Most High should never be
;

their case almost hopeless. used but on very special occasions, and then only by
Verse 21. The Lord look upon you, and judge] his extraordinary messengers.
These were hasty and unkind expressiorvs but the Verse 23. He hath done evil to this people]
;
Their
afflicted must be allowed the privilege of complaining misery is increased instead of being diminished. ;

315
 —

The Lord''s gracious EXODUS. promises of redemption.

Neither hast thou delivered thy people at all.'] The remember that we have sinned against him, and
marginal reading is both literal and correct And deli- : deserve nothing but punishment from his hand. We
vering thou hast not delivered. Thou hast begu7i the should therefore bow before him with the deepest
work by giving us counsels and a corannission, but thou humiliation of soul, and take that caution of the wise
hast not brought the people from under their bondage. man, " Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine
Thou hast signified thy pleasure relative to their de- heart be hasty to utter any thing before God for God ;

liverance, but thou hast not brought them out of the is in heaven, and thou upon earth therefore let thy ;

hands of their enemies. words be iew,'''' Eccles. v. 2. There is the more

need to attend to this caution, because many ignorant
1. no certain proof of the displeasure of God
It is though well-meaning people use very improper, not
that a whole people, or an individual, may be found to say indecent, freedoms in their addresses to the
in a state of great oppression and distress nor are ; throne of grace. With such proceedings God cannot
affluence and prosperity any certain signs of his appro- be well pleased and he who has not a proper im-
;

bation. God certainly loved the Israelites better than pression of the dignity and excellence of the Divine
he did the Egyptians ;
yet the former were in the Nature, is not in such a disposition as it is essentially
deepest adversity, while the latter were in the height necessary to feel, in order to receive help from God.
of prosperity. Luther once observed, that if secular He who knows he has sinned, and feels that he is less
prosperity were to be considered as a criterion of the than the least of all God's mercies, will pray with the
Divine approbation, then the grand Turk must be deepest humility, and even rejoice before God with
the highest in the favour of God, as he was at that trembling. A solemn awe of the Divine Majesty is
time the most prosperous sovereign on the earth. not less requisite to successful praying, than faith in
An observation of this kind, on a case so obvious, our Lord Jesus Christ. When we have such a com
was really well calculated to repress hasty conclu- mission as that of Moses, we may make use of his
sions drawn from these and to external states, freedom of speech ; but till then, the publican's prayer
lay down a correct rule of judgment for all such will best suit the generality of those who are even
occasions. dignified by the name of Christian Lord, be merci-
3. In all our addresses to God we should ever ful to ME, a SINNER !

CHAPTER VI.
God encourages Moses, and promises to show wonders upon Pharaoh, and to bring out his people with a strong
hand, 1. He
confirms this promise by his essential name JEHOVAH, 2, 3 by the covenant he had made
;

with their fathers, 4, 5. Sends Moses with a fresh message the Hebreios, full of the most gracious to
promises, and confirms the luhole by appealing to the nayne in ivhich his unchangeable existence is implied,
6—8. Moses delivers the message to the Israelites, but through anguish of spirit they do not believe, 9.
He receives a neio commission to go to Pharaoh, 10, 11. He excuses himself on account of his unreadi-
ness of speech, 12. The Lord gives him and Aaron a charge both to Pharaoh and to the children of
Israel, 13. The genealogy of Reuben, 14 q/" Simeon, 15 of Levi, from whom descended Gershon, ; ;

Kohath, and Merari, IG. The sons o/" Gershon, 17 o/ Kohath, 18 of Merari, 19. The marriage of ; ;

Amram and Jochebed, 20. The sons of Izhar a7id Uzziel, the brothers of Amram, 21, 22. Marriage
o/" Aaron and Elisheba, and the birth of their sons, Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamav, 23. The sons
o/Korah, the nephew of Aaron, 24. The marriage of Eleazar to one of the daughters of Putiel, and
the birth o/* Phinehas, 25. These genealogical accounts introduced for the sake of showing the line oj
descent of Moses and Aaron, 26, 27. A recapitulation of the commission delivered to Moses and Aaron, 29,
and a repetition of the excuse formerly made by Moses, 30
1

A. M. 2513. 'PHEN the LoRB said unto Moses, 2 And God spake unto Moses, A. M. 2513.
B.C. 1491. JL
rSow
, ,
what 1 will and said unto him, 1 am the
Shalt thou see
, 1 T 11 , .1 \ .
T ,
B. C. H9I.

do to Pharaoh for ^ with a strong hand shall

: Lord •=
:

he let them go, and with a strong hand ^ shall 3 And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac,
he drive them out of his land. and unto Jacob, by the name of ^ God Almighty,
•Chap. ill. 19. -t Chap. xi. 1 ; xii. 31, 33, 39. « Or, JEHOVAH. ^ Gen. xvii. 1 ; xxxv. 11 ;
xlviii. 3.

NOTES ON CHAP. VL sovereign of Egypt, in dismissing and thrusting out

Verse With a strong hand] npTH n^ yad chaza- the people.
1 . See chap. xii. 31—33.
kah, the same verb which we translate to harden ; see Verse 2. / am the Lord] It should be, / am JE-
on chap. iv. 21. The strong hand here means sove- HOVAH, and without this the reason of what is said
reign power, suddenly and forcibly applied. God pur- in the 3d verse is not sufficiently obvious.
posed to manifest his sovereign power in the sight of Verse 3. By the name of God Almighty] ^"W Sk
Pharaoh and the Egyptians in consequence of whicli ; El-Shaddai, God All-sufficient God the dispenser or ;

Pharaoh would manifest his power and niithority ns pmirpr-out dP gifts. See on Gen. xvii. 1.
316
 ;!
;

Jehovah promises by his 7iame CHAP. VI. to remember his covenant.

A.M. 2513. but by mv name « JEHOVAH keep in bondage ; and I have re- A. M. 2513.
B. C. 1491.
was T.I *u
i not known to them.
.
membered my covenant.
B. C. 1491.

4 ^ And I have also established my covenant 6 Wherefore say unto the children of Israel,
with them, ^ to give them the land of Canaan, am the Lord, and ^ I will bring you out
^ I

the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they from under the burdens of the Egyptians,
were strangers. and I will rid you out of their bondage, and
5 have also heard the groaning of I will ^ redeem you with a stretched-out arm,
And ^ I

the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians and with great judgments :

Ixxxiii. 18 ; Jolin viii. 58 ; Rev. Ver. 2, 8, 29.

i
chap. ^ 17 vii. 4 Deut. xxvi. 8
e Chap. iii. 14 Psa. Ixviii. 4
; ;
; ;

i. 4. fGen. xv. 18; xvii. 4, 7. s Gen. xvii.^; xxviii. 4. Psa. Ixxxi. 6; cxxxvi. 11, 12.- '
Chap. XV. 13 Deut. vii. 8
;

•»
Chap. ii. 24. 1 Chron. xvii. 21 ; Neh. i. 10.

But by my name Jehovah was I not known to provision he made for them, and the constant protec-
them.'l This passage has been a sort of crux criti- tion he afforded them : but the name nin"' Jehovah is

corum, and has been variously explained. It is cer- particularly to be referred to the accomplishment of
tain that the name Jehovah was in use long before the promises already made to the giving them a being,
;

days of Abraham, see Gen. ii. 4, where the words and thus bringing them into existence, which could not
DTiSn nin'' Jehovah Elohim occur, as they do fre- have been done in the order of his providence sooner
quently afterwards and see Gen. xv. 2, where Abra-
;
than here specified this name therefore in its power
:

ham expressly addresses him by the name Adonai and significancy was not known unto them ; nor fully
Jehovah and see the 7th verse, where God reveals
;
known unto their descendants till the deliverance from
himself to Abraham by this very name And he said : Egypt and the settlement in the promised land. It is
unto him, I am Jehovah, that brought thee out of TJr surely possible for a man to bear the name of a cer-
of the Chaldees. How then can it be said that by his tain office or dignity before he fulfils any of its func-
name Jehovah he toas not knoivn unto them ? Several tions. King, mayor, alderman, magistrate, constable,
answers have been given to this question the fol- ; may be borne by the several persons to whom they
lowing are the chief: —
1. The words should be read legally belong, before any of the acts peculiar to those
interrogatively, for the negative particle X; lo, not, offices are performed. The king, acknowledged as
has power often in Hebrew.
this " I appeared unto such on his coronation, is known to be such by his le-
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob by the name of God Al- gislative acts ; the civil magistrate, by his distribution
mighty, and by my name Jehovah was I not also of justice, and issuing warrants for the apprehending
made known unto them'?" 2. The name Jehovah of culprits and the constable, by executing those war- ;

was not revealed before the time mentioned here, for rants. All these were knoion to have their respective
though it occurs so frequently in the book of Genesis, names, but the exercise of their powers alone shows
as that book was written long after the name had what is implied in being king, magistrate, and consta-
come into common use, as a principal characteristic ble. The following is a case in point, which fell within
of God, Moses employs it in his history because of my own knowledge.
this circumstance so that whenever it appears pre-
; A case of dispute between certain litigious neigh-
viously to this, it is by the figure called prolepsis or bours being heard in court before a weekly sitting of
anticipation. 3. As the name nin^ Jehovah signifies the magistrates, a woman who came as an evidence in
existence, it may be understood in the text in question behalf of her bad neighbour, finding the magistrates
thus " 1 appeared unto Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
: inclining to give judgment against her mischievous
by my name God Almighty, or God All-sufficient, i. e., companion, took her by the arm and said, " Come away
having all power to do all good in this character I I told you you would get neither law nor justice in this
;

made a covenant with them, supported by great and place." A magistrate, who was as much an honour
glorious promises but as those promises had respect to his function as he was to human nature, immediately
;

unto their posterity, they could not be fulfilled to those said, " Here, constable take that woman and lodge !

fathers but now, as Jehovah, I am about to give her in Bridewell, that she may know there is some law
:

existence to all those promises relative to your support, and justice in this place."
deliverance from bondage, and your consequent settle- Thus the worthy magistrate proved he had the power
ment in the promised land." 4. The words may be implied in the name by executing the duties of his
considered as used comparatively : though God did office. And God who ivas known as Jehovah, the
appear to those patriarchs as Jehovah, and they being who makes and gives effect to promises, was
acknowledged him by this name, yet it was but com- known to the descendants of the twelve tribes to be
paratively known unto them they knew nothing of THAT Jehovah, by giving effect and being to the pro-
;

the power and goodness of God, in comparison of what mises which he had made to their fathers.
the Israelites were now about to experience. Verse 4. I have also established my covenant] I have
I believe the simple meaning is this, that though now fully purposed to give present effect to all my en-
from the beginning the name Jehovah was knowm as gagements with your fathers, in behalf of their posterity.
one of the names of the Supreme Being, yet what it Verse 6. Say unto the children of Israel, /am the
really implied they did not know, n'^ Sx El-Shaddai, Lord, and I will bring you out, dfc] This confirm*
God All-sufficient, they knew well by the continual the explanation given of ver. 3, which see.
317
 —
1 ;;

The Israelites disbelieve Moses. EXODUS. Gud's charge to Israel and Pharaoh.

A. M. 2513. 7 And I will "^lake you to me for Pharaoh hear me, ^ who am of un- A. M. 2513.

_ '.

L a people, and ° I will be to you a circumcised lips ?

B. C. 1491.

God and ye shall know that I am the

: 13 And the Lord spake unto Moses and
Lord
your God, which bringeth you out from unto Aaron, and gave them a charge unto the
°

under the burdens of the Egyptians. children of Israel, and unto Pharaoh king of
8 And I will bring you in unto the land, Egypt, to bring the children of Israel out of
concerning the which I did p swear ^ to give the land of Egypt.
it Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob and I
to ; 14 These be the heads of their fathers'
will give it you for a heritage I a7n the : houses :
'^
The sons of Reuben, the first-born
Lord. of Israel ; Hanoch, and Pallu, Hezron, and
9 And Moses spake so unto the children of Carmi : these be the families of Reuben.
Israel »
but they hearkened not unto Moses
: 15 ^ And the sons of Simeon ; Jemuel, and
for ^ anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage. Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and
10 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman these :

1 Go in, speak unto Pharaoh king of are the families of Simeon,

Egypt, that he let the children of Israel go 16 And these are the names of ^the sons
out of his land. Ger- of Levi according to their generations ;

12 And Moses spake

Lord, shon, and Kohath, and Merari and the years
before the ;

saying, Behold, the children of Israel have of the life of Levi were a hundred thirty and
' not hearkened unto me how then shall seven years. ;

"Deut. iv. 20; vii. 6; xiv.z; XxrL 18; 2 Sam. vii. 24. xxviii. 13 ; xxxv. 12. Chapter v. 21. ' Heb. shortiiess, or,
" Gen. chap. xxix. 45, 46 ; Deut. xxix. 13 ; Rev. xxi.
xvii. 7, 8 ; straitness. ' Ver. 9. " Ver. 30 ; chap. iv. 10 ; Jer. i. 6.
7. -0 Chap. V.
4, 5 Psa. Ixxxi. 6. P Heb. lift up my hand
;
" Gen. xlvi. 9 ; 1 Chron. v. 3. *>
Chron. iv. 24
1 Gen. ; xlvi.
see Gen. xiv. 22; Deut. xxxii. 40. 1 Gen. xv. 18; xxvi. 3 ; 10. ^Gen. xlvi. 11 ; Num. iii. 17; 1 Chron. vi. 1, 16.

Verse 7. I ivill take you to me for a people, dfc.^ was become so extremely oppressive that they had lost
This was precisely the covenant that he had made with all hope of ever being redeemed from it. After this
Abraham. See Gen. xvii. 7, and the notes there. verse the Samaritan adds, Let us alone, that we may
And ye shall know that I am the Lord your God^ serve the Egyptians : for it is better for us to serve
By thus fulfilling my promises ye shall know what is the Egyptians than that ive should die in the loilder-
implied in my name. See on ver. 3. ness. This appears to be borrowed from chap. xiv. 12.
But why should God take such a most stupid, re- Anguish of spirit] mi ^Yp kotzer ruach, shortness
fractory, and totally worthless people for his people ^ of spirit or breath. The words signify that their la-
1. Because he had promised to do so to their noble bour was so continual, and their bondage so cruel and
ancestors Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Judah, &c., oppressive, that they had scarcely time to breathe.
men worthy of all praise, because in general friends of Verse 12. Uncircumcised lips ?] The word Sv c^a^
God, devoted to his will and to the good of mankind. which we translate uncircumcised seems to signify ,

2. " That (as Bishop Warburton properly observes) any thing exuberant or superfluous. Had not Moses
the extraordinary providence by which they were pro- been remarkable for his excellent beauty, I should have
tected, might become the more visible and illustrious thought the passage might be rendered protuberant lips;
for had they been endowed with the shining qualities but as this sense cannot be admitted for the above rea-
of the more polished nations, the effects of that provi- son, the word must refer to some natural impediment
dence might have been ascribed to their own wisdom." in his speech and probably means a want of distinct ;

3. That God might show to all succeeding genera- and ready utterance, either occasioned by some defect
tions that he delights to instruct the ignorant, help the in the organs of speech, or impaired knowledge of the
weak, and save the lost for if he bore long with Israel, Egyptian language after an absence of forty years.
;

showed them especial mercy, and graciously received See the note on chap. iv. 10.
them whenever they implored his protection, none need Verse 14. These be the heads] 'iyN"l rashey, the
despair. God seems to have chosen the worst people chiefs or captains. The following genealogy was sim-
in the universe, to give by them imto mankind the high- ply intended to show that Moses and Aaron came in a
est and most expressive proofs, that he wills not the direct line from Abraham, and to ascertain the time of
death of a sinner, hut rather that he may turn from his Israel's deliverance. The whole account from this
iniquity and live. verse to ver. 26 is a sort of parenthesis, and does not
Verse 8. Which I did swear'] 'T nx ^nxiyj nasathi belong to the narration and what follows from ver. ;

eth yadi, I have lifted up my hand. The usual mode 28 is a recapitulation of what was spoken in the pre-
of making an appeal to God, and hence considered to ceding chapters.
be a form of swearing. It is thus that Isa. Ixii. 8 is Verse 16. The years of the life of Levi] "Bishop
to be understood The Lord hath sivorn by his right Patrick observes that Levi is thought to have lived the
:

hand, and by the arm of his strength. longest of all Jacob's sons, none of whose ages are
Verse 9. But they hearkened not] Their bondage recorded in Scripture but his and Joseph's, whom Levi
318
 91 ;

Genealogy of Moses and Aaron CHAP. VI. from the line of Abraham

A. M. 2513. 17 y The sons of Gershon and she bare him ^Nadab, and a.m. 2513.
B. C.149J.
Libni, and Shimi, according to their Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. —— ' ' '-

famiHes. 24 And the ^ sons of Korah Assir, and ;

18 And the sons of Kohath Amram, and Elkanah, and Abiasaph these are the famiHes
"^
; :

Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel and the years of the Korhites. :

of the Hfe of Kohath xoere a hundred thirty 25 And Eleazar, Aaron's son, took him one
and three years. of the daughters of Putiel to wife ; and ^ she
1 And ^ the sons of Merari ; MahaU and bare him Phinehas : these are the heads of
Mushi : these are the famihes of Levi accord- the fathers of the Levites according to their
ing to their generations. families.
20 And ^ Amram took him Jochebed his fa- 26 These are that Aaron and Moses, ^
to
ther's sister to wife ; and she bare him Aaron whom the Lord said, Bring out the children
and Moses and the years of the hfe of Am- of Israel from the land of Egypt according to
:

ram It; ere a hundred and thirty and seven years. their ^ armies.
2 And ° the sons of Izhar Korah, and 27 These are they which spake to Pha- ;
'

Nepheg, and Zichri. raoh, king of Egypt, " to bring out the children
22 And ^ the sons of Uzziel Mishael, and of Israel from Egypt these are that Moses ; :

Elzaphan, and Sithri. and Aaron.

23 And Aaron took him Ehsheba, daughter 28 And it came to pass on the day when the
of ® Amminadab, sister of Naashon, to wife Lord spake unto Moses in the land of Egypt, ;

y 1 Chron. vi. 17 ; xxiii. 7. ^ Num. xxvi. 57 ; 1 Chron. vi. fLev. X. 1 ; Num. iii. 2; xxvi. 60 ; 1 Chron. vi. 3 xxiv. 1. ;

2, 18. »1 Chron. vi. 19; xxiii. 21. Chap. ii.

»>
1,2; Num. sNum. xxvi. 11. h Num. xxv. 7,
11 ; Josh. xxiv. 33. >
Ver.
xxvi. 59. <^
Num. xvi. 1 ; Chron. vi. 37, 38.
1 ^ Lev. x. 4
;
13. Chap,
^ vii.4 ; xii. 17,51 ; Num. xxxiii. 1. Chap. v. 1

Num. iii. 30. « Ruth iv. 19, 20; 1 Chron. ii. 10; Matt. i. 4. 1 , 3 ; vii. 10. " Ver. 13 ; ch. xxxii. 7 xxxiii. 1 Psa. Ixxvii. 20,
; ;

survived twenty-seven years, though he vv'as much the Verse 21. Korah] Though he became a rebel
elder brother. By the common computation this would against God and Moses, (see Num. xvi. 1, &c.,) yet
be twenty-three years : by Kennicott's computation at Moses, in his great impartiality, inserts his name among
the end of Gen. xxxi., Levi's birth is placed twenty- those of his other progenitors.
four years before that of Joseph his death, therefore, ; Verse 22. Uzziel] He is called Aaron's uncle,
would be only three years later. But this is not the Lev. X. 4.
only difficulty in ancient chronologies. Kohath, the Verse 23. Elisheha] The oath of the Lord. It is
second son of Levi, according to Archbishop Usher the same name as Elizabeth, so very common among
was thirty years old when Jacob came into Egypt, and Christians. She was of the royal tribe of Judah, and
lived there one hundred and three years. He attained was sister to Nahshon, one of the princes see Num. ;

to nearly the same age with Levi, to one hundred and ii. 3.
thirty-three years and his son Amram, the father of
; Eleazar] He succeeded to the high priesthood on
Moses, lived same age with Levi.
to the may We the death of his father Aaron, Num. xx. 25, &c.
observe here how the Divine promise. Gen. xv. 16, Verse 25. Phinehas] Of the celebrated act of this
of delivering the Israelites out of Egypt in i\ie fourth person, and the most honourable grant made to him and
generation was verified ; for Moses was the son of his posterity, see Num. xxv. 7-13.
Amram, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, the son Verse 26. According to their armies.] DHNDi* tsi-
of Jacob.'''' —DoDD. botham, their battalions —
regularly arranged troops.
Verse 20. His father''s sister] imi dodatho. The As God had these particularly under his care and
true meaning of this word is uncertain. Parkhurst direction, he had the name of mXDX niiT' Yehovah
observes that Tn dod signifies an uncle in 1 Sam. x. tsebaoth, Lord of hosts or armies.
14 Lev. X. 4, and frequently elsewhere.
; It signifies " The plain and disinterested manner," says Dr.
also an uncle^s son, a cousin-german : compare Jer. Dodd, " in which Moses speaks here of his relations,
xxxii. 8 with ver. 12, where the Vulgate renders 'TT and the impartiality wherewith he inserts in the list
dodi by patruelis mei, my paternal cousin ; and in of them such as were afterwards severely punished
Amos vi. 10, for )'\)'\ dodo, the Targum has n'3'lp by the Lord, are striking proofs of his modesty and
karibiah, his near relation. So the Vulgate, propin- sincerity. He inserts the genealogy of Reuben and
quus ejus, his relative, and the Septuagint, ol oiKetpi Simeon, because they were of the same mother with
avTuv, those of their household. The best critics sup- Levi and though he says nothing of himself, yet he
;

pose that Jochebed was the cousin-german of Amram, relates particularlywhat concerns Aaron, ver. 23, who
and not his aunt. See chap. ii. 1. married into an honourable famUy, the sister of a
Bare him Aaron and Moses] The Samaritan, Sep- prince of the tribe of Judah."
tuagint, Syriac, and one Hebrew MS. add, And Mi- Verse 28. And it came to pass] Here the seventh
riam their sister. Some of the best critics suppose chapter should commence, as there is a complete end-
these words to have been originally in the Hebrew text. ing of the sixth with ver. 27, and the 30th verse of
319
 ;

Mission of Moses and Aaron. EXODUS. Obstinacy of Pharaoh faretold.

A. M. 2513.29 That the Lord spake unto 30 And Moses said before the a.m. 2513.
B. C. 1491.
^'^ ^^"^'
Lord, Behold, p I am of uncircum-
Moses, saying, "1 am the Lord :

• speak thou unto Pharaoh, king of Egypt, all cised lips, and how shall Pharaoh hearken

that I say unto thee. unto me ?

° Ver. 2. ° Ver. 11 ; chap. vii. 2. P Ver. 12 ; chap. iv. 10.

this chapter is intimately connected with the 1st verse counterbalanced by mental defects, and mental imper-
of the succeeding. fections often by personal accomplishments. Thus
the head cannot say to the foot, I have no need of
The principal subjects in this chapter have been so thee. And God does all this in great wisdom, to hide
amply considered in the notes, that little of importance pride from man, and that no flesh may glory in his
remains to be done. On the nature of a covenant presence. To
be contented with our formation, endow-
(see ver. 4) ample information may be obtained by ments, and external circumstances, requires not only
-referring to Gen. vi. 18, and xv. 9—18, which places much submission to the providence of God, but also
the reader will do well to consult. much of the mind of Christ. On the other hand,
Supposing Moses to have really laboured under should we feel vanity because of some personal or
jome defect in speech, we may consider it as wisely mental accomplishment, we have only to take a view
designed to be a sort of counterbalance to his other of our ivhole to find sufficient cause of humiliation ;

excellences at least this is an ordinary procedure

: and after all, the meek and gentle spirit only is, in the
of Divine Providence ; personal accomplishments are sight of God, of great price.

CHAPTER VIL
The dignified mission of Moses and Aaron t^Pharaoh—the one to b^
God, the other as a prophet of the ^
Most Hio-h, 1,2. The prediction that Pharaoh's heart should be hardened, that God mig.'.^ -n'Mttply ,»„-
si^ms and wonders in Egypt, that the inhabitants might know he alone loas
the true God, 3-6. The age
of Moses and Aaron, 7. God gives them directions how they should act before Pharaoh, 8, 9. Moses
turns his rod into a serpent, 10. The magicians imitate this miracle, and Pharaoh's heart is hardened,
11-13. Moses is commanded to wait upon Pharaoh next morning when he should come to the river, and
threaten to turn the waters into blood if he did not let the people go,
14-18. The waters in all the land
Egypt are turned into blood, 19, 20. The fish die, 21. The magicians imitate this, and Pharaoh's
of
heart is again hardened. 22, 23. The Egyptians sorely distressed because of the bloody ivaters, 24 This
plague endures seven days, 25.
A. M. 2513.
M 2513. A
rs^
ND the Lord said unto Moses, 4 But Pharaoh shall not hearken
B. C. 1491.
C. 1491.
g^^^ J ^^^^ ^^^g ^j^gg a a god unto you, ^ that I may lay my hand
to Pharaoh : and Aaron thy brother be upon Egypt, and bring forth mine armies, and
shall
^ thy prophet. my people the children of Israel, out of the
2 Thou shalt speak all that I
"= command land of Egypt, ^ by great judgments.
5 And the Egyptians shall know that I am '
thee and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto
:

the Lord, when I ^ stretch forth mine hand

Pharaoh, that he send the children of Israel

cut of his land. upon Egypt, and bring out the children of
3 And I will
^ harden Pharaoh's heart, and Israel from among them.
* multiply my ^ signs and my wonders in the 6 And Moses and Aaron * did as the Lord
land of Egypt. commanded them, so did they.

10. ''Chap. 10. Chap. iv. 15. s Chap. X. 1 xi. 9. ^ chap. vi. 6. * Ver. 17 ; chap. viii. 22
•Chap. iv. 16; Jer. i. iv. <= ;

V er. 2.
<>
Chap. iv.21. « Chap. xi. 9. ' Chap. iv. 7. xiv. 4, 18 ; Psa. ix. 16. ^ Chap. iii. 20. '

NOTES ON CHAP. VII. that I may have the greater opportunity to multiply
Verse 1. / have made thee a god\ At thy word my wonders in the land, that the Egyptians may knew
am Jehovah, the self-existent God. See
every plague shall come, and at thy command each that I only
shall be removed. Thus Moses must have appeared on chap. iv. 21.
as a god to Pharaoh. Verse 5. And bring out the children of Israel]

Shall be thy prophet.] Shall receive the word from Pharaoh's obstinacy was either caused or permitted in
thy mouth, and communicate it to the Egyptian king, mercy to the Egyptians, that he and his magicians
ver. 2. being suffered to oppose Moses and Aaron to the ut-
*•*
Verse 3. / ivill harden Pharaoh's heart] I will term°ost of their power, the Israelites might be brought
^ lit his stubbornness and obstinacy still to remain, out of Egypt in so signal a manner, in spite of al.
seo
 1 ;

The rod becomes a serpent. CHAP. VII. The magicians imitate U

A. M. 2513. 7 And Moses was ™ fourscore 10 And Moses and Aaron went A. M. 2513.
B. C. 1491. B. C. 1-191.
years old, and Aaron fourscore and in unto Pharaoh, and they did
three years old, when they spake unto Pharaoh. so p as the Lord had commanded : and Aaron
8 And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto east down his rod before Pharaoh, and
Aaron, saying, before his servants, and it i became a
9 When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, serpent.
saying, "^
Show a miracle foryou then thou 1 Then Pharaoh also called the wise men
:
''

shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and and ^ the sorcerers
° now the magicians of :

cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become Egypt, they also * did in like manner with
a serpent. their enchantments.

"> Dent. xxfx. 5 ; xxxi. 2 ; xxxiv. 7 ; Acts vii. 23, 30. "» Isa. P Verse 9. 1 Chap. iv. 3. ^ Gen.-xli. 8. »2 Tim. iii. 8.
vii. 11 ; John ii. 18 ; vi. 30. » Chap. iv. 2, 17. ' Ver. 22 ; chap. viii. 7, 18.

the opposition of the Egyptians, their king, and their xliv. 19 ; Isa. xiii. xxxv. 7 xliii. 20 ;
22 ; xxxiv. 13 ; ;

gods, that Jehovah might appear to be All-mighty and Jer. ix. 11, &c., and also a dragon, serpent, or
&c. ;

All-sufficient. whale, Job vii. 12 Psa. xci. 13 ;

Isa. xxvii. 1 Ii. 9 ; ;

Verse 7. Moses wa.s fourscore years old] He was Jer. Ii. 34 Ezek. xxix. 3 xxxii. 2
;
and is termed, in; ;

forty years old when he went to Midian, and he had our translation, a sea-monster, Lam. iv. 3. As it was
tarried /or/y years in Midian; (see chap. ii. 11, and a rod or staff that was changed into the tannim in the
Acts vii. 30 ;) and from this verse it appears that cases mentioned here, it has been supposed that an
Aaron was three years older than Moses. We have ordinary serpent is what is intended by the word, be-
already seen that Miriam their sister was older than cause the size of both might be then pretty nearly
either, chap. ii. 4. equal but as a miracle was wrought on the occasion,
:

this circumstance is of no weight it was as easy for

Verse 9. Show a miracle for you] miracle, niJI'D A ;

mopheth, signifies an effect produced in nature which

God to change the rod into a crocodile, or any other crea-
ture, as to change it into an adder or common snake.
is opposed to its laws, or such as its powers are inade-

quate to produce. As Moses and Aaron professed to

—
Verse 11. Pharaoh called the wise men] D'ODn
have a Divine mission, and to come to Pharaoh on chacamim, the men of learning. Sorcerers, Cas^D

the most extraordinary occasion, making a most singu-

cashshephim, those who reveal hidden things proba- ;

lar and unprecedented demand, it was natural to sup- bly from the Arabic root L % AT kashafa, to reveal,
pose, if Pharaoh should even give them an audience, uncover, &c., signifying diviners, or those who pre-
that he would require them to give him some proof by tended to reveal what was in futurity, to discover
an extraordinary sign that their pretensions to such a things lost, to find hidden treasures, &c.
Magicians,
Divine mission were well founded and incontestable. "•OU'inchartummey, decypherers of abstruse writings.
For it appears to have ever been the sense of man- See the note on Gen. xli. 8.
kind, that he who has a Divine mission to effect some They also did in like manner ivith their enchant-
extraordinary purpose can give a supernatural proof ments.] The word D'DnV lahatim, comes from OVn
that he has got this extraordinary commission. lahat, tohum, to set on fire ; and probably signifies
Take thy rod] This rod, whether a common staff, such incantations as required lustral fires, sacrifices,
an ensign of ofHce, or a shepherd's crook, was now fumigations, burning of incense, aromatic and odori-
consecrated for the purpose of working miracles and ; ferous drugs, &c., as the means of evoking departed
is indifferently called the rod of God, the rod of Mo- spirits or assistant demons, by whose ministry, it is
ses, and the rod of Aaron. God gave it the miracu- probable, the magicians in question wrought some of
lous power, and Moses and Aaron used it indifferently. their deceptive miracles : for as the term miracle sig-
Yexse 10. Ithecame a serpent.] y^rs tannin. What nifies properly something which exceeds the powers
kind of a serpent is here intended, learned men are of nature or art to produce, (see ver. 9,) hence there
not agreed. From the manner in which the original could be no miracle in this case but those wrought,
word is used in Psa. Ixxiv. 13 Isa. xxvii. 1 Ii. 9 ; ; ;
through the power of God, by the ministry of Moses
Job vii. 12 some very large creature, either aquatic
; and Aaron. There can be no doubt that real serpents
or amphibious, is probably meant ; some have thought were produced by the magicians. On this subject
that the crocodile, a well-known Egyptian animal, is there are two opinions: 1st, That the serpents were
here intended. In chap. iv. 3 it is said that this rod such as they, either by juggling or sleight of hand,
was changed into a serpent, but the original word had brought to the place, and had secreted till the
there istynJ nachash, and here j'jn tannin, the same time of exhibition, as our common conjurers do in the
word which we translate tohale, Gen. i. 21. public fairs, «&c. 2dly, That the serpents were brought
As '\i/X\l nachash seems to be a term restricted to no by the ministry of a familiar spirit, which, by the
one particular meaning, as has already been shown on magic fliames already referred to, they had evoked for
Gen. iii. so the words pjn tannin, D'J'jn tanninim,
; the purpose. Both these opinions admit the serpents
Cn tannim, and ni3n tannoth, are used to signify dif- to be real, and no illusion of the sight, as some have
ferent kinds of animals in the Scriptures. The word supposed.
is supposed to signify the jackal in Job
xxx. 29 Psa. ; The first opinion appears to me insufficient to ac-
Vol. I. ( 22 ) 321
 53 ; 76
8 . —

God threatens to turn the EXODUS. waters of the river into blood

12 For thev cast

A. M. 2513.
B. C. 1491. ,.,,,, down
every man
became serpents
1 And thou shalt say unto him, A. M. 2513.
' The Lord God of the Hebrews
his rod, and they
-^

^- ^- ^^^^'
:

but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods. hath sent me unto thee, saying, Let my people
1 And he hardened Pharaoh's heart, that he go, y that they may serve me in the wilder-
hearkened not unto them " as the Lord ness
; and, behold, hitherto thou wouldest :

had said. not hear.

14 And the Lord said unto Moses, ' Pha- 1 Thus saith the Lord, In this ^ thou shalt
raoh's heart is hardened, he refuseth to let know that I am the Lord : behold, I will
the people go, smite with the rod that is in mine hand upon
1 Get thee unto Pharaoh in the morning the waters which are in the river, and * they
lo, he goeth out unto the water and thou shall be turned ^ to blood. ;

shalt stand by the river's brink against he 1 And the fish that is in the river shall die,
come ; and "^
the rod which was turned to a and the river shall stink ; and the Egyptians
serpent shalt thou take in thine hand. shall " loathe to drink of the water of the river.
" Chap. iv. 21 ; ver. 4. " Chap. viii. 15 ; x. 1, 20, 27. w Ch y Chap. iii. 12, 18 ; v. 1, 3. ^ Chap. v. 2 ; ver. 5. ' Chap.
iv. 2, 3; ver. 10. »Chap. iii. 18. iv. 9. •> Rev. xvi. 4, 6. « Ver. 24.

count for the phenomena of the case referred to. If where persons are determined to think and act after a
the magicians threw down their rods, and they became predetermined plan, arguments, demonstrations, and
serpents after they were thrown down, as the text ex- even miracles themselves, are lost on them, as in the
pressly says, ver. 12, juggling or sleight of hand hd^d^ case of Pharaoh here, and that of the obstinate Jews
nothing farther to do in the business, as the rods were in thedays of our Lord and his apostles.
then out of their hands. If Aaron's rod swallowed up Verse 15. Lo, he goeth out unto the water] Proba-
their rods, their sleight of hand was no longer con- bly for the purpose of bathing, or of performing some
cerned. A
man, by dexterity of hand, may so far religious ablution. Some suppose he went out to pay
impose on his spectators as to appear to eat a rod adoration to the river Nile, which was an object of reli-
;

but for rods lying on the ground to become serpents, gious worship among the ancient Egyptians. " For,"
and one of these to devour all the rest so that it alone says Plutarch, De Iside., ovSeu ovru rifirj A-t-yvmioic
remained, required something more than juggling. d)C 6 Nfi/lof " nothing is in greater honour among •

How much more rational at once to allow that these the Egyptians than the river Nile." Some of the
magicians had familiar spirits who could assume all ancient Jews supposed that Pharaoh himself was a
shapes, change the appearances of the subjects on magician, and that he walked by the river early each
which they operated, or suddenly convey one thing morning for the purpose of preparing magical rites, &c.
away and substitute another in its place Nature has Verse 17. Behold, I icill smite] Here commences
!

no such power, and art no such influence as to pro- the account of the ten plagues which were inflicted
duce the effects attributed here and in the succeeding on the Egyptians by Moses and Aaron, by the com-
chapters to the Egyptian magicians. mand and through the power of God. According to
A^'erse 12. Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods.'] Archbishop Usher these ten plagues took place in the
As Egypt was remarkably addicted to magic, sorcery, course of one month, and in the following order :

&c., it was necessary that God should permit Pha- The first, the waters turned into blood, took place,
raoh's wise men to act to the utmost of their skill in he supposes, the 18th day of the sixth month ver. 20. ;

order to imitate the work of God, that his superiority The second, the plague of frogs, on the 25th day
might be clearly seen, and his powerful working in- of the sixth month chap. viii. 1 ;

contestably ascertained and this was fully done when

; The third, the plague of lice, on the 27th day of
Aaron's rod sivalloioed up their rods. We have al- the sixth month; chap. viii. 16.
ready seen that the names of two of the chief of these The fourth, grievous swarms of flies, on the 29th
magicians were Jannes and Jamhres ; see chap. ii. 10, day of the sixth month; chap. viii. 24.
and 2 Tim. iii. 8. Many traditions and fables con- The fifth, the grievous murrain, on the 2d day of
cerning these may be seen in the eastern writers. the seventh month; chap. ix. 3.
Verse 13. And he hardened Pharaoh's heai-t] pin'1 The sixth, the plague of boils and blains, on the
n>n3 nb vaiyechezak leb Paroh, " And the heart of 3d day of the seventh month; chap. ix. 10.
Pharaoh was hardened," the identical words which in The seventh, the grievous hail, on the 5th day of
ver. 22 are thus translated, and which should have the seventh month; chap. ix. 18.
been rendered in the same way here, lest the harden- The eighth, the plague of locusts, on the 8th day
ing, which was evidently the effect of his own obsti- of the seventh month; chap. x. 12.
nate shutting of his eyes against the truth, should be The ninth, the thick darkness, on the 10th day of
attributed to God. See on chap. iv. 21. Abib, (April 30,) now become the first month of the Jew-
Verse 14. Pharaoh's heart is hardened] TDD cabed, ish year; chap. x. 22. But see the note on chap. xii. 2.
is become heavy or stupid ; he receives no conviction, The tenth, the slaying the first-born, on the 15th
notwithstanding the clearness of the light which shines of Abib; chap. xii. 29. But most of these dates ar«
upon him. We well know the power of prejudice : destitute of proof.
a 322 ( 22* >
 1 . — ;;

The first plague of Egypt. ;hap VII. The waters turned into blood.

A. M. 2513. 19 And the Lord spake unto sight of Pharaoh, and m the sight a. m. 2513.
B. C. 1491. ru- 1 11 B. C.U91.
Moses, Say unto Aaron, Take thy 01 his servants and all the ^ waters
1
_ ;

rod, and ^ stretch out thine hand upon the that were in the river were turned to blood.
waters of Egypt, upon their streams, upon 2 And the fish that was in the river died
their rivers, and upon their ponds, and upon and the river stank, and the Egyptians ^ could
all their « pools of water, that they may be- not drink of the water of the river; and
come blood ; and that there may be blood there was blood throughout all the land of
throughout all the land of Egypt, both in Egypt.
vessels of wood, and
in vessels of stone, 22 And the magicians of Egypt did so with '

20 And Moses and Aaron did so, as the Lord their enchantments and Pharaoh's heart was :

commanded and he ^ lifted up the rod, and hardened, neither did he hearken unto them
;

smote the waters that tvere in the river, in the ^ as the Lord had said.

d Chap. viii. 5, 6, 16; ix. 22 x. 12, 21 xiv. 21, 26. e Heb. cv. 29 Rev. viii. 9. Ver. 18. Ver. 11 ; chap. viii. 7, 8;
>> '
; ; ;

gathering of their waters. f

Chap. xvii. 5. 5 Psa. Ixxviii. 44 ; Wisd.xvii.7. ''Prov. xxix. 1; Isa.xxvi.ll; Jer. v. 3 ; xxxvi. 24.

Verse 18. The Egyptians of verse loathe to drink of that for which they had been
shall loathe to drink ;

the loater] The accustomed to long, and will rather choose to drink of
force of this expression cannot be
well felt without taking into consideration the peculiar well water, which in their country is detestable !"
pleasantness and great salubrity of the waters of the Observations, vol. iii., p. 564.
Nile. " The water of Egypt," says the Abbe Mas- Verse 19. That there may be blood both in vessels —
crier, " is so delicious, that one would not wish the of ivood, and in vessels of stone.] Not only the Nile
heat to be less, or to be delivered from the sensation itself was to be thus changed into blood in all its
of thirst. The Turks find it so exquisite that they branches, and the canals issuing from it, but all the
excite themselves to drink of it by eating salt. It is water of lakes, ponds, and reservoirs, was to undergo

a common saying among them, that if Mohammed had a similar change. And this was to extend even to the
drank of it he would have besought God that he might water already brought into their houses for culinary
never die, in order to have had this continual gratifi- and other domestic purposes. As the water of the
cation. When the Egyptians undertake the pilgrim- Nile is known to be very thick and muddy, and the
age of Mecca, or go out of their country on any other Egyptians are obliged to filter it through pots of a kind
account, they speak of nothing but the pleasure they of white earth, and sometimes through a paste made
shall have at their return in drinking of the waters of of almonds, Mr. Harmer supposes that the vessels of
the Nile. There is no gratification to be compared to ivood and stone mentioned above may refer to the pro-
this ;it surpasses, in their esteem, that of seeing their cess of filtration, which no doubt has been practised
relations and families. All those who have tasted of among them from the remotest period. The meaning
this water allow that they never met with the like in given above I think to be more natural.
any other place. When a person drinks of it for the
first time he can scarcely be persuaded that
The FIRST plague. The waters turned into blood.
is not a
water prepared by art ; for it has something
it

in it in- Verse 20. All the waters were turned to blood.] —

expressibly agreeable and pleasing to the taste ; and it Not merely appearance, but in reality for these
in ;

should have the same rank among tvaicrs that cham- changed waters became corrupt and insalubrious, so
paign has among luines. But its most valuable quality that even the fish that were in the river died ; and the
is, that it is exceedingly salutary. It never incom- smell became highly offensive, so that the waters could
modes, let it be drank in what quantity it may this is not be drank ver. 2 1

so true that it is no uncommon thing to see some per-

:

Verse 22. And the magicians did so] But if all

;

—
sons drink three buckets of it in a day without the the water in Egypt was turned into blood by Moses,
least inconvenience When I pass such encomiums
! where did the magicians get the water which they
on the water of Egypt it is right to observe that I changed into blood 1 This question is answered in
speak only of that of the Nile, which indeed is the verse 24. The Egyptians digged round about the
only water drinkable, for their ivell ivater is detestableriver for water to drink, and it seems that the water
and unwholesome. Fountains are so rare that they obtained by this means was not bloody like that in the
are a kind of prodigy in that country and as to rain river on this water therefore the magicians might
; :

water, that is out of the question, as scarcely any falls operate. Again, though a general commission was
in Egypt." given to Moses, not only to turn the waters of the river
" A person," says Mr. Harmer, " who never before (Nile) into blood, but also those of their streams, rivers,
heard of the deliciousness of the Nile water, and of ponds, and pools yet it seems pretty clear from verse ;

the large quantities which on that account are drank 20 that he did not proceed thus far, at least in the first
of it, will, I am sure, find an energy in those words instance for it is there stated that only the waters of ;

of Moses to Pharaoh, The Egyptians shall loathe to the river were turned into blood. Afterwards the plague
drink of the ivaler of the river, which he never ob- doubtless became general. At the commencement
served before. They will loathe to drink of that water therefore of this plague, the magicians might obtain
which they used to prefer to all the waters of the uni- other water to. imitate the miracle and it would not ;

a 323
 The waters of the river EXODUS. continue blood seven days.
A. M. 2513. 33 And Pharaoh turned and went the river for water to drink ; ^ for they A. M. 2513.
B. C. 1491.
into his house, ' neither did he set could not drink of the water ofthe river. ^' ^' ^'^^^'

his heart to this also. 25 And seven days were

"^
fulfilled, after
24 And all the Eg3'-ptians digged round about Lord had smitten the
that the river.
i
Ver. 3. '
Ver. 18, 21. ° 2 Sam. xxiv. 13.

be difficult for them, by juggling tricks or the assist- with the Egyptian magicians for the heathens, having
;
ance of a familiar spirit, (for we must not abandon the
no just notion of the power of God, attributed all mira-
possibility of this use,) to giveit a bloody appearance,
cles to the influence of magic. Pliny also calls the
a fetid smell, and a bad taste. On either of these Egyptian magicians Jews ; but this is not the only mis-
grounds there is no contradiction in the Mosaic account,
take in his history and as he adds, sed multis milli-
;
though some have been very studious to find one.
bus annorum post Zoroastrem, he is supposed by some
The plague of the bloody waters may be considered to refer to the Christians, and particularly the apostles
as a display of retributive justice against the Egyp-
who \\Tought many miracles, and whom he considers
tians, for the murderous decree which enacted that
all to be a magical sect derived from Moses and the Jews,
the male children of the Israelites should be drowned
because they were Jews by nation, and quoted Moses
in that river, the waters of which, so necessary to their
and the prophets in proof of the truth of the doctrines
support and life, were now rendered not only insalu-
of Christianity, and of the Divine mission of Christ
brious but deadlij, by being turned into blood.
As it Numenius, a Pythagorean philosopher, mentioned
is well known that the Nile was a chief
object of by Eusebius, names these magicians, Jamnes and Jam-
Egyptian idolatry, (see on ver. 15,) and that annually
bres, and mentions their opposition to Moses and we ;
they sacrificed a girl, or as others say, both a boy and
have already seen that there was a tradition among the
a girl, to this river, in gratitude for the benefits re-
Asiatics that Pharaoh's daughter had Moses instructed
ceived from it, {Universal Hist., vol. i.,
p. 178, foi. by the wise men Jannes and Jambres ; see Abid Fa-
fldit.,) (36(A-JJiight have designed this plague as a pun- raje, edit.
Pococ, p. 26. Here then is a very remark-
ishment for such cruelty and the contempt poured able fact, the principal circumstances of
:

which, and
upon this object of their adoration, by turning its wa- the chief actors in them,
have been preserved by a
ters into blood, and rendering them fetid and corrupt, sort of
universal tradition. See Ainsworth.
must have had a direct tendency to correct their idol- When all the circumstances of the preceding case
atrous notions, and lead them to acknowledge the power are considered,
it seems strange that God should enter
and authority of the true God. into any contest with such persons as the Egyptian
Verse 25. And seven days were fulfilled] So we magicians but a little reflection will show the abso-
;

learn that this plague continued at least a whole lute necessity

of this. Mr. Psalmanazar, who wrote
week. the Account of the Jews in the first volume of the
Universal History, gives the following judicious rea.
The contention between Moses and Aaron and the sons for this " If it be asked," says he, " why God
:

magicians of Egypt has become famous throughout the did suffer the Egyptian magicians to borrow power
world. Tradition in various countries has preserved, from the devil to invalidate, if possible, those miracles
not only the account, but also the names of the chief which his servant wrought by his Divine power, the
persons concerned in the opposition made by the Egyp- following reasons may be given for it: 1. It was ne-
tians to these messengers of God. Though their names
cessary that these magicians should be suffered to exert
are not mentioned in the sacred text, yet tradition had the utmost of their power against Moses, in order to
preserved them in the Jewish records, from which St. clear him from the imputation of 7nagic or sorcery ;
Paul undoubtedly quotes 2 Tim. iii. 8, where, speaking for as the notion of such an extraordinary art was very
of the enemies of the Gospel, he compares them to rife, not only among the Egyptians, but all other na-
Jannes and Jambres, loho withstood Moses. That these tions, if they had not entered into this strenuous com-
names existed in the ancient Jewish records, their own petition with him, and been at length overcome by him,
writings show. In the Targum of Jonathan ben Uz- both the Hebrews and the Egyptians would have been \

ziel on this place they are called on^O^I D'y Janis

and apter to have attributed all his miracles to his skill in
Jambris; and in the Babylonian Talmud they are named
magic, than to the Divine power.
Joanne and Mambre, and are represented as chiefs of "2. It was necessary, in order to confirm the faith
the sorcerers of Egypt, and as having ridiculed Moses
of the wavering and desponding Israelites, by making
and Aaron for pretending to equal them in magical arts.
them see the difference between Moses acting by the
And Rab. Tanchum, in his Commentary, names them power of God, and the
sorcerers by that of Satan.
Jonos and Jombrus. If we allow the readings of the "3. It was necessary, in order to preserve them
ancient editions of Pliny to be correct, he refers, in
afterwards from being seduced by any false miracles
Hist. Nat., XXX., c. 2, to the same persons,
1.
the names from the true worship of God."
being a little changed Est et alia magiccs faclio, a
:
To these a fourth reason may be added God per» :

Mose et Jamne et Jotape Judceis pendens, sed midtis mitted this in mercy to the Egj'ptians, that they might
millibus annorum post Zoroastrem ; " There is also see that the gods in whom they trusted were utterly
another faction of magicians which took its origin from incapable of saving them ; that they could not undo or
the Jews, Moses, Jamnes, and Jotapes, many thousands counteract one of the plagues sent on them by the
of years after Zoroaster ;"where he confounds Moses power of Jehovah the whole of their influence ex-
;

324
 ;

Moses is again sent to Pharaoh. CHAP. VIII. Frogs, the second plague, threatened.

tending only to some superficial imitations of the genu- God is known by his judgments : for in every opera-

ine miracles wrought by Moses in the name of the true tion of his hand his design is to enlighten the minds
God, By these means it is natural to conclude that of men, to bring them from false dependences to trust
many of the Egyptians, and perhaps several of the in himself alone ; that, being saved from error and sin,

servants of Pharaoh, were cured of their idolatry they may become wise, holy, and happy. When his
though the king himself hardened his heart against the judgments are abroad in the earth, the inhabitants learn

evidences which God brought before his eyes. Thus righteousness. See the note on chap. iv. 31.

CHAPTER VHI.
The plague of frogs threatened, 1, 2. The extent of this plague, 3, 4. Aaron commanded to stretch on*
his hand, with the rod, over the river and ivaters of Egypt, in consequence of which the frogs .came, 5, 6.
The magicians imitate this miracle, 7. Pharaoh entreats Moses to remove the frogs, and promises to let
the people go, 8. Moses promises that they shall he removed from every part of Egypt, the river excepted,
9-11. Moses prays to God, and the frogs die throughout the land of Egypt, 12-14. Pharaoh, finding
himself respited, hardens his heart, 15. The plague o/lice on man and beast, 16, 17. The magicians
attempt to imitate this miracle, but in vain, 18. They confess it to be the finger of God, and yet Pharaoh
continues obstinate, 19. Moses is sent again to him to command him to let the people go, and in case of

disobedience he is threatened with swarms of flies, 20, 21. A promise made that the land of Goshen,
where the Israelites dwelt, should be exempted from this plague, 22, 23. The flies are sent, 24. Pha
raoh sends for Moses and Aaron, and offers to permit them to sacrifice in the land, 25. They refuse,
and desire to go three day s^ journey into the ivilderness, 26, 27. Pharaoh consents to let them go a little
way, provided they icould entreat the Lord to remove the flies, 28. Moses consents, prays to God, and
the flies are removed, 29—31. After which Pharaoh yet hardened his heart, and refused to let the people
go, 32.

, M. 2513. A
-TL
ND the Lord spake unto Moses, 2 And if thou ^ refuse to let them A. M. 25X3.
. C. 1491. ^
ho -nt 1
unto rharaoh, and say unto go,
J
behold, I will smite all thy —— '-

him, Thus saith the Lord, Let my people go, borders with " frogs :

" that they may serve me 3 And the river shall bring forth frogs
> Chap. iii. 12, 18. b Chap. vii. 14 ; ix. 2. <=
Rev. xvi. 13.

NOTES ON CHAP. VIII. by Bochart, who says the word is compounded of

The SECOND plague — frogs. 2ULc a bank, and C/-^ rada, mud, because. the
zifa,
frog delights in muddy or marshy places and that
Verse 1. Let my people go] God, in great mercy ;

to Pharaoh and the Egyptians, gives them notice of from these two words the noun %.^sja zafda is formed,
the evils he intended to bring upon them if they con- the re being dropped. ^
In the Batrochomyomachia
tinued in their obstinacy. Having had therefore such of Homer, the frog has many of its epithets from this
warning, the evil might have been prevented by a very circumstance. Hence Ai/ivoxapic, delighting in
timely humiliation and return to God. the lake ; Bopj3opoKoiT7}c, lying or engende7-ing in the
Verse 2. If thou refuse] Nothing can be plainer mud ; Ilr/Aevf and TlrjXoliarrj^, belonging to the mudy
than that Pharaoh had it still in his power to have dis- walking in the mud, djC, 6fc.
missed the people, and that his refusal was the mere A frog is in itself a very harmless animal but to ;

effect of his own wilful obstinacy. most people who use it not as an article of food, ex-
With frogs] D'^mflX tsepardeim. This word is ceedingly loathsome. God, with equal ease, could
of doubtful etymology almost all interpreters, both have brought crocodiles, bears, lions, or tigers to have
:

ancient and modern, agree to render it as we do, punished these people and their impious king, instead
though some mentioned by Aben Ezra think the croco- of frogs, lice, flies, <^c. But had he used any of those
dile is meant but these can never weigh against the formidable animals, the effect would have appeared so
;

conjoint testimony of the ancient versions. Parkhurst commensurate to the cause, that the hand of God might
derives the word from "I3i' tsaphar, denoting the brisk have been forgotten in the punishment and the people ;

action, or motion of the light, and J^T yada, to feel, would have been exasperated Vvithout being humbled.
as they seem to feel or rejoice in the light, croaking In the present instance he shows the greatness of his
all the summer months, yet hiding themselves in the power by making an animal, devoid of every evil qua-
winter. The Arabic name for this animal is very lity, the means of a terrible affliction to his enemies.
nearly the same with the Hebrew Cj^M zafda, where How easy is it, both to the justice and mercy
of God,
to destroy or save by means of the most despicable
the letters are the same, the "l resch being omitted. and insignificant of instruments Though he is the !

It is used as a quadriliteral root in the Arabic lan- Lord of hosts he has no need of powerful armies,
guage, to signify froggy, or containing frogs : see the ministry of angels, or the thunderbolts of justice,
Golius. But the true etymology seems to be given I
to punish a sinner or a sinful nation the frog or the
a 325
 Frogs come over all the land, EXODUS. upon which Pharaoh relents.

A. M. 2513. abundantly, vvliich shall go up and up, and covered the land of A. M. 2513.

—— ' '.

1 come into thine house, and into Egypt.

B. C. 1491.

^ thy bed-chamber, and upon thy bed, and 7 '^And the magicians did so with their
into the house of thy servants, and upon thy enchantments, and brought up frogs upon the
people, and into thine ovens, and into thy land of Egy^pt.
* kneading-troughs : 8 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron,
4 And the frogs shall come up both on thee, and said, '
Entreat the Lord that he may take
and upon thy people, and upon all thy servants. away the frogs from me, and from my people ;

5 And the Lord spake unto Moses, Say and I will let the people go, that they may
unto Aaron, Stretch forth thine hand with
*"
do sacrifice unto the Lord.
thy rod over the streams, over the rivers, and 9 And Moses said unto Pharaoh, ^ Glory
over the ponds, and cause frogs to come up over me when shall I entreat for thee, and :
^

upon the land of Egypt. for thy servants, and for thy people, ™ to de-
6 And Aaron stretched out his hand over stroy the frogs from thee and thy houses,
the waters of Egypt and s the frogs came that they may remain in the river only ?
;

^ Psa. cv. 30. e Or, dough. f

Ch. vii. 19. s Psa. Ixxviii. Num. xxi. 7 1 Kings; xiii. 6 ; Acts viii. 24.- —^ Or, have this
45; cv. 30. hCh. vii. 11 Wisd.xvii. 7.
; JCh. ix. 28 ; x. 17; honour over me, &c. ' Or, against when. '
Heb. to cut off.

fly in his hands is a sufficient instrument of ven- Verse 7. The magicians did so] A little juggling
geance. or dexterity of hand might have been quite sufficient
Verse 3. The river shall bring forth
frogs ahun- for the imitation of this miracle, because frogs in abun-
danthj] The which was an object of their dance had already been produced and some of these
river Nile, ;

adoration, was here one of the instruments of their kept in readiness might have been brought forward by
punishment. The expression, bring forth abundantly, the magicians, as proofs of their pretended power and
not only shows the vast numbers of those animals, equality in influence to Moses and Aaron.
which should now infest the land, but it seems also Verse 9. Glory over me] "''?;; "\X3nn hithpaer alai.
to imply that all the spawn or ova of those animals These words have greatly puzzled commentators in
which were already in the river and marshes, should general and it is not easy to assign their true mean-
;

be brought miraculously to a state of perfection. We ing. The Septuagint render the words thus Tafat :

may suppose that the animals were already in an embryo Trpof fiE nore, &c.. Appoint unto me when I shall
existence, but multitudes of them would not have come pray, (5fc. The constitue mihi quando of the Vulgate
to a state of perfection had it not been for this mira- is exactly the same and in this sense almost all the ;

culous interference. This supposition will appear the versions understood this place. This countenances
more natural when it is considered that the Nile was the conjectural emendation of Le Clerc, who, by the
remarkable for breeding frogs, and such other animals change of a single letter, reading "^XDnn hithbaer for
as are principally engendered in such marshy places "lXDr\n hithpaer, gives the same sense as that in the
as must be left in the vicinity of the Nile after its an- ancient versions. Houbigant, supposing a corruption
nual inundations. in the original, amends the reading thus "hj! 1X3 nns

Into thine ovens^ In various parts of the east, in- attah baar alai Die mihi quo tempore, ^-c, " Tell — :

stead of what we call ovens they dig a hole in the me when thou wishest me to pray for thee," &c.,
ground, in which they insert a kind of earthen pot, which amounts to the same in sense with that pro-
which having sufficiently heated, they stick their cakes posed by Le Clerc. Several of our English versions
to the inside, and when baked remove them and sup- preserve the same meaning so in the Saxon Hepta- ;

ply their places with others, and so on. To find such teuch, Irerecce me anne an bagan SO in Becke's Bible, ;

places full of frogs when they came to heat them, in 1549, " And Moses sayed unto Pharaoh, Appoint thou
order to make their bread, must be both disgusting and the time unto me." This appears to be the genuine
distressijig in the extreme. import of the words, and the sense taken in this way
Verse 5. Stretch forth thine hand — over the streams, isstrong and good. We
may conceive Moses address-
over the rivers'] The streams and rivers here may refer ing Pharaoh in this way " That thou maycst be :

to the grand divisions of the Nile in the Lower Egypt, persuaded that Jehovah alone is the inflicter of these
which were at least seven, and to the canals by which plagues, appoint the time when thou wouldst have the
these were connected as there were no other streams,
; present calamity removed, and I will pray unto God,
&c., but what proceeded from this great river. and thou shalt plainly see from his answer that this is
Verse 6. The frogs came up, and covered the land no casual affliction, and that in continuing to harden
of Egypt.] In some ancient writers we have examples thy heart and resist thou art sinning against God."
of a similar plague. The Abderites, according to Oro- Nothing could be a fuller proof that this plague was
sius, and the inhabitants of Paeonia and Dardania, ac- supernatural than the circumstance of Pharaoh's being
cording to AthencRus, were obliged to abandon their permitted to assign himself the time of its being
country on account of the great numbers of frogs by removed, and its removal at the intercession of Moses
which their land was infested. according to that appoh.trnent.
j
And this is the very
326
 1

TTie frogs are removed. CHAP. VIIL Lice, the third plague.

A.M. 2513. 10 And he said, "To-morrow. 14 And they gathered them a.m. 2513.
^ ^- ^^^^'
And Be it according to
he said, together upon heaps : and the land —^ — '
^

thy word that thou

: mayest know that " there stank.

is none like unto the Lord our God. 15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was
1 And the frogs shall depart from thee, he hardened his heart, and heark- 1 respite, ""

and from thy houses, and from thy servants, ened not unto them as the Lord had said. ;

and from thy people; they shall remain in 16 And the Lord said unto Moses, Say
the river only. unto Aaron, Stretch out thy rod, and smite
12 And Moses and Aaron went out from the dust of the land, that it may become lice
Pharaoh, and Moses p cried unto the Lord, throughout all the land of Egypt.
because of the frogs which he had brought 17 And they did so; for Aaron stretched
against Pharaoh. out his hand with his rod, and smote' the dust

13 And the Lord did according to the word of the earth, and ^ it became Hce in man, and

of Moses ; and the frogs died out of the houses, in beast ; all the dust of the land became lice,

out of the villages, and out of the fields. throughout all the land of Egypt.

n Or, against to-morrmu. " Chap. ix. 14 ; Deut. xxxiii. 26 ;

X. 6,7.- -PVer. 40 ; ch. ix. 33 ; x. 18 ; xxxii. 11 ; James v. 16,

2 Sam. vii. 22 ; 1 Chron. xvii. 20 ; Psa. Ixxxvi. 8 ; Isa. xlvi. 9 ; Jer. 17, 18.- -qEccles. viii. 11. 'Chap. vii. 14. » Psa. cv. 31.

use made by Moses himself, ver. 10, when he says.

of it days more. Thus, in the course of six weeks, the
Be it to thy word : that thou mayest know
according parent female may see 5,000 of its own descendants!
that there is none like unto the Lord our God; and So mightily does this scourge of indolence and filthi-
that, consequently, he might no longer trust in his ness increase !

magicians, or in his false gods. But learned men are not agreed on the signification
Verse 14. They gathered them together upon heaps] of the original word D"" JI3 kinnim, which different copies
The was a mitigation of the punish- of the Septuagint render gkvi(I)ec, aKvnreg, and aKVTjirec,
killing of the frogs
ment ; was a gnats ; and the Vulgate renders sciniphes, which sig-
but the leaving them to rot in the land
continual proof that such a plague had taken place, nifies the same.
and that the displeasure of the Lord still continued. Mr. Harmer supposes he has found out the true
The conjecture of Calmet is at least rational he meaning in the word tarrentes, mentioned by Vinisauf,
:

supposes that the plague oi flies originated from the one of our ancient English writers ;
who, speaking of
plague oi frogs ; that the former deposited their ova in the expedition of King Richard I. to the Holy Land,
the putrid masses, and that from these the innumerable says, that " while the army were marching from Cay-
swarms afterwards mentioned were hatched. In vin- phas to Caesarea, they were greatly distressed every
dication of this supposition it may be observed, that night by certain worms called tarrentes, which crept
God never works a miracle when the end can be ac- on the ground, and occasioned a very burning heat by
complished by merely natural means and in the ope- ; most painful punctures for, being armed with stings,
;

rations of Divine providence we always find that the they conveyed a poison w-hich quickly occasioned those
greatest number of effects possible are accomplished who were wounded by them to swell, and was attended
by the fewest causes. As therefore the natural means with the most acute pain." All this is far fetched.
for this fourth plague had been miraculously provided Bochart has endeavoured to prove that the CJO kinnim
by the second, the Divine Being had a right to use the of the text may mean lice in the common acceptation
instruments which he had already prepared. of the term, and not gnats. 1. Because those in

The THIRD plague — lice.

question sprang from the dust of the earth, and not
from the icaters. 2. Because they were both on men
Verse 16. Smite the dust of the land, that it may and cattle, which cannot be spoken o( gnats. 3. Be-
become lice] If the vermin commonly designed by this cause their name comes from the radix jO kun, which
name be intended, it must have been a very dreadful signifies to make firm, fix, establish, w^hich can never
and afflicting plague to the Egyptians, and especially agree to gnats, flies, &c., which are ever changing
to their priests, who were obliged to shave the hair their place, and are almost constantly on the iving.
off every part of their bodies, and to wear a single Because
4. term by which the Tal-
T\22 kiiinah is the
tunic, that no vermin of this kind might be permitted
mudists express the louse, &c. See his Hierozoicon,
to harbour about them. See Herod, in Euterp., c. vol. ii., c. xviii., col. 571. The circumstance of their
xxxvii., p. 101, edit. Gale. Of the nature of these being in man and in beast agrees so well with the
insects it is not necessary to say much. The common nature of the acarus sanguisugus, commonly called the
louse is very prolific. In the space of twelve days a tick, belonging to the seventh order of insects called
full-grown female lays one hundred eggs, from which, APTERA, that I am ready to conclude this is the insect
in the space of six days, about fifty males and as many
meant. This animal buries both its sucker and head
females are produced. In eighteen days these young equally in man or beast and can with very great difficul-
;

females are at their full growth, each of which may

ty be extracted before it is grown to its proper size, and
lay one hundred eggs, which will be all hatched in six filled vaih the blood and juices of the animal on which
327
 — ;

The magicians confounded. EXODUS. The fourth plague threatened

A. M. 2513. 1 8 And * the magicians did so my people go, that they may a. m. 2513.
•^
' B. C. 1491.
with their enchantments, to bring serve me.
forth hce, but they " could not so there were 2 1 Else, if thou wilt not let my people go,
:

lice upon man and upon beast. behold, I will send ^ swarms offlies upon thee,
19 Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people,
This is ^ the finger of God and Pharaoh's : and into thy houses and the houses of the :

^ heart was hardened, and he hearkened not Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and
unto them as the Lord had said. ; also the ground whereon they are.
20 And the Lorb said unto Moses, ^ Rise 22 And ^ I will sever in that day the
up early in the morning, and stand before land of Goshen, in which my people dwell,
Pharaoh (lo, he cometh forth to the water;)
;
that no swarms of flies shall be there ; to
and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord, y Let the end thou may est know that I am
tCh. vii. 11. "Luke x. 18 ; Wisd. xvii. 7 2 Tim. ; iii. 8, 9. 15. » Chap. vii. 15. f Ver. 1. ^ Or, a mixture of noisome
» 1 Sam. vi. 3, 9 ; Psa. viii. 3 ; Matt. xii. 28 ; Luke xi. 20. ^ Ver. beasts, &c. » Chap. ix. 4, 6, 26 ; x. 23 ; xi . 6, 7 ; xii. 13.

it preys. When fully grown, it has a glossy black oval this plague, (different insects laying their eggs in the
body : not only horses, cows, and sheep, are infested bodies of those dead animals, which would soon be
•with it in certain countries, but even the common peo- hatched, see on verse 14,) then the supposition that a
ple, especially those who labour in the field, in woods, multitude of different kinds of insects is meant, will
&c. I know no insect to which the Hebrew term so seem the more probable. Though the plague of the
properly applies. This
the fixed, established insect,
is was miraculous, yet God both brought it and
locusts
which will permit itself to be pulled in pieces rather removed it by natural means; see chap. x. 13—19.
than let go its hold ; and this is literally 71071331 DTX3 Bochart, who has treated this subject with his usual
baadam ulabhehemah, in man and in beast, burying its learning and ability, follows the Septuagint, explaining
trunk and head in the flesh of both. In woodland the original by awofivia, the dog-fly ; which must be
countries I have seen many persons as well as cattle particularly hateful to the Egyptians, because they
grievously infested with these insects. held dogs in the highest veneration, and worshipped
Verse 18. The magicians did 5o] That is, They Anubis under the form of a dog. In a case of this
tried the utmost of their skill, either to produce these kind the authority of the Septuagint is very high, as
insects or to remove this plague but therj could not, ; they translated the Pentateuch in the very place where
no juggling could avail here, because insects must be these plagues happened. But as the Egyptians are
produced which would stick to and infix themselves in well known have paid religious veneration to all
to
man and beast, which no kind of trick could possibly kinds of animals and monsters, whence the poet :

imitate and to remove them, as some would translate

;
Omnigenumque deum monslra, et latrator Anubis,
the passage, was to their power equally impossible.
I am inclined to favour the literal construction of the
If the magicians even acted by spiritual agents, we
word for as '2'yj ereb, chap. xii. 38, expresses that
:

find from this case that these agents had assigned

mixed multitude of different kinds of people who ac-
limits, beyond which they could not go for every ;
companied the Israelites in their departure from Egypt
agent in the universe is acting under the direction or
so here the same term being used, it may have been
control of the Almighty.
designed to express a multitude of different kinds of
Verse 19. This is the finger of God'] That is. The The
insects, such as flies, loasps, hornets, &c., &c.
power and skill of God are here evident. Probably ancient Jewish interpreters suppose that all kinds of
before this the magicians supposed Moses and Aaron
beasts and reptiles are intended, such as tvolves, lions,
to be conjurers, like themselves ; but now they are bears, serpents, &c. Mr. Bate thinks the raven is
convinced that no man could do these miracles which
meant, because the original is so understood in other
these holy men did, unless God were with him. God places and thus he translates it in his literal version
;

permits evil spirits to manifest themselves in a certain

of the Pentateuch but the meaning already given is
;

way, that men may see that there is a spiritual world, As objection against
the most likely. to the this
and be on their guard against seduction. He at the opinion drawn from ver. 31, there remained Jiot one,
same time shows that all these agents are under his when considered
it can have very little weight, it is
control, that men may have confidence in his goodness
that this may as well be spoken of one of any of the
and power.
different kinds, as of an individual of one species.

The FOURTH plague — flibs.

Verse 22. / ivill sever in that day] 'n'S£)71 hiphley-
thi, has been translated by some good critics, / will
Verse 21. Siuarms of flies ^ipon thee] It is not miraculously separate ; so the Vulgate Faciam mira- :

easy to ascertain the precise meaning of the original bilem, " I will do a marvellous thing." And the Sep-
word ^'^}^T\ hearob ; as the word comes from 3~»J,' arab, tuagint, '!rapa6o?a(Tu, I will render illustrious the land
he mingled, it may be supposed to express a multitude of Goshen in that day ; and this he did, by exempting
of various sorts of insects. And if the conjecture be that land, and its inhabitants the Israelites, from the
admitted that the putrid frogs became the occasion of plagues by which he afflicted the land of Egypt
398
 ; — ; ,

Fttes come over all the land. CHAP. VIII. Pharaoh desires their removaL

A.M. 2513. the Lord in the midst of the Aaron, and said, Go ve, sacrifice a.m. 2513.
B. C. 1491.
- earth. to your n
GodJ m1
•

the
1 J
land.
B- C. 1491.

23 And I will put ^ a division between my 26 And Moses said, It is not meet so to do
people and thy people :
" to-morrow shall this for we shall sacrifice ^ the abomination of the
sign be. Egyptians to the Lord our God : lo, shall
24 And the Lord did so : and •^
there came we abomination of the Egyptians
sacrifice' the

a grievous swarm of flies into the house of before their eyes, and will they not stone us ?
Pharaoh, and into his servants' houses, and 27 We will go ^ three days' journey into
into all the land of Egypt : the land was the wilderness, and sacrifice to the Lord our
^ cenrrupted by reason of the swarm of flies. God, as ^ he shall command us.
25 And Pharaoh called for Moses and for 28 And Pharaoh said, I will let you go,

*"
Heb. a redemption. " Or, by to-morrow. * Psa. Ixxviii. 45
;
fGen. xliii. 32; xlvi. 34; Deut. vii. 25,26; xii. 31. :Chap.
cv. 31 ; Wisd. xvi. 9. ^ Qr, destroyed. iii. 18. h Chap. iii. 12.

Verse 23. And I will put a division] ms peduth, ferent kinds of animals in order to escape. Jupiter
a redemption, between my people and thy people ; God hid himself in the body of a ram, Apollo in that of a
hereby showing that he had redeemed them from those crow, Bacchus in a goat, Diana in a cat, Juno in a
plagues to which he had abandoned the others. white heifer, Venus in a fish, and Mercury in the bird
Verse 24. The land was corrupted] Every thing ibis all which are summed up by Ovid in the follow-
;

was spoiled, and many of the inhabitants destroyed, ing lines :

being probably stung to death by these venomous

Duxque gregis fit Jupiter
insects. This seems to be intimated by the psalmist,
Delius in corvo, proles Semele'ia capro,
" He sent divers sorts of flies among them, which de-
Fele soror Phoebi, nivea Saturnia vacca,
voured them," Psa. Ixxviii. 45.
Pisce Venus latuit, Cyllenius ibidis alls.
In ancient times, when political, domestic, and per-
Metam., 1. v., fab. v., I. 326.
sonal cleanliness was but little attended to, and offal
of different kinds permitted to corrupt in the streets How the gods fled to Egypt's slimy soil.

and breed vermin, flies multiplied exceedingly, so that And hid their heads beneath the banks of Nile ;

we read in ancient authors of whole districts being How Typhon from the conquer'd skies pursued

laid waste by them hence different people had deities,

;
Their routed godheads to the seven-mouth'd flood ;
whose office it was to defend them against flies. Forced every god, his fury to escape.
Among these we may reckon Baalzebiib, the fly-god Some beastly form to take, or earthly shape.
of Ekron ; muscarum abactor, Hercules, the
Hercules, Jove, so she sung, was changed into a ram.
expeller of flies, of the Romans; the Muagrus of the From whence the horns of Libyan Amman came ;
Eleans, whom they invoked against pestilential swarms Bacchus a goat, Apollo was a crow,
of flies ; and hence Jupiter, the supreme god of the Phoebe a cat, the wife of Jove a coiv.
heathens, had the epithets of knotiviog and MvwcJ?;^, Whose hue was whiter than the falling snow
because he was supposed to expel flies, and defend his Mercury, to a nasty ibis turn'd,
worshippers against them. See Dodd, The change obscene, afraid of Typhon moum'd
Verse 25. Sacrifice to your God in the land.] That While Venus from a fish protection craves.
Ye shall not leave Egypt, but I shall cause your And once more plunges in her native waves
'hip to be tolerated here. Maynwaring.
\ rse 26. We shall sacrifice the abomination of the These animals therefore became sacred to them on
Egyi-iians] That is, The animals which they hold account of the deities, who, as the fable reports, had
sacred, and will not permit to be slain, are those taken refuge in them. Others suppose that the reason
which our customs require us to sacrifice to our God why the Egyptians would not sacrifice or kill those
and should we do this in Egypt the people would rise creatures was their belief in the doctrine of the me-
in a mass, and stone us to death. Perhaps few people tempsychosis, or transmigration of souls ; for they
were more superstitious than the Egj-ptians. Almost feared lest in killing an animal they should kill a
every production of nature was an object of their reli- relative or a friend. This doctrine is still held by the
gious worship the sun, moon, planets, stars, the Hindoos.
—
:

river Nile, animals of all sorts, from the human being Verse 27. And sacrifice to the Lord as he shall
to themonkey, dog, cat, and ibis, and even the onions command very likely that neither Moses
us.'\ It is
and leeks which grew in their gardens. Jupiter -was nor Aaron knew as yet in what manner God would be
adored by them under the form of a ram, Apollo under worshipped and they expected to receive a direct
;

the form of a crow, Bacchus under that of a goat, and revelation from him relative to this subject, when they
Juno under that of a heifer. The reason why the should come into the wilderness.
Egyptians worshipped those animals is given by Eu- Verse 28. I loill let you go only ye shall not go —
sebius, viz., that when the giants made war on the very far aivay] Pharaoh relented because the hand
gods, they were obliged to take refuge in Egypt, and of God was heavy upon him but he was not willing ;

assume the shapes or disguise themselves under dif- to give up his gain. The Israelites were very profit-
329
 1

Thejlies are removed, and EXODUS. t*hara6h hardens his neart.

A. M. 2513. may sacrifice to the Lord 30 And Moses went out from a. m. 2513.
that ye
—— '
your God in the wilderness
.'

only Pharaoh, and ^ entreated the Lord, ^' ^'

^^^^
;

ye shall not go very far away entreat for me 3 And the Lord did according to the word
: »

29 And Moses said, Behold, I go out from of Moses and he removed the swarms ;

thee, and I will entreat the Lord that the of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants,
swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, and from his people there remained not ;

from his servants, and from his people, to- one.

morrow : but let not Pharaoh ^ deal deceitfully 32 And Pharaoh ">
hardened his heart
any more in not letting the people go to sa- at this time also, neither would he let the
crifice to the Lord. people go.

' Ver. 8 ; chap. ix. 28 ; 1 Kings xiii. 6. i Ver. 15. 1 Ver. 12. mVer. 15; chap. iv.21.

able to him they were slaves of the state, and their

; 3. The lice both on man and beast through the
hard labour was very productive hence he professed : whole land, and the innumerable swarms offlies, gave
a willingness, first to tolerate their religion in the land, such proofs of their reality as to put the truth of these
(ver. 25 ;) or to permit them to go into the wilderness, miracles out of question for ever. It was necessary
so that they went not far away, and would soon return. that this point should be fully proved, that both the
How ready is foolish man, when the hand of God Egyptians and Israelites might see the finger of God
presses him sore, to compound with his Maker He ! in these awful works.
will consent to give up some sins, provided God will 4. To superficial observers only do "Moses and the
permit him to keep others. magicians appear to be nearly matched." The power
Entreat for me.] Exactly similar to the case of of God was shown in producing and removing the
Simon Magus, who, like Pharaoh, fearing the Divine plagues. In certain cases the magicians imitated the
judgments, begged an interest in the prayers of Peter, production of a plague, but they had no power to
Acts viii. 24. remove any. They could not seem to remove the
Verse 31. The Lord did according to the word of bloody colour, nor the putrescency from the waters
Moses] How powerful is prayer God permits his ! through which the fish were destroyed, though they
servant to prescribe even the manner and time in could imitate the colour itself; they could not remove
which he shall work. the frogs, the lice, or swarms of flies, though they
He removed the swarms] Probably by means of a could imitate the former and latter ; they could by
strong wind, which swept them into the sea. dexterity of hand or diabolic influence produce ser-
Verse 32. Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time pents, but they could not bring one forward that could
also] See ver. 15. This hardening was the mere swallow up the rod of Aaron. In every respect they
effect of his self-determining obstinacy. He preferred fall infinitely short of thepower and wonderful energy
his gain to the will and command of Jehovah, and evidenced in the miracles of Moses and Aaron. The
God made his obstinacy the means of showing forth opposition therefore of those men sers-ed only as a foil
his own power and providence in a supereminent to set off the excellence of that power by which these
degree. messengers of God acted.
5. The courage, constancy, and faith of Moses, are
1. As
every false religion proves there is a true worthy of the most serious consideration. Had he
one, as a copy, however marred or imperfect, shows not been fully satisfied of the truth and certainty of
there was an original from which it was taken, so his Divine mission, he could not have encountered such,
false miracles prove that there were genuine miracles, a host of difiiculties had he not been certain of thft
;

and that God chooses at particular times, for the most issue, he could not have persevered amidst so many
important purposes, to invert the established order of discouraging circumstances and had he not had a deep
;

nature, and thus prove his omnipotence and universal acquaintance with God, his faith in every trial must
agency. That the miracles wrought at this time were have necessarily failed. So strong was this grace in
real we have the fullest proof. The waters, for in- him that he could even pledge his Maker to the per-
stance, were not turned into blood in appearance formance of works concerning which he had not as yet
merely, but were really thus changed. Hence the consulted him He therefore let Pharaoh fix the very
!

people could not drink of them and as blood in a ; time on which he would wish to have the plague re-
very short time, when exposed to the air, becomes moved and when this was done, he went to God by
;

putrid, so did the bloody waters therefore all the fish ; faith and prayer to obtain this new miracle and God ;

that were in the river died. in the most exact and circumstantial manner fulfilled

2. No human power
or ingenuity could produce the word of his servant.
such frogs as annoyed the land of Egypt. This also 6. From all this let us learn that there is a God
was a an imaginary, plague.
real, not Innumerable who worketh in the earth ;
that universal nature is un-
multitudes of these animals were produced for the der his control that he can alter, suspend, counteract,
;

purpose and the heaps of their dead carcasses, which

; or invert its general laws whensoever he pleases and ;

putrefied and infected the land, at once demon-straled that he can save or destroy by tlie most feeble and
the reality of the miracle. most contemptible instruments. should therefore We
330 a
 !

A pestilence among the cattle CHAP. TX. of Pharaoh is threatened.

deeply reverence his eternal power and Godhead, and and could not be confounded. Reader, how secure
look with respect on every creature he has made, as
mayest thou rest if thou hast this God for thy friend
the meanest of them may, in his hand, become the in-
He was the Protector and Friend of the Israelites
strument of our salvation or our ruin. through the blood of that covenant which is the very
7.Let us not imagine that God has so bound him- charter of thy salvation trust in and pray to him as
:

self towork by general laws, that those destructions Moses did, and then Satan and his angels shall be
cannot take place which designate a particular provi- bruised under thy feet, and thou shalt not only be pre-

dence. Pharaoh and the Egyptians are confounded, served from every plague, but be crowned with his
and ruined, while the land of Goshen
afflicted, routed, loving kindness and tender mercy. He is the same
and the from every plague
Israelites are free No ! to-day that he was yesterday, and shall continue the
blood appears in their streams no frogs, lice, nor flies,
;
same for ever. Hallelujah, the Lord God omnipotent
in all their borders ! They trusted in the true God, reigneth !

CHAPTER IX.

The Lord sends Moses to Pharaoh to inform him he did not let the Israelites depart, a destructive
that, if

pestilence should be sent among his cattle, 1-3 ; while the cattle of the Israelites should lie preserved, 4.
The next day this pestilence, which was the fifth plague, is sent, and all the cattle of the Egyptians die,
5, 6. Though Pharaoh finds that not one of the cattle of the Israelites had died, yet, through hardness
of heart, he refuses to let the people go, 7. Moses and Aaron are commanded to sprinkle handfuls of
ashes from the furnace, chat the sixth plague, that o/ boils and blains, might come on man and beast, 8, 9 ;

which having done, the plague takes place, 10. The magicians cannot stand before this plague, which they
can neither imitate nor remove, 11. Pharaoh's heart is again hardened, 12. God's awful message to
Pharaoh, with the threat of more severe plagues than before, 13-17. The seventh plague of rain, hail,
and fire threatened, 18. The Egyptians commanded to house their cattle that they might not be destroyed,
19. Those tvho feared the word of the Lord brought home their servants and cattle, and those who did
not regard that word left their cattle and servants in the fields, 20, 21. The storm of hail, thunder, and
lightning takes place, 22-24. It nearly desolates the whole land of Egypt, 25, lohile the land of Goshen
escapes, 26. Pharaoh confesses his sin, and begs an interest in the prayers of Moses and Aaron, 27, 28.
Moses promises to intercede for hitn, and while he promises that the storm shall cease, he foretells the con
tinning obstinacy of both himself and his servants, 29, 30. The flax and barley, being in a state of matu
rity, are destroyed by the tempest, 31 ivhile the wheat and the rye, not being gi-oion up, are preserved, 32.
;

Moses obtains a cessation of the storm, 33. Pharaoh and his servants, seeing this, harden their hearts,
and refuse to let the people ^o, 34, 35.

A. M. 2513.
B. C. 1491.
T^HEN
Jl ,,
the Lord said unto 2 For if thou ^ refuse to let them A. M. 2513.
B. C. 1491.
/-< •
Til 1
Moses, * (jro in unto rharaoh, go, and wilt hold them still,

and tell him. Thus saith the Lord God of 3 Behold, thehand of the Lord is upon
°

theHebrews, Let my people go, that they thy cattle which is in the field, upon the
may serve me. horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon

a Chap. viii. 1. •>

Chap. viii. 2. « Chap. vii. 4.

NOTES ON CHAP. IX. signifies to be active, brisk, or lively, all which are pro-
Verse 1. The Lord God of the Hebrews] It is very per appellatives of the horse, especially in Arabia and
likely that the term Lord, is used here
T\y7V Egypt. Because of their activity and swiftness they
Yehovah,
to point out particularly his eternalpower and God- were sacrificed and dedicated to the sun, and perhaps
head and that the term God, "n^>< Elohey, is intended it was principally on this account that God prohibited
;

to be understood in the sense of Supporter, Defender, the use of them among the Israelites.
Protector, &c. Thus saith the self-existent, omnipo- A very grievous murrain.] The murrain is a very
tent, and eternal Being, the Supporter and Defender contagious disease among cattle, the symptoms of which
of the Hebrews, " Let my people go, that they may are a hanging down and swelling of the head, abun-
worship me." dance of gum in the eyes, rattling in the throat, difli-

The FIFTH plague — the murrain.

culty of breathing, palpitation of the heart, staggering,
a hot breath, and a shining tongue ; which symptoms
Verse 3. The hand of the Lord] The power of God prove that a general inflammation has taken place.
manifested in judgment. The original word -I3T deber is variously translated.
Upon the horses] D'DID susim. This is the first The Septuagint have davaroc, death ; the Vulgate has
place the horse is mentioned ; a creature for which pestis, aplague or pestilence ; the old Saxon version,
Egypt and Arabia were always famous. DD sus is from cpealan, to die, any fatal disease.
cpealme, Our
supposed to have the same meaning with iy'»y sas, which English word murrain comes either from the French
331
 ;
: 1 !

Murrain, the ffth plague. EXODUS. Boils, the sixth plague.

A. M. 2513. the oxen, and upon

^ the sheep
^ 8 And the Lord said unto Moses A. M. 25131
B. C. 1491.
there shall be a very grievous and unto Aaron, Take, to you hand- ^' ^' ^^^^'

murrain. fuls of ashes of the furnace, and let Moses

4 And ^ the Lord shall sever betvi^een the sprinkle it toward the heaven in the sight of
cattle of Israel, and the cattle of Egypt : and Pharaoh.
there shall nothing die of all that is the chil- 9 And it shall become small dust in all the
dren's of Israel. land of Egypt, and shall be & a boil breaking
5 And the Lord appointed a set time, say- forth with blains upon man, and upon beast,
ing, To-morrow the Lord shall do this thing throughout all the land of Egypt.
in the land. 10 And they took ashes of the furnace, and
6 And the Lord did that thing on the mor- stood before Pharaoh and Moses sprinkled ;

row, and « all the cattle of Egypt died : but it up toward heaven ; and it became ^ a boil
of the cattle of the children of Israel died not breaking forth with blains upon man and
one. upon beast.
7 And Pharaoh sent, and, behold, there was 1 And the magicians could not stand
not one of the cattle of the Israelites dead. before Moses, because of the boils for the
;

And f
the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the
and he did not let the people go. Egyptians.
' Chapter viii. 22. « Psa. Ixxviii. 50. f
Chapter vii. 14 "•Deuteronomy xxviii. 27. "Chapter viii. 18, 19;
viii. 32. E Rev. xvi. 2. 2 Tim. iii. 9.

mourir, to from the Greek fiapaivu maraino, to the Hebrews, now yielded the instruments of their pun-
die, or
groio lean, ivasie away. The term mortality would ishment for every particle of those ashes, formed by ;

be the nearest in sense to the original, as no particular unjust and oppressive labour, seemed to be a boil or
disorder is specified by the Hebrew word. a blain on the tyrannic king and his cruel and hard-
^Verse 4. The Lord shall sever] See on chap. viii. 22. hearted people.
^rse 5. To-morrow the Lord shall do this] By thus Verse 9. Shall he a loil] rnt^ shechin. This word
foretell^"? the evil, he showed his prescience and pow- is generally expounded, an inflammatory swelling, a
er and fvom this both the Egyptians and Hebrews burning boil ; one of the most poignant afflictions, not
;

must see thkt the mortality that ensued was no casualty, immediately mortal, that can well affect the surface of
but the effect of ^ predetermined purpose in the Divine the human body. If a single boil on any part of the
justice. \ body throws the whole system into a fever, what an-
Verse 6. All tht^cattle of Egypt died] That is. All guish must a multitude of them on the body at the
the cattle that did dig belonged to the Egyptians, but same time occasion
not one died that belonged to the Israelites, ver. 4 and Breaking forth \vi\h. blains] n>^3;?DX ababuoih, sup-
6. That the whole stoc^f cattle belonging to the posed to come from n>0 baah, to sivell, bulge out ; an^

Egyptians did not die we hH;^e the fullest proof, be- inflammatory swelling, node, or pustule, in any part
cause there were cattle both J Ije killed and saved alive of the body, but more especially in the more glandular
in the ensuing plague, ver. 19-25. By this judgment parts, the neck, arm-pits, groin, &c. The Septuagint
the Egyptians must see the vanity of the whcJ.^ of translate it thus : Kai earai iXKT} ^?.VKTi6ec ava^eovaar
their national worship, when they found the aniu^ils And it shall be an ulcer with burning pustules. It

which they not only held sacred but Reified, slain with- seems to have been a disorder of an uncommon kind,
out distinction among the common herd^ by a pestilence and .ience it is called by way of distinction, the botch
sent from the hand of Jehovah. One tfig^t naturally of . gypt, Deut. 27, perhaps never known lie-
x-xviii.

suppose that after this the animal worship >o^ "-"^ Egyp- fore in that or any other country. Orosius says that
tians could never iii<j»^„ip_s wrought at tnis in the sixth plague "all the people were blistered, that
Verse 7. And Pharaoh sent; ^jry^ v.iding so many the blisters burst with tormenting pain, and that worms
of his own and those of his subjects slain, he
cattle issued out of them." Dset eall pole pser on bl8B^rlan, -y 8a
sent to see whether the mortality had reached to the paepon ppiSe hjieoplice beprCenbe, anb Ca pojimp ucponbe.—
cattle of the Israelites, that he might know whether Alfred's Oros., lib. i., c. vii.

this were a judgment inflicted by their God, and pro- Verse boil was upon the magicians] They
1 1 . The
bably designing to replace the lost cattle of the Egyp- could not produce a similar malady by throwing ashea
tians with those of the Israelites. in the air and they could neither remove the plague
;

The SIXTH plague — the boils and blains.

from the people, nor from their own tormented flesh.
Whether they perished in this plague we know not
Verse 8. Handfuls of ashes of the furnace"] As but they are no more mentioned. If they were not
one part of the oppression of the Israelites consisted destroyed by this awful judgment, they at least left the
in their labour in the brick-kilns, some have observed field, and no longer contended with these messengers
a congruity between the crime and the punishment. of God. The triumph of God's power was now com-
The furnnnns, in the labour of which tliey oppressed plete, and both the Hebrews and Egyptians must see
332 a
 ; 6 ;

Hail, fire, and thunder, the CHAP. IX. seventh plague, threatened.

A.M. 2513. 12 And the Lord hardened the 1 5 For now I will ^ stretch out a. m. 2513.
' '-
heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened my hand, that I may smite thee
not unto them ; ^ as the Lord had spoken and thy people with pestilence : and thou
unto Moses. shalt be cut off from the earth.
13 And the Lord said unto Moses, ^Rise 1 And in very deed for ° this cause have I

up early in the morning, and stand before p raised thee up, for to show in thee my power;
Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the and that my name may be declared throughout
Lord God Hebrews, Let my people go, all the earth.
of the
that they may serve me. 17 As yet exaltest thou thyself against my
14 For I will at this time send all my people, that thou wilt not let them go ?
plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy ser- 18 Behold, to-morrow about this time I will
vants, and upon thy people ^ that thou cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as
;

mayest know that there is none like me in all hath not been in Egypt since the foundation
the earth. thereof even until now.

Chap. 21. -• Chapter viii. 20. " Chapter viii. 10. '
Rom. ix. 17 ; see chap. xiv. 17 ; Prov. xvi. 4 ; 1 Peter ii. 9.
n Chap. iii. 20. P Heb. made thee stand.

that there was neither might, nor wisdom, nor counsel ivEKEv TovTov account art thou pre-
SieTTjpTjdTj^, On this
against the Lord ;
and that, as universal nature acknow- can countenance that
served, viz., in the past plagues ;

men must fail before him.

ledged his power, devils and most exceptionable meaning put on the words by cer-
Verse 15. For now I will stretch out my h.and\ In tain commentators, viz., " That God ordained or ap-
the Hebrew the verbs are in the fast tense, and not pointed Pharaoh from all eternity, by certain means,
in the future, as our translation improperly expresses to this end ; that he made him to exist in time that ;

them, by which means a contradiction appears in the he raised him to the throne promoted him to that ;

text ;for neither Pharaoh nor his people were smitten high honour and dignity that he preserved him, and ;

by a pestilence, nor was he by any kind of mortality did not cut him off as yet ; that he strengthened and
cut off from the earth. It is true the first-born were hardened his heart irritated, provoked, and stirred
;

slain by a destroying angel, and Pharaoh himself was him up against his people Israel, and suffered him to
drowned in the Red Sea but these judgments do not
; go all the lengths he did go in his obstinacy and re-
appear to be referred to in this place. If the words bellion all which was done to show in him his power
;

be translated, as they ought, in the subjunctive mood, in destroying him in the Red Sea. The sum of
or in the past instead of the future, this seeming con- which is, that this man was raised up by God in every
tradiction to facts, as well as all ambiguity, will be sense for God to show his power in his destruction."
avoided For if noio I had stretched out {Twhvf So man speaks thus God hath not spoken. See
:
;

shalachti, had set forth) my hand, and had smitten Henry on the place.
thee ("iniN "^Xl vaach otheca) and thy people tvith the Verse 17. As yet exaltest thou thyself against my
pestilence, thou shouldst have been cut off (IDDH people] So it appears that at this time he might have
ticcached) from the earth. 16. But truly, on this submitted, and thus prevented his own destruction.
very account, have I caused thee to subsist, (ymoj.TI
heemadticha,) that I might cause thee
The seventh plague the hail.
to see my
—
power, {'r\D HX harotheca eth cochi,) and that
"^nN'in Verse 18. To-morrow about this time] The time
my name might be declared throughout all the earth, of this plague marked thus circumstantially to show
is
(or, I'lXn 7^3 becol haarets, in all this land.) See Pharaoh that Jehovah was Lord of heaven and earth,
Ainsworth and Houhigant. and that the ivater, the fire, the earth, and the air,
Thus God gave this impious king to know that it which were all objects of Egyptian idolatry, were the
was in consequence of his especial providence that creatures of his power and subservient to his will ;

both he and his people had not been already destroyed and that, far from being able to help them, they were
by means of the past plagues but God had preserved ; now, in the hands of God, instruments of their destruc-
him for this very purpose, that he might have a farther tion.
opportunity of manifesting that he, Jehovah, was the To rain a very grievous hail] To rain hail may
only true God, for the full conviction both of the He- appear to some superficial observers as an unphilo-
brews and Egyptians, that the former might follow sophical mode of expression, but nothing can be more
and the latter fear before him. Judicious critics of correct. " Drops of rain falling through a cold region
almost all creeds have agreed to translate the origij of the atmosphere are frozen and converted into hail ;"
nal as above, a translation which it not only can bear and thus the hail is produced by rain. When it be-
but requires, and which is in strict conformity to both gins to fall it is rain ; when it is falling it is converted
the Septuagint and Targum. Neither the Hebrew into hail ; thus it is literally true that it rains hail.
ymnj'n heemadticha, I have caused thee to stand The farther a hail-stone falls the larger it generally
nor the apostle's translation of it, Rom. ix. 17, e^rjy^ipa is, because in its descent it meets with innumerable
ie, / have raised thee
; nor that of the Septuagint, j
particles of water, which, becoming attached to it, are
333
 .

Hail,Jire, and thunder sent. EXODUS. Pharaoh confesses his sin

—A.M. 2513.

hast in the field

'-
19 Send
gather thy cattle, and
therefore now,
and the Lord rained hail
for upon every man and upon the land of Egypt.
;
all that thou
and and
ground
the fire ran
;
along upon the a. m. 2513.
'

beast which shall be found in the field, and 24 So there was hail, and fire mingled with
shall not be brought home, the hail shall come the hail, very grievous, such as there was
down upon them, and they shall die. none like it in all the land of Egypt since it
20 He that feared word of the Lord became a nation.
the
among the servants Pharaoh made his 25 And the hail smote throughout all the land
of
servants and his cattle flee into the houses of Egypt all that was in the field, both man :

21 And he that i regarded not the word of and beast and the hail * smote every herb of ;

the Lord left his servants and his cattle in the field, and brake every tree of the field.
the field. 26 " Only in the land of Goshen, where the
22 And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch children of Israel were, was there no hail
forth thine hand toward heaven, that there may 27 And Pharaoh sent and called for Moses
be hail in all the land of Egypt, upon man, and Aaron, and said unto them, " I have sinned
"^

and upon beast, and upon every herb of the this time ^ the Lord is righteous, and I and :

field, throughout the land of Egypt. my people are wicked.

23 And Moses stretched forth his rod toward 28 ^ Entreat the Lord (for it is enough)
heaven : and * the Lord sent thunder and hail. that there be no more y mighty thunderings
iHeb. set not his heart unto ; chap. vii. 23. ""Rev. xvi. 21.
•Josh. X. 11 Psa. xviii. 13; Ixxviii. 47 ; cv. 32; cxlviii. 8; Isa. 19. " Chap. X. 16. ^ 2 Chron. xii. 6 ; Psa. cxxix. 4 ; cxlv.
;

XXX. 30; Ezek. xxxviii. 22 Rev. viii. 7. ; 'Psa. cv. 33.

17 ; Lam. i. 18 ; Dan. ix. 14. » Ch. viii. 8, 28 ; x. 17; Acts
» Chap. viii. 22 ; ix. 4, 6 ; x. 23 ; xi. 7 ; xii. 13 ; Isa. xxxii. 18, viii. 24. yHeb. voices of God ; Psa. xxix. 3, 4.

also frozen, and thus its bulk is continually increasing he was the Lord but all the lives both of men and
;

till it reaches the earth. In the case in question, if beasts might have been saved, had Pharaoh and his
natural means were at all used, we may suppose a servants taken the warning so mercifully given them.
highly electrified state of an atmosphere loaded with While some regarded not the word of the Lord, others
vapours, which, becoming condensed and frozen, and feared it, and their cattle and their servants were saved.
having a considerable space to fall through, were of See ver. 20, 21.
an unusually large size. Though this was a super- Verse 23. The Lord sent thunder] nSp koloth,
natural storm, there have been many of a natural kind, voices ; but loud, repeated peals of thunder are meant.
that have been exceedingly dreadful. A storm of hail And the fire ran along upon the ground] U'N "jSnri
fell near Liverpool, in Lancashire, in the year 1795, n]/lX vattihalac esh aretsah, and the fire xoalked upon
which greatly damaged the vegetation, broke windows, the earth. It was not a sudden flash of lightning, but
&c., &c. Many of the stones measured five inches a devouring fire, walking through every part, destroy-
in circumference. Dr. Halley mentions a similar ing both animals and vegetables and its progress was
;

storm of hail in Lancashire, Cheshire, &c., in 1697, irresistible.

A-pnl 29, that for sixti/ miles in length and two miles Verse 24. Hail, and fire mingled tvith the hail] It is
ill breadth did immense damage, by splitting trees, generally allowed that the electric fluid is essential to
killing fowls and all small animals, knocking down the formation of hail. On this occasion it was supplied '

men and horses, &c., &c. Mezeray, in his History in a supernatural abundance for streams of fire seem ;

of France, says "that in Italy, in 1510, there was to have accompanied the descending hail, so that herbs
for some time a horrible darkness, thicker than that of and trees, beasts and men, were all destroyed by them.
night, after which the clouds broke into thunder and Verse 26. Only in the land of Goshen teas there —
lightning, and there fell a shower of hail-stones which no hail.] What a signal proof of a most particular
destroyed all the beasts, birds, and even fish of the providence Surely both the Hebrews and Egyptians
!

country. was attended with a strong smell of sul- profited by this display of the goodness and severity of
It
phur, and the stones were of a bluish colour, some of God.
them weighing one hundred pounds' weight." The Verse 27. The Lord is righteous, and I and my
Almighty says to Job " Hast thou seen the treasures people are ivicked.]
:
The original is very emphatic :

of the hail, which I have reserved against the time of The Lord is the righteous one, (p'nvn hatstsaddik,)
trouble, against the day of battle and war 1" Job, and I and my people are the sinners, {uy^'^xy hare-'
chap, xxxviii. 22, 23. While God has such artillery shaim ;) i. e.. He is alone righteous, and we alone are
at his command, how soon may he desolate a country transgressors. Wlio could have imagined that after
or a world See the account of a remarkable hail- such an acknowledgment and confession, Pharaoh
!

storm in Josh. X. 11. should have again hardened his heart

Verse 19. Send —now, and gather thy cattle'] So Verse 28. enough] There is no need of any
It is
?

in the midst of judgment, God remembered mercy. farther plague I submit to the authority of Jehovah,
;

The miracle should be wrought that they might know and will rebel no more.
3.14 a
 ; — ——

Moses promises to entreat CHAP. IX. the Lord for Pharaoh.

and hail; and I will let you go, my hands unto the Lord
A. M. 2513. and the A. M. 2513. ;

B. C. 1491. B. C. 1491
and ye shall stay no longer. thunder shall cease, neither shall
29 And Moses said unto him, As soon as I there be any more hail that thou mayest ;

am gone out of the city, I will ^ spread abroad know how that the * earth is the Lord's.
z 1 Kings Psa. Psa. xxlv.
viii. 22, 38 ; cxliii. 6 ; Isa. i. 15. » 1 ; 1 Cor. x. 26, 28.

Mighty thunderings] DTlSx php koloth Elohim, Then will I to Jove's brazen-floor'd abode,
voices of God — that is, superlatively loud thunder. That may clasp
I his knees ; and much misdeem
So mountains of God (Psa. xxxvi. 6) means exceed- Of my endeavour, or my prayer shall speed. Id.
ing high mountains. So a prince of God (Gen. xxiii. See the issue of thus addressing Jove, Ibid.,
ver. 500-
6) means a mighty prince. See a description of
502, and ver. 511, &c.
thunder, Psa. xxix. 3-8 " The voice of the Lord
In the same manner we find our Lord accosted,
:

is upon the waters the God of glory thundereth ; the

:

Matt. xvii. 14 There came to him a certain man, :

Lord is upon many waters. The voice of the Lord is

kneeling doivn to him, yownsTuv avTov, falling down
powerful the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.
;
at his knees.
The voice of the Lord breakeththe cedars. The voice
As to the lifting up or stretching out of the handsy
of the Lord divideth the flames of fire. The voice of
(often joined to kneeling,) of which we have seen
the Lord shaketh the wilderness," &c. The produc-
already several instances, and of which we have a
tion of rain by the electric spark is alluded to in a
very remarkable one in this book, chap. xvii. 11, where
very beautiful manner, Jer. x. 13 When he uttereth the lifting up or stretching out of the hands of Moses
:

his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens.

was the means of Israel's prevailing over Amalek;
See the note on Gen. vii. 11, and viii. 1.
we find many examples of both in ancient authors
Verse 29. I will spread abroad my hands] That is,
Thus Homer :

I will make supplication to God that he may remove

this plague. This may not be an improper place to 'EodJ.ov yap An x^f-P^C avaaxEp^ev, at k' elieriari.

make some obsen'ations on the ancient manner of ap- Iliad xxiv., ver. 301.
proaching the Divine Being Kneeling in prayer.
For right it is to spread abroad the hand.'
down, stretching out of the hands, and lifting them up To Jove for mercy.
to heaven, were in frequent use among the Hebrews in
Also Virgil :

their religious worship. Solomon kneeled down on his

knees, and spread forth his hands to heaven ; 2 Chron. Corripio e stratis corpus, tendoque supinas
vi. 13. So David, Psa. cxliii. 6 I stretch forth my Ad c(elcm cum voce manus, et munera libo.
:

hands unto thee. So Ezra I fell upon my knees, and

: -^neid iii., ver. 176.
spread out my hands unto the Lord my God ; chap. I started from my bed, and raised on high
ix. 5. See also Job xi. 13 If thou prepare thine :
My hands and voice in rapture to the sky ;

heart, and stretch out thy hands towards him. Most And pour libations. Pitt.
nations who pretended to any kind of worship made use
Dixerat : et genua amplexus, genibusque volutans
of the same means in approaching the objects of their
adoration, viz., kneeling down and stretching out their Hm-ebat. Ibid., ver. 607.

hands ; which custom it is very likely they borrowed Then kneeVd the wretch, and suppliant clung around
from the people of God. Kneeling was ever consider- My kneesw'iih tears, and grovell'd on the ground. Id.
ed to be the proper posture of supplication, as it ex-
media inter numina divum
presses humility, contrition, and subjection. If the
Malta Jovem manibus supplex orasse scpinis.
person to whom the supplication was addressed was
Ibid, iv., ver. 204.
within reach, the supplicant caught him by the knees ;

for as among the ancients the forehead was consecrated Amidst the statues of the gods he stands.
to genius, the ear to memory, and the right hand to And spreading forth to Jove his lifted hands. Id.
faith, so the knees were consecrated to mercy. Hence Et duplices cum voce manus ad sidera tendit.
those who entreated favour
fell at and caught hold of Ibid. X., ver. 667.
the knees of the person whose kindness they suppli-
And lifted both his hands and voice to heaven.
cated. This mode of supplication is particularly re-
ferred to in the following passages in Homer In some cases the person petitioning came forward,
:

and either sat in the dust or kneeled on the ground,

Tuv vvv. fiiv fivriaaaa nape^eo, Kai Xa/3e yovvuv. " placing his left hand on the knee of him from whom
Iliad i., ver. 407. he expected the favour, while he touched the person's

Now therefore, of these things reminding Jove,

chin with his right. We have an instance of this
also in Homer :

Embrace his knees. Cowper.

Kai pa napoid' avroio Ka^e^ero, Kai 2,a(3e yovvuv
To which the following answer is made :^ liKaiTj' Se^iTepri 6' ap' vn" av&epeuvoc fkovaa.

Kai tot' ETzeiTa tol eiui Aiog nori ;j;aAK0/3arcf 6u,

Iliad i., ver. 500.
Kflu [iiv yovvaaofiai, Kac fiiv TreicjEcr&aL oiu. Suppliant the goddess stood one hand she placed :

Iliad i.. ver. 426. Beneath his chin, and one his knee embraced. Pope.
335
 —— : —

The jiax and the EXODUS. barley are destroyed.

A. M. 2513. 30 But as for thee and thy ser- *=

was in the
for the barley ear, and A. M. 2513
B. C. 1491.
vants, ^ I know that ye will not yet the flax was boiled. _ '.

1.

fear the Lord God. 32 But the wheat and the rye were not
3 1 And the flax and the barley was snaitten smitten : for they were ^ not grown up.
b Isa. xxvi. 10. <:
Ruth i. 22 ; ii. 23. ^ Heb. hidden, or dark.

When the supplicant could not approach the person or rind of the vegetable, pilled or stripped off the
to whom he prayed, as where a deity was the object stalks. From time immemorial Egypt was celebrated
of the prayer, he washed his hands, made an offering, for the production and manufacture of flax hence the :

and kneeling down, either stretched out both his hands linen and fine linen of Egypt, so often spoken of in
to heaven, or laid them upon the offering or sacrifice, ancient authors.
or upon the altar. Thus Homer represents the priest saar, to stand on
Barley] mj-'iy seorah, from l^^ii/

of Apollo praying :
hence '\y^ sear, the
end, to be rough, bristly, &c.;

XepviipavTo 6' enei-a, nai ov^oxyra^ aveXovro. hair of the head, and I'^'ty sair, a he-goat, because of
its shaggy hair ; and hence also barley, because of the
Toiatv de Xpvajjg /xeyal' evxero, ;^e<paf avaax<^v.
Iliad i., ver. 449.
rough and prickly beard with which the ears are co-
vered and defended.
With water purify their hands, and take Dr. Pocock has observed that there is a double seed-
The sacred offering of the salted cake, time and harvest in Egypt Rice, India ivheat, and a :

While thus, with arms devoutly raised in air.

grain called the corn of Damascus, and in Italian surgo
And solemn voice, the priest directs his prayer. rosso, are sown and reaped at a very different time
Pope. from wheat, barley and flax. The first are sown in
How necessary ablutions of the whole body, and of March, before the overflowing of the Nile, and reaped
the hands particularly, accompanied with offerings and about October; whereas the ivheat and barley are
"SSGlifices \yere, under the law, every reader of the sown in November and December, as soon as the Nile
Bible knows see especially chap. xxix. 1—4, where is gone off, and are reaped before May.
:

Aaron and his sons were commanded to be washed, Pliny observes, Hist. Nat., lib. xviii., cap. 10, that
previously to their performing the priest's office and in Egypt the barley is ready for reaping in six months
;

chap. XXX. 19—21, where it is said " Aaron and his after it is sown, and ivheat in seven.
: In JEgypto
sons shall wash their hands —
that they die not." See HORDEUM sexto a satu mense, frumenta septimo, me-
also Lev. xvii. 15. When the high priest among the tuntur.
Jews blessed the people, he lifted up his hands, Lev. The flax was boiled.] Meaning, I suppose, was
ix. 22. And the Israelites, when they presented a grown up into a stalk the original is i^'21 gibol, :

sacrifice to GoA, lifted up their hands and placed them podded or was in the pod. The word well expresses
on the head of the victim : " If any man of you bring that globous pod on the top of the stalk of flax which
an offering unto the Lord —
of the cattle of the herd, succeeds the flower and contains the seed, very pro-
and of the flock —
he shall put his hand upon the head perly expressed by the Septuagint, to 6e Xivov anep-
of the burnt -offering, and it shall be accepted for him, fiari^ov, but the flax was in seed or was seeding.
to make atonement for him ;" Lev. i. 2—4. To these Verse 32. Btit the wheat and the rye were not
circumstances the apostle alludes, 1 Tim. ii. 8 " I smitten] Wheat, nOH chittah, which Mr. Parkhurst
:

will therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up thinks should be derived from the Chaldee and Sama-
holy hands, without wrath and doubting." In the ritan 'tan chati, which signifies tender, delicious, deli-
apostle's word e^aipovrac, lifting up, there is a mani- cate, because of the superiority of its flavour, &c., to
fest reference to stretching out the hands to place them every other kind of grain. But this term in Scripi
either on the altar or on the head of the victim. Four ture appears to mean any kind of bread-corn. Rye,
things were signified by this lifting up of the hands. n*DDD cussemeth, from DDD casam, to have long hair
1. It was the posture of supplication, and expressed and hence, though the particular species is not known,
a strong invitation Come to my help ; 2. It expressed the word must mean some bearded grain. The Sep-
the earnest desire of the person to lay hold on the help tuagint call it o?.vpa, the Vulgate for, and Aquila fea,
he required, by bringing him who was the object of which signify the grain called spelt ; and some sup-
his prayer to his assistance 3. It showed the ardour pose that rice is meant.
;

of the person to receive the blessings he expected Mr. Harmer, referring to the double harvest in
;

and 4. By this act he designated and consecrated his Egypt mentioned by Dr. Pocock, says that the cir-
offering or sacrifice to his God. cumstance of the wheat and the rye being n7*3K
From a great number of evidences and coincidences aphiloth, dark or hidden, as the margin renders it,
it is not unreasonable to conclude that the heathens (i. e., they were sown, but not grown up,)
shows that
borrowed all that was pure and rational, even in their it was the Indian wheat or surgo rosso mentioned
mode of ivorship, from the ancient people of God and ver. 31, which, with the rye, escaped, wlule the bar-
;

that the preceding quotations are proofs of this. ley and flax were smitten because they were at or
Verse 31. The flax and the barley was smitten] nearly at a state of maturity. See Harmer's Obs
The word nnK'D pishtah, flax, Mr. Parkhurst thinks, vol. iv., p. 11, edit. 1808. But what is intended by
is derived from the root D'JD pashat, to strip, because the words in the Hebrew text we cannot positively
Ihe substance which we term flax is properly the bark say, as there is a great variety of opinions on thia
336 a
 ;

The seventh plague is removed. CHAP. IX. Pharaoh again hardens his heart

A. M. 2513. 33 And Moses went out of the and the hail and the thunders were A. M. 2511
B. C. 1491. B. C. 1491.
city from Pharaoh, and ® spread ceased, he sinned yet more, and
abroad his hands unto the Lord : and the hardened his heart, he and his servants.
thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was 35 And *
Pharaoh was hardened,
the heart of
not poured upon the earth. neither would he let the children of Israel go
34 And when Pharaoh saw that the rain as the Lord had spoken ^by Moses.

«Ver. 29; chap. viii. 12. f Chap. iv. 21. eHeb. by the hand of Moses ; chap. iv. 13.

subject, both among commenta- it doubtful to the Egyptians whether Moses himself
the versions and the
tors. The Anglo-Saxon from not was not a magician acting without any Divine autho-
translator, probably
knowing the meaning of the words, omits the whole rity but the plague of the boils, which they could not
;

verse. imitate, by which they were themselves afflicted, and

Verse 33. Spread abroad his hands] Probably with which they confessed to be the finger of God, decided
the rod of God in them. See what has been said on the business. Pharaoh had no longer any excuse,
the spreading out of the hands in prayer, ver. 29. and must know that he had now to contend, not with
Verse 34. He sinned yet more, and hardened his Moses and Aaron, mortals like himself, but with the
heart] These were merely acts of his own " for living God. How strange, then, that he should con-
;

who can deny," says Mr. Psalmanazar, " that what tinue to resist Many affect to be astonished at this, !

God did on Pharaoh was much more proper to soften and think it must be attributed only to a sovereign
than to harden his heart; especially when it is observ- controlling influence of God, which rendered it impos-
able that it was not till after seeing each miracle, and sible for him to repent or take warning. But the
after the ceasing of each plague, that his heart is said whole conduct of God shows the improbability of this
to have been hardened ? The verbs here used are in opinion and is not the conduct of Pharaoh and his :

the conjugations pihel and hiphil, and often signify a courtiers copied and reacted by thousands who are
bare permission, from which it is plain that the words never suspected to be under any such necessitating
should have been read, God suffered the heart of decree ? Every sinner under heaven, who has the
Pharaoh to be hardened.'''' — Universal Hist., vol. i., Bible in his hand, is acting the same part. God says
p. 494. Note D. to the swearer and the profane. Thou shalt not take
Verse 35. And the heart of Pharaoh ivas hardened^ the name of the Lord thy God in vain ; and yet com-
In consequence of his sinning yet more, and harden- mon swearing and profaneness are most scandalously
ing his own heart against both the judgments and common among multitudes who bear the Christian
mercies of God, we need not be surprised that, after name, and who presume on the mercy of God to get
God had given him the means of softening and repent- at last Jcingdom of heaven
to the He says also, !

ance, and he had in every instance resisted and abused Remember day to keep it holy; thou shalt
the Sabbath
them, he should at last have been left to the hardness 7iot kill ; thou shalt not commit adultery ; thou shalt

and darkness of his own obstinate heart, so as to fill not steal ; thou shalt not bear false ivitness ; thou
up the measure of his iniquity, and rush headlong to shalt not covet; and sanctions all these commandments
his own destruction. with the most awful penalties and yet, with all these :

things before them, and the professed belief that they

In i\yQ fifth, sixth, and seventh plagues described in came from God, Sabbath-breakers, men-slayers, adul-
this chapter, we have additional proofs of the justice terers, fornicators, thieves, dishonest men, false wit-

and mercy of God, as well as of the stupidity, rebellion, nesses, liars, slanderers, backbiters, covetous men,
and loickedness of Pharaoh and his courtiers. As lovers of the world more than lovers of God, are found
these continued to contradict and resist, it was just by hundreds and thousands What were the crimes !

that God should continue to inflict those punishments of the poor half-blind Egyptian king when compared
which their iniquities deserved. Yet in the midst of with these He sinned against a comparatively
!

judgment he remembers mercy and therefore Moses unknown God ; these sin against the God of their
—
;

and Aaron are sent to inform the Egyptians that such fathers against the God and Father of Him whom
plagues would come if they continued obstinate. Here they call their Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ They !

is mercy the cattle only are destroyed, and the people

; sin with the Bible in their hand, and a conviction of
saved Is it not evident from all these messages,
! itsDivine authority in their hearts. They sin against
and the repeated expostulations of Moses and Aaron light and knowledge against the checks of their con-
;

in the name and on the authority of God, thaf Pha- sciences, the reproofs of their friends, the admonitions
raoh was bound by no fatal necessity to continue his of the messengers of God ; against Moses and Aaron
obstinacy that he might have humbled himself before
; in the law ; against the testimony of all the prophets ;

God, and thus prevented the disasters that fell on the against the evangelists, the apostles, the Maker of
land, and saved himself and his people from destruc- heaven and earth, the Judge of all men, and the Sa-
tion T But he toould sin, and therefore he must be viour of the world What were Pharaoh's crimes to
!

punished. the crimes of these ? On comparison, his atom of

In the sixth plague Pharaoh had advantages which moral turpitude is lost in their world of iniquity. A.nd
yet who supposes these to be under any
he had not before. necessitating
The magicians, by their success-
ful imitations of the miracles wrought by Moses, made decree to sin on, and go to perdition ^
Nor are they
Vol, I. r 23 ) 337
The Lord again sends Moses EXODUS. to expostulate with Pharaoh.

nor was Pharaoh. In all things God has proved both from the possibility of being
saved because of his ini-
his justice and mercy to be clear in this point. Pha- quities, who
outdo him so far in the viciousness of
raoh, through a principle of covetousness, refused to their lives, that Pharaoh, hardening his heart against
dismiss the Israelites, whose services he found profit- ten plagues, appears a saint when compared with those
able to the state these are absorbed in the love of
: who are hardening their hearts against ten millions of
the world, the love of pleasure, and the love of gain ;
mercies. Reader, art i^ow of this number? Proceed
nor will they let one lust go, even in the presence no farther God's judgments linger not.
! Desperate
of the thunders of Sinai, or in sight of the agony, as thy state is, thou mayest return and thou, even ;

bloody sweat, crucifixion, and death of Jesus Christ ! thou, find mercy through the blood of the Lamb.
Alas how many are in the habit of considering Pha-
! See the observations at the conclusion of the next
raoh the worst of human beings, inevitably cut off chapter.

CHAPTER X.

Moses IS again sent to Pharaoh, and expostulates

him on his refusal to let the Hebrews go, 1—3.
loith The
eighih. The extent and oppressive nature of this plague, 5, 6.
plague, viz., o/" locusts, is threatened, 4.
Pharaoh's servants counsel him to dismiss the Hehreivs, 7. He calls for Moses and Aaron, and inquires
who they are of the Hebrews ivho ivish to go, 8. Moses having answered that the whole people, with their
flocks and herds must go and hold a feast to the Lord, 9, Pharaoh is enraged, and having granted per-
mission only to the men, drives Moses and Aaron from his presence, 10, 11. Moses is commanded to
stretch out his hand and bring the locusts, 12. He does so, and an east ivind is sent, which, blowing all
that day and night, brings the locusts the next morning, 13. The devastation occasioned by these insects,
14, 15. Pharaoh is humbled, acknowledges his sin, and begs Moses to intercede ivith Jehovah for him,
16, 17. Moses does so, and at his request a strong ivest ivind is sent, lohich carries all the locusts to the
Red Sea, 18, 19. Pharaohs heart is again hardened, 20. Moses is commanded to bring the ninth
plague —
an extraordinary darkness over all the land of Egypt, 2 1 The nature, duration, and effects of .

this,22, 23. Pharaoh, again humbled, consents to let the people go, provided they leave their cattle
behind, 24. Moses insists on having all their cattle, because of the sacrifices which they must make to the
Lord, 25, 26. Pharaoh, again hardened, refuses, 27. Orders Moses from his presence, and threatens
him with death should he ever return, 28. Moses departs tvith the promise of returning no more, 29.

A. M. 2513.
B. C. 1491.
A ND the Lord said unto Moses, thy son,
,
and of thy son s son,
'
a. M. 2513.
B. C. 1491.
/ '. , , -^
, .

Go in unto Pharaoh : ^ for I what things 1 have wrought in

have hardened his heart, and the heart of his Egypt, and my signs which I have done among
servants, ^ that I might show these my signs them that ye may know how that I am ;

before him : the Lord.

2 And that " thou mayest tell in the ears of 3 And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pha-

* Chap. iv. 21 ; vii. 14. •>

Chap. vii. 4. '

Deut. iv. 9 ; Psa. xliv. 1 ; Ixxi. 18 ; Ixxviii. 5, &c. ; Joel i. 3.

NOTES ON CHAP. X. pented, can we suppose that God could have addressed'
Verse 1. Hardened his heart] God suffered his him such language as the preceding]
in We may rest
natural obstinacy to prevail, that he might have farther assured that there was always a time in which he might
opportunities of showing forth his eternal power and have relented, and that it was because he hardened his
Godhead. heart at such times that God is said to harden him,
Verse 2. That thou mayest tell in the ears of thy i. e., to give him up to his own stubborn and obstinate

son] That the miracles wrought at this time might heart in consequence of which he refused to let the
;

be a record for the instruction of the latest posterity, people go, so that God had a fresh opportunity to work
that Jehovah alone, the God of the Hebrews, was the another miracle, for the very gracious purposes men-
sole Maker, Governor, and Supporter of the heavens tioned in ver. 2. Had Pharaoh relented before, the
and the earth. Thus we find God so did his marvel- same gracious ends would have been accomplished by
lous ivorks, that they might be had in everlasting re- other means.
membrance. It was not to crush the poor worm, Pha-

raoh, that he wrought such mighty wonders, but to

The EIGHTH plague — the locusts.

convince his enemies, to the end of the world, that no Verse 4. To-morrow will I bring the locusts] The
cunning or power can prevail against him; and to show word nn'^N arbeh, a locust, is probably from the root
his followers that whosoever trusted in him should n3"1 rabah, he multiplied, became great, ?nighly, &c.,
never be confounded. because of the immense swarms of these animals by
Verse 3. How long wilt thou refuse to humble thy- which different countries, especially the east, are in-

self] Had it been impossible for Pharaoh, in all the fested. The locust, in entomology, belongs to a genus
preceding plagues, to have humbled himself and re- of insects known among naturalists by the term grvlli ;

338 ( 23» )
 :

Pharaoh is threatened with CHAP. X. locusts, the eighth

plague.
B.'c.HQL ^^°^' ^^^^ ^^^^ ""^o ^™' Thus saith from the and shall eat every
hail, a. m. 2513.
'
the Lord God of the Hebrews, tree which groweth for you out of ^' ^' ^^^^\
How long wilt thou refuse to ^ humble thy- the field :

self before me ? let my people go, that they

6 And they ^ shall fill thy houses, and
may serve me the
; houses of all thy servants, and
the houses of
4 Else, if thou refuse to let my people go, all the
Egyptians ; which neither thy fathers,
behold, to-morrow will I bring the «
,
locusts nor thy fathers' fathers
have seen, since the
into thy coast
day that they were upon the earth
unto this
5 And they shall cover the ^face of the day.
And he turned himself, and went out
earth, that one cannot be able
to see the from Pharaoh.
earth and s ihey shall eat the residue of that
7 And Pharaoh's servants said unto him,
:

which is escaped, which remaineth unto

you How long shall this man be a snare unto '
us ?
d Kings xxi.
1 29 ; 2 Chron. vii. 14 xxxiv. 27 Job 6 •
;
; xlii
p,^^^- ?J^^4 15.—-e Chapter ix. 32 Joel i. 4
^f- 25.
h
"Chap viiL 3, 21.— .Chap, xxiii. 33; Josh, xxiii. 13
; ; ii.

1 Sam
xviu. 21 ; Eccles. vii. 26 ; 1 Cor. vii 35
and includes three species, crickets,
grasshoppers, and Dr. Shaw, who witnessed most formidable
those commonly called locusts and as they multiply swarms
;
of these in Barbary in the years 1724 and
faster than any other animal in
creation, they are pro-
1725, gives
the following account of them " They were much
perly entitled to the name HDIN :

arbeh, which might be larger than our grasshoppers, and had

translated the numerous or multiplied insect. brown-spotted
See this wings, with legs and bodies of a bright yellow.
circumstance referred to, Judg.
vi. 5; vii. 12- Psa
Their
first appearance was towards the latter
cv. 34; Jer. xlvi. 23 end of March.
; li.14 Joel i.'c Nahum iii.'
;
; In the middle of April their numerous swarms,
15 Judith a. 19,
; 20 ; where the most numerous ar- a like
succession of clouds, darkened the sun. In the month
mies are compared to the arbch or locust.
The locust of May they retired to the
has a large open mouth and in its two adjacent plains to deposit
jaws it has their eggs these were
;

four mcisive teeth, which traverse no sooner hatched in June than :

each other like scis- the young brood

first produced, while in their
sors, bemg calculated, from their cater-
mechanism, to <rripe pillar or worm-like
state, formed themselves into
or cut. Mr. Volney, in his Travels in Syria, gives a com-
a pact body of more than a furlong
striking account of this most a\vful square, and, march-
scourge of God ing directly forward, climbed over trees, :

" Syria partakes together with Egypt walls, and

and Persia, and houses, devouring
almost all the whole middle part of Asia, in every plant in their way. Within
that terrible a day or two
scourge, I mean those clouds of locusts
another brood was hatched, and advancing
of which travel- in the same
lers have spoken
manner, gnawed off the young branches
the quantity of which is incredible
;
and bark of the trees left by the former,
to any person who has not himself seen
them, the earth complete desolation.
making a
being covered by them for several leagues The inhabitants, to stop their
round The progress, made a variety of pits and trenches
noise they make in browsing the all over
plants and trees may their
fields and gardens, which they filled
be heard at a distance, like an with water,
army plundering in se- or else
heaped up therein heath, stubble, &c.,
cret. Fire seems to follow their tracks. which
Wherever they set on fire but to no
their legions march the verdure purpose for the trenches ; :

disappears from the were quickly filled

up and the fires extinguished,
country, like a curtain drawn
aside the trees and infinite swarms ;
by
plants, despoiled of their leaves,
succeeding one another while the front ;
make the hideous ap- seemed regardless of
pearance of winter instantly succeed to danger, and the rear pressed on
the bric-ht scenes so close that a
retreat was altogether impossible.
of spring. When these clouds of locusts t°ake their a In
month's time they threw oflf their worm-like
flight, in order to surmount
some obstacle, or the more and in a new state;
rapidly to cross some desert, form, with wings and legs, and additional
one may literally say that powers,
the sun is darkened by them:'
returned to their former voracity."
Shaw's
Travels, 187, 188, 4to edition.
Baron de Tott gives a similar account "
Clouds of The descriptions given by these travellers show
:

locusts frequently alight on the that

plains of the Noguais, God's army,
(the lartars,) and giving described by the Prophet Joel, chap,
ii.,
preference to their fields of was
mil et, ravage them in an innumerable swarms of locusts, to which the
instant. ac-
Their approach counts given by Dr. Shaw
darkens the horizon, and so and others exactly agree.
enormous is their multi- Verse 5. They shall cover the face
tude. It hides the light of the earth]
of the sun. They alight on the They sometimes cover
fields and there form a bed the whole ground to the depth
of si:r or seven inches thick. of
SIX or eight inches. See the preceding accounts.
lo the noise of their flight succeeds
that of their de- Verse 6. They shall fill thy houses]
vouring actively, which resembles Dr. Shaw
the rattling of hail- mentions
stones ; but its consequences this circumstance " they entered," says he, ;
are infinitely more de- "
into our very houses and bed-chambers, like so many
structive. Fire itself eats not so fast nor
any appearance of vegetation
is there
to be found when they
thieves." Ibid. p. 187.
;
—
again take their flight, Verse 7. How long shall this man he a snare unto
and go elsewhere to produce us
new disasters." ^ .?] As there is no noun in the text, the pronoun riT
zeh may either refer to the Israelites, to the plague by
a
339
 — 21

Moses and Aaron are driven EXODUS. from the presence of Pharaoh
A. M. 25ia let the men go, that they may serve be so with you, as I will let vou A. M. 2513.
—— '•

1 the Lord their God knowest thou go, and your httle ones
:
: look to it ; ' ' !*-

not yet that Egypt is destroyed ? for evil is before you. •

8 And Moses and Aaron were brought again 1 Not so : go now ye that are men, and
unto Pharaoh and he said unto them, Go,
; serve the Lord
for that ye did desire.
; And
serve the Lord your God hut ^ who are they : they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence.
that shall go ? 1 And the Lord said unto Moses, " Stretch
9 And Moses said, We will go with our out thine hand over the land of Egypt for the
young and with our old, with our sons and locusts, that they may come up upon the land
with our daughters, with our flocks and with of Egypt, and ° eat every herb of the land,
our herds will we go for we must hold a ; ^
even all that the hail hath left.
feast unto the Lord. 13 And Moses stretched forth his rod over
10 And he said unto them. Let the Lord the land of Egypt, and the Lord brought an
^ Heb. who, and who, &c. • Chap. v. 1. » Chap. vii. 19. a Ver. 4, 5.

which they were then afflicted, or to Moses and Aaron, I find that the ancient Egyptians called Diana Neith
;
the instruments used by the Most High in their chas- this comes as near as possible to the Gaile of the Isle
tisement. The Vulgate translates, Usquequo patietnur of Man. The moon is called yn tieith or neath ; and
hoc scandalum ? " How long shall we suffer this scan- also ke-sollus, from ke, smooth or even, and sollus, light,
dal or reproach ]" the SMOOTH LIGHT perhaps to distinguish her from the
;

Let the men go, that they may serve the Lord their sun, grian, from gri-tien or cri-tien, e., trembling
God\ Much of the energy of several passages is lost FIRE ;
yn —
easga, as Macpherson has it, signifies
neith
i.

in translating niiT' Yehovah by the term Lord. The loan complexion. I should rather incline to think it
Egyptians had their gods, and they supposed that the may come from aise. The Celtic nations thought that
Hebrews had a god like unto their own that this Je- ; the heavenly luminaries were the residences of spirits
hovah required their services, and would continue to which they distinguished by the name of aise, thus
afflict Egypt till his people were permitted to worship grian-ais signifies the spirit of the sun.
him in his own way. Moses and Aaron, requesting liberty for the Hebrews
Egypt destroyed .?! This last plague had nearly
is to go three days' journey into the wilderness, and with
ruined the whole land them all their wives, little ones, and cattle, in order to
Verse 8. Who are they that shall go .?] Though the hold a feast unto Jehovah their God, must have at
Egyptians, about fourscore years before, wished to de- least appeared as reasonable to the Egyptians as iheir
stroy the Hebrews, yet they found them now so profit- going to the city of Bubastis with their wives, little
able to the state that they were unwilling to part with ones, and cattle, to hold a feast to Neith or Diana, who
them. was there worshipped.
two The parallel in these
Verse 9. We
go with our young and ivith our cases is too striking to pass unnoticed.
will
old, c^c] As a feast was to be celebrated to the ho- Verse 10. Let the Lord he so luith you^ This is an
nour of Jehovah, all who were partakers of his bounty obscure sentence. Some suppose that Pharaoh meant
and providential kindness must go and perform their it as a curse, as if he had said, " May your God be as
l>art in the solemnity. The men and the women must surely with you, as I shall let you go !" For as he\
make the feast, the children must witness it, and \\\e purposed not to permit them to go, so he wished them
cattle must be taken along with them to furnish the as much of the Divine help as they should have of his
sacrifices necessary on this occasion. This must have permission.
appeared reasonable to the Egyptians, because it was Look —
-for evil is before you-l DD'JO TJ J n^n O 1X"i
their own custom in their religious assemblies. Men, reu raah neged peneychem, See ye that evil is before
ki
women, and children attended them, often to the amount
of several hundred thousand.
your faces —
if you attempt to go, ye shall meet with
Herodotus informs us, the punishment ye deserve. Probably Pharaoh intend-
in speaking of the six annual feasts celebrated by the ed to insinuate that they had some sinister designs, and
Egyptians in honour of their deities, that they hold that they wished to go in a body that they might the
their chief one at the city of Buhastis in honour of better accomplish their purpose but if they had no such ;

Neith or Diana ; that they go thither by water in boats designs they would be contented for the males to go,
—men, women, and children that during their voy-
; and leave their wives and children behind for he well :

age some of the women play on castanets, and some knew if the men went and left their families they would
of the men upon flutes, while the rest are emjjloyed in infallibly return, but that if he permitted them to take
singing and clapping their hands ; and that, when they their families with them, they would undoubtedly make
arrive at Bubastis, they sacrifice a vast number of vic- their escape; therefore he says, ver. 11, Go now ye
tims, and drink much wine ; and that at one such fes- that are men, and serve the Lord.
the inhabitants assured him, that there were not
tival, Verse 13. The Lord brought an east wind] As
assembled fewer than 700,000 men and women, with- locusts abounded in those countries, and particularly in
out reckoning the children. Euterpe, chap, lix., Ix. .Ethiopia, and more especially at this time of the year,
340
 65 : 1

Locusts, the eighth plague, CHAP. X. and thick darkness, the ninth.

A. M. 2513. wind upon the land all that day, sin only this once, and * entreat a. m. 2513.
east
_ — and all that night and when it was the Lord your God, that he may
'-
; 1 —— '

morning, the east wind brought the locusts. take away from me this death only.
14 And ° the locusts went up over all the 18 And he "'went out from Pharaoh, and
land of Egypt, and rested in all the coasts of entreated the Lord.
Egypt very grievous we7'e they ; p before
: 19 And the Lord turned a mighty strong
. them there were no such locusts as they, nei- west wind, which took away the locusts, and
ther after them shall be such. "^
cast them into the Red Sea there remained '^
;

1 For they i covered the face of the whole not one locust in all the coasts of Egypt.
earth, so that the land was darkened and they 20 But the Lord ^ hardened Pharaoh's
;

'did eat every herb of the land, and all the heart, so that he would not let the children
fruit of the trees which the hail had left and of Israel go, :

there remained not any green thing in the 2 And the Lord said unto Moses, ^ Stretch
trees,, or in the herbs of the field, through all out thine hand toward heaven, that there may

the land of Egypt. be darkness over the land of Egypt, * even

1 Then Pharaoh Moses and darkness which may be felt.
^ called for
Aaron in haste and he said, * I have sinned
: 22 And Moses stretched forth his hand
against the Lord your God, and against you. toward heaven and there was a ^ thick dark- ;

17 Now therefore forgive, I pray thee, my ness in all the land of Egypt three days :

Psa. Ixxviii. 46; cv. 34. Pjoel ii. 2. <! Ver. 5. ' Psa. "^ Heb. fastened. » Joel ii. 20. y Chapter iv. 21 ; xi. 10.
cv. 35. s
Heb. hastened to call. ' Chap. ix. 27. " Chap. ^Ch. ix. 22. ^iHeb. that one may feel darkness. *>
Psa. cv.
ix. 28 ; 1 Kings xiii. 6. "Chap. viii. 30. 28 Wisd. xvii. 2, &c.
;

God had no need to create new swarms for this pur- nearly central, threw out ramifications in a nearly cir-
pose ; all that was requisite was
cular form measuring tiventy-six feet diameter every
to cause such a wind
to blow as would bring those which already existed way." Travels, vol. ii., p. 138. In the Septuagint —
over the land of Egypt. The miracle in this business it is called dalaaaa epvdpa, the Red Sea, from which
was the bringing the locusts at the appointed time, and version we have borrowed the name and Mr. Bruce ;

causing the proper wind to blow for that purpose and supposes that it had this name from Edom or Esau,
;

then taking them away after a similar manner. whose territories extended to its coasts for it is well ;

Verse 14. Before them there tvere no such locusts, known that the word Edom in Hebrew signifies mx
4'C.] They exceeded all that went before, or were red or ruddy. The Red Sea, called also the Arabic
since, in number, and in the devastations they produced. Gulf, separates Arabia from Upper Ethiopia and part
Probably both these things are intended in the passage. of Egypt. It is computed to be three hundred and
See ver. 15. fifty leagues in length from Suez to the Straits of
Ver. 15. There remained not any green thing] See Babelmandel, and is about forty leagues in breadth.
the note on ver. 4. It is not very tempestuous, and the winds usually blow

Verse 17. Forgive, I pray thee, mxj sin only this from north to south, and from south to north, six months
once] What a strange case And what a series of in the year and, like the monsoons of India, invariably
! ;

softening and hardening, of sinning and repenting !

determine the seasons of sailing into or out of this sea.
Had he not now another opportunity of returning to It is divided into two gulfs : that to the east called

God But the love of gain, and the gratification of

1 the Elanitic Gulf, from the city of Elana to the north

his own self-will and obstinacy, finally prevailed. end of and that to the west called the Heroopoli-
it ;

Verse 19. A mighty strong luesiioind] D' nil rwacA tan Gulf, from the city of Heroopolis ; the former of
yam, literally the ivind of the sea; the wind that blew which belongs to Arabia, the latter to Egypt. The
from the Mediterranean Sea, which lay north-west of Heroopolitan Gulf is called by the Arabians Bahr el
Egypt, which had the Red Sea on the east. Here Kolzum, the sea of destruction, or of Clysmce, an an-
again God works by natural means he brought the cienttown in that quarter and the Elanitic Gulf .BaAr
;
;

locusts by the east wind, and took them away By the elAkaba, the sea of Akaba, a town situated on its
west or north-ivest wind, which carried them to the most inland point.
Red Sea where they were drowned. The NINTH plague —thick darkness.
The Red Sea] ^'\Z> D' yam suph, the weedy sea ; so Verse 21. Darkness \\\nc\x may be felt.] Probably
called, as some suppose, from the great quantity of this was occasioned by a superabundance of aqueous
alga or sea- weed which grows in it and about its shores. vapours floating in the atmosphere, which were so
But Mr. Bruce, who has sailed the whole extent of it, thick as to prevent the rays of the sun from pene-
declares that he never saw in it a weed of any kind ; trating through theman extraordinarily thick mist
;

and supposes it has its name suph from the vast quan- supernaturally, i. miraculously, brought on.
e.,
An
tity of coral which grows in it, as trees and plants
do awful emblem of the darkened state of the Egyptians
on land. " One of these," he observes, " from a root and their king.
341
Moses is dismissed EXODUS. hi/ Pharaoh in wrath.

A, M. 2513. not one another, shall not a hoof be left behmd

23 They saw for A. m. 2513. ;
'

r . .1 B. C. 1491.
-
' '
neither rose any from his place for thereoi must we take to serve the
1

three days " but all the children of Israel

: Lord our God and we know not with what we ;

had light in their dwellings. must serve the Lord until we come thither.
24 And Pharaoh called unto Moses, and 27 But the Lord ^hardened Pharaoh's
^ said, Go ye, serve the Lord only let your heart, and he would not let them go.
;

flocks and your herds be stayed let your 28 And Pharaoh said unto him, Get thee
:

® little ones also go with you. from me, take heed to thyself, see my face
25 And Moses said. Thou must give ^ us no more for in that day thou seest my face ;

also sacrifices and burnt-offerings, that we may thou shalt die.

sacrifice unto the Lord our God. 29 And Moses said, Thou hast spoken well,
26 Our cattle also shall go with us ; there ^ I will see thy face again no more.

'Chapter viii. 22; Wisdom xviii. -<» Verse 8. f Heb. into our hands.- —s Ver. 20 ; chapter iv. 21 ; xiv. 4, 8.
e Ver. 10. hHeb. xi. 27.

Verse 23. They saw not one another] So deep was consents to give up the Israelites, their wives and their
the obscurity, and probably such was its nature, that no children, provided he may keep their flocks and their
artificial light could be procured as the thick clammy ; herds. The demand
is not more evident
cruelty of this
vapours would prevent lamps, &c., from burning, or if than its avarice. Had
hundred thousand men, be-
six
they even could be ignitec^ the light through the pal- sides women and children, gone three days' journey into
pable obscurity, could diffuse itself to no distance from the wilderness without their cattle, they must have
the burning body. The author of the book of Wis- inevitably perished, being without milk for their little

dom, chap. xvii. 2-19, gives a fearful description of ones, and animal food for their own sustenance, in a
this plague. He says, " The Egyptians were shut up place where little as a substitute could possibly be found.
in their houses, the prisoners of darkness and iue7-e : It is evident from this that Pharaoh intended the total
fettered with the bonds of a long night. They were destruction of the whole Israelitish host.
scattered under a dark veil of forgetfulness, being hor- Verse 26. We know not ivith what loe must serve
ribly astonished and troubled with strange apparitions ;
the Lord, dfc] The law was not yet given ; the ordi-
for neither might the corner that held them keep them nances concerning the different kinds of sacrifices and
from fear but noises as of wafers falling down sound-
; offerings not known. What kind and what number of
ed about them and sad visions appeared unto them
; animals God should require to be sacrificed, even
with heavy countenances. No power of the fire could Moses himself could not as yet tell. He therefore very
give them light — only there appeared unto them a fire properly insists on taking the whole of their herds with
kindled of itself very dreadful ; for being much terrified, them, and not leaving even one hoof behind.
they thought the things which they saw to be worse Verse 27. The Lord hardened PharaoVs heart] He
than the sight they saw not. For though no terrible had yet another miracle to work for the complete con-
thing did scare them, yet being scared with beasts that viction of the Egyptians and triumph of his people ;

passed by, and hissing of serpents, they died for fear : and till that was wrought he permitted the natural obsti-
for whether he were husbandman, or shepherd, or a nacy of Pharaoh's haughty heart to have its full sway,
labourer in the field, he was overtaken for they were after each resistance of the gracious influence which,
;

all bound with one chain of darkness. Whether it was intended to soften and bring him to repentance.
were a whistling wind, or a terrible sound of stones Verse 28. See my face no more] Hitherto Pharaoh
cast down, or a running that could not be seen of trip- had left the way open for negotiation but now, in ;

ping beasts, or a roaring voice of most savage wild wrath against Jehovah, he dismisses his ambassador,
beasts, or a rebounding echo from the hollow mount- and threatens him with death if he should attempt any
ains, these things made them swoon
more to come into his presence.
to for fear." See
Psalm Ixxviii. 49. Verse 29. / xoill see thy face again no more.] It is
To this description nothing need be added except very likely that this was the last interview that Moses
this circumstance, that the darkness, with its attendant had with Pharaoh, for what is related, chap. xi. 4-8,
horrors, lasted for three days. might have been spoken on this very occasion, as it is
All the children of Israel had light] By thus dis- very possible that God gave Moses to understand his
tinguishing the Israelites, God showed the Egyptians purpose to slay the first-born, while before Pharaoh at
that the darkness was produced by his power that he ; this time ; so, in all probability, the interview men-
sent it in judgment against them for their cruelty to his tioned here was the last which Moses had with the
people that because they trusted in him they were Egyptian king.
;
It is true that in ver. 3 1 of chap. xii.
exempted from these plagues that in the displeasure of it is stated that Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron
;

such a Being his enemies had every thing to fear, and by night, and ordered them to leave Egypt, and to take
in his approbation his followers had every thing to hope. all their substance with them, which seems to imply
Verse 24. Only let your flocks and your herds he that there was another interview, but the words may
stayed] Pharaoh cannot get all he wishes and as he imply no more than that Moses and Aaron received
;

sees it impossible to contend with Jehovah, he now such a message from Pharaoh. If, however, this mode

342
 ! !

The Israelites commanded to ask CHAP. XI. gold and silver of the Egyptians.

of interpreting these passages should not seem satis- health and strength didst thou not return unto iniquity ?
factory to any, he may understand the words of Moses And art thou not broad road of transgres-
still in the
thus : —
I will see thy face seek thy favour, no more sion ? Be not deceived ; God
not mocked he warns is ;

in behalf of my people, which was literally true ; for thee, but he will not be mocked by thee. What thou
if Moses did appear any more before Pharaoh, it was sowest, that thou must reap. Think then what a most
not as a supplicant, but merely as the ambassador of dreadful harvest thou mayest expect from the seeds
God, to denounce his judgments by giving him the of vice which thou hast already sown
final determination of Jehovah relative to the destruc- 2. Even in the face of God's judgments the spirit
*tion of the first-born. of avarice will make
requisitions. Only let youi
its

flocks and your herds he stayed, says Pharaoh. The

1. To the observations at the conclusion of the love of gain was the ruling principle of this man's soul,
preceding chapter, we may add that at first view it and he chooses desperately to contend with the justice
seems exceedingly strange that, after all the proofs of his Maker, rather than give up his bosom sin
Pharaoh had of the power of God, he should have Reader, is this not thy own case 1 And art thou not
acted in the manner related in this and the preceding ready, with Pharaoh, to say to the messenger of God,
chapters, alternately sinning and repenting but it is who rebukes thee for thy worldly mindedness, &c.,
;

really a common case, and multitudes who condemn the Get thee gone from me. Take heed to thyself, and
conduct of this miserable Egyptian king, act in a similar see my face no more. Esau and Pharaoh have both
manner. They relent when smarting under God's judg- got a very bad name, and many persons who are re-
ments, but harden their hearts when these judgments peating their crimes are the foremost to cover them
are removed. Of this kind I have witnessed numerous with obloquy When shall we learn to look at home ? !

cases. To such God says by his prophet. Why should to take warning by the miscarriages of others, and
ye be stricken any morel ye ivill revolt more and more. thus shun the pit into which we have seen so many
Reader, are not the vows of God upon thee 1 Often fall ? If God were to give the history of every man
when afflicted in thyself or family hast thou not said who hardens himself from his fear, how many Pharaoh-
like Pharaoh, (ver. 17,) Now therefore forgive, I pray like cases should we have on record But a day is !

thee, my sin only this once, and take aivay from me coming in which the secrets of every heart shall be
this death only ? And yet when thou hadst respite, revealed, and the history of every man's life laid open
didst thou not harden thy heart, and with returning to an assembled world.

CHAPTER XI.

God purposes bring another plague upon Pharaoh, after which he should let the Israelites go, 1
to They .

are commanded
to ask gold and silver from the Egyptians, 2. The estimation in tvhich Moses was held
amo7}g the Egyptians, 3. Moses predicts the destruction of the first-born of the Egyptians, 4—6, and
IsraeVs protection, 7. On seeing ivhich, Pharaoh and his servants should entreat the Hebrews to depart, 8.
The prediction of his previous obstinacy, 9, 10.

A.M.
B. C. 1491.
2513. A
I\. -,
ND the Lord said unto Moses, every woman of her neighbour, A. M. 2513.

let. will
n T
1
1
•

and jewels of gold.

bring one
1
-
plague **
jewels of silver, —— ' '-

more upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt after- 3 And the Lord gave the people favour in
;
•=

wards he will let you go hence ^ when he the sight of the Egyptians.
: Moreover the man
shall let you go, he shall surely thrust you ^ Moses ivas very great in the land of Egypt,
out hence altogether. in the sight of Pharaoh's servants, and in the
2 Speak now in the ears of the people, and sight of the people.
let every man borrow of his neighbour, and 4 And Moses said, Thus saitli the Lord,

«Ch.xii.31,33, 39. bCh.iii. 22; xii. 35. <=

Ch. iii. 21 ; xii. 36 ; P^a. cvi. 46. ^ 2 Sam. vii. 9 ; Esth. ix. 4 ; Eccles. xlv. I.

NOTES ON CHAP. XI. Verse 2. Let every man borrow^ For a proper cor-
Verse 1 . The Lord said unto Moses'\ Calmef con- rection of the strange mistranslation of the word lii.\2f
tends that this should be read in the preterpluperfect shaal in this verse, see the note on chap. iii. 22.
tense, for the Lord h.\d said to Moses, as the fourth, The man Moses was very great] The Verse 3.
fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth verses appear to have miracles which Pharaoh and his servants had already
been spoken when Moses had the interview^ with Pha- seen him work had doubtless impressed t^ am with a
raoh mentioned in the preceding chapter see the note high opinion of his wisdom and power.
;
Had he not
there on verse 29. If therefore this chapter be con- appeared in their sight as a very extraordinary person,
nected with the preceding, as it should be, and the first whom it would have been very dangerous to molest,
three verses not only read in the past tense but also in we may naturally conclude that some violence would
a parenthesis, the sense will be much more distinct and long ere this have been offered to his person.
ilear than it now appears. Verse 4. About ?nidnight will I go out] Whether
343
 : ;

A prediction of the tenth EXODUS. plague, and its effects.

A. M. 2513. * About midnight will I go out into all the land of Egypt, such as A. M. 2513.
B. C. 1491. B. C. 1491.
the midst of Egypt there was none like it, nor shall be
6 And *"
all the first-born any more.in the land of like it

Egypt shall die, But against any of the children of Israel

from the first-bom of Pha- 7 ^

raoh that sitteth shall not a dog move his tongue, against man
upon his throne, even unto '

the first-born of the maid-servant that is be- or beast that ye may know how that the :

hind the mill and all the first-born of beasts. Lord doth put a difference between the Egyp-
;

6 ^ And there shall be a great cry throughout tians and Israel.

» Chapter xii. 12, 23, 29 ; Amos v. 17. f
Chapter xii. 12, 29 e Chap. xii. 30 ; Amos v. 17 ; Wisd. xviii. 10.- '
Chap. viii.
Amos iv. 10. 22. iJosh. X. 21.

God did this by the ministry of a

good or of an evil out any kind of molestation. For though there must
angel is importance, though some com- be much bustle and comparative confusion in the sud-
a matter of little

mentators have greatly magnified it. Both kinds of den removal of six hundred thousand T^evsons with their
angels are under his power and jurisdiction, and he wives, children, goods, cattle, &c., yet this should pro-
may employ them as he pleases. Such a work of de- duce so little alarm that even the dogs should not bark
struction as the slaying of the first-born is supposed to at them, which it would be natural to expect, as the
be more proper for a bad than for a good angel. But principal stir was to be about midnight.
the works of God's justice are not less holy and pure After giving this general explanation from others, T
than the works of his mercy and the highest archangel
; may be permitted to hazard a conjecture of my own.
may, with the utmost propriety, be employed in either. And, 1. Is it not probable that the allusion is here made
Verse 5. The first-horn of Pharaoh, dfc] From to a well-known custom of dogs howling when any
the heir to the Egyptian throne to the son of the most mortality is in a village, street, or even house, where
abject slave, or the principal person in each family. such animals are ? There are innumerable instances
See the note on chap. xii. 29. of the faithful house-dog howling when a death hap-
The maid-servant behind the mill]
that The
is pens in a family, as if distressed on the account, feel-
meanest slaves were employed in this work. In many ing for the loss of his benefactor but their apparent ;

parts of the east they still grind all their corn with a presaging such an event by their cries, as some will
kind of portable mill-stones, the upper one of which is have it, may be attributed, not to any prescience, but
turned round by a sort of lever fixed in the rim. A to the exquisite keenness of their scent. If the words
drawing of one of these machines as used in China is may be understood in this way, then the great cry
now before me, and the person who grinds is repre- through the whole land of Egypt may refer to this
sented as pushing the lever before him, and thus run- very circumstance as dogs were sacred among them,
:

ning round with the stone. Perhaps something like and consequently religiously preserved, they must have
this intended by the expression behind the mill in
is existed in great multitudes. 2. We know that one of
the text. On this passage Dr. Shaw has the following whose son, worship- was
observation —
" Most families grind their wheat and
:
their principal deities
ped under the form of a dog, or a man with a dog's
Osiris,

barley at home, having tioo portable mill-stones for that head, was called Anubis latrator, the barking Anubis.
purpose, the uppermost of which is turned round by a May he not be represented as deploring a calamity
small handle of wood or iron that is placed in the rim. which he had no power to prevent among his worship-
When this stone is large, or expedition required, a pers, nor influence to inflict punishment upon those who,
second person is called in to assist and as it is usual set his deity at naught 1
; Hence while there was a
for women alone to be concerned in this employment, great cry, D^TJ T\Ti\^^ tseakah gcdnlah, throughout all
who seat themselves over against each other with the the land of Egypt, because of the mortality in every
mill-stone between them, we may see, not only the pro- house, yet among the Israelites there was no death,
priety of the expression (Exod. xi. 5) of sitting behind consequently no dog moved his tongue to howl for their
the mill, but the force of another, (Matt. xxiv. 40,) calamity nor could the object of the Egyptians' wor- ;

that two ivomen shall be grinding at the mill ; the one ship inflict any similar punishment on the worshippers
shall be taken, and the other left.""
4to edit.
—
Travels, p. 231, of Jehovah.
These portable mills, under the name of In honour of this dog-god there was a city called
querns, were used among our ancestors in this and the Anubis in Egypt, by the Greeks called Cynopolis, the
sister kingdoms, and some of them are in use to the city of the dog, the same that is now called Mcnich ;
present day. Both the instrument and its name our in this he had a temple, and dogs, which were sacred
forefathers seem to have borrowed from the continent. to him, were here fed with consecrated victuals.
They have long existed among the inhabitants of Shet- Thus, as in the first plagues their magicians were
land, Iceland, Norway, Denmark, &c. confounded, so in this last their gods were put to flight.
Verses. There shall be a great cry] Of the dyino- And may not this be referred to in chap. xii. 12, when
and for the dead. See more on this subject, chap. xii. 30. Jehovah says Against all the gods of Egypt I will :

Verse 7. Not a dog move his tongue] This passage execute judgment 1 Should it be objected, that to con-
has been generally understood as a proverbial expres- sider the passage in this light would be to acknowledge
sion, intimating that the Israelites should not only be the being and deity of the fictitious Anubis, it may be
free from this death, but that they should depart with- answered, that in the sacred writings it is not an un-
344
 ' ;

Pharaoh again CHAP. XL hardens his heart

A. M. 2513. 8 And ^ ail these ihv servants -^

shall not hearken unto you ; that A. M. 2513.
B. C. 1491. - ,, J B. C. 1491.
shall
,
come down unto me, and bow
,
° my wonders may be multiplied
down themselves unto me, Get thee in the land of Egypt. saying,
out, and all and
the people 1 And Moses and Aaron did all these won-
'
tint follow thee :

after that I will go out. And he went out ders before Pharaoh p and the Lord hard- :

rom Pharaoh in ™ a great anger. ened Pharaoh's heart, so that he would not
"» 9 And the Loud said unto Moses, " Pharaoh let the children of Israel go out of his land.
•^Chap. xii. 33. ^Heh. that is at thy feet; so Judg. iv. 10: ""Heb. heat of anger. > Chap. iii. 19 vii. 4;
; x. 1. oCh.
viii. 5; 1 Kings xx. 10 ; 2 Kings iii. 9. vii. 3. P Chap. x. 20, 27 ; Rom. ii. 5 ; ix. 22.

common between the Hebrew and Samaritan copies of this

thing to see the idol acknowledged in order to
show and the moi-e forcibly to express con- work.
its nullity, In this chapter the variations are of consider-
tempt for it, for its worshippers, and for its worship. able importance, and competent critics have allowed
Thus Isaiah represents the Babylonish idols as being that the Samaritan text, especially in this chapter, is
endued with sense, bowing down under the judgments fuller and better connected than that of the Hebrew.
of God, utterly unable to help themselves or their 1. It is evident that the eighth verse in the present
worshippers, and being a burden to the beasts that car- Hebrew text has no natural connection with the se-
ried them Bel boiveth djwn, Nebo stoopeth ; their venth. For in the seventh verse Moses delivers to
:

idols ivere upon the beasts and upon the cattle : your the Israelites what God had commanded him to say
carriages luere heavy laden; they are a burden to the and in the eighth he appears to continue a direct dis-
weary beast. They stoop, they bow down together ; course unto Pharaoh, though it does not appear when
they could not deliver the burden, but themselves are this discourse was begun. This is quite contrary to
gone into captivity ; chap. xlvi. 1, 2. The case of Eli- the custom of Moses, who always particularly notes
jah and the prophets of Baal should not be forgotten the commencement of his discourses.
here this prophet, by seeming to acknowledge the
; 2. It is not likely that the Samaritans have added
reality of BaaFs being, though by a strong irony, pour- these portions, as they could have no private interest
ed the most sovereign contempt upon him, his worship- to serve by so doing and therefore it is likely that ;

pers, and his worship And Elijah mocked them, and these additions were originally parts of thie sacred text,
:

said. Cry aloud ; for he is a god either he is talk- and might have been omitted, because an ancient copy-
:

ing, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, orperad- ist found the substance of them in other places. It
venture he sleepeth and -must be awaked; 1 Kings must however ~he granted, that the principal additions
xviii. 27. See the observations at the end of chap. xii. in the Samaritan are repetitions of speeches which ex-
The Lord doth put a difference^ See on chap. viii. ist in the Hebrew text.
22. And for the variations between the Hebrew and 3. The principal part of these additions do not ap-
Samaritan Pentateuch in this place, see at the end of pear to have been borrowed from any other quarter.
the chapter. Interpolations in general are easily discerned from the
Verse 8. And all these thy servants shall come] confusion they introduce but instead of deranging ;

A prediction of what actually took place. See chap, the sense, the additions here make it much more appa-
xii. 31-33. rent for should these not be admitted it is evident
;

Verse 9. Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you] that something is wanting, without which the connec-
Though shall and ivill are both reputed signs of the
future tense, and by many indiscriminately used, yet
tion is incomplete. — See Calmet. But the reader is
still requested to observe, that the supplementary mat-
they make a most essential difference in composition ter in theSamaritan is collected from other parts of
in a variety of cases. For instance, if we translate the Hebrew
text and that the principal merit of the
;

J.'Oiy' N7 lo yishma, Pharaoh shall not hearken, as in Samaritan is, that it preserves the words in a better
our text, the word shall strongly intimates that it was arrangement.
impossible for Pharaoh to hearken, and that God had Dr. Kennicott has entered into this subject at large,
placed him under that impossibility : but if w^e trans- and by printing the two texts in parallel columns, the
late as we should do, Pharaoh will not hearken, it supplementary matter in the Samaritan and the hiatus in
alters the case most essentially, and agrees with the theHebrew text will be at once perceived. It is well
many passages in the preceding chapters, where he is known that he preferred the Samaritan to the Hebrew
said to have hardened his own heart ; as this proves Pentateuch ; and his reasons for that preference in this
that he, without any impulsive necessity, obstinately case I shall subjoin. As
work is extremely scarce
the
refused to attend to what Moses said or threatened from which them, one class of readers espe-
I select
;

and that God took the advantage of this obstinacy to cially will be glad to meet wdth them in this place.
work another miracle, and thus multiply his wonders "Within these j/?fje chapters, vii., viii., ix., x., and
in the land. are seven very great differences between the He- xi.,
Pharaoh will not hearken unto you brew and Samaritan Pentateuchs, relating to the speeches
; and because
Ae would not God hardened his heart
own obstinacy.
—
left him to his which denounced seven out of the ten judgments upon

the Egyptians, viz., tcaters into blood, frogs, flies, mur-

rain, hail, locusts, and destruction of the first-bom.
To most critics it is well known that there are in The Hebrew text gives the speeches concerning these
several parts of the Pentateuch considerable differences judgments only once at each but the Samaritan gives ;

345
 ; ;

The Hebrew and Samaritan EXODUS. texts collated and compared.

each speech twice. In the Hebrew we have the EXODUS XI.

speeches concerning the Jive first as in command from Hebrew. Samaritan.
God to Moses, ivithout reading that Moses delivered For about midnight
4.
them ; and concerning the two last, as delivered by I will go forth into the
Moses to Pharaoh, ivilhout reading that God had com- midst of the land of Egypt.
manded them. Whereas in the Samaritan we find 5. And every first-born
every speech twice God commands Moses to go and
:
in the land of Egypt shall
speak thus or thus before Pharaoh ; Moses goes and die, from the first-born of
denounces the judgment ; Pharaoh disobeys, and the Pharaoh ivho sitteth upon
judgment takes place. All tliis is perfectly regular, his throne, unto the first-
and exactly agreeable to the double speeches of Homer born of the maid-servant
in very ancient times. I have not the least doubt that that IS behind the mill,
the Hebrew text now wants many words in each of and even unto the first-
the seven following places chap, vii., between verses
:
born of every beast.
18 and 19 end of chap. vii. chap, viii., between 19
; ; 6. And there shall be a
and 20 chap, x., between 2 and 3
;
chap, xi., at ; great cry through all the
verses 3 and 4. The reader will permit me to refer land of Egypt, such as
him (for all the words thus omitted) to my own edition there was none like it, nor
of the Heb7-eiv Bible, (Oxford 1780, 2 vols, fol.,) where shall be like it any more.
the whole difl^erences are most clearly described. As 7. But against any of
this is a matter of very extensive consequence, I can- the children of Israel shall
not but observe here, that the present Hebrew text not a dog move his tongue,
of Exod. xi. did formerly, and does still appear to me against man or even against
to furnish a demonstration against itself, in proof of beast thou mayest
; that
the double speech being formerly recorded there, as know Jehovah doth
that
it is now in the Samaritan. And some very learned put a difference between
men have confessed the impossibility of explaining the Egyptians and Israel.
this chapter without the assistance of the Samaritan Moreover the man Moses 8. And thou also shall
Pentateuch. I shall now give this important chapter was very great in the land be greatly honoured in
as I presume it stood originally, distinguishing by ita- of Egypt, in the sight of the land of Egypt, in the
lics all such words as are added to or differ from our Pharaoh's servants, and in sight of Pharaoh's ser-
present translation. And before this chapter must be the sight of the people. vants, and in the sight of
placed the two last verses of the chapter preceding, the people.
Exod. X. 28 : And Pharaoh said unto him, Get thee 9. Then Moses said
from me, take heed to thyself, see my face no ?)iore unto Pharaoh, Thus saith
for in that day thou seest my face thou shall die. Jehovah, Israel is my son,
S9 And Moses said, Thou hast well spoken, I
: will my first-born ; and I said
see thy face again no more. unto thee, Let my son go
that he may sei~ve me.
EXODUS XI. 10. But thou hast re-
fused to let him go ; be-
Hebrew text and pre- Samaritan text and new
hold, Jehovah slayeth thy
SENT version. VERSION.
son, thy first-born.

1. And the Lord said 1. Then Jehovah said 4. And Moses said,Thus 1 1 . And Moses said,

unto Moses, Yet will I unto Moses, Yet will I saith the Lord, About mid- Thus Jehovah, About
saith

bring one plague more bring one plague more night will I go out into midnight will I go forth
upon Pharaoh and upon upon Pharaoh and upon the midst into the midst of the land

Egypt, afterwards he Egypt, and afterwards he of Egypt. of Egypt.

will let you go hence will send you out hence
: : 5. And all the first-born 12. And every first-born
when he shall let you go, when he will send you . in the land of Egypt shall in the land of Egypt shall

he shall surely thrust you away, he will surely drive die,from the first-born of die,from the first-born of
out hence altogether. you hence altogether. Pharaoh that sitteth upon Pharaoh that sitteth upon
2. Speak now in the 2. Speak now in the his throne, even unto the his throne, unto the first-
ears of the people ; and ears of the people ; and first-born of the maid-ser- born of the maid-servant
let every man borrow of let every man ask of his vant that is behind the that is behind the mill
his neighbour, and every neighbour, and every wo- mill ; and all the first-born and even unto the first-
woman of her neighbour, man of her neighbour, ves- of beasts. born of every beast.
jeivels of silver, d.n^ jewels sels of silver, and vessels 6. And there shall be 13. And there shall be

of gold. of gold and raiment. a great cry through all the a great cry through all the
3. And the Lord gave 3. And I will give this land of Egypt, such as land of Egypt, such as
the people favour in the people favour in the sight there was none like it. there was none like it,

eight of the Egyptians. of the Egyptians, so thai nor shall be like it any nor shall be like it any
they shall give them ivhat more. more.
they ask. 7. But against any of 14. But against any of
346 a
 - —

Directions concerninsr the CHAP. XII. celebration of the passover.

EXODUS XI. EXODUS XI.

Hebrew. Samaritan. Hebrew. Samaritan.
the children of Israel shall the children of Israel shall 10. And
And Moses and Moses and 18.
not a dog move his tongue, not a dog move his tongue, Aaron did all these won- Aaron performed all these
against man or against man or even against ders before Pharaoh and wonders before Pharaoh : :

beast ; that ye may know beast : that thou mayest the Lord hardened Pha- but Jehovah hardened
how thatLord doth know that the Lord doth
the raoh's heart, so that he Pharaoh's hes t, so that
put a difference between put a difference between would not let the chil- he would noi ,et the chil-
the Egyptians and Israel. the Egyptians and Israel. dren of Israel go out of dren of Israel go out of
8. And all these thy 15. And all these thy his land. his land.
come down
servants shall servants shall come down
unto me, and bow down to me, and bow down " The reader has now the whole of this chapter
themselves unto me, say- themselves to me, saying, before him. When, therefore, he has first read the
ing. Get thee out and all the Go forth, thou and all the 28th and 29th verses of the preceding chapter, and
people that follow thee people that follow thee; ;
has then observed with due surprise the confusion of
and after that I will go out. and then I will go forth. the Hebrew text in chap, xi., he will be prepared to
And he went out from 16. Then went he forth acknowledge with due gratitude the regularity and
Pharaoh in great anger. from before Pharaoh in truth of the Samaritan text, through these many and
great indignation. very considerable differences." Remarks on select
9. And the Lord said 17. And Jehovah said passages in the Old Testament, 8vo., Oxford, 1787.
unto Moses, Pharaoh shall unto Moses, Pharaoh doth The reader will pass his own judgment on the
not hearken unto you, that not hearken unto you, that weight of this reasoning, and the importance of the
my wonders may be multi- my wonders may be multi- additions preserved in the Samaritan text a convic- ;

plied in the land of Egypt. Egypt.

plied in the land of tion of their utility has induced me to insert them

CHAPTER XII.

The month Abib is to he considered as the commencement of the year, 1, 2. The Passover instituted; the
lamb or kid to be used on the occasion to be taken from the flock the ienih. day of the month, and each
family to provide one, 3,4. The lamb or kid to be a male of the first year without blemish, 5. To be
killed on the fourteenth day, 6, and the blood to be sprinkled on the side posts and lintels of the doors, 7.
The flesh to be prepared by roasting, and not to be eaten either sodden or raw, 8, 9 and no part of it to ;

be left till the morning, 10. The people to eat it with their loins girded, <^c., as persons prepared for a
journey, 11. Why called the Passover, 12. The blood sprinkled on the door posts, dfc, to be a token to
them of preservation from the destroying angel, 13. The fourteenth day of the month Abib to be a feast
for ever, 14. Unleavened bread to be eaten seven days, 15. This also to be observed in all their genera-
tions for ever, 17-20. Moses instructs the elders of Israel how they are to offer the lamh and sprinkle
his blood, and for ivhat purpose, 2 1-23. He binds them to instruct their children in the nature of this rite,
24-27. The children of Israel act as commanded, 28. All the first-born of Egypt slain, 29, 30. Pha-
raoh and the Egyptians urge Moses, Aaron, and the Israelites to depart, 31-33. They prepare for their
departure, and get gold, silver, and raiment /ro??i the Egyptians, 34-36. They journey from Rameses
to Succoth, in number six hundred thousand men, besides women and children, and a mixed multitude, 37, 38.
They bake unleavened cakes of the dough they brought ivith them out of Egypt, 39. The time in which
they sojourned in Egypt, 40-42. Different ordinances concerning the Passover, 43-49 which are all ;

punctually observed by the people, ivho are brought out of Egypt the same day, 50, 51.

A.M. 2513.
B. C. 1491.
AND
-tX
the Lord spake unto begmning of months it shall : A. M. 2513.
T- 1 A .
, B C 1491
An. Exod. isr. 1. Moses and Aaron in the he the first month of the year An. Exod. Isr. i.
Abib or Nisan. i„„J
. land „f U"
01 -bigypt,
i
saying, to you.
Abib or Nisan.

2 * This month shall he unto you the 3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of
» Chap. xiii. 4 ; Deut. xvi. 1 ; xxiii. 15 ; xxxiv. 18 ;
Lev. xiii. 5 ; Num. xxviii. 16; Esth. iii. 7.

NOTES ON CHAP. XII. the earth appeared at once with all its fruits in perfec-
Verse This month shall be unto you the begin-
2. tion. From circumstance the Jews have formed
this
img of months'] It is supposed that God now changed a twofold commencement of the year, which has given
the commencement of the Jewish year. The month rise to a twofold denomination of the year itself, to
to which this verse refers, the month Abib, answers to which they afterwards attended in all their reckon-
a part of our March and April ; whereas it is supposed ings : that which began with Tisri or September was
that previously to this the year began with Tisri, called their civil year that which began with Abib or
;

which answers to a part of our September; for in this March was called the sacred or ecclesiastical year.
month the Jews suppose God created the world, when As the exodus of the Israelites formed a particular
a 347
 — ;

The paschal EXODUS. lamb described.

A. M. 2513. Israel, saying, In the tenth day souls every man, accordincp
;
'
^ to
a. m. 2513.
, .
^ ,, ' B. C. 1491.
An. JExod. isr. 1. of this month they shall take to his eating, shall make your count An. Exod. isr. l.
Abib or Nisan. AbiborNisan.
^i^gj^j every man a ^ lamb, ac- for the lamb.
cording to the house of their fathers, a lamb 5 Your lamb shall be *=
without blemish, a
for a house : male '^
of the first year : ye shall take it out
4 And if the household be too from the sheep, or from the goats little for the :

lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his 6 And ye shall keep it up until the ^ four-
house take it, according to the number of the teenth day of the same month and the whole :

b Or, kid. <:

Lev. xxii. 19, 20, 21 ; Mai. i. 8, 14 ; Heb. ix. 14 ;
d Heb son of a year ; Lev. xxiii. 12. « Lev. xxiii.
•e
3 5 ; Num.
1 Pet. i. 19. ix. 3 ; xxviii. 16 ; Deut. xvi. 1, 6.

era, which is referred to in Jewish reckonings down to rabbins allow that there should be at least ten persons
the building of the temple, I have marked it as such to one paschal lamb, and not more than twenty.
in the chronology in the margin ; and shall carry it down it, according to the number of the souls]
Take The
to the time in which acknowledged.
it ceased to be persons who were to eat of it were to be first ascer-
Some very eminently learned
dispute this and men ; tained, and then the lamb was to be slain and dressed
especially Houbigant, who contends with great plau- for that number.
sibility of argument that no new commencement of the Verse 5. Without blemish] Having no natural im-
year is noted in this place for that the year had al- perfection, no disease, no deficiency or redundancy of
;

ways begun in this month, and that the words shall be, parts. On this point the rabbins have trifled most
which are inserted by different versions, have nothing egregiously, reckoning fifty blemishes that render a
answering to them in the Hebrew, which he renders lamb or a kid, or any animal, improper to be sacrificed :

literally thus Hie meyisis vobis est caput mensiimi

: five in the ear, three in the eyelid, eight in the eye,
hic vobis primus est anni mensis. " This month is to three in the nose, six in the mouth, &c., &c.
you the head or chief of the months it is to you the A male of the first year] That is, any age in the
;

first month of the year." And he observes farther first year between eight days and twelve months.
that God only marks it thus, as is evident from the From the sheep, or from the goats] The T\\i/ seh
context, to show the people that this month, which means either and either was equally proper if with- ;

was the beginning of their year, should be so desig- out blemish. The Hebrews however in general pre-

nated as to point out to their posterity on lohal month ferred the lamb to the kid.
and on what day of the month they a* :,re to celebrate Verse 6. Ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day]
the passover and the feast of unlea\ ened bread. His The lamb or kid was to be taken from the flock on the
words are these " Ergo superest, et Hebr. ipso ex
:
tenth day, and kept up and fed by itself till the four-

contextu efRcitur, non hic novi ordinis annum con- when it was to be sacrificed. This was teenth day,
stitui, sed eum anni mensem, qui esset primus, ideo never commanded nor practised afterwards. The rab-
commemorari, ut posteris constaret, quo mense, et quo bins mark four things that were required in the first
passover that were never required afterwards 1 The
die mensis pascha et azyma celebranda essent." : .

Verse In the tenth day of this mo7ith] In after

3. eating of the lamb in their houses dispersed through
times they began their preparation on the thirteenth Goshen. 2. The taking the lamb on the tenth day.

day or day before the passover, which was not cele- 3. The striking of its blood on the door posts and lin-
brated till the fourteenth day, see ver. 6 but on the : tels of their houses. And, 4. Their eating it in hastte.
present occasion, as this was their first passover, they These things were not required of the succeeding
probably required more time to get ready in as a generations.
state of very great confusion must have prevailed at
;

The ivhole assembly — shall kill it] Any person

this time. Mr. Ainsworth remarks that on this day might kill it, the sacrificial act in this case not being
the Israelites did afterwards go through Jordan into confined to the priests.
the land of Canaan Josh. iv. 19.
; And Christ, our In the evening.] D'3"li'n r3 beyn haarbayim, " be-
Paschal Lamb, on this day entered Jerusalem, riding tween the two evenings." The Jews divided the day
on an ass the people bearing palm branches, and
; into 7norning and evening: till the sun passed the meri-
crying, Hosanna, John xii. 1, 12, 13, &c. and in : dian all was morning or forenoon ; after that, all was
him this type was truly fulfilled. afternoon or evening. Their fits t evening began just
A lamb] The original word Pits' sch signifies the after tivelve o^clock, and continued till sun.iet ; their
young of sheep and of and may be indifferently
goats, second evening began at sunset and continued till night,
translated either latnb or hid. See ver. 5. i. e., during the whole time oUwilight;
between twelve
A lamb for a house] The whole host of Israel was o'clock, therefore, and the termination of twilight, the
divided into twelve tribes, these tribes into families, passover was to be offered.
the families into houses, and the houses into particular " The day among the Jews had twelve hours, John
persons; Num. i.. Josh. vii. 14. Ainsivorth. xi. 9. Their first hour was about six o'clock in the
Verse 4. If the household be too little] That is, If morning with us. Their sixth hour was our noon.
there be not persons enough in one family to eat a Their Jiinth hour answered to our three o'clock in the
whole lamb, then two families must join together. The afternoon. By this we may understand that the time
348
Directions for eating CHAP. XII. the paschal lamb.

A. M. 2513. assembly of the congregation roast with fire, and ^ unleavened a. m. 2513.
B. C. 1491.
An. Exod. Isr. 1. of Israel shall kill it ^in the bread ;
and with bitter herbs An. JExod. Isr. 1.
^^'^"•^'^'^"- AbiborNisan.
evening. they shall eat it.

7 And they
shall take of the blood, and 9 Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with
strike on the two side posts, and on the water, but ^ roast with fire his head with his
it
;

upper door post of the houses, wherein they legs, and with the purtenance thereof.
shall eat it, 10 'And ye shall let nothing of it remain
"5 And they shall eat the flesh in that night. until the morning ; and that Which remainetli

^Heh. between the tivo evenings ; chap. xvi. 12. sCh. xxxiv. • Deuteronomy xvi. 7. 'Chapter xxiii. 18;
25 ; Deut. xvi. 3 ; Num. ix. 11 ; i Cor. iv. 8. xxxiv. 25.

in which Christ was crucified began at the third hour, blood of the covenant wherewith they were sanctified
that is, nine o'clock in the morning, the ordinary
at a)i unholy thing; Heb. x. 29.
time for the daily morning sacrifice, and ended at the A^'erse 8. They shall eat the flesh roast tvith flre] —
ninth hour, that is, three o'clock in the afternoon, the As it was the ordinary custom of the Jews to boil
time of the evening sacrifice, Mark xv. 25, 33, 34, their flesh, some think
command given herethat the
37. Wherefore their ninth hour was their hour of was custom of the Egyptians, who
in opposition to the
prayer, when they used to go into the temple at the ate raiv flesh in honour of Osiris. The Ethiopians
daily evening sacrifice, Acts iii. 1 and this was the ; are to this day remarkable for eating raw flesh, as is
ordinary time for the passover. It is worthy of remark the case with most savage nations.
that God sets no particular hour for the killing of the U7ileavened bread] nii'O matstsoth, from nVO matsah,
passover any time between the two evenings, i. e.,
: to squeeze or compress, because the bread prepared
between twelve o'clock in the day and the termination without leaven or yeast was generally compressed, sad
of twilight, was lawful. The daily sacrifice (see Exod. or heavy, as we term it. The word here properly
xxix. 38, 39) was killed at half past the eighth hour, signifies unleavened cakes ; the word for leaven in He-
that is, half an hour before three in the afternoon ;
brew is yon chamets, which simply signifies to fer-
and it was offered up at half past the ninth hour, that ment. It is supposed that leaven was forbidden on
is, half an hour after three. In the evening of the this and other occasions, that the bread being less
passover it was killed at half past the seventh hour, agreeable to the taste,it might be emblematical of

and offered at half past the eighth, that is, half an hour their bondage and bitter servitude, as this seems to
BEFORE three : and if the evening of the passover fell have been one design of the bitter herbs which were
on the evening of the Sabbath, it was killed at half commanded to be used on this occasion but this cer- ,

past the SIXTH hour, and offered at half past the tainly was not the sole design of the prohibition leaven :

SEVENTH, that is, half an hour before tioo in the after- itself is a species of corruption, being produced by
noon. The reason of this was, they were first obliged fermentation, which in such cases tends to putrefac-
to kill the daily sacrifice, and then to kill and roast the tion. In this very light St. Paul considers the subject
paschal lamb, and also to rest the evening before the in this place hence, alluding to the passover as a type
;

passover. Agreeably to this Maimonidcs says the '

of Christ, he says Purge out therefore the old leaven
—
:

killing of the passover is after mid-day, and if they for Christ our passover is sacrificed for us : there-
kill it before it is not lawful and they do not kill it
; fore us keep the feast, not loith old leaven, neither
let
till after the daily evening sacrifice, and burning of in- leaven of malice and ivickedness, but with the
%vith the
cense : and after they have trimmed the lamps they unleavened hredid of sincerity and truth; 1 Cor. v. 6— 8.
begin to kill the paschal lambs until the end of the Bitter herbs] What kind of herbs or salad is in-
day.' By this time of the day God foreshowed the tended by the word D'Tiro merorim, which literally sig-
sufferings of Christ in the evening of times or in the nifies bitters, is not well known. The Jews think
last days, Heb. i. 2 1 Pet. i. 19, 20
; and about the : cichory, loild lettuce, horehound, and the like are in-
same time of the day, when the paschal lamb ordina- tended. Whatever may be implied under the term,
rily died. He died also, viz., at the ninth hour Matt, ; whether bitter herbs or bitter ingredients in general, it
xxvii. 46-50." See Ainsworth. was designed to put them in mind of their bitter and
Verse 7. Take of the blood, and strike it on the two severe bondage in the land of Egypt, from which God
side posts'] This was to be done by dipping a bunch was now about to deliver them.
of hyssop into the blood, and thus sprinkling it upon Verse 9. With the purtenance thereof] All the
the posts, &c. see ver. 22.
; That this sprinkling of intestines, for thesewere abused by the heathens to
the blood of the paschal lamb was an emblem of the purposes of divination and when roasted in the man-
;

sacrifice and atonement made by the death of Jesus ner here directed they could not be thus used. The
Christ, is most clearly intimated in the sacred writings, command also implies that the lamb was to be roasted
1 Pet. i. 2 Heb. ix. 13, 14 viii. 10.
; It is remark-
; whole ; neither the head or legs were to be separated,
able that no blood was to be sprinkled on the threshold, nor the intestines removed. I suppose that these last
to teach, as Mr. Ainsworth properly observes, a re- simply included the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, &c.,
verent regard for the blood of Christ, that men should and not the intestinal canal.
not tread under foot the Son GOD, nor count the remain until the
of Verse 10. Ye shall let nothing of it

34<»
 ;

Manner of eating the lamb. EXODUS. Why called the passover

A. M. 2513. of it until the morning ye shall 1 2 For I ^ will pass through A. M. 2513.
B. C. 1491. , .^, r
An. Exod. isr. 1. Dum With lire. the land of Egypt this night, and An. JExod. isr. i
Abib or Nisan Abib or Nisan
1 1 And thus shall ye eat it will smite all the first-born in the
.

with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, land of Egypt, both man and beast ; and
and your staff in your hand ; and ye shall ^ against all the ° gods of Egypt I will execute
eat it in haste :
^ it is the Lord's passover. judgment : °1 am the Lord.

* Deut. xvi. 5. ' Chap. xi. 4, 5 ; Amos v. 17. ™ Numbers ^ Or, princes ; chap. xxi. 6; xxii. 28; Psa. Ixxxii. 1, 6; John
xxxiii. 4. X. 34, 35. ° Chap. vi. 2.

morning] Merely to prevent putrefaction ; for it was It is the Lord''s passover.] That is, Jehovah is
not meet that a thing offered to God should be sub- now about to pass over the land, and the houses only
jected to corruption, which in such hot countries it where the blood is sprinkled shall be safe from the
must speedily undergo. Thus the body of our blessed stroke of death. The Hebrew word nD3 pesach, which
Lord saw no corruption, Psalm xvi. 10; Acts ii. 27, we very properly translate passover, and which should
because, like the paschal lamb, it was a sacrifice offer- always be pronounced as tiuo words, has its name from
ed to God. the angel of God passing by or over the houses of the
It appears that from the Jewish passover the hea- Israelites, on the posts and lintels of which the blood
thens borrowed their sacrifice termed propter viam. of the lamb was sprinkled, while he stopped at the
It was their custom previously to their undertaking a houses of the Egyptians to slay their first-born.
journey, to offer a sacrifice to their gods, and to eat Verse 12. Against all the gods of Egypt, df-c] As
the whole if possible, but if any part was left they different animals were sacred among the Egyptians,
burned it with fire and this was called propter viam, the slaying of the first-born of all the beasts might be
;

because it was made to procure a prosperous journey. called executing judgment upon the gods of Egypt.
It was in reference to this that Cato is said to have As this however does not appear very clear and satis-
rallied a person called Q. Albidius, who, having eaten factory, some have imagined that the word TlSx elohey
np all his goods, set fire to his house, his only remain- should be translated princes, which is the rendering in
ing property. " He has offered his sacrifice propter our margin ; for as these princes, who were rulers of
viam,'''' says Cato, " because he has burned what he the kingdom under Pharaoh, were equally hostile to
could not eat." This account is given by Macrolius, the Hebrews with Pharaoh himself, therefore these
Saturn., lib. ii., 2, edit. Bipont., vol. i., p. 333; and is judgments fell equally heavy on them also. But we
a remarkable instance how closely some of the religious may ask. Did not these judgments fall equally on all
observances of the people of God have been copied by the families of Egypt, though multitudes of them had
the heathen nations. no particular part either in the evil counsel against the
Verse 1 1 And thus shall ye eat it ; with your loins Israelites or in their oppression ?
. Why then distin-
girded] As in the eastern countries they wear long guish those in calamities in which all equally shared ?
loose garments, whenever they travel they tuck up the None of these interpretations therefore appear satis-
fore parts of their garments in the girdle which they factory. Houbigant, by a very simple and natural
wear round their loins. emendation, has, he thinks, restored the whole passage
Your shoes on your feet] This seems particularly to sense and reason. He supposes that TlSx elohey,
mentioned because not customary. " The easterns GODS, is a mistake for 'Shn ahley, tents or habita-
throw off their shoes when they eat, because it would tions, the n he and the 1 lamed being merely inter-
be troublesome," says Sir J. Chardin, " to keep their changed. This certainly gives a very consistent sensp,
shoes upon their feet, they sitting cross-legged on the and points out the universality of the desolation to
floor, and having no hinder quarters to their shoes, which the whole context continually refers. He there-
which are made like slippers ; and as they do not use fore contends that the text should be read thus And :

tables and chairs as we do in Europe, but have their on all the tents (or habitations) of Egypt I ivill exe-
floors covered with carpets, they throw off their shoes cute judgment ; by which words the Lord signified
when they enter their apartments, lest they should soil that not one dwelling in the whole land of Egypt should
those beautiful pieces of furniture." On the contrary be exempted from the judgment here threatened. It
the Israelites were to have their shoes on, because now is but justice to say that however probable this criti-
about to commence their journey. It was customary cism may appear, it is not supported by any of the
among the Romans to lay aside their shoes when they ancient versions, nor by any of the MSS. collated by
went to a banquet. The servants took them off them Kennicott and De Rossi. The parallel place also
when they entered the house, and returned them when Num. xxxiii. 4, is rather against Houbigant's inter-
they departed to their own habitations. pretation : For the Egyptians buried all their first-
Your staff in your hand] The same writer ob- born, which the Lord had smitten among them
: vpon
serves that the eastern people universally make use of their gods also [Dn'nSN31 ubeloheyhem] the Lord exe-
a staff when they travel on foot. cuted judgments. But Houbigant amends the word
Ye shall eat it in haste] Because they were sud- in this place in the same way as he does that in
denly to take their departure : the destroying angel Exodus. There appears also to be an allusion to this
was enemies were coming against them,
at hand, their former judgment in Isa. xix. 1 Behold, the Lord :
—
and they had not a moment to lose. shall come into Egypt, and the idols ['S'Sx eliley] of
350
 6 ;

The passover to he CHAP. XJ[. a continual ordinance

A. M. 2513. 1 3 And the blood shall be to leaven out of your houses : for a. m. 2513.

An. Exod. isr". 1. you for a token upon the houses whosoever eateth leavened bread An. Exod. isr. 1.
Abib or Nisan. Abib or Nisan.
^^^^^^ ^^ ^^^ .
^^^ ^^^^ j ^^^ from the first day until the seventh
the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague day, ^ that soul shall be cut off from Israel
shall not be upon you p to destroy you,
1 when
And in the first day there shall 5e ' a
I smite the land of Egypt. holy convocation, and in the seventh day there
.

14 And this day shall be unto you i for a shall be a holy convocation to you no man- ;

memorial , and ye shall keep it a feast to the ner of work shall be done in them, save that
""

Lord throughout your generations ;

ye shall which every ^ man must eat, that only may
keep it a feast ^ by an ordinance for ever, be done of you.
15 * Seven days shallye eat unleavened 17 And ye shall observe the feast q/" unlea-
bread ; even the first day ye shall put away vened bread ; for '^
in this self-same day have

^ H.eh. for a destruction. iChap.xiii. 9. ^Lev. xxiii. 4, 17 ; Deut. xvi. 3, 8 ; 1 Cor. v. 7. « Gen. xvii. 14 ; Num. ix.
5 ; 2 Kings xxiii. 21. « Ver. 24, 43 chap. xiii. 10.
;
' Chap.
13. ''Lev. xxiii. 7, 8 ; Num. xxviii. 18, 25. '^
Heb. send.
xiii. 6, 7 xxiii. 15
; xxxiv.
; 18, 25; Lev. xxiii. 5, 6 Num. xxviii. ; ^ Chap. xiii. 3.

Egypt shall be moved at his presence. And in Jer. Jerusalem. The truth is, the true Lamb of God that
xliii. 13 : The houses of the gods [TlSx 'n3 bottei/ taketh away the sin of the world has been offered, and
elohey] of the Egyptians shall he burn loith fire. The they have no power to restore the ancient type. See
rabbins say that " when Israel came out of Egypt, the on ver. 27.
holy blessed God threw down all the images of their Verse 15. Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread]
abominations, and they were broken to pieces." When This has been considered as a distinct ordinance, and
a nation was conquered, it was always supposed that not essentially connected with the passover. The
their gods had either abandoned them or were over- passover was to be observed on the fourteenth day of
come. Thus Egypt was ruined, and their gods con- the first month the feast of unleavened bread began
;

founded and destroyed by Jehovah. See the note on on i\ye fifteenth and lasted seven days, the first and last
chap. xi. 7. of which were holy convocations.
Verse 13. The blood shall be to you for a token] That soul shall be cut off] There are thirty-six
It shall be the sign to the destroying angel, that the places in which this excision or cutting off is threat-
house on which he sees this blood sprinkled is under ened against the Jews for neglect of some particular
the protection of God, and that no person in it is to duty ; and what is implied in the thing itself is not
be injured. See on ver. 11. well known. Some means a violent death,
think it

Verse 14. A memorial] To keep up a remem- some a premature death, and some an eternal death.
brance of the severity and goodness, or justice and It is very likely that it means no more than a separa-
mercy, of God. Ye shall keep it a feast it shall be — tion from the rights and privileges of an Israelite
so ;

annually observed, and shall be celebrated with solemn that after this excision the person was considered as
religious joy, throughout your generations as long as — — a mere stranger, who had neither lot nor part in Israel,
ye continue to be a distinct people an ordinance ; nor any right to the blessings of the covenant. This
a Divine appointment, an institution of God himself, is probably what St. Paul means, Rom. ix. 3. But
neither to be altered nor set aside by any human we naturally suppose this punishment was not inflicted
authority. but on those who had showed a marked and obstinate
For ever.] D7l>' chukkath olam, an everlasting
T\T>T\ contempt for the Divine authority. This punishment
or endless statute, because representative of the Lamb appears to have been nearly the same with excommu-
of God who taketh away the sin of the world ; whose nication among the Christians ; and from this general
mediation, in consequence of his sacrifice, shall endure notion of the cutting off, the Christian excommunica-
while time itself lasts ; and to whose merits and effi- tion seems to have been borrowed.
cacy the salvation of the soul shall be ascribable Verse 16. In the first day and in the seventh day —
throughout eternity. This, therefore, is a statute and there shall be a holy convocatioii] This is the first
ordinance that can have no end, either in this world place where we meet with the account of an assembly
or in the world to come. It is remarkable that though collected for the mere purpose of religious worship.
the Jews have ceased from the whole of their sacri- Such assemblies are called holy convocations, which is
ficial system, so that sacrifices are no longer offered a very appropriate appellation for a religious assembly
by them in any part of the world, yet they all, in all they were called together by the express command of
their generations and in all countries, keep up the re- God, and were to be employed in a work of holiness.
membrance of the passover, and observe the feast of N'lpO mikra, convocation, is a word of similar import
unleavened bread. But no lamb is sacrificed. Their with the Greek eKKlrjaLa, which we commonly trans-
sacrifices have all totally ceased, ever since the de- late Church, and which properly signifies an assembly
struction of Jerusalem by the Romans. Even the flesh convened by public call.
that is used on this occasion is partly roasted and partly Verse 17. Self-same day] DV;'3 Jee/^em, in the body
boiled, that it may not even resemble the primitive of this day, or in the strength of this day probably ;

•acrifice for they deem it unlawful to sacrifice out of thev began their march about day-break, called here
;

351
Feast of unleavened bread. EXODUS. Door posts sprinkled with blood.

A. M. 2513. I brought your armies out of the and dip it in the blood that is ip A. M. 2513.

An. JExod. isr. 1. land ofEgypt therefore shall ye the

:
basin, and « strike the lintel An. Exod. Isr.' 1.
Abib or Nisan. ^^'^ "' ^''^^
observe this day in your gene- and the two side posts with the
rations by an ordinance for ever. blood that is in the basin ; and none of you
18 y month, on the fourteenth shall go out at the door of his house until
In the first

day of the month at even, ye shall eat unlea- the morning.

vened bread, until the one and twentieth day 23 ^ For the Lord will pass through to
of the month at even. smite the Egyptians ; and when he seeth the
19 ''-
Seven days shall there be no leaven blood upon the lintel, and on the two side
found in your houses : for whosoever eateth posts, the Lord will pass over the door, and
that which is leavened, ^ even that soul shall ^ will not suffer ^ the destroyer to come in
be cut off from the congregation of Israel, unto your houses to smite you.
whether he be a stranger, or born in the land, 24 And ye shall observe this thing for an
20 Ye shall eat nothing leavened in all ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever. ;

your habitations shall ye eat unleavened 25 And it shall come to pass, when ye be
bread. come to the land which the Lord will give
21 Then Moses called for all the elders of you, '
according as he hath promised, that ye
Israel, and said unto them, ''
Draw out and shall keep this service.

take you a ^ lamb according to your families, 26 '^

And it shall come to pass, when your
and kill the passover. children shall say unto you. What mean ye
22 '-^
And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop. by this service ?

y Lev. xxiii. 5 ; Num. xxviii. 16. '^

Exod. xxiii. 15 xxxiv.
; Or, kid.
<^ d Heb. xi. 28. " A''erse 7. ' Verse 12, 13.
18 ; Deut. xvi. 3
Cor. v. 7, 8.
; 1^ Num. ix. 13. b Ver. 3 ;
? Ezek. ix. 6 Rev. vii. 3 ix.
; ;
4. f'
2 Sam. xxiv. 16 ; 1 Cor
Num. ix. 4; Josh. v. 10; 2 Kings xxiii. 21 ; Ezra vi. 20 ; Matt, X. 10 Heb. xi. 28.
;
Chap. '
iii. 8, 17. ^ Chap. xiii. 8, 14 ;

xxvi. 18, 19 ; Mark xiv. 12-16 ; Luke xxii. 7, «&c. Deut. xxxii. 7 ; Josh. iv. 6 ; Psa. Ixxviii. G.

the body or strength of the day, and in Deut. xvi. 1, qualities, whence it was used in sprinkling the b')od

by night —some
time before the sun rose. of the paschal lamb, in cleansing the leprosy. Lev. xiv
Verse 19. No leaven found in your houses] To composing the water of purification, 4, 6, 51, 52 ; in
meet the letter of this precept in the fullest manner and sprinkling it, ver. 18. It was a Num. xix. 6,
possible, the Jews, on the eve of this festival, institute type of the purifying virtue of the bitter sufferings of
the most rigorous search through every part of their Christ. And it is plain, from Psa. li. 7, that the
houses, not only removing all leavened bread, but psalmist understood its meaning. Among botanists
sweeping every part clean, that no crumb of bread hyssop is described as " a genus of the gymnospermia
shall be left that had any leaven in it. And so strict (naked-seeded) order, belonging to the didynamia class
were they in the observance of the letter of this law, of plants. It has under-shrubby, low, bushy stalks,

that if even a mouse was seen to run across the floor growing a foot and a half high, small, spear-shaped,
with a crumb of bread in its mouth, they considered close-sitting, opposite leaves, with several smaller ones
the whole house as polluted, and began their purifi- rising from the same joint and all the stalks and ;

cation afresh. We
have already seen that leaven was branches terminated by erect whorled spikes of flowers
an emblem of sin, because it proceeded from corrup- of different colours, in the varieties of the plant. The
tion and the putting away of this implied the turning leaves have an aromatic smell, and a warm pungent
;

to God with simplicity and uprightness of heart. See taste. The leaves of this plant are particularly re-
on ver. 8, and the note on ver. 27. commended in humoral asthmas, and other disorders
Verse 21. Kill the passove?-.] That is, the lamb, of the breast and lungs, and greatly promote expecto-
which was called the paschal or passover lamb. The ration." Its medicinal qualities were probably the
animal that was to be sacrificed on this occasion got reason why this plant was so particularly recommended
the name of the institution itself thus the word cove- : in the Scriptures.
nant is often put for the sacrifice offered in making the Verse 26. What mean ye by this service?] The
covenant so the rock was Christ, 1 Cor. x. 4
; bread ; establishment of this service annually was a very wise
and ivine the body and blood of Chnst, Mark xiv. 22, provision to keep up in remembrance this wonderful
24. Paul copies the expression, 1 Cor. v. 7
St. : deliverance. From the remotest antiquity the institu-
Christ our passover (that is, our paschal lamb) is sa- games, &c., has been used to keep up
tion of feasts,
crificed for us. the memory of past grand events. Hence God insti-
Verse 22. A bunch of hyssop] The original word tuted the Sabbath, to keep up the remembrance of the
31TX ezob has been variously translated musk, rosemary, creation ; and the passover, to keep up the remembrance
polypody of the wall, mint, origanum, marjoram, and of the deliverance from Egypt. All the other feasts
HYSSOP the latter seems to be the most proper. Park-
: were instituted on similar reasons. The Jews never
hurst isays it is nam*^^ from its detersive and cleansing took their sons to the tabernacle or temple till they
a
Their posterity to he taught CHAP. XII. the nature of the passover.

A. M. 2513. 27 That ve shall say, ^ It is And the people "» bowed the head A. m. 2513.
B C 1491. . B. C. 1491.
Exod. Isr. 1.
All. the Sacrifice of the Lord's pass- and worshipped. An. kxod. Isr.
Abib or Nisan. Abib or Nisan.
^^^^^ ^^^^ passcd ovcr the houses 28 And the children of Israel
of the children of Israel inEgypt, when he went away, and ''did as the Lord had com-
smote the Egyptians, and deUvered our houses. manded Moses and Aaron, so did they.

iVer. 11. "Chap. iv. 31. >Heb.

were twelve years of age, nor suffered them to eat of densed into one point of view, in the address to the
the flesh of any victim they had themselves offered
till communicant " Take and eat this in remembrance
:

a sacrifice at the temple, which they were not permit- that Christ died for thee and feed upon him, in thy
;

ted to do before the twelfth year of their age. It was heart, by faith with thanksgiving." Thus God con-
at this age that Joseph and Mary took our blessed Lord tinues the memorial of that grand transaction which
to the temple, probably for the first time, to offer his he has said should be an ordinance for ever ; evidently
sacrifice. See Calmet. meaning thereby, that the paschal lamb should be the
Verse 27. It is the sacrifice of the Lord^s passover^ significator till the passion and death of Christ and ;

We have already intimated that the paschal lamb was that afterwards bread and loine taken sacramentally, in
an illustrious type of Christ and we shall find that
; commemoration of his crucifixion, should be the con-
every thing in this account is typical or representative. tinual representatives of that sacrifice till the end of
The bondage and affliction of the people of Israel may the world. Thus the passover in itself, and in its re-
be considered as emblems of the hard slavery and ference, is an ordinance for ever ; and thus the words
wretchedness consequent on a state of sinfulness. Sa- of the Lord are literally fulfilled. Reader, learn from
tan reigns over both body and soul, bringing the whole this, 1. That if thou art not rescued from the thraldom
into subjection to the law of sin and death while va- ; of sin, thou must perish for ever. 2. That nothing
rious evil tempers, passions, lusts, and irregular appe- less than the power and mercy of God can set thee
tites, act as subordinate tormentors, making the lives free. 3. That God will save thee in no other way

of the vassals of sin bitter, because of the rigour by than by bringing thee out of thy sinful state, and from
which they are obliged to serve. Reader, is this thy thy wicked practices and companions. 4. That in or-
case ? The mercy of God projects the redemption of der to thy redemption it was absolutely necessary that
man from bondage and oppression and a
this cruel ; the Son of God should take thy nature upon him, and
sacrifice is appointed for the occasionby God himself, die in thy stead. 5. That unless the blood of this sa-
to be offered with particular and significant rites and crificebe sprinkled, in its atoning efficacy and merits,
ceremonies, all of which represent the passion and on thy heart and conscience, the guilt and power of
death of our blessed Lord, and the great end for which thy sin cannot be taken away. 6. That as the blood
he became a sacrifice, viz., the redemption of a lost of the paschal lamb must be sprinkled on every house,
world from the power, the guilt, and the pollution of in order to the preservation of its inhabitants, so there
sin, &c. And it is worthy of remark, 1. That the an- must be a personal application of the blood of the cross
niversary or annual commemoration of the passover to thy conscience, to take away thy sins. 7. As it

was strictly and religiously kept by the Jews on the was enough that the passover was instituted, but
not
day, and hour of the day, on which the original trans- the blood must be sprinkled on the lintels and door
action took place, throughout all their succeeding gene- posts of every house to make the rite effectual to the
rations. That on one of these anniversaries, and,
2. salvation of each individual, so it is not enough that
as many suppose, on the very day and hour on which Christ should have taken human nature upon him, and
the paschal lamb was originally offered, our blessed died for the sin of the world ; for no man who has the
Lord expired on the cross for the salvation of the opportunity of hearing the Gospel is saved by that
world. 3. That after the destruction of Jerusalem the death, who does not, by faith, get a personal applica-
paschal lamb ceased to be offered by the Jews through- tion of it to his own heart. 8. That those who wish
out the world, though they continue to hold the anni- for an application of the atoning blood, must receive
versary of the passover, but ivithout any sacrifice, not- this spiritualpassover with a perfect readiness to de-
withstanding their deep-rooted, inveterate antipathy part from the land of their captivity, and travel to the
against the author and grace of the Gospel. 4. That rest that remains for the people of God ;
it being im-
the sacrament of the Lord's Supper was instituted to possible, not only to a gross sinner, continuing such,
keep this true paschal sacrifice in be finally saved, (however he may presume upon the
commemoration, and to
that this has been religiously observed by the mercy of God,) but also to a worldly-minded man, to
whole
Christian world (one very small class of Christians get to the kingdom of God for Christ died to save ;

excepted) from the foundation of Christianity to the us from the present evil ivorld, according to the will of
present day 5. That the Jews were commanded to
! God. 9. That in order to commemorate aright, in the
eat the paschal lamb and our Lord, commemorating sacrament of the Lorfs Supper, the great atonement
;

the passover, commanded his disciples, saying, Take, made for the sin. of the world, all leaven of malice,
eat, THIS is my body, which is given for you ; do this bitterness, and insincerity, must be put away as God ;

in remembrance of ME. In the communion service wiU have no man to partake of this mystery who does
of the Church of England, the spirit and design both not fully enter into its spirit and meaning. See 1 Cor
of the type and antitype are most expressly con- V. 7, 8.
VoL. T ( 24 ^ 353
 ;

All the Jirst-horn of the EXODUS. Egyptians are slatn.

A. M. 2513. 29 ° And it came to pass, that was in the " dungeon ; and all the a. m. 2513.

An.Exod.isr'. 1. at midnight ^the Lord smote all first-born of cattle. An. Exod. Isr. 1
Abib or Nisan. Abib or Nisan.
jj^g first-born in the land of Egypt, 30 And Pharaoh rose up in
^ from the first-born of Pharaoh that sat on his the night, he, and all his servants, and all

throne, unto the first-born of the captive that the Egyptians ; and there was a ^ great cry

"Chap. xi. 4.- -PNum. viii. 17; xxxiii. 4 ; Psa. Ixxviii. 51 ;

xviii. 11. ''Heb. house of the pit. ' Chap. xi. 6 ; Prov. xxi.
cv. 36 ; cxxxv. cxxxvi. 10. 1 Chap. iv. 23 ; xi. 5 Wisd.
;
13 ; Amos v. 17 ; James ii. 13.

Verse 29. Smote all the first-horn] If we take the joined to another that signifies any kind of misery or
term, first-horn in its literal sense o)ilj/,we shall be led disgrace, then signifies the depth of misery, the ut-
it

to conclude that in a vast number of the houses of the most So the first-born of the poor, Isa.
disgrace.
Egyptians there could have been no death, as it is not xiv. 30, signifies the most abject, destitute, and im-
at all likely that every first-born child of every Egyp- poverished. The FiRsr-BORK of death. Job. xviii. 13,
tian family was still alive, and that all the first-born of means the ?nost ho7-rible kind of death. So in the
their cattle still remained. And yet it is said, ver. 30, threatening again.st Pharaoh, chap. xi. 5, where he
that there was not a house ivhere there was not one informs him that he will slay all the first-born, from
dead. The word therefore must not be taken in its the first-born of Pharaoh that sitleth upon the throne,
literal sense only. From
use in a great variety of
its to the first-born of the maid-servant that is beJiind the
places in the Scriptures evident that it means the mill, he takes in the very highest and lowest condi-
it is

chief, most excellent, best heloved, most distinguished, tions of life. As there was no state in Egypt supe-
&c. In this sense our blessed Lord is called the first- rior to the throne, so there was none inferior to that
born of every creature. Col. i. 15, and the first-born of the female slave that ground at the mill. The
among many brethren, Rom. viii. 29 that is, he is ; Prophet Habakkuk seems to fix this as the sense in
more excellent than all creatures, and greater than all which the word is used here; for speaking of the
the children of men. In the same sense .we may un- plagues of Egypt in general, and the salvation which
derstand Rev. i. 5, where Christ is called the first- God afforded his people, he says, chap. iii. 13 Thou
begotten from the dead, i. e., the chief of all that wentest forth for the salvation of thy people thou
:

—
have ever visited the empire of death, and on whom luoundedst the he.\d (lyxi rosh, the chief, the most ex-
death has had any power and the only one who by ; cellent) of the house of the ivicked of Pharaoh an»l —
his own might quickened himself. In the same sense the Egyptians. And the author of the book of Wis'
wisdom is represented as being brought forth before all dom understood it in the same way The master and, :

the creatures, and being possessed by the Lord in the the servant ivere punished after one manner ; and like
beginning of his ways, Prov. viii. 22—30 that is, the ;
as the king, so suffered the common people —for in one
wisdom of God is peculiarly conspicuous in the produc- moment the noblest offspring of them ivas destroyed
tion, arrangement, and government of every part of chap, xviii. 11, 12. And in no other sense can we
the creation. So Ephraim is called the Lord's first- understand the word in Psa. Ixxxix. 27, where, among
born, Jer. xxxi. 9. And the people of Israel are often the promises of God to David, we find the following :

called by the same name, see Exod. iv. 22 Israel is : Also I ivill make him my first-born, higher than the
my son, my first-born that is, the people in whom
;
kings of the earth ; in which passage the latter clause
I particularly delight, and whom I will especially sup- explains the former David, as king, should be the
;

port and defend. And because the first-born are in first-born of God, i. e., he should be higher than the
general peculiarly dear to their parents, and because kings of the earth —
the most eminent potentate in the
among the Jews they had especial and peculiar privi- universe. In this sense, therefore, we should under-t
leges, whatever was most dear, most valuable, and most stand the passage in question the most eminent per-
;

prized, was thus denominated. So Micah vi. 7 Shall : son in every family in Egypt, as well as those who
I give my first-born for my transgression, the fruit were literally \\\e first-born, being slain in this plague.
of my body for the sin of my soul ? Shall I give up Calmet and some other critics particularly contend for
the 7nost beloved child I have, he that is most dear and this sense.
most necessary to me, in order to make an atonement Verse 30. There was a great cry] No people in
for my In like manner the Prophet Zechariah,
sins ! the universe were more remarkable for their mourn-
speaking of the conversion of the Jews to the Gos- ings than the Egyptians, especially in matters of reli-
pel of Christ, represents them as looking on him whom gion they whipped, beat, tore themselves, and howled
;

they have pierced, and being as one that is in bitterness in all When a relative died, the
the excess of grief
for his first-born that is, they shall feel distress and
; people left the house, ran into the streets, and howled
anguish as those who had lost their most beloved chM. in the most lamentable and frantic manner.- See Diod.
So the Church triumphant in the kingdom of God are Sicul., i., and Herod., lib. ii., c. 85, 86.
lib. And
called, Heb. xii. 23, the general assembly and Church this author happening to be in Egypt on one
latter
of the first-born, i. e., the most noble and excellent of their solemnities, saw myriads of people whipping
of all human if not created beings. So Homer II. and beating themselves in this manner, lib. ii., c. 60 ;

iv., ver. 102 kpvuv irpuroyovuv pe^eiv KXeirrjv iKa-

:
and see Mr. Bryant on the PIngues of Egypt, where
to/iPtjv' " A hecatomb of lambs all firstlings of the many examples are given, p. 162, &c. How dread-
flock." That is, the most excellent of their kind. fulthen must the scene of horror and distress appear,
In a contrary sense, when the word first-born is when there was not one house or family in Egypt
a 354 ( 24* )
 : ;

Pharaoh commands the CHAP. XII. Israelites to depart

A. U. 2513.
Effvpt
^Jt-
B. C. 1491.
m
for there was not a
,
34 And the people took their
;
'
A.M. 2513.
house where there was not one dough before it was leavened, An^E^od-kr'. 1.
An. Exod. isr. 1.
Abib or Nisan.
Jp„J their ^ kneading-troughs being Abib or Nisan
3 1 And he called for Moses and Aaron by bound up in their clothes upon their
*

night, and said, Rise up, and get you forth shoulders.
from among my people, ^ both ye and the 35 And the children of Israel did according
children of Israel and go, serve the Lord, to the word of Moses
;
and they borrowed :

as ye have said. of the Egyptians ^ jewels of silver, and jewels

32 ^ Also take your flocks and your herds, of gold, and raiment
as ye have said, and be gone and ^ bless 36 ^ And the Lord gave the people favour ;

me also. in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they

33 ^ And the Egyptians were urgent upon lent unto them such things as they required.
the people, that they might send them out of And ^ they spoiled the Egyptians,
the land in haste ; for they said, ^ We be all 37 And ^ the children of Israel journeyed
dead men. from ^ Rameses to Succoth, about ^ six hun-

* Chap. xi. 1 ; Psa. cv. 38. " Cliap. x. 9. 7 Chap. x. 26. •>
Chap. iii. 21 ; xi. 3. « Gen. xv. 14 chap. ; iii. 22 Psa. ct.
;
" Gen. xxvii. 34. ^ Chap. xi. Psa. cv. 38.
8 Gen. xx. 3.
•» d Num. " Gen. xlvii. 11.
; 37. xxxiii. 3, 5. f
Gen. xii. 2
» Or, dough ; chap. viii. 3. »Chap. iii. 22 ; xi. 2. xlvi. 3 ; chap, xxxviii. 26 ; Num. i. 46 ; xi. 21.

where there was not one dead ; and according to their Verse 37. From Rameses to Succoth] Rameses
custom, the family running out into the streets be-
all appears to have been another name for Goshen, though
wailing this calamity ! it is probable that there might have been a chief city

Called for Moses and Aaron]

Verse 3 1 . That is, or village in that land, where the children of Israel
he sent the message here mentioned to them for ; it rendezvoused previously to their departure, called
does not appear that he had any farther interview with Rameses. As the term Succoth signifies booths or
Moses and Aaron, after what is mentioned chap. x. tents, it is probable that this place was so named from
28, 29, and xi. 8. See the notes there. its being the place of the first encampment of the
Verse 33. The Egyptians were urgent upon the Israelites.
people] They feltmuch, they feared more and there- ; Six hundred thousand] That is. There was this
fore wished to get immediately rid of a people on number of effective men, twenty years old and up-
whose account they found they were smitten with so wards, who were able to go out to war. But this
many and such dreadful plagues. was not the whole number, and therefore the sacred
Verse 34. The people took their dough before it was Avriter says they were about 600,000 for when the ;

leavened, dfc] There was no time now to make any numbers were taken about thirteen months after this
regular preparation for their departure, such was the they were found to be six hundred and three thousand
universal hurry and confusion. The Israelites could five hundred and fifty, without reckoning those under
carry but little of their household utensils with them ;
twenty years of age, or any of the tribe of Levi see ;

but some, such as they kneaded their bread and kept Num. i. 45, 46. But besides those on foot, or foot-
their meal in, they were obliged to carry with them. men, there were no doubt many old and comparatively
The kneading troughs of the Arabs are comparatively infirm persons, who rode on camels, horses, or asses,
small wooden bowls, which, after kneading their bread besides the immense number of women and children,
in, serve them as dishes out of which they eat their which must have been at least three to one of the
victuals. And as to these being bound up in their and the mixed multitude, ver. 38, probably of others ;

clothes, no more may be intended than their wrapping refugees in Egypt, who came to sojourn there, because
them up in their long, loose garments, or in what is stUl of the dearth which had obliged them to emigrate from
used among the Arabs, and called hykes, which is a their own countries and who now, seeing that the ;

long kind of blanket, something resembling a highland hand of Jehovah was against the Egyptians and with
plaid, in which they often carry their provision, wrap the Israelites, availed themselves of the general con-
themselves by day, and sleep at night. Dr. Shaw has sternation, and took their leave of Egypt, choosing
been particular in his description of this almost entire Israel's God for their portion, and his people for their
wardrobe of an Arab. He says they are of different companions. Such a company moving at once, and
sizes and of different qualities, but generally about six emigrating from their own country, the world never
yards in length, and five or six feet broad. He sup- before nor since witnessed no doubt upwards of two ;

poses that what we call Ruth's veil, Ruth iii. 15, millions of souls, besides their flocks and herds, even
was a hyke, and that the same is to be understood of very much cattle ; and what but the mere providence
the clothes of the Israelites mentioned in this verse. of God could support such a multitude, and in the wil-
See his Travels, p. 224, 4to edition. derness, too, where to this day the necessaries of life
Verse 35. They borrowed of the Egyptians'] See are not to be found 1
the note on chap. iii. 22, where the very exceptiona- Suppose we take them at a rough calculation thus,
ble term borrow is largely explained.
two millions will be found too small a number.
365
 — •

Israelites' journey from Rameses. EXODUS. The time they dwelt in Egypt.

A. M. 2513. dred thousand on foot that were not tariT, neither had thev pre- a. m. 2513.
c \ 1
pared lor themselves any victual.
. ^
B- C- 1491.
Au.Exod.lsr. 1. men, besides children. An. Exod. isr. 1.
Ab.b or Nisan.
AbiborNisan. gg ^^^ g^ mixed multitude 40 Now the sojourning of the

went up also with them and flocks, and ;

children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was
!ierds, even very much cattle. *
four hundred and thirty years.
39 And they baked unleavened cakes of 4 1 And it came to pass at the end of the
the dough which they brought forth out of four hundred and thirty years, even the self-
Egypt, for it was not leavened because same day it came to pass, that all ^ the hosts
;

^they were thrust out of Egypt, and could of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt.
B Heb. a great inixture Numbers xi. 4. ' Chapter vi. 1 xi. 'Gen. XV. 13; Acts vii. 6; Gal. iii. 17. 1' Chapter vii. 4
; ;

1 ; ver. 33. ver. 51.

Effective men, 20 years old and upward 600,000 such a general conviction that he had this authority,
Two-thirds of whom we may suppose that they implicitly followed his directions, and re-
were married, in which case their ceived their law from his mouth.
wives would amount to 400,000 Verse 40. Now the sojourning of the children of
These, on an average, might have 5 chil- Israel, 4"C-] The statement in this verse is allowed
dren under 20 years of age, an estimate on all hands to be extremely difficult, and therefore
which falls considerably short of the the passage stands in especial need of illustration.
number of children each family must " That the descendants of Israel did not dwell 430
have averaged in order to produce from years in Egypt,'''' says Dr. Kennicott, "may be easily
75 persons, in A. M. 2298, upwards of proved, and has often been demonstrated. Some
600,000 effective men in A. M. 2494, therefore imagine that by Egypt here both it and Ca-
o •T?'!':'^ of onl v
196 years 2,000,000.... naan are to be understood. But this greater latitude
of place will not solve the difficulty, since the Israel-
The Levites, who probably were uoV
eluded among the effective men 45,000 ifei^ingluding Israel their father, did not sojourn 430
their departure
Their wives 33,000 years in botiV vfountries previous to
Their children 165,000 from Egypt. Others, faV^nsible of the still remaining

The mixed multitude probably not less than 20,000 deficiency, would not only havv? Egypt in the text to
signify it and Canaan, but by a figun? more compre

Total . . 3,263,000 hensive would have the children of Israel^ to mean

Besides a multitude of old and infirm persons who IsraeVs children, and Israel their father, and Isaac
would be obliged to ride on camels and asses, &c., the father of Israel, and part of the life of Abra/ham,

and who must, from the proportion that such bear to the father of Isaac.
" Thus indeed," says Dr. Kennicott, " we arrive at
the young and healthy, amount to many thousands
more Exclude even the Levites and their families,
!
the exact sum, and by this method of reckoning we
and upwards of three millions will be left. might arrive at any thing but truth, which we may pre-
" In Num. iii. 39 the male Levites, aged one month sume was never thus conveyed by an inspired writer."
and upwards, are reckoned 22,000, perhaps the females But can the difficulty be removed without having re
course to such absurd shifts'? Certainly it can. The
did not much exceed this number, say 23,000, and 500
children, under one month, will make 45,500." Anon. — Samaritan Pentateuch, in all its manuscripts
printed copies, reads the place thus
and

Had not Moses the fullest proof of his Divine mis- :

sion, he never could have put himself at the head of

such an immense concourse of people, who, without
the most especial and effective providence, must all
'jairf^-niiii in^^A-at >viiiJ ^\h^ %^^:t(
have perished for lack of food. This single circum-
stance, unconnected with all others, is an ample de- Umoshab beney Yishrael veabotham asher yashebu
monstration of the Divine mission of Moses, and of baarets Cenaan, ubaarets mitsraim sheloshim shanah
the authenticity and Divine inspiration of the Penta- vearba meoth shanah.
teuch. To suppose that an impostor, or one pretend- " Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, and
ing only to a Divine call, could have ventured to place of their fathers, which they sojourned in the land of
himself at the head of such an immense body of people, Canaan and in the land of Egypt, loas 430 years.''''
to lead them through a trackless wilderness, utterly This same sum is given by St. Paul, Gal. iii- 17, who
unprovided for such a journey, to a land as yet in the reckons from the promise made to Abraham, when
possession of several powerful nations whom they God commanded him to go to Canaan, to the giving
must expel before they could possess the country, of the law, which soon followed the departure from
would have implied such an extreme of madness and Egypt and this chronology of the apostle is concord- ;

folly as has never been witness' d in an individual, ant with the Samaritan Pentateuch, which, by pre-
and such a blind credulity in the multitude as is un- serving the two passages, they and their fathers, and
paralleled in the annals of mankind The succeeding in the land of Canaan, which are lost out of the pre-
!

stupendous events proved that Moses had the authority sent copies of the Hebrew text, has rescued this pas-
of God to do what he did and the people had at least sage from all obscurity and contradiction.
;
It may be

S66
 :

Who may, and who may CHAP. XII. not, eat the passovet

A. M. 2513. 42 It ts '
a niffht "^
to be much over : there shall no stranger
^ A. M. 2513.
B. C. 1491. , ,
^ , T r , . B. C. 1491.
Au. Exod. Isr. 1. observed unto the IiORD lor eat thereoiJ, An. Exod. Isr. 1.
AbiborNisan.
bj-i,^gjng them out from the land 44 But every man's servant AbiborNisan.
of Egypt : this is that night of the Lord to that is bought for money, when thou hast

6e observed of all the children of Israel in ° circumcised him, then shall he eat thereof.
their generations. 45 "A foreigner and a hired servant shall
43 And the Lord said unto Moses and not eat thereof.
Aaron, This is ^ the ordinance of the pass- 46 In one house shall if be eaten ; thou

Heb. a night of observation.- I

See Deut. xvi. 6. Num. ix. 14. ° Gen. xvii. 12, 13. PLev. xxii. 10.

necessary to observe that the Alexandrian copy of the In treatises on the religious customs of the Jews
Septuagint has the same reading as that in the Sama- we frequently meet with the term proselyte, from the
ritan. The Samaritan Pentateuch is allowed by many Greek rrpoarjT^vTog, a stranger or foreigner ; one who
learned men to exhibit the most correct copy of the is come from his own people and country to sojourn

fivebooks of Moses and the Alexandrian copy of the

; icith another. All who were not descendants of some
Septuagint must also be allowed to be one of the one of the twelve sons of Jacob, or of Ephraim and
•nost authentic as well as most ancient copies of this Manasseh, the two sons of Joseph, were reputed stran-
version which we possess. no man As to St. Paul, gers or proselytes among the Jews. But of those
will dispute the authenticity of his statement and thus ; strangers or proselytes there were two kinds, called
in the mouth of these three most respectable witnesses among them proselytes of the gate, and proselytes of
the whole account is indubitably established. That justice or of the covenant. The former were such as
these three witnesses have the truth, the chronology wished to dwell among the Jews, but would not sub-
itself proves for from Abraham's entry into Canaan
: mit to be circumcised ; they, however, acknowledged
to the birth of Isaac was 25 years, Gen. xii. 4, xvii. the true God, avoided all idolatry, and observed the
1—21 Isaac was 60 years old at the birth of Jacob,
;
seven precepts of Noah, but were not obliged to ob-
Gen. XXV. 26 and Jacob was 130 at his going down
; serve any of the Mosaic institutions. The latter sub-
into Egypt, Gen. xlvii. 9 which three sums make ; mitted to be circumcised, obliged themselves to observe
215 years. And then Jacob and his children having all the rites and ceremonies of the law, and were in

continued in Egypt 215 years more, the whole sum nothing different from the Jews but merely in their
of 430 years is regularly completed. See Kennicoifs having once been heathens. The former, or proselytes
Dissertation on the Hebrew Text. of the gate, might not eat the passover or partake of
Verse 42. A night to be much observed] A night any of the sacred festivals but the latter, the prose- ;

to be held in everlastingremembrance, because of the lytes of the coveJiant, had the same rights, spiritual and
peculiar display of the power and goodness of God, secular, as the Jews themselves. See ver. 48.
the observance of which annually was to be considered Verse 45. A foreigner] ^tyin toshab, from 31?'
a religious precept while the Jewish nation should yashab, to sit doion or divell ; one who is a mere so-
continue. journer, for the purpose of traffic, merchandise, &c.,
Verse 43. This
the ordinance of the passover]
is but who is neither a proselyte of the gate nor of the
From the last verse of this chapter it appears pretty covenant.
evident that this, to the 50th verse inclusive, consti- And a hired servant] Who, though he be bought
tuted a part of the directions given to Moses relative with money, or has indented himself for a certain term
to the proper observance of the first passover, and to serve a Jew, yet has not become either a proselyte
should be read conjointly with the preceding account of the gate or of the covenant. None of these shall
beginning at verse It may be supposed that these
21. eat of because not circumcised
it, not brought under —
latter parts contain such particular directions as God the bond of the covenant and not being under obli- ;

gave to Moses after he had given those general ones gation to observe the Mosaic law, had no right to its
mentioned in the preceding verses, but they seem all privileges and blessings. Even under the Gospel of
to belong to this first passover. our Lord Jesus Christ, he is the author of eternal sal-

There shall no stranger eat thereof] '^2l p ben vation only to them ivho obey him, Heb. v. 9 and ;

nechar, the son of a stranger ox foreigner, i. e., one those who become
Christians are chosen to salvation
who was not of the genuine Hebrew stock, or one through SANCTiFicATioN of the Spirit, and belief of the
who had not received circumcision ; for any circ^im- truth, 2 Thess. ii. 13 for the grace of God, that
;

cised person might eat the passover, as the total ex- bringeth salvation to all men, hath appeared, teaching
clusion extends only to the uncircumcised, see ver. 48. us that, DENYING UNGODLINESS and WORLDLY LUSTS,
As there are two sorts of strangers mentioned in the ice should live soberly, righteously, and godly, m
sacred writings one who was admitted to all the
; this present ivorld ; Tit. ii. 1 1, 12. Such persons only
Jewish ordinances, and another who, though he dwelt walk worthy of the vocation wherewith they are called.
among the Jews, was not permitted to eat the passover Verse 46. In one house shall it be eaten] In one
or partake of any of their solemn feasts it may be ; family, if that be large enough if not, a neighbouring ;

necessary to show what was the essential point of dis- family might be invited, ver. 4.
Every
tinction through which the one was admitted and the Thou Shalt not carry forth aught of the flesh]
destroy-
other excluded. family must abide within doors because of the
357
 ;

All who eat the passover EXODUS. must be circumcised

A. M. 2513. shall not carry forth aught of the let all his males be circumcised, a. m. 2513

An. Exod. Isr. 1. flesh abroad out of the house ;

and then let him come near and An. Exod. isr. 1.
Abib or Nisan. Abib or Nisan.
q neither shall ye break a bone keep it ; and he shall be as one
thereof. that is born in the land : for no uncircumcised
47 'All the congregation of Israel shall person shall eat thereof.
*keep it. 49 " One law shall be to him that is home-
48 And * when a stranger shall sojourn with born, and unto the stranger that sojourneth
thee, and will keep the passover to the Lord, among you.
iNum. ix. 12; John xix. 33, 36. • Ver. 6; Num. ix. 13. ' Numbers ix. 14. " Numbers ix. 14 ; xv. 15, 16
^Heb. do it. Gal. iii. 28.

inpf angel, none being permitted to go out of his house away iniquity by the sacrifice of himself. It is a re-
tUl the next day, ver. 22. velation of God's wisdom and goodness, wonderfully
Neither shall ye break a bone thereof. As it was '\
well calculated to direct the hearts of men into the
to be eaten in haste, (ver. 11,) there was no time either truth, to guide their feet into the path of life, and to
to separate the bones, or to break them in order to ex- make straight, even, and plai7i that way which leads to
tract the marrow and lest they should be tempted to
; God, and in which the soul must walk in order to ar-
consume time in this way, therefore this ordinance was rive at eternal life. It is the fountain whence every
given. It is very likely that, when the whole lamb correct notion relative to God his perfections, provi- —
was brought to table, they cut off the flesh without dence, grace, justice, holiness, omniscience, and omni-
even separating any of the large joints, leaving the potence, has been derived. And it has been the origin
skeleton, with whatever flesh they could not eat, to be whence all the true principles of law and justice have
consumed with fire, ver. 10. This precept was also been deduced. The pious study of it was the grand
given to point out a most remarkable circumstance means of producing the greatest kings, the most enhght-
which 1500 years after was to take place in the cru- ened statesmen, the most accomplished poets, and the
cifixion of the Saviour of mankind, who was the true most holy and useful men, that ever adorned the world.
Paschal Lamb, that Lamb of God that takes away the It is exceeded only by the Gospel of Jesus Christ,
sin of the world who, though he was crucified as a which is at once the accomplishment of its rites and
;

common malefactor, and it was a universal custom to predictions, and the fulfilment of its grand plan and
break the legs of such on the cross, yet so did the outline. As a system of teaching or instruction, it is

providence of God order it that a bone of him was not the most sovereign and most effectual ; as by it is the
broken. See the fulfilment of this wondrously ex- knowledge of sin, and it alone is the schoolmaster, irat-
pressive type, John xix. 33, 36. dayuyog, that leads men may be
to Christ, that they
Verse 48. And when a stranger — ivill keep the justified through faith, can abso-
Gal. iii. 24. Who
passover, 4"C.] Let all who sojourn among you, and lutely ascertain the exact quantum of obliquity in a
who desire to partake of this sacred ordinance, not crooked line, without the application of a straight one T
only be circumcised themselves, but all the males of And could sin, in all its twistings, windings, and varied
their families likewise, that they may all have an equal involutions, have ever been truly ascertained, had not
right to the blessings of the covenant. God given to man this perfect rule to judge by] The
Verse 49. One law shall be to him that is home-born, nations who acknowledge this revelation of God have,
4"C.] As this is the first place that the termmin torah as far as they attained to its dictates, the wisest, purest,
or LAW occurs, a term of the greatest importance in most equal, and most beneficial laws. The nations \

Divine revelation, and on the proper understanding that do not receive it have laws at once extravagantly
of which much depends, I judge it best to give its severe and extravagantly indulgent. The proper dis-
genuine explanation once for all. tinctions between moral good and evil, in such states,
The word miH torah comes from the root n"!' yarah, are not known hence the penal sanctions are not
:

which signifies to aim at, teach, point out, direct, lead, founded on the principles of justice, weighing the ex-
guide, make straight, or even
and from these signi- ; act proportion of moral turpitude but on the most ;

fications of the word (and in all these

senses it is used arbitrary caprices, which in many cases show the ut-
in the Bible) we may see at once the nature, pro- most indulgence to first-rate crimes, while they punish
perties, and design of the law of God. It is a sys- minor offences with rigour and cruelty. What is the
tem of INSTRUCTION in righteousness ; it teaches the consequence ? Just what might be reasonably ex-
difference between moral good and evil ascertains ; pected :the will and caprice of a man being put in the
what is right and fit to be dojie, and what should be place of the wisdom of God, the government is oppres-
left undone, because i?nproper to be performed. It sive, and the people, frequently goaded to distraction,
continually aims at the glory of God, and the happi- rise up in a mass and overturn it so that the monarch, ;

ness of his creatures teaches the true knowledge of

; however powerful for a time, seldom lives out half his
the true God, and the destructive nature of sin points ; days. This ivas the case in Greece, in Rome, in the
out the absolute necessity of an atonement as the only major part of the Asiatic governments, and is the case
means by which God can be reconciled to transgress- in all nations of the world to the present day, where
ors and in its very significant rites and ceremonies
; the governor is despotic, and the laws not formed ac-
points out the Son of God, till he should come to put cording to the revelation of God.
3.')8
 Che Israelites act as CHAP. XII. commanded by Moses

A. M. 2513. 50 Thus did all the children 51' And it came to pass the a. m. 2513.

An. Exod. isr L of Israel ; as the Lord com- self-same day, that the Lord did An.kxod.isr. 1.
^^'^ "'• ^'^"^- Abib or Nisan.
manded Moses and Aaron, so bring the children of Israel out
did they. of the land of Egypt ^ by their armies.

» Ver. 41. w Chap. vi. 26.

The word lex, law, among Romans, has been objects also of their adoration, died.
the Blood was par-
derived from lego, I read; because when a law or ticularly offensive to them, and the touch of any dead
statute was made, it was hung up in the most public animal rendered them unclean. When then their great
places, that it might be seen, read, and knoion by all god, the river, was turned into blood, and its waters
men, that those who were to obey the laws might not became putrid, so that all the fish, minor objects of
break them through ignorance, and thus incur the their devotion, died, we see a judgment at once calcu-
penalty. This was called promulgatio legis, q. pro- lated to punish, correct, and reform them. Could they
vulgatio, the promulgation of the law, i. e., the laying ever more trust in gods who could neither save them-
it before the common people. Or from ligo, I hind, selves nor their deluded worshippers "?

because the law binds men to the strict observance of 2. Mr. Bryant has endeavoured to prove ihzt frogs,
its precepts. The Greeks call a law vofiog nomas, the SECOND plague, were sacred animals in Egypt, and
from vefiu, to divide, distribute, minister to, or serve, were dedicated to Osiris they certainly appear on :

because the law divides to all their just rights, appoints many ancient Egyptian monuments, and in such cir-
or distributes to each his proper duty, and thus serves cumstances and connections as to show that they were
or ministers to the welfare of the individual and the held in religious veneration. These therefore became
support of society. Hence where there are either no an awful scourge first, by their numbers, and their ;

laws, or unequal and unjust ones, all is distraction, intrusion into every place and, secondly, by their
;

violence, rapine, oppression, anarchy, and ruin. death, and the infection of the atmosphere which took
Verse 51. By their armies.^ DP\ii2'!£ tsibotham, from place in consequence.
N3!!f tsaba, to assemble, meet together, in an orderly or 3. Wehave seen also that the Egyptians, espe-
regulated manner, and hence to war, to act together cially the priests, affected great cleanliness, and would
as troops in battle ; whence niXUif tsehaoth, troops, not wear woollen garments lest any kind of vermin
armies, hosts. from this that the Divine Being
It is should harbour about them. The THiftD plague, by
calls himself mX32f Yehovah tsebaoth, the Lord
niiT' means of lice or such like vermin, was wisely calcu-
of HOSTS or armies, because the Israelites were brought humble and confound them.
lated both to In this tney
out of Egypt under his direction, marshalled and order- immediately saw a power superior to any that could
ed by himself, guided by his wisdom, supported by his be exerted by their gods or their magicians and the ;

providence, and protected by his might. This is the latter were obliged to confess. This is the finger of
true and simple reason why God is so frequently styled God!
in Scripture the Lord of hosts ; for the liORD did 4. That flies were held sacred among the Egyp-
bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt and among various other nations, admits of the
tians
by their armies. strongest proof. It is very probable that Baal-zebub
himself was worshipped under the form of a fly or
On this chapter the notes have been so full and so great cantharid. These, therefore, or some kind of
explicit, that little can be added to set the subject be- winged noxious insects, became the prime agents in
fore the reader in a clearer light. On the ordinance the FOURTH plague ; and if the cynomyia or dog-fly be
of the PASSOVER, the reader is requested to consult the intended, we have already seen in the notes with what
notes on verses 7, 14, and 27. For the display of propriety and effect this judgment was inflicted.
God's power and providence in supporting so great a 5. The murrain or mortality among the cattle was
multitude where, humanly speaking, there was no pro- the FIFTH plague, and the most decisive mark of the
vision, and the proof that the exodus of the Israelites power and indignation of Jehovah. That dogs, cats,
gives of the truth of the Mosaic history, he is referred monkeys, rams, heifers, and bulls, were all objects of
to ver. 37. And for the meaning of the term law, their most religious veneration, all the world knows.
to ver. 49. These were smitten in a most singular manner by the
On the ten plagues it may be but just necessary, hand of God and the Egyptians saw themselves de-;

after what has been said in the notes, to make a few prived at once of all their imaginary helpers. Even
general reflections. WTien the nature of the Egyptian Apis, their ox-god, in whom they particularly trusted,
idolatry is considered, and the plagues which were now suffers, groans, and dies under the hand of Jeho-
sent upon them, we may see at once the peculiarity vah. Thus does he execute judgment against all the
of the judgment, and the great propriety of its being gods of Egypt. See ver. 12.
inflicted in the way related by Moses. The plagues 6. The SIXTH plague, viz., of boils and Mains, was
were either inflicted on the objects of their idolatry, or as appropriate as any of the preceding and the sprink- ;

by their means. ling of the ashes, the means by which it was produced,
1. That the river Nile was an object of their wor- peculiarly significant. Pharmacy, Mr. Bryant has ob-
ship, and one of their greatest gods, we have already served, was in high repute among the Egyptians and ;

seen. As the first plague, its waters were therefore Isis, their most celebrated goddess, was considered as
turned into blood ; and the fish, many of which were the preventer or healer of all diseases. " For this
a 359
 ; ! ;

General observations EXODUS. on the ten plagues.

goddess," says Diodorus, Hist., lib. i., " used to reveal a species of idolatry which had been long prevalent io
nerself to people in their sleep when they laboured that and other countries, viz., the worship of the celes-
under any disorder, and afford them relief. Many who tial luminaries. The sun and moon were both adored
placed their her influence wapaSo^ug
confiden^ce in as supreme deities, as the sole dispensers of light and
iyiaivecrOai, were miraculously restored. Many like- life and the sun was invoked
; immor-
as the giver of
wise who had been despaired of and given over by the tality and eternal blessedness. Porphyry, De Abstin.,
physicians on account of the obstinacy of the distem- 1. 4, preserves the very form used by the Eg)'ptian
per, were saved by this goddess. Numbers who had priests in addressing the sun on behalf of a deceased
been deprived of their eyes, and of other parts of their person, that he might be admitted into the society of
bodies, were all restored on their application to Isis." the gods Q, deairoTa 'K'kLE, Kai Oeot navTE(, oi ttjv
:

By this which no application to

disorder, therefore, l^urjv Toig avdpunoic dovTsg, irpocjde^aaBe pe, nai -rzapa-
their gods could cure, and which was upon the magi- SoTE Toig aidioig Qeolq avvoiKov. " O sovereign lord the
cians also, who were supposed to possess most power sun, and ye other deities who bestow life on man-
all
and influence, God confounded their pride, showed the kind receive me, and grant that I may be admitted
!

folly of their worship, and the vanity of their depend as a companion with the immortal gods !" These
ence. The means by which these boils and blains objects of their superstitious worship Jehovah showed
were inflicted, viz., the sprinkling of ashes from the by this plague to be his creatures, dispensing or with-
furnace, was peculiarly appropriate. Plutarch assures holding their light merely at his will and pleasure
us, De Iside et Osiride, that in several cities of Egypt and that the people might be convinced that all this
they were accustomed to sacrifice human beings to came by his appointment alone, he predicted this awful
Typhon, which they burned alive upon a high altar and ; darkness and that their astronomers might have the
;

at the close of the sacrifice the priests gathered the fullest proof that this was no natural occurrence, and
ashes of these victims, and scattered them in the air : could not be the effect of any kind of eclipse, which
" I presume," says Mr. Bryant, " with this view, that even when total could endure only dhoni four minutes,
where an atom of their dust was wafted, a blessing (and this case could happen only once in a thousand
might be entailed. The like was done by Moses with years,) he caused this palpable darkness to continue
the ashes of the furnace, that wherever any, the small- for three days
might prove a plague and a curse
est portion, alighted, it 10. The TENTH and last plague, the slaying of the
and infatuated people.
to this cruel, ungrateful, Thus first-horn or chief person in each family, may be con-
there was a designed contrast in these workings of sidered in the light of a Divine retribution : for after
Providence, an apparent opposition to the superstition that their nation had been preserved by one of the
of the times." Israelitish family, " they had," says Mr. Bryant, " con-
7. The grievous hail, the seventh plague, attended trary to all right, and in defiance of original stipulation,
with rain, thunder, and lightning, in a country where enslaved the people to whom they had been so much
these scarcely ever occur, and according to an express indebted and not contented with this, they had pro-
;

prediction of Moses, must

most signal manner
in the ceeded to murder their offspring, and to render the
point out the power and justice of God. Fire and water people's bondage intolerable by a wanton exertion of
were some of the principal objects of Egyptian idolatry power. It had been told them that the family of the
and fire, as Porphyry says, they considered jieyav eivai Isi-aelites were esteemed as God's first-born, chap. iv.
6eov, to be a great god. To find, therefore, that these 22 therefore God said Let my son go, that he may :

—
;

very elements, the objects of their adoration, were, at serve me and if thou refuse behold, I will slay thy
;

the command of a servant of Jehovah, brought as a son, even thy first-born, ver. 23. But they heeded
curse and scourge on the whole land, and upon men not this admonition, and hence those judgments came
also and cattle, must have shaken their belief in these upon them that terminated in the death of the eldest
imaginary deities, while it proved to the Israelites that in each family a just retaliation for their disobedience
;

there was none like the God of Jeshurun. and cruelty." See several curious and important
8. In the eighth plague we see by what insignifi- remarks on this subject in a work entitled. Observa-
cant creatures God
can bring about a general destruc- tions upon the Plagues inflicted on the Egyptians, by
tion. A
caterpillar is beyond all animals the most Jacob Bryant, 8vo., 1810.
contemptible, and, taken singly, the least to be dreaded On the whole we may say. Behold the goodness
in the whole empire of nature but in the hand of ; and severity of God Severity mixed with goodness
!

Divine justice it becomes one of the most formidable even to the same people. He punished and corrected
foes of the human race. From the examples in the them at the same time for there was not one of these
;

notes we see how little human power, industry, or art, judgments that had not, from its peculiar nature and
can avail against this most awful scourge. Not even circumstances, some emendatory influence. Nor could
the most contemptible animal should be considered a more effectual mode be adopted to demonstrate to
with disrespect, as in the hand of God it may become that people the absurdity of their idolatry, and the
the most terrible instrument for the punishment of a inefficacy of their dependence, than that made use of
criminal individual or a guilty land. on this occasion by the wise, just, and merciful God.
9. The NINTH plague, the total and horrible dark- At the same time the Israelites themselves must have
ness that lasted for three days, afforded both Israelites received a lesson of the most impressive instruction on
and Egyptians the most illustrious proof of the power the vanity and wickedness of idolatry, to which they
and universal dominion of God and was particularly
; were at all times most deplorably prone, and of which
to the latter a most awful yet instructive lesson against they would no doubt have given many more examples,
3R0
 —

The law concerning the CHAP. XIII. first-born oj man and beast.

bad they not had the Egyptian plagues continually be- risk of greater by an attempt to escape from their pre-
fore their eyes. It was probably these signal displays sent bondage. This is proved by their murmurings,
of God's power and justice, and these alone, that in- chap, xvi., from which it is evident that they preferred
duced them to leave Egypt at his command by Moses Egypt with all its curses to their situation in the wil-
and Aaron otherwise, with the dreadful wilderness
;
derness, and never could have been induced to leave
before them, totally unprovided for such a journey, in it had they not had the fullest evidence that it was the
which humanly speaking it was impossible for them will of God which will they were obliged, on pain
;

and their households to subsist, they would have rather of utter destruction, to obey.
preferred the ills they then suffered, than have run the

CHAPTER XHI.
Ood establishes the law concerning the first-born, and commands that all such, both of man and least, should
be sanctified unto him, 1, 2. Orders them to remember the day in which they ivere brought out of Egypt,
when they should be brought to the land of Canaan ; and to keep this service in the month Abib, 3—5.
Repeats the command concerning the leavened bread, 6,7, and orders them to teach their children the cause
of it, 8, and to keep strictly in remembrance that it was by the might of God alone they had been delivered
from Egypt, 9. Shows that the consecration of the first-born, both of man and beast, should take place
when they should be settled in Canaayi, 10—12. The first-born of man and beast to be redeemed, 13. The
reason of this also to be shown to their children, 14, 15. Frontlets or phylacteries for the hands and
forehead commanded, 16. And the people are not led directly to the promised land, but about through the
wilderness; and the reason assigned, 17, 18. Moses takes the bones of Joseph tvith him, 19. They
journey from Succoth and come to Etham, 20. And the Lord goes before them by day in a pillar of cloud,
and by night in a pillar of fire, 21, which miracle is regularly continued both by day and night, 22.

A. M. 2513.
B. C. 1491.
A ND the Lord spake unto 4 ^ This day came ye out, in a.
B C
M. 2513.
1491
An. Exod. Isr. 1. Moses, saying, the month Abib. An. Exod. Isr. 1.
Abib or Nisan.
2 me all the 5 And it shall be, when the ^bib or Nisan.
^ Sanctify unto
first-born, whatsoever openeth the womb among Lord shall ^ bring thee into the land of the
the children of Israel, both of man and of Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites,
beast : it is mine. and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he
3And Moses said unto the people, ^ Re- ^ sware unto thy fathers to give thee, a land

member this day, in which ye came out from flowing with milk and honey, '
that thou shalt
Egypt, out of the house of •=
bondage ; for '^
by keep this service in this month.
strength of hand the Lord brought you Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened
out 6 ^

from this place : « there shall no leavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast
bread be eaten. to the Lord.
a Ver. 12, 13, 15; chap. xxii. 29, 30 ; xxxiv. 19 Lev. xxvii. = Heb. Chap. vi. e Chap. xii. 8.
; sentants. ^ 1. f
Chap.
26 ; Num. iii. 13 ; viii. 16, 17 ; xviii. 15 ; Deut. xv. 19 ; Luke xxiii. 15 ; xxxiv. 18 ; Deut. xvi. 1. s Chap. iii. 8. h Chap.
ii. 23. ^ Chap. xii. 42 Deut. xvi. 3.
; vi. 8. iChap. xii. 25, 26. ^ Chap. xii. 15, 16.

NOTES ON CHAP. XIII. is permitted to run wild, as a consecrated animal. A

Verse I. The Lord spake unto Hoses'] The com- child thus devoted has a lock of hair separated, which
mands in this chapter appear to have been given at at the time appointed is cut off and placed near the
Succoth, on the same day in which they left Egypt. idol. Hindoo women sometimes pray to Gunga (the
Verse 2. Sanctify unto me all the first-born] To Ganges) for children, and promise to devote the first-
sanctify, tJ'Tp kadash, signifies to consecrate, separate, born to her. Children thus devoted are cast into the
and set apart a thing or person from all secular pur- Ganges, but are generally saved by the friendly hand
poses to some religious use and exactly answers to ; of some stranger. Ward's Customs.
the import of the Greek ayca^u, from a, privative, and Whatsoever openeth the ivomb] That is, the_^r.y^-
yri, the earth, because every thing offered or conse- born, if a male for females were not offered, nor the
;

crated to God was separated from all earthly uses. first male, if a female had been born previously. Again,
Hence a holy person or saint termed aytof, i. e., a is if a man had several wives, the first-born of each, if a
person separated from the earth one who lives a holy ; male, was to be offered to God. And all this was done
life, entirely devoted to the service of God. Thus the to commemorate the preservation of the first-born of
persons and animals sanctified to God were employed in the Israelites, when those of the Egyptians were
the service of the tabernacle and temple ; and the ani- destroyed.
mals, such as were proper, were offered in sacrifice. Verse 5. When the Lord shall bring thee into the
The Hindoos frequenly make a vow, and devote to land] Hence pretty evident that the Israelites
it is
an idol the first-born of a goat and of a man. The goat were not obliged to celebrate the passover, or keep
a 361
 ;; 1
. —

The annual celebration EXODUS. of the passover commanded.

A. M. 2513. 7 Unleavened bread shall be eves, that the Lord s law may be a. m. 2513.
B. C. 1491. .-' B.C. 1491.
J J .1 r . . 1
An. Exod.isr. 1. eaten seven days; and there in thy mouth tor with a strong :
An. Exod. isr. l
Abib or Nisan. Abib or Nisan.
gj^^jj ^^^ jeavened bread be seen hand'hath the Lord brought thee
i

with thee, neitlier shall there be leaven seen out of Egypt.

with thee in all thy quarters. 1 ° Thou shalt therefore keep this ordi-
8 And thou shalt "^ show thy son in that day, nance in his season, from year to year.
saying, This is done, because of that which 1 And it shall be, when the Lord shall
the Lord did unto me, when I came forth out bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, as
of Egypt. he sware unto thee and to thy fathers, and
9 And it shall be for " a sign unto thee upon shall give it thee,
thine hand, and for a memorial between thine 1 2 p That thou shalt ^ set apart unto the Lord
' Chap. xii. 19. " Ver. 14 ; chap. xii. 26. " See ver. 16 ;
P Ver. 2 chapter xxii. 29 ; xxxiv. 19 ; Lev. xxvii. 26 Num.
; ;

chap. xii. 14 ; Num. xv. 39 ; Deut. vi. 8 ; xi. 18 ; Prov. i. 9 ; Isa. viii. 17; xviii. 15; Deut. xv. 19; Ezek. xliv. 30. 1 Hebrew
xlix. 16; Jer. xxii. 24 ; Matt, xxiii. 5. » Chap. xii. 14, 24. cause to pass over.

the feast of unleavened bread, till they were brought lacteries on their heads and on their hands. And the
into the promised land. Pharisees, who in our Lord's time affected extraordi-
Verse 6. Unleavened bread] Seeonchap.xii. 15, 16. nary piety, made their phylacteries very broad, that
Verse 9. And it shall be for a sign upon thine hand] — they might have many sentences VAiritten upon them,
This direction, repeated and enlarged ver. 16, gave or the ordinary portions in very large and observable
rise to phylacteries or tephillin, and this is one of the letters.
passages which the Jews write upon them to the pre- It appears that the Jews wore these for three dif-
sent day. The manner in which the Jews understood ferent purposes :

avA kept these commands may appear in their practice. 1 As signs or remembrancers. This was the original
They wrote the following four portions of the law upon design, as the institution itself sufficiently proves.
slips of parchment or vellum Sanctify unto me the : 2. To
procure reverence and respect in the sight of
first-born, Exod. xiii., from verse 2 to 10 inclusive. the heathen. This reason is given in the Gemara,
And it shall be, when the Lord shall bring thee into the Berachoth, chap. i. " Whence is it proved that the
:

land, Exod. xiii., 16 inclusive. Hear, phylacteries or tephillin are the strength of Israel 1
from verse 1 1 to

O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord, Deut. vi., Ans. From what is written, Deut. xxviii. 10 All the :

from verse 4 to 9 inclusive. And it shall come to pass, people of the earth shall see that thou art called by
if ye shall hearken diligently, Deut. xi., from verse 13 the name of the Lord (mri"' Yehovah) and they shall
to 21 inclusive. These four portions, making in all 30 be afraid of thee."
verses, written as mentioned above, and covered with 3. They used them as amulets or charms, to drive
leather, they tied to the forehead and to the hand or arm. away evil spirits. This appears from the Targum on
Those which were for the head (the frontlets) they Canticles viii. 3 His left hand is under my head, dfC. :

wrote on four slips of parchment, and rolled up each by " The congregation of Israel hath said, I am elect
itself, and placed them in four compartments, joined above all people, because I bind my phylacteries on
together in one piece of skin or leather. Those which my left hand and on my head, and the scroll is fixed
were designed for the hand were formed of one piece to the right side of my gate, the third part of which
of parchment, the four portions being written upon it looks to my bed-chamber, that demons may not be
in four columns, and rolled up from one end to the permitted to injure me."
other. These were all correct transcripts from the One of the original phylacteries or yi2i\ tephillin
Mosaic text, without one redundant or deficient letter, now lies before me it is a piece of fine vellum, about ;

otherwise they were not lawful to be worn. Those eighteen inches long, and an inch and quarterhrodiA. It
for the head were tied on so as to rest on the forehead. is divided into four unequal compartments the letters ;

Those for the hand or arm were usually tied on the are very well formed, but written with many apices,
left arm, a little above the elbow, on the inside, that after the manner of the German Jews. In the first
they might be near the heart, according to the com- compartment is written the portion taken from Exod.
mand, Deut. vi. 6 And these ivords which I cominand xiii. 2-10 in the second, Exod. xiii. 11-16 in the
: ; ;

thee this day shall be in thine heart. These phylac- third, Deut. vi. 4-9; in the fourth, Deut. xi. 13-21,
teries formed no inconsiderable part of a Jew's religion as before related. This had originally served for the
they wore them as a sign of their obligation to God, hand or arm.
and as representing some future blessedness. Hence These passages seem to be chosen in vindication of
they did not wear them on feast days nor on tiie Sab- the use of tlie phylactery itself, as the reader may see
bath, because these things were in themselves signs on consulting them at large. Bind them for a sign
but they wore them always when they read the law, or upon thy hand; and for frontlets between thy eves;
when they prayed, and hence they called thein pSi)n write them upon the posts of thy house and upon thy
tephillin, prayer, ornaments, oratories, or incitements to gates all which commands the Jews take in the ;

prayer. In process of time the spirit of this law was most literal sense. To acquire the reputation of ex-
lost in the letter, and when the word was not in their traordinary sanctity they wore the fringes of their
vwuth, nor the law in their heart, they had their phy- garments of an uncommon length. Moses had com-
362
 :

Reasons assigned Jw the CHAP. XIII. consecration of the first-born.

A. M. 2513. all thatopeneth the matrix, and first-born of man, and the first- A. M. 2513.

An.Exod. isr. 1. every cometh of a born of beasts therefore I sacri-

firstling that : An. Exod. isr. 1.
Abib or Nisan. ^bib or Nisan.
bcast which thou hast ; the males fice to the Lord all that openeth
shall he the Lord's. the matrix, being males ; but all the first-

1 3 And ^ every firstling of an ass thou shalt born of my children I redeem.

redeem with a * lamb and if thou wilt not 1 6 And it shall be for y a token upon thine
;

redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck hand, and for frontlets between thine eyes :

and all the first-born of man among thy chil- for by strength of hand the Lord brought us
dren * shalt thou redeem. forth out of Egypt.
14 '^
And it shall be when thy son asketh 1 7 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had
thee " in time to come, saying, What is this ? let the people go, that God led them not
that thou shalt say unto him, "^
By strength through the way of the land of the Philistines,
of hand the Lord brought us out from Egypt, although that was near ; for God said. Lest
from the house of bondage : peradventure the people ^ repent when they
15 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh see war, and ^ they return to Egypt :

would hardly let us go, that ^ the Lord slew all 1 8 But God ''
led the people about, through
the first-born in the land of Egypt, both the the way of the wilderness of the Red Sea :

«•
Chap, xxxir. 20 ; Num.
xviii. 15, 16. » Or, kid. •
Num. ^ Ver. 3. * Chap. xii. 29. y Ver. 9. ^ Chap. xiv. 11,
iii. 46, 47 ; xviii. 15, 16. " Chap. xii. 26 ; Deut. vi. 20 ; Josh. 12; Num. xiv. 1-4. aDeut. xvii. 16. ^Ch. xiv.2; Num.
iv. 6, 21. " Heb. to-morrow. xxxiii. 6, &c.

manded them, Num. xv. 38, 39, to put fringes to the brew doctors teach, that if a father had neglected or
borders of their garments, that when they looked upon refused thus to redeem his first-born, the son himself
even these distinct threads they might remember, not was obliged to do it when he came of age. As this
only the law in general but also the very minutiae or redeeming of the first-born was instituted in conse-
smaller parts of all the precepts, rites, and ceremonies quence of sparing the first-born of the Israelites, when
belonging to it. As those hypocrites (for such our the first-born both of man and beast among the Egyp-
Lord proves them to be) were destitute of all the life tians was destroyed, on this ground all the first-born
and power of religion within, they endeavoured to sup- were the Lord's, and should liave been employed in
ply its place with phylacteries and fringes loithout. his service ; but he permitted the first-born of a useful
The same principles distinguish hypocrites every unclean animal to be redeemed by a clean animal of
where, and multitudes of them may be found among much less value. And he chose the tribe of Levi in
those termed Christians as well as among the Jews. place of all the first-born of the tribes in general ; and
It isprobably to this institution relative to the phylac- the five shekels were ordered to be paid in lieu of
tery that the words. Rev. xiv. 1, allude And I looked, : such first-born sons as were liable to serve in the
and, lo, a hundred and forty-four thousand having his sanctuary, and the money was applied to the support
Father's name ivritten on their foreheads. " That is," of the priests and Levites. See this subject at large
says Mr. Ainsworth, " as a sign of the profession of in Num. iii. 12, 13, 41, 43, 45, 47-51.
God's law for that which in the Gospel is called his
; Verse 16. It shall be for a token, cj-c] See the
NAME, (Matt. xii. 21,) in the prophets is called his note on ver. 9.
L.A.W, (Isa. xlii. 4)." So again antichrist exacts the Verse 17. God led them not through the way of the
obedience to his precepts by a mark on men's right land of the Philistines,
cj-c] Had the Israelites been
hands or on their foreheads. Rev. xiii. 16. obliged to commence their journey to the promised land
Verse 13. Every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem by a military campaigji, there is little room to doubt
with a lamh] Or a kid, as in the margin. In Num. that they would have been discouraged, have rebelled
xviii. 15, it is said :
" The first-born of man shalt thou against Moses and Aaron, and have returned back to
surely redeem
and the firstling of an unclean beast
; Egypt. Their long slavery had so degraded their
shalt thou redeem." Hence we may infer that ass is minds that they were incapable of any great or noble
put here for any unclean least, or for unclean beasts exertions ; and it is only on the ground of this mental
in general. The lamb was to be given to the Lord, degradation, the infallible consequence of slavery, that
thatis, to his priest, Num.
xviii. 8, 15. And then we can account for their many dastardly acts, mur-
theowner of the ass might use it for his own service, murings, and repinings after their escape from Egypt.
which without this redemption he could not do see The reader is requested to bear this in mind, as it will ;

Deut. XV. 19. serve to elucidate several circumstances in the ensuing

The first-bom of man — shalt thou redeem.'] This was history. Besides, the Israelites were in all probability
done by giving to the priests five standard shekels, unai-med, and totally unequipped for battle, encumbered
or shekels of the sanctuary, every shekel weighing with their flocks, and certain culinary utensils, which
twenty gerahs. What the gerah was, see on Gen. xx. they were obliged to carry with them in the wilder-
16. And for the shekel, see Gen. xxiii. 15. ness to provide them with bread, &c.
It may be necessary to observe here that the He- Vetse 1 8. But God led the people about] Dr. Shaw
363
 —

Moses carries up JosepKs hones. EXODUS. The Israelites encamp in Etham,

A. M. 2513. and the children of Israel went 20 And ^ they took their jour- a. M. 2513.

An. Exod. isr. 1. up harnessed

"=
out of the land ney from Succoth, and encamped An. Exod. isr. 1.
Abib or Nisan. AbiborNisaiL
of Egypt. in Etham, in the edge of the

1 9 And Moses took the bones of Joseph with wilderness.

him : for he had

sworn the children of
straitly 21 And f the Lord went before them by
Israel, saying, ^ God will surely visit you and ye day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the
;

shall carry up my bones away hence with you. way and by night in a pillar of fire, to give
;

« Or, hy five in a rank. <*

Gen. 1. 25 ;Josh. xxiv. 32 ; Acts Num. ix. 15 ; x. 34 ; xiv. 14 ; Deut. i. 33 ; Neh. ix. 12, 19 ; Psa
vii. 16. eNuna. xxxiii. 6. f
Chap. xiv. 19, 24; xl. 38; Ixxviii. 14 ; xcix. 7 ; cv. 39 ; Isa. iv. 5 ; 1 Cor. x. 1.

has shown that there were two roads from Egypt to reference to those of the other patriarchs. See the
Canaan, one through the valleys of Jendilly, Rumeleah, notes on Gen. xlix. 29.
und Baideah, bounded on each side by the mountains Verse 20. Encamped in Etham] As for the rea-
of the lower Thebais ; the other lies higher, having the sons assigned on ver. 17, God would not lead the Is-
northern range of the mountains of Mocatee running raelites by the way of the Philistines' country, he
parallel with it on the right hand, and the desert of directed them towards the wilderness of Shiir, chap.
the Egyptian Arabia, which lies all the way open to XV. 22, upon the edge or extremity of which, next to
the land of the Philistines, to the left. See his account Egypt, at the bottom of the Arabian Gulf, lay Etham,
of these encampments at the end of Exodus. which is the second place of encampment mentioned.
Went up harnessed] D'tyon chamushim. It is truly See the extracts from Dr. Shaw at the end of Exodus.
astonishing what a great variety of opinions are enter- Verse 21. The Lord went before them] That by
tained relative to the meaning of this word. After the Lord here is meant the Lord Jesus, we have the
having maturely considered all that I have met with on authority of St. Paul to believe, 1 Cor. x. 9 it was :

the -subject, I -think it probable that the word refers he whose Spirit they tempted in the wilderness, for it
simply to that orderly or well arranged manner in was he who led them through the desert to the pro-
which the Israelites commenced their journey from mised rest.
Egypt. For to arrange, array, or set in order, seems Pillar of a cloud] This pillar or column, which
to be the ideal meaning of the word K?on chamash. appeared as a cloud by day, and a fire by night, was
As it was natural to expect that in such circumstances the symbol of the Divine presence. This was the
there must have been much hurry and confusion, the Shechinah or Divine dwelling place, and vi'as the con-
inspired writer particularly marks the contrary, to show tinual proof of the presence and protection of GOD.
that God had so disposed matters that the utmost It was necessary that they should have a guide to di-
regularity and order prevailed and had it been other- rect them through the wilderness, even had they taken
;

wise, thousands of men, women, and children must the most direct road and how much more so when ;

have been trodden to death. Our margin has it hy they took a circuitous route not usually travelled, and
five in a rank ; but had they marched only five abreast, of which they knew nothing but just as the luminous
supposing only one yard for each rank to move in, pillar pointed out the way Besides, it is very likely !

it would have required not less than sixty-eight miles that even Moses himself did not know the route which
for even the 600,000 to proceed on regularly in this God had determined on, nor the places of encamp-
way for 600,000 divided hy five gives 120,000 ranks ment, till the pillar that went before them became sta-
;

of five each; and there being only 1760 yards in a tionary, and thus pointed out, not only the road, but
mile, the dividing 120,000 by 1760 will give the the different places of rest. Whether there was morel
number of miles such a column of people would take than one pillar is not clearly determined by the text.
up, which by such an operation will be found to be If there was but one it certainly assumed three differ~
something more than sixty- eight miles. But this the ent appearances, for the performance of three very
circumstances of the history will by no means admit. important offices. 1 In the day-time, for the purpose
.

Harmer. The simple meaning therefore appears to be oi pointing out the way, a column or pillar of a cloud
that given above; and if the note on the concluding verse was all that was requisite. 2. At night, to prevent
of the preceding chapter be considered, it may serve that confusion which must otherwise have taken place,
to place this explanation in a still clearer point of view. the pillar of cloud became a pillar of fire, not to direct
Verse 19. Moses took the hones of Joseph] See the their journeyings, for they seldom travelled by night,
note on Gen. 1. 25. It is supposed that the Israel- but to give light to every part of the Israelitish camp.
ites carried with them the bones or remains of all the 3. In such a scorching, barren, thirsty desert, some-
twelve sons of Jacob, each tribe taking care of the thing farther was necessary than a light and a guide.
bones of its own patriarch, while Moses took care of Women, children, and comparatively infirm persons,
the bones of Joseph. St. Stephen expresslv says. exposed to the rays of such a burning sun, must have
Acts vii. 15, 16, that not only Jacob, but the fathers been destroyed if without a covering; hence we find
were carried from Egypt into Sychem and this, as that a cloud overshadowed them : and from what St.
;

Calmet remarks, was the only opportunity that seems Paul observes, 1 Cor. x. 1, 2, we are led to conclude
to have presented itself for doing this and certainly that this covering cloud was composed of aqueous par-
:

the reason that rendered it proper to remove the bones ticles for the cooling of the atmosphere and refresh-
of Joseph to the promised land, had equal weight in ment of themselves and their cattle for he represents ;

364 a
 ;

rhey are led by the CHAP. XIII. pillar of a cloud and fire.

A. M. 2513. them light ; to go by day and of the I

| cloud by day, nor the a. m. 2513.
B. C. 1491.
An. Exod. Isr. 1. night : pillar of fire by night, from before An. Exod. isr. 1
Abib or Nisan. Abib or Nisan.
22 He took not away the pillar the people.

the whole camp as being sprinkled or immersed in the lars of it to the present day. For when a fact is re-
humidity of its vapours, and expressly calls it a being ported to have taken place, and certain rites or cere-
under the cloud and being baptized in the cloud. To monies have been instituted in order to commemorate
the circumstance of the cloud covering them, there are it, which rites or ceremonies continue to be observed

several references in Scripture. Thus He spread a :

through succeeding ages, then the -fact itself, no mat-
CLOUD ybr covering; Psa. cv. 39.
their And the ter how remote the period of its occurrence may. have

Lord will create upon everrj dwelling place of Mount been, has the utmost proofs of authenticity that it is
Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by possible for any fact to have and such as every per-
;

DAY, and the shining of a flaming fire by night ; for son pretending to reason and judgment is obliged to
upon all the glory shall be a defence, (or covering,) receive. On this ground the Mosaic religion, and the
Isa. iv. 5 which words contain the most manifest
;
facts recorded in it, are indubitably proved and the ;

allusion to the threefold office of the cloud in the wil- Christian religion and its facts, being commemorated
derness. See Num. ix. 16, 17, 18, &c. in the same way, particularly by baptism and the Lord''s

Verse 22. He took not away the pillar of the cloud] Supper, stand on such a foundation of moral certainty
Neither Jews nor Gentiles are agreed how long the as no other records in the universe can possibly boast.
cloud continued with the Israelites. It is very proba- Reader, praise God for his ordinances ; they are not
ble that it them at Succoth, if it did not only means of grace to thy soul, but standing irrefra-
first visited

accompany them from Rameses and that it continu- gable proofs of the truth of that religion which thou
;

ed with them till they came to the river Jordan, to hast received as from HIM.
pass over opposite to Jericho, for after that it appears 2. A serious public profession of the religion of
that the a7-k alonewas their guide, as it always march- Christ has in all ages of the Church been considered
ed at their head. See Josh. iii. 10, &c. But others not only highly becoming, but indispensably necessary
think that it went no farther with them than Mount to salvation. He who consistently confesses Christ
Hor, and never appeared after the death of Aaron. before men shall be confessed by him before God and
We may safely assert that while it was indispensably his angels. A Jew wore his phylacteries on his fore-
necessary it continued with them, when it was not so head, on his hands, and round his garments, that he
it was removed. But it is worthy of remark that the might have reverence in the sight of the heathen he ;

ark of the covenant became its substitute. While a gloried in his law, and he exulted that Abraham was
miracle was necessary, a miracle was granted when his father. Christian! with a zeal not less becoming,
;

that was no longer necessary, then the testimony of and more consistently supported, let the words of thy
the Lord deposited in the ark was deemed sufficient by mouth, the acts of thy hands, and all thy goings, show
Him who cannot err. So, under the Gospel dispensa- that thou belongest unto God ; that thou hast taken
tion,miracles were necessary at its first promulgation his Spirit for the guide of thy heart, his word for the
but after that the canon of Scripture was completed, rule of thy life, his people for thy companions, his
the new covenant having been made, ratified by the heaven for thy inheritance, and himself for the portion
blood of the Lamb, and published by the Holy Spirit, of thy soul. And see that thou hold fast the truth,
then God withdrew generally those outward signs, and that thou hold it in righteousness.
leaving his word for a continual testimony, and seal- 3. How merciful is God in the dispensations of his-
ing it on the souls of believers by the Spirit of truth. providence ! He permits none to be tried above what
It is also worthy of remark that the ancient hea- he is able to bear, and he proportions the burden to
then writers represent their gods, in their pretended the back that is to bear it. He led not the Israelites
manifestations to men, as always encompassed with a by the way of the Philistines, lest, seeing war, they
cloud; Homer and Virgil abound with examples of should repent and be discouraged. Young converts
this kind : and is it not very probable that they bor- are generally saved from severe spiritual conflicts and
rowed this, as they did many other things in their heavy temptations till they have acquired a habit of
mythologic theology, from the tradition of Jehovah believing, are disciplined in the school of Christ, and
guiding his people through the desert by means of the jistructed in the nature of the path in which they go,
cloud, in and by which he repeatedly manifested himself! and the difficulties they may expect to find in it.
They are informed that such things may take place,
1. Extraordinary manifestations and interpositions they are thus armed for the battle, and when trials do
of providence and grace should be held in continual come they are not taken by surprise. God, the most
remembrance. We are liable to forget the hole of the merciful and kind God, " tempers even the blast to the
pitwhence we were digged, and the rock whence we shorn lamb." Trust in him therefore with all thy
were hewn. Prudence and piety will institute their heart, and never lean to thy own understanding.
anniversaries, that the merciful dealings of the Lord 4. The providence and goodness of God are equally
may never be forgotten. The passover and the feast observable in the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire
of unleavened bread, by an annual commemoration, be- The former was the proof of his providential kindness
came standing proofs to the children of Israel of the by day ; the latter, by night. Thus he adjusts the
Divine origin of their religion and are supporting pil-
; assistances of his grace and Spirit to the exigencies
365
 ; ; ,

The Israelites encamp EXODUS. at Pi-hahiroth.

of his creatures, giving at some times, when peculiar though he may have an orthodox creed, is a hold of
trials require it, more particular manifestations of his unclean spirits, and an abomination in the sight of the
mercy and goodness ;
but at all times, such evidences Lord. Reader, let not these observations be fruitless
of his approbation as are sufficient to satisfy a pious to thee. God gives thee his word and his Spirit,
faithful heart. It is true the pillar of fire was more obey this word that thou grieve not this Spirit. The
observable in the night, because of the general dark- following figurative saying of a Jewish rabbin is wor-
ness, than the pillar of cloud was by day ; yet the thy of regard " God addresses Israel and says.
:
My
latter was as convincing and as evident a proof of his son, I give thee my lamp, give me thy lamp. If thou
presence, approbation, and protection as the former. keep my lamp, I will keep thy lamp but if thou quench ;

It is theduty and interest of every sound believer in my lamp, I will extinguish thy lamp :" i. e., I give
Christ to have the witness of God's Spirit in his soul thee my word and Spirit, give me thy heart and soul.
at all times, that his spirit and ways please his Maker If thou carefully attend to my word, and grieve not
but in seasons of peculiar difficulty he may expect the my preserve thy soul alive
Spirit, I will but if thou ;

more sensible manifestations of God's goodness. A rebel against my

word, and quench my Spirit, then thy
good man is a temple of the Holy Spirit but he who ; light shall be put out, and thy soul's blessedness extin-
has an unholy heart, and who lives an unrighteous life, guished in everlasting darkness.

CHAPTER XIV.
The Israelites are commanded
encamp before Pi-hahiroth, 1, 2.
to God predicts the pursuit of Pharaoh, 3, 4.
Pharaoh is informed that the Israelites are fled, and regrets that he suffered them to depart, 5. He mus-
ters his troops and pursues them, 6-8. Overtakes them iii their encampment by the Red Sea, 9. The
Israelites are terrified at his approach, 10. They murmur against Moses for leading them out, 11, 12.
Moses encourages them, and assures them of deliverance, 13, 14. God commands the Israelites to advance,
and Moses to stretch out his rod over the sea that it might be divided, 15, 16 and promises utterly to ;

discomfit the Egyptians, 17, 18. The angel of God places himself between the Israelites and the Egyp-
tians, 19. TAe pillar of the cloud becomes darkness to the Egyptians, while it gives light to the Israelites, 20.
Moses stretches out his rod, and a strong east wind blows, and the waters are divided, 2 1 The Israelites .

enter and walk on dry ground, 22. The Egyptians enter also in pursuit of the Israelites, 23. The
Lord looks out of the pillar of cloud on the Egyptians, terrifies them, and disjoints their chariots, 24, 25.
Moses is commanded to stretch forth his rod over the ivaters, that they may return to their former bed, 26.
He does so, and the ivhole Egyptian army is overwhelmed, 27, 28, while every Israelite escapes, 29.
Being thus saved from the hand of their adversaries, they acknowledge the power of God, and credit the
mission of Moses, 30, 31.

A. M. 2513.
B. C. 1491.
A ND the Lord spake unto 3 For Pharaoh will say of the A. M. 2513.
B. C. 1491.
An. Exod. lar. 1. Moses, saying, children of ^ They
are An. Exod. Isr. 1
Israel,
Abib or Nisan. Abib or Nisan.
2 Speak unto the children of entangled in the land, the wilder-
Israel, * that they turn and encamp before ness hath shut them in.
''
Pi-hahiroth, between '^
Migdol and the sea, 4 And ^ I will harden Pharaoh's heart, that
over against Baal-zephon ; before it shall ye he shall follow after them and I will \\q ;
*'

encamp by the sea. honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host
Chapter xiii. 18. 1)
Numbers xxxiii. 7.- -<= Jer. xliv. 1. e Chap. iv. 21 ; vii. 3. —f Chap. ix. 16 ; ver. 17, 18 ; Romans
J Psa. Ixxi. 11. ix. 17, 22, 23.

NOTES ON CHAP. XIV. himself brought them into straits from which no human
Verse 2. Encamp before Pi-hahiroth] nTHH ''£) pi power or art could extricate them. Consider their
hachiroth, the mouth, strait, or bay of Chiroth. Be- situation when once brought out of the open country,
tween Migdol, SlJD migdol, the tower, probably a for- where alone they had room either to fight or fly. Now
tress that served to defend the bay. Over against they had the Red Sea before them, Pharaoh and his
Baal-zephon, |3V "?>'D baal tsephon, the lord or master host behind them, and on their right and left hand for-
of the ivatch, probably an idol temple, where a con- tresses of the Egyptians to prevent their escape nor ;

tinual guard, watch, or light was kept up for the de- had they one boat or transport prepared for their pas-
fence of one part of the haven, or as a guide to ships. sage ! If they be now saved, the arm of the liord
Dr. Shaw thinks that chiroth may denote the valley must be seen, and the vanity and nullity of the Egyp-
which extended from the wilderness of Etham
itself tian idols be demonstrated. By bringing them into
to the Red Sea, and that the part in which the Israel- such a situation he took from them all hope of human
ites encamped was called Pi-hachiroth, i. e., the mouM help, and gave their adversaries every advantage against
or bay of Chiroth. See his Travels, p. 310, and his them, so that they themselves said. They are entangled
account at the end of Exodus. in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in.
Verse 3. They are entangled in the land] God Verse 4. I will harden Pharaoh's heart\ After re-
366
 3

Pharaoh pursues and CHAP. XIV. overtakes the Israelites.

A. M. 2513. g that the Egyptians may know 1 And when Pharaoh drew A. m. 2513.

An.Exod. isr. 1. that I am the Lord. And they nigh, the children of Israel lifted An. Exod. isr. 1.
AbiborNisan. ^j^ g^^ up ^^^ °' ^'"^
their eyes, and, behold, the
5 And it was told the king of Egypt that Egyptians marched after them ; and they
the people fled : and ^ the heart of Pharaoh were sore afraid : and the children of Israel
and of his servants was turned against the ^ cried out unto the Lord.
people, and they said, Why have we done 11° And they said unto Moses, Because
this, that we have let Israel go from serv- there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou

ing us ? taken us away to die in the wilderness ?

6 And he made ready his chariot, and took wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to

his people with him : carry us forth out of Egypt ?

7 And he took six hundred chosen chariots, ' 12^/5 not this the word that we did tell thee
and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may
over every one of them. serve the Egyptians ? For it had been better
8 And the Lord ^ hardened the heart of for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we
Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after should die in the wilderness.
the children of Israel and ^ the children of 1 And Moses said unto the people, ^ Fear
:

Israel went out with a high hand. ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the
9 But the "" Egyptians pursued after them, Lord, which he will show to you to-day for :
"^

(all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and the Egyptians whom ye have seen to-day, ye

his horsemen, and his army,) and overtook shall see them again no more for ever.
them encamping by the sea, beside Pi-hahi- 14 ^ The Lord shall fight for you, and ye
roth, before Baal-zephon. shall * hold your peace.

s Chap. vii. 5. Psa. cv. 25. '' Chap. xv. 4. ^ Ver. 4.

> <12 Chron. xx. 15, 17 ; Isa. xli. 10, 13, 14. ' Or, for whereas

Chap. vi. 1 xiii. 9 Num. xxxiii. 3.

; ;
™ Chap. xv. 9 Josh. ;
ye have seen the Egyptians to-day, &c. • Ver. 25 ; Deut. i. 30
;

xxiv. 6 1 Mac. iv. 9.

;
> Josh. xxiv. 7 Neh. ix. 9 Psa. xxxiv. ; ;
lii. 22 ; XX. 4 ; Josh. x. 14, 42 xxiii. 3 2 Chrou. xx. 29 Neh.
; ; ;

17 cvii. 6.
;
" Psa. cvi. 7, 8. P Chap. v. 21 vi. 9. ;
iv. 20 Isa. xxxi. 4.
;
' Isa. xxx. 15.

lenting and giving them permission to depart, he now but he seldom fought; the second chiefly defended the
changes his mind and determines to prevent them and ; charioteer and the third alone was properly the com-
;

without any farther restraining grace, God permits him batant. appears that in this case Pharaoh had col-
It
to rush on to his final ruin, for the cup of his iniquity lected all the cavalry of Egypt (see ver. 17 ;) and ;

was now full. though these might not have been very numerous, yet,
Verse 5. Anditivas told the king — that the people humanly speaking, they might easily overcome the un-
fled] Of their departure he could not be ignorant, armed and encumbered Israelites, who could not be
because himself had given them liberty to depart but : supposed to be able to make any resistance against
the word fled here may be understood as implying that cavalry and war-chariots.
they had utterly left Egypt without any intention to Verse 10. The children of Israel cried out unto the
return, which is probably what he did not expect, for Lord.] Had their prayer been accompanied with faith,
he had only given them permission to go three days' we should not have found them in the next verses mur-
journey into the wilderness, in order to sacrifice to Je- muring against Moses, or rather against the Lord,
hovah but from the circumstances of their departure,
; through whose goodness they were now brought from
and the property they had got from the Egyptians, it under that bondage from which they had often cried
was taken for granted that they had no design to re- for deliverance. Calmet thinks that the most pious
turn and this was in all likelihood the consideration
; and judicious cried unto God, while the unthinking and
that weighed most with this avaricious king, and de- irreligious murmured against Moses.
termined him to pursue, and either recover the spoil or —
Verse 13. Moses said Fear ye not] This exhor-
bring them back, or both. Thus the heart of Pharaoh tation was not given to excite them to resist, for of
and his servants was turned against the people, and that there was no hope they were unarmed, they had
;

they said, Why

have we let Israel go from serving us? no courage, and their minds were deplorably degraded.
Here was the grand incentive to pursuit their service ; Stand still] Ye shall not be even workers together
was profitable to the state, and they were determined with God; only be quiet, and do not render yourselves
not to give it up. wretched by your fears and your confusion.
Verse Six hundred chosen chariots, ^c]
7. Ac- See the salvation of the Lord] Behold the deliver-
cording to the most authentic accounts we have of ance which God will work, independently of all human
war-chariots, they were frequently drawn by ttoo or help and means.
by four horses, and carried three persons one was :
Ye shall see them again no more] Here was strong
charioteer, whose business it was to guide the horses. faith, but this was accompanied by the spirit of pro
367
 : :; ;

The Lord pt omises to deliver EXODUS. the Israelites from Pfia aoh

A. M. 2513. 1 5 And the Lord said unto upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, A. M. 2513.
J i_ • 1. B. C. 1491.
A-n-JExod. isr. I. Moses, Wherefore criest thou and upon his horsemen. An. Exod. isr. 1.
Ab ib or Nisan. ^^ ^bib or Nisan.
^^^^ 7
19 And the angel of God,
^^^^y^ ^^^^ ^^^ ^j^-j,

dren of Israel, that they go forwardwhich went before the camp of Israel, re-
^

1 6 But " Hft thou up thy rod, and stretch moved and went behind them and the pillar ;

out thine hand over the sea, and divide it of the cloud went from before their face, and
and the children of Israel shall go on dry stood behind them :

ground through the midst of the sea. 20 And it came between the camp of the
17 And I, behold, I will ''harden the hearts Egyptians, and the camp of Israel and ^ it ;

of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave
and I will "" get me honour upon Pharaoh, light by night to these : so that the one came
and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and not near the other all the night.
upon his horsemen. 2 1 And Moses * stretched out his hand over
18 And the Egyptians ^ shall know that I am the sea and the Lord caused the sea to go ;

the Lord, when I have gotten me honour back by a strong east wind all that night, and

"Verse 21, 26; chapter vii. 19. 'Verse 8; chapter vii. 3. y Ch. xiii. 21 ; xxiii. 20 ; xxxii. 34 ; Num. xx. 16 ; Isa. Ixiii. 9.
" Ver. 4. « Ver. 4. ^ See Isa. viii. 14 ; 2 Cor. iv. 3. » Ver. 16.

phecy. God showed Moses what he would do, he get himself honour by this miraculous act, and that the
believed, and therefore he spoke in the encouraging Egyptians shall know, i. e., acknowledge, that he is
manner related above. Jehovah, the omnipotent, self-existing, eternal God.
Verse 14. The Lord shall fight for you] Ye shall Verse 19. The angel of God] It has been thought
have no part in the honour of the day; God alone shall by some that the angel, i. e., messenger, of the Lord,
bring you off, and defeat your foes. and the pillar of cloud, mean here the same thing.
Ye shall hold your peace.] Your unbelieving fears An angel might assume the appearance of a cloud
and clamours shall be confounded, and ye shall see and even a material cloud thus particularly appointed
that by might none shall be able to prevail against the might be called an angel or messenger of the Lord,
Lord, and that the feeblest shall take the prey when for such is the literal import of the word ']n'?0 malach,
the power of Jehovah is exerted. an aJigel. It is however most probable that the Angel
Verse 15. Wherefore criest thou unto me?] We of the covenant, the Lord Jesus, appeared on this oc-
hear not one word of Moses' praying, and yet here the casion in behalf of the people ; for as this deliverance
Lord asks him why he cries unto him 1 From which was to be an illustrious type of the deliverance of man
we may learn that the heart of Moses was deeply en- from the power and guilt of sin by his incarnation and
gaged with God, though it is probable he did not ar- death, it might have been deemed necessary, in the
ticulate one word but the language of sighs, tears,
; judgment of Divine wisdom, that he should appear
and desires is equally intelligible to God with that of chief agent in this most important and momentous cri-
words. This consideration should be a strong encour- sis. On the word angel, and Angel of the covenant,
agement to every feeble, discouraged mind Thou canst : see the notes on Gen. xvi. 7 xviii. 13 and Exod. iii. 2. ; ;

not pray, but thou canst iceep ; if even tears are de- Verse 20. It was a cloud and darkness to them, cj-c]
nied thee, (for there may be deep and genuine repent- That the Israelites might not be dismayed at the ap-
ance, where the distress so great as to stop up those
is pearance of their enemies, and that these might not
channels of then thou canst sigh ; and God,
relief,) be able to discern the object of their pursuit, the pillar
whose Spirit has thus convinced thee of sin, righteous- of cloud moved from the front to the rear of the Israel-
ness, and judgment, knows thy unutterable groanings, itishcamp, so as perfectly to separate between them
and reads the inexpressible wish of thy burdened soul, and the Egyptians. It appears also that this cloud had
a wish of which himself is the author, and which he two sides, one dark and the other luminous : the lu-
has breathed into thy heart with the purpose to satisfy it. minous side gave light to the whole camp of Israel
Verse 16. Lift thou up thy rod] Neither Moses during the night of passage and the dark side, turned ;

nor his rod could be any effective instrument in a work towards the pursuing Egyptians, prevented them from
which could be accomplished only by the omnipotence receiving any benefit from that light. How easily can
of God ; but it was necessary that he should appear God make same thing an instrument of destruction
the
:'n it, in order that he might have credit in the sight or salvation, asseems best to his godly wisdom He !

of the Israelites, and that they might see that God had alone can work by all agents, and produce any kind of
chosen him to be the instrument of their deliverance. effect even by the same instrument for all things serve ;

Verse 18. Shall knoiv that /am the Lord] Pha- the purposes of his will.
raoh had just recovered from the consternation and con- Verse 2 1 . the sea to go back] That
The Lord caused
fusion with which the late plagues had overwhelmed part of the sea over which the Israelites passed was,
him, and now he is emboldened to pursue after Israel according to Mr. Bruce and other travellers, about /our
and God is determined to make his overthrow so sig- leagues across, and therefore might easily be crossed
nal by such an exertion of omnipotence, that he shall in one night. In the dividing of the sea two agents
368
 — ;

The Israelites enter the sea, CHAP. XIV. and the Egyptains follow them.

A. M. 2513. ^ made the sea dry land, and the Pharaoh s horses, his chariots, a. m. 2513.
B. C. 1491. „ J. 11 1 ,

and ms horsemen.
. , ' ' B. C. 1491.
An. Exod. isr. 1. Waters were " divided. An. Exod. Isr. 1
Abib or Nisan. ^^ib or Nisan.
22 And ^ the children of Israel 24 And it came to pass, that in
went into the midst of the sea, upon the dry the morning watch ^ the Lord looked unto the
ground : and the waters were * a wall unto host of the Egyptians, through the pillar of
them on their right hand and on their left. fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host

23 And the Egyptians pursued, and went of the Egyptians,

in after them to the midst of the sea, even all 25 And took off their chariot wheels, ^ that
•>
Psalm Ixvi. 6. Chap. xv. 8 ; Josh. iii. 16 iv. 23 ; Neh.
<=
;
Isaiah Ixiii. 13 ; 1 Cor. x. 1 Hebrews xi. 29.
;
e Hab.
iii. 10.
Ver. See Psalm &c. e Or, and made them go
11 ; Psa. Ixxiv. 13 ; cvi. 9 ; cxiv. 3 ; Isa. Ixiii. 12. Ixxvii.
'i '
ix. 17, to

29 ; chap. xv. 19 ; Numbers xxxiii. 8 ; Psa. Ixvi. 6 ; Ixxviii. 13 ; heavily.

appear to be employed, though the effect produced can infidelity ! how miserable and despicable are thy
be attributed to neither. By stretching out the rod shifts !

the waters were divided; by the blowing of the ve- Verse 24. The morning ivatch] watch wa.s the A
hement, ardent, east wind, the bed of the sea was dried. fourth part of the time from sun-setting to sun-rising
It has been observed, that in the place where the Is- so called from soldiers keeping guard by night, who
raelites are supposed to have passed, the water is about being changed four times during the night, the periods
fourteen fathoms or twenty-eight yards deep had the came to be called ivatches.
: Dodd. —
wind mentioned here been strong enough, naturally As here and in 1 Sam. xi. 11 is mentioned the
speaking, to have divided the waters, it must have blown 7norning watch; so in Lam. ii. 19, the beginning of
in one narrow track, and continued blowing in the di- the loatches ; and in Judg. vii. 19, the middle watch
rection in which the Israelites passed and a wind suf- is spoken of; in Luke xii. 38, the second and third
;

ficient to have raised a mass of water twenty-eight watch; and in Matt, xiv 25, the fourth watch of the
yards deep and tioelve miles in length, out of its bed, night ; which in Mark xiii. 35 are named evening, mid-
would necessarily have blown the whole six hundred night, coclc-croiving, and day-dawning. Ainsworth. —
thousand men away, and utterly destroyed them and As the Israelites went out of Egypt at the vernal
their cattle. I therefore conclude that the east wind, equinox, the morning watch, or, according to the He-
which was ever remarked as a parching, burning wind, brew, 'y'DllTy r\"l^K/N3 beashmoreth habboker, the watch
was used after the division of the waters, merely to of day-break, would answer to our four o'clock in the
dry the bottom, and render it passable. For an account morning. Calmet.
of the hot drying winds in the east, see the note on The Lord looked untol This probably means that
Gen. viii. 1. God ever puts the highest honour on the cloud suddenly assumed a fiery appearance where
his instrument. Nature ; and where it can act, he ever it had been dark before or they were appalled by vio- ;

employs it. No natural agent could divide these wa- lent thunders and lightning, which we are assured by
ters, and cause them to stand as a ivall upon the right the psalmist did actually take place, together with great
hand and upon the left therefore God did it by his inundations of rain, &c.
; The clouds poured out wa- :

own sovereign power. When the waters were thus ter the skies sent out a sound thine arrows also
; :

divided, there was no need of a miracle to dry the bed tverit abroad. The voice of thy thunder ivas in the
of the sea and make it passable therefore the strong heaven ; /^e lightnings lightened the tvorld; the earth
;

desiccating east wind was brought, which soon accom^ trembled and shook. Thy ivay is in the sea, and thy
plished this object. In this light I suppose the text path in the great toaters. Thou leddest thy people like
should be understood. a flock, by the hand of Moses and Aaron ; Psa. Ixxvii.
Verse 22. And the waters were a wall unto them on 17—20. Such tempests as these would necessarily
their right hand and on their left.] This verse demon- terrify the Egyptian horses, and produce general con-
strates that the passage was miraculous. Some have fusion. By their dashing hither and thither the wheels
supposed that the Israelites had passed through, fa- must be destroyed, and the chariots broken and foot ;

voured by an extraordinary ebb, which happened at that and horse must be mingled together in one universal
time to be produced by a strong wind, which happened ruin see ver. 25. During the time that this state of
;

just then to blow Had this been the case, there could horror and confusion was at its summit the Israelites
!

not have been waters standing on the right hand and had safely passed over; and then Moses, at the com-
on the left ; much less could those waters, contrary4o mand of God, (ver. 26,) having stretched out his rod
every law of fluids, have stood as a ivall on either side over the waters, the sea returned to its strength (ver.
;
while the Israelites passed through, and then happen 27
;) i. e., the waters by their natural gravity resumed
to become obedient to the laws of gravitation when the their level, and the whole Egyptian host were com-
Egyptians entered in An infidel may deny the reve- pletely overwhelmed, ver. 28. But as to the Israel-
!

lation in toto, and from such we expect nothing better ites, the waters had been a wall unto them on the right
;

but to hear those who profess to believe this to be a hand and on the This the waters could
left, ver. 29.
Divine revelation endeavouring to prove that the pas- not have been, unless they had been supernaturally sup-
sage of the Red Sea had nothing miraculous in it, is
ported as their own gravity would necessarily have
;

really intolerable. Such a mode of interpretation occasioned them to have kept their level, or, if raised
requires a miracle to make itself credible. if left to their natural
Poor beyond it, to have regained it
Vol. I. ( 25 ) 369
 !

The waters return and EXODUS. overwhelm the Egyptians.

A. M. 2513. they drave them heavily : so that host of Pharaoh, that came into a. m. 2513.

An. Exod. isr. 1. the Egyptians said, Let us flee the sea after them; there re- An.Exod.isr!i.
Abib or Nisan. -^^'b "f Nisan.
^^^^ ^^^ f^^^ ^f jg^.^^^ .
f^j. ^^^ mained not so much as one of
Lord ^ fighteth for them against the Egyptians. them.
26 And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch 29 But '
P the children of Israel walked upon
out thine hand over the sea, that the waters dry land, in the midst of the sea and the ;

may come again upon the Egyptians, upon waters were a wall unto them, on their right
their chariots, and upon their horsemen. hand, and on their left.

27 And Moses stretched forth his hand over 30 Thus the Lord 1 saved Israel that day
the sea, and the sea ^ returned to his strength out of the hand of the Egyptians ; and Israel
when the morning appeared and the Egyp-
saw the Egyptians dead upon the seashore.
;
'

tians fled against it ; and the Lord overthrew ™

3 1 And Israel saw that great ^ work which
^

the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. the Lord did upon the Egyptians and the :

28 And ^ the waters returned, and ° covered people feared the Lord, and believed the *

the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the Lord, and his servant Moses.

hVer. 14. i
Ver. 16. ^Josh. iv. IS.-" —
'Chap. xv. 1, 7. P Ver. 22 ; Psa. Ixxvii. 20 ; Ixxviii. 52, 53. 1 Psalm cvi. 8,
"Heb. shook off; Deut. xi. 4 ; Psa. Ixxviii. 53; Neh. ix. 11 ;
10. 'Psa. Iviii. 10; ]ix. 10. ^Heh.hand. 'Chap. iv. 31;
Heb. xi. 29. °Hab. iii. 8, 13. oPsa. cvi. 11. xix. 9 ; Psa. cvi. 12 ; John ii. 11 ; xi. 45.

law, to which they are ever subject, unless in cases of of the omnipotence of their Protector : and how strange,
jpoiraculous interference. Thus the enemies of the that after such displays of the justice and mercy of
Lord polished and that people who decreed that the
; Jehovah, the Israelites should ever have been deficient
male children of the Hebrews should be drowned, were in faith, or have given place to murmuring
themselves destroyed in the pit which they had des-
tined for others. God's ways are all equal and he ; 1. The events recorded in this chapter are truly
renders to every man
according to his loorks. astonishing ;and they strongly mark what God can
Verse 28. There remained not so much as one of do, and what he will do, both against his enemies and
them.] Josephus says that the army of Pharaoh con- in behalf of his followers. In vain are all the forces
sisted of Jifty thousand horse, and two hundred thou- of Egypt united to destroy the Israelites : at the
sand foot, of whom not one remained to carry tidings breath of God's mouth they perish and his ; feeble,
of this most extraordinary catastrophe. discouraged, unarmed followers take the prey ! With
Verse 30. Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the such a history before their eyes, is it not strange that
seashore.] By the extraordinary agitation of the wa- sinners should run on frowardly in the path of trans-
ters, no doubt multitudes of the dead Egyptians were gression and that those who are redeemed from the
;

cast on the shore, and by their spoils the Israelites world, should ever doubt of the all-sufficiency and
were probably furnished with considerable riches, and goodness of their God ! Had we not already known
especially clothing and arms ; which latter were essen- the sequel of the Israelitish history, we should have
tially necessary to them in their wars with the A?na- been led to conclude that this people would have gone
leJcites, Basanites, and Amorites, &c., on their way to on their way rejoicing, trusting in God with their
the promised land. If they did not get their arms in whole heart, and never leaning to their own under-
this way, we know not how they got them, as there standing but alas; we find that as soon as any new
!

is not the slightest reason to believe that they brought difficulty occurred, they murmured against God and
any with them out of Egypt. their leaders, despised the pleasant land, and gave nc _
Verse 31. The people feared the Lord] They were credence to his word.
convinced by the interference of Jehovah that his 2. Their case is not a solitary one most of those : ^
power was unlimited, and that he could do whatsoever who are called Christians are not more remarkable
he pleased, both in the way of judgment and in the for faith and patience. Every reverse will necessarily
way oi mercy. pain and discompose the people who are seeking their
And believed the Lord, and his servant Moses.] portion in this life. And it is a sure mark of a worldly
They now clearly discerned that God had fulfilled all mind, when we trust the God of Providence and grace
his promises and that not one thing had failed of all
; no farther than we see the operations of his hand in
the good whrph he had spoken concerning Israel. our immediate supply; and murmur and repine when
And they believed his servant Moses —
they had now the hand of his bounty seems closed, and the influ-
the fullest proof that hewas Divinely appointed to ences of his Spirit restrained, though our unthankful
work all these miracles, and to bring them out of and unholy carriage has been the cause of this change.
Egypt into the promised land. Those alone who humble themselves under the mighty
Thus God got himself honour upon Pharaoh and the hand of God, shall be lifted up in due season. Reader,
Egyptians, and credit in the sight of Israel. After this thou canst never be deceived in trusting thy all, the
overthrow of their king and his host, the Egyptians in- concerns of thy body and soul, to Him wlio divided the
terrupted them no more in their journeyings, convinced sea, saved the Hebrews, and destroyed the Egyptians.
a 370 ( 25* )
 The triumphal song of CHAP. XV. Moses and the Israelites.

CHAPTER XV.
Moses and the Israelites sing a song of praise to God for their late deliverance, m which they celebrate the
power of God, gloriously manifested in the destruction of Pharaoh and his host, 1 express their confidence ;

in him as their strength and protector, 2,3; detail the chief circumstances in the overthrow of the Egyp-
tians, 4-8 and relate the purposes they had formed for the destruction of God^s people, 9, and how he
;

destroyed them in the imaginations of their hearts, 10. Jehovah is celebrated for the perfections of his
nature and his wondrous loorks, 11—13. A
prediction of the effect which the account qf the destruction
of the Egyptians should have on the Edomites, Moabites, and Canaanites, 14—16. A prediction of the
establishment of Israel in the profnised land, 17. The full chorus of praise, 18. Recapitulation of the
destruction of the Egyptians, and the deliverance of Israel, 19. Miriam and the women join in and pro-
long the chorus, 20, 21. The people travel three days in the wilderness of Shur, and find no water, 22.
Coming to Marali, and finding hitter waters, they murmur against Moses, 23, 24. In ansiver to the prayer
of Moses, God shows him a tree by which the waters are sweetened, 25. God gives them statutes and
gracious promises, 26. They come to Elim, where they find twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees,
and there they encamp, 27.

A. M. 2513.
B. C. 1491.
'PHEN
X saiiff
°^
a
Moses and the inff,
f I will ^ sinff
o unto the A. M. 2513,
B. c. 1491.
, ., ,
T , , .

An. Exod.isr. 1. children oi Israel this song Lord, for he hath triumphed An. Exod. isr.' i.
Abib or Nisan. Abib or Nisan.
^^^^ ^^^e LoRD ; and spake, say- gloriously: the horse and his

a Judg. V. 1 2 Sara. xxii. 1 ; Psa. cvi. 12 Wisd. X. 20. b Ver. 21.

; ;

NOTES ON CHAP. XV. prose ; and, that his books might bear as near a resem-
Verse Then sang Moses and the children of blance as possible to the ancient and popular originals,
1.

Israel this songl Poetry has been cultivated in all he divided them into nine, and dedicated each to one
ages and among all people, from the most refined to of the muses ! His work therefore seems to occupy
the most barbarous and to it principally, under the the same place between the ancient poetic compositions
;

kind providence of God, we are indebted for most of and mere prosaic histories, as the polype does between
the original accounts we have of the ancient nations plants and animals. Much even of our sacred records
of the universe. Equally measured lines, with a har- is written in poetry, which God
has thus consecrated
monious collocation of expressive, sonorous, and some- to be the faithful transmitter of remote and important
times highly metaphorical terms, the alternate lines events and of this the song before the reader is a
;

either answering to each other in sense, or ending with proof in point. Though this is not the first specimen
similar sounds, were easily committed to memory, and of poetry we have met with in the Pentateuch, (see
easily retained. As these were often accompanied Lamech's speech to his wives. Gen. iv. 23, 24 Noah's ;

with a pleasing air or tune, the subject being a con- prophecy concerning his sons, chap. ix. 25-27 and ;

catenation of striking and interesting events, histories Jacob's blessing to the twelve patriarchs, chap. xlix.
formed thus became the amusement of youth, the 2—27, and the notes there,) yet it is the first regular
softeners of the tedium of labour, and even the solace ode of any considerable length, having but one sub-
of age. In such a way the histories of most nations ject and it is all written in hemistichs, or half lines,
;

have been preserved. The interesting events cele- the usual form in Hebrew poetry and though this ;

brated, the rhythm or metre, and the accompanying form frequently occurs, it is not attended to in our
tune or recitativo air, rendered them easily transmis- common printed Hebrew Bibles, except in this and
sible to posterity and by means of tradition they
; three other places, (Deut. xxxii., Judg. v., and 2 Sam.
passed safely from father to son through the times of xxii.,) all of which shall be noticed as they occur. But
comparative darkness, till they arrived at those ages in Dr. Kennicott's edition of the Hebrew Bible, all
in which the pen and the press have given them a sort the poetry, wheresoever it occurs, is printed in its

of deathless duration and permanent stability, by mul- own hemistich form.

tiplying the copies. Many of the ancient historic After what has been said it is perhaps scarcely ne-
and heroic British tales are continued by tradition cessary to observe, that as such ancient poetic his-
among tories commemorated great and extraordinary displays
the aboriginal inhabitants of Ireland to the pre-
sent day and the repetition of them constitutes the oi providence, courage, strength, fidelity, heroism, and
;

chief amusement of the winter evenings. Even the piety ; hence the origin of epic poems, of which the
prose histories, which were wTitten on the ground of song in this chapter is the earliest specimen. And on
the poetic, copied closely their exemplars, and the the principle of preserving the memory of such events,
historians themselves were obliged to study all the most nations have had their epic poets, who have gene-
beauties and ornaments of style, that their works might rally taken for their subject the most splendid or most
become popular ; and to this circumstance we owe remote events of their country's history, which either
not a small measure of what is to the formation or extension of their empire,
termed refinement of referred
language. How the history of the exploits of their ancestors, or the establishment of
observable is this in
Herodotus, who appears to have closely copied the their religion. Hence the ancient Hebrews had their
ancient poetic records in his inimitable and harmonious Shir Mosheh,t\ie piece in qne.?tion the Greeks, their :

a
 : ; ,

Confidence of Israel EXODUS. in God'' s protection.

A. M. 2513. rider halh he thrown into he is my God, and I will pre- a. m. 2513.
B. C. 1491.
, . J 1 1
B. C. 1491.
An. Exod. isr. 1.
,

the sea. pare him •* a habitation ; my An. Exod. isr. 1

Abib or Nisan.
Abib or Nisan. g The LoRD is my Strength « father's God, and I ^ will

and '^
song, and he is become my salvation exalt him.

c Deut. X. 21 ; Psa. xviii. 2 ; xxii. 3 ; lix. 17 ; Ixii. 6 ; cix. 1 ; 21, 22 ; 2 Sam. vii. 5; Psa. cxxxii. 5. = Chap. iii. 15, 16.
cxviii. 14 ; cxl. 7 ; Isa. xii. 2 Hab. iii.
; 18, 19. * Gen. xxviii. '2 Sam. 47
xxii. ; Psa. xcix. 5 cxviii. 28 ; ; Isa. xxv. 1.

Bias; the Hindoos, their Mahabarat; the Romans, It is worthy of observation that the word which we
theirMneis ; the Norwegians, their Edda ; the Irish translate Lord here, is not mri" Jehovah in the ori-
and Scotch, their Fingal and Chronological poems ; ginal, but rf Jah " as if by abbreviation," says Mr.
;

the Welsh, their Taliessin and his Triads; the Arabs, Parkhurst, " for 7^'7V yeheieh or TT' yehi. It signifies

theirNebiun-Nameh (exploits of Mohammed) and the Essence 'O AN, He who IS, simply, absolutely,
Hamleh Heedry, (exploits of Aly ;) the Persians, their and independently. The relation between TV Jah and
Shah Nameh, (book of kings ;) the Italians, their the verb n'n, to subsist, exist, be, is intimated to us the
Gerusalemme Liberata ; the Portuguese, their Lu- first time D"' Jah is used in Scripture, (Exod. xv. 2 :)
siad ; the English, their Paradise Lost; and, in '
My strength and my song is H' Jah, and he is be-
humble imitation of all come (Tfl vajehi) to me salvation.' " See Psa. Ixviii.
the rest, {etsi non passibus
aquis,) the French, their Henriade. 5; Ixxxix. 6; xciv. 7; cxv. 17, 18; cxviii. 17.
The song of Moses has been in the highest repute Jah rr is several times joined with the name Jeho-
in the Church of God from the beginning the author vah nin% so that we may be sure that it is not, as
;

of the Book of Wisdom attributes it in a particular some have supposed, a mere abbreviation of that word.
manner to the wisdom of God, and saj's that on this See Isa. xii. 2 xxvi. 4. Our blessed Lord solemnly ;

occasion God opened the mouth of the dumb, and made claims to himself what is intended in this Divine name
the tongues of infants eloquent ; chap. x. 2 1 As if TV Jah, John viii. 58 "Before Abraham was, {yevea-
. :

he had said. Every person felt an interest in the great dai, ivas born,) eyu eifti, I AM," not / ivas, but I am,
events which had taken place, and alllaboured to giveplainly intimating his Divine eternal existence. Com-
Jehovah that praise which was due name. pare Isa. xliii. 13. And the Jews appear to have
to his
" With this song of victory over Pharaoh," says Mr. well understood him, for then took they up stones to
Ainsworth, " the Holy Ghost compares the song of cast at him as a blasphemer. Compare Col. i. 16, 17,
those who have gotten the victory over the spiritual where the Apostle Paul, after asserting tliat all things
Pharaoh, the beast, (Antichrist,) when they stand by that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and
the sea of glass mingled with fire, (as Israel stood invisible, were created, eKTiarai, by and for Christ,
here by the Red Sea,) having the harps of God, (as adds. And HE IS {avrog eotl, not i]v, ivas) before all

the women here had timbrels, ver. 20,) and they sing things, and by him all things avveaTrjKe, have subsisted,
the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song and still subsist. See Parkhurst.
of the Lamb, the Son of God ;" Rev. xv. 2-4. From this Divine name H' Jah the ancient Greeks
/ will sing unto the Lord] Moses begins the song, had their I??, I?;, in their invocations of the gods, par-

and in the two first hemistichs states the subject of it ticularly of Apollo (the uncoinpounded one) the light
and these two first lines became the grand chorus of and hence ei, written after the oriental manner from
the piece, as we may learn from ver. 21. See Dr. right to left, afterwards ie, was inscribed over the
Kennicott's arrangement and translation of this piece great door of the temple at Delphi See the note on !

at the end of this chapter. chap. iii. 14, and the concluding observations there. .

Triumphed gloriously'] nxj T\^l O ki gaoh gaah, / will prepare him a habitation] iniJXI veanvehu.

he is exceedingly exalted, rendered by the Septuagint, has been supposed that Moses, by this expression, It

Ev(5ofwf yap deSo^aarai, intended the building of the tabernacle ; but it seems
He is gloriously glorified;
and surely this was one of the most signal displays of to come in very strangely in this place. Most of the
the glorious majesty of God ever exhibited since the ancient versions understood the original in a very dif-
creation of the world. And when it is considered that ferent sense. The Vulgate has et glorificabo eum ;
the whole of this transaction shadowed out the redemp- the Septuagint So^aau avrov, I will glorify him; with
tion of the human race from the thraldon and power which the Syriac, Coptic, the Targum oi Jonathan, and
of sin and iniquity by the Lord Jesus, and the Jinal the Jerusalem Targum, agree. From the Targum
triumph of the Church of God over all its etiemies, we of Onhelos the present translation seems to have
may also join in the song, and celebrate Him who has been originally derived he has translated the place
;

triumphed so gloriously, having conquered death, and tt'lpO n^ veebnei leh makdash, " And I will build
'JDJ^I
opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers. him a sanctuary," which not one of the other ver-
Verse 2. The Lord is ?ny strength and so7ig] How Persian excepted, acknowledges.
sions, the Our own
judiciously are the members of this sentence arranged !
from the pre-
old translations are generally different
He who has God for his strength, will have him for sent Coverdale, " This my God, I will magnify
:
him ;"
his song ; and he to whom Jehovah is become salva- Matthew's, Cranmer's, and the Bishops' Bible, render

glorfy, and the sense of the place seems

exalt his name. Miserably and untunably, to require
tion, will it

j^
in the ears of God, does that man sing praises, who is it. Calmet, Houbigant, Kcnnicott, and other critics,
jgfiot saved by the grace of Christ, nor strengthened by contend for this translation.
''power of his might. My father's God] I believe Houbigant to be right,
372
 1 1 1

God IS praised for his CHAP. XV. power, excellency, and justice.
A. M. 2513. 3 The Lord
B. C. 1491.
is a man of s war :
8 And >•
with the blast of thy A. M. 2513.
An. Exod. Isr. 1 the Lord is his *name. nostrils the waters were gathered
Abib or Nisan. An^E?od'fsJ'
4 Pharaoh's chariots and his together, nhe
'
Abib or Nisan.
floods stood up-
host hath he cast into the sea ^ his chosen
right as a heap, anc? the :

depths were congealea

captains also are drowned in the Red
Sea. in the heart of the sea.
5 The depths have covered them
^ "»
they The enemy
:
9 ^
said, I will pursue, I will
sank into the bottom as a stone.
overtake, I will Mivide the
"Thy spoil; my lust
6 right hand, O Lord, become shall be satisfied
is
upon them
glorious inpower thy right : hand, O Lord, sword, my hand shall
; I will draw my
^ destroy them.
hath dashed in pieces the enemy.
10 Thou didst ^ blow with thy wind, ^
the
7 And in the greatness of thine ° excellency sea covered
them they sank as lead in the :

thou hast overthrown them that rose up

against mighty waters.
thee: thou sentest forth thy wrath, which p
con- 1 y Who is like unto thee, Lord, among
sumed them 1 as stubble. the ^ gods ? who is like thee, ^
glorious in
'Chap. yi. 3; Psa. Ixxxiii.
18 iChl ' ^o^- ""'^ Vu „- Psa. kxvui. 13 Hab. ni. 10.
; 1 Jujg. v. 30. u Gen. xlii.
» NdT i5 ff '''\f~r- ^^^P'r '''^- ^- Chap. xiv. 28. ' 27 Isa. ha 12 Luke xi. 22. v
\Ps^\m cxviu. ; ; Qr, repossess. '^
Chap. xiv.
15, 26. Deut. xxxiii. 26.
PplrVhx. 13—
PPsa. ,o
-q Isaiah v. 24; xlvii. 14. "
21; Psa.cxlvii. 18^_-xver 5; chap. xiv. 28.
y2Sam.vii.
chapter xiv. 21 22 1 Kings via. 23; Psa. Ixxi. 19; Ixxxvi. 8
2 Sam. xxu. 16 ; Job iv. 9 j 2 Thess. ii. 8.
;
; Ixxxix. 6,8 ; Jer.
X. 0, xUx. 19. zQr, mighty ones. *Isa. vi. 3.

who translates the original, ':]X 'mSn Elohey abi, Deus they should not stumble ? As a beast goeth down
mens, pater meus est, "My God my Father." Every
is into the valley, the Spirit of the Lord caused him to
man may call the Divine Being his God but only those
; rest; so didst thou lead thy people, to
who are thyself a make
by adoption through grace can glorious name."
his children
call him Father. This is a privilege which God
their
Verse 8. The depths were congealed] The strong
has given to none but his children. See Gal. iv. 6. east wind (chap. xiv. 21) employed
to dry the bottom
Verse 3. The Lord is a man of ivar] Perhaps it of the sea, is here represented as
would be better to translate the words, Jehovah the blast of God's
is the nostrils that had congealed or
man or hero frozen the waters, so
of the battle. As we scarcely ever apply that they stood in heaps like a wall on
the term to any thing but first-rate the right hand
armed vessels, the and on the left.
change of the translation seems indispensable,
though Verse 9. The enemy said] As this song was
the common rendering is literal enough. com-
Besides, the posed by Divine inspiration, we may rest
object of Moses was to show that man had assured that
no part in these words were spoken by Pharaoh
this victory, but that the whole was
and his captains,
wrought by the and the passions they describe felt,
in their utmost
miraculous power of God, and that therefore he alone
sway, m their hearts but how soon
.should have all the glory.
; was their boast-
mg confounded ? " Thou didst blow with thy wind,
The Lord is his name.] That Jehovah.
is, He and the sea covered them : they sank as lead in the
has now, as the name implies, given complete
exist- mighty waters !"
ence to all his promises. See the notes on Gen. ii. 4, Verse U. Who is like unto thee, O
and Exod. vi. 3. Lord, among
the gods .?] We have already seen that all the
Verse 4. Pharaoh'' s chariots his host his chosen — —
tian gods, or the objects of the
Egyptians' idolatry,
Egyp-
captains] On
such an expedition it is likely that the were
confounded, and rendered completely despicable,
principal Egyptian nobility accompanied their
king, and by the ten plagues, which appear
to have been directed
that the overthrow they met with here
had reduced principally against them. Here the
people of God ex-
Egypt to the lowest extremity. Had the Israelites ult over them afresh Who among these
been intent on plunder, or had Moses been gods is like :

influenced unto Thee 1 They can neither save

by a sph-it of ambition, how easily might both nor destroy; Thou
have dost both in the most signal manner.
gratified themselves, as, had they returned,
they might
"^ As the original words mn^ dSnd riDOD ^D mi cha-
have soon overrun and subjugated the whole
land. mochah baelim Yehovah are supposed to have consti-
Verse 6. Thy right hand] Thy omnipotence,
mani- tuted the motto on the ensign of the Asmoneans,
fested in a most extraordinary way. and
to have furnished the name of
Verse 7. In the greatness of thine excellency] Maccabeus to Judas,
To their grand captain, from whom they were afterwards
this wonderful deliverance the
Prophet Isaiah refers, called Maccabeans, it may
be necessary to say a few
chap. Ixiii. 11-14 "Then he remembered the days words on this subject. It is
:

possible that Judas Mac-

of old, Moses and his people, saying,
Where is he that cabeus might have had this motto on his ensign, or at
brought them up out of the sea with the
shepherd of least the initial letters of it, for such a practice was
his flock ? Where is he that put his
Holy Spirit within not uncommon. For instance, on the Roman standard
him ^ That led them by the right hand
of Moses with the letters S. P. Q. R. stood for Senatus Populus Que
nis glorious arm, dividing
the water before them, to Romanus,
i. e. the Senate and Roman People and
make himself an everlasting name ? ;

That led them ' 3 D D M. C. B. I. might have stood for Mi Chamo-

through the deep, as a horse
in the wilderness, that chah Baelim Jehovah, " Who among the gods (or strong

373
 ;

The nations shall fear^ when EXODUS. they hear lohat God has done.

A. M. 2513. holiness, fearful m praises, ''

do- 16 "* Fear and dread shall fall A. M. 2513.
B. C. 1491. J "}
.L , ^1AB. C. 1491.
An. Exod. isr. 1. ing wonders f upon them by the greatness oi An.Exod. isr. i.
;

Abib or Nisan. jg Thou stretchedst out Abib or Nisan.

<=
thy thine arm, they shall be as still
right hand, the earth swallowed them. ">
as a stone ; till thy people pass over, O
13 Thou in thy mercy hast ^ led forth the Lord, till the people pass over, ° which thou
people which thou hast redeemed thou hast hast purchased. :

guided them in thy strength unto ® thy holy 1 7 Thou shalt bring them in and p plant ;

habitation. them in the mountain of thine inheritance, in

14 f The people shall hear, and be afraid the place, O Lord, which thou hast made for :

^ sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of thee to dwell in, in the i sanctuary, O Lord,

Palestina. which thy hands have established.

1 5 ^ Then '
the dukes of Edom shall be 18 ' The Lord shall reign for ever and
amazed men of Moab, trembling
;
^ the mighty ever.
shall take holdupon them all the inhabit- ;
'
1 9 For the ^ horse of Pharaoh went in with
ants of Canaan shall melt away. his chariots and with his horsemen into the

•"Psa. Ixxvii. 14. <=

Ver. 6. <ipsa. Ixxvii. 15,20; bcxviii. ° 1 Sam. XXV. 37. Chap. xix. 5
<>
; Deut. xxxii. 9 ; 2 Sam.
52 ; Ixxx. 1 ; cvi. 9 ; Isa. Ixiii. 12, 13 ; Jer. ii. 6. « Psa. Ixxviii. vii. 23 Psalm Ixxiv. 2 Isaiah xliii.
; ; 1, 3
Jer. xxxi. 11 ;
; Ii. 10 ;

54. fNum. xiv. 14; Deut. 25 Josh. ii.

ii. ; 9, 10. s Psalm Tit. ii. 14; 1 Pet. ii. 9 2 Pet. ii. 1.
; PPsa. xliv. 2 Ixxx. 8. ;

xlviii. 6. ^ Gen. xxxvi. 40. Deut. ii. 4.

' '' Num. xxii. 3 1 Psa. Ixxviii. 54. 'Psa. x. 16 ; xxix. 10 ; cxlvi. JO Isa. Ivii. ;

Hab. iii. 7. ' Josh. v. 1. ™ Deut. ii. 25 ; xi. 25 ; Josh. ii. 9. 15. « Chap. xiv. 23 ; Prov. xxi. 31.

ones) is Jehovah !"

like unto thee, O
But it appears multitudes were overwhelmed by the waters, whose
from the Greek and also the Syriac dead bodies were afterward thrown ashore.
MaKKalSaioc, The
» *ne-\Sf\ makabi, that the name was written originally psalmist strongly intimates that there was an earth-

with p koph, not 2 caph. It is most likely, as Mi- quake on this occasion The voice of thy thunder tvas :

chaelis has observed, that the name must have been in the heaven ; the lightnings lightened the world ; the
derived from DpO makkah, 2. hammer or mallet ; hence EARTH TREMBLED and SHOOK; Psa. Ixxvii. 18.
Judas, because of his bravery and success, might have Verse 13. Thou hast guided them in thy strength
been denominated the hammer or mallet by which the unto thy holy habitation.] As this ode was dictated
enemies of God had been beaten, pounded, and broken by the Spirit of God, it is most natural to understand
to pieces. Judas, the hammer of the Lord. this and the following verses, to the end of the 18th,
Glorious in holiness] Infinitely resplendent in this as containing a prediction of what God would do for
attribute, essential to the perfection of the Divine this people which he had so miraculously redeemed.

nature. On this mode of interpretation it would be better to

Fearful in praises] Such glorious holiness cannot read several of the verbs in the future tense.
be approached without the deepest reverence and fear, Verse 15. The dukes of Edom] Idumea was go-
even by angels, who veil their faces before the majesty verned at this time by those called D'D^X alluphim,
of God. How then should man, who is only sin and heads, chiefs, or captains. See the note on Gen.
dust, approach the presence of his Maker ! xxxvi. 15.
Doing loonders 1] Every part of the work of God Verse 16. Till thy people pass over] Not over the
is wonderful ; not only miracles, which imply an in- Red Sea, for that event had been already celebrated ; \

version or suspension of the laws of nature, but every but over the desert and Jordan, in order to be brought
part of nature itself. Who can conceive how a single into the promised land.
blade of grass is formed ; or how and waterearth, air, Verse 17. Thou shalt bring them in] By thy
become consolidated in the body of the oak 1 And strength and mercy alone shall they get the promised
who can comprehend how the different tribes of plants inheritance.
and animals are preserved, in all the distinctive cha- And plant them] Give them z fixed habitation in
racteristics of their respective natures ? And who can Canaan, after their unsettled wandering life in the
conceive how the human being is formed, nourished, wilderness.
and its different parts developed ] What is the true In the mountain] Meaning Canaan, which was a
cause of the circulation of the blood 1 or, how different very mountainous country, Deut. xi. 11; or probably
aliments produce the solids and fluids of the animal Mount Zion, on which the temple was built. Where
machine ? What is life, sleep, death ? And how an the pure worship of God was established, there the
impure and unholy soul is regenerated, purified, refined, people might expect both rest and safety. Wherever
and made like unto its great Creator 1 These are the purity of religion is established and preserved, and
wonders which God alone works, and to himself only the high and the low endeavour to regulate their lives
are they fully known. according to its precepts, the government of that coun-
Verse 12. The earth swallowed them.] It is very try is hkely to be permanent.
likely there was also an earthquake on this occasion, Verse 18. The Lord shall reign for ever and ever.]
and that chasms were made in the bottom of the sea, This is properly the grand chorus in which all the
by which many of them were swallowed up, though people joined. The words are expressive of God's
374
 :

Miriam leads the CHAP. XV. chorus of women.

A. M. 2513. sea, and *

the Lord brought again
2 1 And Miriam ^^mswere^
B. C. 1491. '
^ . ,
^1 -A. M. 2513.

An. Exod. isr. 1. upon them them, ^ Sing ye to the Lord, for he
the watcis 01 the sea ; ab. ExodlsJ.' 1
^^'^"'•^^^^°- Abi^) or Nisan.
but the children of Israel went hath triumphed gloriously: the
on dry land, in the midst of the sea. horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.
20 And Miriam " the prophetess, ^ 22 So Moses brought Isratel from the Red
the sister
of Aaron, ^ took a timbrel in her hand and Sea, and they went out into the wilderness
;

all the women went out after her * with tim- of " Shur and they went three days in the ;

brels and with dances. wilderness, and found no water.

' Chap. xiv. 28, 29. " Judg. iv. 4; 1 Sam. x. 5. ''Num. vi. 16 ; Psa. Ixviii. 11, 25 ; cxlix. 3 ; cl. 4. 7 1 Sam. xviii. 7.
xxvi. 59. "^
1 Sam. xviii. 6. » Judg. xi. 34 ; xxi. 21 ; 2 Sam. » Ver. 1. » Gen. xvi. 7 ; xxv. 18.

everlasting dominion, not only in the world, but in the Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses ? Hath
Church ; not only under the law, but also under the he not SPOKEN also by us 1 And that she was consti-
Gospel ; not only in time, but through eternity. The tuted joint leader of the people with her two brothers,
original 1^*1 D^^ leolam vaed may
be translated, for we have the express word of God by the Prophet
ever and onward; or, by our very expressive com- Micah, chap. vi. 4 For I brought thee up out of the
pound term, ybr evermore, i. e. for ever and more — land of Egypt —and I :

sent before thee Moses, Aaron,

not only through time, but also through all duration. and Miriam. Hence it is very likely that she was
His dominion shall be ever the same, active and in- the instructress of the women, and regulated the times,
finitely extending. With this verse the song seems places, &c., of their devotional acts ; for it appears
to end, as with it the hemistichs or poetic lines ter- that from the beginning to the present day the Jewish
minate. The 20th and beginning of the 21st are in women all worshipped apart.
plain prose, but the latter part of the 21st hemi- is in A timbrel] ^n toph, the same word which is trans-
stichs, as it contains the response made by Miriam and lated tabret. Gen. xxxi. 27, on which the reader is de-
the Israelitish women at different intervals during the sired to consult the note.
Bong. See Dr. Kennicott's arrangement of the parts And with dances.] rhvs^ mecholoth. Many learned
at the end of this chapter. men suppose that this word means some instruments
Verse 20. And Miriam the prophetess'] We
have of wind music, because the word comes from the root
already seen that Miriam was older than either Moses 77n chalal, the ideal meaning of which is to perforate,
or AaroQ for when Moses was exposed on the Nile, penetrate, pierce, stab, and hence to wound.
: Pipes or
she was a young girl capable of managing the strata- hollow tubes, such as flutes, hautboys, and the like, may
gem used for the preservation of his life and then be intended. Both the Arabic and Persian understand
;

Aaron was only three years and three months old, it as meaning instruments of music of the pipe, drum,
for he was fourscore and three years old when Moses or sistrum kind and this seems to comport better with ;

was but fourscore, (see chap. vii. 7 ;) so that Aaron the scope and design of the place than the term dances.
was older than Moses, and Miriam considerably older It must however be allowed that religious dances have
than either, not less probably than nine or ten years been in use from the remotest times and yet in most ;

of age. See on chap. ii. 2. of the places where the term occurs in our translation,
There is great diversity of opinion on the origin of an instrument of music bids as fair to be its meaning
the name of Miriam, which is the same with the as a dance of any kind. Miriam is the first prophetess
Greek Mapia/i, the Latin Maria, and the English on record, and by this we find that God not only poured
Mary. Some suppose it to be compounded of "lO out his Spirit upon men, but upon ivomen also and we ;

mar, a drop, (Isa. xl. 15,) and '' yam, the sea, and learn also that Miriam was not only a prophetess, but
that from this etymology the heathens formed their a poetess also, and must have had considerable skill in
Venus, whom they feign to have sprung from the sea. music to have been able to conduct her part of these
St. Jerome gives several etymologies for the name, solemnities. It may appear strange that during so
which at once show how difficult it is to ascertain it long an oppression in Egypt, the Israelites were able
she loho enlightens me, or she who enlightens them, or to cultivate the fine arts but that they did so there is ;

the star of the sea. Others, the lady of the sea, the the utmost evidence from the Pentateuch. Not only
bitterness of the sea, Jfc. It is probable that the first architecture, weaving, and such necessary arts, were
or the last is the true one, but it is a matter of little well known among them, but also the arts that are
importance, as we have not the circumstance marked, called ornamental, such as those of the goldsmith, lapi-
as in the case of Moses and many others, that gave dary, embroiderer, furrier, &c., of which we have am-
rise to the name. ple proof in the construction of the tabernacle and its

The prophetess] nX'Iljn hannebiah. For the mean- utensils. However ungrateful, rebellious, &c., the
ing of the word prophet, N'D3 nabi, see the note on Jews may have been, the praise of industry and eco-
Gen. XX. 7. It is very likely that Miriam was in- nomy can never be denied them. In former ages, and
spired by the Spirit of God to instruct the Hebrew in all places even of their dispersions, they appear to
women, as Moses and Aaron were to instruct the men have been frugal and industrious, and capable of great ;

and when she and her brother Aaron sought to share proficiency in the most elegant and curious arts but ;

in the government of the people with IMoses, we find they are now greatly degenerated.
her laying claim to the prophetic influence, Num. xii. 2 : Verse 22. The luildemess of Shur] This was on
375
 /

The hitter waters of EXODUS. Marah made sweet.

A. M. 2513. 23 And when they came to had cast into the waters, the A. M. 2513.
B. C. 1491.
An. Exod.*?sr. 1, ^ Marah, they could not drink waters were made sweet. There An. Exod. Isr. 1.
Abib or Nisan. Abib or Nisan.
^^ ^^^ waters of Marah, for they he •'made for them a statute .

were bitter : therefore the name of it was and an ordinance, and there ^
he proved
called <=
Marah. them
24 And the people ^ murmured against Mo- 26 And said, ^ If thou wilt diligently hearken
ses, saying, What shall we Lord thy God, and wilt
drink ? to the voice of the

25 And he ^ cried unto the Lord and the do that which is right in his sight, and wilt
;

Lord showed him a ^ tree, ^ which when he give ear to his commandments, and keep all
•> Numbers xxxiii. 8.- <=
That is, bitterness ; Ruth i. 20. s See 2 Kings ii. 21 ; iv. 41. J"
See Josh. xxiv. 25. » Ch.
* Chap. xvi. 2 ; xvii. 3.- Chap. xiv. 10 ; xvii. 4 ; Psa. 1. 15. xvi. 4 ; Deut. viii. 2, 16; Judg. ii. 22 ; iii. 1, 4 ; Psa. Ixvi. 10;
' Lccles. xxxviii. 5. lxxxi.7. 1 Deut. vii. 12, 15.

the coast of the Red Sea on their road to Mount Sinai. changed that water into wine which was to be drawn
See the map. out to be carried to the master of the feast the rest ;

Verse 23. Marah] So called from the Jiiierioa^er^ of the water in the pots remaining as before. As the
found there. Dr. Shaw conjectures that this place is water of the Nile was so peculiarly excellent, to which
the same as that now called Corondel, where there is they had been long accustomed, they could not easily
still a small rill which, if not diluted with dews or put up with what was indifferent. See the note on
rain, continues brackish. See his account at the end chap. vii. 18.
of Exodus. There he made for them] Though it is probable
Verse 24. The people murmured] They were in that the Israelites are here intended, yet the word lb
a state of great mental degradation, owing to their long lo should not be translated for them, but to him, for
and oppressive vassalage, and had no firmness of cha- these statutes were given to Moses that he might de-
racter. See the note on chap. xiii. 17. liver them to the people.
Verse 25. He cried unto the Lord] Moses was not There he proved them.] IHDJ nissahu, he proved him.
only their leader, but also their mediator. Of prayer By
murmuring of the people he proved Moses, to
this
and dependence on the Almighty, the great mass of see, speaking after the manner of men, whether he
the Israelites appear to have had little knowledge at would be faithful, and, in the midst of the trials to
this time. Moses, therefore, had much to bear from which he was likely to be exposed, whether he would
their weakness, and the merciful Lord was long-suf- continue to trust in the Lord, and seek all his help
fering. from him.
The Lord shoived him a tree] What this tree was Verse 26. If thou luilt diligently hearken] What is

we know not : some think that the tree was extremely contained in this verse appears to be what is intended
such as the quassia ; and that God acted
bitter itself, by the statute and ordinance mentioned in the preced-
in this as he generally does, correcting contraries by ing If thou loilt diligently hearken unto the voice
:

contraries, which, among the ancient physicians, was of the Lord thy God, and ivilt do that ivhich is right in
a favourite maxim. Claims clavo expellitur. The Tar- his sight, and ivilt give ear to his cominandmenls, and
guras of Jonathan and Jerusalem say that, when Moses keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases
prayed, " the word of the Lord showed him the tree upon thee, <^c. This statute and ordinance implied
"•JJJTIN ardiphney, on which he wrote the great and the three following particulars 1. That they should :

precious name of (Jehovah,) and then threw it into the acknowledge Jehovah for their God, and thus avoid
waters, and the waters thereby became sweet." But all idolatry. 2. That they should receive his word
what the tree ardiphney was we are not informed. and testimony as a Divine revelation, binding on their
Many suppose that this tree which healed the bitter hearts and lives, and thus be saved from profligacy of
waters was symbolical of the cross of our blessed every kind, and from acknowledging the maxims or
Redeemer, that has been the means of healing infected adopting the customs of the neighbouring nations.
nature, and through the virtue of which the evils and 3. That they should continue to do so, and adorn their
hitters of life are sweetened, and rendered subservient profession with a holy life. These things being at-
t'i'tV.e best interests of God's followers. Whatever tended to, then the promise of God was, that they should
may b? in the metaphor, this is true in fact and hence have none of the diseases of the Egyptians put on
;

the greatest of apostles gloried in the cross of our Lord them that they should be kept in a state of health of;

Jesus Chffit, by which the world was crucified to him body and peace of mind and if at any time they should ;

and he unto I'je world. be afflicted, on application to God the evil should be
It appears th^t these waters were sweetened only removed, because he was their healer or physician —
for that occasion, as Dr. Shaw reports them to be still am the Lord that healeth thee. That the Israelites
brackish, which appears to be occasioned by the abun- had in general a very good state of health, their his-
dance of natron whic^ prevails in the surrounding soil. tory warrants us to believe and when they were af- ;

Thus we may infer thit the natural cause of their bit- flicted, as in the case of the fiery serpents, on appli-
terness or brackishness was permitted to resume its cation to God they were all healed. The Targum of
operations, when the occasion that rendered the change Jonathan ben Uzziel states that the statutes which
necessary had ceased to exist. Thus Christ simply Moses received at this time were commandments con-
37^
 —— ;: ; ; — , !

The Israelites encamp by the CHAP. XV. wells and palm trees of Elim.

A. M. 2513. his Statutes, I will put none of 27 "^

And they came to Elim, A. M. 2513.

An.Exod. isr!i. these ^diseases upon thee, which where were twelve wells of water, An. Exod. isr! 1.
AbiborNxsan. ^bib or Nisan.
j ^.^^^ brought upon the Egyp- and threescore and ten palm trees :

tians : for I am the Lord "^ that healeth thee. and they encamped there by the waters.
• Deut.. xxviii. 27, 60. » Chap, xxiii. 25 ; Psa. xli. 3, 4 ;
ciii. 3 ; cxlvii. 3. >»
Num. xxxiii. 9.

cerning the observance of the Sabbath, duty to parents, upon them ; and
had passed, on dry land, in the
Israel
the ordinances concerning wounds and bruises, and the midst of the sea; then Miriam .took a timbrel, and all
penalties which sinners should incur by transgressing the women went out after her with timbrels and dances ;

them. But it appears that the general ordinances and Miriam (with the women) anstoered them' {uvh la-
already mentioned are those which are intended here, hem, the men, by way of chorus) in the words, O sing
and this seems to be proved beyond dispute by Jer. vii. ye, &c.' That this chorus was sung more than once is
22, 23 " For I spake not unto your fathers, nor com- thus stated by Bishop Lowth Maria, cum mulieribus, :

—
:

manded them in the day that I brought them out of the virorum choro identidem succinebat. Praelect. 19.
land of Egypt, concerning burnt-offerings or sacrifices " I shall now give what appears to me to be an e.\-
but this thing commanded I them, saying. Obey my act translaton of this whole song :

voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my peo-

Moses. Part I.
ple ; and walk ye have com-
in all the ways that I
manded you, that it may be well unto you." 1. I will sing to Jehovah, for he hath triumphed
Verse 27. They came to Elim] This was in the gloriously ;

desert of Sin, and, according to Dr. Shaw, about two The horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.
leagues from Tor, and thirty from Marah or Coroiidel. 2. My strength and my song is Jehovah;
Tioelve loells of water] One for each of the tribes of And he isbecome to me for salvation :

Israel, say the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem. This is my God, and I will celebrate him ;

And threescore and ten palm trees] One for each The God of my father, and I will exalt him.
of the seventy elders. Ibid. 3. Jehovah is mighty in "i t^ i i
, , , f Perhaps a chorus sung
Dr. Shaw
found nine of the twelve wells, the other
hy the men.
T u u L- \ •

thf-ee Jehovah
having been choked up with sand and the seventy is his name J;
I
\
•' •

palm trees multiplied into more than 2000, the dates Chorus, by Miriam and the ivomen.
of which bring a considerable revenue to the Greek Perhaps sung first in this place.
monks at Tor. See his account at the end of this O sing ye to Jehovah, for he hath triumphed gloriously!
book, and see also the map. Thus sufficient evidence The horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.
of the authenticity of this part of the sacred history
MosEs. Part II.
remains, after the lapse of more than 3000 years.
4. Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast into
In the preceding notes the reader has been referred the sea ;

to Dr. Kennicott's translation and arrangement of the And his chosen captains are drowned in the Red Sea.
song of Moses. To this translation he prefixes the 5. The depths have covered them, they went down;
following observations : (They sank) to the bottom as a stone.
" This triumphant ode was sung by Moses and the 6. Thy right hand, Jehovah, is become glorious in
sons of Israel and the women, headed by Miriam,
: power ;

answered the men by repeating the two first lines of Thy right hand, Jehovah, dasheth in pieces the
the song, altering only the first word, which two lines enemy.
were probably sung more than once as a chorus. 7. And in the greatness of thine excellence thou
" The conclusion of this ode seems very manifest overthrowest them that rise against thee.
and yet, though the ancient Jews had sense enough to Thou sendest forth thy wrath, which consumeth
write this song differently from prose and though their ; them as stubble.
authority has prevailed even to this day in this and 8. Even at the blast of thy displeasure the waters
three other poems in the Old Testament, (Deut. xxii. are gathered together
Judg. V. and 2 Sam. xxii.,) still expressed by them
;
The floods stand upright as a heap
as poetry yet have these critics carried their ideas
;
Congealed are the depths in the very heart of the sea.
of the song here to the end of verse 19. The, reason O sing ye to Jehovah, &c. Chorus by the women.
why the same has been done by others probably is,
they thought that the particle ^2 for, which begins verse MosES. Part III.

19, necessarily connected it with the preceding poetry. 9. The enemy said :
^ I will pursue, I shall overtake t
But this difficulty is removed by translating when, O I shall divide the spoil, my soul shall be satiated
especially if we take verses 1 9-2 1 as being a prose loith them
explanation of the manner in which this song of tri- I IV ill dratv my sword, my hand shall destroy them.
umph was performed. For these three verses say that 10. Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered
the men singers were answered in the chorus by Miriam them ;

and the women, accompanying their words with mu^ They sank as lead in the mighty waters.
sical instruments. '
When the horse of Pharaoh had 11. Who is like thee among the gods, O Jehovah ?

?one into the sea, and the Lord had brought the sea Who is like thee, glorious in holiness
377
 ; ; !

The Israelites leave Elim, and EXODUS. corne to the wilderness of Sm.
12. Fearful in praises ;
performing wonders ! 1. When poetry is consecrated to the service of
Thou stretchest out thy right hand, the earth swal- God, and employed as above to commemorate his mar-
loweth them vellous acts, it then becomes a very useful handmaid
13. Thou in thy mercy leadest the people whom thou to piety, and God is honoured by his gifts. God in-
hast redeemed ;
spired the song of Moses, and perhaps from this ver)
Thou in thy strength guidest to the habitation of circumstance it has passed for current among the most
thy holiness ! polished of the heathen nations, that a poetis a person
O sing ye to Jehovah, &c. Chorus by the women. Divinely inspired and hence the epithet of 7rpo<l)7}Ti]c,
;

prophet, and vates, of the same import, was given them

Moses. Part IV. among the Greeks and Romans.
1 4. The nations have heard, and are afraid ;
2. The song of Moses is a proof of the miraculous
Sorrow hath seized the inhabitants of Palestine. passage of the Israelites through the Red Sea. There
15. Already are the dukes of Edom in consternation, has been no period since the Hebrew nation left
And the mighty men of Moab, trembling hath Egypt in which this song was not found among them,
seized them as composed on that occasion, and to commemorate
All the inhabitants ofCanaan do faint. that event. It may
be therefore considered as com-
16. Fear and dread shall fall upon them ;
pletely authentic as any living witness could be who
Through the greatness of thine arm they shall be had himself passed through the Red Sea, and whose
still as a stone : life had been protracted through all the intervening

17. Till thy people, Jehovah, pass over [Jordan ;]

ages to the present day
Till the people pass over whom thou hast re- 3. We have already seen that it is a song of triumph
deemed. for the deliverance of the people of God, and that it
18. Thou shalt bring them and plant them in the mount was intended to point out the final salvation and triumph
of thine inheritance : of the whole Church of Christ so that in the heaven
;

The place for thy rest which thou, Jehovah, hast of heavens the redeemed of the Lord, both among the
made Jews and the Gentiles, shall unite together to sing the
The sanctuary, Jehovah, which thy hands have song of Moses and the song of the Lamb. See Rev.
established. XV. 2—4. Reader, implore the mercy of God to en-
able thee to make thy calling and election sure, that
Grand chorus by all.
thou mayest bear thy part in this glorious and eternal
Jehovah for ever and ever shall reign." triumph.

CHAPTER XVI.
The Israelites journey from Elim, and come to the ivilderness of Sin, 1. They murmur for lack oj bread,
2, 3. God promises to rain bread from heaven for them, 4, of ivhich they ivere to collect a double portion
on the sixth day, 5. A miraculous supply o/ flesh in the evening and bread in the moTning, promised, 6—9.
The glory of the Lord appears in the cloud, 10. Flesh and bread promised as a proof of God^s care over
them, 11, 12. Quails come and cover the lohole camp, 13. And a Aew fell ivhich left a small round sub-
stance on the ground, ivhich Moses tells them was the bread which God had sent, 14, 15. Directions for
gathering it, 16. The Israelites gather each an omer, 17, 18. They are directed to leave none of it till
the next day, 19 which some neglecting, it became putrid, 20.
; They gather it every morning, because it
melted when the sun waxed hot, 21. Each person gathers two omers on the sixth day, 22. Moses com-
mands them to Jccep the seventh as a Sabbath to the Lord, 23. What was laid up for the Sabbath did not
putrefy, 24. Nothing of it fell on that day, hence the strict observance of the Sabbath was enjoined,
25-30. The Israelites name the substance that fell with the dew manna its appearance and taste ;

described, 3 1 An omer of the manna is commanded to be laid up for a memorial of Jehovah'' s kindness,
.

32-34. The manna now sent continued daily for the space of forty years, 35. How much an omer
contained, 36.

B c
An.Exod.
f49?' A^^ ^^^y ^^^^
from Elim, and
"^
^^^^^^ journey
the con-
is between Elim and Sinai, on A. M. 2513.
R C 1491*
isr. 1. all the fifteenth day of the second An. Exod.lsr. i.
Jjar or Zif. "'^
gregation of the children of Is- month after their departing out _
•'^'^

rael came unto the wilderness of Sin, which ''

of the land of Egypt.

»Num. xxxiii. 10, 11. i>

Ezek. XXX. 15.

NOTES ON CHAP. XVI. worth supposes that this wilderness had its name from
Verse 1 The wilderness of Siri]
. This desert lies a strong city of Egypt called Sin, near which it lay. See
between Elim and Sinai, and from Elim, Dr. Shaw Ezek. XXX. 15, 16. Before they came to the wilder-
savs, Mount Sinai can be seen distinctly. Mr. Ains- ness of Sin, they had a previous encampment by the
378 a
 :

They murmur for lack of bread. CHAP. XVL Flesh and bread promised.

B. ciiSf ^ ^"^ ^^^ whole congregation 6 And Moses and Aaron said a. m. 2513.
An.Exod.isr. 1. of the children of Israel "=
mur- unto all the children of Israel,
An^E?od'S.- 1.
^^"""^
;
'' mured against Moses and Aaron, ''At even, then ye shall know ^J^*" °' ^'^-
in the wilderness :
that the Lord hath brought
you out from the
3 And the children of Israel said unto them, land of Egypt
^ Would
to God we had died by the hand of
7 And in the morning, then ye shall see
the Lord, in the land of Egypt, « when
we ^ the glory of the Lord for that he heareth ;

sat by the flesh pots, and when we

did eat your murmurings again&t the
Lord and :

bread to the full for ye have brought us forth «" what are
;
we, that ye murmur against us ?
into this wilderness, to kill this whole assem-
8 And Moses said, This shall be when the
bly with hunger.
Lord shall give you in the evening flesh to
4 Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, and
eat, in the morning bread to the full for ;
I will rain f
bread from heaven for you and that the Lord heareth your murmuring which ;

the people shall go out, and gather s a

certain ye murmur against him and what are we ? :

rate every day, that I may prove i"

them, whether your murmurings are not
against us, but
they will walk in my law, or no. " against the Lord.
5 And it shall come to pass, that on the And Moses
9 spake unto Aaron, Say unto
sixth day they shall prepare that which they all the congregation of the children of Israel,
bring in and ^
shall be twice as much as
; it
° Come near before the Lord for he hath :

they gather daily.

heard your murmurings.
' Chap. XV 24 Psa. cvi. 25 Cor. x
; ; 1 10. <i
Lam. iv. 9. See ver. 22 Lev. xxv. 21. 1 See ver. 12, 13
, n
""
''o
' ~^ ^^''- l^^^i"- 24, 25 ;
cv. 40 ; Jolin vi. 31, 32 7 ; Num.
;

xvi. 28. 29, 30. 1 See

;

ver. 10 ; Isa. xxxv 2

chapter vi.
xl 15 •
•

^^•^'^^^'"'''"* "f^ ^'^y'" ^^'^ '^«y; Prov. xxx. John

8, ^/f;
« Matt. ~rr^
VI. 11. h Chap. xv. XI. 4 40 "" Numbers xvi. 11. n See
1 Sam. viii. 7
':

25; Deut. viii. 2, 16. -Liuke X. 16; Kom. xiii. 2. "Num. xvi. 16.
Red Sea after they left Elim, of which Moses
makes the dew that was the instrument of ptoducing it com-
distinct mention Num. xxxiii. 10, 11.
mon there, else they must have had this bread for a
The fifteenth day of the second month] This was month before.
afterwards called Ijar, and they had
now left Egypt Verse 6. Ye shall knoiv.that the Lord hath brought
one month, during which it is probable
they lived on you out] After all the miracles they had seen they
the provisions they brought with
them from Rameses, suppose that their being brought out of appear still to
though it is possible they might have had
a supply work of Moses and Aaron for though Egypt was the
from the sea-coast. Concerning Mount Sinai, see the the miracles they
;

had already seen were convincing

note on chap. xix. 1.
Verses. The iv hole congregation murmured]
IS an additional proof of
—
for the time, yet as soon as they had
This relapsed into their former infidelity.
passed by they
God therefore
the degraded state of the saw
it necessary to give them
mmds of this people; see the note on chap. a daily miracle in the
xiii. 17 fall of the manna, that they might
And this very circumstance affords a convincing have the proof of
argu- his Divine interposition constantly
ment that a people so stupidly carnal before their eyes.
could not have Thus they knew that
been induced to leave Egypt had they Jehovah had brought them out,
not been per- and that it was not the act of
suaded so to do by the most evident Moses and Aaron.
and striking mira- Verse 7. Ye shall see the glory of the Lord] Does
cles. Human nature can never be reduced to 1 more it not
appear that the glory of the Lord is here spoken
abject state in this world than
that in which the body of as something
distinct from the Lord ? for it is said
IS enthralled by political
slavery, and the soul de- He (the
glory) heareth your murmtirings against
based by the influence of si7i. the
These poor Hebrews Lord though the Lord
were both slaves and sinners, and were ; may be here put for himself,
therefore capa- the atitecedent instead of the
ble of the meanest and most relative. This passage
disgraceful acts. may receive some light from Heb. i. 3 Who being
Verse 3. The flesh pots] As the Hebrews were in the brightness
:

a state of slavery in Egypt, they of his glory, and the express image of
were doubtless fed his person, &c. And as St. Paul's words are spoken
in various companies by their
task masters in particu- of the Lord
Jesus, is it not likely that the words of
lar places, where large pots
or boilers were fixed for Moses
refer to him also \ "No man hath seen God at
the purpose of cooking their
victuals. To these there any time ;" hence we may infer that Christ
maybe a reference in this place, and the was the
whole speech visible agent in all the extraordinary
only goes to prove that they and miraculous
preferred their bondage interferences
m Egypt to their present state in the which took place both in the patriarchal
wilderness for times and under the law. •

they could not have been in a state

of absolute want, Verse 8. In the evening flesh to eat]
as they had brought an Viz., the
abundance of flocks and herds quails
; and in the morning bread to the full, viz., the
With them out of Egypt.
manna.
Verse 4. I ivill rain bread]
Therefore this sub- And what are ive 1] Only his servants, obeying his
stance was not a
production of the desert nor was commands. :

a
379
 1

The quails come up. EXODUS. and cover the camp

A. M. 2513. 1 And it came to pass, as children of Israel : speak unto A. M. 2513

An. Exod. isr.' 1. Aaron spake unto the whole con- them, saying, At even ye shall An. Exod. Isr." l.
ijar or Zif. ijar or Zif.
gregationof the children of Israel, eat flesh, and ^ in the morning ye

that they looked toward the wilderness, and shall be filled with bread ; and ye shall know
behold, the glory of the Lord ^ appeared in that Iam the Lord your God.
the cloud. 13 And it came to pass, that at even *
the
1 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, quails came up, and covered the camp : and in
12 ^I have heard the murmurings of the the morning "the dew lay round about the host.

P Ver. 7 ; chapter xiii. 21 ; Num. xvi. 19 ; 1 Kings viii. 10, 11. Verse 7. * Numbers xi. 31 ; Psalm Ixxviii. 27, 28 ; cv. 40.
q Ver. 8. ^Ver. 6. " Num. xi. 9.

Your murmurings For we have brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with
are not against us^
not brought you up from Egypt but against the Lord, God. And in this instance there might have been a
;

who, by his own miraculous power and goodness, has similar though less awful manifestation of the Divine
brought you out of your slavery. presence.
Verse 9. Come near before the Lord] This has Verse 10. As Aaron spake] So he now became
been supposed to refer to some particular place, where the spokesman or minister of Moses to the Hebrews,
the Lord manifested his presence. The great taber- as he had been before unto Pharaoh according to ;

nacle was not yet built, but there appears to have been what is written, chap. vii. 1, &c.
a small tabernacle or tent called the Tabernacle of the Verse 13. At even the quails came] iSu' ^eZay, from
Congregation, v/hich, after the sin of the golden calf, XilV) salah, to be quiet, easy, or secure ; and hence the
was always placed without the camp ; see chap, xxxiii. quail, from their remarkably living at ease and plenty
7 And Moses took the
: Taberiiacle and pitched it among the corn. " An amazing number of these
loithout the camp, afar off from the camp, and called birds," says Hasselquist, Travels, p. 209, "come to
it The Tabernacle of the Congregation ; and it came Egypt at this time, (March,) for in this month the
to pass that every one that sought the Lord ivent out wheat ripens. They conceal themselves among the
unto the Tabernacle of the Congregation, luhich toas corn, but the Egyptians know that they are thieves,
without the camp. This could not be that portable and when they imagine the field to be full of them they
temple which is described chap, xxvi., &c., and which spread a net over the corn and make a noise, by which
was not set up till the first day of the first month of the birds, being frightened, and endeavouring to rise,
the second year, after their departure from Egypt, are caught in the net in great numbers, and make a
(chap, xl.,) which was upwards of ten months after most delicate and agreeable dish." The Abbe Pluche
the time mentioned in this chapter and notwithstand- ; tells us, in his Histoire du Ciel, that the quail was

ing this, the Israelites are commanded

(ver. 34) to lay among the ancient Egyptians the emblem of safety and
up an omer of the manna before the testimony, which security.
certainly refers to an ark, tabernacle, or some such " Several learned men, particularly the famous Lu
portable shrine, already in existence. If the great dolf. Bishop Patrick, and Scheuchzer, have supposed
tabernacle be intended, the whole account of laying up that the D'lSty selavim eaten by the Israelites were
the manna must be introduced here by anticipation, Mo- locusts. But not to insist on other arguments against
ses finishing the account of what was afterwards done, this interpretation, they are expressly called "^Nty sheer,
because the commencement of those circumstances flesli. Psalm Ixxviii. 27, which surely locusts are not;
which comprehended the reasons of the fact itself took and the Hebrew word is constantly rendered by the
pla t" now. See the note on ver. 34. Septuagint opTvyo/nriTpa, a large kind of quail, and by
But from the reasonings in the preceding verses it the Vulgate coturnices, quails. Compare Wisd. xvi. 2,
appears that much infidelity still reigned in the hearts xix. 12 Num. xi. 31, 32 Psa. cv. 40 and on Num.
; ; ;

of the people and in order to convince them that it

; xi. observe that D'HOXD keamathayim should be ren-
was God and not Moses that had brought them out of dered, not two cubits high, but as Mr. Bate translates
Egypt, he (Moses) desired them to come near, or pay it, 'two cubits distant, (i. e., one from the other,) for

some extraordinary manifestation

particular attention to quails do not settle like the locusts one upon another,
of the Lord. And we are told in the tenth verse, that but at small distances.' And had the quails lain for a
" as Aaron spake unto them, they looked toward the day's journey round the camp, to the great height of
wilderness, and behold the glory of the Lord appeared, two cubits, upwards of three feet, the people could not
and the Lord spake unto Moses," &c. Is not this have been employed two days and a night in gathering
passage explained by chap. xix. 9, "And the Lord them. The spreading them round the camp was in
said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, order to dry them in the burning sands for use, which
that the people may hear, when I speak with thee, and is still practised in Egypt." See Parkhurst, sub voce
believe thee for ever .?" May we not conclude that nSiy salah.
Moses them to come near before the Lord, and
invited The difliculties which encumber the text, supposing
so witness his glory, that they might be convinced it these to be quails, led Bishop Patrick to imagine them
was God and not he that led them out of Egypt, and to be locusts. The difficulties are three : " 1 Their .

that they ought to submit to him, and cease from their coming by a wind. 2. Their immense quantities,
murmurings] It is said, chap. xix. 17, that Moses covering a circle of thirty or forty miles, two cubita
380
 ; :

Manna descends upon the CHAP. XVI. face of the wilderness.

A.M. 2513. 14 And when the dew that lay lai/ " a small round thing, as a. m. 2513.
BC. 1491.
was gonc up, ^i,"
upon the
1111
small as the hoar
behold., frost on the
An. Exod. Isr. 1. An. Exod. Isr! 1.
Ijaror Zif. ^^^^ ^^ Ijar or Zif.
^^^ wildemcss there ground.
» Num. xi. 7 ; Deut. viii. 3 ; Neh. ix. 15 Psa. Lxxviii. 24 ; cv. 40 ; Wisd. xvi. 20.

thick. 3 Their being spread in the sun for drying, its force, perhaps too forcibly.
. A circle of forty miles
which would have been preposterous had they been in diameter, all covered with quails to the depth of
quails, for it would have made them corrupt the more than forty-three inches, without doubt is a start-
sooner but this is the principal way of preparing ling representation of this matter
; and I would beg :

locusts to keep for a month or more, when they are leave to add that the like quantity of locusts would
boiled or otherwise dressed." This difficulty he thinks have been very extraordinary but then this is not the :

interpreters pass over, who suppose quails to be in- representation of Scripture it does not even agree ;

tended in the text. Mr. Harmer takes up the subject, with it for such a quantity of either quails or locusts ;

removes the bishop's difficulties, and vindicates the would have made the clearing of places for spreading
common version. them out, and the passing of Israel up and down in the
" These difficulties appear pressing, or at least the neighbourhood of the camp, very fatiguing, which is
two last nevertheless, I have met with several pas- not supposed.
;

sages in books of travels, which I shall here give an " Josephus supposed they were quails, which he says
account of, that they may soften them perhaps my are in greater numbers thereabouts than any other kinds
;

reader may think they do more. of birds and that, having crossed the sea to the camp ;

" No interpreters, the bishop complains, supposing of Israel, they who in common fly nearer the ground
they were quails, account for the spreading them out than most other birds, flew so low through the fatigue
in the sun. Perhaps they have not. Let me then of their passage as to be within reach of the Israelites.
translate a passage of Maillet, which relates to a little This explains what he thought was meant by the two
island which covers one of the ports of Alexandria cubits from the face of the earth their flying within
: —
'
It is on this island, which lies farther into the sea three or four feet of the ground.
than the main land of Egypt, that the birds annually " And when I read Dr. Shaw's account of the way
alight which come hither for refuge in autumn, in in which the Arabs frequently catch birds that they
order to avoid the severity of the cold of our winters have tired, that is, by running in upon them and knock-
in Europe. There is so large a quantity of all sorts ing them down with their zerwattys, or bludgeons, as
taken there, that after these little birds have been strip- we should call them, I think I almost see the Israelites
ped of their feathers, and buried in the burning sands before me pursuing the poor, fatigued, and languid
for about half a quarter of an hour, they are worth but quails.
two sols the pound. The crews of those vessels which " This is indeed a laborious method of catching these
in that season lie in the harbour of Alexandria, have birds, and not that which is now used in Egypt for ;

no other meat allowed them.' Among other refugees Egmont and Heyman tell us, that in a walk on the
of that time, Maillet elsewhere expressly mentions shore of Egypt they saw a sandy plain several leagues
quails, which are, therefore, I suppose, treated after in extent,and covered with reeds without the least ver-
this manner. This passage then does what, according dure between which reeds they saw many nets laid
;

to the bishop, no commentator has done ; it explains for catching quails, which come over in large flights
the design of spreading these creatures, supposing they from Europe during the month of September. If the
were quails, round about the camp ; it Avas to dry them ancient Egyptians made use of the same method of
in the burning sands in order to preserve them for use. catching quails that they now practise on those shores,
So Maillet tells us of their drying fish in the sun of yet Israel in the wilderness, without these conveniences,
Egypt, as well as of their preserving others by means must of course make use of that more inartificial and
of pickle. Other authors speak of the Arabs drying laborious way of catching them. The Arabs of Bar-
camel's flesh in the sun and wind, which, though it be bary, who have not many conveniences, do the same
not at all salted, will if kept dry remain good a long thing still.
while, and which oftentimes, to save themselves the " Bishop Patrick supposes a day's journey to be six-
trouble of dressing, they will eat raw. This is what teen or twenty miles, and thence draws his circle with
St. Jerome may be supposed to refer to, when he calls a radius of that length ; but Dr. Shaw, on another oc-
the food of the Arabs carries semicrudcc. This dry- casion, makes a day's journey which but ten miles,
ing then of flesh in the sun is not so preposterous as would make a circle but of twenty mUes in diameter
the bishop imagined. On the other hand, none of the and as the text evidently designs to express it very in-
authors that speak of their way of preserving locusts determinately, as it were a day^s journey, it might be
in the east, so far as I at present recollect, give any much less.
account of drying them in the sun. They are, accord- " But it does not appear to me at all necessary to

ing to Fellow, first purged with water and salt, boiled suppose the t«xt intended their covering a circular or
in new pickle, and then laid up in dry salt. So, Dr. nearly a circular spot of ground, but only that these
Russel says, the Arabs eat these insects when fresh, creatures appeared on both sides of the camp of Israel,
and also salt them up as a delicacy. Their immense about a day's journey. The same word is used Exod.
vii. 24, where round about can mean
quantities also forbid the bishop's believing they were only on each side
quails ; and in truth he represents this difficulty in all of the Nile. And so it may be a little illustrated by
381
 —

The Israelites see the manna^ EXODUS. hut know not what it is.

A. M. 2513. 15 And when tlie children for they wist not what it was. a. m. 2513.

An.'Exod.isr.i. of Israel saw it, they said And Moses said unto them, An.Exod.isr.'i
^^" ^^^- ^^^ °' ^'^-
"''
one to another, ^ It is manna : ^This is the bread which the
Or, What is this ? or, it is a portion. * John vi. 31, 49, 58 ; 1 Cor. x. 3.

what Dr. Shaw tells us of the three flights of storks is only afl[irraed of those expert sportsmen among the
which he saw, when at anchor under the Mount Car- people, who pursued the game two whole days and a
mel, some of which were more scattered, others more whole night without intermission and of them, and ;

compact and close, each of which took up more than of them only, I presume it is to be understood that he
three hours in passing, and extended itself more than that gathered fewest gathered ten omers. Hasselquist,
half a mile in breadth. Had this flight of quails been who frequently expresses himself in the most dubious
no greater than these, it might have been thought, like manner in relation to these animals, at other times is
them, to have been accidental but so unusual a flock very positive that, if they were birds at all, they were
;

as to extend fifteen or twenty miles in breadth, and to a species of the quail diffierent from ours, which he
be two days and one night in passing, and this, in con- describes as very much resembling the red partridge, '

sequence of the declaration of Moses, plainly deter- but as not being larger than the turtle-dove.' To this
mined that the finger of God was there. he adds, that the Arabians carry thousands of them '

" A third thing which was a difliculty with the bishop to Jerusalem about Wliitsuntide, to sell there,' p. 442.
was their being brought with the wind. A hot south- In another place he tells us it is found in Judea as '

erly wind, it is supposed, brings the locusts and why well as in Arabia Petraea, and that he found it between
;

quails might not be brought by the instrumentality of Jordan and Jericho,' p. 203. One would imagine that
a like wind, or what difllculty there is in that supposi- Hasselquist means the scata, which is described by Dr.
tion, I cannot imagine. As soon as the cold is felt in Russel, vol. ii., p. 194, and which he represents as
Europe, Maillet tells us, turtles, quails, and other birds brought to market at Aleppo in great numbers in May
come to Egypt in great numbers but he observed that and June, though they are to be met with in all seasons.
;

their numbers were not so large in those years in which " A whole ass-load of them, he informs us,' has often
the winters were favourable in Europe from whence been taken at once shutting a clasping net, in the above-
;

he conjectured that it is rather necessity than habit mentioned months, they are in such plenty." Harmer,
which causes them to change their climate if so, it vol iv., p. 367. :

-2Lppears that it is the increasing heat that causes their Verse 14. Behold, upon the face of the ivilderness
return,aiid consequently that the hot sultry winds from there lay a small round thing] It appears that this small
the south must have a great effect upon them, to direct round thing fell with the dew, or rather the dew fell
their flight northwards. first, and this substance fell on it. The dew might
" It is certain that it is about the time that the south have been intended to cool the ground, that the manna
wind begins to blow in Egypt, which is in April, that on its fall might not be dissolved for we find from ;

many of these migratory birds return. Maillet, who ver. 21, that the heat of the sun melted it. The ground
joins quails and turtles together, and says that they ap- therefore being sufficiently cooled by the dew, the
pear in Egypt when the cold begins to be felt in Eu- manna lay unmelted long enough for the Israelites to
rope, does not indeed tell us when they return : but collect a sufficient quantity for their daily use.
Thevenot may be said to do
he had toldit ; for after Verse 15. They said one to another, It is manna :
his reader that they catch snipes in Egypt from January for they wist not ivhat it was.] This is a most unfor-
to March, he adds that in May they catch turtles, and tunate translation, because it not only gives no sense, 1

that the turtles return again in September ; now as they but it contradicts itself. The Hebrew Nin man hu, p
go together southward in September, we may believe literally signifies. What is this ? for, says the text, they
they return again northward much about the same time. wist not what and therefore they could not give
it ivas,
Agreeably to which, Russel tells us that quails appear it a name. Moses immediately answers the question,
in abundance about Aleppo in spring and autumn. and says. This is the bread ivhich the Lord hath given
" If natural history were more perfect we might you to eat. From ver. 3 1 we learn that this substance
speak to this point with great distinctness at present, ;
was afterwards called p
man, probably in commemo-
however, it is so far from being an objection to their ration of the question they had asked on its first ap-
being quails that their coming was caused by a wind, pearance. Almost all our own ancient versions trans-
that nothing is more natural. The same wind would late the words, What is this ?
in course occasion sickness and mortality among the What this substance was we know not. It was
Israelites, at least it does so in Egypt. The miracu- nothing that was common to the wilderness. It is

lousness then in this story does not lie in their dying, evident the Israelites never saw it before, for Moses
but the prophet's foretelling with exactness the coming says, Deut. viii. 3, 16 He fed thee with manna which
:

of that wind, and in the prodigious numbers of the thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know ; and
quails that came with it, together with the unusualness it isvery likely that nothing of the kind had ever been
of the place, perhaps, where they alighted. seen before ; and by a pot of it being laid up in the
" Nothing more remains to be considered but the ark, it is as likely that nothing of the kind ever ap-
gathering so large a quantity as ten omers by those peared more, after the miraculous supply in the wilder-
that gathered fewest. But till that quantity ismore ness had ceased. It seems to have been created for
precisely ascertained, it is sufficient to remark that this the present occasion, and, like Him whom it typified.

383
 — a

Directions fo?- gathering it, CHAP. XVI. which some disobey.

A. M. 2513. Lord hath given vou to he that gathered much had

eat. ^ a. m. 2513.

An.Exod.isri. 16 This is the thingwhich nothing over, and he that gather- An. Exod. isr. i
ijar or Zif.
^^^ LoRD hath Commanded, ed little had no lack they gather- ;
''J^'^"^^^^- .

Gather of it every man according to his eat- ed every man according to his eating.
ing, y an omer ^ for every man, according to 19 And Moses said, Let no man leave of it

the number of your ^ persons ; take ye every till the morning.

man for them v^^hich are in his tents. 20 Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto
17 And the children of Israel did so, and Moses but some of them left of it until the
;

gathered, some more, some less. morning, and it bred worms, and stank and :

18 And when they did mete it with an omer. Moses was wroth with them •

y Ver. 36. ^ Heb. by the poll, or head. a Heb. souls. ''2 Cor. viii. 15.

to have been the only thing of the kind, the only bread for liquids among the Hebrews : it contained about
from heaven, vi^hich God ever gave to preserve the life three quarters of a pint. See Lev. xiv. 10, 12.
of man, as Christ is the true bread that came down —
Take ye for them luhich are in his tents.] Some
from heaven, and was given for the life of the world. might have been confined in their tents through sick-
See John vi. 31-58. ness or infirmity, and charity required that those who
Verse 16. An omer for every man] I shall here were in health should gather a portion for them. For
once for all give a short account of the measures of though the psalmist says, Psa. cv. 37, There ivas not
capacity among the Hebrews. one feeble person among their tribes, this must refer
Omer, IO;!, from the root amar, to press, squeeze, principally to their healthy state when brought out of
collect, and bind together ; hence a sheaf of corn — Egypt for it appears that there were many
; infirm
multitude of stalks pressed together. It is supposed among them when attacked by the Amalekites. See
that the omer, which contained about three quarts the note on chap. xvii. 8.
English, had its name from this circumstance that it Verse 17. Some more, some less.]
; According to
was the most contracted or the smallest measure of omer for a. man and ac-
their respective families, an ;

things dry known to the ancient Hebrews for the 3p cording to the number of infirm persons, whose wants
;

kab, which was less, was not known till the reign of they undertook to supply.
Jehoram, king of Israel, 2 Kings vi. 25. Parkhurst. Verse 18. He that gathered much had nothing over}^
The EPHAH, nax or niD'X eiphah, from HDX aphah, Because his gathering was in proportion to the number
to bake, because this was probably the quantity which of persons for whom he had to provide. And some
was baked at one time. According to Bishop Cum- having fewer, others more in family, and the gathering
berland the ephah contained seven gallons, two quarts, being in proportion to the persons who were to eat of
and about half a pint, wine measure and as the omer it, therefore he that gathered much had nothing over,
;

was the tenth part of the ephah, ver. 36, it must have and he that gathered little had no lack. Probably
lontained about six pints English. every man gathered as much as he could and then ;

The KAB, 3p, is said to have contained about the sixth when brought home and measured by an omer, if he
part of a seah, or three pints and one third English. had a surplus, it went to supply the wants of some
The HOMER, "Ton cAowjer, mentioned Lev. xxvii. 16, other family, that had not been able to collect a sufl5-
was quite a different measure from that above, and is ciency, the family being large, and the time in which
a different word in the Hebrew. The chomer was the manna might be gathered, before the heat of the
the largest measure of capacity among the Hebrews, day, not being sufficient to collect enough for so nume-
being equal to ten baths or ephahs, amounting to about rous a household, several of whom might be so con-
eventy-five gallons, three pints, English. See Ezek. fined as not to be able to collect for themselves. Thus
xlv. 11, 13, 14. Goodwin supposes that this measure there was an equality, and in tliis light the words of
derived its name from "^ran chamor, an ass, being the St. Paul, 2 Cor. viii. 15, lead us to view the passage.
ordinary load of that animal. Here the 36th verse should come in Now an omer is :

The BATH, n3, was the largest measure of capacity the tenth part of an ephah.
next to the homer, of which it was the tenth part. Verse 19. Let no 7nan leave of it till the morning.]
It was the same as the ephah, and consequently con- For God would have them to take no thought for the
tained about seven gallons, two quarts, and half a morrow, and constantly to depend on him for their
pint, and is always used in Scripture as a measure of daily bread. And is not that petition in our Lord's
liquids. prayer founded on this very circumstance, Give us day
The SEAH, T]i^D, was a measure of capacity for things by day our daily bread ?
dry, equal to about two gallons and a half English. Verse 20. It bred tuorms] Their sinful curiosity
See 2 Kings vii. 1, 16, 18. and covetousness led them to make the trial and they ;

The HiN, pn, according to Bishop Cumberland, was had a mass of the most loathsome putrefaction for their
the one-sixth part of an ephah, and contained a little pains. How gracious is God He is continually ren- !

more than one gallon and tioo pints. See Exod. dering disobedience and sin irksome to the transgressor;
xxix. 40. that finding his evil ways to be unprofitable, he may
The LOG, J7, was the smallest measure of capacity return to his Maker, and trust in God alone.
383
 •

The Lord commands the EXODUS. Sabbath to be sanctified

A. M. 2513. 2 1 Aiid tliev gathered it every 25 And Moses said, Eat that A. M. 2513.
B.C. 1491. .
•'
° J- /
An. Exod. isr. 1. morniiig, every man according to to-day ; for to-day is a Sabbath An. Exod. isr. 1.
ijar or Zif. ^'^-
j^-g gating : and when the sun unto the Lord : to-day ye shall ^J" "'"

waxed hot, it melted. not find it in the field.

22 And it came to pass, that on the sixth 26 ^ Six days ye shall gather it ; but on the
day they gathered twice as much bread, two seventh day, which is the Sabbath, in it there
omers for one man : and all the rulers of the shall be none.
congreo-ation came and told Moses. 27 And it came to pass, that there went out
23 And he said unto them, This is that some of the people on the seventh day for to
which the Lord hath said, To-morrow is the "=
gather, and they found none.
rust of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord bake : 28 And the Lord said unto Moses, How
that which ye will bake to-day, and seethe long ^refuse ye to keep my commandments
that ye will seethe and that which remaineth ; and my laws ?

over, lay up for you to be kept until the 29 See, for that the Lord hath given you
morning, you on the the Sabbath, therefore he giveth
24 And they laid it up till the morning, as sixth day the bread of two days abide ye ;

Moses bade and it did not ^ stink, neither every man in his place let no man go out of
; ;

was there any worm therein. his place on the seventh day.

'^
Gen. ii. 3 ; chapter xx. 8 ; xxxi. 15 ; xxxv. 3 ; Lev. xxiii. 3. " Chapter xx. 9, 10. f
2 Kings xvii. 14 ; Psalm Ixxviii,
d Ver. 20. 10, 22 cvi. 13.
;

Verse 22. On the sixth day they gathered twice as the camp, and have generally supposed that no man
tnuch] This they did that they might have a provision should go out of the place, i. e., the city, town, or vil-
for the Sabbath, for on that day no manna fell, ver. lage in which he resides, any farther than one thousand
26, 27. What a convincing miracle was this ! No cubits, about an English mile, which also is called a
manna fell on the Sabbath
been a natural ! Had it Sabbath day^s journey, Acts i. 12 and so many cu- ;

production it would have fallen on the Sabbath as at bits they consider the space round the city that consti-
other times and had there not been a supernatural
; tutes its suburbs, which they draw from Num. xxxv.
influence to keep it sweet and pure, it would have 3, 4. Some of the Jews have carried the rigorous
been corrupted on the Sabbath as well as on other observance of the letter of this law to such a length,
days. By this series of miracles God showed his that in whatever posture they find themselves on the
own power, presence, and goodness, 1. In sending the Sabbath morning when they awake, they continue in
manna on each of the six days 2. In sending none on ; the same during the day or should they be up and ;

the seventh, or Sabbath In preserving it from pu-

; 3. happen to fall, they refuse even to rise till the Sabbath
trefaction when laid up for the use of that day^ though it be ended Mr. Stapleton tells a story of one Rabbi
!

infallibly corrupted if kept over night on any other day. Solomon, who fell into a slough on the Jewish Sab-
Verse 23. To-morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath] bath, Saturday, and refused to be pulled out, giving his
There is nothing either in the text or context that seems reason in the following Leonine couplet : —
to intimate that theSabbath was now first given to the
Sabbatha sancta cola, De stercore surgere nolo.
Israelites, as some have supposed on the contrary, it :

" Out of this slough I will not rise.

is here spoken of as being perfectly well known, from

its having been generally observed. The command- For holy Sabbath day I prize."

ment, it is true, may be considered as being now re- The him thus disposed, deter-
Christians, finding
newed ; because they might have supposed that in mined he should honour their Sabbath in the same
their unsettled state in the wilderness they might have place, and actually kept the poor man in the slough all
been exempted from the observance of it. Thus we Sunday, giving their reasons in nearly the same way :-~
find, 1. That when God finished his creation, he insti-
Sabbatha nostra quidem, Solomon, celebrabis ibidem.
tuted the Sabbath 2.
brought the people out
; When he
" In the same slough, thou stubborn Jew,
of Egypt, he insisted on the strict observance of it
;

3. When he gave the LAW, he made it a tenth part Our Sabbath day thou shalt spend too."
of the whole, such importance has this institution in This might have served to convince him of his folly,
the eyes of the Supreme Being On the supposed !
but certainly was not the likeliest way to convert him
change of the Sabbath from what we call Sunday to to Christianity.
Saturday, effected on this occasion, see the note on Fabyan, in his Chronicles, tells the following etory
Deut. V. 15. of a case of this kind, "In this yere also (1259)
Verse 29. Abide ye every man in his place] Neither fell that happe of the lewe of Tewkysbury, which
go out to seek manna nor for any other purpose rest ; fell into a gonge upon the Satyrday, and wolde not
at home and devote your time to religious exercises. for reverence of his sabbot day be pluckyd out ;
Several of the Jews understood by place in the text, whereof heryng the Erie of Gloucetyr, that the lewe
384
 ;

Moses is commanded to CHAP. XVI. preserve a pot of manna.

A. M. 2513. 30 So the people rested on the 33 And Moses said unto Aaron, A. M. 2513.
B. C. 1491. B- C. 1491.
h rp 1 . J .
An. Exod. Isr. 1 seventh day. 1 ake a pot, and put an omer An. Exod. isr. I.
Ijar or Zif. Ijar or Zif.
.
31 And the house of Israel full of manna therein, and lay it

called the name thereof Manna : and ^ it was up before the Lord, to be kept for your
like coriander seed, white ; and the taste of it generations.
was like wafers made with honey, 34 As the Lord commanded Moses, so Aarpji
32 And Moses said, This is the thing which laid it up before the testimony, to be kept.
'

the Lord commandeth, Fill an omer of it to 35 And the children of Israel did eat manna
be kept for your generations ; that they may ^ forty years, ^ until they came to a land in
see the bread wherewith I have fed you in habited ; they did eat manna, until they came
the wilderness, when I brought you forth from unto the borders of the land of Canaan.
the land of Egypt. 36 Now an omer wthe tenth pari of an ephah.
PNum. xi. 7, 8. h Heb. ix. 4. ' Chap. xxv. 16, 21 ; xl. 20; ^ Num. xxxiii. 38 ; Deut. viii. 2, 3 ; Neh. ix. 20, 21 ; John vi.
Num. xvii. 10 ; Deut. x. 5 ; 1 Kings viii. 9. 31, 49. 1 Josh. V. 12 ; Neh. ix. 15.

dyd so great reverence to his sabbot daye, thought he tion which he has provided for man, there can be no
wolde doo as moche unto his holy day, which was doubt, for in this way it is applied by Christ himself;
Sonday, and so kepte hym there tyll Monday, at and from it we may gather this general conclusion, that
whiche season he was foundyn dede." Then the earl salvation is of the Lord. The Israelites must have
of Gloucester murdered the poor man. perished in the wilderness, had not God fed them with
Verse 31. Called the tiame thereof Manna] See bread from heaven and every human soul must have
;

note on ver. 15. perished, had not Jesus Christ come down from heaven,
Verse 32. To be kept for your generations] See and given himself for the life of the world.
note on ver. 9. 2. God would have the Israelites continually de-
Verse 34. Laid it up before the testimony] The pendent on himself for all their supplies but he would ;

nn>^ eduth or testimony belonged properly to the taber- make them, in a certain way, workers with him. He
nacle, but that was not yet built. Some are of opinion provided the manna they gathered and ate it. The ;

that the tabernacle, built under the direction of Moses, first was God's work the latter, their own. They ;

was only a renewal of one that had existed in the could not produce the manna, and God would not
patriarchal times. See the note on ver. 9. The gather it for them. Thus the providence of God
word signifies reference to something beyond itself; appears in such a way as to secure the co-operation
thus the tabernacle, the manna, the tables of stone, of man. Though man should plant and water, yet it
Aaron's rod, &c., all bore reference and testimony to is God who giveth the increase. But if man neither
that spiritual good which was yet to come, viz., Jesus plant nor water, God will give ?io increase. can- We
Christ and his salvation. not do God's work, and he will not do ours. Let us,
Verse 35. The children of Israel did eat manna therefore, both in things spiritual and temporal, be
forty years] From this verse it has been supposed workers together ivith HIM.
that the book of Exodus was not written till after the 3. This daily supply of the manna probably gave
miracle of the manna had ceased. But these words rise to that petition, Give us to-day our daily bread.
might have been added by Ezra, who under the direc- It is worthy of remark, 1. That what was left over
tion of the Divine Spirit collected and digested the night contrary to the command of God bred worms and
different inspired books, adding such supplementary, stank; 2. That a double portion was gathered on the
explanatory, and connecting sentences, as were deemed day preceding the Sabbath; 3. That this alone con-
proper to complete and arrange the whole of the sacred tinued wholesome on the following day and, 4. That ;

canon. For previously to his time, according to the none fell on the Sabbath Hence we find that the !

universal testimony of the Jews, all the books of the Sabbath was considered a Divine institution previously
Old Testament were found in an unconnected and to the giving of the Mosaic law and that God con ;

dispersed state. tinued to honour that day by permitting no manna to

Verse 36. Noio an omer is the tenth part of an fall during its course. Whatever is earned on the
ephah.] About six pints, English. See the note on Sabbath is a curse in a man's property. They who
ver. 16. The true place of this verse seems to be im- WILL be rich, fall into temptation and into a snare, <SfC.
mediately after ver. 18, for here it has no connection. for, using illicit means to acquire lawful things, they
bring God's curse upon themselves, and are drowned
1 On the miracle of the manna, which is the chief in destruction and perdition. Reader, dost thou work
subject in this chapter, a good deal has already been on the Sabbath to increase thy property ? See thou
said in the preceding notes. The sacred historian has do it not Property acquired in this way will be a !

given us the most circumstantial proofs that it was a curse both to thee and to thy posterity.
supernatural and miraculous supply that nothing of 4. To show their children and children's children
;

the kind had ever been seen before, and probably no- what God had done for their fathers, a pot of manna
thing like it had ever afterwards appeared. That it was laid up before the testimony. We should remem-
was a type of our blessed Redeemer, and of the salva- ber our providential and gracious deliverances in such
VoL. T. ( 26 ) 385
 ; ..

The people murmur EXODUS. for lack of water

a way as to give God the praise of his own grace. will even that faith be to us, if we hold the truth in
An ungrateful heart is always associated with an un- unrighteousness ! Our fathers had religion enough to
believing mind and an unholy life. Like Israel, we enable them to burn gloriously for the truth of God !

should consider with what bread God has fed our fa- Reader, hast thou so much of the life of God in thy
thers, and see that we have the same ; the same Christ soul, that thou couldst burn to ashes at the stake rather
— the bread of life, the same doctrines, the same ordi- than lose if? In a word, couldst thou be a martyr ?
nances, and the same religious experience. How little Or hast thou so little grace to lose, that thy life would
are we benefitted by being Protestants, if we be not be more than an equivalent for thy loss ] Where is
partakers of the Protestant faith ! And how useless the manna on which thy fathers fed 1

CHAPTER XVII.
The Israelites journey from the wilderness of Sin to Rephidim, 1, lohere they murmur for lack of water., 2, 3.
Moses asks counsel of God, 4, ivho commands him to take his rod and smite the rock, 5, and promises that
water should proceed from it for the people to drink, G. The place is calledMzsssh cnt^Meribah, 7. The
Amalekites attack Israel in Rephidim, 8. Joshua is commanded to fight with them, 9. Moses, Aaron, and
Hur, go to the top of a hill, and tvhile Moses holds up his hands, the Israelites prevail ; ichen he lets them
down, Amalek prevails, 10, 11. Moses, being iveary, sits down, and Aaron and Hur hold up his hands, 1 2
The Amalekites are totally routed, 13, and the event commanded to be recorded, 14. Moses builds an
altar, and calls it Jehovah-nissi, 15. Amalek is threatened with continual wars, 16.

A. M. 2513.
B. C. 1491. I\.
A ND * all
. ._
the conorrecration of and said, Wherefore is this that A. M. 2513.
, , r T T
An. Exod. isr. 1. the children of Israel jour-
thou hast brought us up out of An. Exod. Isr! J
Ijar or Zif.
neyed from the wilderness of Sin, Egypt, to kill us and our chil- ^J" "'' ^'^-

after their journeys, according to the command- dren and our cattle with thirst ?
ment of the Lord, and pitched in Rephidim 4 And Moses ® cried unto the Lord, saying, :

and there was no water for the people to drink. What shall I do unto this people ? they be
2 ^ Wherefore the people did chide with almost ready to ^ stone me.
Moses, and said. Give us water that we may 5 And the Lord said unto Moses, ^ Go on
drink. And Moses said unto them, Why before the people, and take with thee of the
chide ye with me ? wherefore do ye ^ tempt elders of Israel ; and thy rod, wherewith ^ thou
the Lord ? smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go.
3 And the people thirsted there for water 6 >
Behold, I will stand before thee there,
and the people ^ murmured against Moses, upon the rock in Horeb ; and thou shalt smite
» Chapter xvi. 1 ; Num. xxxiii. 12, 14. •'Numbers xx. 3, 4. f 1 Samuel xxx. 6 ; John viii. 59 ; x. 31. s Ezekiel ii. 6.
"=Deut. vi. 16; Psa. Ixxviii. 18,41; Isa. vii. 12; Matt. iv. 7; h Chap. vii. 20 ; Num. xx. 8. Num. xx. 10, 11'
; Psa. Ixxviii.
1 Cor. X. 9. d Chap. xvi. 2. e Chap. xiv. 15. 15, 20 cv. 41 ; ; cxiv. 8 Wisd. xi. 4 ; 1 Cor. x. 4.
;

NOTES ON CHAP. XVII. A Strong argument however may be drawn from this
Verse 1. Pitched in Rephidim] In Num. xxxiii. in favour of their supernatural escape from Egypt.
12-14 it is said, that when the Israelites came from Had it been a scheme concerted by the heads of the
Sin they encamped in Dophkah, and next in Alush, people, provision would necessarily have been made for
after which they came to Rephidim. Here, therefore, such exigencies as these. But as God chose to keep
two stations are omitted, probably because nothing them constantly dependent upon himself for every ne-
of moment took place at either. See the notes on cessary of life, and as they had Moses alone as their
Num. xxxiii. mediator to look to, they murmured against him when
Verse 2. Why chide ye with wje .?] God is your brought into straits and difficulties, regretted their
leader, complain to him ; Wherefore do ye tempt the having left Egypt, and expressed the strongest desire to
Lord ? As he is your leader,all your murmurings return. This shows that they had left Egypt reluct-
against me he considers
as directed against himself; antly and as Moses and Aaron never appear to have
;

why therefore do ye tempt him ? Has he not given any resources but those which came most evidently in a
you sufficient proofs that he can destroy his enemies supernatural way, therefore the whole exodus or depart
and support his friends? And is he not among you ure from Egypt proves itself to have been no human
to do you good i vcr. 7. Why therefore do ye doubt contrivance, but a measure concerted by God himself
his power and goodness, and thus provoke him to treat Verse 6. Itcill stand before thee there, upon the rock
you as his enemies 1 in Horeb] The rock, livn hatslsur. It seems as if God
Verse 3. And the people murmured] The reader had directed the attention of Moses to a particular
^^ must not forget what has so often been noted relating rock, with which he was well acquainted for every ;

t^ the degraded state of the minds of the Israelites. part of the mount and its vicinity must have been well
a 386 ( 26* )
 — ! ;

Moses smites the rock, CHAP. XVII. from which water issuet

A.M. 2513. the rock, and there come they tempted the Lord, saying,
shall A. m. 2513.
B. C. 1491.
Water out
^
01
1
that
. 1,1.1 T 1
s the LiORD among us, or not
the people
„ B. C. 1491.
An. Exod. isr.
An. Exod. isr. 1. it, .'
1.
^j""*^^'^- ^J""""^^^'
may drink. And Moses did so 8 "^Then came Amalek, and
in the sight of the elders of Israel. fought with Israel in Rephidim.
7 And he called the name of the place 9 And Moses said imto ° Joshua, Choose us
^ Massah,^ and "" Meribah, because of the out men, and go out, fight with Amalek to :

chidinff of the children of Israel, and because morrow I will stand on the top of the hill,

k Num. XX. 13 ; Psa. Ixxxi. 7 ; xcv. 8 ; Heb. iii. 8. > That is, n Gen. xxxvi. 12 ; Num. xxiv. 20 ; Deut. xxv. 17 1 Sam. xv. 2 ;

temptation. " That is, chiding or strife. Wisd. xi. 3. ° Called Jesus, Acts vli. 45 Heb. iv. 8.
;

known to Moses during the time he kept Jethro's flocks their being made partakers of the grace and mercy
in those quarters. Dr. Priestley has left the following of God through Christ Jesus and yet many who ;

sensible observations upon this miracle :

drank fell and perished in the wilderness in the very
" The luminous symbol of the Divine
cloud, the act of disobedience Reader, be not high minded,
!

presence, would appear on the rock, and Horeb was but fear
probably a part of the same mountain with Sinai. This On the smiting of the rock by the rod of Moses,
supply of water, on Moses only striking the rock, Mr. Ainsworth has the following pious note " This :

where no water had been before nor has been since, rock signified Christ, and is therefore called a spiritual
was a most wonderful display of the Divine power. Rock, 1 Cor. X. 4. He being smitten with Moses''s
The water must have been in great abundance to sup- rod, and bearing the curse of the laio for our sins,
ply two millions of persons, which excluded all possi- and by the preaching of the Gospel crucified among
bility of artifice or imposture in the case. The miracle his people. Gal. iii. 1, from him floweth the spiritual
must have been of some continuance, no doubt so
also drink wherewith all believing hearts are refreshed."
long as they continued in that neighbourhood, which John vii. 37, and Isa. liii. 1-3.
was more than a year. There are sufficient traces of Verse 8. TAe?z came Amalek, and fought with Israel]
this extraordinary miracle remaining at this day. This The Amalekites seem to have attacked the Israelites
rock has been visited, drawn, and described by Dr. in the same way and through the same motives that
Shaw, Dr. Pocock, and others and holes and channels
; the wandering Arabs attack the caravans which an-
appear in the stone, which could only have been formed nually pass through the same desert. It does not ap-
by the bursting out and running of the water. No art pear that the Israelites gave them any kind of provo-
of man could have done it, if any motive could be sup- cation, they seem to have attacked them merely through
posed for the undertaking in such a place as this." the hopes of plunder. The Amalekites were the pos-
This miracle has not escaped the notice of the ancient terity of Amalek, one of the dukes of Eliphaz, the
Greek poets. Callimachus represents Rhea bringing son of Esau, and consequently Israel's brother. Gen.
forth water from a rock in the same way, after the xxxvi. 15, 16.
birth of Jupiter. Fought ivith Israel] In the most treacherous and
Tl'kri^FV opoc oKTinrpu), re 6e ol 6ixa ''^ovXv diearrj.
dastardly manner ; for they came at the rear of the

E« 6' exeev fisya xevfia. Hymn camp, smote the hindmost of the people, even all that
ad Jov., ver. 31.
were feeble behind, when they were faint and weary ;
With her sceptre struck
see Deut. xxv. 18. The baggage, no doubt, was the
The yawning cliff; from its disparted height
object of their avarice ; but finding the women, chil-
Adown the mount the gushing torrent ran. Prior.
dren, aged and infirm persons, behind with the bag-
The rock mentioned above has been seen and de- gage, they smote them and took away their spoils.
scribed by Nordcn, p. 144, 8vo. ; Dr. Shaw, p. 314, Verse Moses said unto Joshua] This is the first
9.
4to., where there is an accurate drawing of it Dr. ; place in which Joshua the son of Nun is mentioned :

Pocock, 143, &c., where the reader may find

vol. i., p. the illustrious part which he took in Jewish affairs, till
some fine plates of Mount Horeb and Sinai, and four the settlement of his countrymen in the promised land,
different views of the wonderful rock of Meribah. It is well known. He was captain-general of the He-
is a vast block of red granite, fifteen feet long, ten brews under Moses and on this great man's death he
;

broad, and twelve high. See Dr. Shaw's account at became his successor in the government. Joshua was
the end of Exodus. My nephew, who visited this at first calledHoshea, Num. xiii. 16, and afterwards
rock 1823, confirms the accounl; of the preceding
in called Joshua by Moses. Both in the Septuagint and
travellers, and has brought a piece of this wonderful Greek Testament he is called Jesus: the name signi-
stone. The granite is fine, and the quartz, mica, and fies Saviour ; and he is allowed to have been a very
feldspar equally mixed in it. This rock or block of expressive type of our blessed Lord. He fought with
granite is the only type of Christ now existing. and conquered the enemies of his people, brought them
Verse 7. He called the name of the place Massah, into the promised land, and divided it to them by lot.
and Meribah] HDO Massah signifies temptation or The parallel between him and the Saviour of the world
trial ; and n^'TD Meribah, contention or litigation. is too evident to require pointing out.
From Cor. x. 4, we learn that this rock was a type
1 Top of the hill] Probably some part of Horeb or
of Christ, and their drinking of it is represented as Sinai, to which thev were then near.
387
 21 ; 3 ;

The Amalekites EXODUS are totally routed.

A. M. 2513. with P the rod of God

one on the one
in mine up his hands", the A. M. 2513.
B. C. 1491.
An. Exod. Isr. 1. hand. and the other on the other side, An. Exod Isr. i.
Ijar or Zif. iJar or Zif.
10 So Joshua did as Moses side and his hands were steady ;

had said to him, and fought with Amalek and until the going down of the sun. ;

Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of 1 And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his
the hilh people with the edge of the sword.
1 And it came to pass, when Moses Write i held 14 And the Lord said unto Moses, *

up his hand, that Israel prevailed ; and when

/or a memorial in a book, and rehearse it this

he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. in the ears of Joshua for ' I will utterly put ;

1 But Moses' hands were ^ heavy and out the remembrance of Amalek from under ;

they took a stone, and put it under him, and heaven.

he sat thereon and Aaron and Hur stayed ; 15 And Moses built an altar, and called
PChap. iv. 20. 1 James v. 16. ' Psa. xxxv. 3 ; James i. 6 *Num. xxiv. 20 ; Deut. xxv. 19 ; 1Sam. xv. 3, 7 ; xxx. 1, 17;
Heb. xii. 12. « Chap, xxxiv. 27. 2 Sam. viii. 12 ; Ezra ix. 14.

Verse 10. Moses, Aaron, and Hur ivent up] It is ver. 8,) as Pharaoh was the name of all succeeding
very likely that the Hur mentioned here is the same kings in Egypt. If this were the case, then Amalek
with that Hur mentioned 1 Chron. ii. 19, who appears and his people mean the prince and the army that
from the chronology in that chapter to have been the fought under him. But if Amalek stand here for the
son of Caleb, the son of Ezron, the son of Pharez, Amalekites, then his people must mean the confederates
the son of Judah. The rabbins and Josephus say he he had employed on tliis occasion.
was the brother-in-law of Moses, having married his Verse 14. Write this for a memorial in a hook']
sister Miriam. He was a person in whom Moses put This is the first mention of ivriting on record what

V
:

much confidence
he left him conjoint governor of
; for it signified, or how it was done, we cannot tell. But
the people with Aaron, when he went to confer with it is evident that either this passage is introduced here
Gpd on the mount, chap. xxiv. 14. His grandson instead of Deut. xxv. 17, by way of anticipation, or
Bezaleel was the chi^f director in the work of the that by the words "1£3D 3»"lD kethoh and sepher was in-
tabernacle see chap./xxxi. 2-5.
; tended only a monumental declaration of the defeat of
Verse 1 i When Moses held up his hand^
. can- We Amalek by Joshua, by some action or symbolical re-
not understand this transaction in any literal way for ; presentation ; immediately subjoined, " And
for it is
the lifting up or letting down the hands of Moses could Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah-
not, humanly speaking, influence the battle. It is likely nissi." See Dr. A. Bayley, and see the note on chap.
that he held up the rod of God in his hand, ver. 9, as xxx. It is very likely that the first regular alphabet-
an ensign We have already seen that
to the people. ical writing in the world was that written by the finger
in prayer the hands were generally lifted up and spread of God himself on the two tables of stone. What is
out, (see the note on chap. ix. 29,) and therefore it is said here was probably by way of anticipation, or
likely that by this act prayer and supplication are in- means some other method of registering events than
tended. The Jerusalem Targum says, " When Moses by alphabetical characters, if we allow that God gave
held up his hands in prayer, the house of Israel pre- the specimen of regular writing on the tables of
first
vailed and when he let down his hands from prayer,
; stone,which did not take place till some time after this.
the house of Amalek prevailed." We may therefore Rehearse it in the ears of Joshua] Thus showing
conclude, that by holding up the hands in this case that Joshua was to succeed Moses, and that this charge
these two things were intended 1 That hereby a : .
should be given to every succeeding governor.
reference was made
God, as the source whence all
to I icill utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek]
help and protection must come, and that on him alone This threatening was accomplished by S.\ul, 1 Sam.
they must depend. 2. That prayer and supplication XV. 3, &c., four hundred and twelve years after. Judg-
to God
are essentially necessary^ to their prevalence ment is God's strange work but it must take place ;

over their enemies.

all It is indisputably true that, when the sins which incensed it are neither repented
while the hands are stretched out, that is, while the of nor forsaken. This people, by their continued
Boul exerts itself in prayer and supplication to God, transgressions, proved themselves totally unworthy of
we are sure to conquer our spiritual adversaries but a political existence and therefore said God to Saul,
if our hands become heavy — if we restrain prayer be-
; ;

Go, and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites

foreGod, Amalek will prevail every spiritual foe,
every internal corruption, will gain ground.
— 1 Sam. XV. 18. So their continuance in sin was the
Several cause of their final destruction.
of the fathers consider Moses, with his stretched-out
Verse 15. Jehovah-nissi] Jehovah is my ensign or
hands, as a figure of Christ on the cross, suffering for
banner. The hands and rod of Moses were held up
mankind, and getting a complete victory over sin and as soldiers are wont to hold up their standards in the
Satan. time of battle and as these standards bear the arms
;

Verse 13. Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people] of the country, the soldiers are said to fight under that
Amalek might have been the name of the ruler of this banner, i. e., under the direction and in the defence
oeople continued down from their ancestor, (see on of that government. Thus the Israelites fought under
388
 ; ; . .

Moses builds an altar, CHAP. XVIII. and calls it Jehovah-nissi.

A. M. 2513. the name of it '^

JEHOVAH- "^ the Lord hath sworn that the A. M. 2513.
B. C. 1491.
An. Exod. Isr. 1. nissi Lord ivill have war with Amalek, An. Exod. Isr.* l.
Ijar or Zif. ijar or Zit.
1 6 For he said, ' Because from generation to generation.

"That is, the LORD my banner ; see Judg. vi. 24. ''Or, therefore, &c. wHeb. the hand upon the throne of the
because the hand of Amalek is against the throne of the LORD, LORD.
the direction of God, and in the defence of his truth tinue the cup of wrath, portending continual war, against
and therefore the name of Jehovah became the armo- Amalek for ever. I prefer Houbiganfs exposition.
rial bearing of the whole congregation. By his direc-
tion they fought, and in his name and strength they 1 This first victory of Israel must have inspired
conquered each one feehng himself, not his own, but
; them with a considerable measure of confidence in
the Lord's soldier. God, and in his servant Moses. Though God alone
Verse 16. The Lord hath sworn that the Lord will could give them the victory, yet it was necessary to
have tear loith Amalek, 4"c.] This is no translation show them that it was by the influence of Moses they
of the w^ords nonSo TV D3 S;7 T" O ki yad al kes yah got it. Moses could not deliver Amalek into their
milchamah, which have been variously rendered by hands yet if Moses did not continue to hold up his
;

different translators and critics the most rational ver- hands, i. e., to pray, Amalek must prevail.
; God,
sion of w'hich is the following Because the hand of therefore, wrought this work in such a way as to in
:

Amalek is against the throne of God, therefore ivill I struct the people, promote his own glory, and secure the
have ivar with Amalek from generation to generation. true honour of his servant. The Divine Being always
This gives a tolerably consistent sense, yet still there performs the greatest number possible of ends, by the
is considerable obscurity in the passage. Houhigant, fewest and simplest means. In every work of God
a most judicious though bold critic, supposes that, as there is as much of loisdom and economy, as there is

'D3 mrr' Jehovah-nissi, Jehovah my ensign, was spoken of sovereign uncontrolled power.
of immediately before, OD kes, a throne, in this verse, 2. It is not probable that the people whom Joshua
is an error of some transcriber for DJ nes, an ensign, chose out to lead against Amalek were unarmed ; and
which might be readily occasioned by the great simi- we have already seen that it is not at all likely that
larity between the D caph and the J nun. He thinks they came armed out of Egypt. And as the whole
.

farther that the two letters ri' yah, which are supposed circumstances of this case show that those who fought
to be here a contraction of the word niri' Yehovah, against the Amalekites were properly equipped for the
are separated, the ' yod from the DJ nes, which should fight, we may then safely presume that they got their
DC written ''DJ nissi, and the n he, from nDnS*D mil- arms from the Egyptians, whose bodies were thrown
chamah, which should be written nonSon hammilcha- on the shore after having been overwhelmed in the
mah, and then the whole verse will run thus For the : Red Sea. Thus, what was a judgment in the one
hand shall be upon the ensigns of war unto the Lord, case, was a most gracious providence in the other.
against Amalek for ever, i. e., God makes now a de- Judgment on Godi'sfoes is mercy to \x\s, friends
claration of war against the Amalekites, which shall 3. Of the efficacy of prayer we have already had
continue till their final destruction. The conjecture the most striking examples. He who has the spirit
of Mr. Julius Bate, in his Literal Translation of the of prayer, has the highest interest in the court of hea-
Pentateuch, deserves attention. He supposes that, as ven and the only way to retain it, is to keep it in
;

D3 cos signifies a cup, and a cup is emblematically used constant employment. Apostasy begins in the closet:
for wrath, on one of the stones of the altar, mentioned no man ever backslid from the life and power of Chris-
in the preceding verse, a hand holding a cup was sculp- tianity who continued constant and fervent, especially
tured, this being a memorial, according to the custom in private prayer. He who prays without ceasing is
of hieroglyphical WTiting, that the Lord would con- likely to rejoice evermore.

CHAPTER XVm.
Tethro, called the father-in-law of Moses, hearing of the deliverance which God had granted to Israel, 1, took
Zipporah and her two sons, Gershom and Eliezer, and brought them to Moses, when the Israelites were
encamped near Horeb, 2—5. He sends to Moses, announcing his arrival, 6. Moses goes out to meet him, 7,
and gives him a history of God^s dealings with the Israelites, 8. Jethro greatly rejoices, and makes
striking observations on the power and goodness of God, 9—11. He offers burnt-offerings and sacrifices to
Jehovah, and Aaron and all the elders of Israel feast tvitk him, 12. The next day Jethro, observing how
much Moses was fatigued by being obliged to sit as judge and hear causes from morning to evening, 1 3,
inquires why he did so, 14. Moses answers, and shows that he is obliged to determine causes between man
and man, and to teach them the statutes and laws of God, 15, 16. Jethro finds fault, and counsels him
to appoint men who fear God, love truth, and hate covetousness, to .be judges over thousands, hundreds, fifties,
and tens, to judge and determine in all smaller matters, and refer only the greater and most important to
himself, 17-22; and shows that this plan loill be advantageous both to himself and to the people, 23.
Moses hearkens to the counsel of Jethro, and appoints proper officers over the people, who enter upon tnetr
functions, determine all minor causes, and refer only the most difficult to Moses, 24—26. Moses axsmisses
Jethro, who returns to his own country, 37.
a 389
 — ;

Zipporah and her two sons EXODUS. brought to Moses at Horeb

A. M. 2514. "TI/'HEN -^
Jethro, the priest of I have been an alien in a a. m. 2514.
B. C. 1490. 1 J B. C. 1490.
An. Exod. Isr. 2. Midian, Moses' father-in- strange land: An. Exod. isr. 2.
Ijar or Zif.
law, heard of all that ^ God had 4 And the name of the other ^J" "'' ^'^-

done Moses, and for Israel his people, and was

for s Eliezer ; for the God of my father,
that the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt said he, was mine help, and delivered me
2 Then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took from the sword of Pharaoh :

Zipporah, Moses' wife, "^

after he had sent 5 And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came
her back, with his sons and his wife unto Moses into
3 And her ^two sons of which the ^ name the wilderness, where he encamped
; at ''
the
of the one was Gershom *"
for he said. mount of God ; :

« Chap. ii. 16 iii.; 1. 1"

Psa. xliv. 1 ; Ixxvii. 14, 15 ; Ixxviii. 4 ;
« Chap. ii. 22. f That is, a stranger there. 5 That is, my
cv. 5, 43 cvi.
; 2, 8. <=
Chap. iv. 26. ^ Acts vii. 29. God is a help. •>
Chap. iii. 1, 12.

NOTES ON CHAP. XVIII. the government of a people so numerous ; and that it

Verse 1. WhenJethro, the priest of Midian, d^c] was time that he established judges and cap-
at that
Concerning this person and his several names, see the tains over thousands a,nd hundreds and fifties and tens,
notes on'chap. ii. 15, 16, 18 iii. 1 and iv. 20, 24. ; ; which appears to be the very transaction recorded in
Jethro was probably the son of Reuel, the father-in- this place ; the measure itself being recommended by
law of Moses, and consequently the brother-in-law of Jethro, and done in consequence of his advice.
Moses ; for the word ?r\n chothen, which we translate 3. From Num. x. 11, 29, &c., we find that when
father-in-laio, in this chapter means simply a relative the cloud was taken up, and the Israelites were about
by marriage. See the note on chap. iii. 1. from Horeb, that Moses addressed Hobab, to depart
Verse 2. After he had sent her bacli] Why Zippo- supposed to have been the same as Jethro, and who is

rah and her two sons returned to Midian, is not cer- then was about to return to Midian, his own coun- who
tainly known. From the transaction recorded chap. try, entreating him to stay with them as a guide while
iv. 20, 24, it seems as if she had been alarmed at the they travelled through the wilderness. It therefore
danger to which the life of one of her sons had been seems necessary that the transaction recorded in this
exposed, and fearing worse evils, left her husband and chapter should be inserted Num. x., between the 10th
returned to her father. It is however possible that and 11th verses.
Moses, foreseeing the troubles to which his wife and 4. It has been remarked, that shortly after they
children were likely to be exposed had he taken them had departed from Sinai the dispute took place be-
down to Egypt, sent them back to his father-in-law till tween Miriam, Aaron, and Moses, concerning the
it should please God to deliver his people. Jethro, .^Ethiopian woman Zipporah whom he had married,
now finding that God had delivered them, and totally (see Num. xii. 1, &c. ;) and this is supposed to have
discomfited the Egyptians, their enemies, thought it taken place shortly after she had been brought back
proper to bring Zipporah and her sons to Moses, while by Jethro.
he was in the vicinity of Horeb. 5. In the discourse between Moses and Jethro,
Verse 3. The name of the one was Gershoni] See mentioned in this chapter, we find that Moses speaks
the note on chap. ii. 22. of the statutes and laws of the Lord as things already
Verse 5. Jethro —
came with his sons] There are revealed and acknowledged, which necessarily implies
several reasons to induce us to believe that the fact that these laws had already been given, (ver. 16,)
related here is out of its due chronological order, and which we know did not take place till several months
that Jethro did not come to Moses till tiie beginning after the transactions mentioned in the preceding
of the second year of the exodus, (sec Num. x. 11,) chapters.
some time after the tabernacle had been erected, and 6. Jethro offers burnt-offerings and sacrifices to
the Hebrew commonwealth established, both in things God apparently in that way in which they were com-
civil and ecclesiastical. This opinion is founded on manded in the law. Now the laio respecting burnt-
the following reasons :
offerings was not given till a/llc;- the transactions men-
1. On where it is said that Jethro came tioned here, unless we refer this chapter to a time pos-
this verse,
to Moses while he was encamped at the mount
of God. terior to that in which it appears in this place. See
Now it appears, from chap. xix. 1,2, that they were the note on ver. 12.
not yet come to Horeb, the mount of God, and that From all these reasons, but particularly from the
they did not arrive there till the third month after their two first and the two last, it seems most likely that
departure from Egypt and the transactions with which this chapter stands out of its due chronological order,
;

this account is connected certainly took place in the and therefore

I have adjusted the chronology in the
second month; see chap. xvi. 1. margin to the time in which, from the reasons above
2. Moses, in Deut. i. 6, 9, 10, 12-15, relates that alleged, I suppose these transactions to have taken
when they were about to depart from Horeb, which place but the matter is not of much importance, and ;

jvas on the 20th day of the second month of the second the
reader is at liberty to follow the common o{)inion.
year from their leaving Egypt, that he then complain- As Moses had in the preceding chapter related the
ed that he was not able to bear the burden alone of war with Amalek and the curse under which they were
390
 ; 1

The meetu.s of Moses and Jethro. CHAP. X VIII. Jethro offers a burnUoffering

^ ^^^^ ^^® ®^^^ ""^° Moses, I had delivered out of the hand
B.C.' 1490 A. M. 2514.
An. Exod. thy fatlier-in-law Jethro am come of the
isr. 2. B. C. 1490.
°^
Egyptians. An. Exod. Isr. 2.
^^^
unto thee, and thy wife, and her 10 And Jethro said, "Blessed Ijar or Zif.
two sons with her. be the Lord, who hath delivered
you out of
7 And Moses went out to meet his father- the hand of
'
the Egyptians, and out of the
in-law, and did obeisance, and ^ kissed
him hand of Pharaoh, who hath delivered
the peo- ;

and they asked each other of their i welfare ple

from under the hand of the Egyptians.
and they came into the tent. 1 Now I know' that the Lord is p greater
8 And Moses told his father-in-law all that than all gods i for in
the thing wherein they :

the Lord had done unto Pharaoh and

to the dealt > proudly he loas above
them.
Egyptians for Israel's sake, and all the travail
12 And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took
that had "" come upon them by the way,
and a burnt-offering and sacrifices for God and :
how the Lord ^ delivered them. Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel, to
9 And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness eat bread
with Moses' father-in-law, « before
which the Lord had done to Israel, whom he God,
iGen.xivl7; xviii 2 xix. lKingsii.l9.
; 1 ; kGen.xxix. xvui. 28 ;
Luke i. G8. P2 Chron.
ii. 5; Psa. xcv. 3 ; xcvii 9 •
M ^'"J"'
m tieb. t"7~^
found ^f^- P^"" •^en. xliii. 27
them ; Gen.xliv. 34; Numbers xx.
' ; 2 Samuel xi. 7. cxxxv 5. q Ch. i. 10, 16,22
7 xiv. 8, 18.
; v. 2, r i
; Sam. ii'
^
Ixxviii.
14. ^ Psalm 3 Neh. ix.
; 10, 16, 29 Job xl. 11, 12 Psa. >cxxi. 23 ; cxix 21 •
42; lxxxi.7; cvi.lO; cvii. 2. " Gen. 20 Sam
; ;
xiv. ; 2 Luke 1.51. 3
Deut. xn. 7 1 Chron. xxix. 22 I Cor. x. 18, 21 31
; ;

laid,he may be supposed to have introduced here

the blesses God for the preservation of
account concerning Jethro the Midianite, to Moses, and next
show that for the deliverance of the people from their bondage.
he was free from that curse, although the Midianites
Verse 1 1 Now I know that the Lord is greater
and the Kenites, the family of Jethro, were as than .

one all gods] Some think that Jethro was

people, dwelling with the Amalekites.
now converted
See Judg. i. to the true God but it is very probable
that he en- ;
16 1 Chron. ii. 55
; 1 Sam. xv. 6. For although joyed this blessing before he knew
;

the Kenites were some of those people

any thing of Moses,
whose lands for it is not likely that Moses would
God had promised to the descendants of Abraham, (see have entered into
an alliance with this family had they been
Gen. XV. 18, 19,) yet, in consideration of Jethro, heathens.
the Jethro no doubt had the true patriarchal
relative of Moses, all of them who religion.
submitted to the Wherein they dealt proudly] Acting as tyrants over
Hebrews were suffered to live in their own country
enslaving them in the most unprin-
; the people of God ;
the rest are supposed to have taken refuge
among the still purposing more tyrannical cipled manner, and
Edomitcs and Amalekites. See Calmet, Locke, acts.

Verse 6. And he said unto Moses]

Jc. He was above them he showed himself to be infinitely
That is, by a superior to all their gods, by the
—
messenger in consequence of which Moses went out miracles which he
;
wrought. Various translations have been given
to meet him, as is stated in the next of this
verse, for an clause the above I believe to be the sense.
interview had not yet taken place. This
by readmg pjn hinneh, behold, for 'JN ani,
is supported Verse 12. Jethro took a burnt-offering] uh}; olah.
;

—
I, which Though it be true that in the patriarchal times we read
IS the reading of the Septuagint
and Syriac, and seve- of a burnt-offering,
(see Gen. xxii. 2, &c.,) yet we only
ral Samaritan MSS. instead therefore of /, thij
;
fa- read of one in the case oilsaac, and therefore, though
ther, we should read. Behold thrj
father, &c.~Kenni- this offering made by Jethro
is not a decisive proof
cotVs Remarks.
that the law relative to burnt-offerings, &c.,
Verse 7. And did obeisance] 'nnty'l vaiyishtachu, had al-
ready been given, yet, taken with other circumstances
he bowed himself down, (see on Gen. xvii.
3, and Exod. in this account, it is a presumptive evidence
iv. 31;) this was the general that the
token of respect. And meeting between Moses
and Jethro took place after the
kissed him ; the token of friendship.
And they asked erection of the tabernacle. See the note on ver.
each other of their welfare 5.
; literally, and they in-
Sacrifices for God] U'X^^2' zebachim, slain beasts,
quired, each man of his neighbour,
concerning peace as the word generally signifies. AVe
or prosperity ; the proof of have already seen
affectionate intercourse. that sacrifices were
instituted by God himself as soon
These three things constitute good breeding
and polite- as sin entered into our world and we
ness, accompanied with sincerity.- see that they ;

were continued and regularly practised among all the

And they came into the tent.] Some think that the
people who had the knowledge of the only true God,
tabernacle is meant, which it is likely
had been erect- from that time until they became
ed before this time see the note on a legal establishment.
; ver. 5. Moses Jethro, who was a. priest, (chap. ii. 16,) had a right
might have thought proper to take his
relative first to offer these sacrifices nor can there be a doubt of
;
to the house of God, before he brought him to his his being a worshipper of the true God, for those Ke-
own tent.
nites, from whom the Rechabites came, were descended
Verse 9. And
Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness]
from him
Every ii. 55.
; 1 See also Jer. xxxv.
Chron.
part of Jethro's conduct proves him to
have been And Aaron
came, and all the elders of Israel, to eat
a religious man and a true
believer. His thanksgiving
to
bread] The bumt-offering was wholly consumed ;
Jehovah (ver. 10) is a striking proof of it he first ; every part was considered as the Lord's portion, and
 6 :

Jethrd's counsel to Moses on EXODUS. the government of the people

A. M. 2514. 1 3 And it came to pass on another and I do ;

'"
make the?n a. m. 2514.

An. JExod A^'. 2. the morrow, that Moses sat to know the statutes of God, and An. Exod. isr 2.
ijar or Zif. ^i""' "'- ^'^-
judge the people : and the people his laws.
stood by Moses from the morning unto the 17 And Moses' father-in-law said unlo him,
evening. The thing that thou doest is not good.
14 And when Moses' 18=^ Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou,
father-in-law saw all

that he did to the people, he said. What is and this people that is with thee for this :

this thing that thou doest to the people ? why thing is too heavy for thee y thou art not ;

sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people able to perform it thyself alone.

stand by thee, from morning unto even ? 19 Hearken now unto my voice, I will
15 And Moses said unto his father-in-law, give thee counsel, and ^ God shall be with
Because ' the people come unto me to inquire thee Be thou ^ for the people to God-ward, :

of God that thou mayest ^ bring the cause unto God :

1 When they have a matter, they come 20 And thou shall ° teach them ordinances
"^

unto me and I judge between " one and and laws, and shalt show them
; the v^'ay "^

' Lev. xxiv. 12 Num. xv. 34. ; " Chap, xxiii. 7 xxiv. 14 ; ;
^ Heb. fading thou wilt fade. J Num. xi. 14, 17 ; Deut. i. 9,
Deut. xvii. 8 2 Sam. xv. 3 Job xxxi. 13 Acts xviii. 15
; ; 1 Cor. ; ; 12. ^Chap. iii. 12. »Chap. iv. 16; xx. 19 ; Deut. v. 5.
vi. 1. ^ Heb. aman and his fellow. ^ Lev. xxiv. 15 Num. ; bNum. xxvii. 5. <=Deut. iv. 1, 5 ; v. 1 ; vi. 1, 2; vii. 11.
XV. 35 ;xxvii. 6, &c. xxxvi. 6, 7, 8, 9.
;
<>
Psa. cxliii. 8.

therefore it was entirely burnt up. The other sacrifices their patience must be soon necessarily worn out, as
mentioned here were such that, after the blood had there no one to hear every cause but thyself."
is

been poured out before God, the officers and assistants Verse 19. / luill give thee counsel, and God shall be
might feed on the flesh. Thus, in ancient times, con- with thee] Jethro seems to have been a man of great
tracts were made and covenants sealed see the notes ; understanding and prudence. His advice to Moses was
on Gen. xv. 13, &c. It is very likely, therefore, most appropriate and excellent and it was probably ;

that the sacrifices oflfered on this occasion, were those given under the immediate inspiration of God, for after
on the flesh of which Aaron and the elders of Israel such sacrificial rites, and public acknowledgment of
feasted with Jethro. God, the prophetic spirit might be well expected to
Before God.'\ Before the tabernacle, where God descend and rest upon him. God could have showed
dwelt for it is supposed that the tabernacle was now
; Moses the propriety and necessity of adopting such
erected. See on ver. 5 and see Deut. xii. 5-7, ; measures before, but he chose in this case to help man
and 1 Chron. xxix. 21, 22, where the same form of by man, and in the present instance a permanent basis
speech, before the Lord, is used, and plainly refers to was laid to consolidate the union of the two families,
his manifested presence in the tabernacle. and prevent all future misunderstandings.
Verse 13. To judge the people] To hear and de- Verse 20. Thou shalt teach them ordinances] D'pn
termine controversies between man and man, and to chu/i/cim, all such precepts as relate to the ceremonies
give them instruction in things appertaining to God. of religion and political economy. And laws, mij"\n,
From the morning unto the evening.] Moses was hattoroth, the instructions relative to the whole sys-
obliged to sit all tem of morality.
day, and the people were continually
coming and going. And shalt shoto them the ivay] "jITn DN eth hadderech,
Verse 15. The people come unto me to enquire of THAT very way, that only way, which God himself has
God] To know the mind and will of God on the sub- revealed, and in which they should walk in order to
ject of their inquiries. Moses was the mediator between please him, and get their souls everlastingly saved.
God and the people and as they believed that -all jus-
; And the work that they must do.] For it was not
tice and judgment must come from him, therefore they sufficient that they should know their duty both to God
came to Moses to know what God had spoken. and man, but they must do it too pty^'" yaasun, they ;

Verse 16. I do make them know the statutes of God, must do it diligently, fervently, effectually ; for the
and his laws.] These words are so very particular paragogic nun deepens and extends the meaning of |

that they leave little room for doubt that the law had the verb.
been given. Such words would scarcely have been What a very comprehensive form of a preacher's
used had not the statutes and laws been then in exist- duty does this verse exhibit 1 He must instruct ! .

ence. And
one of the proofs that the transac-
this is the people in the nature, use, and importance of the
tion mentioned here stands out of its due chronological ordinances of religion. 2. He must lay before them
order; see on ver. 5. the whole moral law, and their obligations to fulfil all
Verse 18. Thou ivilt surely xoear away] San '733 itsprecepts. 3. He must point out to each his par-
nabol tibbol, in wearing aivay, thou wilt wear away — ticular duty,and what is expected of him in his situa-
by being thus continually employed, thou wilt soon be- tion, connections,&c. And, 4. He must set them all
come ^na% exhausted. And this people that is with their work, and see that they do it. On such a plan
thee ; as if he had said, " Many of them are obliged as this he will have full opportunity to show the
to wait so long for the determination of their suit that people, 1. Their sin, ignorance, and folly ; 2. The
392
 ;

Moses hearkens to Jethro's counsel, CHAP. XVIII. and appoints judges over the people.

A. M. 2514. must walk, and to endure, and all this people

wherein they A. M. 2514.
„ ,^ ^. B. C. 1490. ,
1 , .

An. Exod. isr! 2. ^ the work that they must do. shall also go to ° their place in An. Exod. isr. 2.
Ijar or Zif. ^J"°'^^'^-
g 1 Moreover thou shalt provide peace.
out of all the people able men, such as
^ ^ fear 24 So Moses hearkened to the voice of
God, ^ men of truth, hating covetousness his father-in-law, and did all that he had ;

and place such over them, to be rulers of said.

thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of 25 And P Moses chose able men out of aU

fifties, and rulers of tens : Israel, and made them heads over the people,
22 And let them judge the people ^ at all rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers
seasons :
^
and it shall be, that every great of and rulers of tens.
fifties,

matter they shall bring unto thee, but every 26 And

they 1 judged the people at all sea-
small matter they shall judge so shall it be sons : the " hard causes they brought unto
:

easier for thyself, and ""they shall bear the Moses, but every small matter they judged
buj'den with thee. themselves.
23 If thou shalt do this thing, and God 27 And Moses let his father-in-law depart
command thee so, then thou shalt be " able and ^ he went his way into his own land.
e Deut. i. 18. f Ver. 25 Deut. i. 15, 16 xvi. 18 2 Chron.
; ; ; 1 Deut. i. 17; xvii. 8.
;
"> Numbers xi. 17. •> Verse 18.
xix. 5-10 Acts
; vi. 3. e Genesis xlii. 18 2 Sam. xxiii. 3
; ;
° Gen. xviii. 33 xxx. 25 ; ; chapter xvi. 29 ; 2 Samuel xix. 39.
2 Chron. xix. 9. ^ Ezek. xviii. 8. "Deut. xvi. 19. ''Ver. PDeut. i. 15; Acts vi. 5. 1 Verse 22. ''Job xxix. 16.
26. Ver. 26
'
; Lev. xxiv. 11 Num. xv. 33 xxvii. 2 xxxvi.
; ; ;
' Num. X. 29, 30.

pu7-e and holy law which tliey have broken, and by posed that there were 600 rulers of thousands, 6000
which they are condemned; 3. Theg7-ace of God that rulers of hundreds, 12,000 rulers of fifties and 60,000
bringeth salvation, by which they are to be justified rulers of tens; making in the whole 78,600 oflUcers.
and finally saved and, 4. The necessity of showing
; But Josephus says (Antiq., lib. iii., chap. 4) that
their faith by their ivorks ; not only denying ungodli- Moses, by the advice of Jethro, appointed rulers over
ness and worldly lusts, but living soberly, righteously, myriads, and then over thousands ; these he divided
and godly in this present world, looking for that blessed into five hundreds, and again into htmdreds, and into
hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and fifties ; and appointed rulers over each of these, who
our Saviour, Jesus Christ. divided them into thirties,- 3XiA at last into tiventies and
Verse 21. Able men] Persons of wisdom, discern- tens ; that each of these companies had a chief, who
ment, judgment, prudence, and fortitude ; for who can took his name from the number of persons who were
be a rule?- without these qualifications'? under his direction and government. Allowing what
Such as fear God] Who are truly religious, with- Josephus states to be correct, some have supposed that
out which they will feel little concerned either for the there could not have been less than 129,860 officers
bodies or souls of the people. in the Israelitish camp. But such computations are
Men of truth] Honest and true in their own hearts either fanciful or absurd. That the people were
and lives speaking the truth, and judging according
; divided into thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens, we
to the truth. know, for the text states it but we cannot tell pre- ;

Hating covetousness] Doing

God's sake, and all for cisely how many of such divisions there were, nor,
love to man labouring to promote the general good
;
;
consequently, the number of officers.
never perverting judgment, or suppressing the testi- If thou shalt do this thing, and God
Yerse 23.
monies of God, for the love of money or through a command Though the measure was obviously
thee]
base, man-pleasing spirit, but expecting their reward of the utmost importance, and plainly recommended
from the mercy of God in the resurrection of the just. itself by its expediency and necessity yet Jethro very ;

Rulers of thousands, dji-c] Millenaries, centurions, modestly leaves it tg the wisdom of Moses to choose
quinquagenaries, and decurions ; each of these, in all or reject it and, knowing that in all things his rela
;

probability, dependent on that oflicer immediately above tive was now acting under the immediate direction of
himself. So the decurion, or ruler over ten, if he God, intimates that no measure can be safely adopted
found a matter too hard for him, brought it to the without a positive injunction from God himself. As
quinquagenary, or ruler of fifty ; if, in the course of the counsel was doubtless inspired by the Divine Spirit,
the exercise of his functions, he found a cause too we find that it was sanctioned by the same, for Moses
complicated for him to decide on, he brought it to the acted in every respect according to the advice he had
centurion, or ruler over a hundred. In like manner received.
the centurion brought his difficult case to the millenary, Verse 27. And Moses let his father-in-law depart^
or ruler over a thousand; the case that was too hard But if this be the same transaction with that mentioned
for him to judge, he brought to Moses ; and the case Num. X. 29, &c., we find that it was with great re-
that was too hard for Moses, he brought immediately luctance that Moses permitted so able a counsellor to
to God. It is likely that each of these classes had a leave him for, having the highest opinion of his
judg-
;

court composed of its own members, in which causes ment, experience, and discretion, he pressed him to
were heard and tried. Some of the rabbins have sup- stay with them, that he might be instead of eyes to
393
 — .

Observations on the EXODUS. preceding chapter.

them in the desert. But Jethro chose rather to return contain some palpable falsities, which wiU discover the
to his own country, where probably his family were so falsity of all the rest.
settled and circumstanced that they could not be con- 5. That wherever it is first propagated, it must be
veniently removed, and it was more his duty to stay done by craft z.nA fraud.
with them, to assist them with his counsel and advice, 6. That when intrusted to many persons, it caiinol
than to travel with the Israelites. Many others might be long concealed.
be found that could be eyes to the Hebrews in the 1 The keenest-eyed adversary of Moses has never
desert, but no man could be found capable of being a been able to fix on him any carnal interest. No grati-
father to his family, but himself. It is well to labour fication of sensual passions, no accumulation of wealth,
for the public good, but our own families are the first no aggrandizement of his family or relatives, no pur-
claimants on our care, attention, and time. He who suit of worldly honour, has ever been laid to his charge.
neglects his own household on pretence of labouring 2. His life was unspotted, and all his actions the

even for the. good of the public, has surely denied the offspring of the purest benevolence.
faith, and is worse than an infidel. 3. As his own hands were pure, so were the hands
of those whom he associated with himself in the work.
It is strange that after this we hear no more of 4. No palpable falsity has ever been detected in his
Zipporah Why is she forgotten 1 Merely because writings, though they have for their subject the most
!

she was the wife of Moses ; for he chose to conduct complicate, abstruse, and difficult topics that ever came
himself so that to the remotest ages there should be under the pen of man.
the utmost proofs of his disinterestedness. While 5. No craft, no fraud, not even what one of his
multitudes of the families of Israel are celebrated and own countrymen thought he might lawfully use, inno-
dignified, his own he writes in the dust. He had no cent guile, because he had to do with a people greatly
interest but that of God and his people to promote degraded and grossly stupid, can be laid to his charge.
;

this, he employed his whole time and his uncommon His conduct was as open as the day and though con- ;

talents. His body, his soul, his whole life, were a tinually watched by a people who were ever ready to
continual oifering to God. They were always on the murmur and rebel, and industrious to find an excuse for
Divine altar and God had from his creature all the their repeated seditious conduct, yet none could be found
;

praise, glory, and honour that a creature could possibly either in his spirit, private life, or public conduct.
give. Like his great antitype, he went about doing 6. None ever came after to say, " We have joined
good and God was with him.
; The zeal of God's with Moses in a plot, we have feigned a Divine autho
house consumed him, for in that house, in all its con- rity and mission, we have succeeded in our innocent
cerns, we have the testimony of God himself that he imposture, and now the mask may be laid aside."
tvas faithful, Heb. iii. 2 and a higher character was The whole work proved itself so fully to be of God,
;

never given, nor can be given of any governor, sacred that even the person who might wish to discredit
or civil. He made no provision even for his own sons, Moses and his mission, could find no ground of this
Gershom and Eliezer they and their families were kind to stand on. The ten plagues of Egypt, the
;

incorporated with the Levites, 1 Chron. xxiii. 14, and passage of the Red Sea, the destruction of the king
had no higher employment than that of taking care of Egypt and his immense host, the quails, the rock
of the tabernacle and the tent, Num. iii. 21-26, and of Horeb, the supernatural supply by the forty years'
merely to serve at the tabernacle and to carri/ burdens, manna, the continual miracle of the Sabbath, on which
Num. iv. No history, sacred or profane, has
24—28. the preceding day's manna kept good, though, if thus
been able produce a complete parallel to the disin-
to kept, it became putrid on any other day, together with
terestedness of Moses. This one consideration is the constantly attending supernatural cloud, in its

sufficient to refute every charge of imposture brought threefold office of a guide by day, a light by night,
against him and his laws. There never was an im- and a covering from the ardours of the sun, all, all in-
posture in the world (says Dr. Pride.'Iux, Letter to vincibly proclaim that God brought out this people
the Deists) that had not the following characters : from Egypt that Moses was the 7nan of God, chosen
;

1. It must always have for its end some carnal by him, and fully accredited in his mission and that ;

interest. the laws and statutes which he gave were the offspring
2. Itcan have none but wicked men for its authors. of the wisdom and goodness of Him who is the Father
3. Both of these must necessarily appear in the of Lights, the fountain of truth and justice, and the
very contexture of the imposture itself. continual and unbounded benefactor of the human
4. That it can never be so framed, that it will not

CHAPTER XIX.
The children of Israel, having departed from Rephidim, come
to the wilderness of Sinai in the third mo'nth,
1, 2. Moses goes up into the mount
God, and receives a message which he is to deliver to the people,
to
3—6. He returns and
delivers it to the people before the elders, 1 The people promise obedience, 8. The .

Lord proposes to meet Moses in the cloud, 9. He commands him to sanctify the people, and promises to
come down visibly on Mount Sinai on the third day, 10, 11. He commands him also to set bounds, to
prevent the people or any of the cattle from touching the mount, on pain of being stoned or shot through
394 a
 ;

The people come to Sinai. CHAP. XIX. Moses goes up into the mourn
with a dart, 12, 13. Moses goes down and delivers this message, 14, 15. The third day is ushered in
with the appearance of the thick cloud upon the mount, and with thunders, lightning, and the sound of a
trumpet at which the people are greatly terrified, 16.
; Moses brings forth the people out of the camp to
meet ivith God, 17. Mount Sinai is enveloped with smoke and fire, 18. After the trumpet had sounded
long and loud, Moses spoke, and God answered him by a voice, 1 9 God calls Moses up to the mount, 2 0, .

and gives him a charge to the people and to the priests, that they do not attempt to come near to the mount,
21, 22. Moses, alleging that it ivas impossible for them to touch it because of the bounds, 23, is sent
down to bring up Aaron, and to loarn the people again not to break through the bounds, 24. Moses goes
down and delivers this message, 25 after ivhich we may suppose that he and Aaron went up to meet God
;

in the mount.

A. M. 2513. TN when the 3 And ^ Moses went up unto

the third month, a. M 2513.
B. C.1491. 1
children 01f^
,., ,

An. Exod. isr.

1. were gone God,
Israel and the Lord ® called unto An. Exod. isr! i.
^^^'^"- ^''^^'
forth out of the land of Egypt, him out of the mountain, saying,
the same day ^ came they into the wilderness Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob
of Sinai. and tell the children of Israel
2 For they were departed from ^ Rephidim, 4 ^ Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyp
and were come to the desert of Sinai, and tians, and how ^ I bare you on eagles' wings,
had pitched in the wilderness and there and brought you unto myself.
;

Israel encamped before the mount. 5 Now ^ therefore, if ye will obey my voice
•=

•Num. xxxiii. 15. ••

Chap. xvii. 1, 8. = Chapter iii. 1, 12. ' Deut. xxix. 2.- -e Deut. xxxii. 11 ; Isa. Ixiii. 9 ; Rev. xii. 14.
^ Chap. XX. 21 ;Acts vii. 38. e Chap. iii. 4. •> Deut. V. 2.

NOTES ON CHAP. XIX. stance might have received the name of Sinai or
it

Verse 1 In the third month^ This was called Si-

. •yo har Sinai, the mount of the bush or the mount
*in
van, and answers to our May. For the Jewish months, of bushes ; for it is possible that it was not in a single
years, &c., see the tables at the end of Deuteronomy. bush, but in a thicket of bushes, that the Angel of God
The same day^ There are three opinions concerning made his appearance. The word bush is often used
the meaning of this place, which are supported by re- for woods or forests.
spectable arguments. 1. The same day means the Verse 3. Moses ivent up unto God] It is likely
same day of the third month with that, viz., the 15th, that the cloud which had conducted the Israelitish camp
on which the Israelites had left Egypt. 2. The same had now removed to the top of Sinai and as this was ;

day signifies here a day of the same number with the the symbol of the Divine presence, Moses went up to
month to which it is applied, viz., the third day of the meet the Lord.
the place, there to
third month. 3. By the same day, the first day of The Lord called unto him] This, according to St.
the month is intended. The Jews celebrate the feast Stephen, was the Angel of the Lord, Acts vii. 38.
of pentecost fifty days after the passover : from the And from several scriptures we have seen that the
departure out of Egypt to the coming to Sinai were Lord Jesus was the person intended ; see the notes on
forty-five days for they came out the fifteenth day
; Gen. xvi. 7 xviii. 13 Exod. iii. 2. ; ;

of the month, from which day to the first of the

first Verse 4. How / bare you on eagles^ tvings] Mr.
third monih forty-five days are numbered. On the 2d Bruce contends that the word ")jyj nesher does not mean
day of this third month Moses went up into the moun- the bird we term eagle ; but a bird which the Arabs,
tain, when three days were given to the people to pu- from its kind and merciful disposition, call rachama,
rify themselves; this gives the fourth day of the third which is noted for its care of its young, and its car-
month, or the forty-ninth from the departure out of rying them upon its back. See his Travels, vol. vii.,
Egypt. On the next day, which was the fiftieth from pi. 33. It is not unlikely that from this part of the
the celebration of the passover, the glory of God ap- sacred history the heathens borrowed their fable of
peared on the mount in commemoration of which the the eagle being a bird sacred to Jupiter, and which was
;

Jews celebrate the feast of pentecost. This is the employed to carry the souls of departed heroes, kings,
opinion of St. Augustine and of several moderns, and &c., into the celestial regions. The Romans have
is defended at large by Houbigant. As the word tynn struck several medals with this device, which may be
chodesh, month, is put for new moon, which is with the seen in different cabinets, among Which are the follow-
Jews the first day of the month, this may be considered ing one of Faustina, daughter of Antoninus Pius,
:

an additional confirmation of the above opinion. on the reverse of which she is represented ascending
The wilderness of Sinai.] Mount Sinai is called to heaven on the back of an eagle ; and another of
by the Arabs libel Mousa or the Mount of Moses, or, Salonia, daughter of the Emperor Galienus, on the re-
by way of eminence, El Tor, the Mount. It is one verse of which she is represented on the hack of an
hill, with two peaks or summits one is called Horeb, eagle, with a sceptre in her hand, ascending to heaven.
;

the other Sinai. Horeb was probably its most ancient Jupiter himself is sometimes represented on the back
name, and might designate the whole mountain but of an eagle also, with his thunder in his hand, as on a
;

as the Lord had appeared to Moses on this mountain medal of Licinus. This brings us nearer to the letter
in a bush, riJD seneh, chap. iii. 2, from this circum- of the text, where it appears that the heathens con-
395
 ;

Moses receives God's message, EXODUS. and delivers it to the people^

A. M. 2513. keep my covenant,

indeed, and 8 And " all the people answer- A. M. 2513.

An. Exod. isr! 1. be a peculiar trea- ed together, and said, All that An.Exod.lisrii.
then '
ye shall
^'^^"" ^^''^"-
sure unto me above all people the Lord hath spoken we will :

for ^ all the earth is mine do. And Moses returned the words of the
:

6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of people unto the Lord. ^

priests, and a ™ holy nation. These are the 9 And the Lord said unto Moses, Lo, I
vi^ords w^hich thou shalt speak unto the chil- come unto thee ° in a thick cloud, p that
dren of Israel. the people may hear when I speak with
7 And Moses came and called for the elders thee, and 1 believe thee for ever. And
of the people, and laid before their faces all Moses told the words of the people unto
these words which the Lord commanded him. the Lord.

•Deut. iv^. 20; vii. 6; xiv. 2, 21; xxvi. 18; xxxii. 8, 9; " Lev. XX. 24, 26 Deut. vii. 6; xxvi. 19 xxviii. 9; Isaiah Ixii.
; ;

1 Kings viii. 53 ; Psa. cxxxv. 4 Cant. ; viii. 12 Isa. xli. 8 ; xliii.

; 12 ; 1 Cor. iii. 17 Thess. v. 27.
; 1 " Chap. xxiv. 3, 7 Deut. ;

1 ; Jer. x. 16 ; Mai. iii. 17 Tit. ii. 14. ;

^ Chap. ix. 29 ; Deut. y. 27; .xxvi. 17. "Ver. 16; chap. xx. 21; xxiv. 15, 16; Deut
X. 14; Job xli. 11 ; Psa. xxiv. 1; 1. 12; 1 Cor. x. 26, 28. iv. 11 ; Psa. xviii. 11, 12 xcvii. 2 Matt. xvii. 5.
;
P Deut. Ik
;

1 Deut. xxxiii. 2, 3, 4 ; 1 Pet. ii. 5, 9 ; Rev. i. 6 v. 10 xs. 6.

; ; 12, 36 ; John xii. 29, 30. 1 Chap. xiv. 31.

founded the figure made use firmly united among themselves,

of by the sacred penman, nation, one people ;

I bare you on eagles'' icings, with the manifestation of living under their own laws and powerful, because ;

God in thunder and lighining on Mount Sinai. And united, and acting under the direction and blessing of
it might be in reference to all this that the Romans God. They should be a holy nation, saved from their
took the eagle for their ensign. See Scheuchzer, sins, righteous in their conduct, holy in their hearts
Musellius, &c. every external being not only a significant cere-
rite
Brought you unto myself.] In this and the two mony, but also a means of conveying light and life,
following verses, we see the design of God in select- grace and peace, to every person who conscientiously
ing a people for himself They were io obey his used
1. it. Thus they should be both
a kingdom, having
voice, ver. 5, to receive a revelation from him, and to God governor and a nation, a multitude of
for their ;

act according to that revelation, and not according to peoples connected together not a scattered, disordered, ;

their reason or fancy, in opposition to his declarations. and disorganized people, but a royal nation, using their
2. They were" to obey his voice indeed, l^oaTl y)D\^ own rites, living under their own laws, subject in reli-
shamoa tishmcu, in hearing they should hear ; they gious matters only to God, and in things civil, to every
should consult his testimonies, hear them whenever ordinance of man for God's sake.
read or proclaimed, and obey them as soon as heard, This was the spirit and design of this wonderful
affectionately and steadily. 3. They must keep his institution, which could not receive its perfection but
covenant —
not only copy in their lives the ten com- under the Gospel, and has its full accomplishment in
mandments, but they must receive and preserve the every member of the mystical body of Christ.
grand agreement made between God and man by sacri- Verse 7. The elders of the people] The head of
fice, in reference to the incarnation
and death of Christ; each tribe, and the chief of each family, by whose
for from the foundation of the world the covenant of ministry this gracious purpose of God was speedily
God ratified by sacrifices referred to this, and now the communicated to the whole camp.
sacrificial system was to be more fully opened by the Verse 8. And all the people answered, djc] The
giving of the law. 4. They should then be God's people, having such gracious advantages laid before
peculiar treasure, nSjD segullah, his own patrimony, a them, most cheerfully consented to take God for their
people in whom he should have all right, and over portion ; as he had graciously promised to take them
whom he should have exclusive authority above all the for his people. Thus a covenant was made, the parties
people of the earth for though all the inhabitants of
; being mutually bound to each other.
the world were his by his right of creation and provi- Moses returned the words] Wiien the people had
dence, yet these should be peculiarly his, as receiving on their part consented to the covenant, Moses appears
his revelation and entering into his covenant. 5. They to have gone immediately up to the mountain and
should be a kingdom of priests, ver. 6. Their state related to God the success of his mission for he was
;

should be a theocracy and as God should be the sole

; now on the mount, as appears from ver. 14.
governor, being king in Jcshurun, so all his subjects Verse 9. A thick cloud] This is interpreted by
should be priests, all ivorshippcrs, all sacrificers, every ver. 18: And Mount Sinai was altogether on a smokb
individual offering up the victim for himself beau- . A — and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoKE of a
tiful representation of the Gospel dispensation, to which furnace ; his usual appearance was in the cloudy
the Apostles Peter and John apply it, 1 Pet. ii. 5, 9; pillar, which we may suppose was generally clear and
Rev. i. 6; v. 10, and xx. G; under wliich dispensation luminous.
every believing soul offers up for himself that Lamb That the people may hear] See the note on chap.
of God which was slain for and which takes away the XV. 9. The Jews consider this as the fullest evidence
sin of the world, and through whicli alone a man can their fathers had of the Divine mission of Moses them- ;

have access to God. selves were permitted to see this awfully glorious sight,
Verse 6. And a holy nation.] They should be a and to hear God himself speak out of the thick dark*
396
 1 ;

The people are sanctified, and CHAP. XIX. the Lord appears on the mount.

A.M. 2513. 10 And the Lord said unto when the " trumpet "^ soundeth a. m. 2513.
B. C. 1491.
An.Exod. isni. Moses, Go unto the people, and long, *U
they
1 1
shall
11
come up to
1
the An.Exod.isr. 1.
^^''^°- ^'''^-
'•sanctify them to-day and to- mount.
morrow, and let them * wash their clothes,
1 And be ready against the third day : for

the third day the Lord * willcome down in

the sight of all the people, upon Mount Sinai.
12 And thou shalt set bounds unto the
people round about, saying. Take heed to
yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount,
or touch the border of it " whosoever :

toucheih the mount shall be surely put to

death
13 There shall not a hand touch it, but he
shall surely be stoned, or shot through ; whe-
ther it be beast or man, it shall not live :

Lev. si
 77te Lord descends, and EXODUS. calls Moses to the top of Sinai.

A. M. 2513. out of the camp to meet with 20 And the Lord came down a.m. 2513.
TIT o- 1 r B.C. 1491.
An^ESd.'fsr: 1. God ; upon Mount feinai, on the top 01 Au. Exod. Isr. 1.
and they stood at the
^'^"^°'
1 ^'^'^"-
nether part of the mount. the mount and the Lord called :

18 And ^ Mount Sinai was ahogether on a Moses up to the top of the mount and Moses ;

smoke, because the Lorb descended upon it went up.

e in fire ^ and the smoke thereof ascended
: 21 And the Lord said unto Moses, Go
as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole down, charge the people, lest they break
' "^

mount quaked greatly. through unto the Lord ° to gaze, and many
19 And ''when the voice of the trumpet of them perish.
sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, 22 And let the priests also, which come
* Moses spake, and ™ God answered him by a near to the Lord, p sanctify themselves, lest
voice. the Lord ^ break forth upon them.

Psa. 24 Heb. xii. 26. " Ver. 13. ' Heb. xii.
f
Deut. iv. 11 ; xxxiii. 2 ; Judg. v. 5 ; Ixviii. 7, 8 ; Isa. vi. 18 ; cxiv. 7 ; Jer. iv. ;

4 ; Hab. iii. 3. s Chap. iii. 2; xxiv. 17 ; 2 Chron. vii. 1,2, 3. 21. mNeh. ix. 13Psa. Ixxxi. 7.
; "Heb. contest. "See
•>
Gen. XV. 17; Psa. cxliv. 5; Rev.xv. 8. '
Psa. Ixviii. 8; Ixxvii. chap. iii. 5 ; 1 Sam. vi. 19. P Lev. x. 3. 1 2 Sam. vi. 7, 8.

might then go up unto the mountain, as to any other The directions given from ver. 10 to 15 inclusive
place. show, not only the holiness of God, but the purity he
It was absolutely necessary that God should give requires in his worshippers.
the people at large some particular evidence of his Besides, the whole scope and design of the chapter
being and power, that they might be saved from idol- prove that no soul can possibly approach this holy and
atry, to which they were most deplorably prone and ; terrible Being but through a mediator ; and this is the
that they might the more readily credit Moses, who use made of this whole transaction by the author of
was to be the constant mediator between God and the Epistle to the Hebrews, chap. xii. 18—24.
them. God, therefore, in his indescribable majesty, Averse 20. The Lord came down] This was un-
descended on the mount ; and, by the thick dark cloud, doubtedly done in a visible manner, that the people
the violent thunders, the vivid lightnings, the long and might witness the awful appearance. We may sup-
loud blasts of the trumpet, the smoke encompassing the pose that every thing was arranged thus the glory :

whole mountain, and the excessive earthquake, pro- of the Lord occupied the top of the mountain, and near
claimed his power, his glory, and his holiness ; so to this Moses was permitted to approach. Aaron and
that the people, however unfaithful and disobedient the seventy elders were permitted to advance some way
afterwards, never once doubted the Divine interference, up the mountain, while the people were only permitted
or suspected Moses of any cheat or imposture. In- to come up to its base. Moses, as the lawgiver, was
deed, so absolute and unequivocal were the proofs to receive the statutes and judgments from God's
of supernatural agency, that it was impossible these mouth Aaron and the elders were to receive them
;

appearances could be attributed to any cause but the from Moses, and deliver them to the people and the ;

unlimited power of the author of Nature. people were to act according to the direction received.
It is worthy of remark that the people were in- Nothing can be imagined more glorious, terrible, ma-
formed three daijs before, ver. 9—11, that such an jestic, and impressive, than the whole of this transac
appearance was to take place and this answered two ; tion ; but it was chiefly calculated to impress deep
excellent purposes 1. They had time to sanctify and
: reverence, religious fear, and sacred awe ; and he who
prepare themselves for this solemn transaction and, ; attempts to worship uninfluenced by these, has God
2. Those who might be skeptical had sufficient oppor- neither a proper sense of the Divine majesty, nor of the
tunity to make use of every precaution to prevent and sinfulness of sin. It seems in reference to this that
detect an itnposture
; so this previous warning strongly may
the apostle says, Let us have grace tvherehy tee
serves the cause of Divine revelation. serveGod acceptably icith reverence and godly fear :

Their being at first prohibited from touching the for our God is a consuming fire Heb. xii. 28, 29. ;

mount on the most awful penalties, and secondly, being Who then shall dare to approach him in his oicn name,
permitted see manifestations of the Divine majesty,
to and without a mediator ?
and hear the words of God, subserved the same great Verse 22. Let the priests also sanctify themselvesi —
purposes. Their being prohibited in the first instance That there were priests among the Hebrews before
would naturally whet their curiosity, make them cau- the consecration of Aaron and his sons, cannot be
tious of being deceived, and ultimately impress them though their functions might be in a con- doubted ;

with a due sense of God's justice and their own sin- measure suspended while under persecution siderable
fulness and their being permitted afterwards to go
;
in Egypt, yet the persons existed whose right and
up to the mount, must have deepened the conviction duty it was to offer sacrifices to God. Moses re-
that all was fair and real, that there could be no im- quested liberty from Pharaoh to go into the wilderness
posture in the case, and that though the justice and to sacrifice ; and had there not been among the peo-
purity of God forbade them to draw nigh for a time, ple both sacrifices and priests, the request itself must
yet his mercy, which had prescribed the means of have appeared nugatory and absurd. Sacrifices from
purification, had permitted an access to his presence. the beginning had constituted an essential part of the
398
 ;

The people are charged CHAP XX. not to ascend the mouni

A. M. 2513. 23 And Moses said unto the thou, andAaron with thee; but a.m. 2513.

An. Exod. isr. 1. LoRD, The people cannot come

1^,1 11
not the priests and the peo-
let
• B. C. 1491.
An. Exod. isr. 1.
^'''^"- ^"'^"-
up to Mount Sinai : for thou pie break through, to come up
chargedst us, saying, ^ Set bounds about the unto the Lord, lest he break forth upon
mount, and sanctify it. them.
24 And the Lord said unto him, Away, 25 So Moses went down unto the people,
get thee down, and thou shalt come up. and spake unto them.
< Ver. 12 Josh. iii. 4.

worship of God, and there certainly were priests whose to God for we have an entrance into the holiest
;

business it was to offer them to God before the giv- by the blood of Jesus, Heb. x. 19. " For," says the
ing of the law ; though this, for especial reasons, was apostle, " ye are not come unto the mount that might
restricted to Aaron and his sons after the law had been be touched, and that burned with fire nor unto black- ;

given. As had not been offered for a con-

sacrifices ness, and darkness, and tempest, and to the sound of
siderable time, the priests themselves were considered a trumpet, and the voice of words which voice they;

in a state of impurity and therefore God requires that

; that heard entreated that the word should not be
they also should be purified for the purpose of ap- spoken to them any more, (for they could not endure
proaching the mountain, and hearing their Maker pro- that which was commanded. And if so much as a beast
mulgate his laws. See the note on chap, xxviii. 1. touch the mountain it through
shall be stoned, or thrust
Verse 23. The people cannot come up] Either be- with a dart and so terrible was the sight that Mosea
:

cause they had been so solemnly forbidden that they said, I exceedingly fear and quake :) but ye are come
would not dare, with the penalty of instant death be- unto Mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God,
fore their eyes, to transgress the Divine command or ; the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable com-
the bounds which were set about the mount were such pany of angels, to the general assembly and Church of
as rendered their passing them physically impossible. the first-born, which are WTitten in heaven and to ;

And sanctify it.\ IHtyTpl vekiddashto. Here the God, the Judge of all and to the spirits of just men
;

word jyip kadash is taken in its proper literal sense, made perfect and to Jesus the MEDIATOR of the
;

signifying the separating of a thing, person, or place, NEW COVENANT and to the blood of sprinkling,
;

from all profane or common uses, and devoting it to that speaketh better things than that of Abel ;" Heb.
sacred purposes. xii. 18-24.

Verse 24. Let not the priests and the people break Reader, art thou still under the influence and con-
through] God knew that they were heedless, crimi- demning power of that fiery law which proceeded
nally curious, and stupidly obstinate and therefore ; from his right hand 1 Art thou yet afar off? Remem
his mercy saw it right to give them line upon line, that ber, thou canst only come nigh by the blood of sprink
they might not transgress to their own destruction. ling and till justified by his blood, thou art under
;

the curse. Consider the terrible majesty of God. If

From the very solemn and awful manner in which thou have his favour thou hast life ; if his frown, death.
the LAW was introduced, we may behold it as the Be instantly reconciled to God, for though thou hast
ministration of terror and death, 2 Cor. iii. 7, appear- deeply sinned, and he is just, yet he is the justifier oi
ing rather to exclude men from God than to bring him that believeth in Christ Jesus. Believe on him,
them nigh ; and from this we may learn that an ap- receive his salvation, obey his voice indeed, and keep
proach to God would have been for ever impossible, his covenant, and then shalt thou be a king and a
had not infinite mercy found out the Gospel scheme priest unto God and the Lamb, and be finally saved
of salvation. By this, and this alone, we draw nigh with all the power of an endless life. Amen

CHAPTER XX.
The preface to the ten commandments, I, 2. The rmsT commandment, against mental or theoretic idolatry, 3.
The SECOND, against making and worshipping images, or practical idolatry, 4—6. The third, against false
swearing, blasphemy, and irreverent use of the name of God, 7. The fourth, against profanation of the
Sabbath, and idleness on the other days of the week, 8—11. The fifth, against disrespect and disobe-
dience to parents, 12. The sixth, against murder and cruelty, 13. The seventh, against adultery and
uncleanness, 14. The eighth, against stealing and dishonesty, 15. The ninth, against false testimony,
perjury, &c., 16. The tenth, ao-a;«5fcovetousness, 17. The people are alarmed at the awful appearance
of God on the mount, and stand afar off, 18. They pray that Moses may be mediator between God and
them, 19. Moses encourages them, 20. He draws near to the thick darkness, and God communes with
.'Jm, 21, 22. Farther directions against idolatry, 23. Directions concerning making an altar of earth
24 and an altar of heum stone, 25. None of these to be ascended by steps, and the reason given, 26
;

399
 —
Preface to the commandments. EXODUS. The first, against tdolatry.

A. M. 2513.
B. c. 1491.
A
J\.
ND God spake
r
» all these Egypt, <= out of the house of a. m. 25X3.
,
An. Exod. isr. 1. words, saying, 'bondage. An^?od.?sr:i
^^'^'^-
2 '>l am the Lord thy God, 3 ^ Thou shalt have no other Sivan.

which have brought thee out of the land of gods before nae.

»Deut. V. 22. bLev. xxvi. 1, 13 Deut. v. 6 Psa. Ixxxi. 10; ^ Heb. servants. e Deut.
; ; v. 7 ; vi. 14 ; 2 Kings xvii. 35
; Jer.
Hos. xiii. 4. '^
Chap. xiii. 3. XXV. 6 ; XXXV. 15.

NOTES ON CHAP. XX. of theology, the true notions we should form of the Di-
Verse 1. All these tvords] Houbigant supposes, vine nature, the reverence we owe and the relioioua
and with great plausibility of reason, that the clause service we should render to him. The second, con-
n'7Nn D'"l3in Sj nx elk col haddebarim haelleh, " all commandments, and comprehend-
taining the six last
these words," belong to the latter part of the conclud- ing a complete system of ethics, or moral duties which
ipg verse of chap, xix., which he thinks should be read man owes to his fellows, and on the due performance
thus :And Moses went down unto the people, and of which the order, peace, and happiness of society-
spake unto them all these words i. e., delivered depend.; By this division, the first table contains our
the solemn charge relative to their not attempting to duty to God the second our duty to our neighbour.
;

come up to that part of the mountain on which God This division, which is natural enough, refers us to
manifested himself in his glorious majesty, lest he the grand principle, love to God and love to man,
should break forth upon them and consume them. For through which both tables are observed. 1. Thou
how could Divine justice and purity suffer a people so shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, soul,
defiled to stand in his immediate presence ] When mind, and strength. 2. Thou shalt love thy neigh-
Moses, therefore, had gone down and spoken all these bour as thyself. On these two hang all the law and
words, and he and Aaron had reascended the mount, the prophets. See Matt. xxii. 37-40.
then the Divine Being, as supreme legislator, is ma-
the first commandment.
jestically introduced thus : And God spake, saying.
Against mental or theoretic idolatry.
T!lk^ gives a dignity to the commencement of this
chapter of which the clause above mentioned, if not Verse 2. I a-m the IiORD thy God] yn^N mrf YeAo-
referred to the speech of Moses, deprives it. The vah eloheycha. On the word Jehovah, which we here
Anglo-Saxon favours this emendation Irob rpjiaec &uj", translate Lord, see the notes on Gen. ii. 4, and Exod.
:

God spoke thus, which is the whole of the first verse vi. 3. And on the word Elohim, here translated God,
as it stands in that version. see on Gen. i. 1. It is worthy of remark that each

Some learned men are of opinion that the ten com- individual is addressed here, and not the people col-
mandments were delivered on May 30, being then the lectively, though they are all necessarily included that ;

day of pentecost. each might feel that he was bound for himself to hear
and do all these words. Moses laboured to impress
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. this personal interest on the people's minds, when he
The laws delivered on Mount Sinai have been va- said, Deut. v. 3, 4 " The Lord made this covenant :

riously named. In Deut. iv. 13, they are called miy;' with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day."
D'^^TH asereth haddebarim, the ten words. In the Brought thee out of the land of Egypt, t^c.] And
preceding chapter, ver. 5, God calls them "nna nx eth by this very thing have proved myself to be superior
herithi, my covenant, i. e., the agreement he entered to all gods, unlimited in power, and most gracious as
into with the people of Israel to take them for his pecu- well as fearful in operation. This is the preface or
liar people, if they took him for their God and portion. introduction, but should not be separated from the com-
If ye xoill obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, mandment. Therefore,
then shall ye be a peculiar treasure unto me. And Verse 3. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.]
the word covenant here evidently refers to the laws D'lnx D'H/X elohim acherim, no strange gods
given in this chapter, as is evident from Deut. iv. 13
none —
that thou art not acquainted with, none who has not
:

And he declared unto you his covenant, which he given thee such proofs of his power and godhead as
commanded you to perform, even ten com.mand.ments. I have done in delivering thee from the Egyptians,
They have been also termed the moral law, because dividing the Red Sea, bringing water out of the rock,
they contain and lay down rules for the regulation of quails into the desert, manna from heaven to feed thee,
the inanners or conduct of men. Sometimes they and the pillar of cloud to direct, enlighten, and shield
have been termed the law, r\-y\?<r\ hattorah, by way thee. By these miracles God had rendered himself
of eminence, as containing the grand system of spirit- familiar to them, they were intimately acquainted with
ual instruction, direction, guidance, &c. See on the the operation of his hands and therefore with great ;

word law, chap. xii. 40. And frequently the deca- propriety he says, Thou shalt have no strange gods
logue, Ae/coAoyof, which is a literal translation into before me 'ja hy al panai, before or in the place of ;

s Greek of the D'IDnn T\~\'L'y asereth haddebarim, or ten those which I have made of myself.
jnanifestations
Vk'DRDS, of Moses. This commandment prohibits every species of men-
Among divines they are generally divided into what tal idolatry, and all inordinate attachment to earthly
they term the first and second tables. The first and sensible things. As God is the fountain of hap-
table containing the first, second, third, and fourth piness, and no intelligent creature can be happy but
•^^mmandments, and comprehending the whole system through him, whoever seeks happiness in the creatura
400
 : — :

The second, against making CHAP. XX. and worshipping images

A. M. 2513. 4 f
Thou shall not make unto 5 & Thou shalt not bow down A. M. 2513.
B. C. 1491. ,

An. Exod. isr. 1. thee any graven image, or any thyself to them, nor serve them : An. Exod. isr. 1
^^^'"^" ^ „ Sivan.
hkeness of any thing that is in for I the Lord thy God am a
heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the ^

or that is in the water under the earth fathers upon the children, unto the third and

'Lev. xxvi. 1 Dcut. iv. 16

; v. 8 xxvii. 15
; Psa. xcvii. 7.
; ;
Neh. i. 2. • Chap, xxxiv.
7 ; Lev. xx. 5 ; xxvi. 39, 40 ; Num.
sChap. 24; Josh, xxiii. 7 2 Kings xvii. 35
xxiii. ;Isa. xliv. 15, ;
xiv. 18, 33 ; 1 Kings xxi. 29 ; Job v. 4 ; xxi. 19 ; Psa. Ixxix. 8 ;
19. » Chap, xxxiv. 14 ; Deut. iv. 24; vi. 15 ; Josh. xxiv. 19; cix. 4 ; Isa. xiv. 20, 21 ; Ixv." 6, 7 ; Jer. ii. 9 ; xxxii. 18.

is necessarily an idolater ; as he puts the creature in Phagrus, was worshipped at Syene, according to Cle-
the place of the Creator, expecting that from the grati- mens Alexandrinus in his Cohortatio. And the Lepi-
fication of his passions, in the use or abuse of earthly dotus and eel were objects of their adoration, as we
things, which is to be found in God alone. The very find from Herodotus, lib. ii., cap. 72. In short, oxeriy
first commandment of the whole series is divinely cal- heifers, sheep, goats, lions, dogs, monkeys, and cats;
culated to prevent man's misery and promote his hap- the ibis, the crane, and the hawk ; the crocodile, ser-
piness, by taking him off from all false dependence, and pents, frogs, flies, and the scarabeus or beetle ; the
leading him to God himself, the fountain of all good. Nile and its fish ; the sun, moon, planets, and stars ;

fire, light, air, darkness, and night, were all objects

THE SECOND COMMANDMENT.
of Egyptian idolatry, and all included in this very cir-
Against making and worshipping images.
Deuteronomy, cumstantial prohibition as detailed in
Verse 4. Thou shall not make unto thee any graven and very forcibly in the general terms of the text
tmage^ As the word 7D3 pasal signifies to hew, carve, Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or
grave. Sic, "^DS pesel may here signify any kind of image, any likeness of any thing that is in the heavens above,
either of toood, stone, or metal, on which the axe, the or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water
chisel, or the graving tool has been employed. This under the earth. And the reason of this becomes self
commandment includes in its prohibitions every species evident, when the various objects of Egyptian idolatry
of idolatry known to have been practised among the are considered.
Egyptians. The reader will see this the more plainly To countenance its image worship, the Roman Ca-
by consulting the notes on the ten plagues, particularly tholic Church has left the whole of this second com-
those on chap. xii. mandment out of the decalogue, and thus lost one
Or any likeness, iSfC.'\ To know the full spirit and whole commandment out .of the teJi ; but to keep up
extent of this commandment, this place must be col- the number they have divided the tenth into two. This
lated with Deut. iv. 15, &c. Take ye therefore good is totally contrary to the faith of God's elect and to
heed unto yourselves —
lest ye corrupt yourselves
:

—
and the acknowledgment of that truth which is according
make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, to godliness. The verse is found in every MS. of the
the likeness of male or female. All who have even Hebrew Pentateuch that has ever yet been discovered.
the slightest acquaintance with the ancient history of It is in all the ancient versions, Samaritan, Chaldee,
Egypt, know that Osiris and his wife Isis were su- Syriac, Septuagint, Vulgate, Coptic, and Arabic also ;

preme divinities among that people. in the Persian, and in all modern versions. There
—
The likeness of any beast. 710713 hehemah, such as is not one word of the whole verse wanting in the
the ox and the heifer. Among the Egyptians the ox many hundreds of MSS. collected by Kennicott and
was not only sacred but adored, because the}'' supposed De Rossi. This corruption of the word of God by
that in one of these animals Osiris took up his resi- the Roman Catholic Church stamps it, as a false and
dence hence they always had a living ox, which they
:
heretical Church, with the deepest brand of ever-during
supposed to be the habitation of this deity and they ; infamy !

imagined that on the death of one he entered into the This commandment also prohibits every species of
body of another, and so on successively. This famous external idolatry, as the first does all idolatry that majr
ox-god they called Apis and Mnevis. be called internal or mental. All false worship may
The likeness of any ivinged fowl. —The ibis, or be considered of this kind, together with all image
stork, or crane, and hawk, may be here intended, for worship, and all other superstitious rites and ceremo-
all these were objects of Egyptian idolatry. nies. See the note on ver. 23.
The likeness of any thing
creepeth. The that — Verse 5. Jealous God^ This shows in a most ex-
crocodile, serpents, the scarabeus were all or beetle, pressive manner the love of God to this people. He
objects of their adoration and Mr. Bryant has ren- ; felt for them as the most affectionate husband could
dered it very probable that even the frog itself was a do for his spouse and was jealous for their fidelity,
;

sacred animal, as from its inflation it was emblematic because he willed their invariable happiness.
of the prophetic influence, for they supposed that the Visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children]
god inflated or distended the body of the person by This necessarily implies if the children walk in the
whom he gave oracular answers. steps of their fathers ; for no man can be condemned
The likeness of any fish. —AWfish were esteemed by Divine justice for a crime of which he was never
sacred animals among the Egyptians. One called guilty see Ezek. xviii. Idolatry is however particu-
;

Oxurunchus had, according to Strabo, lib. xvii., a tem- larly intended, and visiting sins of this kind refers
ple, and divine honours paid to it. Another fish, called principally to national judgments. By withdrawing
Vol. I.
( 27 ) 401
 —
Preface to the commandments. EXODUS. The first, against tdolatry,
A. M. 2513.
B. C. 1491.
^ND God spake all these Egypt, •=
out of the house of A. M. 2513.
An. Exod. 1st. 1. words, saying, ''
bondage. B. C. 1491.
Si van. An. Exod. Isr. I
2 '' I am the Lord thy God, 3 « Thou shalt have no other Sivan.
which have brought thee out of the land of gods before me.
»Deut. V. 22. bLev. xxvi. 1, 13 Deut. v. 6 Psa. Ixxxi. 10: d
;
; Heb. servants. e
Deut. v. 7; vi. 14 ; 2 Kings
Hos. xiii. 4. <:
Chap. xvii. 35 : Jer
xiii. 3.
XXV. 6; XXXV. 15.

NOTES ON CHAP. XX. of theology, the true notions we should form

of the Di-
Verse 1. All these tvords] Houbigant supposes, vine nature, the reverence we owe and
the religious
and with great plausibility of reason, that the clause service we should render to him. The SEcoND.^con-
n7xn Dnjnn ^2 nx elk col haddebarim haelleh, " taining the six last
commandments, and comprehend-
all
these words," belong to the latter part of the conclud-
ing a complete system of ethics, or moral duties
ing verse of chap, xix., which he thinks should be
which
read man owes to his fellows, and on the due
performance
thus And Moses went down unto the people, and of which the order,
:

peace, and happiness of society-

spake unto them all these words i. e., delivered depend. By this division, the
;
first table contains our
the solemn charge relative to their not attempting
to duty to God the second our duty to our neighbour.
;
come up to that part of the mountain on which God This division, which is natural enough, refers us
to
manifested himself in his glorious majesty, lest
he the grand principle, love to God and love
to man,
should break forth upon them and consume them.
For through which both tables are observed. 1. Thou
how could Divine justice and purity suffer a people so Shalt love the Lord thy God with aU thy
heart, soul,
defiled to stand in his immediate presence
When ? mind, and strength. 2. Thou shalt love thy neigh-
Moses, therefore, had gone down and spoken all these
bour as thyself. On these two hang all the law and
words, and he and Aaron had reascended the mount,
the prophets. See Matt. xxii. 37-40.
then the Divine Being, as supreme legislator,
is ma-
jestically introduced thus the first commandment.
__ ; And God spake, saying.
This- givea a dignity to the commencement of this
Against mental or theoretic idolatry.
chapter of which the clause above mentioned, if not Verse 2. lascithe Lord thy God]
"j^hSn nm" Yeho-
referred to the speech of Moses, deprives it. The vah eloheycha. On
word Jehovah, which we here
the
Anglo-Saxon favours this emendation Irob rpn«c &ur, translate Lord, see the notes on Gen. ii. 4, and
:
Exod.
God spoke thus, which is the whole of the first verse vi. 3. And on the word Elohim., here translated God,
as it stands in that version. see on Gen. i. 1. It is worthy of remark that each
Some learned men are of opinion that the ten com- individual is addressed here, and not the people col-
mandments were delivered on May 30, being then the lectively,though they are all necessarily included that ;

day of pentecost. each might feel that he was bound for himself to hear
and do all these words. Moses laboured to impress
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
this personal interest on the people's minds, when
he
The laws delivered on Mount Sinai have been va- said, Deut. v. 3, 4 " The Lord made this covenant
:

riously named. In Deut. iv. 13, they are called niiy;' with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day."
D^^^in asereth haddebarim, the ten words. In the Brought thee out of the land of Egypt, d^c] And
preceding chapter, ver. 5, God calls them '^\'^^2 nx eth by this very
thing have proved myself to be superior
berithi, my covenant, i. e., the agreement he
entered to all gods, unlimited in power, and most gracious as
into with the people of Israel to take them for his
pecu- well as fearful in operation. This is the preface or
liar people, if they took him for their God
and portion. introduction, but should not be separated from the com-
If ye loill obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant,
mandment. Therefore,
then shall ye be a peculiar treasure unto me. And Verse 3. Thou shalt have no other gods before ?ne.]
the word covenant here evidently refers to the
given in this chapter, as is evident from Deut. iv. 13
laivs D''inx D'ri/N elohim acherim, no strange gods
that thou art not acquainted with, none who has not
:
none —
And he declared unto you his covenant, ivhich he given thee such proofs of his
power and godhead as
commanded you to perform, even ten com.mandments. I have done in
delivering thee from the Egyptians,
They have been also termed the jnoral law, because
dividing the Red Sea, bringing water out of the rock,
they contain and lay down rules for the
regulation of quails into the desert, manna from heaven to feed thee,
the inanners or conduct of men.
Sometimes they and the pillar of cloud to direct, enlighten, and shield
have been termed the law, minn hattorah,
by way thee. By these miracles God had rendered himself
of eminence, as containing the grand system of
spirit- familiar to them, they were intimately acquainted with
ual instruction, direction, guidance, &c.
See on the the operation of his hands and therefore with great ;
word LAW, chap. xii. 49. And frequently the deca- propriety he says. Thou shalt have no strange gods
logue, Ae«a?.o70f, which is a literal translation
into before me '33 7>' al panai, before or in the place of ;

Greek of the D'lmn mr;' asereth haddebarim, or ten

those 7nanifestations which I have made of myself.
WORDS, of Moses.
This commandment prohibits every species of men-
Among divines they are generally divided into what tal idolatry,
and all inordinate attachment to earthly
they term the first and second tables. The first and sensible things. As God is the fountain of hap-
table containing the first, second, third, and fourth
piness, and no intelligent creature can be happy but
*^''>mmandnients, and comprehending the whole system through
him, whoever seeks happiness in the creature
400
 : ; — :

The second, against making CHAP. XX. and worshipping images

A. M. 2513. 4 ^Thou shalt not make unto 5 ^ Thou shalt not bow down A. M. 2513.
B. C. 1491.
An. Exod. Isr. 1. thee any graven image, or any thyself to them, nor serve them An. : JExod. isr. 1
Sivan. ^'^^°-
likeness of any thing that is in for I the Lord thy God am ^ d.
heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, jealous God, Wisiting the iniquity of the
or that is in the water under the earth fathers upon the children, unto the third and

f Lev. xxvi.
1 Deut. iv. 16
; v. 8 xxvii. 15
; Psa. xcvii. 7.
; ; Neh. i. 2. i
Chap, xxxiv. 7 ; Lev. xx. 5 ; xxvi. 39, 40 ; Num.
e Chap, xxiii. 24 Josh, xxiii. 7 ; 2 Kings xvii. 35 Isa. xliv. 15, XIV. 18, 33 ; 1 Kings xxi. 29 ; Job v. 4 ; xxi. 19
; ;
; Psa. Ixxix. 8 ;
19. » Chap, xxxiv. 14 ; Deut. iv. 24 ; vi. 15 ; Josh. xxiv. 19 cix. 4 ; Isa. xiv. 20, 21 ; Ixv." 6, 7 ; Jer. ii. 9 ; xxxii. 18.

is necessarily an idolater ; as he puts the creature in Phagrus, was worshipped at Syene, according to Cle-
the place of the Creator, expecting; that from the grati- mens Alexandrinus in his Cohortatio. And the Lepi-
fication of his passions, in the use or abuse of earthly- dotus and eel were objects of their adoration, as we
things, which is to be found in God alone. The very find from Herodotus, lib. ii., cap. 72. In short, oxen,
first commandment of the whole series is divinely cal- heifers, sheep, goats, lions, dogs, monkeys, and cats;
culated to prevent man's misery and promote his hap- the ibis, the crane, and the hawk ; the crocodile, ser-
piness, by taking him oif from dependence, and
all false pents, frogs, flies, and the scarabeus or beetle; the
leading him to God himself, the fountain of all good. Nile and its fish ; the sun, moon, planets, and stars ;
THE SECOND COMMANDMENT. fire, light, air, darkness, and night, were all objects
of Egyptian idolatry, and all included in this very cir-
Against inaking and loorshipping images.
cumstantial prohibition as detailed in Deuteronomy,
Verse 4. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven and very forcibly in the general terms of the text
tmagel As the word SdS pasalhew, carve, signifies to Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or
grave, &c., '703 pesel may here signify any kind of image, any likeness of any thing that is in the heavens above,
either of xoood, stone, or metal, on which the axe, the or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the watee
chisel, or the graving tool has been employed. This under the earth. And the reason of this becomes self
commandment includes in its prohibitions every species evident, when
the various objects of Egyptian idolatry
of idolatry known to have been practised among the are considered.
Egyptians. The reader will see this the more plainly To
countenance its image worship, the Roman Ca-
by consulting the notes on the ten plagues, particularly tholicChurch has left the whole of this second com-
those on chap. xii. mandment out of the decalogue, and thus lost one
Or any likeness, <SfC.^ To know the full spirit and whole commandment out .of the ten ; but to keep up
extent of this commandment, this place must be col- the number they have divided the tenth into two. This
lated with Deut. iv. 15, &c. Take ye therefore good
heed unto yourselves —
lest ye corrupt yourselves and
:

— is

the
totally contrary tothe faith of God's
acknowledgment of that truth which
elect
is
and to
according
make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, to godliness. The verse is found in every MS. of the
the likeness of male or female. All who have even Hebrew Pentateuch that has ever yet been discovered.
the slightest acquaintance with the ancient history of It is in all the ancient versions, Samaritan, Chaldee,
Egypt, know that Osiris and his wife Isis were su- Syriac, Septuagint, Vulgate, Coptic, and Arabic also ;

preme divinities among that people. in the Persian, and in all modern versions. There
The likeness of any beast. —
nrDHn behemah, such as is not one word of the whole verse wanting
in the
the ox and the heifer. Among the Egyptians the ox many hundreds of MSS. collected by Kennicott and
was not only sacred but adored, because they supposed De Rossi. This corruption of the word of
God by
that in one of these animals Osiris took up his resi- the Roman
Catholic Church stamps it, as a false and
dence hence they always had a living ox, which they heretical Church, with the deepest
:

brand of ever-during
supposed to be the habitation of this deity and they ; inflimy !

imagined that on the death of one he entered into the This commandment also prohibits every species of
body of another, and so on successively. This famous external idolatry, as the first does all idolatry that may-
ox-god they called Apis and Mnevis. be called internal or mental. All false luorship may
The likeness of any ivinged fowl. —The ibis, or be considered of this kind, together with all image
stork, or crane, and hawk, may be here intended, for worship, and all other superstitious rites and ceremo-
all these were objects of Egyptian idolatry. nies. See the note on ver. 23.
Thelikeness of any thing that creepeth.
crocodile, serpents, the scarabeus or beetle, were
The — Verse 5. This shows in a most ex-
Jealous God"]
all pressive manner the love of God to this people. He
objects of their adoration and Mr. Bryant has ren-
;
felt for them as the most affectionate husband could
dered very probable that even the frog itself was a
it
do for his spouse and was jealous for their fidelity,
;

sacred animal, as from its inflation it was emblematic

because he willed their invariable happiness.
of the prophetic influence, for they supposed that the
Visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children]
god inflated or distended the body of the person by This necessarily implies if the children walk in the
whom he gave oracular answers. steps of their fathers ; for no man can be condemned
The
sacred animals
likeness of any fish. —All^^A were esteemed by Divine justice for a crime of which he was never
among the Egyptians. One called guilty see Ezek. xviii. Idolatry is however particu-
;

Oxurunchus had, according to Strabo, lib. xvii., a tem- sins of this kind refers
larly intended, and visiting
ple, and divine honours paid to Another By withdrawing
it. fish, called principally to national judgments.
Vol. I. 27
( ) 401
 —— s;

The seventh, eighth, ninth, EXODUS. and tenth commandments.

A. M. 2513. 14 " Thou shalt not commit 17 '^

Thou shalt not covet thy A.M. 2513.
B. C. 1491.
An. Exod. Isr. 1 adultery. neighbour's house, ^ thou shalt not An. Exod. Isr. l.

Sivan. ^'^'^°'
\b ^ Thou shalt not steal. covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his
16 Thou shalt not bear false witness man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox,
against thy neighbour. nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbour's.

«Deut, V. 18; Matt. v. 27. "Lev. xix. 11; Deut. v. 19; ^ Deut. V. 21 ; Mic. ii.2; Hab. ii.9 ;Luke xii. 15 ; Acts xx.
Matt. xix. 18; Rom. xiii. 9; 1 Thess. iv. 6. "^ Chap, xxiii. 1; 33 ; Rom. vii. 7 xiii. ; 9 Eph.
; v. 3, 5 Heb. xiii. 5.
; y Job

Deut. V. 20 ; xix. 16; Matt. xix. 18. xxxi. 9 ; Prov. vi. 29 Jer. ; v. 8 ; Matt. v. 28.

4. All lad dispositions which lead men to wish evil to, THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT.
or meditate mischief against, one another ; for, says the Against stealing and dishonesty.
Scripture, He that hateth his brother in his heart is a
Verse 15. shalt not steal.] Thou
All rapine and
murderer. 5. AW want
of charitij to the helpless and
theft are forbidden by this precept as well national ;

distressed for ; he who

has it in his power to save the
and commercial wrongs as petty larceny, highway rob-
life of another by a timely application of succour, food,
beries, and private stealing even the taking advan- :

raiment, &c., and does not do it, and the life of the
tage of a seller's or buyer's ignorance, to give the one
person either falls or is abridged on this account,
is
less and make the other pay mo7-c for a commodity than
in the sight of God a murderer. He who neglects to itsworth, is a breach of this sacred law. All luithholding
save life is, according to an incontrovertible maxim in
of rights and doing of wrongs are against the spirit
law, the SAME as he who takes it away. 6. All riot
of it. But the word is principally applicable to clan-
and excess, all drunkenness and gluttony, all inacti-
destine stealing, though may undoubtedly include all
it
vity and slothfulness, and all superstitious mollifica-
political injustice and private wrongs. And conse-
tions and self-denials, by which life may be destroyed
quently all kidnapping, crimping, and slave-dealing are
or shortened ; all these are point-blank sins against
prohibited here, whether practised by individuals or by
"^ tXisth commandment.
Crimes are not lessened in their demerit by
the state.
number, or political importance of those who com-
- ,^, JLthe.
THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT.
mit them. ~iA_^^aie that enacts bad laivs is as criminal
Against adultery and uncleanness.
before God as the individual who breaks good ones.
Verse 14. Thou shalt not commit adultery.'] Adul- It has been supposed thaf under the eighth com-
tery, as defined by our laws, is of
two kinds double, mandment, injuries done to characi&r, the depriving a
;

when between two married persons single, when one man of his reputation or good name, are included
;

of the parties is married, the other single.

One prin- hence those words of one of our poets :

of the criminality of adultery consists in its

cipal part Good name in man or woman
injustice. 1 It robs a man of his right by taking
Is the immediate jewel of their souls.
.

from him the affection of his wife. 2. It does him a

Who steals my purse steals trash ;

wrong by fathering on him and obliging him to main- But he that filches from me ray good name,
tain as his own a spurious offspring a child which is — Robs me of that which not enriches him,
not his. The act itself, and every thing leading to
And makes me poor indeed.
the act, is prohibited by this commandment for our ;

on a woman to lust after THE NINTH COMMANDMENT.

Lord says. Even he who looks
her, has already committed adultery luith her
in his Against /a/5e testimony, perjury, &c.
heart. And not only adultery (the unlawful commerce Verse 16. Thou shalt not bear false witness, Sfc]
between two married persons) is forbidden here, but Not only false oaths, to deprive a man of his life or
sensual
also fornication and all kinds of mental and of his right, are here prohibited, but all ichispering,
uncleanness. All impure books, songs, paintings, &c., tale-bearing, slander, and calumny ; in a word, what-
which tend to inflame and debauch the mind, are ever is deposed as a truth, which is false in fact, and
against this law, as well as another species of impurity, tends to injure another in his goods, person, or charac-
for the account of which the reader is referred to the ter, is against the spirit and letter of this law. Sup-
notes on Gen. xxxviii. at the end. That fornication pressing the truth when known, by which a person
•was included under this command we may gather from may be defrauded of his property or his good name, or
St. Matthew, XV. 19, where our Saviour expresses the lie under injuries or disabilities which a discovery of
sense of the different commandments by a ivord for the truth would have prevented, is also a crime against
each, and mentions them in the order in which they this law. He who bears a false testimony against or
stand but when he comes to the seventh he uses two belies even the devil himself, comes under the curse
;

words, fxoix^iai, nopveiai, to express its meaning, and of this law, because his testimony is false. By the
then goes on to the eighth, &c. thus evidently show- term neighbour any human being is intended, whether
;

ing that fornication was understood to be comprehended he rank among our enemies or frie7jds.
under the command, " Thou shalt not commit adul-
THE TENTH CO.M.MANDMENT.
tery." As word adultery, adulterium, it has
to the
Against covetouaness.
probably been derived from the words ad altcrius torum,
shalt not covet thy neighbour''
Thou
to another's bed ; for it is going to the bed of another Verse 17.
man that constitutes the act and the crime. Adultery house — wife, c^c] Covet signifies to desire or long
often meane idolatry in the worship of God. after, in order to enjoy as a properly the person or
404
 ;

The people are greatly ajt aid. CHAP. XX. They are not to make false gods
A. M. 2513. And saw 2 1 And
B. C. 1491.
An. Exod. isr. 1.
Ill-18
the thunderiiigs, and
all the people
1
the light-
^

and Moses drew near unto

the people stood afar
^ the
off, A.

An. Exod.
M. 2513.

isr. 1
'^'^^' ^^''^
nings, and the noise of the trum- thick darkness, where God was.
pet, and the mountain smoking and when 22 And the Lord said unto Moses, Thus
''
:

the people saw they removed, and stood thou shall say unto the children of Israel, Ye
it,

afar off: have seen that I have talked with you from '

19 And they said unto Moses, ° Speak thou heaven.

with us, and we will hear : but "^
let not God 23 Ye shall not make ^ with me gods of
speak with us, lest we die. silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods
20 And Moses said unto the people, ^ Fear of gold.
not :
^ for God is come to prove you, and 24 An altar of earth thou shalt make unto
^ that his fear may be before your faces, that me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offer
ye sin not. ings, and thy peace-offerings, ^ thy sheep and

Heb. xii. 18.

2 * Rev. i. 10, 12. b Ch. xix. 18. Deut. >:
58 ; Prov. iii. 7 ; xvi. 6 ; Chap. xix. 16
Isa. viii. 13.
•»
Deut ;
V. 27 xviii. 16 Gal. iii. 19, 20 Heb. xii. 19.
; ;
i Deut. v. 25.
; V. 5 ; 1 Kings viii. 12. Deut. iv. 36 Neh. ix. 13.
' ;
^ Chap.
«1 Sam. xii. 20; Isa. xii. 10, 13. f
Gen. xxii. 1 Deut. xiii. ; xxxii. 1, 2, 4 ; 1 Sara. v. 4, 5 2 Kings xvii. 33 Ezek. xx. 39 ,
; ;

3. s Deut. iv. 10 vi. 2 x. 12 xvii. 13, 19 xix. 20 ; xxviii. Dan. v. 4, 23 Zeph. i. 5 2 Cor. vi 14, 15, 16. 1 Le v. i.
; ; ; ; xliii. 8 ; ; ; . 2.

thing coveted. He breaks this command who by any that ye sin not — that, through the love and reverence
means endeavours to deprive a man of his house or ye feel to your Maker and Sovereign, ye may abstain
farm by taking them over his head, as it is expressed from every appearance of evil, lest you should forfeit
in some countries who lusts after his neighbour's that love which is to you better than life. He who
;

wife, and endeavours to ingratiate himself into her fears in the first sense can neither love nor obey ; he
affections, and to lessen her husband in her esteem ;
who fears not in the latter sense is sure to fall under
and who endeavours to possess himself of the servatils, the first may occur. Blessed is the
temptation that
cattle, &c., of another in any clandestine or unjustifia- man tvho
feareth always.
\.h.VLS

ble manner. " This is a most excellent moral pre- Verse 22. / have talked with you from heaven.]
cept, the observance of which will prevent all public Though God manifested himself by the fire, the light-
crimes for he who feels the force of the law that
; ning, the earthquake, the thick darkness, &c., yet the
prohibits the inordinate desire of any thing that is the ten ivords, or commandmemts were probably uttered
property of another, can never make a breach in the from the higher regions of the air, which would be
peace of society by an act of wrong to any of even its an additional proof to the people that there was no
feeblest members." imposture in this case for though strange appear- ;

Verse 18. And

people saw the ihunderings,
all the ances and voices might be counterfeited on earth, as
cfc] They had witnessed all these awful things be- was often, no doubt, done by the magicians of Egypt
fore, (see chap. xi.x. 16,) but here they seem to have yet it would be utterly impossible to represent a voice,
been repeated probably at the end of each command,
; in a long continued series of instruction, as proceeding
there was a peal of thunder, a blast of the trumpet, from heaven itself, or the higher regions of the atmo-
and a gleam of lightning, to impress their hearts the sphere. This, with the earthquake and repeated thun-
more deeply with a due sense of the Divine Majesty, ders, (see on verse 18,) would put the reality of this
of the holiness of the law which was now delivered, whole procedure beyond all doubt and this enabled ;

and of the fearful consequences of disobedience. This Moses, Deut. v. 26, to make such an appeal to the
had the desired effect the people were impressed with
; people on a fact incontrovertible and of infinite import-
a deep religious fear and a terror of God's judgments ;
ance, that God had indeed talked with them face to face.
acknowledged themselves perfectly satisfied with the Verse 23. Ye shall not make with me gods of silver]
discoveries God had made of himself; and requested The expressions here are very remarkable. Before it
that Moses might be constituted the mediatorhelween was said. Ye shall have no other gods before me,
God and them, as they were not able to bear these "J3 S;.' al panai, ver. 3. Here they are commanded,
tremendous discoveries of the Divine Majesty. " Speah ye shall not make gods of silver or gold 'HX itti with
thou loith us, and ive loill Hear ; but let not God speak me, as emblems or representatives of God, in order, as
with us, lest ice die;''"' ver. 19. This teaches us the might be pretended, to keep these displays of his mag-
absolute necessity of that great Mediator between God nificence in memory on the contrary, he would have
;

and man, Christ Jesus, as no man can come unto the

Father but by him.
only an altar of earth —
of plain turf, on which they
should offer those sacrifices by which they should
Verse 20. And Moses said Fear not : for God is — commemorate their own guilt and the necessity of an
come to prove you, and that his fear may be before atonement to reconcile themselves to God. See the
your faces] The maxim contained in this verse is, note on verse 4.
Fear not, that ye may fear do not fear with such a —
Verse 24. Thy burnt-offerings, and thy peace-offer-
fear as brings consternation into the soul, and pro- ings] The law concerning which was shortly to be
duces nothing but terror and confusion but fear with given, though sacrifices of this kind were in use from
;

that fear which reverence and f/ial affection inspire, the days of Abel.

405
General directions for EXODUS. the erection oj altars.

A. M. 2513. thine oxen™ places, where

: in all for if thou lift up thy tool upon a. m. 2513.
• 1 . ^^\ J . B. C. 1491.
I record my name, I will came
^

An.Exod.isr. 1. It, thou hast polluted it. An. Exod. Isr.

^'''^"
^^^^-
unto thee, and I will ''bless thee. 26 Neither shalt thou go ~~ "-
up
25 And ° if thou wilt make me an altar of by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness
^

stone, thou shalt not p build it of hewn stone be ;

not discovered thereon.

Deut. xii. 5, 11, 21 xiv. 23 ; xvi. 6, 11

«> ; xxvi. 2 1 Kings ; ;
"Gen. xii. 2 Deut. vii. 13. » Deut. xxvii. 5
; Josh. viii. 31; ;

43 ix. 3
viii. ; 2 Chron. vi. 6 vii. 16
; xii. 13 ; Ezra vi. 12 ; ; ;
1 Mac. iv. 47. P Heb. build them with heiving ; Deut. xxvii. 5,

Neh. i. 9 Psa. Ixxiv. 7 Jer. vii. 10, 12.

; ;
6. qLev. X. 3 Psa. Ixxxix. 7 Heb. xii. 28, 29.
; ;

all places where I record my name]

In Wherever it might be as dissimilar as possible
thing belonging to
I amworshipped, whether in the open wilderness, at from that of the surrounding heathenish nations, and
the tabernacle, in the temple, the synagogues, or else- especially the Egyptians, from whose land they had
w? ere, I will come unto thee and bless thee. These just now departed. This seems to have been the
words are precisely the same in signification with whole design of those statutes on which many com-
those of our Lord, Matt, xviii. 20 For lohere two or mentators have written so largely and learnedly,
:

three are gathered together in my name, there am I in imagining difldculties where probably there are none.
the midst of them. And as it was JESUS Avho was The altars of the tabernacle were of a different kind.
the angel that spoke to them in the wilderness, Acts
vii. 38, from the same mouth this promise in the law In this and the preceding chapter we have met with
and that in the Gospel proceeded. some of the most awful displays of the Divine Majes-
Verse 25. Thou shalt not build it of hewn stone] ty manifestations of justice and holiness which have ;

Because they were now in a wandering state, and had no parallel, and can have none till that day arrive in
as yet no fixed residence and therefore no time should which he shall appear in his glory, to judge the quick
;

be wasted to rear costly altars, which could not be and the dead. The glory was truly ten-ible, and to
trtllKpGi ted with them, and which they must soon leave. the children of Israel insufferable and yet how highly ;

Besides, they must not lavish skill or expense on the privileged to have God himself speaking to them from
construction of an altar the altar of itself, whether the midst of the fire, giving them statutes and judg-
;

costly or mean, was nothing in the worship it was ments so righteous, so pure, so holy, and so truly ex-
;

only the place on which the victim should be laid, and cellent in their operation and their end, that they have
their mind must be attentively fixed on that God to been the admiration of all the wise and upright in all
whom the sacrifice was offered, and on the sacrifice countries and ages of the world, where their voice
itself, as that appointed by the Lord to make an atone- has been heard Mohammed defied all the poets and !

ment for their sins. literati of Arabia to match the language of the Koran ;

Verse 26. Neither shalt thou go up hy steps unto and for purity, elegance, and dignity it bore away the
mine altar] The word altar comes from altus, high or palm, and remained unrivalled. This indeed was the
elevated, though the Hebrew word n!3T?D mizbach, from only advantage which the work derived from its au-
nDT zabach, to slay, kill, &c., signifies merely a place thor ; for its other excellences it was indebted to Mo-
for sacrifice ; see Gen. viii. 20. But the heathens, who ses and the prophets, to Christ and the apostles ; as
imitated the rites of the true God in their idolatrous there is scarcely a pure, consistent, theologic notion
worship, made their altars very high whence they in it, ;
that has not been borrowed from our sacred books.
derived their name altaria, altars, i. e., very high or Moses calls the attention of the people, not to the lan-
elevated places which they built thus, partly through guage
; which these Divine laws were given, though
in
pride and vain glory, and partly that their gods might that is all that it should be, and every way worthy of

the better hear them. Hence also the high places or its author compressed yet perspicuous
; simple yet ;

idolatrous altars so often and so severelycondemned dignified ; in short, such as God should speak if he
in the Holy Scriptures. The heathens made some of wished his creatures to compreliend ; but he calls their
their altars excessively high and some imagine that ;
attention to the purity, righteousness, and usefulness
the pyramids were altars of this kind, and that the of the grand revelation which they had just received.
inspired writer refers to those in these prohibitions. For lohat nation, says he, is there so great, tvho hath
God therefore ordered his altars to be made, 1. either God so nigh unto them, as Jehovah our God is, in all
of simple turf, that there might be no unnecessary things that ive call upon hitn for ? And ivhat nation
expense, which, in their present circumstances, the hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this
people could not well afford and that they might be ; law tohich I set before you this day ? And that which
no incentives from their costly or curious
to idolatry was the sum of present case was
all excellence in the
structure; or 2. of unhewn stone, that no images of this, that the God who gave these laws dwelt among
animals or of the celestial bodies might be sculptured his people to him they had continual access, and
;

on them, as was the case among the idolaters, and from him received that power without which obedience
especially among the Egyptians, as several of their so extensive and so holy would have been impossible ;

ancient altars which remain to the present day amply and yet not one of these laws exacted more than eter-
testify ; which altars themselves, and the images nal reason, the nature and fitness of things, the pros-
carved on them, became in process of time incentives perity of the community, and the peace and happiness
to idolatry, and even objects of worship. In short, of the individual, required. The law is holy, and the
God formed every part of his worship so that every I
COMMANDMENT is HOLY, JUST, and GOOD.
406
 —
Observations on the CHAP. XXL preceding chapter.

To show still more clearly the excellence and great purity written on the soul
? If even the regenerate
utility of the ten commandments, and to correct some man, as some have unwarily asserted, does daily break
mistaken notions concerning them, it may be neces- these commands, these ten words, in thought, word,
sary to make a few additional observations. And and deed, he may be as bad as Satan for aught we
1. worthy of remark that there is none of these
It is know ; Satan himself cannot transgress in more
for
commandments, nor any part of one, which can fairly forms than these, for sin can be committed in no
be considered as merely ceremonial. All are moral, other way, either by bodied or disembodied spirits,
and consequently of everlasting obligation. 2. When than by thought, or word, or deed. Such sayings as
considered merely as to the letter, there is certainly these tend to destroy the distinction between good and
no difficulty in the moral obedience required to them. evil, and leave the infidel and the believer on a par as
Let every reader take tliem up one by one, and ask to their moral state. The people of God should be
his conscience before God, which of them he is under careful how they use them. 7. It must be granted,
a fatal and uncontrollable necessity to break? 3. and indeed has sufliciently appeared from the preced-
Though by the incarnation and death of Christ all the ing exposition of these commandments, that they are
ceremonial law which referred to him and his sacrifice not only to be understood in the letter but also in the
is necessarily abrogated, yet, as none of these ten spirit, and that therefore they may be broken in the
commandments reler to any thing properly ceremonial, heart while outwardly kept inviolate; yet this does not
therefore they are not abrogated. 4. Though Christ prove that a soul influenced by the grace and spirit of
came into the redeem them who believe from
world to Christ cannot most conscientiously observe them ; for
the curse of the law, he did not redeem them from the grace of the Gospel not only saves a man from
the necessity of walking in that newness of life which outward but also from inward sin for, says the hea-
;

these commandments so strongly inculcate. 5. Though venly messenger, his name shall be called Jesus, (i. e.,
Christ is said to have fulfilled the law for us, yet it Saviour,) because he shall save, (i. e., deliver) his
is nowhere intimated in the Scripture that he has so people FROM their sins. Therefore the weakness or
fulfilled these ten laws, as to exempt us from the corruption of human nature forms no argument here,
necessity and privilege of being no idolaters, swearers, because the blood of Christ cleanses from all unright-
Sabbath-breakers, disobedient and cruel children, mur- eousness and he saves to the uttermost all who come
;

derers, adulterers, thieves, and corrupt witnesses. All unto the Father through him. It is therefore readily
these commandments, it is true, he punctually fulfilled granted that no man unassisted and uninfluenced by
himself; and all these he writes on the heart of every the grace of Christ can keep these commandments,
soul redeemed by his blood. 6. Do not those who either in the letter or in the spirit ; but he who is truly
scruple not to insinuate that the proper observation of converted to God, and has Christ dwelling in his heart
these laws is impossible in this life, and that eveiy by faith, can, in the letter and in the spirit, do all
man since the fall does daily break them in thought, these things, because Christ strengthens him. - —
word, and deed, bear false witness against God and Reader, the following is a good prayer, and oftentimes
his truth and do they not greatly err, not knoiving
! thou hast said it now learn to pray it
; :
" Lord, have
the Scripture, which teaches the necessity of such mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep these
obedience, nor the potoer of God, by which the evil laws I Lord, have mercy upon us, and write all these thy
principle of the heart is destroyed, and the law of laws in our hearts, we beseech thee !" Com Se'mice

CHAPTER XXL
Latos concerning servants. They
shall serve for only seven years, 1,2. If a servant brought a wife to
servitude with him, both should go out free on the seventh year, 3. If his master had given him a wife,
and she bore him children, he might go out free on the seventh year, but his ivife and children must remain,
as the property of the master, 4. If, through love to his master, wife, and children, he did not choose to
avail himself of the privilege granted by the law, of going out free on the seventh year, his ear luas to be
bored to the door post with an awl, as an emblem of his being attached to the family for ever, 5, 6. Laws
concerning maid-servants, betrothed to their masters or to the sons of their masters, 7-11. Laws con-
cerning battery and murder, 12-15. Concerning men-stealing, 16. Concerning him that curses his
parents, 17. between man and man, 18, 19
Of strife between a master and his servants, 20, 21.
;
Of
injuries done to women
pregnancy, 22. The lex talionis, or law of like for like, 23-25.
in Of injuries
done to servants, by which they gain the right of freedom, 26, 27. Laws concerning the ox which has
gored men, 28-32. Of the pit left uncovered, into ivhich a man or a beast has fallen, 33, 34. Laws
concerning the ox that kills another, 35, 36.
•»
407
 ;

La/u)a concerning servants. EXODUS. Ceremony of boring the ear

A. M. 2513. IVrOW these are tlie judgments wife and her children shall be a. M. 2513.

An^ESodS. 1. which thou shall * set before her master's, and he shall go An. Exod. isr. 1
^''"^- ^''^°-
them. out by himself.
2 '''
If thou buy a Hebrew servant, six 5 "^
And if the servant ^ shall plainly say, I

years he shall serve : and in the seventh he love my master, my wife, and my children;
shall go out free for nothing. I will not go out free :

3 If he came in by himself, he shall go

•=
6 Then his master shall bring him unto the
out by himself : if he were married, then his ^judges; he shall also bring him to the door,
wife shall go out with him. or unto the door post ; and his master shall

4 If his master have given him a wife, and ^ bore his ear through with an awl ; and he
she have borne him sons or daughters ; the shall serve him for ever.

» Chap. xxiv. 3, 4 ; Deut. iv. 14 ; vi. 1. ^ Lev. xxv. 39, 40, 41 ^ Deut. XV. 16, 17. « Heb. saying shall say. ' Chap. xii. 12 ;

Deut. XV. 12 ; Jer. xxxiv. 14. ^ Heb. with his body. xxii. 8, 28. s Psa. xl. 6.

NOTES ON CHAP. XXI. in bondage, though he had been sold only one year
Verse 1. Now these dixe the judgments] There is so before.
much good sense, feeling, humanity, equity, and jus- Verse 3 . If he came in by himself]
If he and his
tice in the following laws, that they cannot but be wife came in go out together
together, they were to :

admired by every intelligent reader and they are so ; in all respects as he entered, so should he go out.
very plain as to require very little comment. The This consideration seems to have induced St. Jerome
laws in this chapter are termed political, those in the to translate the passage thus Cum quali veste intra- :

succeeding chapter judicial, laws and are supposed to ; verat, cum tali exeat. " He shall have the same coat
have been delivered to Moses alone, in consequence in going out, as he had when he came in ;" i. e., if
of the request of the people, chap. xx. 19, that God he came in with a new one, he shall go out with a
should communicate his will to Moses, and that Moses new one, which was perfectly just, as the former coat
should, as mediator, convey it to them. must have been worn out in his master's service, and
Verse 2. If thou buy a Hebreiu servantl Calmet not his own.
enumerates six diiferent ways in which a Hebrew Verse 4. The wife and her children shall be her
might lose his liberty 1 In extreme poverty they
: . master'' s] It was a law among the Hebrews, that if

might sell their liberty. Lev. xxv. 39 If thy brother : a Hebrew had children by a Canaanitish woman, those
be waxen poor, and be sold unto thee, &c. 2. A children must be considered as Canaanitish only, and
father might sell his children. If a man sell his might be sold and bought, and serve for ever. The
daughter to be a maid-servant ; see ver. 7. 3. In- law here refers to such a case only.
solvent debtors became the slaves of their creditors. Verse 6. Shall bring him unto the judges] DTl /NH vX
—
My husband is dead and the creditor is come to take el haelohim, literally, to God ; or, as the Septuagint
unto him my two sons to be bondmen, 2 Kings iv. 1. have it, npog to KpiTrjpiov Qeov, to the judgment of God;
4. A thief, if he had not money to pay the fine laid on who condescended to dwell among his people who de- ;

him by the law, was to be sold for his profit whom he termined all their differences till he had given them laws
had robbed. If he have nothing, then he shall be sold for all cases, and who, by his omniscience, brought to
for his theft; chap. xxii. 3, 4. 5. A Hebrew was light the hidden things of dishonesty. See chap. xxii. 8.
liable to be taken prisoner in war, and so sold for a Bore his ear through with an awl] This was a
slave. 6. A Hebrew slave who had been ransomed ceremony sufficiently significant, as it implied, 1. That
from a Gentile by a Hebrew might be sold by him he was closely attached to that house and family. 2.
who ransomed him, to one of his own nation. That he was bound to hear all his master's orders, and
Six years he shall serve] It was an excellent pro- to obey them punctually. Boring of the ear was an
vision in these laws, that no man could finally injure ancient custom in the east. It is referred to by Juve-
himself by any rash, foolish, or precipitate act. No nal : —
man could make himself a servant or slave for more Prior, inquit, ego adsum.
than seven years ; and if he mortgaged the family in- Cur timeam, dubitemve locutn defendere ? quamvts
heritance, it must return to the family at the jubilee, Natus ad Euphraten, molles quod in aure fenestb.*
which returned every fiftieth year. Arguerint, licet ipse negcm. Sat. i. 102.
It is supposed that the term six years
is to be un-
" First come, first served, he cries ; and I, in spite
derstood as referring to the sabbatical years for let ;

Of your great lordships, will maintain my right :

a man come into servitude at whatever part of the in-

Though born a .slave, though my torn ears are boreu,
terim between two sabbatical years, he could not be
'Tis not the birth, 'tis money makes the lord" Drvden.
detained in bondage beyond a sabbatical year so that ;

if he fell into bondage the third year after a sabbatical Calmet quotes a saying from Petronius as attesting
year, he had but three years to serve ; if the fifth, the same thing; and one from Cicero, in which he
but one. See on chap, Others sup- xxiii. 11, &c. rallies a Libyan who pretended he did not hear him :

pose that this privilege belonged only to the year " It is not," said he, " because your ears are not suf-
of jubilee, beyond which no man could be detained ficiently bored ;" alluding to his having been a slave
408
 31 — 71
6
9 :

Cf the betrothed maid-servant. CHAP. XXI. Of men-stealing and manslaughter

A. M. 2513. 7 And if a man ^ sell his upon his neighbour, to slay him a. m. 2513.
B. C. 1491. 1 ,
, .
1

An. Exod. Isr. 1. daughter to be a maid-servant, with guile ;

^ thou shalt take An. Exod. isr. 1.
^^^^'^- ^^''^'^"
she shall not go out ' as the him from mine altar, that he
men-servants do. may die.

8 If she ^ please not her master, who hath 15 And he that smiteth his father, or his
betrothed her to himself, then shall he let her mother, shall be surely put to death.
be redeemed : to sell her unto a strange nation 1 And * he that stealeth a man, and * selleth
he shall have no pow^er, seeing he hath dealt him, or if he be ^ found in his hand, he shall
deceitfully with her. surely be put to death.
9 And if he have betrothed her unto his son, 1 And "^
he that ""
curseth his father, or his
he shall deal with her after the manner of mother, shall surely be put to death.
daughters. 18 And if men strive together, and one
10 If he take him another wife ; her food, smite ^ another with a stone, or with his fist,
her raiment, ^ and her duty of marriage, shall and he die not, but keepeth his bed
he not diminish. 1 If he rise again, and walk abroad ^ upon
1 And if he do not these three unto her, his staff, then shall he that smote him be
then shall she go out free, without money. quit only he shall pay for ' the loss of his :

12 "» He that smiteth a man, so that he die, time, and shall cause him to be thoroughly
shall be surely put to death. healed.
1 And ° if a man lie not in wait, but God 20 And if a man smite his servant, or his
° deliver him into his hand ; then p I will ap- maid, with a rod, and he die under his hand;
point thee a place whither he shall flee. he shall be surely ^ punished.
14 But if a man come i presumptuously 2 Notwithstanding, if he continue a day or

•"Neh. V. 5. »
Ver. 2, 3. ''Heb. he evil in the eyes of, &c. 26. n
Kings ii. 28-34; 2 Kings xi. 15. 'Deut. xxiv. 7.
'1 Cor. vii. 3. ™ Gen. ix. 6; Lev. xxiv. 17 ; Num. xxxv. 30, ' Gen. xxxvii. 28. " Chap. xxii. 4. Lev. xx. 9 Prov. xx. ^'
;

31 Matthew xxvi. 52.

; " Numbers xxxv. 22; Deut. xix. 4, 5. 20 Matt. xv. 4
; Mark vii. 10. ;
"•
Or, revileth. ^ Or, his
"l Sam. xxiv. 4, 10, 18. P Num. xxxv. 11 ; Deut. xix. 3 ; Josh. neighbour. 2 Sam. iii. 29.
>' ^ Heb. his ceasing. ^ Heb.
XX. 2. q Num. xv. 30 xxxv. 20 ; Deut. xix. 11, 12 ; Heb. x.
; avenged ; Gen. iv. 15, 24 Rort). xiii. 4. ;

Verse 1 If a man sell his daughter]

. This the Verse 13. I ivill appoint thee a place ivhither he
Jews allowed no man to do but in extreme distress shall flee.] From the earliest times the nearest akin
when he had no goods, either movable or immovable had a right revenge the murder of his relation, and
to
left, even to the clothes on his back and he had this ; as this right was universally acknowledged, no law
permission only while she was unmarriageable. It was ever made on the subject but as this might be ;

may appear at first view strange that such a law abused, and a person who had killed another accident-
should have been given but let it be remembered, ; ally, having had no previous malice against him, might
that this servitude could extend, at the utmost, only to be put to death by the avenger of blood, as the near-
six years ; and that it was nearly the same as in some est kinsman was termed, therefore God provided the
cases of apprenticeship among us, where the parents cities of refuge to which the accidental manslayer
hind the child for seven years, and have from the mas- might flee till the affair was inquired into, and settled
ter so much per week during that period. by the civil magistrate.
Verse
Betrothed her unto his son, he shall deal
9. Verse 14. Thou shalt take him from mine altar]
with her] He shall give her the same dowry he would Before the cities of refuge were assigned, the altar of
give to one of his own daughters. From these laws God was the common asylum.
we learn, that if a man's son married his servant, by Verse 15. That smiteth his father, or his mother]
his father's consent, the father was obliged to treat As such a case argued peculiar depravity, therefore
her in every respect as a daughter ; and if the son no mercy was to be shown to the culprit.
married another woman, as it appears he might do, Verse 16. He that stealeth a man] By this law
ver. 10, he was obliged to make no abatement in the every man-stealer, and every receiver of the stolen
privileges of the ^^r^Mvife, either in her food, raiment, person, should lose his life no matter whether the ;

or duty of marriage. The word nnj;? onathah, here, latter stole the man himself, or gaA^e money to a slave
is the same with St. Paul's o<*>eLlofxevr}v cvvoiav, the mar- captain or negro-dealer to steal him for him.
riage debt, and with the 6/xiXcav of the Septuagint, Verse 19. Shall pay for the loss of his time, and
which signifies the cohabitation of man and ivife. shall cause him
thoroughly healed.] to be This was
Verse 11. These three] 1. B-ex food, r\^iW sheer ah, a wise and excellent institution, and most courts of
herJJesh, for she must not, like a common slave, be fed justice still regulate their decisions on such cases by
merely on vegetables. 2. Her raiment her private
wardrobe, with all occasional necessary additions. And,
— this Mosaic precept.
Verse 21. If the slave who had been beaten by his
3. The marriage debt
band's time and company.
a due proportion of the hus- — master died under his hand, the master was punished
with death see Gen. ix. 5, 6.
;
But if he survived
a 409
 — —

Law of like for like, EXODUS. and of the goring ox.

A. M. 2513. two, he shall not be punished 28 If an ox gore a man or a

: a. m. 2513.
B. C. 1491. r u
An. Exod. isr. 1. for
,
^ he IS
I
money.
his woman, that they die then « the :
An. Exod. Isr.
^^''^"- ^^^^"-
22 If men strive, and hurt a ox shall be surely stoned, and his
woman with child, so that her fruit depart flesh shall not be eaten ; but the owner of
fro?7i her, and yet no mischief follow : he the ox shall be quit.

shall be surely punished, according as the 29 But if the ox were wont to push with his
woman's husband will lay upon him and he horn in time past, and it hath been testified
;

shall pay as the judges determine.

"^
to his owner, and he hath not kept him in,
23 And if any mischief follow, then thou but that he hath killed a man or a woman ;

shalt give life for life, the ox shall be stoned, and his owner also
24 ^ Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for shall be put to death.
hand, foot for foot, 30 If there be laid on him a sum of money,
25 Burning for burning, wound for wound, then shall he give for ^ the ransom of his life
stripe for stripe. whatsoever is laid upon him.
26 And if a man smite the eye of his 3 1 Whether he have gored a son, or have
servant, or the eye of his maid, that it perish gored a daughter, according to this judgment ;

he shall let him go free for his eye's sake. shall it be done unto him.
27 And if he smite out his man-servant's 32 If the ox shall push a man-servant or a maid-
tooth, or his maid-servant's tooth ; he shall let servant ; he shall give unto their master ^ thirty

him go free for his tooth's sake. shekels of silver, and the ^ ox shall be stoned.
^ Lev. XXV. 45, 46. <:
Ver. 30 ; Dent. xxii. 18, 19. -i Lev. ^ Gen. ix. 5. -f Ver. 22 ; Num. xxxv. 31.- s See Zech. xi
xxiv. 20 ; Deut. xix. 21 Matt. v. 38.; 12, 13 ;
Matt. xxvi. 15; Phil. ii. 7. '
Ver. 28.

the beating a day or tioo the master was not punished, Verse 26. If a man smite the eye, cj-c] See the
because might be presumed that the man died through
it following verse.
some other cause. And all penal laws should be con- Verse 27. If he smite out his — tooth] It was a
strued as favourably as possible to the accused. noble law that obliged the unmerciful slave-holder to
Verse 22. And hurt a ivoman ivilh child] As a set the slave at liberty whose eye or tooth he had
posterity among the Jews was among the peculiar knocked out. If this did not teach them humanity, it
promises of their covenant, and as every man had some taught them caution, as one rash blow might have de-
reason to think that the Messiah should spring from prived them of all right to the future services of the
his family, therefore any injury done to a woman with slave and thus self-interest obliged them to be cau-
;

child, by which the fruit of her womb might be de- tious and circumspect.
stroyed, was considered a very heavy offence and as ; Verse 28. If an ox gore a inan] It is more likely
the crime was committed principally against the hus- that a bull here intended, as the word signifies both,
is

band, the degree of punishment was left to his discre- see chap. xxii. 1 and the Septuagint translate the "SWif
;

tion. But if mischief followed, that is, if the child shor of the original by ravpog, a bull. Mischief of
had been fully formed, and was killed by this means, this kind was provided against by most nations. It
or the woman lost her life consequence, then the
in appears that the Romans twisted hay about the horns
punishment was as in other cases of murder —
the per- of their dangerous cattle, that people seeing it might
son was put to death ; ver. 23. shun them; hence that saying of Horace, Sat., lib. i.,
Verse 24. Eye for eye] This is the earliest ac- sat. 4, ver. 34 Fcenum habet in cornu, longefuge. " He
:

count we have of the lex talionis, or law of like for has hay on his horns fly for life !" The laws of the ;

like, which afterwards prevailed among the Greeks twelve tables ordered. That the owner of the beast
and Romans. Among the latter, it constituted a part should pay for what damages he committed, or deliver
of the twelve tables, so famous in antiquity but the him to the person injured. ; See on chap. xxii. 1.
punishment was afterwards changed to a pecuniary His flesh shall not be eaten] This served to keep
fine, to be levied at the discretion of the praetor. It up a due detestation of murder, whether committed by
prevails less or more in most civilized countries, and man or beast and at the same time punished the man ;

is fully acted upon in the canon law, in reference to as far as possible, by the total loss of the beast.
all calumniators Calumniator, si in accusatione defe-
:
Verse 30. If there he laid on him a sum of money —
cerit, talionem recipiat. " If the calumniator fail in the ransom So it appears that, though by
of his life]
the proof of his accusation, let him suffer the same the law he forfeited his life, yet this might be com-
punishment which he wished to have inflicted upon the muted for a pecuniary mulct, at which the life of the
man whom he falsely accused." Nothing, however, deceased might be valued by the magistrates.
of this kind was left to private revenge ; the magis- Verse 32. Thirty shekels] Each worth about three
trate awarded the punishment when the fact was proved, shillings English; see Gen. xx. 16 xxiii.l5. So, count- ;

otherwise the lex talionis would have utterly destroyed ing the shekel at its utmost value, the life of a slave was
the peace of society, and have sown the seeds of ha- valued dit four pounds ten shillings. And at this price
tred, revenge, and all uncharitableness. these same vile people valued the life of our blessed
410 a
 .

Laws concerning the CHAP. XXII. stealing of caftl

A.M. 2513. 33 And if a man shall open a he die then they shall sell the ;
a. m 2513.
B. C. 1491. .
.r u n dig
J- -^
An. Exod. isr. 1. pit, or it a man shall a pit, live ox, and divide the money of An. Exod. isr. 1
^^''^^' ^"'^"-
and not cover it, and an ox or an it; and the dead ox also they
ass fall therein ;
shall divide.

34 The owner of the pit shall make it good, 36 Or if it be known that the ox hath used
a7id give money unto the owner of them ; and to push in time past, and his owner hath not
the dead beast shall be his. kept him. in ; he shall surely pay ox for ox ;
35 And if one man's ox hurt another's, that and the dead shall be his own,

Lord; see Zech. xi. 12, 13 ; Matt. xxvi. 15. And ter, as, where they are, they interrupt the statutes con-
in return, the justice of has ordered it so, that God cerning the goring ox, which begin at verse 28.
they have been sold for slaves into every country of
the universe. And yet, strange to tell, they see not as remarkable for These different regulations are
\he hand of God in so visible a retribution and prudence as for their humanity. their justice
Yerse 33. And if a man shall open a pit, or
!

dig Their great tendency is to show the valuableness of —

a pit] That is, if a man shall open a luell or cistern human life, and the necessity of having peace and good
that had been before closed up, or dig a new one for understanding in every neighbourhood and they pos- ; ;

these two cases are plainly intimated and if he did sess that quality which should be the object of all good
:

this in some public place where there was danger that and wholesome laws the prevention of crimes. Most —
men or cattle might fall into it for a man might do criminal codes of jurisprudence seem more intent on
;

as he pleased in his oivn grounds, as those were his the punishment of crimes than on preventing the com-
private right. In the above case, if he had neglected mission of them. The law of God always teaches and
lo cover the pit, and his neighbour's ox or ass was ivarns, that his creatures may not fall into condemna-
killed by falling into it, he was to pay its value in tion for judgment is his strange work, i. e., one re- ;

money. The 33d and 34th verses seem to be out of luctantly and seldom executed, as this text is frequently
their places. They probably should conclude the chap- understood.

CHAPTER XXH.
Laws concerning theft, 1-4 ; concerning trespass, 5 concerning casualties, 6. Latos concerning deposits, ;

or goods left in custody of others, ivhich may have been lost, stolen, or damaged, 7-13. Laws concerning
things borrowed or let out on hire, 14, 15. Laivs concerning seAncXion, 16, 17. Laivs concerning -w'lXch-
craft, 18; bestiality, 19; idolatry, 20. Laws concerning strangers, 21; concerning widows, 22-24;
lending money to /Ae poor, 25 ;
concerning pledges, 26 concerning respect io magistrates, 28 concerning
;
;

the first ripe fruits, and the first-born of man and beast, 29, 30. Directions concerning carcasses found
torn in the field, 31.

A. M. 2513.
B. C. 1491.
TF a man shall steal an ox, or an OX, and ^ four sheep
^ for a a. m. 2513.
, B. C. 1491.
An. E.Kod. Isr. 1 a =" sheep, and kill it, or sell Sneep. An. Exod. isr. l.
Sivan. ^'^•^"-
he shall restore five oxen for 2 If a thief be found « break-
b 2 Sam.
» Or, goat. xii. 6 ; Luke xix. 8 ; see Prov. vi. 31 = Matt. xxiv. 43.

NOTES ON CHAP. XXII. seh.) must appear evident that the sacred
I think it

Verse I. If a man shall steal] This chapter con- writer did not intend that these words should be un-
sists chiefly of judicial laws, as the preceding chapter derstood as above. A
shor certainly is different from
does of political ; and in it the same good sense, and a bakar, and a seh from a tson. Where the difference
well-marked attention to the welfare of the community in every case lies, wherever these words occur, it is
and the moral improvement of each individual, are difficult to say. The
shor and the bakar are doubtless
equally evident. creatures of the beeve kind, and are used in different
In our translation of this verse, by rendering differ- parts of the sacred writings to signify the bull, the ox,
ent Hebrew words by the same term in English, we the heifer, the steer, and the calf. The seh and the
have greatly obscured the sense. I shall produce tson are used to signify the ram, the wether, the ewe,
the verse with the original words which I think im- the lamb, the he-goat, the she-goat, and the kid. And
properly translated, because one English term is used the latter word |t<i* tson seems frequently to signify
for two Hebrew words, which in this place certainly the flock, composed of either of these lesser cattle, or
do not mean the same
If a man shall steal an both sorts conjoined.
thing.
9x (ma? shor) or a sheep, (nty seh,) and Ml it, or sell As niiy shor is used, Job xxi. 10, for a bull, probably
it he shall restore five oxen
; (1p3 ba/car) for an ox, it may mean so here. If a man steal a bull he shah
("^W shor,) and four sheep ({NY tson) for a sheep
(HK' give five oxen /or him, which we may presume was
411
 — ;;

Laws concerning trespass, EXODUS. and goods in the custody of others

A. M. 2513. ing up, and be smitten that he 6 If fire break out, and catch A. M. 2513.

An. Exod. Isr. 1. die, there shall no blood be"^

in thorns, so that the stacks of An.'Exod.isr."i.
Sivan. Sivan.
shed for him. corn, or the standing corn, or the

f 3 If the sun be risen upon him, there shall field, be consumed therewith ; he that kindled
be blood shed for him ; for he should make the fire shall surely make restitution.
full restitution ; if he have nothing, then he 7 If a man shall deliver unto his neighbour
shall be ^ sold for his theft. money or stuff to keep, and it be stolen out
4 If the theft be certainly ''found in his of the man's house ^ if the thief be found, ;

hand alive, whether it be ox, or ass, or sheep let him pay double.
he shall ^ restore double. 8 If the thief be not found, then the master
5 If a man shall cause a field or vineyard to of the house shall be brought unto the judges, '

be eaten, and shall put in his beast, and shall to see whether he have put his hand unto his
feed in another man's field of the best of his neighbour's goods.;

own field, and of the best of his own vineyard, 9 For all manner of trespass, whether it be
shall he make restitution. for ox, for ass, for sheep, for raiment, or for

I Num. XXXV. 27. ^ ch. xxi. 2. f Chap. xxi. 16. s See ver. 1, 7; Prov. vi. 31. h Ver. 4. >
Chap. xxi. 6; ver. 28.

no more thaa his real value, as very few bulls could restore four 01- fivefold, \er. 1; but if the animal was
be kept in a country destitute of horses, where oxen found alive in his possession, he was to restore double.
were so necessary to till the ground. For though Verse 6. Iffire break out] Mr. Harmer observes
some have imagined that there were no castrated cattle that it is a common custom in the east to set the dry
among the Jews, yet this cannot be admitted on the herbage on fire before the autumnal rains, wluch fires,
above reason for as they had no horses, and bulls
; for want of care, often do great damage and in coun- :

would have been unmanageable and dangerous, they tries where gi-eat drought prevails, and the herbage is
must have had oxen for the purposes of agriculture. generally parched, great caution was peculiarly neces-
Tson |>{!f is used for a flock cither of sheep or goats, sary ; and a law
guard against such evils, and to
to
and seh T\lif for an individual of either species. For punish inattention and neglect, was highly expedient.
every seh, four, taken indifferently from the tson or See Harmer''s Observat., vol. iii., p. 310, &c.
flock, must be given i. e., a sheep stolen might be
; Verse 7. Deliver unto his neighbour] This is called
recompensed with four out of the flock, whether of pledging in the law of bailments ; it is a deposit of
sheep or goats so that a goat might be compensated
: goods by a debtor to his creditor, to be kept till the
with four sheep, or a sheep with four goats. debt be discharged. Whatever goods were thus left
\^erse 2. If a thief be found] If a thief was found in the hands of another person, that person, according
breaking into a house in the night season, he might be to the Mosaic law, became responsible for them if ;

killed ; but not if the sun had risen, for then he might they were stolen, and the thief was found, he was to
be known and taken, and the restitution made which pay double if he could not be found, the oath of the
;

is mentioned in the succeeding verse. So by the law person who had them in keeping, made before the
of England it is a burglary to break and enter a house magistrates, that he knew nothing of them, was con-
by night and " anciently the daj/ was accounted to
; sidered a full Among the Romans, if
acquittance.
begin only from sunrising, and to end immediately goods were which a man had intrusted to his
lost
upon sunset but it is now generally agreed that if
:
neighbour, the depositary was obliged to pay their
there be daylight enough begun or left, either by tlie full value. But if a man had been driven by neces-
light of the sun or twilight, whereby the countenance sity, as in case of
fire, to lodge liis goods with one of
of a person may
reasonably be discerned, it is no bur- his neighbours, and the goods were lost, the depositary
glary ; but that this does not extend to moonlight, for was obliged to pay double their value, because of his
then many midnight burglaries would go unpunished. unfaithfulness in a case of such distress, where his dis-
And besides, the malignity of the offence does not so honesty, connected with the destruction by the fire,
properly arise, as Mr. Justice Blachstone observes, from had completed the ruin of the sufferer. To this case
its being done in the dark, as at the dead of night, the following law is applicable Cum quisfidem elegit,
:

when all tlie creation except beasts of prey are at rest

nee depositum redditur, contentus esse debet simplo :
when sleep has disarmed the owner, and rendered his cum vero extante necessitate deponat, crescit perfidies,
castle defenceless."
ii., p. 509.
EasCs Pleas of the Crown, vol. crimen, &c. — Digest., lib. xvi., tit. 3, 1. 1.

Verse 8. Unto the judges] See the note on chap,

Verse 4. He shall restore double.'] In no case of xxi. 6.
theft was the life of the offender taken away the ut- Verse 9. Challengeth to be his]; It was necessary
most that the law says on this point is, that, if when that such a matter should come before the judges, be-
found breaking into a house, he should be smitten so cause the person in whose possession the goods were
t^Jo die, no blood should be shed for him ; ver. 2. found might have had them by a fair and honest pur-
trecf; had stolen and sold the property, then he was to chase and, by sifting the business, the thief might be ;

418
 : ; ; ;

Concerning things borrowed, CHAP. XXII. seduction, and witchcraft.

A. M. 2513. any manner of lost thinff, which 1 3 If it be tom in pieces, then a. m. 2513.
B C 1491. B. C. 1491.
An. Exod. Isr! 1. another challengeth to be his, the
1
let
^
mm
, . ,
bring
. .

it
r .

/or witness, and

,
An. Exod. Isr. 1.
^'''^"" ^''''"'-
^ cause of both parties shall he shall not make good that
come before the judges ; and whom the judges which was torn.
shall condemn, he shall pay double unto his 14 And if a man borrow aught of his
neighbour. neighbour, and it be hurt, or die, the owner there-
10 If a man deliver unto his neighbour an of being not with it, he shall surely make it good.
ass, or an ox, or a sheep, or any beast, keep to 1 5 But owner thereof be with it, he
if the
and it die, or be hurt, or driven away, no man shall not make it good if it be a hired thing, :

seeing it it came for his hire.

1 1 Then shall an oath of the Lord be be-
^
1 6 And if a man entice a maid that is not "^

tween them both, that he hath not put his betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely
hand unto his neighbour's goods and the endow her to be his wife. ;

owner of it shall accept thereof, and he shall 17 If her father utterly refuse to give her
not make it good. unto him, he shall ° pay money, according to
12 And ""if it be stolen from him, he shall the P dowry of virgins.
make restitution unto the owner thereof. 18 1 Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.
k Deut. XXV. 1 ; 2 Chron. xix. 10. •Heb. vi. 16. " Gen. P Gen. xxxiv. 12; Deut. xxii. 29; 1 Sam. xviii* 25. 1 Lev.
xxxi. 39. ° Deut. xxii. 28, 29. ° Heb. iveigh ; Gen. xxiii. 16. xix. 26, 31 x.\-. 27
; Deut. .xviii. 10, 11 1 Sam. xxviii.
; ; 3, 9.

found out, and if found, be obliged to pay double

ed had she been still a virgin.
to his According to the Tar-
neighbour. gumist here, and to Deut. xxii. 29, the dowry was
Verse 1 1. An oalh of the Lord he between the)ri\ So fifty shekels of silver, which the seducer was to pay
solemn and awful were all appeals to God considered to her father, and he was obliged to take her to wife
in those ancient times, that it was taken for granted nor had he authority, according to the Jewish canons,
that the man was innocent who could by an oath ap- ever to put her away by a hill of divorce. This one
peal to the omniscient God that he had not put his consideration was a powerful curb on disorderly pas
hand to his neighbour's goods. Since oaths have be- sions, and must tend greatly to render marriages re
come midtiplied, and since they have been administer- spectable, and prevent all crimes of this nature.
ed on the most trifling occasions, their solemnity is Verse 18. Thou shalt not suffer aivitch to live.] If
gone, and their importance little regarded. Should there had been no ivitches, such a law as this had never
the oath ever reacquire its \veight and importance, it been made. The existence of the law, given under
must be when administered only in cases of peculiar the direction of the Spirit of God, proves the existence
delicacy and difficulty, and as sparingly as in the days of the thi?ig. It has been doubted whether n£3tiOa
of Moses. mecashshephah, which we translate loitch, really
Verse 13. If it be torn in pieces let him bring it —
means a person who practised divination or sorcery
for witness^ Rather, Let him bring r\i^^^^v^ 1^' edhat- by spiritual or infernal agency. Whether the persons
terephah, a testimony/ or evidetice of the torn thing, such thus denominated only pretended to have an art which
as the horns, hoofs, &c. This is still a law in some had no existence, or whether they really possessed the
countries among graziers if a horse, cow, sheep, or
:
power commonly attributed to them, are questions which
goat, intrusted to them, be lost, and the keeper asserts it would be improper to discuss at length in a work of
it was devoured by dogs, &c., the law obliges him to this kind but that witches, wizards, those loho dealt ;

produce the ho7-ns and hoofs, because on these the with familiar spirits, &c., are represented in the sa-
owner's mark is generally found. If these can be pro- cred writings as actually possessing a power to evoke
duced, the keeper is acquitted by the law. The ear the dead, to perform sujiernatural operations, and to
is often the place marked, but this is not absolutely discover hidden or secret things by spells, charms,
required, because a ravenous beast eat the ear as may incantations, &c., is evident to every unprejudiced
well as any other part, but he cannot eat the horns or reader of the Bible. Of Manasseh it is said : He
the hoofs. It seems however that in after times two caused his children to pass through the fire in the val-
of the legs and the ear were required as evidences to ley of the son of Hinnom : also he observed times [pU'1
acquit the shepherd of all guilt. See Amos iii. 12. veonen, he used divination by clouds] and used enchant-
Verse 16. If a man entice a maid] This was an ments, and used witchcraft, ['WD^ vechishsheph,] and
exceedingly wise and humane law, and must have ope- dealt ivith a familiar spirit, [31N Hii'j.'l veasah oh, per-
rated powerfully against seduction and fornication formed a variety of operations by means of what was
because the person who might feel inclined to take the afterwards called the Ttvevfia Trvduvog, the spirit of
advantage of a young woman knew that he must mar- Python,] and with wizards, ['J1>n' yiddeoni, the tuise
ry her, and give her a dowry, if her parents consent- or knoiving ones ;] and he ivrought much evil vi the
ed and if they did not consent that their daughter sight of the Lord ; 2 Chron. xxxiii. 6. It is very
;

should wed her seducer, in this case he was obliged to likely that the Hebrew f]^3 cashaph, and the Arabic
give her the full dowry which could have been demand- same meaning,
CJL&T cashafa, had originally the to
413
 — —
Laws concerning widows, EXODUS. and lending to the poor.

A. M. 2513. 19 "^Whosoever lieth with a 23 If thou afflict

, ,
them m any A. M. 2513.
B. C. 1491.
„ 1,

An.Exod.lsri. beast shall surely be put to Wise, and they cry at all unto ^ An. Exod.isr. 1.
^"'°""
^'^•^"-
death. me, I will surely ^ hear their cry ;

20 '
He that sacrificeth unto any god, save 24 And my ' wrathwax hot, and I shall

unto the Lord only, he shall be utterly de- will kill you with sword and ^ your
the ;

stroyed. wives shall be widows, and your children

21 ' Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor fatherless.

oppress him : for ye were strangers in the land 25 ^ If thou lend money to any of my peo-
of Egypt. ple that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to

22 "*
Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fa- him as a usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon
therless child. him usury.
Lev. xviii. 23 ; xx. 15. ' Num. xxv. 2, 7, 8 ; Deut. xiii. 1, i. 27. ^
Deut. xv. 9 xxiv. 15 Job xxxv. 9 Luke xviii. 7.
; ; ;

2, 5, C, 9, 13, 14, 15 ; xvii. 2,3, 5 ; 1 Mac. ii. 24. ' Chapter ''^
Ver. 23Job xxxiv. 28 Psa. xviii. 6 cxlv. 19 James v. 4.
; ; ; ;

xxiii. 9 ; Lev. xix. 33 ; xxv. 35 ; Deut. x. 19 ; Jer. vii. 6 ; Zer.h. ='

Job xxxi. 23 Psa. Ixix. 24. y Psalm cix. 9
; Lam. v. 3. ;

vii. 10 ; Mai. iii. 5. " Deut. x. 18 ; xxiv. 17 ; xxvii. 19 ; Psa. ^Lev. xxv. 35, 36, 37; Deut. xxiii. 19, 20 Neh. v. 7; Psa.xv. ;

xciv. 6 ; Isa. i. 17, 23 ; x. 2 ; Ezek. xxii. 7 ; Zech. vii. 10 ; James 5 Ezek. xviii. 8, 17.
;

uncover, to remove a veil, to manifest, reveal, make proselytes to your religion, and thus their souls may
be saved." In every point of view, therefore, justice,
bare or naked; and «!!» viLy»\X-o mecashefat used to is
humanity, sound policy, and religion, say. Neither vex
signify commerce with God. See Wilmet and Gig-
was nor
oppress a strayiger.
geius. The mecashshephah or ivitch, therefore,
probably a person who professed to reveal hidden Verse 22. Ye
shall not afflict any widow, or father-

mysteries, by commerce with God, or the invisible less child.'] remarkable that offences against this
It is

:iv07-ld.
law are not left to the discretion of the judges to be
From the severity of this law against witches, &c.,
punished God reserves the punishment to himself,
;

see in what light these were viewed by Di-

and by this he strongly shows his abhorrence of the
we may
crime. It is no common crime, and shall not be pu-^
vine justice. They were seducers of the people from
their allegiance to God, on whose judgment alone they
nished in acommon way the wrath of God shall ivax ;

and by impiously prying into futurity, hot againsthim who in any wise afliicts or wrongs a
should depend ;

ividow or fatherless child: and we may rest assured

s.
assumed an attribute of God, the foretelling of future
that he who helps either does a service highly accept-
events, which implied in itself the grossest blasphemy,
able in the sight of God.
and tended to corrupt the minds of the people, by lead-
ing them away from God and the revelation he had Verse 25. Neither shalt thou lay upon him usury.]
made of himself. Many of the Israelites had, no yai neshech, from nashach, to bite, cut, or pierce with
doubt, learned these curious arts from their long resi- the teeth ; biting usury. So the Latins call it usura
vorax, devouring usury. " The increase of usury is
dence with the Egyptians and so much were the Is- ;

raelites attached to them, that we find such arts in called "Ityj neshech, because it resembles the biting of a
repute among them, and various practices of this kind serpent ; for as this is so small as scarcely to be per-

prevailed through the whole of the Jewish history, not- ceptible at first, but the venom soon spreads and
withstanding the offence was capital, and in all cases diffuses itselftill it reaches tho vitals, so the increase

punished with death. of usury, which at first is not perceived nor felt, at

Verse 19. Lieth with a beast] If this most abomi- length grows so much as by degrees to devour ano-
nable crime had not been common, it never would ther's substance." Leigh.
have been mentioned in a sacred code of laws. It is It is evident that what is here said must be under-

very likely that it was an Egyptian practice and it ;

stood of accumulated usury, or what we call compound
is certain, from an account in Sonnini's Travels, that interest only and accordingly "[Wl neshech is men-
;

it is practised in Egypt to the present day. tioned with and distinguished from n'D"\n tarbith and
Verse 20. Utterly destroyed.} The word Din che- n'310 marbith, interest or simple interest. Lev. xxv.
rem denotes a thing utterly and finally separated from 36, 37 Prov. xxviii. 8
;
Ezek. xviii. 8, 13, 17, and ;

God and devoted to destruction, without the possibility xxii. 12. Parkhurst.
of redemption. Perhaps usury may be more properly defined un-
A''erse 21. Thou shalt neither I'cx a stranger, nor laivful interest, receiving more for the loan of money
oppress hint] This was not only a very humane law, than it is really worth, and more than the law allows.
but it was also the offspring of a sound policy " Do It is a wise regulation in the laws of England, that if
—
:

not vex a stranger ; remember ye were strangers. Do a man be convicted of usury taking unlawful inte-
not oppress a stranger remember ye were oppressed. rest, the bond or security is rendered void, and he
;

Therefore do unto all men as ye would they should forfeits treble the sum borrowed. Against such an
do to you." It was the produce of a sound policy oppressive practice the wisdom of God saw it essen- :

" Let strangers be well treated among you, and many tially necessary to make a law to prevent a people,
will come to take refuge among you, and thus tlie who were naturally what our Lord calls the Pharisees,
strength of your country will be increased. If refu- (jiilapyvpoi, lovers of money, (Luke xvi. 14,) from op-

gees of this kind be treated well, they will become pressing each other and who, notwithstanding the ;

414
 : —— —
Concerning pledges, and CHAP. XXII. respect to magistrates

A. M. 2513. 26 » If thou at all take thy unto me, that I will hear ; for I A. M. 2513.
B. C. 1491. , ^ J B. C. 1491.
.

am
.
, , ^ 1
An. Exod. 1st. 1. neighbour s raiment to plectge, •=
gracious. An. Exod. Isr. 1.
^"'^"- Sivan.
thou shalt dehver it unto him by 28 ^ Thou shalt not revile the
that the sun goeth down ® gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people.
27 For that is his covering only, it is his 29 Thou shalt not delay to offer ^ the ^ first

raiment for his skin : wherein shall he sleep ? of thy ripe fruits, and of thy ^ liquors :
' the
and it shall come to pass, when he ^ crieth first-born of thy sons shalt thou give unto me
Eccles. X. 20 ; Acts xxiii.'S ; Jude 8. e Or, Judges ; ver.
»Deut. xxiv. 6, 10, 1.3, 17; Job xxii. 6 xxiv. 3, 9; Proverbs
<J
;
8,
XX. 16 ;xxii. 27 Ezek. xviii. 7, 16 Amos ii. 8.
;
^ Verse 23.
;
9; Psa. Ixxxii. 6. ^Keh.thy fulness. e Chap, xxiii. 16
19 Prov. iii. 9. ^ Heb. tear. ' Ch. xiii. 2, 12 ; xxxiv. 19.
<=
Chap, xxxiv. 6 2 Chron. xxx. 9; Psa. Ixxxvi. 15.
;
;

law in the text, practise usury in all places of their Verse 29. The first of thy ripe fruits] This offer-
dispersion to the present day. ing was a public acknowledgment of the bounty and
Verse 26. If thou —
take thy neighhour''s raiment goodness of God, who had given them their proper
to pledge] It seems strange that any pledge should be seed time, the first and the latter rain, and the appoint-
taken which must be so speedily restored but it is ; ed weeks of harvest.
very likely that the pledge was restored by night only, From the practice of the people of God the heathens
and that he who pledged it brought it back to his cre- borrowed a similar one, founded on the same reason.
ditor next morning. The The following passage from Censorinus, De Die Na-
opinion of the rabbins is,

that whatever a man needed for the support of life, he tali, is beautiful, and worthy of the deepest attention :

had the use of it when absolutely necessary, though it Illi enim {majores nostri) qui alimenta, patriam,

was pledged. Thus he had the use of his working lucem, se denique ipsos deorum dono habebant, ex omni-
tools by day, but he brought them to his creditor in bus aliquid diis sacrabant, magis adeo, ut se gratos
the evening. His hyke, which serves an Arab as a approbarent, quam quod deos arbitrarentur hoc indi-
plaid does a Highlander, (see it described chap. xii. gere. Itaque cum perceperant fruges, antequam vesce-
34,) was probably the raiment here referred to it is : rentur, Diis libare inslittcerunt : et cum agros atque
a sort of coarse blanket, about six yards long, and five urbes, deorum munera, possiderent, partem quandam
or six feet broad, which an Arab always carries with templis sacellisque, ubi eos colereni, dicavere.
him, and on which he sleeps at night, it being his only " Our ancestors, who held their food, their country
substitute for a bed. As the fashions in the east the light, and all that they possessed, from the bounty
scarcely ever change, very likely that the raiment
it is of the gods, consecrated to them a part of all theii
of the Israelites was precisely the same with that of property, rather as a token of their gratitude, than
the modern Arabs, who live in the very same desert in from a conviction that the gods needed any thing.
which the Hebrews were when this law was given. Therefore as soon as the harvest was got in, before
How necessary it was to restore the hyke to a poor they had tasted of the fruits, they appointed libations
man before the going down of the sun, that he might to be made to the gods. And as they held their fields
have something to repose on, will appear evident from and cities as gifts from their gods, thej-- consecrated a
the above considerations. At the same time, the certain part for temples and shrines, where they migh
returning it daily to the creditor was a continual ac- worship them.-'
knowledgment of the debt, and served instead of a Pliny is express on the same point, who attests that
written acknowledgment or bond ; as we may rest the Romans never tasted either their new corn oi
assured that writing, if practised at all before the giv- wine, till the priests had offered the first-fruits to
ing of the law, was not common but it is most likely the gods. Ac ne degustabant quidem, novas fruges
—
:

that it did not exist. aut vina, antequam sacerdotes pri.mitias libassent.
Verse 28. Thou shalt not revile the gods] Most Hist. Nat., lib. xviii., c. 2.
commentators believe that the word gods here means Horace bears the same testimony, and shows that
magistrates. The original is Q'nbx Elohim, and should his countrymen offered, not only their first-fruits, but
be understood of the true God only Thou shalt not : the choicest ofall their fruits, to the Lares or house-
blaspheme or make light of \hhpr\ tekallel] God, the hold gods and he shows also the wickedness of those
;

fountain of justice and power, nor curse the ruler of who sent these as presents to the rich, before the gods
thy people, who derives his authority from God. We had been thus honoured :

shall ever find that he who despises a good civil go-

Dulcia poma,
vernment, and is disaffected to that under which he
Et quoscumque feret cultus tibi fundus honores
lives, is one who has little fear of God before his eyes.
Ante harem gustet venerabilior hare dives.
The spirit of disaffection and sedition is ever opposed
Sat., lib. ii., s. v., ver. 13
to the religion of the Bible. When those who have
" What your garden yields,
been pious get under the spirit of misrule, they infal-
libly get shorn of their spiritual strength, and become The choicest honours of your cultured fields.
like salt that has lost its savour. He who can indulge To him be sacrificed, and let him taste,
Before your gods, the vegetable feast." Dunkin.
himself in speaking evil of the civil ruler, will soon
learn to blaspheme God. The highest authority says, And to the same purpose Tibullus, in one of the
Fear God : honour the king. most beautiful of his elegies :

415
 —
The first-horn of oxen and sheep EXODUS. to be dedicated to the Lord
A.M. 2513. 30 1^ Likewise shalt thou do 3 And ye shall be "^ holy A. M. 2513.
B. C. 1491.
An. Exod. Isr. 1. With
.
1 ,

tliuie
•

oxen, and with thy

7-11 men
1
*
unto me :
„
°
-.1 1
neither shall An. Exod.
11 B. C. 1491.
isr. i
^^'''^"" Sivan.
sheep : ' seven days it shall be ye eat ani/ flesh that is torn of
with his dam ; on the eighth day thou shalt beasts in the field; ye shall cast it to the
give it me. doffs.

^ Deut. XV. 19. 1 Lev. xxii. 27. °» Chap. xix. 6 ; Lev.xix. 2 ; Deut. xiv. 21. " Lev. xxii. 8 ; Ezek. iv. 14 ; xliv. 31.

Et quodcutnque mihi pomum novus educat annus, considered as completely formed. Among the Ro-
Libatum agricolcB ponitur ante deo. mans lambs were not considered as pure or clean
Flava Ceres, tibi sit nostra de riire corona before the eighth day ; nor calves before the thirtieth:
Spicea, qucB lempli pendeat ante fores. Pecoris fcetus die octavo purus est, bovis trigesimo.
Eleg-., lib. i., eleg. i. ver. 13. — Plin. Hist. Nat., lib. viii.

"My gxaXei\x\ fruits, the earliest of the year,

Verse 31.
Neither shall ye eat -fesh torn of — —
beasts in the field] This has been supposed to be an
Before the rural god shall daily wait.
ordinance against eating flesh cut off the animal while
.From Ceres' gifts I '11 cull each browner ear,
alive, and so the Syriac seems to have understood it.
And hang a whcaten wreath before her gate."
If we can credit Mr. Bruce, this is a frequent custom
Grainger.
in Abyssinia but human nature revolts from it.
; The
The same subject he touches again in the fifth elegy reason of the prohibition against eating the flesh of
of the same book, where he specifies the different animals that had been torn, or as we term it worried
offerings made for the produce of the fields, of the in the field, appears to have been simply this That :

flocks, and of the vine, vex. 27 :

the people might not eat the blood, which in this case
Ilia deo sciet agy'icolce pro vitibus uvam. must be coagulated in the flesh and the blood, being ;

Pro segete spicas, pro grege ferre dapem. the life of the beast, and emblematical of the blood of
the covenant, was ever to be held sacred, and was pro-
•' With pious care will load each rural shrine,
hibited from the days of Noah. See on Gen. ix. 4.
For ripen\l crops a golden sheaf assign,
Cates for my fold, rich clusters for my ivine."
we
Id. —See Calmet.
In the conclusion of this chapter
reason of all which it contains.
the ordinances and laws
see the grand

These quotations will naturally recall to our memory No command was issued merely from the sovereignty
the offerings of Cain and Abel, mentioned Gen. iv. 3,4. of God. He gave them to the people as restraints on
The rejoicings harvest-home are distorted
at our disorderly passions, and incentives to holiness and ;

remains of that gratitude which our ancestors, with hence he says. Ye shall be holy men unto me. Mere
all the primitive inhabitants of the earth, expressed to outward services could neither please him nor profit
God with appropriate signs and ceremonies. Is it not them ; for from the very beginning of the world the
possible to restore, insome goodly form, a custom so end of the commandment was love out of a pure heart
pure, so edifying, and sobecoming 1 There is a lauda- and good conscience, and faith unfeigned, 1 Tim. i. 5,
ble cu.stom, observed by some pious people, of dedi- And without these accompaniments no set of religious
cating a new house to God by prayer, &c., which duties, however punctually performed, could be pleasing
cannot be too highly commended. in the sight of that God who seeks truth in the inward
Verse 30. Seven days it shall be luith his dam] For parts, and in whose eyes the faith that worketh by
the mothcr''s health it was necessary that the young love is alone valuable. A holy heart and a holy, use-
one should suck so long ; and prior to this time the ful life God invariably requires in all his worshippers.
process of nutrition in a young animal can scarcely be Reader, how standest thou in his sight %

CHAPTER XXIII.
Laws against evil-speaking, 1. Against bad company, 2. Against partiality, 3. Laivs commanding acts
of kindness and humanity, 4, 5. Against oppression, 6. Against unrighteous decisions, 7. Against
bribery and corruption, 8. Against unkindness to strangers, 9. The ordinance concerning the Sabbatical
year, 10, II. The Sabbath a day of rest, 12. General directions concerning circumcision, <^c., 13. The
three annual festivals, 14. The feast o/ unleavened bread, 15. The feast of harvest, and the feast of
ingathering, IG. All the jnales to appear before Different ordinances God no thrice in a year, 17. —
blood to be offered with leavened bread —no
the first fruits to he brought to next day —
the house of God —
and a kid not to be seethed in its mother^s milk, 18, 19.
fat to he left till the
Description of the Angel of
God, ivho ivas to lead the people into the promised land, and drive out the Amorites, 6fC., 20-23. Idolatry
to be avoided, and the images of idols destroyed, 24. Different promises to obedience, 26-27. Hornets
shall be sent to drive out the Canaanites, <}fc., 28. inhabitants to be driven out by little and
The ancient
little, and the reason ivhy, 29, 30. The boundaries of the promised land, 31. No league or covenant to
t. ie made with the ancient inhabitants, loho are all to be utterly expelled, 32, 33.
41« a

I
 : :;

Laws against evil-speaking, CHAP. XXIII. bad company, paHiahty, 4"C

A. M. 2513. 'PHOU
-L
'^
shalt not '' raise a bear to help him, thou shalt surely a. m. 2513.
B. C. 1491. r 1 , ^ 4. 1,-
An. Exod. Isr.l. lalse report: put not thine help with him. An. Exod. Isr! l
^'^^"- ^^^^"-
hand with the wicked to be an 6 ^ Thou shalt not wrest the
^ unrighteous witness. judgment of thy poor in his cause.
2 ^ Thou 7 Keep thee far from a false matter ^ and
shalt not follow a multitude to do '
;

evil ® neither shalt thou ^ speak in a cause

; the innocent and righteous slay thou not for :

to decline after many to wrest judgment I will not justify the wicked. "^

3 Neither shalt thou countenance a poor 8 And ° thou shalt take no gift : for the gift
man in his cause. blindeth p the wise, "and perverteth the words
4 ^ If thou meet thine enemy's ox or his ass of the righteous.
going astray, thou shalt surely bring 1 thou shalt not oppress a stranger it back 9 Also
to him again. ye know the ^ heart of a stranger, seeing for

5 ^ If thou see the ass of him that hateth ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.
thee lying under his burden, and wouldest for- 1 And ^ six years thou shalt sow thy land,
'

* Verse 7 ; Lev. xix. 16 ; Psalm, xv. 3 ; ci. 5 ; Prov. x. 18 for him ; thou shalt surely leave it to join with him. ^ Verse 2
;

see 2 Sam. xix. 27, with xvi. 3. Or, receive. Chap. xx. 1" <=
Deut. xxvii. 19 Job xxxi. 13, 21 Eccles. v. 8 Isaiah x. 1, 2 ;
; ; ;

16; Deut. xix. 16, 17, 18 Psa. xxxv. 11 ; Prov. xix. 5, 9, 28 ;

; Jer. V. 28 vii. 6 Amos v. 12 Mai. iii. 5.
; ;
Verse 1 Lev.
;
'
;

xxiv. 28 see 1 Kings xxi. 10, 13

; Matt. xxvi. 59, 60, 61 ; Acts ; xix. 11; Luke iii. 14; Eph. iv. 25. "Deut. xxvii. 25; Psa.
vi. 11, 13. Genesis vii. 1 ; xix. 4, 7; chapter xxxii. 1,2;
<!
xciv. 21 Prov. xvii. 15, 26 Jer. vii. 6
; Matt, xxvii. 4.
;
° Ch. ;

Josh. xxiv. 15 1 Samuel xv. 9 ; 1 Kings xix, 10 ; Job .xxxi. 34 ;

; xxxiv. 7; Rom. i. 18. ° Deut. xvi. 19; 1 Sam. viii. 3 xii. 3; ;

Prov. i. 10, 11, 15; iv. 14; Matt, xxvii. 24, 26; Mark. xv. 15 ; 2 Chron. xix. 7 Psalm xxvi. 10 Prov. xv. 27 ; xvii. 8, 23 xxix.
; ; ;

Luke xxiii. 23 Acts xxiv. 27 xxv. 9.

;
e Ver.
6, 7 ; Lev. xix.
; 4 Isaiah i. 23
; v. 23 xxxiii. 15 ;
Ezek. xxii. 12
; Amos v. ; ;

15; Deut. i. 17; Psa. Ixxii. 2. ^Heh. answer. sDeut. xxii. 12; Eccles. xx. 29; Acts xxiv. 26. P Hebrew, «Ae seeing.
1 ; Job xxxi. 29 ; Prov. xxiv. 17 xxv. 21 ; Matt. v. 44 ; Rom.; 'iChapter xxii. 21 Deuteronomy x. 19 xxiv. 14, 17 xxvii. 19;
; ; ;

xii. 20 ; 1 Thessalonians v. 15. ^ Deut. xxii. 4. ' Or, ivilt Psa. xciv. 6 Ezek. xxii. 7 ; Mai, iii. 5.
;
' Hebrew, soul.
thou cease to help him ? or, and wouldest cease to leave thy business ^Lev. xxv. 3, 4.

NOTES ON CHAP. XXIII. verse : if so, the meaning is. Thou shalt neither be

Verse 1 . Thou shalt not raise a false report'] Acting influenced by the great to make an unrighteous deci-
contrary to this precept is a sin against the ninth com- sion, nor by the poverty or distress of the poor to give
mandment. And the inventor and receiver of false thy voice against the dictates of justice and truth.
and slanderous reports, are almost equally criminal. Hence the ancient maxim, fiat justitia, ruat c(ELUM,
The word seems to refer to either, and our translators " Let justice be done, thoiigh the heavens should be
have very properly retained both senses, putting raise dissolved."
in the text, and receive in the margin. The original VerseIf thou meet thine enemy'' s ox going
4. —
XliT* n'? lo tissa has been translated, thou shalt not astray] From
the humane and heavenly maxim in this
publish. Were there no publishers of slander and and the following verse, our blessed Lord has formed
calumny, there would be no receivers ; and were there the following precept " Love your enemies, bless :

none to receive them, there would be none to raise them that curse you, do good to them that hate you,
them and were there no raisers, receivers, nor propa-
; and pray for them which despitefully use you and per-
gators of calumny, lies, &c., society would be in peace. secute you ;" Matt. v. 44. A precept so plain, wise,
Verse 2. Thou shalt not folloio a multitude to do benevolent, and useful, can receive no other comment
evil] Be singular. Singularity, if in the right, can than that which its influence on the heart of a kind
never be criminal. So completely disgraceful is the and merciful man produces in his life.
way of sin, that if therewere not a multitude walking Verse 6. Thou shall not ivrest
judgment of thy the
in that way, who help to keep each other in counte- poor] Thou shalt neither countenance him in his
nance, every solitary sinner would be obliged to hide crimes, nor condemn him in his righteousness. See
his head. But D'31 rabbim, which we translate mul- verses 5 and 7.
titude, sometimes signifies the great, chiefs, or mighty Verse 8. Thou shalt take no gift] strong ordi- A
ones ; and is so understood by some eminent critics in nance against selling justice, which has been the dis-
this place " Thou shalt not follow the example of the grace and ruin of every state
:
where it has been prac-
great or rich, who may so far disgrace their own cha- tised. In the excellent charter of British liberties
racter as to live without Gfod in the world, and trample Charta, there is one article expressly called Magna
under foot his laws." supposed that these direc- on this head Nulli vendemus, nulli negabimus aut
It is :

tions refer principally to matters which come under the differemus, rectum aut justitiam. Art, xxxiii.
eye of the civil magistrate as if he had said, " Do none will we sell, to none will we deny or defer, right
;
" To —
not join with great men in condemning an innocent or or justice." This was the more necessary in those
righteous person, against whom they have conceived a early and corrupt times, as he who had most moneyi
prejudice on the account of his religion," &c. and gave the largest presents (called then oblata) to
Verse 3. Neither shalt thou countenance a poor the king or queen, was sure to gain his cause in the
man in his cause.] The word Sn dal, which we trans- king's court, whether he had right and justice on his
late poor man, is probably put here in
opposition to side or not.
Cai rabbim, the great, or noblemen, in the precedinff Verse 9. Ye know the heart of a stranger] Having
Vol. J.
( 28 ) 417
 ! . : — ;

The Sabbatical year and EXODUS. the Sabbath to be observed

A. M. 2513. gather in the fruits thou shalt deal with thy vine- a. m. 2531.
and shall
B. C. 1491.
An. Exod. Isr. 1. thereof yard, and with thy 'olive-yard. An. Exod. isr.' 1.
^'''''"-
Sivan. 12 Six days thou shah do thy
But the seventh year thou
1 1
>!

shalt let it rest and he still that the poor of work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest that
;
;

thy people may eat and what they leave, the thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy
:

beasts of the field shall eat. In like manner handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed.

• Or, olive-trees.
« Chap. XX. 8, 9 ; Deut. v. 13 ; Luke xiii. 14.

been strangers yourselves, under severe, long conti- It very remarkable that the observance of this
is

nued, and cruel oppression, ye know the fears, cares, ordinance is nowhere expressly mentioned in the sa-

anxieties, and dismal forebodings which the heart of a cred writings though some suppose, but without suffi-
;

strcinger feels. What a forcible appeal to humanity cient reason, that there is a reference to it in Jer. xxxiv.
and compassion 8, 9. Perhaps the major part of the people could not
Verse 11. The seventh year thou shalt let it rest] trust God, and therefore continued to sow and reap on
As every seventh day was a Sabbath day, so every the seventh year, as on the preceding. This greatly
seventh year was to be a Sabbath year- The reasons displeased the Lord, and therefore he sent them into
for this ordinance Calmet gives thus :
captivity so that the land enjoyed those Sabbaths,
;

" 1. To maintain as far as possible an equality of through lack of inhabitants, of which their ungodliness
condition among the people, in setting the slaves at had deprived it. See Lev. xviii. 24, 25, 28 xxvi. ;

liberty,and in permitting all, as children of one family, 34, 35, 43 2 Chron. xxxvi. 20, 21. Commentators
;

to have the free and indiscriminate use of whatever have been much puzzled to ascertain the time in which
the earth produced. the sabbatical year begaji ; because, if it began in Abib
" 2. To inspire the people with sentiments of hu- or March, they must have lost two harvests for they ;

manity, by making it and proper

their duty to give rest, could neither reap nor plant that year, and of course
and sufficient nourishment, to the poor, the slave, and they could have no crop the year following but if it ;

the stranger, and even to the cattle. began with what was called the civil year, or in Tisn
" 3. To accustom the people to submit to and de- or Marcheshvan, which answers to the beginning of
pend on the Divine providence, and expect their sup- our autumn, they would then have had that year's pro-
port from that in the seventh year, by an extraordinary duce reaped and gathered in.
provision on the sixth. Verse 12. Six days thou shalt do thy ivork'] Though
"4. To detach their affections from earthly and pe- they were thus bound to keep the sabbatical year, yet
rishable things, and to make them disinterested and they must not neglect the seventh day's rest or weekly
heavenly-minded Sabbath for that was of perpetual obligation, and was
;

" 5. To show them God's dominion over the country, paramount to all others. That the sanctification of
and that he, not they, was lord of the soil and that ; the Sabbath was of great consequence in the sight of
they held it merely from his bounty." See this ordi- God, we may learn from the various repetitions of this
nance at length. Lev. xxv. law and we may observe that it has still for its ob-
;

That God intended to teach them the doctrine of ject, not only the benefit of the soul, but the health
providence by this ordinance, there can be no doubt and comfort of the body also. Doth God care for
and marked very distinctly, Lev. xxv. 20, 21
this is : oxen ? Yes and he mentions them with tenderness,
;

" And ye shall say. What shall we eat the seventh

if that thine ox and thine ass may rest. How criminal
year ? behold, we shall not sow, nor gather in our in- to employ the labouring cattle on the Sabbath, as well
crease then I will command my blessing upon you in
; as upon the other days of the week More cattle are !

the sixth year, and it shall bring forth fruit for three destroyed in England than in any other part of the
years." That is, There shall be, not three crops in world, in proportion, by excessive and continued labour.
one year, but one crop equal in its abundance to three, The noble horse in general has no Sabbath Does !

because it must supply the wants of three years. 1. God look on this with an indifferent eye 1 Surely he
For the sixth year, supplying fruit for its own con- does not. " England," said a foreigner, " is the pa-
sumption ; 2. For the seventh year, in which they were radise of women, the purgatory of servants, and the
neither to sow nor reap and 3. For the eighth year, hell of horses.''^
for
;

though they ploughed, sowed, &c., that year, yet The son of thy handmaid, and the stranger be re- —
a whole course of seasons was requisite to bring
its freshed.] jyar yinnaphesh may be re-spirited or new-
all these fruits to perfection, so that they could not souled ; have a complete renewal both of bodily and
have the fruits of the eighth year till the ninth, (see spiritual strength. The expression used by Moses here
ver. 22,) which time God promised that they should
till is very like that used by St. Paul, Acts iii. 19:" Re-
eat of the old store. What an astonishing proof did pent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may
this give of the being, power, providence, mercy, and be blotted out, when the times of refreshing {Kaipot
goodness of God Could there be an infidel in such avarpvieu^, the times of re-souling) shall come from
!

a land, or a sinner against God and his own soul, with the presence of the Lord ;" alluding, probably, to those
such proofs before his eyes of God and his attributes times of refreshing and rest for body and soul origi-
as one sabbatical year afforded 1 nally instituted under the law.
a 418 ( 28* )
 — ;

Three great annual feasts CHAP. XXIII. to be strictly observed

A. M. 2513. 1 3 And in all things that I

°
of thy labours, which thou hast A. m. 2513.
B. C. 1491. , . , .

An. Exod. Isr. 1. have Said unto you, ^ be circum- sown in thy field : and ^ the feast An. Exod. isr! 1
^'''^"' ^^^^"'
spect : and "^
make no mention of ingathering, ivhich is in the
of the name of other gods, neither let it be end of the year, when thpu hast gathered in thy
heard out of thy mouth. labours out of the field.

14 ^ Three times thou shalt keep a feast 17 "^

Three times in the year all thy males
unto me in the year. shall appear before the Lord God.
1 5 y Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened 18*^ Thou shalt not offer the blood of my
bread : (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven sacrifice with leavened bread ; neither shall the
days, as I commanded thee, in the time ap- fat of my ® sacrifice remain until the morning.
pointed of the month Abib ; for in it thou 19 ^The first of the first-fruits of thy land
camest out from Egypt ^ and none shall thou shalt bring into the house of the Lord :

appear before me empty :) thy God. s Thou shalt not seethe a kid in

16 And the feast of harvest, the first-fruits his mother's milk.

'^

^ Deut. x.xii. 5iv.Psa. xxxix. 1 Eph. v. 15 1 Tim.

9 ; Josh, ; ; ; Ecclus. XXXV. 4. ^ Ch. xxxiv. 22 Lev. xxiii. 10. ^ Deut.
;

iv. 16. ""Num.

38; Deut. xii. 3; Josh, xxiii. 7; Psa.
xxxii. xvi. 13. Chap, xxxiv. 23
<=
Deut. xvi. 16. Chap. xii. 8
;
<i

4 Hos. ^ Chap, xxxiv. 23 Lev. xxxiv. 25 Lev. ii. 11 Deut. xvi. 4. « Or, feast. ' Chap.
xvi. ; Zech. xiii. 2. ii. 17 ; ; ; ;

xxiii. 4 Deut. xvi. 16.

; 7 Chap. xii. 15 xiii. 6 xxxiv. 18 ; ; ;
xxii. 29; xxxiv. 26; Lev. xxiii. 10, 17 Numbers xviii. 12, 13; ;

Lev. xxiii. 6 Deut. xvi. 8. = Chap, xxxiv. 20 Deut. xvi. 16

; ; ;
Deut. xxvi. 10 Neh. x. 35. ; s Ch. xxxiv. 26 Deut. xiv. 21. ;

Verse 14. Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto 4. The feast of the New Moon, which was cele-
me in the year.] The three feasts here referred to brated on the first day the moon appeared after her
were, 1. The feast of the Passover; 2. The feast of change.
Pentecost; 3. The feast of Tabernacles. 5. The feast of Expiation, which was celebrated
1 . The feast of the Passover was celebrated to keep annually on the tenth day of Tisri or September, oa
in remembrance the wonderful deliverance of the He- which a general atonement was made for all the sins,
brews from Egypt. 2. The feast of Pentecost, called negligences, and ignorances, throughout the year.
also the feast of harvest and the feast of weeks, chap, 6. The Lois or Purim, to commemorate
feast of
xxxiv. 22, was celebrated 7?/ify days after the Passover the preservation of the Jews from the general massa-
to commemorate the giving of the law on Mount Sinai, cre projected by Haman. See the book of Esther.
which took place fifty days after, and hence called by 7. The feast of the Dedication, or rather the Re-
the Greeks Pentecost. 3. The feast of Tabernacles, storation of the temple, which had been profaned by
called also the feast of the ingathering, was celebrated Antiochiis Epiphanes. This was also called the feast
about the 15th of the month Tisri to commemorate of Lights.
the Israelites' dwelling in tents for forty years, during Besides these, the Jews have had several other
their stay in the wilderness. See on Lev. xxiii. feasts,such as the feast of Branches, to commemorate
" God, out of his great wisdom," says Calmet, " ap- the taking of Jericho.
pointed several festivals among the Jews for many rea- The feast of Collections, on the 10th of September,
sons 1. To perpetuate the memory of those great
:
on which they make contributions for the service of
events, and the wonders he had wrought for the people ; the temple and synagogue.
for example, the Sabbath brought to remembrance the The feast for the death ofNicanor, 1 Mac. vii. 48, &c.
creation of the world ; the Passover, the departure out The feast for the discovery of the sacred fre, 2 Mac.
of Egypt ; the Pentecost, the giving of the law ; the i. 18, &c.
feast of Tabernacles, the sojourning of their fathers in The feast of the carrying oj wood to the temple,
the wilderness, &c. 2. To keep them faithful to their called Xylophoria, mentioned by Josephus. War, b.
religion by appropriate ceremonies, and the splendour ii. c. 17.
of Divine service. 3. To procure them lawful plea- Verse 17. All thy males\ Old men, sick mew, male
sures, and necessary rest. 4. To give them instruc- and male children under thirteen years of age,
idiots,
tion ; for in their religious assemblies the law of God excepted for so the Jewish doctors understand this
;

was always read and explained. 5. To consolidate command.

their by renewing the acquaintance of
social union, Verse 18. The blood of my sacrifice tcith leavened
and families for on these occasions they
their tribes ; bread] The sacrifice here mentioned is undoubtedly
come together from different parts of the land to the the Passove? ; (see chap, xxxiv. 25 ;) this is called by
holy city." way of eminence my sacrifice, because God had insti-
Besides the feasts mentioned above, the Jews had, tuted it for that especial purpose, the redemption of
1. The feast of the SaWa^A, which was a weekly feast. Israel from the Egyptian bondage, and because it typi-
2. The feast of the Sabbatical Year, which was a fied THE Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of
septennial feast. the world. We have already seen how strict the pro-
3. The feast of Trumpets, which was celebrated on hibition against leaven was during this festival, and
the day of what was called their civil year, which
first what was signified xii. by it. See on chap.
was ushered in by the blowing of a trumpet Lev. ; Verse 19. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother''s
xxiii. 23, &c.
milk.] This passage has greatly perplexed commeiir
419
 1 — ;

I
The angel sent before Israel, who are warned against idolatry.

A. M. 2513. 20 ^ Behold, I send -^^i angel 23 ° For mine Angel shall go a. m 2513.
i to keep th^ee in the before thee, and p bring thee in
A^iSodS.i. before thee, An. Exod.isr. 1.
Sivan. „,^,, and to bring tha^e into the unto the Amorites, and the Hit- ^"''^"-
way.
place which I have prepared. / tites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites,

2 Beware of him, and obey hi^ voice, pro- the Hivites, and the Jebusites and I will :

voke him not ; for he will ^ not pardon your cut them off.

transgressions : for ^ my name is in him. 24 Thou shalt not 1 bow down to their gods,
22 But if thou shalt indeecj obey his voice, nor serve them, ^ nor do after their works :

and do all that I speak ; th^n m I will be an ^ but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and
enemy unto thine enemies, and ° an adversary quite break down their images.
unto thine adversaries. 25 And ye shall * serve the Lord your God,
' Chap. xiv. 19 ; xxxii. 34 ; x.'xiii. 2, 14 ; Num. xx. 16 ; Josh. ™ Gen. xii.Deut. xxx. 7 Jer. xxx. 20.
3 ° Or, I will oMic,
; ;

' Num. xiv.

V. 13 ; vi. 2 ; Psa. xci. 11 ; Isa Ixiii. 9. 11 Psa. ; them that afflict thee. ° Ver. 20; chap, xxxiii. 2. pJosh
"
Ixxviii. 40, 56 Eph. iv. 30 ;/Heb. iii. 10, 16.
;
^ chap, xxxii. xxiv. 8, 11. q Ch. XX. 5. 'Lev. xviii. 3 Deut. xii. 30, 31 ;

34; Num. xiv. 35; Deut. x,1ii. 19; Josh. sxiv. 19; Jer. v. 7 ; ' Chap, xxxiv. 13 Numbers xxxiii. 52 Deut. vii. 5, 25 xii. 3
; ; ;

Heb. iii. 11; 1 John v. 16 'Isa. ix. 6; Jer. xxiii. 6; John 'Deut. vi. 13; x. 12,20; xi. 13, 14; xiii. 4; Joshua xxii. 5;
X. 30, 38. xxiv. 14, 15, 21, 24 1 Sam. vii. 3 xii. 20, 24
; Matt. iv. 10. ; ;

tators ; but Dr. Culworth is supposed to have given Calmet has referred to a very wonderful comment
it its true meaniw by quoting a MS. comment of a on these words given by Philo Judaeus De Agricul-
Karaite Jew, wbih he met with, on this passage. "It tura, which I shall produce here at full length as it
:>v.9o-.'»-'aup6ux~oi the ancient heathens, when they had stands in Dr. Mangey''s edition, vol. i., p. 308 '2$ :

gathered in all their fruits, to take a kid and boil it in TToc/ijjv Kai (iaai.7i.evg 6 Qeoc ayei Kara Siktjv aai vofioVf
the milk of its dam and then, in a magical way, to
; tvpoaTTjoaiievog tov opdov avrov ?^oyov rrpuTojovov viov,
go about and besprinkle with it all their trees and fields, Of TTiv eivi/xeXeiav Tijr lepag ravrrjg aysXr/g, ola rig fie-
gardens and orchards thinking by these means to make
; yaXov (iadi'Xeug vnapxog, Siade^erai. Kai yap etpriTai
them fruitful, that they might bring forth more abun- TTOV Idov eyu etfii, aTcoare'ku ayyeXov juov npoa-
eig
dantly in the following year." Cudioorth on the Lord's uTTov (TOV, TOV (^ivTitt^ui OS Ev TT) 66(0. " God, as the
Supper, 4to. Shepherd and King, conducts all things according to
I give this comment as I find it, and add that Spen- law and righteousness, having established over them
ser has shown that the Zabii used this kind of magical his right Word, his only-begotten Son, who, as the
milk to sprinkle their trees and fields, in order to make Viceroy of the Great King, takes care of and ministers
them fruitful. Others understand it of eating flesh and to this sacred flock. For it is somewhere said, (chap,
milk together others of a lamb or a kid ^ch^le it is
; xxiii. 20,) Behold, I AM, and I will send my Angel
sucking its mother, and that the paschal lamb is here before thy face, to keep thee in the ivay."
intended, which it was not lawful to offer while sucking. This is a testimony liable to no suspicion, coming
After all the learned labour which critics have be- from a person who cannot be supposed to be even
stowed on this passage, and by which the obscurity in friendly to Christianity, nor at all acquainted with that
some cases is become more intense, the simple object particular doctrine to which his words seem so point-
of the precept seems to be this " Thou shalt do no- : edly to refer.
thing that may have any tendency to blunt thy moral Verse 2 1 . He will not pardon your transgressions]
feelings, or teach thee hardness of heart." Even hu- He is not like a man, with whom ye may think that
man nature shudders at the thought of causing the mo- ye may trifle were he either man or angel, in the
;

ther to lend her milk to seethe the flesh of her young common it need not be said.
acceptation of the term,
one ! We
need go no farther for the delicate, tender, He will not pardon your transgressions, for neither
humane, and impressive meaning of this precept. man nor angel could do it.

Verse 20. Behold, I send an Angel before thee] My name is in him.] The Jehovah dwells in him;
Some have thought that this was Moses, others Joshua, in him dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead bodily
because the word ']x'?0 malach signifies an angel or and because of this he could either pardon or punish.
messenger ; but as it is said, ver. 21, Mi/ name is in All power is given unto me in heaven and earth, Matt,
him, (l^'lpD bekirbo, intimately, essentially in him,) it xxviii. 18.
is more likely that the great Angel of the Covenant, Verse 23. Unto the Amorites] There are only six
the Lord Jesus Christ, is meant, in whom dwelt all of the seven nations mentioned here, but the Septua-
the fulness of the Godhead bodily. We have had gint, Samaritan, Coptic, and one Hebrew MS., add
already much reason to believe that this glorious per- Girgashite, thus making the seven nations.
sonage often appeared in a human form to the patri- Verse 24. Break down their images.] Dn'nijyo
archs, &c. and of him Joshua was a very expressive matstsebotheyhem, from :3yj natsab, to stand up ; pil-
;

type, the names Joshua and Jesus, in Hebrew and lars, anointed stones, &c., such as the baitulia. See
Greek, being of exactly the same signification, because on Gen. xxviii. 18.
radically the same, from i,W yasha, he saved, deliver- Verse 25. Shall bless thy bread and thy water] That
ed, preserved, or kept safe. Nor does it appear that is, all thy provisions, no matter of what sort the ;

the description given of the Angel in the text can be- meanest fare shall be sufliciently nutritive when God's
long to any other person. blessing is in it.

420
 1 ;

Their enemies to he expelled. CHAP. XXIII. The boundaries of the land.

A. M. 2513. and '^

he shall bless thy bread and 30 By little and little I will a.m. 2513.

A.n. Exod.isr. 1. thy Water ; and ^ I will take sick- drive them out from before thee, An. Exod.isr." 1.
^^'''^°" ^^^'
ness away from the midst of thee. until thou be increased, and in-
•
26 "^ There shall nothing cast their young, herit the land.
nor be barren, in thy land : the number of thy 3 And ^ I will set thy bounds from the
days I will ^ fulfil. Red Sea even unto the sea of the Philistines,
27 I will send ^ my fear before thee, and and from the desert unto the river : for I will
will ^ destroy all the people to whom thou ^ deliver the inhabitants of the land into your
shalt come, and I will make all thine enemies hand and thou shalt drive them out before ;

turn their ^ backs unto thee. thee.

28 And I will send hornets before thee,
''
32 ^Thou shalt make no covenant with
which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, them, nor with their gods.
and the Hittite, from before thee. 33 They shall not dwell in thy land, lest
29 "^
I will not drive them out from before thee they make thee sin against me for if thou :

in one year ; lest the land become desolate, serve their gods, ^it will surely be a snare
and the beast of the field multiply against thee. unto thee.

" Deut. vii. 13 ; xxviii. 5, 8. '^

Chap. xv. 26 ; Deut. vii. 15. b Deut.
vii. 20 Josh. xxiv. 12
; Wisd. xii. 8. ;
' Deut. vii.

"^
Deut. vii. 14; xxviii. 4; Job xxi. 10; Mai. iii. 10, 11. 22. Gen. xv. 18 ; Num. xxxiv. 3
<i Deut. xi. 24 Josh. i. 4
; ;

» Gen. xxv. 8 xxxv. 29; 1 Chron. xxiii. 1 ; Job v. 26 ; xlii. 17 ;

; 1 Kings iv. 21, 24 ; Psa. Ixxii. 8. « Josh. xxi. 44 Judg. i. 4 ;

Psa. Iv. 23 ; xc. 10. y Gen. xx.xv. 5 ; chap. xv. 14, 16 ; Deut. xi. 21. f
Chap, xxxiv. 12, 15; Deut. vii, 2. sCluip. xxxiv.
ii. 25 ; xi. 25 Josh. ii. 9, 11
; 1 Sara. xiv. 15 2Chron.xiv. 14.
; ; 12 Deut. vii. 16 ; xii. 30 Josh, xxiii. 13 ; Judg. ii. 3 1 Sam.
; ; ;

* Deut. vii. 23. ^ Heb. 7ieck ; Psa. xviii. 40. xviii. 21 ; Psa. cvi. 36.

Verse 26. There shall nothing cast their young, nor east, to the Mediterranean Sea on the west ; and from
be barren'] Hence there must be a very great increase Mount Libanus on the north, to the Red Sea and the
both of men and cattle. Nile on the south. This promise was not completely
The number of thy days I will fulfil.] Ye shall all fulfilled till the days of David and Solomon. The
live to a good old age, and none die before his time. general disobedience of the people before this time
This is the blessing of the righteous, for wicked men prevented a more speedy accomplishment and their ;

live not out half their days; Psa. Iv. 23. disobedience afterwards caused them to lose the pos-
Verse 28. / will send hornets before thee] T\^'yiT\ session. So, though all the promises of God are yea
hatstsirah. The root is not found in Hebrew, but it and AMEN, yet they are fulfilled but to a few, because
may be the same with the Arabic Pj^^ saraa, to lay men are slow of heart to believe ; and the blessings of
prostrate, to strike down ; the hornet, probably so providence and grace are taken away from several
called from the destruction occasioned by the violence because of their unfaithfulness.
of its sting. The hornet, in natural history, belongs Verse 32. Thou shalt make no covenant with them]
to the species crabro, of the genus vespa or ivasp ; it They were incurable idolaters, and the cup of their
is a most voracious insect, and
is exceedingly strong iniquity was full. And had the Israelites contracted
for its size, which is generally an inch in length, any alliance with them, either sacred or civil, they
though I have seen some an inch and a half long, and would have enticed them into their idolatries, to which
so strong that, having caught one in a small pair of the Jews were at all times most unhappily prone and ;

forceps, it repeatedly escaped by using violent contor- as God intended that they should be the preservers
tions, so that at last I was obliged to abandon all hopes of the true religion till the coming of the Messiah,
of securing it alive, which I wished to have done. hence he strictly forbade them to tolerate idolatry.
How distressing and destructive a multitude of these Verse 33. They shall not dwell in thy land] They
might be, any person may conjecture even the bees ;
must be utterly expelled. The land was the Lord's,
of one hive would be sufficient to sting a thousand men and he had given it to the progenitors of this people,
to madness, but how much worse must wasps and to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The latter being ob-
hornets be ! No armour, no weapons, could avail liged to leave it because of a famine, God is now con-
against these. A few thousands of them would be ducting back his posterity, who alone had a Divine and
quite sufficient to throw the best disciplined army into natural right to it, and therefore their seeking to pos-
confusion and
Josh. xxiv. 12, we find
rout. From sess the inheritance of their fathers can be only crimi-
that two kings of the Amorites were actually driven out nal in the sight of those who are systematically opposed
of the land by these hornets, so that the Israelites were to the thing, because it is a part of Divine revelation.
not obliged to use either sword or bow in the conquest.
What a pity that the Mosaic Law should be so
Verse 31. I will set thy bounds from the Red Sea] lit-

On the south-east, even unto the sea of the Philistines tle studied! What a number of just and equal laws,
— the Mediterranean, on the north-west and from ; pious and humane institutions, useful and instructive

the desert — of Arabia, or the wilderness of Shur, on ordinances, does it contain! Everywhere we see the
the west, to the river — the Euphrates, on the north- purity and benevolence of God always
working to pre-
But what
east. Or in general terms, from the Euphrates on the vent crimes and make the people happy !

421
 — ; ;

Moses and others go to the mount EXODUS. The people promise obedience.

else can be expected from that God who is love, whose Jesus is with thee hear and obey his voice provoke
;
;

tender mercies are over all his works, and who hateth him not, and he wUl be an enemy to thine enemies, and
nothing that he has made ? Reader, thou art not strait- an adversary to thine adversaries. Believe, love, obey
ened in him, be not straitened in thy own bowels. and the road to the kingdom of God is plain before
Learn from him to be just, humane, kind, and merciful. thee. Thou shalt inherit the good land, and be esta
Love thy enemy, and do good to him that hates thee. Wished in it for ever and ever.

CHAPTER XXIV.
Moses and Aaron, Nadah and Abihu, and the seventy elders, are commanded to go to the mount to meet the
Lord, 1. Moses alone to come near to the Divine presence, 2.
informs the people, and they promise He
obedience, 3. He ivrites the words of the Lord, erects an altar at the foot of the hill, and sets up twelve
pillars for the twelve tribes, 4. The young priests offer burnt-offerings and peace-offerings, 5. Moses
reads the book of the covenant, sprinkles the people with the blood, and they promise obedience, 6-8. Moses,
L Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel, go up to the mount, and get a striking display of
the majesty of God, 9-11. Moses alone is called up into the mount, in order to receive the tables of stone,
written by the hand of God, 12. Moses and his servant Joshua go up, and Aaron and Hur are left regents
of the people during his absence, 13, 14. The glory of the Lord rests on the mount, and the cloud covers
it for six days, and on the seventh God speaks to Moses out of the cloud, 15, 16. The terrible appearance
of God's glory on the mount, 17. Moses continues ivith God on the mount forty days, 18.

A. M. 2513.
B. C. 1491.
A ND he unto Moses,
said 3 And Moses came and told a. m. 2513.

An. Exod. Isr. 1. Come up unto the Lord, the people all the words of the An. Exod. isr. 1.
Sivan. Sivan.
thou, and Aaron, ^ Nadab, and Lord, and all the judgments :

Abihu, ^ and seventy of the elders of Israel and all the people answered with one voice,
and "worship ye afar off. and said, ^ All the words which the Lord
2 And Moses «=
alone shall come near the hath said will we do.
Lord : but they shall not come nigh ; neither 4 And Moses « wrote all the words of the
shall the people go up with him. Lord, and rose up early in the morning, and
» Chap, xxviii. 1 ; Lev. x. 1, 2. •>
Chapter i. 5 ; Num. xi. 16. •1
Verse 7 ; chapter xix. 8 ; Deut. v. 27 ; Galatians iii. 19, 20.
<=Ver. 13, 15, 18. e Deut. xxxi. 9.

NOTES ON CHAP. XXIV. Verse 3. Moses told the people all the ivords of —
Verse 1 Come up unto the Lord] Moses and Aaron the Lord]
. That is, the ten commandments, and the
were already on the mount, or at least some way up, various laivs and ordinances mentioned from the begin-
(chap. xix. 24,) where they had heard the voice of ning of the 20th to the end of the 23d chapter.
the Lord distinctly speaking to them and the people Verse 4. Moses wrote all the loords of the Lord]
:

also saw and heard, but in a less distinct manner, pro- After the people had promised obedience, (ver. 3,) and
bably like the hoarse grumbling sound of distant so entered into the bonds of the covenant, " it was
thunder; see chap. xx. 18. Calmet, who complains necessary," says Calmet, "to draw up an act by which
of the apparent want of order in the facts laid down the memory of these transactions might be preserved,
here, thinks the whole should be understood thus and confirm the covenant by authentic and solemn
:

" After God had laid before Moses and Aaron all the ceremonies." And this Moses does. 1. As legislator,
laws mentioned from the beginning of the 20th chap- he reduces to writing all the articles and conditions
ter to the end of the 23d, before they went down from of the agreement, with the people's act of consent.
the mount to lay them before the people, he told them 2. As their mediator and the deputy of the Lord, he
that, when they had proposed the conditions of the accepts on his part the resolution of the people and ;

covenant to the Israelites, and they had ratified them, Jehovah on his part engages himself to Israel, to be
they were to come up again unto the mountain accom- their God, their King, and Protector, and to fulfil to
panied with Nadab and Abihu the sons of Aaron, and them all the promises he had made to their fathers.
seventy of the principal elders of Israel. Moses ac- 3. To make this the more solemn and aflfecting, and
cordingly went dovra, spoke to the people, ratified the to ratify the covenant, which could not be done with-
covenant, and then, according to the command of God out sacrifice, shedding and sprinkling of blood, Moses
mentioned here, he and the others reascended the builds an altar, probably of turf, as was commanded,
mountain. Tout cela est racontd id avec assez peu chap. XX. 24, and erects twelve pillars, no doubt of
d'ordre^ unhewn stone, and probably set round about the altar.
Verse 2. Moses alone shall come near] The people The altar itself represented the throne of God ; the
Btood at the foot of the mountain. Aaron and his two tivelve stones, the twelve tribes of Israel. These were
sons and the seventy elders went up, probably about the two parties, who were to contract, or enter into
half way, and Moses alone went to the summit. covenant, on this occasion.
422
 :

Moses reads the book of CHAP. XXIV. the covenant to the people,

A. M. 25ia builded an altar under the hill, and read in the audience of the A. M. 2513.

An. JExod. isr. ^ and twelve ^pillars, according to people : and they said, All that '
An. Exod. isr. 1.
^'^^''- ^^''^-
the twelve tribes of Israel. the Lord hath said will we do,
5 And he sent young men of the children and be obedient.
of Israel, which offered burnt-offerings, and 8 And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled
sacrificed peace-offerings of oxen unto the it on the people, and said, Behold ^ the blood

Lord. of the covenant, which the Lord hath made

6 And Moses ^took half of the blood, and with you concerning all these words.
put it in basins ;
went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab,
and half of the blood he 9 Then ^

sprinkled on the altar, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel
7 And he ^ took the book of the covenant, 1 And they ^ saw the God of Israel and :

f Gen. xxviii. 18 ; xxxi. 45. s Heb. ix. 18. JiHeb. ix. 19. ™ See Gen. xxxii. 30; ch. iii. 6; Judg. xiii. 22 ; Isa. vi. 1, 5,
> Ver. 3. ^Heb. ix. 20; xiii. 20; 1 Pet. i. 2. 1 Ver. 1. with ch. xxxiii. 20, 23 John i. 18 1 Tim. vi. 16
; ; ; 1 Johniv. 12.

Verse 5. He sent young men] Stout, able, reputable the present day. The Romans were particularly fond
young men, chosen out of the different tribes, for the of them, and left monuments of their taste and ingenuity
purpose of killing, flaying, and offering the oxen men- in pavements of this kind, in most countries where
tioned here. they established their dominion. Some very fine spe-
Burnt-offerings] They generally consisted of sheep cimens are found in different parts of Britain.
and goats, Lev. i. 10. These were wholly consumed Sapphire is a precious stone of a fine blue colour,
by fire. next in hardness to the diamond. The ruby is con-
Peace-offerings] Bullocks or goats ; see Heb. ix. sidered by most mineralogists of the same genus so ;

19. The blood of these was poured out before the is also the topaz : hence we cannot say that the sap-

Lord, and then the priests and people might feast on phire is only of a blue colour it is blue, red, or yel- ;

the flesh. low, as it may be called sapphire, ruby, or topaz; and

Verse 7. The book of the covenant] The writing some of them are blue or green, according to the light
containing the laws mentioned in the three preceding in which they are held and some white. ; A very
chapters. As this writing contained the agreement large specimen of such a one is now before me. The
made between God and them, was called the book ancient oriental sapphire is supposed to have been the
it

of the covenant; but as no covenant was considered to same with the lapis lazuli. Supposing that these differ-
De ratified and binding till a sacrifice had been offered ent kinds of sapphires are here intended, how glorious
on the occasion, hence the necessity of the sacrifices must a pavement be, constituted of polished stones of
mentioned here. this sort, perfectly transparent, with an effulgence of
Half of the blood being sprinkled on the altar, and heavenly splendour poured out upon them The red, !

half of it sprinkled on the people, showed that both the blue, the green, and the yellow, arranged by the
God and they were mutually bound by this covenant. wisdom of God, into the most beautiful emblematic
God was bound to the people to support, defend, and representations, and the whole body of heaven in its
save them the people were bound to God to fear,
; clearness shining upon them, must have made a most
love, and serve him. On the ancient method of glorious appearance. As the Divine glory appeared
making covenants, see on Gen. vi. 18 xv. 18. Thus ; above the mount, it is reasonable to suppose that the
the blood of the new covenant was necessary to pro- Israelitessaw the sapphire pavement over their heads,
pitiate the throne of justice on the one hand, and to as might have occupied a space in the atmosphere
it

reconcile men to God on the other. On the nature equal in extent to the base of the mountain and be- ;

and various kinds of the Jewish offerings, see the note ing transparent, the intense brightness shining upon it
on Lev. vii. 1, &c. must have greatly heightened the effect.
Verse 10. They saw the God of Israel] The seven- It is necessary farther to observe that all this must
ty elders, who were representatives of the whole con- have been only an appearance, unconnected with any
gregation, were chosen to witness the manifestation personal similitude ; for this Moses expressly asserts,
of God, that they might be satisfied of the truth of the Deut. iv. 15. And though
the feet are here men-
revelation which he had jnade of himself and of his tioned, this can only be understood of the sapphirine
will ; and on this occasion it was necessary that the basis or pavement, on which this celestial and inde-
people also should be favoured with a sight of the scribable glory of Lord appeared. There is a
the
glory of God see chap. xx. 18.
; Thus the certainty similar description of the glory of the Lord in the Book
of the revelation was established by many witnesses, of Revelation, chap. iv. 3 " And he who sat [upon
:

and by those especially of the most competent kind. the throne] was to look upon like a jasper and a sar-
A paved work of a sapphire stone] Or sapphire dine stone and there was a rainbow round about the
;

brick-work. I suppose that something of the Musive throne, in sight like unto an emerald.'''' In neither of
or Mosaic pavement is here intended floors most ; these appearances was there any similitude or likeness
curiously inlaid with variously coloured stones or small of any thing in heaven, earth, or sea. Thus God took
square tiles, disposed in a great variety of ornamental care to preserve them from all incentives to idolatry.,
forms. Many of these remain in different countries to while he gave them the fullest proofs of his heing,
423
 ; ;

Moses called up into the mount. EXODUS. The glory of God appears.

A. M. 2513. there was under his feet as it and, behold, Aaron and Hur are a. m. 2513.
. , -r B. C. 1491.
.
An. kxod. isr. 1. were a paved work of a " sapphire with you : any man have any
11
1
au. Exod. isr. 1.
^^^^^- ^^^"^""
stone, and as it were the ° body matters to do, let him come unto

of heaven in his clearness. them.

1 1 And upon the nobles of the children of 1 5 And Moses went up into the mount, and
Israel he p laid not his hand : also ^ they saw ^ a cloud covered the mount.
God, and did ^ eat and drink. 1 6 And the glory of the Lord abode upon '^

12 And the Lord said unto Moses, ^ Come Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six
up to me into the mount, and be there and I days and the seventh day he called unto : :

will give thee * tables of stone, and a law, Moses, out of the midst of the cloud.
and commandments which I have written 17 And the sight of the glory of the Lord
that thou mayest teach them. loas like y devouring fire, on the top of the
13 And Moses rose up, and™ his minister mount, in the eyes of the children of Israel.
Joshua and Moses ' went up into the mount
: 18 And Moses went into the midst of the
of God. cloud, and gat him up into the mount and :

14 And he said unto the elders, Tarry ye ^ Moses was in the mount forty days and
here for us, until we come again unto you forty nights. :

lEzek. i. ; x. 1 ; Rev. iv. 3.

26 " Matt. xvii. 2. P Chap. 16; Deut. V. 22. "Chap, xxxii. 17; xxxiii. 11. ^ Ver. 2.
xix. 21. Ver. 10 ; chap, xxxiii. 20 Gen. xvi. 13 ; xxxii. 30 ;
1 ;
'^ Chap. xix. 9, 16 ; Matt. xvii. 5. Chap. xvi. 10
^ ; Num. xiv.
Deut. iv. 33 ; Judg. xiii. 22. " Gen. xxxi. 54 chap, xviii. 12 ; ; 10. y Chapter iii. 2 xix. 18
; ; Deut. iv. 36 ; Heb. xii. 18, 29.
» Ver. 2, 15, 18. ' Chap. xxxi. 18 Deut. ix. 9.
1 Cor. X. 18. ; xxxii. 15, » Chap, xxxiv. 28 ;

In Scheuchzer's Physica Sacra, among his numerous Verse 13. Moses rose up] In verse 16 it is said
one of this glorious manifes-
fine engravings, there is that the glory of the Lord abode on the mount, and the
tation, which cannot be too severely reprehended. cloud covered it. The glory was probably above the
The Supreme Being is represented as an old man, cloud, and it was to the cloud that Moses and his ser-
sitting on a throne, encompassed with glory, having a vant Joshua ascended at this time, leaving Aaron and
crown on his head, and a sceptre in his hand, the the elders below. After they had been in this region,
people prostrate in adoration at the foot of the piece. viz., where the cloud encompassed the mountain, for

A print of this kind should be considered as utterly six days", God appears to have called Moses up higher :

improper, if not blasphemous. compare the 16th and I8th verses. Moses then as-
Verse 1 1 Upon the nobles of Israel he laid not his
.
— cended to the glory, leaving Joshua in the cloud, with
hand] This laying on of the hand has been variously whom he had, no doubt, frequent conferences during the
explained. I. He did not conceal himself from the forty days he continued with God on the mount.
nobles of Israel by covering them with his hand, as he Verse 14. Tarry ye here for us] Probably Moses
did Moses, chap, xxxiii. 22. 2. He did not endue any did not know that he was to continue so long on the
of the nobles, i. e., the seventy elders, with the gift of mount, nor is it likely that the elders tarried the whole
prophecy ; on of the hand has been under-
for so laying forty days where they were they doubtless, after :

stood. 3. He any of them none of them

did not slay ; waiting some considerable time, returned to the camp ;

received any injury which is certainly one meaning

; and their return is supposed to have been the grand
of the phrase see Neh. xiii. 21
: Psa. Iv. 20. Also ; cause why the Israelites made the golden calf, as they
they saw God, i. e., although they had this discovery probably reported that Moses was lost.

of his majesty, yet they did eat and drink, were i. e., Aaron and Hur are ivith you"] Not knowing how
preserved alive and unhurt. Perhaps the eating and long he might be detained on the mount, and knowing-
drinking here may refer to the peace-offerings on that many cases might occur which would require the
which they feasted, and the libations that were then Moses constituted
interference of the chief magistrate,
offered on the ratification of the covenant. But they them regents of the people during the time he should
rejoiced the more because they had been so highly be absent.
favoured, and were still permitted to live ; for it was And the seventh day he called] It is very
Verse 16.
generally apprehended that God never showed his glory likely thatMoses went up into the mount on the first
in this signal manner but
for the purpose of manifest- day of the week and having with Joshua remained
;

ing his justice and therefore it appeared a strange

; in region of the cloud during six days, on the
the
thing that these should have seen God as it were face seventh, which was the Sabbath, God spake to him,
to face, and yet live. See Gen. xvi. 13 xxxiii. 30 ;
;
and delivered successively to him, during forty days
and Judg. xiii. 22, 23. and forty nights, the different statutes and ordinances
Verse 12. Come up to me into the mount, and be which are afterwards mentioned.
there] We
may suppose Moses to have been, with Verse 17. The glory of the Lord was like devouring
Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and the seventy elders, about fire] This appearance was well calculated to inspire
midway up the mount ; for it plainly appears that there the people with the deepest reverence and godly fear
hare several stations on it. and this is the use the apostle makes of it, Heb. xii.
I

424
 : ;;

The people required to bring CHAP. XXV. free-witi ojf^erings to the Lord

28, 29, where he evidently refers to this place, say- of the people are suffered to come up to the Divine
ing, Let us have grace whereby we may serve God glory, not even Aaron, nor his sons, nor the nobles of
acceptably with reverence and godly fear; for our Israel. Moses was a type of Christ, who is the me-
God a consuming fire.
is Seeing the glory of the diator of the New Covenant
and he alone has access
;

Lord upon the mount like a devouring fire, Moses hav- to God in behalf of the human race, as Moses had in
ing tarried long, the Israelites probably supposed that behalf of Israel.
he had been devoured or consumed by it, and therefore 2. The law can inspire nothing but terror, when
the more easily fell into idolatry. But how could they viewed unconnected with its sacrifices, and those sa-
do this, with this tremendous sight of God's glory crifices are nothing but as they refer to Jesus Christ,
before their eyes 1 the Lamb of God, who alone by the sacrifice of himself,
Verse 18. Forty days and forty nights.] During bears away the sin of the world.
the whole of this time he neither ate bread nor drank 3. The blood of the victims was sprinkled both on
water see chap, xxxiv. 28
; Deut. ix. 9. Both his the
;
altar and on the people, to show that the death of
body and soul were so sustained by the invigorating Christ gave to Divine justice what it demanded, and
presence of God, that he needed no earthly support, to men what they needed. The people were sancti-
and this may be the simple reason why he took none. fied by it unto God, and God was propitiated by it unto
Elijah fasted forty days and forty nights, sustained by the people. By this sacrifice the law was magnified
the same influence, 1 Kings xix. 8 as did likewise and made honourable, so Divine justice received its
;

our blessed Lord, when he was about to commence the due and those who believe are justified from all guilt,
;

public ministry of his own Gospel, Matt. iv. 2. and sanctified from all sin, so they receive all that they
need. Thus God is well pleased, and believers eter-
1. Moses, who was the mediator of the Old Cove- nally saved. This is a glorious economy, highly
nant, is alone permitted to draw nigh to God none worthy of God its author. ;
_

CHAPTER XXV.
The Lord addresses Moses out of the Divine glory, and commands him to speak unto the Israelites, that they
may give him free-will offerings, 1,2. The different kinds of offerings, gold, silver, and brass, 3. Purple,
scarlet, fine \\nen,and goats' hair, 4. Rams' skins, badgers' skins, {rather \ioiet-coloured skins,)
and shittim
wood, 5. Oil and spices, 6. Onyx
and stones for the ephod and breastplate, 7. A sanctuary is
stones,
to be made after the pattern of the tabernacle, 8, 9. The ark and its dimensions, 10. Its crown of gold, 1 1.
7^5 rings, 12. Its staves, and their use, 13-15. The testimony to be laid up in the ark, 16. The
mercy-seat and its dimensions, 17. The cherubim, how made and placed, 18-20. The mercy seat to be
placed on the ark, and the testimony to be put within it, 21. The Lord promises to commune with the
people from the mercy-seat, 22. The table of shew-bread, and its dimensions, 23. Its crown and border
of gold, 24, 25. Its rings, 26, 27. Staves, 28. Dishes, spoons, and bowls, 29. Its use, 30. The
golden candlestick its branches, boivls, knops, and flowers, 31—36.
; Its seven lamps, 37. Tono-s and
snuffers, 38. The weight of the candlestick and its utensils, one talent of gold, 39. All to be made
according to the pattern showed to Moses on the mount, 40.

A. M. 2513. A ND the Lord spake unto *=

of every man that giveth it A. m. 2513. .

B. C. 1491.
An. Exod. Isr. 1. Moses, saying, willingly with his heart, ye shall An. Exod. isr.' 1.
Sivan. &\ym.
2 Speak unto the children of take my offering.
Israel, that they * bring me an ^ offering 3 And this is the offering which ye shall

« Chap. XXXV. 5,21 ; 1 Chron. xxix. 3, 5, 9, 14 Ezra ii. 68

* Hebrew, take for me. •>
Or, heave-offering.
;

iii. 5 vii. 16
; ; Neh. xi. 2; 2 Cor. viii. 12 ; ix. 7.

NOTES ON CHAP. XXV. Verse 3. This is the offering] There were three
Verse That they bring me an offering]
2. The kinds of metals 1. Gold, 3nT zahab, which may :

offering here mentioned is the nonn terumah, a kind properly signify wrought gold ; what was
bright and
of free-will offering, consisting of any thing that was resplendent, as the word implies. In Job xxviii. 15,
necessary for the occasion. It signifies properly any 16, 17, 19, gold is mentioned ^i"e times, and four of
thing that was lifted up, the heave-offering, because the words are different in the original. 1. "ii:d segor,
in presenting it to God it was lifted up to be laid on from "1JD sagar, to shut up
; gold in the mine, or shut
his altar but see on chap. xxix. 26.
; God requires up in its ore. 2. Dr\D kethem, from DHD catham, to
that they should build him a tent, suited in some sort sign, seal, or stamp
; gold made current by being coined
to his dignity and eminence, because he was to act as standard or sterling gold, exhibiting the stamp expres-
their king, and to dwell among them and they were sive of its value.
;
3. DHi zahab, wrought gold, pure,
to consider themselves as his subjects, and in this highly polished
gold ; probably what was used for
character to brij.g him presents, which was considered overlaying or gilding. 4. T3 paz, denoting solidity,
to be the duty of every subject appearing before his
compactness, and strength ; probably gold formed into
prince. See chap, xxiii. 15. different kinds of plate, as it is joined in ver. 17 of
425
 — ; ——

The different offerings EXODUS. to be brought to the Lord.

A. M. 2513. take of them ;

gold, and silver, scarlet, and ^ fine Imen, and goats a. m. 2513.
B. C. 1491. , ,

An.Exo(].isr. 1. and Drass, hair An. Exod. Isr. 1

^^^""^
^^'''*"-
4 And blue, and purple, and 5 And rams' skins dyed red,

dOr, silk; Gen. xli. 42.

the above chapter with "h^ keley, vessels. The zahab, a single fold was meant, T3 bad is the term used. See .

or pure gold, is here mentioned, because was in a

it the note on Gen. xli. 42.
state that rendered it capable of being variously manu- Goats'' hair] D'l;^ izzim, goats, but used here ellip-
factured for the service of the sanctuary. tically for goats' hair. In different parts of Asia Minor,
2.Silver, ^IDD keseph, from casaph, to be pale, wan, Syria, Cilicia, and Phrygia, the goats have long, fine,
or ivhite ; so called from its well-known colour. and beautiful hair, in some cases almost as fine as silk,
3. Brass, ntJTIJ nechosheth, copper ; unless we sup- which they shear at proper times, and manufacture into
pose that the factitious metal commonly called brass garments. From Virgil, Georg. iii., v. 305-311, we
i.3 intended this is formed by a combination of the learn that goats' hair manufactured into cloth was
:

oxide or ore of zinc, called lapis calaminaris, with nearly of equal value with that formed from wool.
copper. Brass seems to have been very anciently in
Hae quoque non cura nobis leviore tuendcB ;
use, as we find it mentioned Gen. iv. 22 and the
Nee minor usus erit quamvis Milesia magno
;
:

preparation of copper, to transform it into this facti-

Vellera mutentur, Tyrios incocta rubores.
tious metal, seems to be very pointedly referred to
Nee minus interea barbas incanaque menta
Job xxviii. 2 Iron is taken out of the earth, and hrass
:

Cinyphii tondent hirci, setasque comantes,

is molten out of the stone ; niyinJ pl}^'' pX eben yatsuk
Usum in castrorum, et miseris velamina nautis.
nechushah, translated by the Vulgate, Lapis, solutus
calore, in as vertitur, " The stone, liquefied by heat, " For hairy goats of equal profit are
is turned into brass." Is it going too far to say that With woolly sheep, and ask an equal care.
the stone here may refer to the lapis calaminaris, which 'Tis true the fleece when drunk with Tyrian juice
was used to turn the copper into brass 1 Because brass Is dearly sold, but not for needful use :

was capable of so fine a polish as to become exceedingly Meanwhile the pastor shears their hoary beards
bright, and keep its lustre a considerable time, hence And eases of their hair the loaden herds.
it was used for all weapons of war and defensive armour Their camelots, warm in tents, the soldier hold.
among ancient nations and copper seems to have been;
And shield the shivering mariner from the cold."
in no repute, but for its use in making brass. Dryden.
Verse 4. Blue] nSjn techeleth, generally supposed
Verse 5. Rams' skins dyed red] O'DIND DTX H");^
to mean an azure or shj colour ; rendered by the Sep-
oroth eylim meoddamim, literally, the skins of red rams.
tuagint vaKivdov, and by the Vulgate hyacinthum, a
It is a fact attested by many respectable travellers,
sky-blue or deep violet.
that in the Levant sheep are often to be met with that
Purple] pjlX argaman, a very precious colour,
have red or violet-colonred fleeces. And almost all
extracted from the purpura or murex, a species of
ancient writers speak of the same thing. Homer
shell-fish, from which it is supposed the famous Tyrian
describes the rams of Polyphemus as having a violet-
purple came, so costly, and so much celebrated in
coloured fleece.
antiquity. See this largely described, and the manner
of dying it, in Pliny, Hist. Nat., lib. ix., c. 60-65, ApuEveg oieg tjaav Evrpe^eeg, 6aavp.a7Ckoi,
edit. Bipont. KaloL TE, [ieyaTioi. re, io6ve(pec eipog exovrec.
Scarlet] P^SlH tolaath, signifies a ivorm, of which Odyss.,lib. ix., ver. 425.
this colouring matter was made ; and, joined with ''JtS' " Strong were the rams, with native purple fair.
shani, which signifies to repeat or double, implies that Well fed, and largest of the fleecy care." Pope.
to strike this colour the wool or cloth was twice dip-
ped hence the Vulgate renders the original coccum bis
:
Pliny, Aristotle, and others mention the same. And
tinctum, " scarlet twice dyed ;" and to this Horace from facts of this kind it is very probable that the fable
refers, Odar., lib. ii., od. 16, v. 35 :
of the golden fleece had its origin. In the Zetland Isles
I have seen sheep with variously coloured fleeces, some
-Te BIS Afro
white, some black, some black and ivhite, some of a very
Murice tinct^
fine chocolate colour. Beholding those animals brought
Vcstiunt LAN^.
to my recollection those words of Virgil :

" Thy robes the twice dyed purple stains."

Ipse sed in pratis Aries jam suave rubenti
same colour which the Arabs call al kermez,
It is the
Murice, jam croceo mutabit vellera Into.
whence the French cramoisi, and the English crimson. Eclog. iv., ver. 43,
On this subject much may be seen in Bochart, Calmet,
and Scheuchzer. " No wool shall in dissembled colours shine ;

Fine litien] whether this means linen,

tytV shesh ; But the luxurious father of the fold,
cotton, or silk, is not agreed on among interpreters. With native purple or unborrow'd gold.
Because \i/\if shesh signifies six, the rabbins suppose Beneath his pompous fleece shall proudly sweat,

that it always signifies the fine linen of Egypt, in And under Tyrian robes the lamb shall bleat."
which six folds constituted one thread and that when ;
Dryden.
426
 ; ;

The petjjjie directed CHAP. XXV, to make the sanctuary

1 Onyx stones, and stones a. m. 2513

A. M. 2513.
B. C. 1491.
An. Exod. Isr. 1.
and badgers' skins, and shittim
WOOdJ
°
;
1
be set in the
• 1 V
^
1
ephod, and
I 11
m
to
the An.
B. C. 1491.
Exod.isr. 1,

^^^^"- ^^^^°-
6 «Oil for the light, ^ spices •
breastplate.
for anointing oil, and for ^ sweet incense ;
8 And let them make me a ^ sanctuary

e Chapter xxvii. 20.- — f Chapter XXX. 23.- ; Chapter XXX. 34- ' Chap, xxviii. 15. ^ Chap, xxxvi. 1, 3, 4 ; Lev. iv. 6 ; x. 4 ;

•> Chap, xxviii. 4, 6. xxi. 12 Heb. ix. 1, 2.

;

Badgers^ skins] D'tynn ^\'^)? oroth techashim. Few cross upon the stomach, and then carried round the
terms have afforded greater perplexity to critics and waist, and thus made a girdle to the tunic. Where
commentators than this. Bochart has exhausted the the ephod crossed on the breast there was a square
subject, and seems to have proved that no kind of ani- ornament called jBTI choshen, the breastplate, in wh ?h
mal is here intended, but a colour. None of the ancient twelve precious stones were set, each bearing one of
versions acknowledge an animal of any kind except the the names of the twelve sons of Jacob engraven on it
Chaldee, which seems to think the badger is intended, There were two sorts of ephods, one of plain linen for
and from it we have borrowed our translation of the the priests, the other very much embroidered for the
word. The Septuagint and Vulgate have skins dyed high priest. As there was nothing singular in this
a violet colour the Syriac, azure ; the Arabic, black
; common no particular description is given but
sort, ;

the Coptic, violet ; the modern Persic, ram-skins, &c. that of the high priest is described very much in detail
The colour contended for by Bochart is the hysginus, chap, xxviii. 6-8. It was distinguished from the com-

which is a very deep blue. So Pliny, Coccoque tinc- mon ephod by being composed of gold, blue, purple,
tum Tyrio tingere, ut fieret hysginum. " They dip scarlet, fine twisted linen, and cunning tvork, i. e.,
crimson in purple to make the colour called hysgi- superbly ornamented and embroidered. This ephod
nus.'''' — Hist. Nat., lib. ix., c. 65, edit. Bipont. was fastened on the shoulders with two precious stones,
Shittim loood] By some supposed to be the finest on which the twelve names of the twelve tribes of
species of the cedar by others, the acacia Nilotica,
; Israel were engraved, six names on each stone. These
a species of thorn, solid, light, and very beautiful. two stones, thus engraved, were different from those
This acacia is known to have been plentiful in Egypt, on the breastplate, with which they have been con-
and it abounds in Arabia Deserta, the very place in founded. From Calmet's description the ephod seems
which Moses was when he built the tabernacle and ; to have been a series of belts, fastened to a collar,
hence it is reasonable to suppose that he built it of that which were intended to keep the garments of the
wood, which was every way proper for his purpose. priest closely attached to his body but there is some :

Verse 6. Oil for the light] This they must have reason to believe that it was a sort of garment like
brought with them from Egypt, for they could not get that worn by our heralds it covered the back, breast, ;

any in the wilderness where there were no olives ;

and belly, and was open at the sides. A piece of the
but it is likely that this and some other directions same kind of stuff with itself united it on the shoulders,
refer more to what was to be done when in their where the two stones, already mentioned, were placed,
fixed and settled residence, than while Avandering in and it was probably without sleeves. See on chap,
the wilderness. xxviii. 2, &c.
Spices] To make a confection for sweet incense, Verse 8. Let them make me a sanctuary] UnpD
abounded in different parts of these countries. mikdash, a holy place, such as God might dwell in ;
Verse 7. Onyx stones] We have already met with this was that part of the tabernacle that was called the
the stone called Dnty jfAoAam, Gen. ii. 12, and acknow- which the high priest entered
most holy place, into
ledged the difficulty of ascertaining what is meant by only once a year, on the great day of atonement.
it. Some think the onyx, some the sardine, and some That I may dwell among them.] " This," says Mr.
the emerald, is meant. We cannot say precisely what Ainsworth, " was the main end of all and to this all ;

it was possibly it might have been that fine pale

; the particulars are to be referred, and by this they
pebble, called the Egyptian pebble, several specimens are to be opened. For this sanctuary, as Solomon's
of which now lie before me, which were brought from temple afterwards, was the place of prayer, and of
the coast of the Red Sea, and other parts in Egypt, the public service of God, Lev. xvii. 4—6 Matt. xxi. ;

by a particular friend of mine, on purpose to add to 13 and it signified the Church which is the habita-
;

my collection of minerals. tion of God through the Spirit, 2 Cor. vi. 16 Eph. ;

Stones to be set in the ephod] D'xSd 'jax abney ii. 19-22 Rev. xxi. 2, 3 and was a visible sign of ; ;

milluim, stones of filling up. Stones so cut as to be God's presence and protection, Lev. xxvi. 11, 12;
proper to be set in the gold work of the breastplate. Ezek. xxxvii. 27, 28 1 Kings vi. 12, 13 and of his
—
The nax ephod. It is very difficult to tell what this leading them to his heavenly glory. For as the high
; ;

was, or in what form it was made. It was a garment priest entered into the tabernacle, and through the veil
of some kind peculiar to the priests, and ever consi- into the most holy place where God dwelt so Christ ;

dered essential to all the parts of Divine worship, for entered into the holy of holies, and we also enter
without it no person attempted to inquire of God. As through the veil, that is to say his flesh. See the use
the word itself comes from the root 13X aphad, he tied made of this by the apostle, Heb. ix. and x. Thus
or bound close, Calmet supposes that it was a kind of the sanctuary is to be applied as a type, 1. To Christ's
girdle, which, brought from behind the neck and over person, Heb. viii. 2; ix. 11, 12; John ii. 19-21.
the shoulders, and so hanging down before, was put 2. To every Christian, Cor
1 vi. 19. 3. To the
427
 — 2

Directions for the EXODUS. construction of the ark

A. M. 2513. that ' I may -^

dwell amonff
° 1 And thou shalt cast four a. m. 2513.
B. C. 1491. ,

An. Exod.Isr. 1. them. rings of gold for it, and put them An. Exod. Isr. l,
^''"^"- &^^^^
9 "^ According to all that I in the four corners thereof; and
show thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, two rings shall he in the one side of it, and
and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, two rings in the other side of it.
even so shall ye make it. 13 And thou shalt make staves of shittim
10" And they shall make an ark of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold.
wood two cubits and a half shall he the
: 14 And thou shalt put the staves into the
length thereof, and a cubit and a half the rings by the sides of the ark, that the ark may
breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the be borne with them.
height thereof. 15° The staves shall be in the rings of the
1 1 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, ark ; they shall not be taken from it.

within and without shalt thou overlay 16 And thou it, and shalt put into the ark "the
shalt make upon it a crown of gold round about. testimony which I shall give thee.

'Chap. xxix. 45 1 Kings; vi. 13 ; 2 Cor. vi. 16 ; Heb. iii. 6 ;

° 1 Kings viii. 8. P Chapter xvi. 34 xxxi. 18 Deut. x. 2,
; ;

Rev. xxi. 3. ™ Ver. 40. " Chapter xxxvii. 1 ; Deut. x. 3 ; 5 ; xxxi. 26 ; 1 Kings viii. 9 ; 2 Kings xi. 12 Hebrews ;

Heb. ix. 4. ix. 4.

Church; hoXh particular ,^e\). iii. 6; 1 Tim. iii. 15; deposit the two tables of stone in, which had been
and universal, Heb. x. 2 1 and it was because of the written by the finger of God, we may very reasonably
:

very extensive signification of this building, that the conjecture that the length of those tables was not less
different things concerning this sanctuary are particu- than four feet and their breadth not less than two.
larly set down by Moses, and so variously applied by As to their thickness we can say nothing, as the depth
the prophets and by the apostles." See Ainsworth. of the ark was intended for other matters besides the
As the dwelling in this tabernacle was the highest two tables, such as Aaron's rod, the pot of manna, &c.,
proof of God's grace and mercy towards the Israelites, &c., though probably these were laid up beside, not
so it typified Christ's dwelling by faith in the hearts in, the ark.
of believers, and thus giving them the highest and Verse W. A crown of gold round about. ^ A border,
surest proof of their reconciliation to God, and of his or, as the Septuagint have it, KVfiaria ;^^pi'(Ta crpeirra
love and favour to them; see Eph. i. 22, iii. 17. KVK%(j, waves of gold wreathed round about.
Verse 9. Kiler the -pattern of the tabernacle^ It has Verse 15. The staves shall not be taken from i7.] —
been supposed that there had been a tabernacle before Because it should ever be considered as in readiness
that erected by Moses, though it probably did not now to be removed, God not having told them at what hour
exist but the tabernacle which Moses is ordered to he should command them to strike their tents.
; If the
make was to be formed exactly on the model of this staves were never to be taken out, how can it be said,
ancient one, the pattern of which God showed him in as in Num. iv. 6, that when the camp should set for-
the mount, ver. 40. The word pt^S mishcan signifies ward, they should put in the staves thereof, which in-
literally the dwelling or habitation ; and this was so timates that when they encamped they took out the
called because it was the dwelling place of God and staves, which appears to be contrary to what is here
;

the only place on the earth in which he made himself said ? To reconcile these two places, it has been sup-
manifest. See the note on ver. 40, and on chapter posed, with great show of probability, that besides the
xxxiii. 7-10. staves which passed through the rings of the ark, and
Verse 10. They shall make an ark] pIX aron sig- by which it was carried, there were two other staves
nifies an ark, chest, coffer, or coffin. It is used par- or poles in the form of a hier or hand-barroiv, on which
ticularly to designate that chest or coffer in which the the ark was laid in order to be transported in their
testimony or two tables of the covenant was laid up, journeyings, when it and its own staves, still in their
on the top of which was the propitiatory or mercy-seat, rings, had been wrapped up in the covering of what is
(see on ver. 17,) and at the end of which were the called badgers^ shins and blue cloth. The staves of
cherubim of gold, (ver. 18-20,) between whom the visi- the ark which might be considered as its handles
itself,

ble sign of the presence of the supreme God appeared simply to by, were never taken out of their rings
lil\ it ;

as seated upon his throne. The ark was the most but the staves or poles which served as a bier were
excellent of all the holy things which belonged to the taken from under it when they encamped.
Mosaic economy, and for its sake the tabernacle and Verse 16. The testimony] The two tables of stone,
the temple were built, chap. xxvi. 33 xl. 18, 21. It ; which were not yet given these tables were called ;

was considered as conferring a sanctity wherever it m;,' eduth, from IJ,' forward, onward, to hear ivitness
was fixed, 2 Chron. viii. 11; 2 Sam. vi. 12. to or of a person or thing. Not only the tables of
Two cubits and a half shall be the length, cj-c] stone, butall the contents of the ark, Aaron's rod, the

About four feet five inches in length, taking the cubit pot of manna, the holy anointing oil, &c., bore testi-
as twenty-one inches, and lioo feet six inches in breadth mony to the Messiah in his prophetic, sacerdotal, and
and in depth. As this ark was chiefly intended to regal ofiices.
428
 1 —
The mercy-seat, CHAP. XXV. and the cherubim.

A. M. 2513. 17 And ithou shall make a with their wings, and their faces a. m. 2513.
B. C. 1491.
An. Exod. meicy-seat of
J.
pure gold
11.two shall look one to another toward
isr. 1. :
; An. Exod. Isr! j
^'''^°- ^^'"^°-
cubits and a half shall he the the mercy-seat shall the faces of
length thereof, and a cubit and a half the the cherubims be.
breadth thereof. 2 And thou shalt put the mercy-seat above '

18 And make two cherubims of upon the ark and " in the ark thou shalt
thou shalt ;

gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in put the testimony that I shall give thee.
the two ends of the mercy-seat. 22 And ^ there I ^vill meet with thee, and
19 And make one cherub on the one end, I will commune with thee from above the
and the other cherub on the other end eveii mercy-seat, from '" between the two cheru- ;

'of the mercy-seat shall ye make the cheru- bims which are upon the ark of the testimony,
bims on the two ends thereof. of all things which I will give thee in com
20 And ^ the cherubims shall stretch forth mandment unto the children of Israel.
their wings on high, covering the mercy-seat 23 ^ Thou shalt also make a table of shittim

5 Chap, xxxvii. 6 Rom. iii. 25 ; Heb. ix. 5.

; Or, of the vii. 89; 1 Samuel iv. 4; 2 Samuel vi. 2; 2 Kings six.
matter of the mercy-seat. ' 1 Kings viii. 7 1 Chron. xxviii. ; 15 ; Psalm Ixxx. 1 ; xc. 1 ; Isaiah xxxvii. 16. * Chap.
18 Heb. ix. 5.
; Chap. xxvi. 34.
' " Ver. 16. ' Chapter xxxvii. 10; 1 Kings vii. 48; 2 Chron. iv. 8; Hebrews
xxix. 42, 43 xxx. 6, 36 Lev. xvi. 2 Num. xvii. 4.
; ;
^ Num.
; ix. 2.

Verse 17. A mercy-seat] capporeth, from "l£33 ni3D their forms and design there is much difference of
caphar, to cover or overspread because by an act of ; opinion among divines. It is probable that the term
pardon sins are represented as being covered, so that often means a figure of any kind, such as was ordi-
they no longer appear in the eye of Divine justice to engraved on metal, carved
narily sculptured on stone,
displease, irritate, and call for punishment and the on ivood, or embroidered on cloth.
; See on chap. xxxv.
person of the offender is covered or protected from the 8. It may be only necessary to add, that cherub is
stroke of the broken law. In the Greek version of the singular number cherubim, not cherubims, the ;

the Septuagint the word ikaaTTjpiov, hilasterion, is used, plural. See what has been said on this subject in the
which signifies a propitiatory, and is the name used by note on Gen. iii. 24.
the apostle, Heb. ix. 5. This mercy-seat or propitia- Verse 22. And there I will meet with thee] That
tory was made of pure gold it was properly the lid ;is, over the mercy-seat, between the cherubim. In
or covering of that vessel so well known by the name this place God chose to give the most especial mani-
of the ark and ark of the covenant. On and before festations of himself; here the Divine glory was to be
this, the high priest was to sprinkle the blood of the seen and here Moses was to come in order to consult ;

expiatory sacrifices on the great day of atonement : Jehovah, relative to the management of the people.
and it was in this place that God promised to meet Ainsworth has remarked that the rabbins say, " The
the people, (see ver. 22 ;) for there he dwelt, and there heart of man may be likened to God's sanctuary for ;

was the symbol of the Divine presence. At each end as, in the sanctuary, the shechinah or Divine glory
of this propitiatory was a cherub, between whom this dwelt, because there were the ark, the tables, and the
glory was manifested hence in Scripture it is so often cherubim so, in the heart of man, it is meet that a
;
;

said that he dwelleth between the cherubim. As the place be made for the Divine Majesty to dwell in, and.
word i?.aaTTiptov, propitiatory or mercy-seat, is applied that it This is a doctrine most
be the holy of holies."
to Christ, Rom. iii. 25, ivhom God hath set forth to implicitly taughtby the apostles and the absolute ne- ;

he a PROPITIATION {llaarripLoi') through faith in his cessity of having the heart made a habitation of God
blood —for the remission of sins that are past ; hence through the Spirit, is strongly and frequently insisted
we learn that Christ was the true mercy-seat, the on through the whole of the New Testament. See
thing signified by the capporeth, to the ancient be- the note on the following verse.
lievers. And we learn farther that it was by his blood Verse 23. Thou shalt also make a table of shittim
that an atonement was to be made for the sins of the wood] The same wood, the acacia, of which the ark-
world. And as God showed himself between the staves, &c., were made. On the subject of the ark,
cherubim over this propitiatory or mercy-seat, so it is table of shevv-bread, &c., Dr. Cudworth, in his very
said, God was in Christ reconciling the
world unto hiin- learned and excellent treatise on the Lord's Supper, has
self; 2 Cor. v. 19, &c. See on Lev. vii. the following remarks :

Verse 18. Thou shalt make two cherubims] What " When God had brought the children of Israel out
these were we cannot distinctly say. It is generally of Egypt, resolving to manifest himself in a peculiar
supposed that a cherub was a creature with four heads manner present among them, he thought good to dwell
and one body and the animals, of which these em-
:
amongst them in a visible and external manner and ;

blematical forms consisted, were the noblest of their therefore, while they were in the wilderness, and so-
kinds ; the lion among the wild beasts, the bull among journed in tents, he would have a tent or tabernacle
the tame ones, the eagle among the birds, and man at built to sojourn with them also. This mystery of the
the head of all ; so that they might be, says Dr. Priest- tabernacle was fully understood by the learned Nach-
.ey, the representatives of all nature. Concerning manides, who, in few words, but pregnant, expresseth
429
 :

The golden tab^e EXODUS. for the shew-bread.

A. M. 2513. wood two cubits shall be the

: 27 Over against the border A. M. 2513.

An.Exod. isr. 1. length and a cubit the

thereof, shall the rings be for places An. Exod. Isr! 1.
^'^^"- ^^''^"-
breadth thereof, and a cubit and of the staves to bear the
a half the height thereof. table.

24 And thou 28 And thou shalt make the staves of shittim

shalt overlay it with pure gold,
and make thereto a crown of gold round about. wood, and overlay them with gold, that the
25 And thou shalt make unto it a border of table may be borne with them.
a hand-breadth round about, and thou shalt 29 And thou shalt make ^ the dishes there-
make a golden crown to the border thereof of,and spoons thereof, and covers thereof, and
round about. bowls thereof, ^ to cover withal: q/"pure gold
26 And thou shalt make for it four rings shalt thou make them.
of gold, and put the rings in the four corners 30 And thou shalt set upon the table ^ shew-
that are on the four feet thereof. bread before me alway.

y Chap, xxxvii. 16; Num. iv. 7. ^Or, to pour out withal. »Lev. xxiv. 5, 6.

himself to this purpose of the taber-

: ' The mystery is unsavoury without as Nachmanides hath here
salt,
nacle was this, that it was
be a place for the she- to also well observed because it was not honourable
;
'

chinah, or habitation of Divinity, to be fixed in ;' and that God's meat should be unsavoury, without salt.'
this, no doubt, as a special type of God's future dwell- Lastly, all these things were to be consumed on the
ing in Christ's human nature, which was the True altar only by the holy fire which came down from heaven,
Shechinah : but when the Jews were come into their because they were God's portion, and therefore to be
land, andhad there built them houses, God intended eaten or consumed by himself in an extraordinary man-
tohave a fixed dwelling-house also and therefore his ; ner." See on ver. 22.
movable tabernacle was to be turned into a standing Verse 29. The dishes thereof vni^'p kearothaiv,'\

temple. Now the tabernacle or temple, being thus as probably the deep bowls in which they kneaded the
a house for God to dwell in visibly, to make up the mass out of which they made the shew-bread.
notion of dwelling or habitation complete there must And spoons thereof^ vr>3D cappothaiv, probably
be all things suitable to a house belonging to it ; hence, censers, on which they put up the incense as seems ;

in the holy place, there must be a and a candle-

table, pretty evident from Num. vii. 14, 20, 26, 32, 38, 44,
stick, because this was the ordinary furniture of a room, SOj^^ea^, 68, 74, 80, 86, where the same word is
~
as the fore-commended NachmanideP4)^erves. The used, and the instrument, whatever it was, is always
tab1e*musrhave its'\lishes, and spoons, and bowls, and represented as being filled with incense.
covers belonging to it, though they were never used ;
Covers thereof] VmK'p kesothaiv, supposed to be a
and always be furnished with bread upon it. The can- large cup or tankard, in which pure wine was kept on
its lamps continually burning. Hence
dlestick must have the table along with the shew-bread for libations, which
must be a continual fire kept in this house
also there were poured out before the Lord every Sabbath, when
of God upon the altar, as the focus of it to which ; the old bread was removed, and the new bread laid on

notion I conceive the Prophet Isaiah doth allude, chap. the table.
.icxxi. 9 : fire is in Zion, and his furnace in
Whose Bowls thereof] m'pJO menakkiyothaiv, from npJ
Jerusalem and besides all this, to carry the notion
;
nakah, to clear aioay, remove, empty, &c.; supposed by
still farther, there must be some constant meat and pro- Calmet to mean, either the sieves by which the Levites
vision brought into this house ; which was done in the cleansed the wheat they made into bread, (for it is as-
sacrifices that were partly consumed by fire upon God's serted that the grain, out of which the shew-bread was
own altar, and partly eaten by the priests, who were made, was sowed, reaped, ground, sifted, kneaded, baked,
God's family, and therefore to be maintained by him. &c., by the Levites themselves,) or the ovens in which
That which was consumed upon God's altar was ac- the bread was baked. Others suppose they were ves-
counted God's mess, as appeareth from Mai. i. 12, sels which they dipped into the kesoth, to take out the

where the altar is called God''s table, and the sacrifice wine for libations.
upon it, God's meat : Ye say. The table of the Lord Verse 30. Shew-bread] D'J3 DhS lechem panim,

15 polluted ; and the fruit thereof even his meat, is literally, bread of faces ; so called, either because they

contemptible. And often, in the law, the sacrifice is were placed before the presence or face of God in the
called God's DhS lechem, i. e., his bread or food. sanctuary, or liecause they were made square, as the
Wherefore it is farther observable, that besides the flesh Jews will have it. It is probable that they were in
the form of cubes or hexaedrons, each side
presenting
of the beast offered up in sacrifice, there was a min-
chah, i. e., a meat-offering, or rather bread-offering, the same appearance ; and hence the Jews might sup-
made of flour and oil and a libamen or drink-offering,
; pose they were called the bread or loaves of faces
which was always joined with the daily sacrifice, as but the Hebrew text seems to intimate that they were
the bread and drink which was to go along with God's called the bread of faces, D'J3 panim, because, as the
meat. It was also strictly commanded that there should Lord says, they were set "JflS lephanai, before my face.
meat These loaves or cakes were twelve, representing, as is
be salt in every sacrifice and oblation, because all 1

430 a
 .; .

The golden candlestick. CHAP. XXV. Its branches and knops

A. M. 2513. 31'' And thou shall make a six branches that come out of A. M. 2513.
B. C. 1491.
An. kxod. isr.' 1. candlcstick of pure gold ; of the candlestick. An. Exod. Isr. 1
^''^^°- Sivan.
beaten work shall the candle- 34 And in the candlestick shall

slick be made : his shaft, and his branches, he four bowls, made like unto almonds, with
liis bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be their knops and their flowers.
of the same. 35 And there shall he a knop under two
32 And sixbranches shall come out of the branches of the same, and a knop under two
sides of it ; three branches of the candlestick branches of the same, and a knop under two
out of the one side, and three branches of the branches of the same, according to the six

candlestick out of the other side : branches that proceed out of the candlestick
33 Three bowls made like unto almonds, 36 Their knops and their branches shall be
with a knop and a flower in one branch and of the same all of it shall he one beaten ; :

three bowls made like almonds in the other work of pure gold.
branch, with a knop and a flower : so in the 37 And thou shalt make the seven lamps

•>
Chap, xxxvii. 17 ; 1 Kings vii. 49 ; Zech. iv. 2 ;
Heb. ix. 2 ; Rev. i. 12 ; iv. 5.

generally supposed, the twelve tribes of Israel. They bread and the two silver trumpets. A correct model
were in two rows of six each. On the top of each of this arch, taken on the spot, now stands before me
row there was a golden dish with frankincense, which and the spoils of the temple, the candlestick, the golden
was burned before the Lord, as a memorial, at the end table, and the two trumpjets, are represented on the
of the week, when the old loaves were removed and panel on the left hand, in the inside of the arch, in
replaced by new ones, the priests taking the former for basso-relievo. The candlestick is not so ornamented
their domestic use. as it appears in many prints at the same time it looks ;

It is more difficult to ascertain the use of these, or much better than it does in the engraving of this arch
what they represented, than almost any other emblem given by Montfaucon, Anliq. Expliq., vol. iv., pi. 32.
in the whole Jewish economy. Many have conjectured It is likely that on the real arch this candlestick is less
their meaning, and I feel no disposition to increase in size than the original, as it scarcely measures three
their number by any addition of my own. The note feet in height. See the Diarium Italicum, p. 129.
on ver. 23, from Dr. Cudworth, appears to me more To see these sacred articles given up by that God who
rational than any thing else I have met with. The ordered them to be made according to a pattern ex-
tabernacle was God's house, and in it he had his table, hibited by himself, gracing the triumph of a heathen
his bread, his wine, candlestick, &c., to show them that emperor, and at last consecrated to an idol, affords
he had taken up his divelbng among them. See the melancholy reflections to a pious mind. But these
note on ver. 23. things had accomplished the end for which they were
Verse 31. A candlestick oi pure gold] This candle- instituted, and were now of no farther use. The glo-
stick or chandelier is generally described as having rious personage typified by all this ancient apparatus,
one shaft or slock, with six branches proceeding from had about seventy years before this made his appear-
it, adorned at equal distances with six flowers like ance. The true light was come, and the Holy Spirit
lilies, with as many bowls and knops placed alternately. poured out from on high and therefore the golden ;

On each of the branches there was a lamp, and one candlestick, by which they were typified, was given up.
on the top of the shaft which occupied the centre thus The ever-during bread had been sent from heaven and
; ;

there were seven lamps in all, ver. 37. These seven therefore the golden table, which bore its representa-
lamps were lighted every evening and extinguished tive, the shew'bread, was now no longer needful. The
every morning. joyful sound of the everlasting Gospel was then pub-
We are not so certain of the precise /o?vn of any in- lished in the world and therefore the silver trumpets ;

strument or utensil of the tabernacle or temple, as we are that typified this were carried into captivity, and their
of this, the golden table, and the two silver trumpets. sound was no more to be heard. Strange providence
Titus, after the overthrow of Jerusalem, A. D. 70, but unutterable mercy of God The Jews lost both !

had the golden candlestick ajid the golden table of the the sign and the thing signified ; and that very people,
shew-bread, the silver trumpets, and the book of the who destroyed the holy city, carried away the spoils
law, taken out of the temple and carried in triumph of the temple, and dedicated them to the objects of
to Rome and Vespasian lodged them in the temple their idolatry, were the first in the universe to receive
;

which he had consecrated to the goddess oi Peace. the preaching of the Gospel, the light of salvation,
Some plants also of the balm of Jericho are said to and the bread of life ! There is a sort of coincidence
have been carried in the procession. At the foot of or association here, which is worthy of the most serious
Mount Palatine there are the ruins of an arch, on which observation. The Jews had these significant emblems
the triumph of Titus for his conquest of the Jews is to lead them to, and prepare them for, the things signi-
represented, and on which the several monuments which fied. They trusted in the former, and rejected the
were carried in the procession are sculptured, and par- latter ! God therefore deprived them of both, and gave
ticularly the golden candlestick, the table of the shew- up their temple to the spoilers, their land to desolation,
431
 —
Weight of the candlestick, EXODUS. with its utensils

A. M. 2513. thereof : and •=

they shall ^ light 39 O/a talent of pure gold shall A. M. 2513.

An. Exod. isr. 1. the lamps thereof, that they may he make it, with all these vessels. An. Exod. isr! i
Sivan. „;„^ i;„U«- ^,,^^ r,,^r^^^^4- f ^^^^"-
fi
give light over against *^it. 40 And fflook that thou make
38 And the tongs thereof, and the snuff- them after their pattern, ^ which was showed
dishes thereof, shall be of pure gold. thee in the mount.

Chap, xxvii. 21 ; xxx. 8 ; Lev. xxiv. 3, 4 ; 2 Chron. xiii. 11.

<= B Cbap. xxvi. 30 ; Num. viii. 4 ; 1 Chron. xxviii. 11, 19 ; Acts
Or, cause to ascend. « Num. viii. 2. ' Heb. the face 44 Heb. viii. 5. Heb. which thou wast caused
<*
of it. vii. ;
•>
to see.

and themselves to captivity and to the sword. The Verse 40. And look that thou make, 4-c.] This
heathens then carried away the emblems of their sal- verse should be understood as an order to Moses after
vation, and God shortly gave unto those heathens that the tabernacle, &c., had been described to him as if ;

very salvation of which these things were the emblems ! he had said " When thou comest to make all the
:

Thus, because of their unbelief and rebellion, the king- things that I have already described to thee, with the
('om of heaven, according to the prediction of our blessed other matters of which I shall afterwards treat, see
Lord, loas taken from the Jeivs, and given to a na- that thou make every thing according to the pattern
tion (the Gentiles) that brought forth the fruits thereof; which thou didst see in the mount." The Septuagint
Matt. xxi. 43. Behold the goodness and severity have it, Kara rov tvkov tov deSeiyfievov aor according
of God !
to the TYPE form or fashion, which loas shown thee.
Verse 39. Of a talent of pure gold shall he make It appears to me that St. Paul had this command par-
it, with all these vessels.^ That is, a talent of gold in ticularly in view when he gave that to his son Timo-
weight was used in making the candlestick, and the thy which we find in the second epistle, chap. i. 13 :

and instruments which belonged to it.

different vessels 'Y-KOTVTzuaLV exe vyiaivovruv 7\.oyuv, uv nap' efiov tjkov-
According to Bishop Cumberland, a talent was three (xag. " Hold fast the form of sound loords which
thousand shekels. As the Israelites brought each thou hast heard of me." The tabernacle was a type
half a shekel, chap, xxxviii. 26, so that one hundred of the Church of God that Church is built upon the
;

talents, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five foundation of the prophets and apostles, Jesus Christ
shekels, were contributed by six hundred and three being the chief corner-stone, Eph. ii. 20-22 the doc-
:

thousand five hundred and fifty persons by halving ; trines, therefore, delivered by the prophets, Jesus
the number of the Israelites, he finds they contributed Christ, and his apostles, are essential to the constitu-
three hundred and one thousand seven hundred and tion of this Church. As God, therefore, gave the
seventy-five shekels in all. Now, as we find that this plan or form according to which the tabernacle must
number of shekels made one hundred talents, and one be constructed, so he gives the doctrines according to
thousand seven hundred and seventy-five shekels over, which the Christian Church is to be modelled and ;

if we subtract one thousand seven hundred and seventy-

five, the odd shekels, from three hundred and one

apostles, and subordinate builders, are to have and
hold fast that form of sound words, and construct this
^
thousand seven hundred and seventy-five, we shall heavenly building according to that form or pattern
have for a remainder three hundred thousand, the which has come through the express revelation of God.
number of shekels in one hundred talents and if this :

remainder be divided by one hundred, the number of In different parts of this work we have had occa-
talents, it quotes three thousand, the number of shekels sion to remark that the heathens borrowed their best
in each talent. A silver shekel of the sanctuary, being things from Divine revelation, both as it refers to what
equal, according to Dr. Prideaux, to three shillings was pure in their doctrines, and significant in their
English, three thousand such shekels will amount to religious rites. Indeed, they seem in many cases to
four hundred and fifty pounds sterling; and, reckon- have studied the closest imitation possible, consistent
ing gold to silver as fifteen to one, a talent of gold with the adaptation of all to their preposterous and
will amount to six thousand seven hundred and fifty idolatrous worship. They had their Iao or Jove, in
pounds sterling to which add two hundred and sixty- imitation of the true JEHOVAH and from different
: ;

three pounds for the one thousand seven hundred and attributes of the Divine Nature they formed an innu-
seventy-five shekels, at three shillings each, and it merable group of gods and goddesses. They had also
makes a total of seven thousand and thirteen pounds, their temples in imitation of the temple of God and ;

which immense sum was expended on the candlestick in these they had their holy and more holy places, in
and ils furniture. It is no wonder, then, (if the can- imitation of the courts of the Lord's house. The
dlestick in the second temple was equal in value to heathen temples consisted of several parts or divisions :

that in the ancient tabernacle,) that Titus should think 1. The area or porch; 2. The vaof or temple, simi\a.T
it of suflScient consequence to be one of the articles, to the 7iave of our churches 3. The adytum or holy ;

with the golden table, and silver trumpets, that should place, called also ;7ene<ra/e and sacrarium; and, 4. The
be employed to grace his triumph. Their intrinsic oTTiadoSofxo^ or the inner temple, the most secret recess,
worth was a matter of no consequence to Him whose where they had their mysteria, and which answered
are the silver and gold, the earth and its fulness they to the holy of holies in the tabernacle.
;
And as there
had accomplished their design, and were of no farther is no evidence whatever that there was any temple
use, either in the kingdom of providence, or the king- among the heathens prior to the tabernacle, it is rea-
dom of grace. See the note on ver. 31, and see that sonable to conclude that it served as a model for all that
on chap, xxxviii. 24. they afterwards built. They had even their portable
432
 —
'ITie heathens borrowed many CHAP. XXV. sacred rites from the Hebrews.

temples, to imitate the tabernacle; and the shrines remarkable that, among the Mexicans, Vitzliputzlif
for Diana, mentioned Acts xix. 24, were of this kind. their supreme gods was represented under a human
They had even their arks or sacred coffers, where shape, sitting on a throne, supported by an azure globe
they kept their most holy things, and the mysterious which they called heaven four poles or sticks came ;

emblems of their religion together with candlesticks out from two sides of this globe, at the end of which
;

or lamps, to illuminate their temples, which had few serpents' heads were carved, the whole making a litter
windows, to imitate the golden candlestick in the Mo- which the priests carried on their shoulders whenever
saic tabernacle. They had even their processions, the idol was shown in public. Religious Ceremonies^
in imitation of the carrying about of the ark in the vol. iii., p. 146.
wilderness accompanied by such ceremonies as suf-
;
Calmet remarks that the ancients used to dedicate
ficiently show, to an unprejudiced mind, that they bor- candlesticks in the temples of their gods, bearing a
rowed them from this sacred original. Dr. Dodd has great number of lamps.
a good note on this subject, which I shall take the Pliny, Hist. Nat., lib. xxxiv, c. 3, mentions one
liberty to extract. made in the form of a tree, with lamps in the likeness
Speaking of the ark, he says, " We meet with imi- of apples, which Alexander the Great consecrated in
tations of this Divinely instituted emblem among seve- the temple of Apollo.
ral heathen nations. Thus Tacitus, De Moribus Ger- And Athenmus, lib. xv., c. 19, 20, mentions one
manorum, cap. 40, informs us that the inhabitants of that supported three hundred and sixty-five lampS|
the north of Germany, our Saxon ancestors, in general which Dionysius the younger, king of Syracuse, dedi-
worshipped Herthum or Hertham, i. e. the mother cated in the Prytaneum at Athens. As the Egyptiansi
earth : Hertham being plainly derived from yiX arets, according to the testimony of Clemens Alexandrinus,
earth, and DN am, mother : and they believed her to Strom., lib. i., were the first who used lamps in their
interpose in the affairs of men, and to visit nations temples, they probably borrowed the use from the
:

that to her, in a sacred grove in a certain island of golden candlestick in the tabernacle and temple.
the ocean, a vehicle covered with a vestment was con- From the solemn and very particular charge. Look
secrated, and allowed to be touched by the priests only, that thou make them after their pattern, which was
(compare 2 Sam. vi. 6, 7 1 Chron. xiii. 9, 10,) who showed thee in the mount, it appears plainly that God
;

perceived when the goddess entered into her secret showed Moses a model of the tabernacle and all its
place, penetrate, and with profound veneration attended furniture and to receive instructions relative to this
;

her vehicle, which was drawn by cows ; see 1 Sam. vi. was one part of his employment while on the mount
7—10. While the goddess was on her progress, days forty days with God. As God designed that this build-
of rejoicing were kept in every place which she vouch- ing, and all that belonged to it, should be patterns or
safed to visit they engaged in no war, they handled representations of good things to come, it was indis-
;

no weapons peace and quietness were then only pensably necessary that Moses should receive a model
;

known, only relished, till the same priest reconducted and specification of the whole, according to which he
the goddess to her temple. Then the vehicle and vest- might direct the different artificers in their construct-
ment, and, if you can believe it, the goddess herself, ing the work. 1. We
may observe that the whole
were washed in a sacred lake." tabernacle and its furniture resembled a dwelling-house
Apuleius, De Aur. Asin., lib. ii., describing a solemn and its furniture. 2. That this tabernacle was the
idolatrous procession, after the Egyptian mode, says, house of God, not merely for the performance of his
" A chest, or ark, was carried by another, containing worship, but for his residence. 3. That
God had pro-
their secret things, entirely concealing the mysteries mised to dwell among this people, and this was the-
of religion." habitation which he appointed for his glory. 4. That
And Plutarch, in his treatise De Iside, &c., de- the tabernacle, as well as the temple, was a type of the
scribing the rites of Osiris, says, " On the tenth day incarnation of Jesus Christ. See John i. 1 4, and ii.
of the month, at night, they go down to the sea and 19, 21. 5. That as the glory of God was manifested
;

the stolists, together with the priest, carry forth the between the cherubim, above the mercy-seat, in this
sacred chest, in which is a small boat or vessel of gold." tabernacle, so God was in Christ, and in him dwelt
Pausanius likewise testifies, lib. vii., c. 19, that all thefulness of the Godhead bodily. 6. As in the
the ancient Trojans had a sacred ark, wherein was the tabernacle were found bread, light, &c., probably all
image of Bacchus, made by Vulcan, which had been these were emblematical of the ample provision made
given to Dardanus by Jupiter. As the ark was depo- in Christ for the direction, support, and salvation of
sited in the holy of holies, sq the heathens had in the the soul of man. Of these, and many other things in
inmost part of their temples an adytum or penetrale, the law and the prophets, we shall know more when
to which none had access but the priests. And it is mortality is swallowed up of life.
Vol. I. ( 29 ) 433
 .

The tabernacle and EXODUS. its ten curtatm.

CHAPTER XXVI.
The ten curtains of the tabernacle, and of what composed, I. Their length, 2, 3 their loops, 4, 5 ; thetr ;

taches, 6. The curtains q/" goats' hair /or a covering, 7 their length anc? breadth, 8.
; Coupled ivith loops,
9, 10, and taches, 1 1. The remnant of the curtains, how to be employed, 12, 13. The covering o/rams'
skins, 14. The boards of the tabernacle for the south side, 15 their length, 16, tenons, 17, number, 18, ;

sockets, 19. Boards, <5fc., for the north side, 20, 21. Boards, dfc, for the west side, 22 for the corners, ;

23 their rings and sockets, 24, 25.

; The bars of the tabernacle, 26-30. The veil, its pillars, hooks,
and taches, 31—33. How to place the mercy-seat, 34. TAe table and the czxiAlesiick, 35. T^e hanging
for the door of the tent, 36 and the hangings /or the pillars, 37.
;

A. M. 2513.
B. C. 1491.
jy[OREOVER ^ thou shalt the second ; that the loops may a. m. 2513.

An. Exod. Isr. 1 make the tabernacle with take hold one of another. An. Exod. isr. 1
Sivan. ^'^^-
ten curtains of fine twined linen, 6 And thou shalt make fifty
and blue, and purple, and scarlet with che- : taches of gold, and couple the curtains toge
rubims ^ of cunning work shalt thou make ther vv^ith the taches ; and it shall be one
them. tabernacle.
2 The length of one curtain shall he eight 7 And ° thou shalt make curtains of goat.'?'
and twenty cubits, and the breadth of one hair, to be a covering upon the tabernacle :

curtain four cubits and every one of the eleven curtains shalt thou make.
:

curtains shall have one measure. 8 The length of one curtain shall he thirty
3 The five curtains shall be coupled toge- cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four
ther one to another; and other five curtains cubits and the eleven curtains shall he all of :

shall he coupled one to another. one measure.

4 And thou shalt make loops of blue, upon 9 And thou shalt couple five curtains by
the edge of the one curtain, from the selvage themselves, and six curtains by themselves,
in the coupling and likewise shalt thou make
; and shalt double the sixth curtain in the fore-
in the uttermost edge of anothe?' curtain, in front of the tabernacle.
the coupling of the second. 10 And thou shalt make fifty loops on the
5 Fifty loops shalt thou make in the one edge of the one curtain that is outmost in
curtain, and fifty loops shalt thou make in the the coupling, and fifty loops in the edge of
edge of the curtain that is in the coupling of the curtain which coupleth the second.

* Chap, xxxvi. 8. ^ Heb. the work of a cunning workman or embroiderer. '^

Chap, xxxvi. 14.

NOTES ON CHAP. XXVI. arras. It has been thought unlikely that these curi-
Verse 1. Thou shalt make the tabernacle] pty^D ous works were all manufactured in the wilderness :

mischan, from pti^ shachan, to dwell, means simply a what was done in the loom, they might have brought
dwelling place or habitation of any kind, but here it with them from Egypt what could be done by hand,;

means the dwelling place of Jehovah, who, as a king without the use of complex machinery, the Israelitish
in his camp, had his dwelling or pavilion among his women could readily perform with their needles, during
people, his table always spread, his lamps lighted, and their stay in the wilderness.But still it seems pro-
the priests, &c., his attendants, always in waiting. bable that they brought even their looms with them.
From the minute and accurate description here given, The whole of this account shows that not only neces-
a good workman, had he the same materials, might sary but ornamental arts had been carried to a con-
make a perfect /ac simile of the ancient Jewish taber- siderable pitch of perfection, both among the Israelites
nacle. It was a movable building, and so constructed and Egyptians.
that it might be easily taken to pieces, for the greater The inner curtains of the tabernacle were ten in
convenience of carriage, as they were often obliged to number, and each in length tiventy-eight cubits, and
transport it from place to place, in their various jour- four in about sixteen yards twelve inches
breadth ;

neyings. For the twined linen, blue, purple, and scar- long, and two yards twelve inches broad. The cur-
let, see the notes on chap. xxv. 4, &c. tains were to be coupled together, five and five of a
Cherubims] See the note on chap. xxv. 18. side, by fifty loops, ver. 5, and as many golden clasps,
Cunning loork] Dtyn chosheb probably means a ver. 6, so that each might look like one curtain,
sort of diaper, in which the figures appear equally per- and the whole make one entire covering, which was
fect on both sides this was probably formed in the
;
the first.
loom. Another kind of curious work is mentioned, ver. Verse 7. Curtains oi goats'" hair] Stufl^ made of
36, DpT rokem, which we term needle-work ; this was goats' hair. See the note on chap. xxv. 4. This was
probably similar to our embroid,ery, tapestry, or cloth of the second covering.
a 434 ( 29* )
 The covering, hoards, and CHAP. XXVI. bars of the tahernacU.

A.M. 2513. 11 And make fifty nacle, on the north side, there
thou shalt •'
a. m. 2513.
B. C. 1491. ,
- ,
, ,

An. Exod. isr. 1. lachcs 01 and put the shall he twenty boards
Drass, :
An. Exoi^w". 1
^''^°"
taches into the loops, and couple 21 And their forty sockets of ^^^^-

the ^ tent together, that it may be one. silver; two sockets under one board, and
12 And the remnant that remaineth of the two sockets under another board.
curtains of the tent, the half curtain that re- 22 And for the sides of the tabernacle west-
maineth, shall hang over the backside of the ward, thou shalt make six boards.
tabernacle. 23 And two boards shalt thou make for the
1 3 And
a cubit on the one side,*and a cubit comers of the tabernacle in the two sides.
on the other side, « of that which remaineth in 24 And they shall be ^ coupled together be-
the length of the curtains of the tent, it shall neath, and they shall be coupled together above
hang over the sides of the tabernacle, on this the head of it unto one ring : thus shall it be
side and on that side, to cover it. for them both ; they shall be for the two comers.
14 And ^ thou shalt make a covering for the 25 And they shall be eight boards, and their
tent of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering sockets of silver, sixteen sockets two sockets ;

above of badgers' skins. under one board, and two sockets under ano-
1 5 And thou shalt make boards for the taber- ther board.
nacle of shittimwood standing up. 26 And thou shalt make bars of shittim wood ;
16 Ten cubits shall he the length of a board, five for the boards of the one side of the taber-
and a cubit and a half shall he the breadth of nacle,
one board. 27 And five bars for the boards of the other
1 7 Two f tenons shall there be in one board, side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the
set in order one against another : thus shalt boards of the side of the tabernacle, for the
thou make for all the boards of the tabernacle. two sides westward.
18 And thou shalt make the boards for the 28 And the middle bar, in the midst of the
tabernacle, twenty boards on the south side boards, shall reach from end to end.
southward. 29 And thou shalt overlay the boards with gold,
1 9 And thou shalt make forty sockets of silver and make their rings of gold for places for the
under the twenty boards two sockets under bars and thou shalt overlay the bars with gold.
; :

one board for his two tenons, and two sockets 30 And thou shalt rear up the tabernacle,
vmder another board for his two tenons. according to the fashion thereof, which was '

20 And for the second side of the taber- showed thee in the mount.
<* Or, covering. « Hebrew, in the remainder or surpltisage. •> Hebrew, twined.- ' Chapter xxv. 9, 40; xxvii. 8; Acts vii.
f Chap, xxxvi. 19. S Heb. hands. 44 Heb. viii. 5.
;

Verse 14. Rams'' skins dyed red] See on chap. xxv. and were brought up to every kind of trade for the ser-
5. This was the third covering and what is called ; vice of their oppressors, we may naturally suppose that
the badgers^ skins was the fourth. See the note on every artificer brought off some of his tools with him.
chap. xxv. 5. Why there should have been four For though it is not at all likely that they had any ar-
coverings does not appear. They might have been mour or defensive weapons in their power, yet for the
designed partly for respect and partly to keep off dust
; reason above assigned they must have had the imple-
and dirt, and the extremely fine sand which in that de- ments which were requisite for their respective trades.
sert rises were on every breeze and partly to
as it ; Verse 16. Ten cubits shall be the length of a board]
keep off the intense heat of the sun,
which would other- Each of these boards or planks was about fve yards
wise have destroyed the poles, bars, boards, and the and two feet and a half long, and thirty-two inches
whole of the wood work. As to the conjecture of some broad and as they are said to be standing up, this was
;

that " the four coverings were intended the better to the HEIGHT of the tabernacle. The length being thirty
keep off the rain," it must appear unfounded to those cubits, twenty boards, one cubit and a half broad each,
who know that in that desert rain was rarely ever seen. make about seventeen yards and a half, and the breadth
Verse 15. Thou shalt make boards] These formed was about five yards.
what might be called the walls of the tabernacle, and Verse 29. Thou shalt overlay the boards with gold]
were made of shittim wood, the acacia Nilotica, which It is not said how thick the gold was by which these
Dr. Shaw says grows here in abundance. To have boafrds, &c., were overlaid it was no doubt done with ;

worked the acacia into these boards or planks, the Is- gold plates, but these must have been very thin, else the
raelites must have had sawyers, joiners, &c., among boards,
&c., must have been insupportably heavy. The
them but how they got the tools is a question.
;
But gold was probably something like our gold leaf, but not
as the Israelites were the general workmen of Egypt,
brought to so great a degree of tenuity.
435
 :; ;

7%e veil of the tabernacle. EXODUS. Place of the mercy-seat and table

A. M. 2513. 3 1 And '^

thou shalt make a and the veil shall divide unto AM. 2513.
An. Exod. Isr! 1. vcil of blue, and purple, and you between "» the holy place An. Exod. isr.' 1.

^'^^"- ^"'^"-
scarlet, and fine twined linen of and the most holy.

cunning work: with cherubims shall it be 34 And " thou shalt put the mercy-seat
made. upon the ark of the testimony, in the most
32 And thou shalt hang it upon four pillars holy place.
of shittim wood, overlaid with gold : their hooks 35 And ° thou shalt set the table without the
shall he of gold, upon the four sockets of silver. veil, and p the candlestick over against the table
33 And thou shalt hang up the veilunder on the side of the tabernacle toward the south :

the taches, that thou mayest bring in thither and thou shalt put the table on the north side.
within the veil ^ the ark of the testimony 36 And 1 thou shalt make a hanging for the
^ Chap, xxxvi. 35 ; Lev. xvi. 2 ; 2 Chron. iii. 14 Matt, xxvii.
; Heb. ix. 2, 3. » Chap. xxv. 21 ; xl. 20 ; Heb. ix. 5. » Chap.
61 ; Heb. ii. 3. ' Chapter xxv. 16 ; xl. 21. » Lev. xvi. 2 xl.22 Heb. ix.
;
2. p Chap. xl. 24. 1 Chap, xxxvi. 37.

Verse 31. Thou shalt make a veil.^ nD")3 parocheth, xxvii. 10, II, 17 ; xxxvi. 36,38; xxxviii. 10, 11, 12,
from 1"13 parach, to break or rend ; the inner veil of the 17, 19,28 ; and is used in these places in reference to
tabernacle or temple, (2 Chron. iii. 14,) which broke, the same subject, it is very difficult to ascertain its
mtej-rupted, or divided between the holy place and the Most commentators and lexicogra-
precise meaning.
most holy ; the Holy Ghost this signifying, that the phers think that the ideal meaning of the word is to
way into the holiest of all loas not yet made manifest, connect, attach, join to, hook ; and that the letter vau 1

while as the first tabernacle was standing. Compare has its name from its hook-like form, and its use as a
Heb. ix. 8. The Septuagint constantly render it by particle in the Hebrew language, because it serves to
KaraTreTaGfia. Does not the Hebrew name HDIiJ pa- connect the words and members of a sentence, and the
rocheth moreover intimate the typical correspondence sentences of a discourse together, and that therefore
of this veil to the body or Jlesh of Christ ? For this hook must be the obvious meaning of the word in all
KaraneTaafia or veil was his Jlesh, (Heb. x. 20,) which, the above texts. Calmet thinks this reason of no
being rent, affords us a new and living way into the weight, because the vau of the present Hebrew alpha- 1

holiest of all, i. e., into heaven itself. Compare Heb. bet is widely dissimilar from the vau of the primitive
X. 19, 20 ix. 24.
; And accordingly when his blessed Hebrew alphabet, as may be seen on the ancient shekels
body was rent upon the cross, this veil also {to kotu- on these the characters appear as in the word Jehovah,
ireraGfia rov lepov) eaxi-adrj, was rent in twain from chap, xxviii. 36. This form bears no resemblance to
the top to the bottom; Matt, xxvii. 51. —
See Park- a hook nor does the Samaritan vau, which appears
; ^
hurst, under the word "jia. to have been copied from this ancient character.
The veil in the tabernacle was exceedingly costly Calmet therefore contends, 1. That if Moses does
;

it was made of the same materials with the inner not mean the capitals of the pillars by the D'11 vavim
covering, blue, purple, scarlet, fine twined linen, em- of the text, he mentions them nowhere ; and it would
broidered with cherubim, &c. It served to divide the be strange that while he describes the pillars, their
tabernacle into two parts one, the outermost, called sockets, bases, fillets, &c., &c., with so much exactness,
:

the holy place ; the other, or innermost, called the as will appear on consulting the preceding places, that
holy of holies, or the most holy place. In this was he should make no mention of the capitals ; or that
deposited the ark of the covenant, and the other things pillars, every way so correctly formed, should have
thatwere laid up by way of memorial. Into this the been destitute of this very necessary ornament.
high priest alone was permitted to enter, and that only 2. As Moses was commanded to make the hooks,
once in the year, on the great day of atonement. It D'11 vavim, of the pillars and their ^//e<5 of silver, chap,
was in this inner place that Jehovah manifested him- xxvii. 10, 11, and the hooks, vavim, of the pillars of the
self between the cherubim. The Jews say that this veil of gold, chap, xxxvi. 36 and as one thousand seven ;

veil was four fingers' breadth in thickness, in order to hundred and seventy-five shekels were employed in
prevent any person from seeing through it ; but for making these hooks, vavim, overlaying their chapiters,
this, as Calmet observes, there was no necessity, as ori'iyNI rasheyhem, their heads, and filleting them,
there was no window or place for light in the taber- chap, xxxviii. 28 it is more reasonable to suppose
;

nacle, and consequently the most simple veil would that all spoken of the capitals of the pillars than
this is
have been suflicient to obstruct the discovery of any of any kind of hooks, especially as hooks are mentioned
thing behind it, which could only be discerned by the under the word taches or clasps in other places. On
light thatcame in at the door, or by that afforded by the whole it appears much more reasonable to trans-
the golden candlestick which stood on the outside of late the original by capitals than by hooks.
this veil. After this verse the Samaritan Pentateuch intro-
Verse 32. Their hooks shall be of ^oW] DH^II 9a- duces the ten first verses of chap, xxx., and this
veyhem, which we translate their hooks, is rendered appears to be their proper place. Those ten verses
Ke(l>alL6eg, capitals, by the Septuagint, and capita by are not repeated in the thirtieth chapter in the Sama-
the Vulgate. As the word 11 vav or vau, plural D'll ritan, the chapter beginning with the 11th verse.
vavim, occurs only in this book, chap. xxvi. 32, 37 ; Verse 36. A hanging for the door of the tenf] This
436
 — ! ,

Altar of burnt-offerings, CHAP. XXVII and its dimensions.

a. m. 2513.
A. M. 2513. of blue, and pur
door of the
' five pillars
tent, of shittim wood, and
twined overlay them with gold, and their Aja. Exod. isr. 1.
An^wisr.i. pie, and scarlet, 'and fine ^^^'
^^^^^-
linen, wrought with needlework. hooks shall he of gold and thou :

them.
•

37 And thou shalt make for the hanging shalt cast five sockets of brass for
f Exodus, chap, xxxvi. 38.

2. In the Jewish tabernacle almost every thing was

may be called the first veil, as it occupied the door or
placed out of the sight of the people. The holy of
entrance to the tabernacle the veil that separated the
;

holies was inaccessible.; the testimony was compara-

holy place from the holy of holies is called the second
These two veils and the inner cover- tively hidden, as were also the mercy-seat and the
veil, Heb. ix. 3.
Divine glory. Under the Gospel all these things axe
ing of the tabernacle were all of the same materials,
See chap, xxvii. 16. laid open, the way to the holiest is made manifest, the
and of the same workmanship.
veil is rent,and we have an entrance to the holiest by
the tabernacle the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he
1. For the meaning and design of

see the note on chap. xxv. 40 and while the reader :

hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say,

is struck with the curious and costly

nature of this his flesh; Heb. x. 19, 20. How abundantly has God
building, as described by Moses, let him consider how
brought life and immortality to light by the Gospel
distance is abolished, the ministry of recon-
pure and holy that Church should be of which it was The awful
of heaven is
a very expressive type and what manner of person ciliation is proclaimed, the kingdom
;

holy conversation and godliness, opened to all believers, and the Lord is in his holy
he should be in all
of thyself and thy transgres-
who professes to be a member of that Church for temple. Sinner, weary
under the load of thy iniquities, look
which, it is written, Christ has given himself, that he sions, fainting
died for thee, and will save thee. Be-
might sanctify and cleanse it that he might present to Jesus he
;
;

having spot, or liever, stand fast in the liberty wherewith God has
it unto himself a glorious Church, not
entangled again in the
wrinkle, or any such thing but that it should be holy made thee free, and be not
;

and without blemish. See Eph. v. 25-27. yoke of bondage.

CHAPTER XXVH.
horns, 2 pans, shovels, 4-c., 3 ani net
its grate
The altar 0/ burnt-offerings, and tts dimensions, I ; its ; ;

Court of the tabernacle, with its pillars and hangings, 9-15. Gate of the
work, 4, 5 ; its staves, 6, 7.
height, 16-18. All the vessels used in the court of the
court, its pillars, hangings, length, breadth, and
The Israelites to provide pure olive oil for the light, 20. Every thing to
tabernacle to be 0/ brass, 19.
be ordered by Aaron and his sons, 21.

A. M. 2513.
A.. M. 2513. A ND thou shalt make * an height thereof shall be three
B. C. 1491.
B. C. 1491.
altar of shittim wood, five cubits. An. Exod. Isr. 1.
An. Exod. Isr. 1.
Sivan.
Sivan.
cubits long, and five cubits 2 And thou shalt make the

broad : the altar shall be four-square ;

and the horns of it upon the four corners thereof
» Chap, xxxviii. 1 ;
Ezek. xliii. 13.

tars appear to be erected rather as trophies in honour of

NOTES ON CHAP. XXVH.
HDID mizbeach, their gods. On the reverses of several medals we find
Verse 1. Thou shalt make an altar]
with horns at the corners. There
from nni zabach, to slay : Septuagint, evmaarripiov, altars represented
or from Ovu, to kill, &c. is a medal of Antoninus on the reverse of which is an
'rom dvcTia^u, to sacrifice,
altar, on which a fire burns, consecrated Divo Pio,
See the note on Gen viii. 20.
on each of the corners.
Four-square] As this altar was five cubits long and where the horns appear
reckoned to be twenty-one There is one of Faustina, on which the altar and
five broad, and the cubit is

inches, hence it must have been eight feet nine inches its horns are
very distinct, the legend Pietas Augusta.
have altars with horns. One of
square, and about five feet three inches in height, the All the following
Valerian, legend Consecratio ; one of Claudius Gothi-
amount of three cubits, taken at the same ratio.
same legend one
Verse 2. Thou shalt make the horns of it] The cus, same legend one of Quintillus, and
;
;

To of Crispina, with the legend Diis Gemtalibus ;

horns might have three uses 1 For ornament. 2.
Antiq., a Musellio,
: .

several others. See Numismatica

prevent carcasses, &c., from falling off. 3. To tie

the victim to, previously to its being sacrificed. So under Consecratio, in the index. Une 60, mteo-
.

the horns Callimachus, in his Hymn to Apollo,

David Bind the sacrifice with cords to
: of the horns ot the
duces him constructing an altar of
Horns were much used
the altar ; Psa. cxviii. 27.
in all ancient altars among some of
the heathen, and animals slain by Diana :

TTj/fe 6£ (Sofiov
them were entirely constructed of the horns of the
A.
beasts that had been offered in sacrifice ; but such al- E« Kspauv
437
a
 1

The court of the tabernacle, EXODUS. with its pillars and hangings

k. M. 2513. his honis shall be of the same ;

there shall he hangings for the a. m. 2513.

AnJeSdisJ.!. and ^ thou shalt overlay it with court of fine twined linen of a An. Exod. isr. 1.
^'^"^^ ^'''^°'
brass. hundred cubits long for one side •

3 And thou shalt make his pans to receive 1 And the twenty pillars thereof and their ^
his ashes, and his shovels, and his basins, twenty sockets shall he of brass the hooks ;

and his flesh-hooks, and his fire-pans all the of the pillars and their fillets shall he of silver.
:

vessels thereof thou shalt make of brass. 1 And likewise for the north side, in length
4 And thou shalt make for it of a hundred cubits
a grate of net- there shall he hangings
work of and upon the net shalt thou long, and his twenty pillars and their twenty
brass ;

make four brazen rings in the four comers sockets of brass the hooks of the pillars and ;

thereof. their fillets of silver.

5 And thou shalt put it under the compass 1 2 And for the breadth of the court on the

of the altar beneath, that the net may be even west side shall be hangings of fifty cubits :

to the midst of the altar. their pillars ten, and their sockets ten.
6 And thou shalt make staves for the altar, 1 3 And the breadth of the court on the east
staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with side eastward shall he fifty cubits.
brass. 14 The hangings of one side of the gate
7 And the staves shall be put into the rings, shall he fifteen cubits their pillars three, and ;

and the staves shall be upon the two sides of their sockets three.
the altar, to bear it. 15 And on the other side shall he hangings
8 Hollow with boards shalt thou make it fifteen cubits : their pillars three, and their
:

*^
as "^it was showed thee in the mount, so sockets three.
shall they make it. 16 And for the gate of the court shall be
9 And ^ thou shalt make the court of the a hanging of twenty cubits, of blue, and pur-
tabernacle : for the south side southward, ple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, wrought

i"
See Num. xvi. 38. <= Chap. xxv. 40 ; xxvi. 30. ^ Heb. he showed. * Chap, xxxviii. 9.

Martial has these words : Cornihus ara frequens. down from heaven (Lev. ix. 24) was kept burning,
Verse 3 . Thou shalt make his pans'] Vm'D sirothaiv, whilst they cleansed the altar and the grate from the
a sort of large brazen dishes, which stood under the coals and the ashes ; and while the altar was carried
altar to receive the ashes that fell through the grating. from one place to another, as it often was in the wil-

His shovels] V>" yaaiv. Some render this besoms ; derness."

but as these were brazen instruments, it is more natural Verse 4. Thou shalt make for it a grate] Calmet
to suppose that some kind of fire-shovels are intended, supposes this altar to have been a sort of box, covered
or scuttles, which were used to carry off the ashes that with brass plates, on the top of which was a grating
fell through the grating into the large pan or siroth. to supply the fire with air, and permit the ashes to fall

His basins] vnplT'D mizrekothaiv, from p"lT zarak, through into the siroth or pan that was placed below.
to sprinkle or disperse ; bowls or basins to receive the At the four corners of the grating were four rings and
blood of the sacrifices, in order that it might be sprin- four chains, by which it was attached to the four
kled on the people before the altar, &c. horns and at the sides were rings for the poles of
;

His flesh-hooks] VHJ Si'O mizlegothaiv. That this shittim it was carried.
wood with which Even on this
word is rightly translated flesh-hooks is fully evident there is a great variety of opinions.
from 1 Sam. ii. 13, where the same word is used in Verse 8. Hollow ivith boards] It seems to have
such a connection as demonstrates its meaning And : been a kind of frame-work, and to have had nothing
the priesCs custom loith the people was, that ivhen any solid in the inside, and only covered with the grating
man offered sacrifice, the priesCs servant came, ivhile at the top. This rendered it more light and portable.
the flesh was in the seething, tvith a flesh-hook (jS?D Verse The
court of the tabernacle]
9. The taber-
mazleg) of three teeth (prongs) in his hand, and he nacle stood in an enclosure or court, open at the top.
struck it into the pan, &c. all that the flesh-hook This court was made with pillars or posts, and hang-
;

(j7JD mazleg) brought up, the priest took for himself. ings. It was one hundred cubits, or about fifty-eight
It was probably a kind of trident, or fork with three yards and a half, in length the breadth we learn from ;

prongs, and these bent to a right angle at the middle, verses 12 and 18; and five cubits, or nearly three
as the ideal meaning of the Hebrew seems to imply yards, high, ver. 18. And as this was but half the
crookedness or curvature in general. height of the tabernacle, chap. xxvi. 16, that sacred
His fire-pans] vnnno machtothaiv. Bishop Patrick building might easily be seen by the people from
and others suppose that " this was a larger sort of without.
*°ssel, wherein, probably, the sacred fire which came Verse 16. And for the gate of the court] It appears
438
 ;

All the vessels to be of brass, CHAP. XXVII. ordered by Aaron and his sons.

A. M. 2513. with needlework : and their pil- and all the pins of the court, A. m. 2513.
B. C. 1491.
An. Exod. 1st. 1 lars shall be four, and their shall be of brass. An. Exod. Isr'l,
Sivan. ^^^^-
sockets four. 20 And ^ thou shah command
17 All the pillars round about the court the children of Israel, that they bring thee
shall be filleted with silver ; their hooks shall pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause
be of silver, and their sockets of brass. lamp ^ to burn always, the
18 The length of the court shall be a hun- 21 In the tabernacle of the congregation,
dred cubits, and the breadth ^ fifty every without the veil, which is before the testi- ^

where, and the height five cubits of fine mony ^ Aaron and his sons shall order it from :

twined linen, and their sockets of brass. evening to morning before the Lord it shall :
^

19 All the vessels of the tabernacle in all be a statute for ever unto their generations, or
the service thereof, and all the pins thereof, the behalf of the children of Israel.

' Heb.
fifty by fifty. sLev. xxiv. 2. ^ Heb. to ascend up. xiii. 11. 1 Chapter xxviii. 43 , xxix. 9, 28 ; Lev. iii. 17; xvi
' Chap. xxvi. 31, 33. ^ Chap. xxx. 8 ; 1 Sam. iii. 3 2 Chron.
; 34; xxiv. 9; Num. xviii. 23 ; xix. 21 ; 1 Sam. xxx. 25.

that the hangings of this gatewere of the same mate- tables of the covenant were deposited. See chap,
rialsand workmanship with that of the inner covering XXV. 16.
of the tabernacle, and the outer and inner veil. See Aaron and his sons] These and their descendants
chap. xxvi. 36. being the only legitimate priests, God having established
Verse 19. All the vessels shall be of brass.] — It the priesthood in this family.
would have been improper to have used instruments Shall order it from evening to morning] Josephus
made of the more precious metals about this altar, as says the whole of the seven lamps burned all the night
they must have been soon worn out by the severity of in the morning four were extinguished, and three kept
the service. burning through the whole day. Others assert thai
Verse 20. Pure oil olive beaten] That is, such oil the whole seven were kept lighted both day and nighl
as could easily be expressed from the olives after they continually ; but it appears sufficiently evident, frons
had been bruised in a mortar the mother drop, as it
; 1 Sam. iii. 3, that these lamps were extinguished ir
is called, which drops out of itself as soon as the olives the morning: And ere the lamp of God went out in
are a little broken, and which is much purer than that of the Lord, where the ark of God was, and
the temple
which is obtained after the olives are put under the Samuel was laid doivn to sleep, &c. See also chap.
press. xxx. 8 And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at
:

Columella, who
a legitimate evidence in all such
is EVEN. appears therefore that the business of the
It
matters, says that the oil M'hich flowed out of the fruit priests was to
light the lamps in the evening and either ;

either spontaneously, or with little application of the to extinguish them in the morning, or permit them to
force of the press, was of a much finer flavour than burn out, having put in the night before as much oil as
that which was obtained otherwise. Quoniam longe was necessary to last till day-light.
melioris saporis est, quod minore vi preli, quasi luxu- This ordering of the lamps
rious, dejiuxerit. —
Colum., lib. xii., c. 50.
-4 statute for ever]
night and morning, and attendance on the service of
To cause the lamp to burn always] They were to the tabernacle, was a statute that was to be in full force
be kept burning through the whole of the night, and while the tabernacle and temple stood, and should have
some think all the day besides but there is a differ-; its spiritual accomplishment in the Christian Church to
ence of sentiment upon this subject. See the note on the end of time. Reader, the tabernacle and temple
the following verse. are both destroyed Church of Christ is established
; the
This and continual flame were not only emble-
oil in their place. The
seven golden candlesticks were
matical of the unction and influences of the Holy typical of this Church and the glorious light it pos-
Ghost, but also of that pure spirit of devotion which sesses. Rev. i. 12—20 and Jesus Christ, the Fountain
;

ever animates the hearts and minds of the genuine wor- and Dispenser of this true light, walks in the midst of
shippers of the true God. The temple of Vesta, them. Reader, hast thou that celestial flame to en-
where a fire was kept perpetually burning, seems to lighten and animate thy heart in all those acts of de-
have been formed on the model of the tabernacle and ; votion which thou professest to pay to him as thy Ma-
from this the followers of Zeratusht, commonly called ker, Redeemer, and Preserver 1 What is thy profes-
Zoroaster, appear to have derived their doctrine of sion, and what thy religious acts and services, without
the perpetual fire, which they still worship as an em- this ? A sounding brass, a tinkling cymbal.
blem of the Deity.
Verse 2 1 The tabernacle of the congregation] The
. Tertullian asserts that all the ancient heathens
place where all the assembly of the people were to borrowed their best notions from the sacred writings :
worship, where the God of that assembly was pleased " Which," says he, " of your poets, which of your
to reside,and to which, as the habitation of their king sophists, have not drunk from the fountain
of the pro-
*nd protector, they were ever to turn their faces in all phets 1 It is from those sacred springs that your phi-
heir adorations. losophers have refreshed their thirsty
spirits and if ;

Before the testimony] That is, the ark where the they found any thing in the Holy Scriptures which hit
439
 ——
A. M. 2513. minister unto me
an ephod, and ^ a robe, and
in the priest
'
s
f
A. M. 2513.
B. C. 1491. ™
An. Exod. Isr. 1. omce. ^ a broidered coat, a mitre, and
An^EJod.Tsr. 1
^"'^°" ^"' ^-
4 And these are the garments a girdle and they shall make :

which they shall make ;

® a breastplate, and holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his

e Ver. 15. f
\^er. 6.- Ver. 31. •> Ver. 39; Exod. xxxix. ^-21.

open and break the clods of his ground 1 When he factories, and inanimate, unfeeling nature caused to
hath made plain the face thereof, doth he not cast perform the work of all these better, more expedi-
abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin, and cast tiously, and to much more profit shall we not say ;

in the principal wheat, and the appointed barley, and that the hand of is in all this ? Only I again GOD
the rye, in their place 1 For his God doth instruct say, let machinery aid man, and not render him use-
HIM to discretion, and doth teach him. For the fitches less. The nations of Europe are pushing mechanical
are not threshed with a threshing-instrument, neither power to a destructive extreme. He alone girded
is a cart-wheel turned about upon the cummin but the those eminent men, though many of them knew him
;

fitches are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with not; he inspired them with wisdom and understand-
a rod. Bread corn is bruised because he will not ing by his all-pervading and all-informing spirit he
; ;

ever be threshing it, nor break it with the wheel of opened to them the entrance of the paths of the depths
his cart, nor bruise it loith his horsemen. This also of science, guided them in their researches, opened to
com 9th forth from the Lord of hosts, who is won- them successively more and more of his astonishing
derfvil in counsel, and excellent in working," Isa. treasures, crowned their persevering industry with his
xxvjlF 24-29. blessing, and made them his ministers for good to man-
Bjixa^t us take heed not to run into extremes here ;
kind. The
antiquary and the medalist are also his
mackidimy is to help man, not to render him useless. agents their discernment and penetration come from
;

The human hand is the great and most perfect machine, him alone. By them, how many dark ages of the
let it nb^ be laid aside. In onr zeal for machinery world have been brought to light how many names ;

we are rendering all the lower classes useless : filling of men and places, how many customs and arts, that
the land with beggary and vice, and the workhouses were lost, restored And by their means a few busts,
!

with paupers and -fining the husbandman wit^ op-

;
images, stones, bricks, coins, rings, and culinary uten-
pressive poor-rates. Keep machinery as a help to the sils, the remaining wrecks of long-past numerous cen-

human hand, and to lighten the labour, but never let it turies,have supplied the place of written documents,
supersede either. and cast a profusion of light on the history of man,
This principle, that God is the author of all arts and the history of providence. And let me add, that
and sciences, is too little regarded Every good gift, : the providence which preserved these materials, and
and every perfect gift, says St. James, comes from raised up men to decipher and explain them, is itself
above, from the father of lights. Why has God gloriously illustrated by them.
constructed every part of nature with such a profusion Of all men (and the noble list might be greatly
those
of economy and skill, if he intended this skill should swelled) we may say the same that Moses said "^i *

never be discovered by man, or that man should not Bezaleel and Aholiab : " GOD hath filled them with
attempt to examine his works in order to find them the Spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding,
out ? From
the luorks of creation what proofs, aston- and in knowledge ; and in all manner of workmanship,
ishing and overwhelming proofs, both to believers and to devise cunning works ; to work in gold and in silver,
infidels, have been drawn both of the nature, being, and in brass, in cutting of stojies, carving of timber,
attributes, and providence of God What demonstra- ! and in all manner oi workmanship ;" chap. xxxi. 3—6.
tions of all these have the Archbishop of Cambray, " The loorks of the Lord are great, sought out of all
Dr. Nieuwentyt, Dr. Derham, and Mr. Charles Bon- them that have pleasure therein;" Psa. cxi. 2.
net, given in their philosophical works And who ! Verse 4. Breastplate] ^WT\ choshen. See on chap.
gave those men this wisdom? GOD, from whom xxv. 7.
alone MIND, and all its attributes, proceed. While Ephod] n£3X. See the note on chap. xxv. 7.
we see Count de Buffon and Sioammerdam examining Robe] 7>' meil, from vhy alah, to go up, go upon ;
and tracing out all the curious relations, connections, hence the meil may be considered as an upper coat, a
and laws of the animal kingdom Tourncfort, Ray, ; surtout. It is described by Josephus as a garment

and Linne, those of the vegetable Theophrastus, ; that reaches down to the feet, not made of two dis-
Werner, Klaproth, Cronstedt, Morveau, lieamur, Kir- tinct pieces, but was one entire long garment, woven
tuan, and a host of philosophical chemists, Boerhaave, throughout. This was immediately under the ephod.
Boyle, Stahl, Priestley, Lavoisier, Fourcroy, Black, See on ver. 31, &c.
and Davy, those of the .mineral the discoveries they ; Broidered coat] ^'^BTl HiHJ kethor.eth, tashbets,
have made, the latent and important properties of what Parkhurst translates a close, slrc.it coat or gar-
vegetables and minerals which they have developed, ment according to Josephus, " a tunic circumscribing
;

the powerful machines which, through their discove- or closely encompassing the body, and having tight
ries, have been constructed, by the operations of which sleeves for the arms." This was immediately under
the human slave is restored to his own place in society, the 77icU or robe, and answered the same purpose to
he brute saved from his destructive toil in our manu- the priests that our shirts do to us. See on ver. 13.
442
 : ; ;

A. M. 2513. sons, that he may minister unto the other six names of the rest A. M. 2513.
B. C. 1491. .'
, re
An. Exod. isr. 1 me in the priests oiiice. on the other stone, according to An. Exod. isr. 1,
^''"^- ^''^^^
5 And they shall take gold, and their birth.
blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen : 1 1 ^ With the work of an engraver in stone,
6 '
And they shall make the ephod of gold, like the engravings of a signet, shalt thou en-
of blue, and of purple, of scarlet, and
grave the two stones with the names of the
fine
twined linen, with cunning work. children of Israel thou shalt make them to :

7 It shall have the two shoulder-pieces be set in ouches of gold,

thereof joined at the two edges thereof; and 12 And thou shalt put the two stones upon
so it shall be joined together. the shoulders of the ephod for stones of me-
8 And the ^ curious girdle of the ephod, morial unto the children of Israel and ^ Aaron :

which is upon it, shall be of the same, accord- shall bear their names before the Lord, upon
ing to the work thereof even of gold, of blue, his two shoulders, " for a memorial,
;
;

and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, 1 3 And thou shalt make ouches of gold ;

9 And thou shalt take two onyx stones, and 14 And two chains of pure gold at the ends
grave on them the names of the children of of wreathen work shalt thou make them, and
Israel fasten the wreathen chains to the ouches.
10 Six of their names on one stone, and 15 And °thou shalt make the breastplate'
* Chap, sjcxix. 2, 4, 27, 29. k Or, embroidered ; ch. xxxix. 20 Wisd. ^Ver. 29
' xviii. 24. ; chap, xxxix. 7. "See Josh.
Isa. xi. 5 ; Rev. i. 13. iv. 7 ; Zech. vi. 14. " Chap, xxxix. 8.

Mitre]n£)JV^ mitsnepheth. As this word comes pie, scarlet, andyJne twined linen, embroidered together.
from the root f]Ji* tsanaph, to roll or wrap round, it But others suppose that some kind of a girdle is meant,
evidently means that covering of the head so universal different from the abnet, ver. 39, being only oi plain
in the eastern countries which we call turban or tur- workmanship.
band, corrupted from the Persian <^v^J«^ doolbend, Verse 9. Two onyx stones] See on chap. xxv. 7,
which signifies what encompasses and binds the head Verse 11. Like the engravings of a signet] So
or body and hence is applied, not only to this cover-
;
signets or seals were in use at this time, and engraving
ing of the head, but to a sash in general. As the on precious stones was then an apt, and this art, which
Persian word is compounded of \»i dool or dawal, a was one of the most elegant and ornamental, was car-
ried in ancient times to a very high pitch of perfection,
revolution, vicissitude, wheel, &c., and j^Ai> binden,
and particularly among the ancient Greeks such a ;
to bind very likely that the Hebrew words in
; it is
pitch of perfection as has never been rivalled, and can-
dur, to go round, and £3J3 benet, a band, may have not now be even well imitated. And it is very likely
been the original of doolbend and turband. It is that the Greeks themselves borrowed this art from the
sometimes called ^JoyiAr serbend, from y*** ser, the ancient Hebrews, as we know it flourished in Egypt

head, and and Palestine long before it was known in Greece.

^^y^ binden, to bind. The turban consists
Verse 12. Aaron shall bear their names before the
generally of two parts : the cap, which goes on the
head and the long sash of nmslin, linen, or silk, that
Lord] He was to consider that he was the represen
;
tative of the children of Israel and the stones on the ;
is wrapped round the head. These sashes are gene-
ephod and the stones on the breastplate were for a
rally several yards in length.
memorial to put Aaron in remembrance that he was
A girdle] DJ3N abnet, a belt or girdle ; see before.
the priest and mediator of the twelve tribes
This seems to have been the same kind of sash or and, ;

speaking after the manner of men, God was to be put

girdle, so common in the eastern countries, that con-
in mind of the children of Israel, their wants, &c., as
fined the loose garments about the waist and in ;

frequently as the high priest appeared before him with

which their long skirts were tucked up when they
the breastplate and the ephod. See ver. 29.
were employed in work, or on a journey. After being
tied round the waist, the two ends of it fell down Verse 13. Ouches of gold] nV3iyo mishbetsoth,
before, to the skirts of their robes. strait places, sockets to insert the stones in, from V^Vf
Verse 8. The curious girdle of the ephod] shabats, to close, inclose, straiten. Socket, in this
The
word 2Ur\ chesheb, rendered here curious girdle, sig- place,would be a more proper translation, as ouch can-
nifies merely a kind of diaper, or embroidered work
not be traced up to any legitimate authority. It appears
;

(see the note on chap. xxvi. 1 ;) and it is widely different sometimes to signify a hook, or some mode of attach
from DJ3N abnet, which is properly translated gii-dle ing things together.
Ter. 4. The meaning therefore of the text, according Verse 15. The breastplate of judgment] I22'<i;ri ftSTI
two pieces, ver. 7, which con-
to some, is this, that the choshen mishpat, the same as the jiyn choshen, see
nected the parts of the ephod at the shoulders where chap. xxv. 7, but here called the breastplate of judg-
the onyx stones were set, should be of the same tex- ment, because the high priest wore it upon his breast
ture with the ephod itself, i. e., of gold, blue, pur- when he went to ask counsel of the Lord, to give judg-
a 443
 ——
A. M. 2513. minister unto me
an ephod, and ^ a robe, and
in the priest
'
s
f
A. M. 2513.
B. C. 1491. ™
An. Exod. Isr. 1. omce. ^ a broidered coat, a mitre, and
An^EJod.Tsr. 1
^"'^°" ^"' ^-
4 And these are the garments a girdle and they shall make :

which they shall make ;

® a breastplate, and holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his

e Ver. 15. f
\^er. 6.- Ver. 31. •> Ver. 39; Exod. xxxix. ^-21.

open and break the clods of his ground 1 When he factories, and inanimate, unfeeling nature caused to
hath made plain the face thereof, doth he not cast perform the work of all these better, more expedi-
abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin, and cast tiously, and to much more profit shall we not say ;

in the principal wheat, and the appointed barley, and that the hand of is in all this ? Only I again GOD
the rye, in their place 1 For his God doth instruct say, let machinery aid man, and not render him use-
HIM to discretion, and doth teach him. For the fitches less. The nations of Europe are pushing mechanical
are not threshed with a threshing-instrument, neither power to a destructive extreme. He alone girded
is a cart-wheel turned about upon the cummin but the those eminent men, though many of them knew him
;

fitches are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with not; he inspired them with wisdom and understand-
a rod. Bread corn is bruised because he will not ing by his all-pervading and all-informing spirit he
; ;

ever be threshing it, nor break it with the wheel of opened to them the entrance of the paths of the depths
his cart, nor bruise it loith his horsemen. This also of science, guided them in their researches, opened to
com 9th forth from the Lord of hosts, who is won- them successively more and more of his astonishing
derfvil in counsel, and excellent in working," Isa. treasures, crowned their persevering industry with his
xxvjlF 24-29. blessing, and made them his ministers for good to man-
Bjixa^t us take heed not to run into extremes here ;
kind. The
antiquary and the medalist are also his
mackidimy is to help man, not to render him useless. agents their discernment and penetration come from
;

The human hand is the great and most perfect machine, him alone. By them, how many dark ages of the
let it nb^ be laid aside. In onr zeal for machinery world have been brought to light how many names ;

we are rendering all the lower classes useless : filling of men and places, how many customs and arts, that
the land with beggary and vice, and the workhouses were lost, restored And by their means a few busts,
!

with paupers and -fining the husbandman wit^ op-

;
images, stones, bricks, coins, rings, and culinary uten-
pressive poor-rates. Keep machinery as a help to the sils, the remaining wrecks of long-past numerous cen-

human hand, and to lighten the labour, but never let it turies,have supplied the place of written documents,
supersede either. and cast a profusion of light on the history of man,
This principle, that God is the author of all arts and the history of providence. And let me add, that
and sciences, is too little regarded Every good gift, : the providence which preserved these materials, and
and every perfect gift, says St. James, comes from raised up men to decipher and explain them, is itself
above, from the father of lights. Why has God gloriously illustrated by them.
constructed every part of nature with such a profusion Of all men (and the noble list might be greatly
those
of economy and skill, if he intended this skill should swelled) we may say the same that Moses said "^i *

never be discovered by man, or that man should not Bezaleel and Aholiab : " GOD hath filled them with
attempt to examine his works in order to find them the Spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding,
out ? From
the luorks of creation what proofs, aston- and in knowledge ; and in all manner of workmanship,
ishing and overwhelming proofs, both to believers and to devise cunning works ; to work in gold and in silver,
infidels, have been drawn both of the nature, being, and in brass, in cutting of stojies, carving of timber,
attributes, and providence of God What demonstra- ! and in all manner oi workmanship ;" chap. xxxi. 3—6.
tions of all these have the Archbishop of Cambray, " The loorks of the Lord are great, sought out of all
Dr. Nieuwentyt, Dr. Derham, and Mr. Charles Bon- them that have pleasure therein;" Psa. cxi. 2.
net, given in their philosophical works And who ! Verse 4. Breastplate] ^WT\ choshen. See on chap.
gave those men this wisdom? GOD, from whom xxv. 7.
alone MIND, and all its attributes, proceed. While Ephod] n£3X. See the note on chap. xxv. 7.
we see Count de Buffon and Sioammerdam examining Robe] 7>' meil, from vhy alah, to go up, go upon ;
and tracing out all the curious relations, connections, hence the meil may be considered as an upper coat, a
and laws of the animal kingdom Tourncfort, Ray, ; surtout. It is described by Josephus as a garment

and Linne, those of the vegetable Theophrastus, ; that reaches down to the feet, not made of two dis-
Werner, Klaproth, Cronstedt, Morveau, lieamur, Kir- tinct pieces, but was one entire long garment, woven
tuan, and a host of philosophical chemists, Boerhaave, throughout. This was immediately under the ephod.
Boyle, Stahl, Priestley, Lavoisier, Fourcroy, Black, See on ver. 31, &c.
and Davy, those of the .mineral the discoveries they ; Broidered coat] ^'^BTl HiHJ kethor.eth, tashbets,
have made, the latent and important properties of what Parkhurst translates a close, slrc.it coat or gar-
vegetables and minerals which they have developed, ment according to Josephus, " a tunic circumscribing
;

the powerful machines which, through their discove- or closely encompassing the body, and having tight
ries, have been constructed, by the operations of which sleeves for the arms." This was immediately under
the human slave is restored to his own place in society, the 77icU or robe, and answered the same purpose to
he brute saved from his destructive toil in our manu- the priests that our shirts do to us. See on ver. 13.
442
 : ; ;

A. M. 2513. sons, that he may minister unto [

the other six names of the rest a. m. 2513.
B. C. 1491. .'
.
rr-
An. Exod. isr. 1 me in the priests oince.
,
on the other stone, according to An. Exod. isr. 1.
^^^^- ^ivan.
5 And they shall take gold, and their
aeir birth.

blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen : 11 With

the work of an engraver in stone,
^

6 '
And they shall make the ephod of gold, like the
engravings of a signet, shalt thou en-
of blue, and of purple, of scarlet, and fine grave the two stones with the names of the
twined linen, with cunning work. children of Israel thou shalt make them to :

7 It two shoulder-pieces be set in ouches of gold,

shall have the
thereof joined, at the two edges thereof; and 12 And thou shalt put the two stones upon
so it shall be joined together. the shoulders of the ephod fw stones of me-
8 And the ^ curious girdle of the ephod, morial unto the children of Israel and ^ Aaron :

which is upon it, shall be of the same, accord- shall bear their names before the Lord, upon
ing to the work thereof; even of gold, of blue, his two shoulders, " for a memorial.
J
and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen. 13 And thou shalt make ouches ©/"gold;
9 And thou shalt take two onyx stones, "and 14 And two chains of pure gold at the ends
grave on them the names of the children of of wreathen work shalt thou make them, and
Israel fasten the wreathen chains to the ouches.
10 Six of their names on one stone, and 1 5 And ° thou shalt make the breastplate'
* Chap, xjcxix. 2, 4, 27, 29. k Or, embroidered ; ch. xxxix. 20 ' Wisd. xviii. 24. " Ver. 29 ; chap, xxxix. 7.— -° See Josh.
Isa. xi. 5 ; Rev. i. 13. iv. 7 ; Zech. vi. 14. °Chap. xxxix.
Mitre] HDJyo miisnepheth. As thisword comes pie, scarlet, diXiifine twined linen, embroidered together.
from the root ^^Ji* isanaph, to roll or wrap round, it But others suppose that some kind of a girdle is meant,
evidently means that covering of the head so universal different from the abnet, ver. 39, being only of plain
in the eastern countries which we call turban or tur- workmanship.
hand, corrupted from the Persian <^^J^^ doolbend, Verse Two onyx
9. stones] See on chap. xxv. 7.
which signifies what encompasses and hinds the head Verse 11. Like the engravings of a signet] So
or body and hence is applied, not only to this cover-
;
signets or seals were in use at this time, and engraving
ing of the head, but to a sash in general. As the on precious stones was then an art, and this art, which
Persian word is compounded of t^i dool or daival, a was one of the most elegant and ornamental, was car-
ried in ancient times to a very high pitch of perfection,
revolution, vicissitude, wheel, &c., and <XJL> binden,
and particularly among the ancient Greeks ; such a
to hind very likely that the Hebrew words in
; it is
pitch of perfection as has never been rivalled, and can-
dur, to go round, and 0J3 benet, a hand, may have not now be even well imitated. And it is very likely
been the original of doolbend and turband. It is
Greeks themselves borrowed this art from the
that the
sometimes called ^u^yu serbend, from y^ ser, the ancient Hebrews, as we know it flourished in Egypt

head, and and Palestine long before it was known in Greece.

^^^^ binden, to bind. The turban consists
Verse 12. Aaron shall bear their names before the
generally of two parts : the cap, which goes on the
head and the long sash of muslin, linen, or silk, that
;
Lord] He was to consider that he was the represen
tative of the children of Israel and the stones on the ;
is wrapped round the head. These sashes are gene-
ephod and the stones on the breastplate were for a
rally several yards in length.
memorial to put Aaron in remembrance that he was
A girdle] DJ3X abnet, a belt or girdle ; see before.
the priest and mediator of the twelve tribes and,
This seems to have been the same kind of sash or ;

speaking after the manner of men, God was to be put

girdle, so common in the eastern countries, that con-
in mind of the children of Israel, their wants, &c., as
fined the loose garments about the waist ; and in
frequently as the high priest appeared before him with
which their long skirts were tucked up when they
the breastplate and the ephod. See ver. 29.
were employed in work, or on a journey. After being
tied round the waist, the two ends of it fell down Verse 13. Ouches of gold] nitfJiyD mishbetsoth,
before, to the skirts of their robes. strait places, sockets to insert the stones in, from VJiy
Verse The curious girdle of shabats, to close, inclose, straiten. Socket, in this
8. the ephod] The
word JBTI chesheb, rendered here curious girdle, sig-
place,would be a more proper translation, as ouch can-
nifies merely a kind of diaper, or embroidered work not be traced up to any legitimate authority. It appears
;

(see the note on chap. xxvi. 1 ;) and it is widely different sometimes to signify a hook, or some mode of attach
from D3DX abnet, which is properly translated girdle ing things together.
rer. 4. The meaning therefore of the text, according Verse 15. The breastplate ofjudgjnent] £33B'r3 fjyn
to some, is this, that the two pieces, ver. 7, which con- choshen mishpat, the same as the jaTi choshen, see
nected the parts of the ephod at the shoulders where chap. xxv. 7, but here called the breastplate of judg-
the onyx stones were set, should be of the same tex- ment, because the high priest wore it upon his breast
ture with the ephod itself, i. e., of gold, blue, pur- when he went to ask counsel of the Lord, to give judg-
a 443
 — ,

me in the priest's fan ephod, and ^a robe, and ^^.2513.

A. M. 2513. minister unto
B. C. 1491. rn „ ^ a broidered coat, a mitre, and An. Exod. Isr. 1

An. Exod. Isr. 1. ottice.

and they shall make !!^!^
sivan.
4 ^nd these are the garments a girdle
:

holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his

^ a breastplate, and
which they shall make ;

h Ver. 39; Exod. xxxix. 2-21.

e Ver. 15. f ^'^er. 6. s Ver. 31.

caused to
open and break the clods of his ground 1 When he factories, and inanimate, unfeeling nature expedi-
doth he not cast perform the work of all these better, more
hath made plain the face thereof, more profit; shall we not say
and cast tiously, and to much
abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin, GOD
is in all this ? Only I again
that the hand of
in the principal wheat, and
the appointed barley, and
render him use-
God doth instruct say, let machinery aid man, and not
the rye, in their place ! For his are pushing mechanical
For the fitches less. The nations of Europe
HIM to discretion, and doth teach him. destructive extreme. He alone girded
threshing-instrument, neither power to a
are not threshed with a men, though many of them knew him
the cummm but the those eminent
is a cart-wheel turned
about upon ;
understand-
staff, and the cummm with
not; he inspired them with wisdom and
fitches are beaten out with a and all-informing spirit he
not ing; by his all-pervading
a rod. Bread corn is bruised because he will ;
of the depths
the wheel of opened to them the entrance of the paths
ever be threshing it, nor break it ivith
researches, opened to
This also of science, guided them in their
.

iviih his horsemen.

his nart, nor bruise it more and more of his astonishing
hosts, who is won- them successively
com 5th forth from the Lord of treasures, crowned their persevering industry
with his
excellent in working," Isa.
derfV-il in counsel, and good to man-
blessing, and made them his ministers for
xxvjtF 24-29. The antiquary and the medalist are also his
kind.
to run into extremes here
Bjita^t us take heed not
;

agents their discernment and penetration

come from
is to help man, not to
render him useless. ;

mac&Av perfect machine, him alone. By them, how many dark ages of the
The hJaan hand is the great and most world have been brought to light how many
names ;

aside. In our zeal for machinery

let it nbf be laid men and places, how many customs and arts,
that
useless filhng of
we are rendering all the lower classes were
:

lost, restored And by their means a few busts,

!

vice, and the workhouses

the land with beggary and bricks, coins, rings, and
culinary uten-
husbandman witlj_ op- images, stones,
with paupers and -lining the
;
sils, the remaining wrecks of long-past numerous cen-
pressive poor-rates. Keep machinery as a help to the the place of written documents,
but never let it turies, have supplied
human hand, and to lighten the labour, and cast a profusion of light on
the history of man,
supersede either. n providence. And let me add, that
j-
history of
author of all arts and the
*

This principle, that God is the providence which preserved these materials, and
Every good gift, the
and sciences, is too little regarded explain them, is itsell
:

raised up men to decipher and

and every perfect gift, s^ys
St.
^^^^^;''"l''f'""l o-loriously illustrated by them.
above, from the father of
lights. Why has God greatly
nature with such a profusion Of all" those men (and the noble list might be '
constructed every part of the same that Moses said o.
swelled) we may say
intended this skill should
of economy and skill, if he Bezaleel and Aholiab :
" GOD
hath filled them with
by man, or that man should not
never be discovered
the Spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understandmg,
in order to find them
attempt to examine his works knowledge and in aU manner of
workmanship,
proofs, aston- and in ;

out ^ the loorks o/ creation what

From work in gold and in silver,
to devise cunning works ; to
overwhelming proofs, both to believers and
ishin<T and
and in brass, cutting of stones, carving of timber,
in
being,
infidels,have been drawn both of the nature, manner of workmanship ;" chap. xxxi. 3
6.
Wh^t demonstra- and in all
attributes,and providence of God !
" The loorks of the Lord are great, sought out of all
of all these have the Archbishop of Cam^ay, ;" Psa. cxi. 2.
ttons
and Mr. Charles Bon- them that have pleasure therein
Dr Nieuwentyt, Dr. Derham, Yersei. Breastplate] \wr\ choshen. See on chap.
philosophical works! And who
net given in their
men this wisdom^ GOD, from whom XXV. 7.
those
Ephod] ni3N. See the note on chap. xxv.
.av'e 7.
attributes, proceed. While
alone MIND, and all its meil, from uh]? alah, to go up, go upon ;
examining Kobe] S'>'0
we see Count de Bufon and Swammerdam the meil may be considered as an
upper coat, a
relations, connections, hence
and tracing out all the curious It is described by Josephus as a garment
—Tourncfort, Ray, surtout.
and laws of the animal kingdom down to the feet, not made of two
dis-
vegetable Theophrastus, that reaches
and Linne, those of the
;
woven
lieamur, Kir-
was one entire long garment,
tinct pieces, but
Werner, Klaproth, Cronstcdt, Morveau, This was immediately under the
epnoa.
chemists, Boerhaave, throughout.
host of philosophical
wan, and a &c.
Lavoisier, Fourcroy, Black, See on ver. 31, ,

Boyle, Stahl, Priestley, nin3 kethor.eth, ashbets, y^m

mineral the discoveries they Broidered coat]
and Davy, those of the ;
strait coat or gar-
latent and important properties of what Parkhurst translates a close,
have made, the
Josephus, " a tunic circumscribing
ment ; according to
verretables and minerals
which they have developed, and having tigh
through their discove- Iciosely encompassing the body,
the powerful machines which, arms." This was immediately under
which sleeves for the
by the operations of
ries have been constructed,
the meil or robe, and
answered the same purpose to
to his own place in society,
the 'htman slave is restored priests that our shirts do to us. See on ver. 13.
destructive toil in our manu- the
he brute saved from his
442
 : ;:

A. M. 2513. sons, that he may minister unto the other six names of the rest a. m. 2513.
B. C. 1491. , ,'
An. Exod. isr. 1 me m
.

the priests omce.

rn
on the other stone, according to An. Exod. isr. 1.
Sivan.
5 And they shall take gold, and their birth. Si^^n.

blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen 1 1 ^ With the work of an engraver in stone,
6 '
And they shall make the ephod of gold,
thou en- like the engravings of a signet, shalt

of blue, and of purple, of scarlet, and fine grave the two stones with the names of the
twined linen, with cunning work. children of Israel thou shalt make them to :

7 It shall have the two shoulder-pieces be set in ouches of gold.

thereof joined at the two edges thereof; and 12 And thou shalt put the two stones upon
so it shall be joined together. the shoulders of the ephod for stones of me-
8 And the ^ curious girdle of the ephod, morial unto the children of Israel and "» Aaron :

which is upon it, shall be of the same, accord- shall bear their names before the Lord, upon
ing to the work thereof; even of gold, of blue, his two shoulders, " for a memorial.
and purple, and scarlet, and fine And thou shalt make ouches of gold
twined linen. 13 ;

9 And thou shalt take two onyx stones, and And two chains of pure gold at the ends;
14
grave on them the names of the children of of wreathen work shalt thou make them, and
Israel fasten the wreathen chains to the ouches.
10 Six of their names on one stone, and 15 And "thou shalt make the breastplate^
» Chap, xjcxix. 2, 4, 27, 29.- k Or, embroidered
; ch. xxxix. 20 Wisd. xviii. 24.- ™ Ver. 29 chap, xxxix. 7.
'
" See Josh.
Isa. xi. 5 ; Rev. i. 13. iv. 7: Zech. vi.
;

—
14.— oChap. xxxix. 8.

Mitre] nSJ^fO mitsnepheth. As this word comes pie, scarlet, and^ne twined linen, embroidered together.
from the root f]Ji* tsanaph, to roll or lurap round, it But others suppose that some kind of a girdle is meant,
evidently means that covering of the head so universal different from the abnet, ver. 39, being only oi plain
in the eastern countries w^hich we call turban or tur- workmanship.
hand, corrupted from the Persian <^J>/J^^ doolbend, Verse 9. Ttuo onyx stones] See on chap. xxv. 7.
which signifies what encompasses and binds the head
Verse Like the engravings of a signet]
1 1 .
So
or body and hence is applied, not only to this cover-
;
signets or seals were' in use at this time, and engraving
ing of the head, but to a sash in general. As the on precious stones was then an art, and this art, which
Persian word is compounded of J„i dool or daiual, a was one of the most elegant and ornamental, was car-
revolution, vicissitude, wheel, &c., and ried in ancient times to a very high pitch of perfection,
j^AjL> binden,
and particularly among the ancient Greeks such a
to bind ; it is very likely that the . Hebrew words in pitch of perfection as has never been rivalled, and can-
;

dur, to go round, and 0J3 benet, a band, may have not now be even well imitated.
been the
And it is very likely
original of doolbend and turband. It is
sometimes called

head, and
b^Xiy^ serbend, from y ser, the
that the Greeks themselves borrowed this art from the
ancient Hebrews, as we know it flourished in Egypt
and Palestine long before it was known in Greece.
^^y^ binden, to bind. The turban consists
generally of two parts
Verse 12. Aaron shall bear their names before the
the cap, which goes on the
:

head ; and the long sash of muslin, linen, or silk, that

Lord] He was to consider that he was the represen
tative of the children of Israel and the stones on the
is wrapped round the head. These sashes are gene- ;

ephod and the stones on the breastplate were for a

rally several yards in length.
memorial to put Aaron in remembrance that he was
A girdle] £3J3N abnet, a belt or girdle ; see before.
the priest and mediator of the twelve tribes
This seems to have been the same kind of sash or and, ;

girdle, so common speaking after the manner of men, God was to be put
in the eastern countries, that con-
in mind of the children of Israel, their wants, &c.,
fined the loose garments about the waist and in ;
as
frequently as the high priest appeared before him with
which their long skirts were tucked up when they
the breastplate and the ephod. See ver. 29.
were employed in work, or on a journey. After being
tied round the waist, the two ends of it fell down Verse 13. Ouches of gold] n^f^tyo mishbetsoth,
before, to the skirts of their robes. strait places, sockets to insert the stones in, from
yjty
Verse 8. The curious girdle of the ephod] shabats, to close, inclose, straiten.
The Socket, in this
word 2\^n chesheb, rendered here curious girdle, sig- place,would be a more proper translation, as ouch can-
nifies merely a kind of diaper, or embroidered work not be traced up to any legitimate authority. It appears
;

(see the note on chap. xxvi. 1 ;) and it is widely different sometimes to signify a hook, or some mode of attach
from DJ3X abnet, which is properly translated girdle ing things together.
rer. 4. The meaning therefore of the text, according Verse 15. The breastplate of judgment] DSjyrD [tsTI
to some, is this, that the two pieces, ver. 7, which con-
choshen mishpat, the same as tiie [ari choshen, see
nected the parts of the ephod at the shoulders where chap. xxv. 7, but here called the breastplate of judg-
the onyx stones were set, should be of the same tex-
ment, because the high priest wore it upon his breast
ture with the ephod itself, i. e., of gold, blue,
pur- when he went to ask counsel of the Lord, to give judg-
a 443
 ; — ;

The precious stones EXODUS. qf the breastplate

A. M, 2513. of judgment with cunning work 19 And the third row a ligure.
;
A. M. 2513.

An.Exod.isr.i. after the work of the ephod thou an agate, and an amethyst. An. Exod. isr! i
^'''^°-
shalt make it of gold, of blue,
; 20 And the fourth row a beryl, ®'^^-

and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine and an onyx, and a jasper they shall be set :

twined linen, shalt thou make it. in gold in their * enclosings. •"

1 6 Four-square it shall be, being doubled 21 And the stones shall be with the names
a span shall be the length thereof, and a span of the children of Israel, twelve, according to
shall be the breadth thereof. their names, like the engravings of a signet
17 5"
And thou shalt i set in itname shall they be accord-
settings of every one with his
stones, even four rows of stones the first row ing to the twelve tribes.
:

shall be a. ^ sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle 22 And thou shalt make upon the breast
:

this shall be the first row. plate chains at the ends of wreathen work,
1 8 And the second row shall be an emerald, o/pure gold.
a sapphire, and a diamond, 23 And thou shalt make upon the breast-
PChap. xxxix. 10, &c. iHeb._^// it in fillings of stone. ^ Or, rvhy. » Heb. fillings.

ment in any particular case as also when he sat as

; tween these doublings, it is supposed, the Urim and
judge to teach the law, and to determine controversies. Thummim were placed. See on ver. 30.
See Lev. x. 11 Deut. xvii. 8, 9.
; Verse 17. Four rows of stones] With a name on
Verse 16. Four-square it shall be] Here we have each stone, making in all the twelve names of the
the exact dimensions of this breastplate, or more pro- twelve tribes. And as these were disposed according
perly breast-piece It was a span in to their birth, ver. 10, we may suppose they stood
or stomacher. in
length and breadth when doubled, and consequently this order, the stones being placed also in the order in
two spans long one way before it was doubled. Be- which they are produced, ver. 17—20 :

FIRST ROW.
Upon a Sardius or Ruby was engraven Reuben
Topaz Simeon
Carbuncle Levi 'lb
SECOND ROW. >• Sons of Leah.
Upon an Emerald was engraven Judah mm
a Sapphire Issachar
Diamond Zebulun
THIRD ROW.
Upon a Ligure or Jacinth was engraven Dan
,L_L \ Sons of Bilhah, Rachel's maid.
Agate Naphtali
Amethyst Gad
FOURTH ROW. > Sons of Zilpah, Leah's maid
^peif a Beryl, or Chrysolite was engraven Asher
Onyx, or Sardonyx Joseph
., '^?,''i I Sons of Rachel.
Jasper Benjamin

In this order the Jews in general agree to place fine yellow ; and hence it was called chrysolite by the
Itiem. See the Jerusalem Targum on this place, and ancients, from its gold colour. It is now considered
the Targum upon Canticles v. 14 and see also Ains- ; by mineralogists as a variety of the sapphire.
worth. The Targum of Jonathan says, " These four 3. Carbuncle, np"l3 bareketh, from p"l3 barak, to
rows were placed opposite to the four quarters of the lighten, glitter, or glister ; a very elegant gem of a
world ; but this could only be when laid down hori- deep red colour, with an admixture of scarlet. From
zontally, for when it hung on the breast of the high its bright lively colour it had the name carbunculus,
priest could have had no such position.
it As it is which signifies a little coal; and among the Greeks
difficult to ascertain in every case what these precious avdpa^ anthrax, a coal, because when held before the
stones were, it may be necessary to consider this sub- sun it appears like a piece of bright burning charcoal.
ject more at large. It is found only in the East Indies, and there but rarely.
1. A Sardius, DHK from the root adam, he
orfe/n, 4. Emerald, "^Q: nophech, the same with the ancient
was ruddy ; gem of a fine deep smaragdus ; it is one of the most beautiful of all the
the ruby, a beautiful
red colour. The sardius, or sardie stone, is defined gems, and is of a bright green colour, without any other
to be a precious stone of a blood-red colour, the best mixture. The true oriental emerald is very scarce, and
of which come from Babylon. is only found at present in the kingdom of Cambay.

2. A Topaz, mO£3 pitdah, a precious stone oizpale 5. Sapphire, Ti3D 5a/>pi>. See this described, chap,
dead green, with a mixture of yelloio, sometimes of a xxiv. 10.
444
 ;

The chains and rings CHAP. XXVIII. of the breastplate

A. M. 2513. plate * two rinors of ffold, and make, and shalt put them on the a. m. 2513.
B C 1491 1

An. Exod. isr! 1. shalt put the two rings on the two sides of the ephod under- An. Exod. isr. 1.
^'''^"- ^^''^""
two ends of the breastplate. neath, toward the forepart there-
24 And thou shalt put the two wreathen of, over against the other coupling thereof,
chains of gold in the two rings, which are on above the curious girdle of the ephod.
the ends of the breastplate. 28 And they shall bind the breastplate by
25 And the other two ends of the two the rings thereof, unto the rings of the ephod
^ wreathen chains, thou shalt fasten in the two with a lace of blue, that it may be above the
ouches, and put them on the shoulder-pieces'' curious girdle of the ephod, and that the
of the ephod before it. breastplate be not loosed from the ephod.
26 And thou make two
rings of gold,
shalt 29 And Aaron shall bear the names of the
and thou shalt put them upon the two ends children of Israel in the breastplate of judg-
of the breastplate, in the border thereof, which ment upon his heart, when he goeth in unto
is in the side of the ephod inward. the holy place, ^ for a memorial before the
27 And two other rings of gold thou shalt Lord continually.

' Chap. XXV. 11-15. " Chap, xxviii. 14 ; xxxix. 15. Chap, xxviii. 7, 25 ; xxxix. 4.- Ver. 12.

Diamond, dSh' yahalom, from D/H halam, to beat among the topazes. Its name in Greek, chrysolite,
6.
or smite upon. The diamond is supposed to have this xpvaolido^, literally signifies the golden stone.
name from its resistance to a blow, for the ancients 11. The Onyx, DHty shoham. See the notes on
have assured us that if it be struck with a hammer, Gen. ii. 12 Exod. xxv. 7. There are a great num- ;

upon an anvil, it will not break, but either break them ber of different sentiments on the meaning of the origi-
or sink into the surface of that which is softest. This nal it has been translated beryl, emerald, prasius, sap-
;

isa complete fable, as it is well known that the dia- phire, sardius, ruby, cornelian, onyx, and sardonyx.
mond can be easily broken, and is capable of being It is likely that the name may- signify both the onyx

entirely volatilized or consumed by the action of fire. and sardonyx. This latter stone is a mixture of the
It is, however, the hardest, as it is the most valuable, chalcedony and cornelian, sometimes in strata, at other
of all the precious stones hitherto discovered, and one times blended together, and is found striped with white
of the most combustible substances in nature. and red strata or layers. It is generally allowed that
7. LiGURE, DK''? leshem, the same as the jacinth or there is no real difference, except in the degree of
hyacinth a precious stone of a dead red or cinnamon
; hardness, between the onyx, cornelian, chalcedony,
colour, with a considerable mixture of yellow. sardonyx, and agate. It is well known that the onyx
8. Agate, 13iy shebo. This is a stone that assumes is of a darkish horny colour, resembling the hoof or
such a variety of hues and appearances, that Mr. Park- nail, from which circumstance it has its name. It has
hurst thinks it derives its name from the root 2V shab, often a plate of a bluish white or red in it, and when
to turn, to change, " as from the circumstance of the on one or both sides of this white there appears a plate
agate changing its appearance without end, it might be of a reddish colour, the jewellers, says Woodward,
called the varier.''"' Agates are met with so variously call the stone a sardonyx.
figured in their substance, that they seem to represent 12. Jasper, n£3ty' yashepheh. The similarity of the
the sky, the stars, clouds, earth, water, rocks, vil- Hebrew name has determined most critics and mine-
lages, fortificatiocs, birds, trees, flowers, men, and ralogists to adopt the jasper as intended by the origi-
animals of different kinds. Agates have a lohite, red- nal word. The jasper is usually defined a hard stone,
dish, yellowish, or greenish ground. They are only of a beautiful bright green colour, sometimes clouded
varieties of the flint, and the lowest in value of all the with white, and spotted with red or yellow. Minera-
precious stones. logists reckon not less than fifteen varieties of this
9. Amethyst, 710 Snx achlamah, a gem generally stone: 1. green; 2. red; 3. yellow; 4. broion ; 5.
of a purple colour, composed of a strong blue and deep violet ; 6. black ; grey ; 8. milky white ;
7. bluish
red. The oriental amethyst is sometimes of a dove 9. variegated with green, red, and yellow clouds
colour, though some are purple, and others white like 10. green with 7-ed specks; 11. veined with various
diamonds. The name amethyst is Greek, afiedvaroc, colours, apparently in the form of letters ; 12. with
and it was so called because it was supposed that it variously coloured zones; 13. with various colours
prevented inebriation. mixed without any order; 14. with majiy colours to-
10. The Beryl, l^'B^in tarshish. Mr. Parkhurst gether; 15. mixed with particles of agate. It can
derives this name from in tar, to go round, and W'\if scarcely be called a precious stone ; it is rather a dull
shash, to be vivid or bright in colour. opaque rock.
If the beryl be
intended, it is a pellucid gem of a bluish green colour, In examining what has been said on these different
found in the East Indies, and about the gold mines of precious stones by the best critics, I have adopted such
Peru. But some of the most learned mineralogists and explanations as appeared to me to be best justified by
critics suppose the chrysolite to be meant. This is a the meaning and use of the original words but I can- ;

gem of a yelloivish green colour, and ranks at present not say that the stones which I have described are
445
 The Urini and Tlaunmim EXODUS. to he put in the breastplate.

A. M. 2513. 30 And Lord y and Aaron^ thou shall put in the in before the A. M. 2513.

An. Exod. judgment the

isr.' 1. Urim shall bear
breastplate of the judgment of the An. JExod. isr'. l
^^"^"^ Sivan.
and the Thummim and they children of Israel upon his heart ;

shall be upon Aaron's heart when he goeth before the Lord continually.

" Lev. viii. 8 ; Num. xxvii. 21 ; Deut. xxxiii. fl 1 Sam. xxviii.

;

(3; Ezia ii. 63 Neh. vii.65 Ecclus. xlv. 10.

yZech. vi. 13; 2 Cor. vii. 3; Heb. ii. 17.
; ;

precisely those intended by the terras in the

text, norcan I take upon me to assert that the tribes
Hebrew et Veritas, doctrine and truth — a system of teaching
proceeding from truth itself. The Septuagint trans-
are arranged exactly in the manner intended by Mo- late the original by dtjTiuoig Kac alTjdeia, the manifesta-
ses ; for as these things are not laid doivn in the text
and the truth ; meaning probably the manifesta- tion
in such a way as to preclude all mistake, some things tion which God made of himself to Moses and the
must be left to conjecture. Of several of these stones Israelites, and the truth which he had revealed to
many fabulous accounts are given by the ancients, and them, of which this breastplate should be a continual
indeed by the moderns also these I have in general memorial. :

omitted because they are fabulous ; as also all sph-it- All the other versions express nearly the same
ual meanings which others have found so plentifully things, and all refer to intellectual and spiritual sub-
in each stone, because I consider some of them puerile, jects,such as light, truth, manifestation, doctrine, per-
all futile, and not a few dangerous. fection, &c., &c., not one of them supposing that any
Verse 30. Thou shalt put in the breastplate — the thing material is intended. The Samaritan text is
Urim and Thummim] What these were has, I
the be- however different it adds here a whole clause not
;

lieve, never yet been discovered. 1. They are no- found in the Hebrew ^/tr"\4F^ jY^ A-ttt^VK :

where described. 2. There is no direction given to 5iJ(Tf^iV^ -^JfiZ. veasitha eth haurim veeth hattum-
Moses or any other hoio to make them. 3. Whatever mim. Thou shalt make the Urim and the Thummim.
they were, they do not appear to have been made on If this reading be admitted, the Urim and Thummim
this occasion. 4. If they were the work of man at were manufactured on this occasion as well as the
all, they must have been the articles in the ancient other articles. However it be, they are indescribable
tabernacle, matters used by the patriarchs, and not here and unknown.
particularly described, because well known. 5. It is The manner in which the Jews suppose that the
probable that nothing material is designed. This is inquiry was made by Urim and Thummim is the fol-
the opinion of some of the Jewish doctors. Rabbi lowing " When they inquired the priest stood with :

Menachem on this chapter says, " The Urim and his face before the ark, and he that inquired stood be-
Thummim were not the work of the artificer neither hind him with his face to the back of the priest and; ;

had the artificers or the congregation of Israel in them the inquirer said. Shall I go up ? or, Shall I not go
any work or any voluntary offering but they were a up ? And forthwith the Holy Ghost came upon the
;

mystery delivered to Moses from the mouth of God, priest, and he beheld the breastplate, and saw therein
or they were the work of God himself, or a measure by the vision of prophecy. Go up, or, Go not up, in the
of the Holy Spirit." 6. That God was often consult- letters which showed forth themselves upon the breast-
ed by Urim and Thummim, is sufficiently evident from plate before his face." See Num. xxvii. 18, 21 ;

several scriptures but how or in what manner he was Judg. i. 1; XX. 18, 28; 1 Sam. xxiii. 9-12; xxviii.
;

thus consulted appears in none. 7. This mode of 6 ; and see Ainsivorth.

consultation, whatever was, does not appear to have it It was the letters that formed the names of the
been in use from the consecration of Solomon's tem- twelve tribes upon the breastplate, which the Jews sup-
ple to the time of its destruction and after its de- ; pose were used in a miraculous way to give answers
struction it is never once mentioned. Hence the Jews to the inquirers. Thus when David consulted the
say that the five following things, which were in the Lord whether he should go into a city of Judea, three
first temple, were wanting in the second " 1 The which constituted the word n^;,' aloh, go, rose
: . letters
ark with the mercy-seat and cherubim ; 2. The fire up or became prominent in the names on the breast-
which came down from heaven 3. The shechinah or plate ^ ain, from the name of Simeon, 7 lamed from
;
;

Divine presence 4. The Holy Spirit, i. e., the gift the name of Levi, and H he from the name of Judah,
;

of prophecy and, 5. The Urim and Thummim.'"

;
But this supposition is without proof
8. As the word omx uri>n signifies lights, and the Among the Egyptians, a breastplate something like
word D'On tummim, perfections, they were probably that of the Jewish high-priest was worn by the presi-
designed to point out the light — Diodorus Siculus has
the abundant informa-
dent of the courts of justice.
tion, in spiritual things, affordedby the wonderful re- these words 'E.(^opeL 6' ovtoq irept rov rpaxn^ov ck :

velation which God made of himself by and under the Xpvajjc aXvaeuc TjpTTjjuevov ^uSiov t(jv TToXvTeXuv Xtduv,
—
LAW and the perfection entire holiness and strict 6 npoanyopevov AAHeEIAN. " He bore about his neck
;

conformity to himself, which this dispensation required, a golden chain, at which hung an image set about with
and which are introduced and accomplished by that or composed of precious stones, which was called
dispensation of light and truth, the Gospel, which was TRUTH."— Bib. Hist., lib. i., chap. Ixxv., p. 225.
prefigured and pointed out by the law and its sacrifices, And ho farther adds, " that as soon as the president
&c. and in this light the subject has been viewed by put this gold chain about his neck, the legal proceed-
;

the Vulgate, where the words are translated doctrina ings commenced, but not before. And that when the
446 a
 :

The robe of the ephod, CHAP. XXVIIl. and the golden plate.
A. M. 2513. 3 1 And ^ thou shalt make the golden bell ana a pomegranate, a. m. 2513.

An. JExod. isr. 1. robe of the ephod of blue.

all upon the hem of the robe round An. Exod. isr. 1
^''^^"-
32 And there shall be a hole about. Sivan.

in the top of it, in the midst thereof it shall 35 And it shall be upon Aaron to minis
: •=

have a binding of woven work round about the ter: and his sound shall be heard when he
hole of it, as it were the hole of a haber- goeth in unto the holy place before the Lord
'^

geon, that it be not rent. and when he cometh out, that he die not.
33 And beneath, upon the ''hem of it, thou 36 And thou shalt make a plate of pure 'I

shalt make pomegranates of blue, and of pur- gold^ and grave upon it, like the engravings
ple, and of scarlet, round about the hem of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD.
thereof ; and bells of gold between them round 37 And thou shalt put it on a blue lace,
about that it may be upon the mitre ; upon the fore-
34 A golden bell and a pomegranate, a front of the mitre it shall be.

*Chap. xxxix. 22; Lev. viii. 7. ^ Chap, xxxix. 23.- -bOr, "Ecclus. xlv. 9. * Chapter xxxix. 30; Zech. xiv. 20,
skirts ; chap, xxxix. 24-26. Ecclus. xlv. 12.

case of the plaintiff and defendant had been fully and tion to the very solemn and important
which the office
turned the image of truth,
fairly heard, the president priest was then performing, might all have
that they
which was hung to the golden chain round his neck, their hearts engaged in the work and at the same ;

toward the person whose cause was found to be just," by time to keep Aaron himself in remembrance that he
which he seemed to intimate that truth was on his side. ministered before Jehovah, and should not come into
JElian, in his Hist. Var., lib. xxxiv., gives the same his presence without due reverence.
account. " The chief justice or president," he says, That he die not.] This seems an allusion to certain
" was always a priest, of a venerable age and acknow- ceremonies which still prevail in the eastern countries.
ledged probity. Eixs 6s kuc ayaX/ia irepi tov avxeva Jehovah appeared among his people in the tabernacle
eK aampeLpov 2,idov, Kai EKaTiecTo ayaTifxa AAH9EIA. as an emperor in his tent among his troops. At the
And he had an image which was called en- TRUTH doors of the tents or palaces oiF grandees was gene-
graved on a sapphire, and hung about his neck with a rally placedsome sonorous body, either of metal or
gold chain." wood, which was struck to advertise those within that
Peter du Vol mentions a mummy which he saw at a person prayed for admittance to the presence of the
Cairo, in Egypt, round the neck of which was a chain, king, &c. As the tabernacle had no door, but a veil^
having a golden plate suspended, which lay on the and consequently nothing to prevent any person from
breast of the person, and on which was engraved the going in, Aaron was commanded to put the bells on his
figure of a bird. This person was supposed to have robe, that his sound might be heard ivhen he went into
been one of the supreme judges and in all likelihood the holy place before the Lor,d.
;

the bird, of what kind he does not mention, was the Verse 36. Thou shalt make a plate of pure gold]
emblem of truth, justice, or innocence. The word 'i^''^ tsils, which we render plate, means a
I have now before me paintings, taken on the spot flower, or any appearance
of this kind. The Septua-
by a native Chinese, of the different courts in China gint translate it by TreraAov, a
leaf; hence we might
where criminal causes were tried. In these the judge be led to infer that this plate resembled a wreath of
always appears with a piece of embroidery on his floivers or leaves ; and as it is called, chap. xxix.
6,
breast, on which a lohite bird of the ardea or hei-on "IIJ nezer, a crown, and the author of the book of Wis-
kind is represented, with expanded wings. All these dom, chap, xviii. 24, who was a Jew, and may be sup-
seem to have been derived from the same source, both posed to know well what it was, calls it diadTj/ua, it
among the Hebrews, the Egyptians, and the Chinese. was probably of the form, not of the ancient diadem,
And it is certainly not impossible that the two latter
but rather of the radiated crown worn by the ancient
might have borrowed the notion and use of the breast- Roman emperors, which was a gold band that went
plate oi judgment from the Hebrews, as it was in use round the head from the
vertex to the occiput but the ;

among them long before we have any account of its position of the Jewish sacerdotal crown was different,
use either among the' Egyptians or Chinese. The as that went round the forehead, under which there
different mandarins have a breast-piece of this kind. was a blue lace or fillet, ver. 37, which was probably
Verse 31. The robe of the ephod] See on ver. 4. attached to the mitre or turban, and formed its lowest
From this description, and from what Josephus says, part or border.
who must have been well acquainted with its form, we Holiness to the Lord.] This we may consider
find that this meil, or robe, was one long straight piece as the grand badge of the sacerdotal office. 1. Tlie
of blue cloth, with a hole or opening in the centre for priest was to minister in holy things. He was the
2.
the head to pass through which hole or opening was
;
representative of a holy God. 3. He was to offer
bound about, that it might not be rent in putting it on sacrifices to make an atonement for and to put away
or taking way
it off, ver. 32. SIN. 4. He was to teach the people the of right-
Verse 3^. His sound shall be heard] The bells eousness and true holiness. 5. As mediator, he was
were doubtless intended to keep up the people's atten- to obtain for them those Divine influences by which
a 447
 ;

A bullock for a sin-offering. EXODUS. and a ram for a burnt-offering

A.M. 2513. 8 And ^thou shalt bring his fat that IS upon them, and burn a.m. 2513.
,^ , B. C. 1491.
An^Exodl^r.'i. sons, and put coats upon them. them upon the altar. An. Exod. Isr. 1

Thammuz. g "'' t^>^^"^"'-

cir.
^^^ ^\^q^ sJjj^lt g^j-^J t^em 14 But nhe flesh of the bullock,
with girdles, Aaron and his sons, and put the and his skin, and his dung, shalt thou burn
'

bonnets on them and ^ the priest's office shall with fire without the camp it is a sin-offering.
: :
-

be theirs for a perpetual statute and thou 1 5 * Thou shalt also take one ram
: and ;

shalt ^ consecrate " Aaron and his sons.

Aaron and his sons shall " put their hands
10 And thou shalt cause a bullock to be upon the head of the ram.
brought before the tabernacle of the congrega- 16 And thou shalt slay the ram, and thou
f tion and Aaron and his sons shall put their shalt take his blood, and sprinkle it round
:
'^

hands upon the head of the bullock. about upon the altar.
1 1 And thou shalt kill the bullock before 1 7 And thou shalt cut the ram in pieces, and
the Lord, by the door of the tabernacle of the wash the inwards of him, and his legs, and put
congregation. them unto his pieces, and ^ unto his head.
^1_2 And thou ° shalt take of the blood of 18 And thou shalt burn the whole ram upon
it is a burnt-offering unto the Lord
•

the btillock, and put it upon p the horns of the the altar :

altar with thy finger, and pour all the blood it is a

^ sweet savour, an offering made by
beside the bottom of the altar. fire unto the Lord.

13 And ithou shalt take all the fat that 19^ And thou shalt take the other ram ;

covereth the inwards, and '^the and Aaron and his sons shall put
caul that is their hands
above the liver, and the two kidneys, and the vipon the head of the ram :

'Lev. viii. 13. Heb. bind. ' ^ Num. xviii. 7. ' Heb. seemeth by anatomy and the Hebrew doctors, to be the
It

the hand of. "" Chap, -xxviii. 41 Lev. viii. 22 Heb. vii.
; ;
midriff. 'Lev. iv. 11, 12, 21; Heb. xiii. 11. « Lev. viii.
fill
oLev. viii. 15. PChap. xxvii. 18. »
Lev. i. 4-9. " Or, upon. ^ Gen. viii. 21. » Ver.
28. °Lev. i. 4 viii. 14. ;

2 ; XM. 2. iLev. iii. 3. 3; Lev. viii. 22.

influenced, and directed by the Spirit of grace and ho- God, and was then proper to be offered in sacrifice.
liness. Hence the priest was anointed, to signify his Imposition of hands also signified that they offered the
being Divinely qualified for the due performance of his life of this animal as an atonement for their sins, and

sacred functions. 3. That no man could enact just to redeem their lives from that death which, through

and equitable laws, which should have the prosperity their sinfulness, they had deserved. In the case of
of the community and the welfare of the individual the sin-offering and trespass-offering, the person who
continually in view, or could use the power confided brought the sacrifice placed his hands on the head of
to him only for the suppression of vice and the encou- the animal between the horns, and confessed his sin
ragement of virtue, but that man who was ever under over the sin-offering, and his trespass over the trespass-
the inspiration of the Almighty. Hence kings were offering, saying, " I have sinned, I have done iniquity

inaugurated by anointing with oil. Two of these oflices I have trespassed, and have done thus and thus; and do

only exist in all and

civilized nations, the sacerdotal return by repentance before thee, and with this I make
regal and in some countries the priest and king are
; atonement." Then the animal was considered as vica-
Btill consecrated by anointing. In the Hebrew lan- riously bearing the sins of the person who brought it.

guage niyD mashach signifies to anoint, and n'tJTD Verse 14. It is a sin-offering.] See the notes on
mashiach, the anointed person. But as no man was Gen. iv. 7; xiii. 13 Lev. vii. 1, &c.
;

ever dignified by holding the three offices, so no person Verse 18. It is a burnt-offering] See the note on
ever had the title mashiach, the anointed one, but Jesus Lev. vii. 1, &c.
the Christ. He alone is King of kings and Lord of Verse 19. The other ram] There were two rams
lords the king who governs the universe, and rules
: brought on this occasion one was for a burnt-offering,
:

in the hearts of his followers ; the prophet, to instruct and was to be entirely consumed the other was the
;

men way wherein they should go and the great

in the ; ram of consecration, ver. 22, D'N^O S'X eil milluim,
high priest, to make atonement for their sins. Hence the ram oi filling up, because when a person was dedi-
he is called the Mcssias, a corruption of the word cated or consecrated to God, his hands were filled with
n'jy^n hammashiach, the anointed one, in Hebrew ;
some particular offering proper for the occasion, which
which gave birth to b Xpiaroc, ho Chrislos, which has he presented to God. Hence the word consecration
precisely the same signification in Greek. Of him, Mel- signifies the filling up or filling the hands, some part
chizedek, Abraham, Aaron, David, and others were of the sacrifice being put into the hands of such per-
illustrious types. But none of these had the title of the sons, denoting thereby that they had now a right to
Messiah, or the Anointed of God. This does, and offer sacrifices and oblations to God. It seems in

ever will, belong exclusively to Jesus the Christ. reference to this ancient mode of consecration, that in
Verse 10. Shall put their hands upon the head of the the Church of England, when a person is ordained
bullock.] By this rite the animal was consecrated to priest, a Bible is put into his hands with these words,
a 450 ( 30* )
 :

The ram of consecration, CHAP. XXIX. and the wave-offering

A.M. 2513. 20 Then shalt thou kill the 23 ^And one loaf of bread, a.m. 2513.

An. Exod. Isr.i. ram, and take of his blood, and and one cake of oiled bread, and An. Exod. isr! 1

cir. Thammuz. '''' T^ammuz.

^^^ -^ ^^^^ ^j^^ ^jp ^f jj^g j-jg^t one wafer out of the basket of
ear of Aaron, and upon the tip of the right the unleavened bread, that is before the Lord :

ear of his sons, and upon the thumb of their 24 And thou shalt put all in the hands of
right hand, and upon the great toe of their Aaron, and in the hands of his sons and shalt :

right foot, and sprinkle the blood upon the ^ wave *=

them /or. a wave-offering before the
altar round about. Lord.
21 And thou shalt take of the blood that is 25 And thou shalt receive them of their •*

upon the altar, and of ^ the anointing oil, and hands, and burn them upon the altar for a
sprinkle it upon Aaron, and upon his garments, burnt-offering, for a sweet savour before the
and upon his sons, and upon the garments of Lord it is an offering made by fire unto the :

his sons with him and ^ he shall be hallowed, Lord.

:

and his garments, and his sons, and his sons' 26 And thou shalt take « the breast of the
garments with him. ram of Aaron's consecration, and wave it for
22 Also thou shalt take of the ram the fat a wave-offering before the Lord and it shall
*"
:

and the rump, and the fat that covereth the in- be thy part.
wards, and the caul above the liver, and the two 27 And thou shalt sanctify ^the breast of the
kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, and the wave-offering, and the shoulder of the heave-
right shoulder for it is a ram of consecration
; offering, which is waved, and which is heaved

y Chap. xrs. 25, 31 ; Lev. viii. 30. ^ Ver. 1 ; Heb. ix. 22. ^Lev. viii. 28. = Lev. viii. 29. f Psa. xcix. 6. sLev.
'Lev. viii. 26. ^ Heb. shake to and fro. = Lev. vii. 30. vii. 31, 34 ; Num. xviii. 11, 18 ;
Deut. xviii. 3.

" Take thou authority to preach the word of God," &c. of sheep, his tail, cart, &c., may be seen at p. 53 of
The filling the hands refers also to the presents which, the above work.
in the eastern countries, every inferior was obliged to Verse 23. And one loaf of bread] The bread of
bring when brought the presence of a superior. different kinds, (see on ver. 2,) in this offering, seems
into
Thus the sacrifice was considered, not only as an to have been intended as a minchah, or offering of
atonement for sin, but also as a means of approach and grateful acknowledgment for providential blessings.
&s a present to Jehovah. The essence of worship consisted in acknowledging
Verse 20. Take of his blood] The putting the God, 1. As the Creator, Governor, and Preserver of
blood of the sacrifice on the tip of the right ear, the all things, and the Dispenser of every good and perfect
thumb of the right hand, and the great toe of the right gift. 2. As the Judge of men, the Punisher of sin, and
foot, was doubtless intended to signify that they should he who alone could pardon it. The minchahs, heave-
dedicate all their faculties and powers to the service offerings, wave-offerings, and thank-offerings, referred
of God ; their ears to the hearing and study of his to the first point. The burnt-offerings, sin-offerings,
law, their hands to diligence in the sacred ministry and sacrifices in general, referred to the second.
and to all acts of obedience, and their feet to walking Verse 24. Yox a wave-offering] See the notes on
in the way of God^s precepts. And this sprinkling Lev. vii., where an ample account of all the offerings,
appears to have been used to teach them that they sacrifices, &c., under the Mosaic dispensation, and the
could neither hear, work, nor ivalk profitably, uprightly, reference they bore to the great sacrifice offered by-
and well-pleasing in the sight of God, without this Christ, is given in detail.
application of the blood of the sacrifice. And as the Verse 25. Thou shalt receive them of their hands]
blood of rams, bulls, and goats, could never take away Aaron and his sons are here considered merely as any
sin, does not this prove to us that something infinitely common persons bringing an offering to God, and not
betteris shadowed out, and that ice can do nothing having, as yet, any authority to present it themselves,
holy and pure in the sight of a just and holy God, but but through the medium of a priest. Moses, therefore,
through the blood oi atonement 1 See on chap. xsx. 20. was now to Aaron and his sons what they were after-
Verse 22. The fat and the riimp'] The rump or wards to the children of Israel ; and as the minister
tail of some of the eastern sheep is the best part of the of God he now consecrates them to the sacred oflSce,
animal, and counted a great delicacy.
is They are and presents their offerings to Jehovah.
also very large, some of them weighing from tivelve Verse 27. The breast of the wave-offering, and the
to forty pounds^ weight " so that the owners," says
; shoulder of the heave-offering] As the wave-offering
Mr. Ludolf, History of Ethiopia, " are obliged
in his was agitated to and fro, and the heave-offering up and
to tie a little cart behind them, whereon they put the down, some have conceived that this twofold action
the great
tail of the sheep, as well for the convenience of car- represented the figure of the cross, on which
riage, and to ease the poor creature, as to preserve Peace-offering between God and man
was offered m
the wool from dirt, and the tail from being torn among the personal sacrifice of our blessed Redeemer.
Had
the bushes and stones." An engraving of this kind we authority for this conjecture, it would certainly
a 451
 :; 1 — ;

Aaron's garments to EXODUS. descend to his sons.

A. M. 2513. up, of the ram of the consecration, be his sons' after him, ^ to be A. M. 2513.

An.Exod. isr. 1. even of that which, is for Aaron, anointed therein, and to be con- An. Exod. isr. 1.
*='"• Thanunuz.
secrated in them.
28 And it shall be Aaron's and his sons' ^ by 30 And ^ that "^
son that is priest in his stead
a statute for ever, from the children of Israel shall put them on ° seven days, when he

for it is a heave-offering and it shall be a cometh into the tabernacle of the congrega-
.
'

heave-offering from the children of Israel, of tion to minister in the holy place.
the sacrifice of their peace-offerings, even their 3 And thou shalt take the ram of the con-
heave-offering unto the Lord. secration, and P seethe his flesh in the holy
29 And the holy garments of Aaron ''
shall place.
''Lev. X. 15. '
Lev. vii. 34. ^ Num. xx. 26, 28.- -' Num. " Heb. he of his sons. — '
Num. XX. 28.— -° Lev. viii. 35 ; ix
xviii. 8 ; xxxv. 25. 1,8.- —P Lev. viii. 31.

cast much on the meaning and intention of these

light cration was to abide seven days and nights at the door
offerings and when the intelligent reader is informed
; of the tabernacle, keeping the Lord's watch. See Lev.
rtiat one of the most judicious critics in the whole viii. 33, &c. The number seven is what is called among
republic of letters is the author of this conjecture, viz., the Hebrews a number of perfection and it is often ;

Houbigant, he will treat it with respect. I shall here used to denote the completion, accomplishment, fulness,
produce his own words on this verse Hie distinguun- : or perfection of a thing, as this period contained the
tur, naiJn noiin, ut ejusdem oblationis caeremonias
et whole course of that time in which God created the
duae. In nSIJH significatur, moveri oblatara victimam world, and appointed the day of rest. As this act of
hue et illuc, ad dextram et ad sinistram. In rTDPri consecration lasted seven days, it signified a perfect
sursum tolli, et sublatam rursus deprimi ; nam pluri- consecration and intimated to the priest that his
;

bus vicibus id fiebat. Rem sic interpretantur Judaei whole body and soul, his time and talents, should be
et Christianos decent, quanquam id non agentes, sic devoted to the service of God and his people.
adumhrari earn crucem, in quam generis hiimani vic- which was a sacred number The number seven,
tima ilia pacijjca suhlata est, quam veteres victimae was conveyed from them down
among the Hebrews,
omnes praenunciabant. " The heave-offering and icave- to the Greeks by means of the Egyptian philosophy,
offering, as two ceremonies in the same oblation, are from which they borrowed most of their mysteries
here distinguished. The ivave-offcring implies that and it is most likely that the opinion which the Greeks
the victim was moved hither and thither, to the right give is the same that the original framers of the idea
hand and to the left the heave-offering was lit^ted up had.
; That there was some mystical idea attached to
and down, and this was done several times. In this it, is evident from its being made the number of per-
way the Jews explain these things, and teach the Chris- fection among the Hebrews. Philo and Josephus say
tians, that by these acts the cross was adumbrated, upon that the Essenes, an ancient sect of the Jews, held it
which that Peace-offering of the human race was lifted sacred " because it results from the side of a square
up which was preifigured by all the ancient victims." added to those of a triangle.'''' But what meaning
The breast and the shoulder, thus ivaved and heaved, does this convey ? A triangle, or triad, according to
were by this consecration appointed to be the priests' the Pythagoreans, who borrowed their systems from
portion for ever and this, as Mr. Ainsworth piously
; the Egyptians, who borrowed from the Jews, was the
remarks, " taught the priests how, with all their heart emblem of loisdom, as consisting of beginning (Monad,)
and all their strength, they should give
themselves middle (Duad,) and end (Triad itself;) so tvisdom con-
unto the service of the Lord in his Church." Moses, sists of three parts experience of the past, attention
as priest, received on this occasion the breast and the to the present, and judgment of the future. It is also
shoulder, which became afterwards the portion of the the most penetrating of all forms, as being the shape
priests see ver. 28, and Lev. vii. 34.
; It is worthy of of the luedge ; and indestructibility is essential to it,
remark, that although Moses himself had no consecra- as a triangle can never be destroyed. From those
tion to the sacerdotal office, yet he acts here as high three properties it was the emblem of spirit. The
priest, consecrates a high priest, and receives the square, solid, and tetrad, by the same system were
breast and the shoulder, which were the priests' por- interchangeable signs. Now a square is the repre-
tion But Moses was an extraordinary messenger, sentation of a solid or matter, and thus the number
!

and derived his authority, without the medium of rites seven contains within itself the properties of both the
or ceremonies, immediately from God himself. It does triangle or solid, and the square or tetrad, i. e., is an
not appear that Christ either baptized the twelve apos- emblem of body and spirit ; comprehends both the
tles, or ordained them by imposition of hands yet, intellectual and natural world ; embraces the idea of
;

from his own infinite sufficiency, he gave them autho- God, the chief of spirits or essences ; and all nature,
rityboth to baptize, and to lay on hands, in appointing the result of his power; thus a very emblem of
fit

others to the work of the sacred ministry. perfection. perhaps in this way that we must
Verse 29. The holy garments shall be his sons^ — It is
explain what Cicero, Tusc. Quest., lib. i., cap. 10,
after hini] These garments were to descend from says of the number seven, where he calls it the knot
father to son, and no neiu garments were to be made. and cement of all things ; as being that by ivhich the
Verse 30. Seven days] The priest in his conse- natural and spiritual world are comprehended in one
452
 : ;

The morning and CHAP. XXIX. evening offerings

A.M. 2513. 32 And Aaron and his sons it shall be an altar most holy : -^ M. 2513.
"R O 1 ^Q1

An. Exod. isr.' 1. shall eat the flesh of the ram, y whatsoever toucheth the altar An. Exod. isr! 1.

shall be holy. cir. Thammuz.

basket, by the door of the tabernacle of the 38 Now this is that which thou shalt offer
congregation. upon the altar ^ two lambs of the first year ;

33 And ''they shall eat those things where- ^ day by day continually.
with the atonement was made, to consecrate 39 The one lamb thou shalt offer ^ in the
and to sanctify them ^ but a stranger shall morning and the other lamb thou shalt offer
: ;

not eat thereof, because they are holy. at even

34 And if aught of the flesh of the conse- 40 And with the one lamb a tenth deal ot
crations, or of the remain unto the flour, mingled with the fourth part of a hin of
bread,
morning, then * thou shalt burn the remainder beaten oil and the fourth part of a hin of ;

with fire . it shall wine /or a drink-offering.

not be eaten, because -^ it

is holy. 4 1 And the other lamb thou shalt ° offer

35 And thus shalt thou do unto Aaron, and at even, and shalt do thereto according to
to his sons, according to all things which I the meat-offering of the morning, and ac-
have commanded thee " seven days shalt thou cording to the drink-offering thereof, for a
:

consecrate them. sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto

36 And thou shalt " offer every day a bul- the Lord.
lock for a sin-oflering, for atonement and 42 This shall 6e a continual burnt-offering :
"^

thou shalt cleanse the altar, when thou hast throughout your generations, at the door of
made an atonement for it, '^ and thou shalt the tabernacle of the congregation, before
anoint it, to sanctify it. the Lord :
^ where I will meet you, to speak
37 Seven days thou shalt make an atone- there unto thee.
ment for the altar, and sanctify it ^ and ; 43 And there I will meet with the children
1 Matthew 'Lev. x. 14, 15, 17.
xii. 4. 'Lev. xxii. 10. a See Dan. 27 xii. 11.ix. 2 Kings xvi. 15
; Ezek. xlvi. *>
;

« Lev. viii. 32. " Exod. xl. 12 Lev. viii. 33, 34, 35. » Heb. 1 Kings xviii. 29, 36 2 Kings xvi. 15
; 13, 14, 15. <:
Ezra ; ;

X. 11. w Chap. XXX. 26, 28, 29 ; xl. 10. * Chapter xl. 10. ix. 4, 5 Psa. cxli. 2 Dan. ix. 21.
;
^ Ver. 38 ; chap. xxx. 8
;

y Chap. XXX. 29 Matt, xxiii. 19.

;
= Num. xxviii. 3 1 Chron. Num. xxviii. 6 Dan. viii. 11, 12, 13. ^ Chap. xxv. 22 ; xxx.
; ;

xvi. 40 2 Chron. ii. 4 xiii. 11 ; xxxi. 3 Ezra iii. 3.

; ; ; 6, 36 Num. xvii. 4.
;

idea. Thus the ancient philosophers spoke of num- devoted to sacred uses, for in no other sense could
bers,themselves being the best judges of their own such things be sanctified by touching the altar.
meaning. Verse 3 9 One lamb thou shalt offer in the morning]
.

y az£S 33 Buc a stranger shall not eat thereof] These two lambs, one in the morning, and the other
That is, no person who was
not of the family of in the evening, were generally termed the morning
Aaro7i —no and not even a Levite.
Israelite, and evening daily sacrifices, and were offered from
Verse 34. Burn the remainder with Jire] Com- the time of their settlement in the promised land to
mon, voluntary, and peace- offerings, might be eaten the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans. The
even on the second day see Lev. vii. 16 xix. 5, 6. ; ; use of these sacrifices according to the Jews was
But this being a peculiar consecration, in order to this " The morning sacrifice made atonement for the
:

qualify a person to offer sacrifices for sin, like that sins committed in the night, and the evening sacrifice
great sacrifice, the paschal lamb, that typified the expiated the sins committed during the day."
atonement made by Christ, none of it was to be left Verse 40. A tenth deal of four] Deal signifies a
till the morning lest putrefaction should commence, part, from the x\nglo-Saxon bsian, to divide ; hence
which would be utterly improper in a sacrifice that baei, a part, a portion taken from the whole. From
was to make expiation for sin, and bring the soul into Num. xxviii. 5 we learn that this tenth deal was the
a. state of holiness and perfection with God. See the tenth part of an ephah, which constituted what is called
note on Exod. xii. 10. an omer. See chap. xvi. 36 and see the note on ver. ;

Verse 36. Thou shalt cleanse the altar] The altar 1 6 of the same chapter, where an account is given of
was to be sanctified for seven days and it is likely ; different measures of capacity among the Hebrews.
that on each day, previously to the consecration ser- The omer contained about three quarts English.
vice, the altar was wiped clean, and the former day's The fourth part of a hin] The hin contained one
ashes, &c., removed. gallon and tivo pints. The fourth part of this was
Verse 37. Whatsoever touches the altar shall be about one quart and a half of a pint.
holy.] To this our Lord refers Matt, xxiii. 19, where Drink-offering.] libation poured out before the A
he says the altar sanctifies the gift and this may be Lord. See its meaning, Lev. vii. 1, &c.
;

understood as implying that whatever was laid on the Verse 43. There I loill meet ivith the children of
altar becams the Lord's property, and must be wholly Israel] See the note on chap. xxv. 22.
453
 ; :

The Lord promises to dwell EXODUS. among the childreti of Israel.

-- - r* -r 1 tr.^ . 1 1 ._ 1 i_'-»- .111
A. M. 2513. of Israel, and ^ the tabernacle 45 And 'I will dwell among a. M. 2513,

An-Exod.isr. 1. ^ shall be sanctified by my the children of Israel, and will An. Exod. isr. 1.
cir. Thammuz. ^^^^.y cir. Thammuz.
be their God.
44 And I will sanctify the tabernacle of the 46 And
they shall know that ^l am the Lord
congregation, and the altar : I will ^ sanctify their God, that brought them forth out of the.
also both Aaron and his sons, to minister to land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them
me in the priest's office. I a?n the Lord their God.
f Or, Israel. s Chap. xl. 34 1 Kings viii. 11
; 2 Chron. ; v. "^ —
Lev. xxi. 15 ; xxii. 9, 16. 'Exod. xxv. 8; Lev. xxvi. 12; Zech.
14; vii. 1,2, 3; Ezek. xliii. 5; Hag. ii. 7, 9; Mai. iii. 1. ii. 10 ; John xiv. 17, 23 ; 2 Cor. vi. 16 ; Rev. xxi. 3. k Chap. xx. 2

Vcfse 44. I will sanctifyAaron and his sons] — both preaching, and the riches of the glory of the mystery
So we by Moses according to
find the sanctification of the Gospel among the Gentiles, viz., Christ in you
the Divine institution was only symbolical ; and that the hope of glory; who?n, says he, we preach, ivarning
Aaron and his sons must be sanctified, i. e., made every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom ;
holy, by God himself before they could oflficiate in that toe may present every mail perfect in Christ Jesus ;
lioly things. From this, as well as from many other Col. i. 27, 28.
things mentioned in the sacred writings, we may safely Verse 46. And they shall know that I am the Lord
Infer that no designation by man only is sufficient to their Go J] That They
acknowledge God, and
is, shall
qualify any person
to fill the ofllce of a minister of the their infinite obligations to him. In a multitude of
sanctuary. The
approbation and consecration of man places in Scripture the word know should be thus
have both their propriety and use, but must never be understood.
made substitutes for the unction and inspiration of the That I may dwell among them] For without this
Almighty. Let holy men ordain, but let God sanctify; acknowledgment and consequent dependence on and
then we may expect that his Church shall be built up gratitude and obedience to God, they could not expect
on its most holy faith. him to dwell among them.
Verse 45. Iivill divell among the children of Israel]
This is the great charter of the people of God, both By dwelling amo7ig the people God shows that he
under the Old and New Testaments see chap. xxv. ; would be a continual resident in their houses and in
8; Lev. xxvi. 11, 12; 2 Cor. vi. 16; Rev. xxi. 3. their hearts ; that he ivould be their God — the sole
God dwells among them he is ever to be found in his
: object of their religious worship, to whom they should
Church to enlighten, quicken, comfort, and support it turn and on whom they should trust in all difficulties
to dispense the light of life by the preaching of his and distresses and that he would be to them all that
;

word, and the influences of his Spirit for the con- the Creator could be to his creatures. That in con-
viction and conversion of sinners. And he dwells in sequence they should have a full conviction of his
those who believe and this is the very tenor of the
; presence and blessing, and a consciousness that he
New Covenant which God promised to make with the was their God, and that they were his people. Thus
house of Israel see Jer. xxxi. 31-34; Ezek. xxxvii.
; then God dwells among men that they may know him ;

24-28 Heb. viii. 7-12 and 2 Cor. vi. 16. And

; ; and they must know him that he may continue to
because God had promised to divell in all his genuine dwell among them. He who does not experimentally
followers, hence the frequent reference to this cove- know God, cannot have him as an indwelling Saviour;
nant and its privileges in the New Testament. And and he who does not continue to know to acknow- —
hence it is so frequently and strongly asserted that ledge, love, and obey him, cannot retain him as his
every believer is a habitation of God through the Preserver and Sanctifier. From the beginning of the
Spirit, Eph. ii. 22. That the Spirit of God witnesses world, the salvation of the souls of men necessarily
with their spirits that they are the children of God, implied the indivelling influences of God. Reader,
Rom. That the Spirit of Christ in their hast thou this salvation 1 This alone will support thee
viii. 16.
hearts enables them to call God their Father, Gal. in all thy travels in this wilderness, comfort thee in
iv. 6. And any man have not this Spirit, he
that if death, and give thee boldness in the day of judgment.
is none of his, Rom.
viii. 0, &c. And hence St. Paul " He," says an old writer, " who has pardon may look
states this to be the sum and substance of apostolical his judge in the face."

CHAPTER XXX.
TAe altar o/ burnt incense, 1 Dimensions, 2. Golden crown, 2
. Rings and staves, ^, 5. Where placed, .

6, 7. Use, 8-10. The ransom price of half a shekel, 1 1-13. Who loere to pay it, 14. The rich and
the poor to pay alike, 15. The use to which it was applied, 16. The brazen laver, and its use, 17-21.
The holy anointing oil, and its component parts, 22-25. To be applied to the tabernacle, ark, golden table,
candlestick, altar of burnt-offerings, and the laver, 26-29. And to Aaron and his sons, 30. Never to be
applied to any other uses, and none like it ever to be inade, 31-33. The perfume, anrf how made, 34, 35
Its use, 36. Nothing similar to it ever to be made, 37, 38.
454 a
 1 ;

Directions concerning CHAP. XXX. the altar of burnt incense

A. M. 2513. A
jLX.
ND thou shalt make * an altar
r
the lamps,' he shall burn
'^
mcense a. m. 2513.
B. C. 1491. ^1
^,__
B. C. 1491. , 1 . .

An. Exod. isr. 1.

V,
^ to burn mcense upon; of upon It. An. Exod. Isr. 1.
Thammuz. cir. Thammu*
cir.
5]^^^^^^^ ^^r^^^ g^alt thou make it. 8 And when Aaron ^hghteth
2 A cubit shall be the length thereof, and ^ the lamps °» at even, he shall burn incense
a cubit the breadth thereof; four-square shall upon it, a perpetual incense before the Lord
it be and two cubits shall be the height there- throughout your generations.
:

of : the horns thereof shall be of the same. 9 Ye shall offer no ^ strange incense there-
3 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, on, nor burnt-sacrifice, nor meat-offering ; nei-

the "^
top thereof, and the ^ sides thereof round ther shall ye pour drink-offering thereon.
about, and the horns thereof; and thou shalt 1 And ° Aaron shall make an atonement
make unto it a crown of gold round about. upon the horns of it once in a year, with the
4 And two golden rings shalt thou make to blood of the sin-offering of atonements : once /

it under the crown of it, by the two ^ corners in the year shall he make atonement upon it -

thereof; upon the two sides of it shalt thou throughout your generations : it is most holy^

make it ; and they shall be for places for the unto the Lord. y
staves to bear it withal. 1 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
5 And thou shalt make the staves of shittim 12 pWhen thou takest the sum of the chil-
wood, and overlay them with gold. dren of Israel after i their number, then shall

6 And thou shalt put it before the veil that is they give every man ^ a ransom for his soul

by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy- *"

unto the Lord, when thou numberest them
seat that is over the testimony, where I will that there be no ^ plague among them when
meet with thee. thou numberest them.
^
7 And Aaron shall burn thereon ^ sweet 1 3 ' This they shall give, every one that
incense every morning when he : ' dresseth passeth among them that are numbered, half
Chap, xxxvii. 25 xl. 5.
^ See ver. 7, 8, 10 Lev. iv. 7,
;
^ ;
"Lev. X. 1. -"Lev. PChap. xxxviii.
xvi. 18; xxiii. 27.
18 Rev. viii. 3.
;
= Heb. roof. ^ Heb. walls. ^ jjeb. ribs. 25 ; Num. i. 2, 5 ; xxvi. 2 Heb. them that
; 2 Sam. xxiv. 2. 1
'Chap. XXV. 21, 22. ? Heb. incense of spices. ^ Verse 34 ;
are to be numbered ; see Numbers xxxi. 50. Job xxxiii. 24 "
;

1 Sam. ii. 28 1 Chron. xxiii. 13

; Luke 1. 9. Chap, xxvii. ;
' xxxvi. 18 Psa. xlix. 7 Matt. xx. 28 Mark x. 45
; ; 1 Timothy ; ;

21. ^ Or, setteth up. iHeb. causeth to ascend. ™ Heb. ii. 6 1 Peter i. 18, 19. ' 2 Samuel xxiv. 15. ' Matthew
;

between the two evens ; chap. xii. 6. xvii. 24.

NOTES ON CHAP. XXX. wanting in twenty-six of Kennicott's and De Rossi's

Verse 1. Altar to burn incense] The Samaritan MSS., and in the Samaritan. The verse reads better
omits the ten first verses of this chapter, because it without them, and is more consistent with the rest of
inserts them after the 32d verse of chap. xxvi. See the account.
the note there. Verse 7. When he dresseth the lamps] Prepares the
Shittim ivood] The same of which the preceding wicks, and puts in fresh oil for the evening.
articles were made, because it was abundant in those Shall burn incense upon it.] Where so many sacri
parts, and because it was very durable ; hence every-were offered it was essentially necessary to have fices
where the Septuagint translation, which was made
some pleasing perfume to counteract the disagreeable in
Egypt, renders the original by ^v2.ov aaijirrov, incor- smells that must have arisen from the slaughter of so
ruptible luood. many animals, the sprinkling of so much blood, and
Verse 2. Four-square] That is, on the upper or the burning of so much flesh, &c. The perfume that
under surface, as it showed four equal sides but it was was to be burnt on this altar is described ver. 34. No
;

twice as high as it was broad, being tioenty-one inches blood was ever sprinkled on this altar, except on the
broad, and three feet six inches high. It was called, day of general expiation, which happened only once in
not only the altar of incense, but also the golden altar, the year, ver. 10. But the perfume was necessary in
Num. iv. 11. For the crown, horns, staves, &c.,see every part of the tabernacle and its environs.
on the altar of burnt-offering, chap. xxvi. Verse 9. No strange incense] None made in any
Verse 6. Before the mercy -seat that is over the tes- other way.
timony] These words in the original are supposed to Nor burnt-sacrifice] It should be an altar for in-
be a repetition, by mistake, of the preceding clause cense, and for no other use.
the word r\D"li3n happarocheth, the veil, being corrupted
;

Verse 10. An atonement — once in a year] On the

by interchanging two letters into n'^s33n haccapporeth, tenth day of the seventh month. See Lev. xvi. 18,
the mercy-seat ; and this, as Dr. Kennicott observes, &c., and the notes there.
places the altar of incense before the mercy-seat, and Verse 12. Then shall they give every man a ransom
consequently in the holy of holies ! Now this could for his soul] This was a very important ordinance,
not be, as the altar of incense was attended every day, and should be seriously considered. See the follow-
and the holy of holies entered only once in the year. ing verse.
The five words which appear to be a repetition are Verse 13. Half a shekel] Each of the Israelites
455
 : ;;

The brazen laver, EXODUS. where placed, and its use.

A. M. 2513. a shekel after the shekel of the 17 And the Lord spake
-^
unto a. m. 2513.
-, . B. C. 1491.
A^'£oIaIi. 1. sanctuary ("^ a shekel is twenty : Moses, saying. An. Exod.Isr.l.
cir. Thammuz.
Thammuz.
18 -^Thou shalt also make a ""''
g^rahs :) ^ a half shekel shall be
the offering of the Lord. laver of brass, and his foot also of brass, to

14 Every one that passeth among them that wash withal : and thou shalt ^ put it between -

are numbered, from twenty years old and the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar
above, shall give an offering unto the Lord. and thou shall put water therein.
15 The "^rich shall not ^ give more, and 19 For Aaron and his sons ^ shall wash their

the poor shall not than half a she- hands and their feet thereat
^ give less

kel, when they give an offering unto the Lord, 20 When they go into the tabernacle of the
to make an ^ atonement for your souls. congregation, they shall wash with water, that
16 And thou shalt take the atonement mo- they die not ; or when they come near to the

ney of the children of Israel, and ^ shalt ap- altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire

point it for the service of the tabernacle of the unto the Lord :

congregation ; that it may be ^ a memorial 21 So they shall wash their hands and their
unto the children of Israel before the Lord, to feet, that they die not : and ^ it shall be a
make an atonement for your souls. statute for ever to them, even to him and to

" Lev. xxvii. 25 ; Num. iii. 47 ; Ezekiel xlv. 12. v Chapter * Chap, xxxviii. 25. ''
Num. xvi. 40. Chap, xxxviii. 8
"^

xxxviii. 26. w Job xxxiv. 19 ; Prov. xxii. 2 ; Eph. vi. 9 ; Col. 1 Kings vii. 38. d Chap. xl. 7, 30. « Chap. xl. 31, 32 Psa.;

iii. 25. ^ Heb. multiply. y Heb. diminish. ^ Ver. 12. xxvi. 6 ; Isa. hi. 1 1 ; John xiii. 10 Heb. ; x. 22. f
Ch. xxviii. 43.

was ordered to give as a ransom for his soul (i. e.,for seem to refer to Christ alone, and to the atone-
things
his life) half a shekel, according to the shekel of the ment made by his blood and upon him who is not in- ;

sanctuary. From this we may learn, 1 . That the life of terested in this atonement, God's plagues must be ex-
every man was considered as being forfeited to Divine pected to fall. Reader, acquaint now thyself with
justice. That the redemption money given, which
2. God and be at peace, and thereby good shall come unto
was doubtless used in the service of the sanctuary, was thee.
ultimately devoted to the use and profit of those Verse 18. A laver of brass] "^VD kiyor sometimes
who
gave it. That the standard by which the value of signifies a caldron, 1 Sam. ii. 14 but it seems to sig-
3. ;

coin was ascertained, was kept in the sanctuary for nify any large round vessel or basin used for washing
;

this appears to be the meaning of the words, after the the hands and feet. There were doubtless cocks or
shekel of the sanctuary. 4. The shekel is here said spigots in it to draw off the water, as it is not likely
to be twenty gerahs. A gerah, according to Mai- the feet were put into it in order to be washed. The
monides, weighed sixteen barleycorns, a shekel three foot of the laver must mean the pedestal on which it
hundred and twenty of pure silver. The shekel is stood.
generally considered to be equal in value to three shil- Verse 20. They shall wash with ivater, that they die
lings English the redemption money, therefore, must not] This was certainly an emblematical washing
;

be about one shilling and sixpence. 5. The rich were and as the hands and the feet are particularly mention-
not to give more, the poor not to give less ; to signify ed, it must refer to the purity of their whole conduct.
that all souls were equally precious in the sight of God, Their hands all their works, their feet all their go- — —
and that no difference of outivard circumstances could ings, must be ivashed must be holiness unto the Lord. —
affect the state of the soul all had sinned, and all And this washing must be repeated every time they
;

must be redeemed by the same price. 6. This atone- entered into the tabernacle, or when they came near to
ment must be made that there might be no plague among the altar to minister. This washing was needful be-
them, intimating that a plague or curse from God must cause the priests all ministered barefoot ; but it was
light on those souls for whom the atonement was not equally so because of the guilt they might have con-
made. 7. This was to be a memorial unto the chil- tracted, for the washing was emblematical of the put-
dren of Israel, ver. 16, to bring to their remembrance ting away of sin, or what St. Paul calls the laver of
their past deliverance, and to keep in view their future regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost,
redemption. 8. St. Peter seems to allude to this, and (Tit. iii. 5,) as the influences of the Spirit must be
to intimate that this mode of atonement was ineffectual repeated for the purification of the soul, as frequently
in itself, and only pointed out the great sacrifice which, as any moral defilement has been contracted.
in the fulness of time, should be made for the sin of Verse 21. And it shall be a statute for ever] To
the world. " Ye know," says he, " that ye were not continue, in its literal meaning, as long as the Jewish
redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, economy lasted, and, in its spiritual meaning, to the
from your vain conversation received by tradition from end of time. What an important lesson does this teach
your fathers but with the precious blood of Christ, as
; the ministers of the Gospel of Christ Each time !

of a lamb without blemish and without spot who verily : they minister in public, whether in dispensing the word
was foreordained before the foundation of the world," or theSACRAMENTS, they should take heed that they
&c. ; 1 Pet. i. 18, 19, 20. 9. Therefore all these have a fresh application of the grace and spirit of
456
 — —

The holy anointing oil, CHAP. XXX. and for what used.

A. M. 2513. his seed throuffhout

° their ffene- 28 And the altar of burnt- a.m. 2513.
B. C. 1491.
An. Exod. Isr. 1. ratlOllS. offering with all his vessels, and An. JExod. isr.i.
Thammuz. ^2 Morcover cir. Thammuz.
cir.
the Lord spake the laver and his foot.
unto Moses, saying, 29 And thou shalt sanctify them, that they
23 Take thou also unto thee ^principal may
be most holy : p whatsoever toucheth them
spices, of pure ^ myrrh five hundred shekels, shall be holy.
and of sweet cinnamon half so much, even 30 1 And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his
two hundred and fifty shekels, and of sweet sons, and consecrate them, that they may mi-
'
calamus two hundred and fifty shekels. nister unto me in the priest's office.

24 And of hundred shekels,

^ cassia five3 1 And thou, shalt speak unto the children
after the shekel of the sanctuary, and of oil of Israel, saying, This shall be a holy anoint-
olive a Uiin. ing oil unto me throughout your generations.
25 And thou shall make it an oil of holy 32 Upon man's flesh shall it not be poured,
ointment, an ointment compound after the neither shall ye make any other like it, after
art of the "* apothecary : it shall be " a holy the composition of it :
^ it is holy, a7id it shall
anointing oil. be holy unto you.
26 ° And thou shalt anoint the tabernacle 33 ^ Whosoever compoundeth any like it, or
of the congregation therewith, and the ark whosoever putteth any of it upon a stranger,
of the testimony, * shall from his people.
even be cut off

27 And the table and all his vessels, and 34 And the Lord
Moses, Take said unto '^

the candlestick and his vessels, and the altar unto thee sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and
of incense, galbanum ; these sweet spices with pure frank-

h
B Cant. iv. 14 Ezek. xxvii. 22.
; Psa. xlv. 8 Prov. vii. 17. ; "Chap. xl. 9; Lev. viii. 10; Num. vii. 1. P Chapter xxix.
i
Cant. iv. 14 Jer. vi. 20. k Psa. xlv. 8. Chap. xxix.40. '
37. 1 Chap. xxix. 7, &c. Lev. viii. 12, 30. • Ver.
;
; 25, 37.
"^ Or, perfumer. "Chap, xxxvii. 29 Num. xxxv. 25; Psalm ; 'Ver. 38. 'Gen. xvii. 14; chapter xii. 15; Lev. vii. 20,21.
Ixxxix. 20 ; cxxxiii. 2. " Chap. XXV. 6 ; xxxvii. 29.

Christ, to do away past transgressions or unfaithfulness, lbs. oz. dwts. grs.

and to enable them

with the greater effect,
to minister 500 shekels of the first and last, make 48 4 12 2l|f
as being in the Divine favour, and consequently enti- 250 of the cinnanon and calamus 24 2 6 10|| . .

tled to expect all the necessary assistances of the Di- Olive supposed to be the best preservative of
oil is

vine unction, to make their ministrations spirit and life odours. As the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit
to the people. See on chap. xxix. 20. are termed the anointing of the Holy Ghost, therefore
Verse 23. Take —
unto thee principal spices] From this holy ointment appears to have been designed as
this and the following verse we learn that the holy emblematical of those gifts and graces. See Acts i.
anointing oil was compounded of the following ingre- 5 ;X. 38 2 Cor. i. 21
; 1 John ii. 20, 27. ;

dients : Verse 25. After the art of the apothecary'] The

500 shekels. —Myrrh is original, np"1 rokeach, signifies
fectioner
a compounder or con-
any person who compounds drugs, aroma-
the produce of an ;

oriental tree not welltics, &c.

known, and is col- Verse 30. Thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons]
Pure myrh, ^m "^0 mar lected by making an For the reason of this anointing, see the note on chap,
deror . incision in the tree. xxix. 7. It seems that this anointing oil was an em-

What is now called blem of Divine teaching, and especially of those influ-
by this name is pre- ences by which the Church of Christ was, in the begin-
cisely the same with ning, guided into all truth as is evident from the ;

that of the ancients. allusion to by St. John " Ye have an unction from
it :

Sweet cinnamon,Q^2 pjp the Holy One, and ye know all things. The anoint-
kinnemon 5e5e/n,(proba- >250 shekels. ing lohich ye have received from him abideth in you,
bly from Arabia) . . .
and ye need not that any man teach you ; but as the
Sweet calamus, UW2 njp same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth,
keneh bosem, or sweet and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall
>250 shekels. abide in him 1 John ii. 20, 27.
cane, Jer. vi. 20. Ca- ;

lamus aromaticus . . . Verse 34. Take unto thee sweet spices] The holy
Cassia, mp kiddah, {cas- perfume was compounded of the following ingredients :

sia lig-nea,) brought also >500 shekels. Stacte] ^m nataph, supposed to be the same with
from Arabia what was afterwards called the balm of Jericho.
flows from the
Olive oil, n'l pa; shemen Stacte is the gum which spontaneously
5 quarts. note on ver. 23
zayith, one hin, about tree which produces myrrh. See the
457
 : :

Bezaleel appointed for EXODUS. the work of the tabernacle

A. M. 2513 incense : of each shall there be With thee : ^ it shall be unto vou a. m. 2513.
B. C. 1491. T, 7. , ,
-^
B C. 1491.
An. Exod. Isr. 1. a like weight most holy. An. Exod Isr. L
Thammuz. 35 ^^T^^ Thammuz.
cir.
^j^^J ^J^^^ ^^^^^ j^ 37 And as for the perfume '^"--

a perfume, a confection " after the art of which thou shalt make, ye shall not make to
^

the apothecary, ^^
tempered together, pure yourselves according to the composition there -

and holy of: it shall be unto thee holy for the Lord.
36 And thou shalt beat sojue of it very small, 38 '^
Whosoever shall make like unto that,
and put of it before the testimony in the taber- to smell thereto, shall even be cut off from
nacle of the congregation, ^ where I will meet his people.

"Ver. 25.- 'Heb. salted ; Lev. ii. 13.- Chapter xxix. y Verse 32 ; chapter xxix. 37 ; Lev. ii. 3. 1 Verse 32.
42 Lev. xvi. 2. ; ''Ver. 33.

Onycha] n^nti' shecheleth, allowed by the best cri- to any common purpose, even to smell to, verse 38,
tics to be the unguis odorifcrans described by Rumph, should be cut off, that is, excommunicated from his
>vhich is the external crust of the shell-fish purpura people, and so lose all right, title, and interest in the
W murex, and is the basis of the principal perfumes promises of God and the redemption of Israel. From
made in the East Indies. all this we may learn how careful the Divine Being is

Galhanuni] nj^/D chelhenah, the bulon gummife- to preserve his own worship and his own truth, so as
rum or African ferula ; it rises with a ligneous stalk to prevent them from being adulterated by human in-
from eight to ten feet, and is garnished with leaves at ventions for he will save men in his own ivay, and
;

each joint. The top of the stock is terminated by an upon his own terms. What are called human inven-
umbel of yellow flowers, which are succeeded by ob- tions in matters of religion, are not only of no worth,
long channelled seeds, which have a thin membrane but are in general deceptive and ruinous. Arts and
or wing on their border. When any part of the plant sciences in a certain way may be called inventions of
is broken, there issues out a little thin milk of a cream men, for the spirit of a man knoweth the things of a
colour. The gummy resinous juice which proceeds man — can comprehend, plan, and execute, under the
from this plant is what is commonly called galbanum, general influence of God, every thing in which human
from the chelbcnah of the Hebrews. life is immediately concerned but religion, as it is the ;

Pure frankincense'l HOT HJD^ lelonah zaccah. gift, so it is God its doctrines and
the invention, of :

Frankincense is supposed to derive its name horn frank, its ceremonies proceed from his wisdom and goodness,
free, because of its liberal or ready distribution of its for he alone could devise the plan by which the hu-
odours. It is a dry resinous substance, in pieces or man race may be restored to his favour and image,
drops of a pale yellowish white colour, has a strong and taught to worship him in spirit and in truth. And
smell, and bitter acrid taste. The tree which pro- that worship which himself has prescribed, we may
duces it is not well known. Dioscorides mentions it rest assured, will be most pleasing in his sight. Na-
as gotten in India. What is called here pure frank- dab and Abihu offered strange fire before the Lord ;

incense is no doubt the same with the mascula thura and their destruction by the fire of Jehovah is recorded
of Virgil, and signifies what is first obtained from the as a lasting warning to all presumptuous worshippers,
tree —
that which is strongest and most free from all and to all who attempt to model his religion, accord-
adventitious mixtures. See the note on ver. 7. ing to their own caprice, and to minister in sacred
things without that authority which proceeds from
The Israelites were most strictly prohibited, on the himself alone. The imposition of hands whether of
most awful penalties, from making any anointing oil pope, cardinal, or bishop, can avail nothing here. The
or perfume similar to those described in this chapter. call and unction of God alone can qualify the minister
He that should compound such, or apply any of this of the Gospel of Jesus Christ

CHAPTER XXXI.
Bezaleel appointed for the work of the tabernacle, 1-5. Aholiab appointed for the same, 6. The particular
things on which they were to be employed, the ark and mercy-seat, 7. Table, candlestick, and altar of
incense, 8. Altar of burnt-offering and the laver, 9. Priest's garments, 10. Anointing oil and sweet
incense, II. God renews the command relative to the sanctification of the Sabbath, 12-17. Delivers to
Moses the two tables of stone, 18.

A. M.2513.
B. C. 1491.
A ND the Lord spake unto Bezaleel the '
son of Uri, the A. M. 2513.
B. C. 1491.
All. Exod. Isr. 1. Moses, saying, son of Hur, of the tribe of An. E.Kod. Isr. 1.
cir. Thammuz. cir. Thammuz.
2 °-
See, I have called by name Judah :

» Chap. XXXV. 30; xxxvi. 1. b 1 Chron. ii. 20.

NOTES ON CHAP. XXXI. chief superintendent of the whole work. His name
Verse 2. I have called by name Bezaleel] Tliat is, is significant, S.sS:f3 betsal-el, in or under the shadow

I have particularly appointed this person to be the of God, meaning, under the especial protection of the
458
 ; — — .

Aholiab to assist Bezaleel CHAP. XXXI. 171 the work of the tabernacle.

A. M. 2513. 3 And I have " filled him with 8 And ^ the table and his fur- a. m. 2513.
Ill 11 • 1 B- C. 1491.
An. Exod.isr. 1. the Spirit of God, in wisdom, and niture, and the pure candlestick An. Exod. isr. 1,
'

.cir. Thammuz. "'• Thammuz.

-^^ understanding, and in know- with all his furniture, and the

ledge, and manner of workmanship.

in all altar of incense

4 To devise cunning works, to work in gold, 9 And ™ the altar of bumt-oifering with all
and in silver, and in brass, his furniture, and ^ the laver and his foot^
5 And in cutting of stones, to set them, 10 And ° the clothes of service, and the
and in carving of timber, to work in all man- holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the
ner of workmanship. garments of his sons, to minister in the priest's

6 And I, behold, I have given with him oflfice ;

^ Ahohab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe 11 pAnd the anointing oil, and 1 sweet in-
of Dan and in the hearts
: of all that are cense for the holy place : according to all that
* wise-hearted 1 have put wisdom, that they I have commanded thee, shall they do.
may make all that I have commanded thee 1 2 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, ;

7 '"The tabernacle of the congregation, and 1 3 Speak thou also unto the children of

^ the ark of the testimony, and ^ the mercy- Israel, saying, 'Verily my Sabbaths ye shall

seat that is thereupon, and all the furniture keep for it is a sign between me and you
» :

of the tabernacle, throughout your generations that ye may ;

"^
Chapter xxxv. 31 ; 1 Kings vii. 14. <•
Chapter xxxv. 34. " Chap, xxxviii. 1. " Chap, xxxviii. 8.— ° Chap.xxxix. 1,
" Ctiap. xxviii. 3 ; xxxv. 10, 35 ; xxxvi. 1. f
Chapter xxxvi. 8. 41 ; Num. iv. 5, 6, <Stc. P Chap. xxx. 25, 31 xxxvii. 29. ;

eChap. xxxvii. 1. 1"

Chapter xxxyii. 6. 'Hebrew, vessels. 1 Chap. xxx. 34 xxxvii. 29. ; Lev. xix. 3, 30 xxvi. 2 Ezek.
""
; ;

^ Chap, xxxvii. 10. ' Chap, xxxvii. 17. XX. 12, 20 xliv. 24.;

Most High. He was the son of Uri, the son of Hur, to Minerva, the goddess of ivisdom, and Vulcan, the
the son of Caleb or Cheluiai, the son of Esron, the god of handicrafts.
son of Pharez, the son of Judah. See 1 Chron. ii.
oTE Tig xp^^o'" T^Epi-X^VETaL opyvpcj avrip
'S2f 6'
5, 9, 18, 19, 20, and the note on chap. xvii. 10.
Idpig, bv 'H(l>aiaTog dedaev kul IlaA/laf Adrjv?)
Verse 3. / have filled him luith the spirit of God^ Te^vT/v TTavToirjv, x^p^^vra 6e epya reTieiei.
See the note on chap, xxviii. 3.
Odyss., 1. vi., ver. 232.
In ivisdoni] HiDDn chochmah, from DDn chacham.,
to be ivise, skilful, or prudent, denoting the compass
As by some artist, to whom Vulcan gives

of mind and strength of capacity necessary to form a

His skill divine, a breathing statue lives ;

wise man : hence our word ivisdom, the power of judg-

By Pallas taught, he frames the wondrous mould,
ing what is wise or best to be done from the Saxon,
And o'er the silver pours the fusile gold. Pope.
;

piran, to teach, to advise, to judge ; hence And all this the wisest of men long before them de
and beman, •

pipebom, the doom

judgment of the well taught, clared when speaking of the wisdom of God he says,
or ;

luise, or prudent man. I, Wisdom, dwell with Prudence, and find out know-

Understanding'] HJIDH tebunah, from p ban or bun, ledge of ivilty inventions ; Prov. viii. 12. See the
to separate, distinguish, discern ; capacity to compre- note on chap, xxviii. 3, to which the reader is parti-
hend the different parts of a work, how to connect, cularly desired to refer. There is something remark-
arrange, &c., in order to make a complete whole. able in the name of this second superintendent, HN'Shn
Knowledge] nj^T daath, denoting particular ac- Aholiab, the tabernacle of the father, or, the father is
quaintance with a person or thing practical, experi- my tabernacle ; a name nearly similar in its meaning
;

mental knowledge. to that of Bezaleel, see the note on ver. 1

Verse 4. Cunning works] J^DUTID machashaboth, Verse 8. The pure candlestick] Called so either
works of invention or genius, in the goldsmith and sil- because of the pure gold of which it was made, or
versmith line. the brightness and splendour of its workmanship, or
Verse 5. In cutting of stones, <SfC.] Every thing that of the light which it imparted in the tabernacle, as the
concerned the lapidary'' s, jeweller's, and carver'' s art. purest, finest oil was always burnt in it.

Verse 6. In the hearts of all that are tvise-hearted I Verse 9. The altar of burnt-offering] See on chap.
have put tvisdom] So every man that had a natural xxvii. 1.
genius, as we term it, had an increase of wisdom by The laver and his foot] The pedestal on which it

immediate inspiration from God, so that he knew how stood.

to execute the different works which Divine wisdom Verse 10. Clothes of service] Vestments for the or-
designed for the tabernacle and its furniture. Dark dinary work of their ministry the holy garments ;

as were the heathens, yet they acknowledged that all those which were peculiar to the high priest.
talents, and the seeds of all arts, came from God. Verse 11. The anointing oil] See on chap. xxx. 23.
Hence Seneca Insita nobis omnium artium semina,
: Sweet incense] See on chap. xxx. 34.
magisterque ex occulta Deus producit ingenia. Verse 13. My Sabbaths ye shall keep] See the
In the same way Homer attributes such curious arts notes on Gen. ii. 3 Exod. xx. 8. ;

a 459
 . : :

The Sabbath tu be sanctified. EXODUS. Moses receives the two tables.

A. M. 2513. know that I am the Lord that keep the Sabbath, to observe A. M. 2513.
B. C. 1491. , ^r
An. E.xod.isr.i.
1
doth saiictify you. the Sabbath throughout their An.Exod.isri.
Thammuz. Thammuz.
14 sYe shall keep the Sab-
<'^'--
cir. a
generations, for perpetual
bath therefore for it is holy unto you
;
every covenant. :

one that defileth it shall surely be put to death 17 It w a ^ sign between me and the children
for * whosoever doeth any work therein, that of Israel for ever for ^ in six days the Lord :

soul shall be cut off from among his people. made heaven and earth, and on the seventh
15^ Six days day he rested, and was refreshed.
may work be done ; but in the
" seventh is 18 And he gave unto Moses, when he had
the Sabbath of rest, ^ holy to the
Lord whosoever doeth aiiy work in the made an end of communing with him upon
:

Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. Mount Sinai, ^ two tables of testimony, tables
16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall of stone, written with the finger of God.
» Chap. XX. 8 Deut. v. 12
; Ezek. xx. 12. ;
' Chapter xxxv. » Ver. 13 ; Ezek. jyc. 12, 20. 7 Gen. i. 31 ; ii. 2. » Oh.
2 Num. xv. 35.
;
"Chap. xx. 9. Gen. ^' ii.2 ; chapterxvi. xxiv. 12; xxxii. 15, 16; xxxiv. 28, 29 ; Deut. iv. 13; v. 22; ix.
23 ; XX. 10. « Heb. holiness. 10,11; 2Cor. iii. 3.

Verse 14. Every 07ie that defileth W] By any kind WORK OF God, and the writing was the writing of
of idolatrous or profane worship. God, graven upon the tables ;" chap, xxxii. 15, 16.
Shall surely he put to death} The magistrates shall "These words [the ten commandments] the Lord spake
examine into the business, and if the accused be found in the mount, out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud,
guilty, he shall be stoned to death. and of the thick darkness, with a great voice and he ;

Shall be cut off] Because that person who could added no more, but he wrote them on two tables of
so far contemn the Sabbath, which was a sign to them stone ;" Deut. v. 22. It is evident therefore that this

of the rest which remained for the people of God, was writing was properly and literally the writing of God
of course an infidel, and should be cut off from all the himself God wrote now on tables of stone what he
privileges and expectations of an Israelite. had originally written on the heart of man, and in mercy
Verse 16. A perpetual covenant.'] Because it is he placed that before his eyes which by sin had been
a sign of this future rest and blessedness, therefore obliterated from his soul and by this he shows us
;

the religious observance of it must be perpetually what, by the Spirit of Christ, must be rewritten in the
kept up. The type must continue in force till the mind, 2 Cor. iii. 3 and this is according to the cove-
;

antitype come. nant which God long before promised to make with
Verse 17. Rested, and was refreshed.] God, in con- mankind, Jer. xxxi. 33. See also what is said on this
descension to human weakness, applies to himself here subject, chap. xx. 1, and see chap, xxxiv. 1. See the
what belongs to man. If a man religiously rests on note on chap. xvii. 14.
the Sabbath, both his body and soul shall be refreshed; " No time," says Dr. A. Bayley, " seems so proper
he shall acquire new light and life. from whence to date the introduction of letters among
Verse 18. When he had made an end of communing] the Hebrews as this, for after this period we find con-
When the forty days and forty nights were ended. tinual mention of letters, reading, and ivriting, in the
Tioo tables of testimony] See on chap, xxxiv. 1 now proper sense of those words. See Deut. xxvii.
Tables of stone] That the record might be lasting, 8; xxxi. 9. Moses, it is said, ETraiSev&j), ivas edu-
because it was a testimony that referred to future cated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians in all the —
generations, and therefore the materials should be learning they possessed but it is manifest that he had
;

durable. not learned of them any method of writing, otherwise

Written with the finger of God.] All the letters cut there had been no want of God's act and assistance in
by God himself Dr. Winder, in his History of Know- writing the two tables of the law, no need of a mi-
ledge, thinks it probable that this was the first writing raculous writing. Had Moses known this art, the Lord
in alphabetical characters ever exhibited to the world, might have said to him, as he does often afterwards,
though there might have been marks or hieroglyphics Wi-ite thou these words ; Exod. xxxiv. 27. Write
cut on wood, stone, &c., before this time see chap, on the stones the words of this law ; Deut. xxvii. 3.
;

xvii. 14. That these tables were written, not by the Write you this song for you ; xxxi. 19. Perhaps it
commandment but by the power of God himself, the may be said, God's writing the law gave it a sanction.
following passages seem to prove "And the Lord said True but why might it not also teach the first use of
:
;

unto Moses, Come up to me into the mountain, and be letters, unless it can be proved that they were in use
thou there and I will give thee tables of stone which prior to this transaction 1
; It might be thought too

I HAVE WRITTEN, that thou maycst teach them ;" Exod. much to assert that letters no more than language were
xxiv. 12. "And he gave unto Moses, upon Mount a natural discovery ; that it was impossible for man to
Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, writ- have invented ivriting, and that he did not invent it
TEN WITH THE FINGER OF GoD ;" chap. xxxi. 18. "And yet this may appear really the case from the following
Moses went down from the mount, and the two tables reflections 1 Reason may show us how near to an im- :
— .

9f testimony were in his hand the tables were writ- possibility it was that a just and proper number of con-
;

en on both their sides. And the tables were the venient characters for the sounds in language should
460
The people rebel, and require CHAP XXXII. Aaron to make them nous.

naturally be hit upon by any man, for whom it was man, but God. 3. There are no evident vestiges of

easy to imitateand vary, but not to invent. 3. From letters subsisting among other nations tUl after the de-

evidence of the Mosaic history, it appears that the in- livery of the law at Mount Sinai; nor then, among
troduction of writing among the Hebrews was not from some, till very late."

CHAPTER XXXH.
The Israelites, finding that Moses delayed his return, desire Aaron to make them, gods to go before them, 1
Aaron consents, and requires their ornaments, 2. They deliver them to him, and he makes a molten calf,
3, 4. He builds an altar before it, 5 and the people offer burnt-offerings and peace-offerings, 6. The
;

Lord commands Moses to go doion, telling him that the people had corrupted themselves, 7, 8. The Lord
is angry, and threatens to destroy them, 9, 10. Moses intercedes for them, 11-13 and the Lord pro- ;

mises to spare them, 14. Moses goes down loith the tables in his hands, 15, 16. Joshua, hearing the noise
they made at their festival, makes some remarks on it, 17, 18. Moses, coming to the camp, and seeing
their idolatrous tvorship, is greatly distressed, throivs down and breaks the tivo tables, 19. Takes the calf,
reduces it to powder, strews it upon the ivater, and causes them to drink it, 20. Moses expostulates with
Aaron, 21. Aaron vindicates himself, 22-24. Moses orders the Levites to slay the transgressors, 25—27.
They do so, and 3000 fall, 28, 29. Moses returns to the Lord on the mount, and makes supplication for
the people, 30-32. God threatens and yet spares, 33. Commands Moses to lead the people, and promises
him the direction of an angel, 34. The people are plagued because of their sin, 35.

A. M. 2513. A ND when the people saw that ^ golden ear-rings, which are in A. M. 2513.
B. C. 1491.
An. Exod.lsr. 1.
ii- ,^
Moses delayed to come
^^
111 ,"=
^
^ ' J.
B.C. 1491.
.

the ears of your wives, 01 your An. Exod.lsr. 1.

^^' '

down out of the mount, the peo- sons, and of your daughters, and
ple gathered themselves together unto Aaron, bring them unto me.
and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which
^ 3 And all the people brake off the golden
shall " go before us for as for this Moses, ear-rings which ivere in their ears, and brought
;

the man that brought us up out of the land of them unto Aaron.
Eg)rpt, w^e wot not what is become of him. 4 ^ And he received the7n at their hand, and
2 And Aaron said unto them, Break off the fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had

»Chap. xxiv. 15; Deut. ix. 9. ^ Acts vii. 40. <=

Chap. ix. 16 ; Judg. xvii. 3, 4 ; 1 Kings xii. 28 ; Neh. ix. 18 ; Psa. cvi.
xiii. 21. <i
Judg. viii. 24, 25, 26, 27. « Chap. xx. 23 ; Deut. 19 ; Isa. xlvi.6; Acts vii. 41 ; Rom. i. 23.

NOTES ON CHAP. XXXH. vidence of God, should be now abused to the basest
Verse 1. When the people saw that Moses delayed^
But it is frequently the case that
idolatrous purposes !

How long this was before the expiration of the forty the gifts of God become desecrated by being employed
days, we cannot tell but it certainly must have been in the service of sin / tvill curse your blessings, saitk
;
;

some considerable time, as the ornaments must be col- the Lord, Mai. ii. 2.
lected, and the calf or ox, after having been founded, Verse 3. And all the people brake off the golden ear-
must require a considerable time to fashion it with the rings'] The human being is naturally fond of dress,
graving tool and certainly not more than two or three though this has been improperly attributed to the female
;

persons could work on it at once. This work, there- sex alone, and those are most fond of it who have the
fore, must have required several days. shallowest capacities but on this occasion the bent of ;

The people gathered themselves together^ They the people to idolatry was greater than even their love
came in a tumultuous and seditious manner, insisting of dress, so that they readily stripped themselves of
on having an object of religious worship made for them, their ornaments in order to get a molten god. They
as they intended under its direction to return to Egypt. made some compensation for this afterwards see chap. ;

See Acts vii. 39, 40. XXXV., and the note on chap, xxxviii. 9.
As for this Moses, the man that brought us up] This Verse 4. Fashioned it ivith a graving tool] There
seems to be the language of great contempt, and by it has been much controversy about the meaning of the
we may see the truth of the character given them by word Din cheret in the text some make it a mould, :

Aaron, verse 22, they ivere set on mischief. It is others a garment, cloth, or apron ; some a purse or bag,
likely they might have supposed that Moses had pe- and others a graver. It is likely that some mould was
rished in the fire, which they saw had invested the top made on this occasion, that the gold when fused was
of the mountain into which he went. cast into it, and that afterwards it was brought into form
Verse 2. Golden ear-rings] Both men and women and symmetry by the action of the chisel and graver.
wore these ornaments, and we may suppose that these These be thy gods, O Israel] The whole of this is
were a part of the spoils which they brought out of a most strange and unaccountable transaction. Was
Egypt. How strange, that the very things which it possible that the people could have so soon lost sight
were granted them by an especial influence and pro- of the wonderful manifestations of God upon the mount?
461
 Aaron makes a molten calf, EXODUS, and the people worship it

A. M. 2513. it a molten calf and they ped it, and have sacrificed there-
made A. M. 2513.
:

An. Exod. Thcsc be thy gods, O Israel, unto, and said,

isr. 1. said, These he thy An. Exod. isr. 1 ^

^^
which brought thee up out of the gods, O Israel, which have ^'^-

land of Egypt. brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

5 And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar 9 And the Lord said unto Moses, ™ I hav«
before it and Aaron ;made ^ proclamation seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiff-neck-

and said, To-morrow is a feast to the Lord. ed people :

6 And they rose up early on the morrow, 1 Now therefore " let me alone that ° my
and offered burnt-offerings, and brought peace- wrath may wax hot against them, and that I
i offerings and the ^ people sat down to eat may consume them and p I will make of thee
; :

and to drink, and rose up to play. a great nation.

7 And the Lord said unto Moses, ^ Go, get 11^ And Moses besought ^ the Lord his
thee down ; for thy people, which thou brought- God, and said. Lord, why doth thy wrath wax

( est out of the land of Egypt, ' have corrupted hot against thy people, which thou hast brought
^them.selves : forth out of the land of Egypt with great
8 They have turned aside quickly out of the power, and with a mighty hand ?
way which ^ I commanded them they have 12 ^Wherefore should the Egyptians speak,
:

made them a molten calf, and have worship- and say. For mischief did he bring them out,
"> Chapter xxxiii. 3,
'Lev. xxiii. 2, 4, 21, 37; 2 Kings
x. 20 2 Chron. xxx. 5. ; 5 x.xxiv. 9
; Deut. ix. 6, 13 xxxi. 27
; ;

el Cor. X. 7. ''Deut. ix. 12

ver. 1 chap, xxxiii. 1
; Dan.
; ; 2 Chron. xxx. 8; Isa. xlviii. 4; Acts vii. 61. " Deut. ix. 14,

ix. 24. '

Gen. vi. 11, 12 Deut. iv. 16 ; xxxii. 5 Judg. ii. 19
; ; ;
19. o Chap. xxii. 24. P Num. xiv. 12. 1 Deut. ix. 18,
Hos. ix. 9. k Chap. xx. 3. 4, 23 Deut. ix. 16. ; 1 Kings • 26, 27, 28, 29 Psa. Ixxiv. 1,2; cvi. 23.
;
^ Heb. the face of

xii. 28. the LORD. 'Num. xiv. 13 Deut. ix. 28; xxxii. 27.
;

Was it possible that Aaron could have imagined that The people sat down to eat and to drink] Verse 6.

he could make any god that could help them And were wholly consumed the peace-
"?
The burnt-offerings ;

yet it does not appear that he ever remonstrated with offerings, when the blood had been poured out, became
the people Possibly he only intended to make them the food of the priests, &c.
!
When therefore the
some symbolical representation of the Divine power strictly religious part of these ceremonies was finished,
and energy, that might be as evident to them as the the people sat down to eat of the peace-offerings, and
pillar of cloudand fire had been, and to which God this they did merely as the idolaters, eating and drink-
might attach an always present energy and influence ;
ing to excess. And it appears they went much farther,

or in requiring them to sacrifice their ornaments, he for it is said they rose up

pni*7 letsachek, a
to play,

might have supposed they would have desisted from word of ominous import, which seems to imply here
urging their request but all this is mere conjecture,
: fornicating and adulterous intercourse and in some ;

with very little probability to support it. It must how- countries the verb to play is still used precisely in this
ever be granted that Aaron does not appear to have sense. In this sense the original is evidently used.
?'.ven designed a worship that should supersede the Gen. xxxix. 14.
worship of the Most High hence we find him making ; Verse 7. Thy people have corrupted themselves] —
proclamation. To-morrow is a feast to the Lord, (mri'' ;) They had not only got into the spirit of idolatry, but
and we find farther that some of the proper rites of they had become abominable in their conduct, so that
the true worship were observed on this occasion, for God disoiuns them to be his Thy people have broken :

they brought burnt-offerings and peace-offerings, ver. the covenant, and are no longer entitled to my pro-
G, 7 hence it is evident he intended that the true God tection and love.
:

should be the object of their worship, though he per- This is one pretence that the Roman Catholics have
mitted and even encouraged them to offer this worship for the idolatry in their image worship. Their high
through an idolatrous medium, the molten calf. It has priest, the pope, collects the ornaments of the people,
been supposed that this was an exact resemblance of and makes an image, a crucifix, a madona, &c. The
the famous Egyptian god Apis who was worshipped people worship it but the pope says it is only to keep ;

under tlie form of an ox, which worship the Israelites God in remembrance. But of the whole God says,
no doubt saw often practised in Egypt. Some however Thy people have corrupted themselves ; and thus, as
think tiiat this worship of Apis was not then established they continue in their idolatry, they have forfeited the
;

but we have already had sufficient proof that different blessings of the Lord's covenant. They are not God's
animals were sacred among the Egj'ptians, nor have we people, they are the pope's people, and he is called
any account of any worship in Egypt earlier than that " our holy father the pope."
oflfered to Apis, under the figure of an OX. Verse 9. A stiff-necked people] Probably an allusion
Verse To-morrow is a feast to the Lord] In Ben- to the stiff"-necked ox, the object of their worship.
5.
gal the officiating Brahmin, or an appointed person Verse 10. Now therefore let ?ne alone] Moses had
proclaims, " To-morrow, or on day of such already begun to plead with God in the behalf of this
,

a ceremony will be performed !" rebellious and ungrateful people and so powerful was ;

463
 —

Moses intercedes fo) tlie people, CHAP. XXXIl. and God spares them

A. M. 2513. to slav them in the mountains, written on both their sides ; on a. m. 2513.
B C 1491 .
1 , 1 ,
B- C- 1491.
An.Exod. isr. 1. and comsume them from the the one side and on the other An.Exod. isr. 1.
to
^^- ^^'.
face of the earth ? Turn from thy were they written.
fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against
^ 16 And the ^ tables were the work of God,
thy people. and the writing xuas the writing of God, graven
13 Remember Abraham, upon the tables. Isaac, and Israel,
thy servants, to whom thou ^ swarest by thine 1 7 And when Joshua heard the noise of the

own self, and saidst unto them, ' I will multi- people as they shouted, he said unto Moses,
ply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all There is a noise of war in the camp.
this land that I have spoken of will I give 18 And he said. It is not the voice of them
unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice
ever. of them that cry for ^ being overcome hut : 1
14 And the Lord "'repented of the evil the noise of them that sing do I hear.
which he thought to do unto his people. 1 9 And it came to pass, as soon as he came

1 5 And ^ Moses turned, and went down nigh unto the camp, that ^ he saw the calf,
from the mount, and the two tables of the tes- and the dancing and Moses' anger wa:ie(i :

timony were in his hand the tables were hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands.
:

« Ver. 14. " Gen. xxii. 16 Heb. vi. 13. ;

^ Gen. xii. 7 ; Jeremiah xviii. 8 ; xxvi. 13, 19 Joel ii. 13
; ; Jonah iii. 10 iv. 2
;

xiii. 15 xv. 7, 18 xxvi. 4 ; xxviii. 13 ; xxxv. 11, 12.

; ;
" Deut. ^ Deut. ix. 15. y Chapter xxxi. 18. ^Hebrew, weakness
xxxii. 26; 2 Sam. xxiv. 16; 1 Chron. xxi. 15; Psa. cvi. 45; » Deut. ix. 16, 17.

his intercession that even the Omnipotent represents by the Lord, the former by Moses see the note on ;

himself as incapable of doing any thing in the way of chap, xxxiv. 1, 27. 3. Or the same words were
judgment, unless his creature desisted from praying written on both sides, so that when held up, two par-
for mercy ! See an instance of the prevalence of fer- ties might read at the same time.
vent intercession in the case of Abraham, Gen. xviii. Verse 16. The tables were the loork of God] Be-
23-33, from the model of which the intercession of cause such a law could proceed from none but him-
Moses seems to have been formed. self; God alone is the fountain and author of laav, of
Verse 14. And the Lord repented of the evil] what is right, just, holy, and good. See the meaning
,This is spoken merely after the manner of men who. of the word law, Exod. xii. 49.
having formed a purpose, permit themselves to be The ivriting was the ivriting of God] For as he is
diverted from it by strong and forcible reasons, and the sole author of laiu and justice, so he alone can
so change their minds relative to their former in- write them on the heart of man. This is agreeable
tentions. to the spirit of the neiu covenant which God had
Verse 15. The tables were written on both their promised to make with men in the latter days / will
sides] If we take this literally, it was certainly a very make a new covenant ivith the house of Israel I ivill —
:

unusual thing for in ancient times the two sides of

; PUT MY LAWS IN THEIR MINDS, AND WRITE THEM IN
the same substance were never written over. How- THEIR HE.4.RTS, Jcr. xxxi. 33 Heb. viii. 10 2 Cor. ; ;

ever, some rabbins suppose that by the turiting on both iii. 3. That the writing of these tables was the
sides is meant the letters were cut through the tables, turiting of God, see proved at the conclusion of the
so that they might be read on both sides, though on one last chapter.
side they would appear reversed. Supposing this to Verse 17. Joshua — —Theresaid is a noise of war
be correct, if the letters were the same with those in the camp.] How natural was this thought to the
called Hebrew now in common use, the D samech, military man mind of a
Hearing a confused noise he !

•.vhich occurs twice, and the final mem which oc- supposed that the Israelitish camp had been attacked
curs twenty-three times in the ten commandments, both by some of the neighbouring tribes.
of these being close letters, could not be cut through Verse 18. And he said] That is, Moses returned
on both sides without farlling out, unless, as some of this answer to the observations of Joshua.
the Jews have imagined, they were held in by miracle A'^erse 19. He saw the calf and the dancing]
;

but if this ancient character were the same with the Dancing before the idol takes place in almost every
Samaritan, this thorough cutting might have been quite Hindoo idolatrous feast. Ward.
{)racticable, as there is not one close letter in the whole He cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them]
Samaritan alphabet. On this transaction there are the He might have done this through distress and anguish
three following opinions: 1. We
may conceive the of spirit, on beholding their abominable idolatry and
tables of stone to have been thin slabs or a kind of dissolute conduct or he probably did it emblemati- ;

slate, and the WTriting on the back side to have been a cally, intimatingthereby that, as by tliis act of his the
continuation of that on the front, the first not being tables were broken in pieces, on which the law of God
sufficient to contain the whole. 2. Or the writing on was written ; so they, by their present conduct, had
the back side was probably the precepts that accompa- made a breach in the covenant, and broken the laws
nied the ten commandments ; the latter were vsTritten of their Maker. But we must not excuse this act ; it

463
 1.

Moses destroys the golden calf, and EXODUS. orders the transgressors to be slam.

A. M. 2513. and brake them beneath the it me then I cast

: it into the A. M. 2513.
B. C. 1491.
An. Exod. Isr. 1. mount. fire, and there ^ came out this An\?od'*?sr'
Ab.
20 ^ Axid. he took the calf calf. Ab.

which they had made, and burnt it m the fire, 25 And when Moses saw that the people
and ground it to powder, and strawed it upon were & naked, (for Aaron had made them, ^^

the water, and made the children of Israel naked, unto their shame, among
their ene- '

drink of it. mies:)

21 And Moses said unto Aaron, <=
What did 26 Then Moses stood in the gate of the
this people unto thee, that thou hast brought camp, and said, Who is on the Lord's side ?
so great a sin upon them ? let him come unto me. And all the sons of
22 And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my Levi gathered themselves together unto him.
lordwax hot thou knowest :
"^
the people, that 27 And he said unto them. Thus saith the
they are set on mischief. Lord God of Israel, Put every man his sword
23 For they said unto me, ^ Make us gods, by his side, and go in and out from gate to
which shall go before us for as for this Moses, gate throughout the camp, and ^ slay every
:

the man that brought us up out of the land of man his brother,
and every man his compa-
Egypt, we wot not what has become of him. nion, and every man his neighbour.
24 And I said unto them, Whosoever hath 28 And the children of Levi did according
any gold, let them break it off. So they gave to the word of Moses and there fell of the :

^ Deut. ix. 21. « Gen. xx. 9 xxvi. 10. d Chap, xiv 11

;
•
eChap. xxxiii. 4, 5. ^2 Chron. xxviii. 19. 'Heb. those
XV. 24 xvi. 2, 20,28 ; xvii. 2, 4. = Ver. 1. f
Ver.
; 4. that rose up against them. ^ Num. xxv. 5 Deut. ; xxxiii. 9.

was rash and irreverent ; God's writing should not Uzziel makes a similar excuse for him " And I said :

have been tr^teci in thiTway. unto them. Whosoever hath gold, let him break it off
V&i^aO. He took the calf —andhurnt—and ground and give it to me
and I cast it into the fire, and Satan
;

"-^ to poivder, <SfC.'\ How

must the truly contemptible entered into and it came out in the form of this
it,

object of their idolatry appear when they were obliged calf !" Just like the popish legend of the falling of
to drink their god, reduced to powder and strewed on the shrine of our Lady of Loretta out of heaven !
the water " But," says an objector, " how could ^oW,
! These legends come from the same quarter. Satan
the most ductile of all metals, and the most ponderous, can provide more when necessary for his purpose.
be stamped into dust, and strewed on tvater In V Verse 25. Moses saw that the people were Tiaked]
, Deut. 2 1 this matter is fully explained
ix. / took, : They were stripped, says the Targum, of the holy
I says Moses, your sin, the calf lohich ye had made, and crown that was upon their heads, on which the great
J
burnt it with fire, that is, melted it down, probably and precious name sf^^/Tf Jehovah was engraved.
into ingots, or gross plates, and stamped it, that is, But it is more likely that the word >nD parua implies
beat into thin laminm, something like our gold leaf, that they were reduced to the most helpless and
and ground it very small, even until it was as small tvretched state, being abandoned by God in the midst
as dust, which might be very easily done by the action of their enemies. This is exactly similar to that ex-
of the hands, when beat into thin plates or leaves, as pression, 2 Chron. xxviii. 19 For the Lord brought
:

the original words HDX eccoth and pT dak imply. And Judah loiv, because of Ahaz king of Israel : for he
least the dust thereof into the hrook, and being thus made Judah naked, J^'liDn hiphria, and transgressed
lighter than the water, it would readily float, so that sore against the Lord. Their nakedness, therefore,
they could easily see, in this reduced and useless state, though in the first sense it may imply that several of
the idol to whicli they had been lately offering Divine them were despoiled of their ornaments, yet it may also
honours, and from which they were vainly expecting express their defenceless and abandoned state, in con-
protection and defence. No mode of argumentation sequence of their sin. That they could not literally
could have served so forcibly to demonstrate the folly have all been despoiled of their ornaments, appears
of their conduct, as this method pursued by Moses. evident from their offerings. See chap. xxxv. 2 1 &c ,

Verse 21. What did this people unto thee.] It Verse 26. Who
on the Lord's side 1]
is That is,
seems if Aaron had been firm, this evil might have Who among you is free from this transgression ?
been prevented. And all the sons of Levi, dfc] It seems they had
Verse 22. Thou knowest the people] He excuses no part in this idolatrous business.
himself by the wicked and seditious spirit of the peo- Verse 27. From gate to gate] It is probable that
ple, intimating that he was obliged to accede to their there was an enclosed or intrenched camp, in which the
desires. chief rulers and heads of the people were, and that this
Verse 24. / cast it into the fire and there came out camp had two gates or outlets ; and the Levites were
this calf.] What
and ridiculous subterfuge
a silly ! commanded to pass from one to the other, slaying as
He seems to insinuate that he only threw the metal many of the transgressors as they could find.
into the fire, and that the calf came unexpectedly out Verse 28. There fell — about three thousand men.]
by mere accident. The Targum of Jonathan ben These were no doubt the chief transgressors ; having
464
 ;

Moses again intercedes CHAP. XXXIL for the people.

A. M. 2513. people that day, about three a ffreat sin : and novi^ I will go A. M. 2513.
B. C. 1491. , ^ ,
•'

An. Exod. isr. 1. thousand men. up unto the Lord ;

p peradven- An. Exod. isr. 1.
^^- ^^'
29 ^For "» Moses had said, ture I shall '^
make an atonement
" Consecrate yourselves to-day to the Lord, for your sin.

even every man upon his son, and upon his 3 1 And Moses ^ returned unto the Lord,
brother ; that he may bestovsr upon you a and said, O, this people have sinned a great
blessing this day. sin, and have ^ made them gods of gold ;

30 And it came to pass on the morrowr, that 32 Yet now, if thou wilt, forgive their sin
Moses said unto the people, ° Ye have sinned ; and if not, * blot me, I pray the^j

'Num. XXV. 11,12, 13; Deut. xiii. 6-11 ; xxxiii.9, 10; 1 Sam. &c. "Heb.^W your hands. " 1 Samuel xii. 20, 23 ; Luke
XV. 18, 22 ; Prov, xxi. 3 ; Zech. xiii. 3 Matt. x. 37.
;
™ Or, XV. 18. P2 Samuel xvi. 12; Amos v. 15. <iNumbers xxv.
And Moses said, Consecrate yourselves to-day to the LORD,
be- 13. "-Deut. ix. 18. ^Chap. xx. 23. » Psa. Ixix. 28;
cause every man hath been against his son, and against his brother, Rom. ix. 3.

broken the covenant by having other gods besides Jeho- pointwhich he knew was fixed when this list or muster-
vah, they lost the Divine protection, and then the justice rollwas made, namely, that those who should break
of God laid hold on and slew them. Moses doubtless the covenant should be blotted out, and never havfe any
had positive orders from God for this act of justice, inheritance in the promised land therefore he says, :

(see ver. 27 ;) for though, through his intercession, the This people have sinned a great sin, and have made
people were spared so as not to be exterminated as a them gods of gold ; thus they had broken the covenant,
nation, yet the principal transgressors, those who were (see the first and second commandments,) and by this
set on mischief, ver. 22, were to be put to death. had forfeited their right to Canaan. Yet now, he
Verse 29. For Moses had said, Consecrate your- adds, if thou wilt forgive their sin, that they may yet
selves] Fill your hands to the Lord. See the reason attain the promised inheritance and if not, blot ;

of this form of speech in the note on chap. xxix. 19. me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast writ-
—
Verse 3 1 Moses returned unto the Lord ] Before ten if thou wilt blot out their names from this regis-
.

he went down from the mountain God had acquainted ter, and never suffer them to enter Canaan, blot me
him with the general defection of the people, where- out also for I cannot bear the thought of enjoying
;

upon he immediately, without knowing the extent of that blessedness, while my people and their posterity
their crime, began to make intercession for them and shall be for ever excluded.
; And God, in kindness to
God, having given him a general assurance that they Moses, spared him the mortification of going into Ca-
should not be cut off, hastened him to go down, and naan without taking the people with him. They had
bring them off from their idolatry. Having descended, forfeited their lives, and were sentenced to die in the
he finds matters much worse than he expected, and wilderness and Moses' prayer was answered in mercy;

ordered three thousand of the principal delinquents to to him, while the people suffered under the hand of
be slain but knowing that an evil so extensive must justice.
; But the promise of God did not fail for, ;

be highly provoking in the sight of the just and holy although those who sinned were blotted out of the book,
God, he finds it highly expedient that an atonement yet their posterity enjoyed the inheritance.
be made for the sin for although he had the promise
: This seems to be the simple and pure light in which
of God that as a nation they should not be extermi- this place should be viewed and in this sense St. Paul ;

nated, yet he had reason to believe that Divine justice is to be understood, Rom. ix. 3, where he says For :

must continue to contend with them, and prevent them I could tvish that myself were accursed from Christ
from ever entering the promised land. That he was for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh ;
apprehensive that this would be the case, we may see who are Israelites, to whom pertaineth the adoption,
plainly from the following verse. and the glory, and the covenants. Moses could not
Verse 32. Forgive their sin ; and if not, blot survive the destruction of his people by the neighbour-
me —out of thy book] It is probable that one part of ing nations, nor their exclusion from the promised land
Moses' work during the forty days of his residence on and St. Paul, seeing the Jews about to be cut off by
the mount with God, was his regulating the muster-roll the Roman sword for their rejection of the Gospel,
of all the tribes and families of Israel, in reference to was willing to be deprived of every earthly blessing,
the parts they were respectively to act in the different and even to become a sacrifice for them, if this might
transactions in the wilderness, promised land, &c. contribute to the preservation and salvation of the
;

and this, being done under the immediate direction of Jewish state. Both those eminent men, engaged in
God, is termed God''s book which he had written, (such the same work, influenced by a spirit of unparalleled
muster-rolls or registers, called also genealogies, the patriotism, were willing to forfeit every blessing of a
Jews have had from the remotest period of their his- secular kind, and even die for the welfare of the peo-
tory ;) and it is probable that God had told him, that ple. But certainly, neither of them could wish to go
those who should break the covenant which he had save their countrymen
from
to eternal perdition, to
then made with them should be Philistines,
blotted out of that list, being cut the one by the sword of the
off,
and never enter into the promised land. Even the supposi-
All this Mo- the other by that of the Romans.
ses appears to have particularly in view, and, without tion is monstrous.
entering into any detail, immediately comes to the On this mode of interpretation v?e may at once seer
Vol. I. ( 31 ) 465
Moses is commanded EXODUS. to lead the people forward.

A. M. 2513. ^ out of thy book which thou "^

behold,' mine angel shall go
°
a. m. 2513.
B. C. 1491. , ^ .^, , . ^, , B. C. 1491.
An. Exod. isr. 1. hast written. before thee : nevertheless, * in An. Exod. isr. 1.
^^- ^^'
33 And the Lord said unto the day when I visit, I will visit

Moses, ^ Whosoever hath sinned against me, their sin upon them.
him will I blot out of my book. 35 And the Lord plagued the people, be-*
34 Therefore now go, lead the people unto cause ythey made the calf, which Aaron
the place of which I have spoken unto thee : made.
" Psa. Ivi. 8 ; cxxxix. 16 Dan. xii. 1 Phil. iv. 3 Rev.
; ; ; iii. 5 ;
""Chapter xxxiii. 2, 14, &c. ; Numbers xx. 16. * Deut.
xiii. 8 ; xvii. 8; xx. 12, 15; xxi. 27; xxii. 19. ^Lev. xxiii. xxxii. 35 ; Amos iii. 14 ; Romans ii. 5, 6. y 2 Samuel xii. 9 ;
30 ; Ezek. xviii. 4. Acts vii. 41.

what is implied in the book of life, and being written hold, O reader, the goodness and severity of GOD !

in or blotted out of such a book. In the public regis- Mercy saves all that justice can spare and justice ;

ters, all that tribe were en- destroys all that mercy should not save.
were born of a particular
tered in the of their respective families under that
list Verse 34. Lead the people unto the place] The
tribe. This was the book of life ; but when any of word place is not in the text, and is with great pro-
those died, his name might be considered as blotted priety omitted. For Moses never led this people into
out from this list. Our baptismal registers, which that place, they all died in the wilderness except
record the births of all the inhabitants of a particular Joshua and Caleb ; but Moses led them towards the
parish or district, and which are properly our books place, and thus the here should be
particle Sn el

of life ; and our bills of mortality, which are properly understood, unless we
suppose that God designed to
our books of death, or the lists of those who are thus lead them to the borders of the land, but not to take
blotted out from our baptismal registers or books of them into it.

life ; are very significant and illustrative remains of I will visit their sin] I will not destroy them, but
the ancient registers, or books of life and death among they shall not enter into the promised land. They
the Jews, the Greeks, the Romans, and most ancient shall wander in the wilderness till the present genera-
nations. It is worthy of remark, that in China the tion become extinct.
names of the persons who have been tried on criminal Verse 35. The Lord plagued the people] Every
processes are written in two distinct books, which are time they transgressed afterwards Divine justice seems
called the book of life and the book of death : those to have remembered this transgression against them.
who have been acquitted, or who have not been capi- The Jews have a metaphorical saying, apparently
tally convicted, are written in the former ; those who founded on this text " No affliction has ever happened
:

have been found guilty, in the latter. These two books to Israel in which there was not some particle of the
are presented to the emperor by his ministers, who, as dust of the golden calf."
sovereign, has a right to erase any name from either :

to place the living among the dead, that he may die ;

1. The attentive reader has seen enough in this

or the dead, that is, the person condemned to death, chapter to induce him to exclaim. How soon a clear
among the living, that he may be preserved. Thus he sky may be overcast How soon may the brightest !

blots out of the book or the book of death ac-

of life prospects be obscured Israel had just ratified its !

cording to his sovereign pleasure, on the representation covenant with Jehovah, and had received the most
of his ministers, or the intercession of friends, &c. An encouraging and unequivocal pledges of his protection
ancient and extremely rich picture, in my own posses- and love. But they sinned, and provoked the Lord to
sion, representing this circumstance, painted in China, depart from them, and to destroy the work of his hands.
was thus by a native Chinese.
interpreted to me A little more faith, patience, and perseverance, and
Verse 33. Whosoever hath sinned against me, him they should have been safely brought into the promised
will I blot out] As if the Divine Being had said : land. For want of a little more dependence upon God,
" All my conduct is regulated by infinite justice and how often does an excellent beginning come to an
righteousness in no case shall the innocent ever suf-
: unhappy conclusion Many who were just on the bor-
!

fer for the guilty.That no man may transgress through ders of the promised land, and about to cross Jordan,
ignorance, I have given you my law, and thus pub- have, through an act of unfaithfulness, been turned
lished my covenant the people themselves have ac-
; back to wander many a dreary year in the wilderness.
knowledged its justice and equity, and have volunta- Reader, be on thy guard. Trust in Christ, and watch
rily ratified it. He then that sins against me, (for sin unto prayer.
is the tranrgression of the law, 1 John iii. 4, and the 2. Many people have been greatly distressed on
law must be published and known that it may be bind- losing their baptismal register, and have been reduced
ing,) him will I blot out of my book." And is it not in consequence to great political inconvenience. But
remarkable that to these conditions of the covenant stillthey had their lives, and should a living man com-
God strictly adhered, so that not one soul of these plain ? But a man may so sin as to provoke God to
transgressors ever entered into the promised rest 1 cut him off"; or, like a fruitless tree, be cut down, be-
Here was justice. And yet, though they deserved cause he encumbers the ground. Or he may have
death, they were spared Here was mercy. Thus, !
sinned a sin unto death, 1 John v. 16, 17, that is, a
as far as justice would permit, mercy extended and ; sin which God will punish with temporal death, while
as far as mercy would permit, justice proceeded. Be- he extends mercy to the soul.
a 466 < 31« )
 . : ;

The Lord promises to send CHAP. XXXIII. an angel before the people.
3. With
respect to the blotting out of God's hook,
be written tn God's book, if
on which there has been so much controversy, may be blotted
he stns he
is it not out ? Let him that readeth
evident that a soul could not be blotted understand ; and let him
out of a book that standeth take heed lest
in vphich it had never been written he fall. Reader, be not
? And is it not high-minded, but fear. See the notes on verses 32
farther evident from ver. 32,
33, that, although a man and 33.

CHAPTER XXXIII.
Moses IS commanded to depart from the mount, and lead up the people towards the vromised In.^ i a

The people mourn, and stnp themselves

of their ornaments, 4-6. The tabernacle or tent isr>TtTJfl
stlXt'attth
standing Trr
'" '' '"
their tent doors wvtness''T'''''
this, 10.
camp, and leaves Joshua m the tabernacle, 11.
^ord,andthecloudypUlar tcelfsonT^T^^^^^
The Lord speaks familiarly with Moses ; he returns
returnrtothl
to the
Moses vlead^ with rn^ L^ a 7
send to be their guide, and to be informed "" "5
of theway!ftheToH 13 ''^^^/^ " ^2 f
presence shall go^ with them, 14. Lses pLds thaU^Vl^^^l faken llle^tZZVotfct^:

A. M. 2513.
B. C. 1491.
^ND the Lord said unto Moses,
3 ^ Unto a land flowing with A. m. 2513.
An. Exod. Depart, and go up hence, milk and honey
1st. 1
Ab. ^ for I will not :
An^Exod.tsr. 1.
thou ^ and the people which thou go up in ^b.
the midst of thee, for
hast brought up out of the land of
Egypt, thou art a e stiff-necked people, ^
unto the land which I sware unto lest I con-
Abraham,' sume thee in the way.
to Isaac, and to Jacob,
saying, Unto thy 4 And when the people heard these evil
i'

seed will I give it

tidings, i they mourned ^ and no
2 And I will send an angel before thee on
<=
man did put ;

him his ornaments.

** and
I will drive out the Canaanite,
the Amo- 5 For the Lord had said unto Moses, Say
rite, and the Hittite, and
the Perizzite, the unto the
children of Israel, ^Ye are a stiif-
Hivite, and the Jebusite
necked people: I wil l come up
:

"» into the

»Chap. xxxii. 7. bGen. xii. 7 chap, xxxii. 13.
; c Chan
^"- 22; Joshua xxiv
eChL'n^*'- ^^'^^^^—rt^.''''- 1?:
Ueut. IX. 6. 13. hChap. xxm. 21; xxxii. 10; N umbers xvi.

NOTES ON CHAP. XXXIII.

tiful garments too.
Verse Unto the land] Moses says nothing of this last
1. That is, towards it, or to circumstance
the borders of but as it is a modern practice,
See chap, xxxii. 34.
it. so it ;

appears by their version to have been

Verse 2. I will send an angel] as ancient as their
In chap, xxiii. 20 time, and probably
God promises to send an angel to conduct took place long before that.
them into Septuagint gives us this as The
the good land, in whom the name the translation of the pas-
of God should be •
sage The
'
people, having heard this sad
that IS, in whom God
should dwell. See the note
:
declaration,
mourned with lamentations. And the Lord said unto
there. Here he promises that an angel shall be
their the chHdren of Israel, Now,
conductor; but as there is nothing therefore, put off your
particularly speci- robes of glory, and your ornaments,
fied of him, It has been thought and I will show
that an ordinary angel you the things I will do unto you.
IS intended, and not that
Angel of the Covenant And the children
pro- of Israel put off their
mised before. And this sentiment seems to be con- ornaments and robes by the
mount, by Horeb.'
firmed by the following verse.
" If it had not been the custom to
Verse 3. I will not go up in the put off their upper
midst of thee] garments in times of
Consequently, the angel here promised deep mourning, in the days that
to be their the Septuagint
guide was not that angel in whom translation was made, they would not
Jehovah's name have inserted this
was: and so the people understood circumstance in the account Moses
it; hence the gives of
their mourning, and concerning which he was
mourning which is afterwards mentioned.
silent. They must have supposed too that this prac-
« rl"!f
^- ^'"^ P""^ ""ff
Ihe Septuagmt, in their translation,
%
ornaments from thee] tice might be
suppose that the
in use in those elder times.
" That it is now practised in the east, appears from
chddren of Israel not only laid
aside their ear-rings the account Pitts gives of the ceremonies of the Mo-
and such like ornaments, in
a time of professed deep
humiUation before God, but
hammedan pilgrimage to Mecca. few days after ' A
their upper or more beau-
this we came to a place called Rabbock, about fou»

467
 —

The tabernacle is pitched, and EXODUS. the cloudy pillar descends on it.

A. M. 2513. midst of thee in a moment, and tabernacle of the congregation, A. M. 2513.

An. Exod. isr! 1. consume thee ; therefore now put which was without the camp. An. Exod. isr. i.
^^- ^^'
off thy 8 And it came to pass, when
ornaments from thee, that
I may " know what to do unto thee. Moses went out unto the tabernacle, that all
6 And the children of Israel stripped them- the people rose up, and stood every man at <i

selves of their ornaments by the mount Horeb. his tent door, and looked after Moses, until he
7 And Moses took the tabernacle, and pitch- was gone into the tabernacle.
ed it without the camp, afar off from the camp, 9 And it came to pass, as Moses entered
° and called it the tabernacle of the congre- into the tabernacle, the cloudy pillar descend-

gation. And it came to pass, that every one ed, and stood at the door of the tabernacle,
^ which P sought the Lord went out unto the and the LORD ^ talked with Moses.

» Deut. viii. 2 ; Psalm cxxxix. 23. ° Chapter xxix. 42, 43. *! Numbers xvi. 27.- '
Chapter xxv. 22 ; xxxi. 18; Psalm
P Deut. iv. 29 ; 2 Sam. xxi. 1. xcix. 7.

days' sail on this side of Mecca, where all the hagges on them in such a way as to ensure them the Divine
or pilgrims, (excepting those of the female sex) do en- protection and that this, inscribed probably on a plate
;

ter into hirraivem or ihram, they take off all their i. e., of gold, was considered their choicest ornament and ;

clothes, covering themselves with two hirrawems, or that when they gave their ornaments to make the golden
large white cotton wrappers one they put about their ; calf, this was given by many, in consequence of which

middle, which reaches down to their ancles ; with the they were considered as naked and defenceless. All
other they cover the upper part of their body, except the remaining parts of their ornaments, which it is
the head ; and they wear no other thing on their bo- likely were all emblematical of spiritual things, God
dies but these wrappers, only a pair of grimgameca, commands them here to lay off; for they could not
that is thin-soled shoes like sandals, the over-leather with propriety bear the symbols of the Divine protec-
of which covers only the toes, the insteps being all tion, who had forfeited that protection for their trans-

naked. In this manner, like humble penitents, they gression.

go from Rabbock until they come to Mecca, to approach That I may know what to do unto thee.] For it
the temple, many times enduring the scorching heat of seems that while they had these emblematic ornaments
the sun ijntil the very skin is burnt off their backs and on them, they were still considered as under the Di-
arms, and their heads swollen to a very great degree.' vine protection. These were a shield to them, which
— pp. 115, 116. Presently after he informs us that '
God commands them to throw aside. Though many
the time of their wearing this mortifying habit is about had parted with their choicest ornaments, yet not all,
the space of seven days.' Again, (p 138 :) 'It was only a few comparatively, of the wives, daughters, and
a sight, indeed, able to pierce one's heart, to behold so sons of 600,000 men, could have been thus stripped
many thousands in their garments of humility and mor- to make one golden calf. The major part still had
tification, with their naked heads, and cheeks watered these ornaments, and they are now commanded to lay
with tears and to hear their grievous sighs and sobs,
; them aside.
begging earnestly for the remission of their sins, pro- Verse 7. Moses took the tabernacle] ITMiTi HX eth
mising newness of life, using a form of penitential ex- haohel, the tent not ptyoH FIX eth hammishcan, the
;

pressions, and thus continuing for the space of four or tabernacle, the dwelling-place of Jehovah, see chap.
five hours.' was not as yet erected but proba-
XXXV. 11, for this ;

" The Septuagint suppose the Israelites made much bly the tent of Moses, which was before in the midst
the same appearance as these Mohammedan pilgrims, of the camp, and to which the congregation came for
when Israel stood in anguish of soul at the foot of judgment, and where, no doubt, God frequently met
Mount Horeb, though Moses says nothing of putting off with his servant. This is now removed to a consider-
any of their vestments. able distance from the camp, {tivo thousand cubits, ac-
" Some passages of the Jewish prophets seem to cording to the Talmudists,) as God refuses to dwell
confirm the notion of their stripping themselves of any longer among this rebellious people. And as this
some of their clothes in times of deep humiliation, par- was the place to which all the people came for justice
ticularly Micah i. 8 Therefore I will wail and howl ; and judgment, hence it was probably called the taber-
:

J will go stripped and naked ; I will make a wailing nacle, more properly the tent, of the congregation.
like the dragons, and mourning as the owls. Verse 9. The cloudy pillar descended] This very
" Saul's stripping himself, mentioned 1 Sam. xix. 24, circumstance precluded the possibility of deception.
la perhaps to be understood of his assuming the ap- The cloud descending at these times, and at none others,
pearance of those that were deeply engaged in devo- was a full proof that it was miraculous, and a pledge
tional exercises, into which he was unintentionally of the Divine presence. It was beyond the power of

brought by the prophetic influences that came upon him, human art to counterfeit such an appearance and let
;

and in which he saw others engaged." Harmer's it be observed that all the people ^aw; this, ver. 10.
Observat., vol. iv., p. 172. How many indubitable and irrefragable proofs of its
The ancient Jewish commentators were of opinion own authenticity and Divine origin does the Pentateuch
that the Israelites had the name niiT' Jehovah inscribed contain !

46S
 1 ; 7
5
6

Moses pleads for the people. CHAP. XXXIII. God's presence to go with them,

A.M.
An. Exod.
^^'
2513.
B. C. 1491.
isr. 1. the
,
10 And

tabernacle door
,

cloudy
,
all
.„
pillar
the

:
people
^
stand
and all
f
at
the peo-
saw found grace
,
the
know
%,
thee,
in thy sight, ^
way, that 1
that
T

I may
show
may
find
Aji.
a. m. 2513.
B. C. 1491.
Exod.
^^-
isr. 1.

ple rose up and ® worshipped, every man in grace in thy sight : and consider that this
his tent door. nation is ^ thy people.
1 And * the Lord spake unto Moses face 14 And he said, ^My presence shall go with
to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. thee, and I will give thee ^'rest.
And he turned again into the camp : but ^ his 1 And he said unto him, ° If thy presence .

servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, go not with me, carry us not up hence.
departed not out of the tabernacle. 1 For wherein shall it be known here that
12 And Moses said unto the Lord, See, I and thy people have found grace in thy
^ thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people : sight ? ^ is it not in that thou goest with us ?

and thou hast not let me know whom thou so ^ shall we be separated, I and thy people,

wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, "^ I from all the people that are upon the face of
know thee by name, and thou hast also found the earth.
grace in my sight. 1 And the Lord said unto Moses, I will *"

13 Now therefore, I pray thee ^ if I have do this thing also that thou hast spoken for :

Chap. iv. 31.

» Gen. xxxii. 30 Num. xii. 8 Deut. xxxiv.
'
; ; » Chapter xiii. 21 ; xl. 34-38 ; Isa. Ixiii. 9. •>
Deut. iii. 20;
10. "Chap. xxiv. 13. ^ chap, xxxii. 34. »- Verse 17; Josh. xxi. 44 ; xxii. 4; xxiii. 1 ; Psa. xcv. 11. Ver. 3 ; chap. "=

Gen. xviii. 19 Psa. i. 6 ; Jer. i. 5 John x. 14, 15; 2 Tim. ii.

; xxxiv. 9. d Num. xiv. 14. ^ Chap, xxxiv. 10 ; Deut. iv. 7,
19. = Ch. xxxiv. 9. y Psa. xxv. 4 xxvii. 11 Ixxxvi. 11 ; ; 34 ; 2 Sam. vii. 23 ; 1 Kings viii. 53 ; Psa. cxlvii.20. ' Gen.
cxix. 33. z Deut. ix.
26, 29 Joel ii. 17. ; xix. 21 ; James v. 16.

Verse 1 1 The Lord spake unto Moses face to face] manifestations of my grace and goodness through the
.

That there was no personal appearance here we may whole of thy journey. I shall vary my appearances
readily conceive and that the communications made for thee, as thy necessities shall require.
;

by God to Moses were not by visions, ecstacies, dreams, Verse 15. If thy presence go not] O'dSh yiQ |'K DN
inward inspirations, or the mediation of angels, is suf- im ein paneycha holechim., if thy faces do not go if —
ficiently evident we may therefore consider the pas- we have not manifestations of thy peculiar providence
:

sage as implying thzX familiarity and confidence with and grace, carry us not up hence. Without supernatu-
which the Divine Being treated his servant, and that ral assistance, and a most particular providence, he
he spake with him by articulate sounds in his own lan- knew that it would be impossible either to govern such
guage, though no shape or 5tVn//«7u<fe was then to be seen. a people, or support them in the desert and therefore ;

Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man] There is a he wishes to be well assured on this head, that he may
difficulty here. Joshua certainly was not a young man lead them up with confidence, and be able to give them
in the literal sense of the word " but he was called the most explicit assurances of support and protection.
;

so," says Mr. Ainsworth, " in respect of his service, But by what means should these manifestations take
not of his years; for he was now d.hove fifty years place 1 This question seems to be answered by the
old, as may be gathered from Josh. xxiv. 29. But Prophet Isaiah, chap. Ixiii. 9 In all their affliction he :

because ministry and service are usually by the younger was afflicted, and the Angel of his presence (VJ3 pa
sort, all servants are called young men, Gen. xiv. 24." naiv, of his faces) saved them. So we find that the
See also Gen. xxii. 3, andxli. 12. Perhaps the word goodness and mercy of God were to be manifested by
*1J,'J naar, here translated young man, means a single the Angel of the Covenant, the Lord Jesus, the Mes-
person, one unmarried. siah and this is the interpretation which the Jews ;

Verse 12. Moses said unto the Lord] We may themselves give of this place. Can any person lead
suppose that after Moses had quitted the tabernacle he men to the typical Canaan, who is not himself influ
went to the camp, and gave the people some general enced and directed by the Lord ? And of what use
information relative to the conversation he lately had are all the means of grace, if not crowned with the
with the Lord after which he returned to the taber- presence and blessing of the God of Israel ?
; It is on
nacle or tent, and began to plead with God, as we find this ground that Jesus Christ hath said, Where two or
in this and the following verses. three are gathered together in my name, I am in the
Thou hast not let me know, <^c.] As God had said midst of them. Matt, xviii. 20 without which, what ;

he would not go up with this people, Moses wished to preachings, prayers, and even sacraments avail ^ woM
know whom he would send with him, as he had only Verse 16. So shall loe be separated] By having this
said, in general terms, that he would send an angel. Divine protection we shall be saved from idolatry, and
Verse 13. Show me now thy way] Let me know be preserved in thy truth and in the true worshipping
the manner in which thou wouldst have this people led of thee and thus shall we be separated from all the ;

up and governed, because this nation is thy people, and people that are upon the face of the earth as all the :

should be governed and guided in thy oivn way. nations of the world, the Jews only excepted, were at
Verse 14. My presence shall go with thee] dS"" 'JS this time idolaters.
panai yelechu, my faces shall go. I shall give thee Verse 17. / will do this thing also] My presence
469
 9 ! :

The Lord promises to EXODUS. show himself to Moses.

A. M. 2513. & thou hast found grace in my there shall no man

face : A. M. 2513.
for "*

B. C. 1491.
Aii.'Exod.isr.i. sight, and I know by see me, and live.
thee An. Exod. Isr. 1
Ah
^°- Ab.
name. 2 1 And the Lord said, Behold,
18 And he said, I beseech thee, show me the7-e is a place by me, and thou shalt stand
^ thy glory. upon a rock :

1 And he said, ' I will make all my good- 22 And it shall come to pass, while my
ness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the glory passeth by, that I will put thee " in a
name of the Lord before thee, ^ and will cleft of the rock, and will ° cover thee with my
be ^ gracious to whom I will be gracious, and hand while I pass by
will show mercy on whom I will show 23 And I will take away mine hand, and
mercy. thou shalt see my back parts but my face :

20 And he said. Thou canst not see my shall P not be seen.

K Ver. 12. >> Ver.

20; 1 Timothy vi. 16. 'Chap, xxxiv. «n Gen. xxxii. 30 Deut. v. 24 Judg.
; ; vi. 22 ; xiii. 22 ; Isa. vi.
•'Romans ix. 15, 16, 18. ' Romans
5, 6,7; Jer. xxxi. 14. 5; Rev. i. 16, 17; see chap. xxiv. 10. ° Isa. ii.21. <>
Psa.
iv. 4, 16. xci. 1,4. PVer. 20; John i. 18.

shall go with thee, and I will keep thee separate from flesh. This appearance did take place, for we find
all the people of the earth. Both these promises have God putting him into a cleft of the rock, covering him
been remarkably fulfilled. God continued miraculously with his hand, and passing by in such a way as to ex-
with them till he brought them into the promised land ;
hibit a human similitude. John may have had this in
and from the day in which he brought them out of view when he said. The Word teas made flesh, and
Egypt to the present day, he has kept them a distinct, dwelt AMONG vs, full of grace and truth, and we be-
unmixed people Who can account for this on any
! held HIS GLORY. What this glory was, and what was
principle but that of a continual especial providence, implied by this grace and truth, we shall see in the
and a constant Divine interference ? The Jews have succeeding chapter.
ever been a people fond of money ; had they been min- Verse 19. I will make all my goodness pass before
gled with the people of the earth among whom they thee] Thou shalt not have a sight of my justice, for
have been scattered, their secular interests would have thou couldst not bear the infinite splendour of my pu-
been greatly promoted by it and they who have sa- ; rity : but I shall show myself to thee as the fountain
crificed every thing besides to their love of money, on of inexhaustible compassion, the sovereign Dispenser
this point have been incorruptible They chose in ! ofmy own mercy in my own way, being gracious to
every part of their dispersions rather to be a poor, de- whom 1 will be gracious, and showing mercy on whom
spised, persecuted people, and continue separate from I will show mercy.
all the people of the earth, than to enjoy ease and afflu- / tvill proclaim the name of the Lord.] See the
ence by becoming mixed with the nations. For what note, chap, xxxiv. 6.
great purposes mustGod be preserving this people Verse 20. No man see me, and live.] The splen-
for does not appear that any moral principle binds
it dour would be insufierable to 7nan ; he only, whose
—
them together they seem lost to this and yet in op- ; mortality is swallowed up of life, can see God as he
position to their interests, for which in other respects is. See 1 John iii. 2. From some disguised relation
they would sacrifice every thing, they are still kept of the circumstances mentioned here, the fable of Ju-
distinct from all the people of the earth : for this an piter and Semele was formed ; she is reported to have
especial providence alone can account. entreated Jupiter to shoio her his glory, who was at
Verse 18. Show me thy glory'] Moses probably de- firstvery reluctant, knowing that it would be fatal to
sired to see that which constitutes the peculiar glory her but at last, yielding to her importunity, he dis-
;

or excellence of the Divine nature as it stands in re- covered his divine majesty, and she was consumed by
ference to man. By many this is thought to signify his presence. This story is told by Ovid in his Meta-
his eternal mercy in sending Christ Jesus into the morphoses, book iii., fable iii., 5.
world. what God was now do-
Moses perceived that Verse 2 1 Behold, there is a place by me]
. There
ing had the most important and gracious designs which seems to be a reference here to a well-known place
at present he could not distinctly discover therefore ; on the mount where God was accustomed to meet
he desires God to show him his glory. God graciously with Moses. This was a rock ; and it appears there
promises to indulge him in this request as far as pos- was a cleft or cave in it, in which Moses was to stand
sible, hy proclaiming his name, and making all his good- while the Divine Majesty was pleased to show him all
ness pass before him, ver. 19. But at the same time that human nature was capable of bearing but this :

he assures him that he could not see his face the ful- — appears to have referred more to the counsels of his
ness of his perfections and the grandeur of his designs, mercy and goodness, relative to his purpose of redeem
and live, as no human being could bear, in the present ing the human race, than to any visible appearance of
state, this full discovery. But he adds, Thou shalt the Divine Majesty itself See on ver. 18.
see my back parts, ''inN HX eth achorai, probably mean-
ing that appearance which he should assume in after 1. The conclusion of this chapter is very obscure :

times, when it should be said, God is manifest in the we can scarcely pretend to say, in any precise man-
470 a
 ;

Moses is commanded to hew CHAP. XXXIV. two new tables of stone

ner, what it means and it is very probable that the

; God of Israel, the Saviour ! One point we see here
whole concerned Moses alone. He was in great per- very plainly, that while the people continued obstinate
plexity and doubt he was afraid that God was about
; and rebellious, that presence of God by which his ap-
to abandon this people and he well knew that if he
; prohation was signified could not be manifested among
did so, their destruction must be the consequence. them and yet, without his presence to guide, protect,
;

He had received general directions to decamp, and and provide for them, they could neither go up nor be
lead the people towards the promised land ; but this saved. This presence is promised, and on the fulfil-
was accompanied with a Jehovah wouldthreat that ment of the promise the safety of Israel depended.
not go with them. The prospect that was before him The Church of God is often now in such a state that
was exceedingly gloomy and discouraging and it was ; the approbation of God cannot be manifested in it
rendered the more so because God predicted their per- and yet if his presence were wholly withdrawn, truth
severing stifF-neckedness, and gave this as one reason would fall in the streets, equity go backward, and the
why he would not go up among them, for their provo- Church must become extinct. How have the seeds
cations would be so great and so frequent that his jus- of light and life been preserved during the long, dark,
tice would be so provoked as to break through in a and cold periods when error was triumphant, and the
moment and consume them. Moses, well knowing pure worship of God adulterated by the impurities of
that God must have some great and important designs idolatry and the thick darkness of superstition, by the
in delivering them and bringing them thus far, earnestly presence of his endless mercy, preserving his own
entreated him to give him some discovery of it, that truth in circumstances in which he could not show his
his own mind might be satisfied. God mercifully approbation ! He was with the Church in the wilder
condescends to meet his wishes in such a way as ness, and preserved the living oracles, kept alive the
no doubt gave him full satisfaction but as this refer- ; heavenly seeds, and is now showing forth the glory of
red to himself alone, the circumstances are not related, those designs which before he concealed from man-
as probably they could be of no farther use to us than kind. He
cannot etr because he is infinitely wise;
the mere gratifying of a principle of curiosity. he can do nothing that is unkind, because he delight-
2. On some occasions to be kept in the dark is as eth in mercy. We, as yet, see only through a glass
instructive as to be brought into the light. In many darkly ; by and by we shall see face to face. The
cases those words of the prophet are strictly applica- Lord's presence with his people
and those
is ; who
ble. Verily, thou art a God who hidest thyself, O trust in him have confident rest in his mercy.

CHAPTER XXXIV.
Moses ts commanded to hew twoand bring them up to the mount, to get the covenant
tahles similar to the first,
renewed, 1—3. He prepares the meet the Lord, 4. and goes up
The Lord descends, and proclaims
tables to

his name JEHOVAH, 5. What this name signifies, 6, 7. Moses worships and intercedes, 8, 9. The
Lord promises to renew the covenant, work miracles among the people, and drive out the Canaanites, <^c.,
10, 11. No
covenant to be made with the idolatrous nations, but their altars and images to be destroyed,
12-15. No
matrimonial alliances to be contracted loith them, 16. The Israelites must have no molten
gods, 17. The commandment of the feast of unleavened bread, and of the sanctification of the first-born,
renewed, 18-20 as also that of the Sabbath, and the three great annual feasts, 2 1-23.
; The promise that
the surrounding nations shall not invade their territories, ivhile all the males were at Jerusalem celebrating
the annual feasts, 24. Directions concerning the passover, 25 ; and the first-fruits, 26. Moses is com-
manded to write all these words, as containing the covenant lohich God had now renewed luith the Israelites,
27. God without eating or drinking, writes the ivords of the covenant ; and
Moses, being forty days with
the Lord commandments upon the tables of stone, 28. Moses descends with the tables ; his
writes the ten
face shines, 29. Aaron and the people are afraid to approach him, because of his glorious appearance, 30.
Moses delivers to them the covenant and commandments of the Lord ; and puts a veil over his face while
he is speaking, 31—33, but takes it off when he goes to minister before the Lord, 34, 35.

A. M. 2513. A ND- the Lord said unto Mo- I will write upon these tables a. m. 2513.
B. C. 1491.
An. Exod. Isr. 1. ses, * Hew thee two tables the words that were in the first An. isxod. Isr. 1.
Ab. ^^'
of stone like unto the first :
''
and tables, which thou brakest.

>Chap. xxiii. 16, 19 ; Deut. x. 1. b Ver. 28 Dfiut. x. 2, 4.

;

NOTES ON CHAP. XXXIV. first. That God wrote the first tables himself, see
Verse 1. Hew
thee tivo tables of stone like unto the proved by different passages of Scripture at the end
first] In chap, xxxii. 16 we are told that the two of chap, xxxii. But here, in ver. 27, it seems as if
first tables work of God, and the ivnting was
loere the Moses was commanded to ivrite these words, and ic
the writing but here Moses is commanded to ver. 28 it is said. And he wrote upon the tables; but
of God ;

provide tables of his own workmanship, and God pro- in Deut. x. 1-4 it is expressly said that God wrote
mises to write on them the words which were on the the second tables as well as the first.
471
Moses takes the tables to Sinai. EXODUS. Jehovah proclaims his nams.

A. M. 2513. 2 And be ready m the raorn- unto the first and Moses rose A. M. 2513. ;

B. C. 1491.
!B. C. 1491.

M. Exod. isr.
1. mg,
J
and come
.

up in
*l,
the morning up early m the
•

morning, J
and An. Exod. isr. 1.
T
. .,

^^- ^^'
unto Mount Sinai, and present went up unto Mount Sinai, as the
thyself there to me " in the top of the mount. Lord had commanded him, and took in his
3 And no man shall ^ come up with thee, hand the two tables of stone.
neither let any man be seen throughout all the 5 And the Lord descended in the cloud,
mount neither let the flocks nor herds feed and stood with him there, and * proclaimed
,

before that mount. the name of the Lord.

4 And he hewed two tables of stone like 6 And the Lord passed by before him, and
« Chap. xix. 20 ; xxiv. 12. ^ Chap. xix. 12, 13, 21. 8 Chap, xxxiii. 19 ; Num. xiv. 17.

In order to reconcile these accounts let us suppose some, only the terms of the covenant without the ten
that the ten words, or tencommandments, were writ- words, which are supposed to be added here for the
ten on both tables by the hand of God himself, and first time. "The following is a general view of this
that what Moses wrote, ver. 27, was a copy of these subject. In chap. xx. the ten commandments are
to be delivered to the people, while the tables them- given ; and at the same time various political and
selves were laid up in the ark before the testimony, ecclesiastical statutes, which are detailed in chapters
whither the people could not go to consult them, and xxi., xxii., and xxiii. To receive these, Moses had
therefore a copy was necessary for the use of the con- drawn near unto the thick darkness where God was,
gregation; this copy, being taken off under the direc- chap. XX. 21, and having received them he came again
tion of God, was authenticated equally with the origi- with them to the people, according to their request
nal, and the original itself was laid up as a record to before expressed, ver. 19 Speak thou loith us but
:
—
which all succeeding copies might be continually re- let not the Lord speak with us, lest we die, for they
ferred, in order to prevent corruption. This supposi- had been terrified by the manner in which God had
tion removes the apparent contradiction; and thus uttered the ten commandments see ver. 18. After
;

both God and Moses may be said to have written the this Moses, with Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and the
covenant and the ten commandments the former, the : seventy elders, went up to the mountain and on his ;

original the latter, the copy.

; This supposition is return he announced all these laws unto the people,
rendered still more probable by the 27th verse itself: chap. xxiv. 1, &c., and they promised obedience.
"And the Lord said unto Moses, Write thou these Still there is no word of the tables of stone. Then he
words (that is, as I understand it, a copi/ of the words wrote all in a book, chap. xxiv. 4, which was called
which God had already written ;) for after the tenor the book of the covenant, ver. 7. After this there
(•£3 hy al pi, ACCORDING to the mouth) of these words was a second going up of Moses, Aaron, Nadab,
I have made a covenant with thee and ivith Israel.'''' Abihu, and the seventy elders, chap. xxiv. 9, when
Here the original writing is represented by an elegant that glorious discovery of God mentioned in verses 10
prosopopoeia, or personification, as speaking and giving and 11 of the same chapter took place. After their
out from its own mouth a copy of itself. It may be coming down Moses is again commanded to go up ,

supposed that this mode of interpretation is contra- and God promises to give him tables of stone, con-
dicted by the 28th verse And he tvrote upon the tables
: taining a laio and precepts, ver. 12. This is the first
the words of the covenant ; but that the pronoun he place these tables of stone are mentioned and thus it ;

refers to the Lord, and not to Moses, is sufficiently appears that the ten commandments, and several other
proved by the parallel place, Deut. x. 1-4 At that : precepts, were given to and accepted by the people,
time the Lord said unto me, Hew thee tioo tables of and the covenant sacrifice offered, chap. xxiv. 5, be-
stone like unto the first —
and I will lorite on the tables fore the tables of stone were either written or men-
the words that were in the first tables and I heioed — tioned." It is very likely that the commandments,
two tables of stone as at the first And —
wrote on HE laws, &c., were first published by the Lord in the
the tables according to the first writing. This deter- hearing of the people; repeated afterwards by Moses;
mines the business, and proves that God wrote the and the ten tvords or commandments, containing the
second as well as the first tables, and that the pronoun sum and substance of the whole, afterwards written on
in the 28th verse of this chapter refers to the Lord, the first tables of stone, to be kept for a record in the
and not to Moses. By this mode of interpretation all ark. These being broken, as is related chap, xxxii.
contradiction is removed. Houbigant imagines that 19, Moses commanded to hew out two tables like
is
the difficulty may be removed by supposing that God to the and bring them up to the mountain, that
first,
wrote the ten commandments, and that Moses wrote God might write upon them what he had written on
the other parts of the covenant from ver. 11 to ver. the former, chap, xxxiv. 1. And that this was ac-
26, and thus it might be said that both God and cordingly done, see the preceding part of this note.
Moses wrote on the same tables. This is not an Verse 6. And the Lord passed by and proclaimed, —
improbable case, and is left to the reader's considera- The Lord, 4-c.] It would be much better to read this
tion. See on ver. 27. verse thus: "And the Lord passed by before him,
There still remains a controversy whether what are and proclaimed Jehovah," that is, showed Moses fully
called the ten commandments were at all written on what was implied in this august name. Moses had
he first tables, those tables containing, according to requested God to show him his glory, (see the preced
472
 : j;

Jehovah interprets his name. CHAP. XXXIV. Moses worships and intercedes.

A. M. 2513. proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord

third and to the fourth gene- A. M. 2513.
B C 1491 B. C. 1491.
Aii.Exod.isr.i. ^ and gracious, ration.
God, mcrciful An. Exod. Isr. 1
^^' Ab.
long-suffering, and abundant in 8 And Moses made haste, and
^ goodness and ^ truth, ™ bovi^ed his head toward the earth, and wor-
7 '
Keeping mercy for thousands, ^ forgiving shipped.
iniquity and transgression and sin, and '
that 9 And he said. If now I have found grace
will by no means clear the guilty ; visiting in thy sight, O Lord, ° let my Lord, I pray
the iniquity of the fathers go among us
upon the for ° children, thee, ; it is a stiff-necked
and upon the children's children, unto the people and pardon our ; iniquity and our

'Num. xiv. 18 ; 2 Chron. xxx. 9 Neh. ix. 17 Psa. Ixxxvi.

; ; Dan. ix. 4.- -^ Psa. ciii. 3 cxxx. 4 Dan. ix. 9 Eph. iv. 32
: ; ;
;

15; 4; cxii. 4; cxvi. 5; cxlv. 8; Joel ii. 13. 1 John i. 9. Chap, xxiii. 7, 21 Josh. xxiv. 19 Job x. 14 ;
s
ciii. 8;
Psalm xxxi. 19
cxi.
; Romans ii. 4. ^ Psalm Ivii. 10 ; cviii. 4. Mic. vi. 11 Neh. i. 3. ;
'

°>Chap.iv. 31
;

Chap, xxxiii. 15, '

;

]
• Chapter xx. 6 ; Deut. v. 10 ; Psalm Ixxxvi. 15 ; Jer. xxxii. 18 ; 16. ° Chap, xxxiii. 3.

ing chapter, 18th verse,) and God promised to pro- from whom
ivisdom and knowledge must be derived.
all

claim or fully declare the name Jehovah, (verse 19 ;) 9. non IX J Notser Chesed, the preserver of bounti-
by which proclamation or interpretation Moses should fulness ; he whose beneficence never ends, keeping
see how God would " be gracious to whom he would mercy for thousands of generations, showing compas-
be gracious," and how he would " be merciful to those sion and mercy while the world endures. 10. ^^y NtyJ
to whom he would show mercy." Here therefore God nxoni yiyai Nose avon vaphesha vechattaah, he who
fulfils that promise by proclaiming this name. It has bears away iniquity and transgression and sin : pro-
long been a question, what is the meaning of the word perly, the Redeemer, the Pardoner, the Forgiver ; the
niiT Jehovah, Yehovah, Yehue, Yehveh, or Yeve,Jeue, Being whose prerogative alone it is to forgive sin and
Jao, lao, Jhueh, and Jove ; for it has been as variously save the soul. T\^y (lV) nS HpJ Nakkeh lo yenakkeh,
pronounced as it has been differently interpreted. the righteous Judge, who distributes justice with an
Some have maintained that it is utterly inexplicable impartial hand, with whom no innocent person can ;

these of course have offered no mode of interpretation. ever be condemned. And, 11. pj; Tp£3 Poked avon,
Others say that it implies the essence of the Divine &c. he who visits iniquity, who punishes transgres ;

nature. Others, that it expresses the doctrine of the sors, and from whose justice no sinner can escape.
Trinity connected with the incarnation the letter The God of retributive and vindictive justice.
;

' yod standing for the Father, n he for the Son, and These eleven attributes, as they have been termed,
1 vau (the connecting particle) for the Holy Spirit are all included in the name JEHOVAH, and are, as
and they add that the n he being repeated in the word, we have before seen, the proper interpretation of it
signifies the human nature united to the Divine in the but the meaning of several of these words has been
incarnation. These speculations are calculated to give variously understood.
very little satisfaction. How strange is it that none Verse 7. That luill by no means clear the guilty
of these learned men have discovered that God him- This last clause is rather difficult ; literally translated
name in verses 6 and 7 of this it signifies, in clearing he will not clear. But the Sa-
self interprets this
chapter " And the Lord passed by before him, and maritan, reading r^ lo, to him, instead of the
!
negative
proclaimed mTT' Yehovah the Lord God, merciful nS lo, not, renders the clause thus With lohom the :

and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness innocent shall be innocent; i. e., an innocent or holy
and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving person shall never be treated as if he were a trans-
iniquity and transgression and sin, and that ivill by gressor, by this just and holy God. The Arabic ver-
no means clear the guilty.^'' These words contain the sion has it, He justifies and is not justified ; and the
proper interpretation of the venerable and glorious Septuagint is nearly as our English text, Kai ov Kada-
name JEHOVAH. But it will be necessary to con- piei Tov evoxov,and he doth not purify the guilty. The
sider them in detail. Alexandrian copy of the Septuagint, edited by Dr.
The different names in this and the following verse Grabe, has /cat tov evoxov Kadapiafiu ov Kadapui, and
have been considered as so many attributes of the the guilty he will not cleanse with a purification'Offer-
Divine nature. Commentators divide them into eleven, ing. The Coptic is to the same purpose. The Vul-
thus: —
1. mn'' Jehovah. 2. Sx El, the strong or gate is a paraphrase nullusque apud
per se innocens
: te
mighty God. 3. U\n'^ Rachum, the merciful Being, est, " and no person is innocent by or of himself before
who is full of tenderness and compassion. 4. njn thee." This gives a sound theologic sense, stating
Channun, the gracious One ; he whose nature is good- a great truth. That no man can make an atonement
ness itself; the loving God. 5. D''t3X pX Erech ap- for his own sins, or purify his own heart ; and
payim, long-suffering ; the Being who, because of his that all have sinned and come short of the glory
goodness and tenderness, is not easily irritated, but of God.
•suffers long and is kind. 6. 31 Rab, the great or Verse 9. O Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee, go
mighty One. 7. TDH Chesed, the bountiful Being; he among us] The original is not mn' Jehovah, but 'nK
who is exuberant in his beneficence. 8. riOX Emeth, Adonai and seems to refer parti-
in both these places,
the truth or true One ; he alone who can neither de- cularly to theAngel of the Covenant, the Messiah
ceive nor be deceived, who is the fountain of truth, and See the note on Gen. xv. 8.
473
 1 : i

Precepts against idolatry. EXODUS. Other precepts to be observed.

A. M. 2513. sin, and take US for P thine thy sons, and their daughters *
go A. M. 2513.
B. C. 1491.
An. Exod. Isr. 1. inheritance. a whoring after their gods, and An. Exod. isr.'

Ab. ^^'
10 And he said, Behold, il make thy sons go a whoring after
make a covenant : before all thy people I will their gods.

'do marvels, such as have not been done in 17'' Thou shalt make thee no molten gods*.
all the earth, nor in any nation and all the 1 8 The feast of unleavened bread shalt :
^

people among which thou art shall see the thou keep. Seven days thou shalt eat un-
work of the Lord ; for it is ^ a terrible thing leavened bread, as I commanded thee, in the
that I will do with thee. time of the month Abib : for in the ™ month
1 * Observe thou that which I command Abib thou camest out from Egypt.
thee this day ; behold, " I drive out before 19 ''All that openeth the matrix is mine;
thee the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the and every firstling among thy cattle, whether
Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and ox or sheep, that is male.
the Jebusite. 20 But ° the firstling of an ass thou shalt
12 ^ Take heed to thyself, lest thou make redeem with a p lamb and if thou redeem :

a covenant with the inhabitants of the land hi?n not, then shalt thou break his neck. All
whither thou goest, lest it be for "^
a snare in the first-born of thy sons thou shalt redeem.
the midst of thee : And none shall appear before me ^ empty.
1 3 But ye shall ^ destroy their altars, break 21' Six days thou shalt work, but on the
their ^ images, and ^ cut down their groves : seventh day thou shalt rest : in earing time
1 4 For thou shalt worship '^
no other god and in harvest thou shalt rest.

for the Lord, whose ^ name is Jealous, is a 22 ^ And thou shalt observe the feast of
= jealous God : weeks, of the first-fruits of wheat harvest, and
15"^ Lest thou make a covenant with the the feast of ingathering at the ' year's end.
inhabitants of the land, and they® go a whoring 23 " Thrice in the year shall all your men
after their gods, and do sacrifice unto their children appear before the Lord God, the
gods, and one ^ call thee, and thou ^ eat of his God of Israel.
sacrifice ;
24 For I will " cast out the nations before
1 6 And thou take of ^ their daughters imto thee, and "^
enlarge thy borders :
^ neither shall
hDeut. vii. 3 Kings 2 Ezra 2
Neh. xiii. 25.
PDeut. xxxii. 9; Psa. xxviii. 9; xxxiii. 12; Ixxviii. 62; xciv. ; 1 xi. ; ix. ;

14; Jer. x. 16; Zech. ii. 12. 1 Deut. v. 2; xxix. 12, 14. ' Num. xxv. 1, 2 ; 1 Kings xi. 4. ^ Chap, xxxii. 8 Lev. xix. ;

f Dent. iv. 32 ; 2 Sam. vii. 23 ; Psa. Ixxvii. 14 ; Ixxviii. 12 ;

4. '
Chap. xii. 15 xxiii. ;
15. ™ Chap. xiii. 4. ° Cliap.

cxlvii. 20. ' Deut. x. 21 ; Psa. cxlv. 6 ; Isa. Ixiv. 3. « Deut. xiii. 2, 12; xxii. 29; Ezek. xliv. 30; Luke ii. 23. "Chap.
V. 32; vi. 3, 25; xii. 28, 32; xxviii. 1. "Chap, xxxiii. 2. xiii. 13 ; Num. xviii. 15. p 15
Or, kid. 1 Chap, xxiii. ,

* Chap, xxiii. 32 Deut. vii. 2 Judg. ii. 2.

;
"^ Chap, xxiii. 33.
;
Deut. xvi. 16; 1 Sam. ix. 7, 8; 2 Sam. xxiv. 24. "Chap.xx.
* Chap, xxiii. 24 Deut. xii. 3 Judg. ii.
; 2. y Heb. statues. ;
9; xxiii. 12; xxxv. 2 Deut. v. 12,
; 13; Luke xiii. 14. » Ch.
' Heb.
^ Deut. vii. 5 xii. 2 ;Judg. vi. 25 2 Kings xviii. 4 xxiii. 14
; ; ; ;
xxiii. 16 Deut. xvi. 10, 13.
; revolutimi of the year.
2 Chron. xxxi. 1 xxxiv. 3, 4. ;
^ Chap. xx. 3, 5. So Isa. •> "Chap, xxiii. 14, 17 ; Deut. xvi. 16. ^ Chap, xxxiii. 2 Lev. ;

ix. 6; Ivii. 15. Chap. xx. 5. <=

Ver. 12. « Deut. xxxi. <i xviii. 24 Deut. vii.
; 1 Psa. Ixxviii. 55
; Ixxx. 8. " Deut. xii. ;

fNum. xxv. 2; 20 xix. 8. » See Gen. xxxv. 5 2 Chron. xvii. 10 Prov.

16; Judg. ii. 17; Jer. iii. 9; Ezek. vi. 9. ; ; ;

1 Cor. X. 27. s Psa. cvi. 28 1 Cor. viii. 4, 7, 10. ;

xvi. 7 Acts xviii. 10.
;

Verse 10. I will do marvels] This seems to refer that day in endeavouring to save the fruits of the field,
to what God did in putting them in possession of the and think that the goodness of the day beyond the
land of Canaan, causing the walls of Jericho to fall preceding, is an indication from Providence that it
down making the sun and moon to stand still, &c. should be thus employed. But is not the above com-
;

And thus God made his covenant with them binding mand pointed directly against this ? I have known ;

himself to put them in possession of the promised land, this law often broken on this pretence, and have never
and binding them to observe the precepts laid down been able to discover a single instance where the per-
in the following verses, from the 11th to the 26th sons who acted thus succeeded one whit better than
inclusive. their more conscientious neighbours, who availed them-
—
Verse 13. Ye shall destroy their images] See the selves of no such favourable circumstances, being
subjects of this and all the following verses, to the determined to keep God's law, even to the prejudice
28th, treated at large in the notes on chap, xxiii. of their secular interests but no man ever yet ulti- ;

Verse 21. In caring time and in harvest thou shalt mately suffered loss by a conscientious attachment to
rest.] This commandment is worthy of especial note ;
his duty to God. He who is willing and obedient,
many break the Sabbath on the pretence of absolute shall eat the good of the land ; but God will ever dis-
necessity, because, if in harvest time the weather hap- tinguish those in his providence who respect his com-
pens to be what is called bad, and the Sabbath day be mandments. »
fair and fine, they judge it perfectly lawful to employ Verse 24. Neither shall any man desire thy land]
474 i
 ;

After forty days and nights CHAP. XXXIV. Moses descends from the mourn

A. M. 2513. any man desire thv land, when the tables the words of the A. M. 2513.
B C 1491 , , ,
B. C. 1491,
Ah. Exod. Isr! 1. thou shalt go up to appear before covenant, the ten ' command- An. Exod. isr. 1.
'^^' ^^-
the Lord thy God thrice in ments.
the year. 29 And It came to pass, when a.m. 2513.
HT B- C. 1491.
25 y Thou shalt not offer the blood of my Moses came dawn rfrom Mount
T»T 1
An. Exod. isr. 1.
^^"^
sacrifice with leaven ;
^ neither shall the sacri- Sinai with the two tables of tes-
?

fice of the feast of the passover be left when he came down

unto timony in Moses' hand,
the morning. from the mount, that Moses wist not that ^ the
26 * The feast of the first-fruits of thy land skin of his face shone while he talked with
thou shalt bring unto the house of the Lord him.
thy God. ^ Thou shalt not seethe a kid in 30 And when Aaron and all the children of
his mother's milk. saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face
Israel
27 And the Lord said unto Moses, Write shone and they were afraid to come nigh
;

thou ^words for after the tenor of him.

these :

these words I have made a covenant with thee 3 1 And Moses called unto them and Aaron ;

and with Israel. and all the rulers of the congregation return-
28 ^ And he was there with the Lord forty ed unto him and Moses talked with them. :

days and forty nights ; he did neither eat32 And afterward all the children of Israel
bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon
^ came nigh and he gave them in coramand-
: '

y Chapter xxiii. 18. ^ Chap. xii. 10. » Chap, xxiii. 19 d Chap. xxiv. 18 Deut. ix. 9, 18.
;
« Ver. 1 chap. xxxi. 18 ;
;
;

Ver. xxxii. 16 Deut. iv. 13 ; x. 2, 4.^ ' Heb. words. s Ch. xxxii.
Deut. xxvi. 2, 10. Chap, •>
xxiii. 19; Deut.xiv. 21. = ;

10 Deut. iv. 13 xxxi. 9. ; 15. h Matt. xvii. 2 ; 2 Cor. iii. 7, 13. ' Chap. xxiv. 3.
;

What a manifest proof was

power and par- Verse 28. Forty days and forty nights]
this of the See the
ticular providence of God How
easy would it have note on chap. xxiv. 18.
!

been for the surrounding nations to have taken pos- Verse 29. The skin of his face shone] pp karan,
session of the whole Israelitish land, with all their was horned : having been long in familiar intercourse
fenced cities, when there were none left to protect them with his Maker, his flesh, as well as his soul, was
but women and children Was not this a standing penetrated with the effulgence of the Divine glory,
!

proof of the Divine origin of their religion, and a bar- and his looks expressed the light and life which dwelt
rier which no deistical mind could possibly surmount ? within. Probably Moses appeared now as he did when,
Thrice every year did God work an especial miracle in our Lord's transfiguration, he was seen with Elijah
for the protection of his people controlling even the on the mount, Matt. xvii.
; As the original word pp
very desires of their enemies, that they might not so karan signifies to shine out, to dart forth, as horns on
much as meditate evil against them. They who have the head of an animal, or rays of light reflected from
God for their protector have a sure refuge and how a polished surface, we may suppose that the heavenly
;

true is the proverb, The path of duty is the way of glory which filled the soul of this holy man darted oiat
safety ! While these people went up to Jerusalem to from his face in coruscations, in that manner in which
keep the Lord's ordinances, he kept their families in light is generally represented. The Vulgate renders
peace, and their land in safety. the passage, et ignorabat quod cornuta esset fades
Verse 25. The blood of my sacrifice] That is, the sua, " and he did not know that his face was horned ;"
paschal lamb. See on chap, xxiii. 18. which version, misunderstood, has induced painters in
Verse 26. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother^s general to represent Moses with two very large horns,
milk.] See this amply considered chap, xxiii. 19. one proceeding from each temple But we might !

Verse 27. Write thou these words] Either a tran- naturally ask, while they were indulging themselves
script of the whole law now delivered, or the words in such fancies, why only two horns ? for it is very
included from verse 11 to 26. God certainly wrote likely that therewere hundreds of these radiations, pro-
the ten words on both sets of tables. Moses either ceeding at once from the face of Moses. It was no

wrote a transcript of these and the accompanying pre- doubt from this very circumstance that almost all the
cepts for the use of the people, or he wrote the precepts nations of the world who have heard of this transac-
themselves in addition to the ten commandments which tion, have agreed in representing those men to whom
were written by the finger of God. See on ver. 1. they attributed extraordinary sanctity, and whom they
Allowing this mode of interpretation, the accompany- supposed to have had familiar intercourse with the
ing precepts were, probably, what was ^vritten on the Deity, with a lucid nimbus or glory round their heads.
west
lack side of the tables by Moses ; the ten command- This has prevailed both in the east and in the
eminent per-
ments, what were written on the front by the finger not only the Greek and Roman saints, or
for we must pay but little attention to also among the
of Jehovah : sons, are thus represented, but those
the supposition of the rabbins, that the letters on each Mohammedans, Hindoos, and Chinese.
tablewere cut through the stone, so as to be legible Verse 30. They tvere afraid to come
nigh him.] A
on each side. See chap, xxxii. 15. them their consciences were
sight of his face alarmed ;

475
 ! ;

Moses puts a veil on his face EXODUS. while speaking to the people.

A. M. 2513. ment all that the Lord had spake unto the children of A. M. 2513.

An. kxod.isr. 1. spoken with him in Mount Sinai. Israel that which he was com- An. Exod.isrii.
^^"^- ^^''^-
33 And till Moses had done manded.
speaking with them, he put ^ a veil on his face. 35 And the children of Israel saw the face
34 But ^ when Moses went in before the of Moses, that the skin of Moses' face shone :

Lord to speak with him, he took the veil off and Moses put the veil upon his face again,
unjil he came out. And he came out, and until he went in to speak with him.

If
2 Cor. iii. 13. ' 2 Cor. iii. 16.

still guilty from their late transgression, and they had who is the end of the law for righteousness — -justifi-

not yet received the atonement. The very appearance cation, to every one that believeth. The former gives
of superior sanctity often awes the guilty into respect. a partial view of the Divine nature the latter shows
;

Verse 33. And till Moses had done speaking] The God as he is,
meaning of the verse appears to be this As often as :
" Full orbed, in his whole round of rays complete."
Moses spoke in public to the people, he put the veil The apostle farther considers the veil on the face
on his face, because they could not bear to look on the of Moses, as being emblematical of the metaphorical
brightness of his countenance but when he entered ;
nature of the different rites and ceremonies of the Mo-
into the tabernacle to converse with the Lord, he re- saic dispensation, each covering some spiritual meaning
moved this veil, ver. 34. St. Paul, 2 Cor. iii. 7, &c., or a spiritual subject ; and that the Jews did not lift
makes a very important use of the transactions recorded the veil to penetrate the spiritual sense, and did not
in this place. He represents the brightness of the look to the end of the commandment, which was to be
face of Moses as emblematical of the glory or excel- abolished, but rested in the letter or literal meaning,
lence of that dispensation ; but he shows that however which conferred neither light nor life.
glorious or excellent that was, it had no glory when He considers the veil also as being emblematical
compared with the superior excellence of the Gospel. of that state of intellectual darkness into which the
As Moses was glorious in the eyes of the Israelites, Jewish people, by their rejection of the Gospel, were
but that glory was absorbed and lost in the splendour plunged, and from which they have never yet been
of God when he entered into the tabernacle, or went recovered. When a Jew, even at the present day,
to meet the Lord upon the mount so the brightness ; reads the law in the synagogue, he puts over his head
and excellence of the Mosaic dispensation are eclipsed an oblong woollen veil, with four tassels at the four
and absorbed in the transcendent brightness or excel- corners, vi'hich is called the taled or thaled. This is a
lence of the Gospel of Christ. One was the shadow, very remarkable circumstance, as it appears to be an
the other is the substance. One showed sin in its emblem of the intellectual veil referred to by the apos-
exceeding sinfulness, together with the justice and im- tle, which is still upon their hearts when Moses is read,

maculate purity of God but, in and of itself, made no

; and which prevents them from looking to the end of
provision for pardon or sanctification. The other that which God designed should be abrogated, and
exhibits Jesus, the Lamb of God, typified by all the sa- which has been abolished by the introduction of the
crifices under the law, putting away sin by the sacrifice Gospel. The veil is upon their hearts, and prevents
of himself, reconciling God to man and man to God, the light of the glory of God from shining into them ;

diffusing his Spirit through the souls of believers, and but we all, says the apostle, speaking of believers in
cleansing the very thoughts of their hearts by his in- Christ, with open face, without any veil, beholding as
spiration, and causing them to perfect holiness in the in a glass the glory of God, are changed into the same
fear of God. The one seems to shut heaven against image, from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord
mankind, because by the law was the knowledge, not 2 Cor. iii. 18. Reader, dost thou know this excel-
the cure, of sin the other opens the kingdom of hea-
; lence of the religion of Christ ] Once thou wert
ven to all believers. The former was a ministration darkness art thou now light in the Lord 1
; Art thou
of death, the latter a dispensation of life. The former still under the letter that killeth, or under the Spirit

ministered terror, so that even the high priest was that giveth life ? Art thou a slave to sin or a servant
afraid to approach, the people withdrew and stood afar of Christ ? Is the veil on thy heart, or hast thou
off, and even Moses, the mediator of it, exceedingly found redemption in his blood, the remission of sins ?
feared and trembled by the latter we have boldness
; Knowest thou not these things 1 Then may God pity,
to enter into the holiest through the blood of Jesus, enlighten, and save thee

CHAPTER XXXV.
Moses assembles the congregation to deliver to them the commandments of God, 1. Directions concerning the
Sabbath, 2, 3. Free-will offerings of gold, silver, brass, <^c.,for the tabernacle, 4-7. Of oil and spices, 8.
O/" precious stones, 9. Proper artists to be employed, 10. The tabernacle and its tent, 11. The
ark, 12. Table of the shew-bread, 13. Candlestick, 14. Altar of incense, 15. Altar of burnt-offer-
ing, 16. Hangings, pins, (3fc., 17, 18. Clothes o/ service, anrf holy vestments, 19. The people cheer-
476 a
 ; ;; 1 ; ; ; ; ;

Different free-will offerings CHAP. XXXV. brought hy the people.

fully bring their ornaments as offerings to the Lord, 20-22; together with blue, purple, scarlet, d^c, <^c.,
23, 24. TAe women spin, and bring the produce of their skill and industry, 25, 26. The rulers bring
precious stones, 6fc., 27, 28. All the people offer willingly, 29. Bezaleel and Aholiab appointed to con-
duct and superintend all the work of the tabernacle, for which they are qualified by the spirit of wisdom^
30-35.
A. M. 2513.
A ND Moses gathered all the 1 ' The tabernacle, his tent, a. m. 2513.

An. Exod. isr.i. congregation of the children and his covering, his taches, and An. Exod. isr. 1.
^^"'' ^^"^"
of Israel together, and said unto his boards, his bars, his pillars,
them, ^ These are the words which the Lord and his sockets
hath commanded, that ye should do them. 12 ^ The ark, and the staves thereof, with
2 ^ Six days shall work be done, but on the the mercy-seat, and the veil of the covering
seventh day there shall be to you " a holy 1 3 The ^
table, and his staves, and all his
day, a Sabbath of rest to the Lord : whoso- vessels, "* and the shew-bread ;

ever doeth work therein shall be put to death. 14 " The candlestick also for the light, and
3 ^ Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your his furniture, and his lamps, with the oil for
habitations upon the Sabbath day, the light
4 And Moses spake unto all the congrega- 15° And the incense altar and his staves,
tion of the children of Israel, saying, ® This p and the anointing oil, and the sweet incense, '^

is the thing which the Lord commanded, and the hanging for the door at the entering

saying, in of the tabernacle ;

5 Take ye from among you an offering unto 1 6 "^

The altar of burnt-offering, with his
the Lord
whosoever is of a willing heart, brazen gate, his staves, and all his vessels,
:
^

let him bring it, an offering of the Lord the laver, and his foot ;

gold, and silver, and brass, 1 7 ^ The hangings of the court, his pillars,

6 And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and and their sockets, and the hanging for the
fine linen,and goats' hair, door of the court
7 And rams' skins dyed red, and badgers' 1 8 The pins of the tabernacle, and the pins
skins, and shittim wood, of the court, and their cords ;

8 And oil for the light, ^ and spices for 1 9 * The clothes of service, to do service in
anointing oil, and for the sweet incense, the holy place, the holy garments for Aaron
9 And onyx stones, and stones to be set for the priest, and the garments of his sons, to
the ephod, and for the breastplate. minister in the priest's office.
1 And ^ every wise-hearted man among you §0 And all the congregation of the children
shall come, and make all that the Lord hath of Israel departed from the presence of
commanded Moses.
=>
Chap, xxxiv. Chap. xx. 9 ; xxxi. 14, 15 Lev. xxiii.
32. *>
;
k
Chapter xxv. 10, &c. Chapter xxv. 23. > °> Chap. xxv.

3 ;

holiness.
Num. &c. Deut. v. 12; Luke xiii. 14.
xv. 32,
^ Chap. xvi. 23.
;

« Chap. xxv. 1, 2. f
Heb.
Chapter
<=
30
1.
Lev. xxiv. 5, 6.
;

P Chap. xxx. 23.

" Chapter xxv. 31, &c.
Chap. xxx. 34.-
"5
Chap. xxx.
f Chap, xxvii. 1.

Numbers iv.