Chapter XXIX
CHAPTER XXX.
Ver. 1-10. The Offering at the Feast of TrIjmpets.
1. On the se-venth month—of the ecclesiastical year, but the, first month of the civil year, corresponding to our September. It was, in fact, the New-Year's Day, which had been celebrated among the Hebrews and other contemporary nations with great festivity and joy, and usliered in by a flourish of trumpets. This ordinance was designed to give a religious character to the occasion by associating it with some solemn observances. (Cf. Exodus
Ver. 1-16. Vows are not to be Broken. 1. Tlils is tlio thing wliicli the Lord hath commanded—The subject of this chapter relates to vowing, wliicli seenis to have been an ancient usage, allowed by the law to remain, and by which some people declared their intention of offering some gift on the altar, or abstaining from particular articles of meat or drink, of observing a private fast, or doing something to the honour or in the service of God, over and above what was authoritatively required. In v.
12.2; Leviticus 2;?. 24.) it is a hlo%ving of the trumpets unto you—This made it a solemn preparation for the sacred feasts—a greater number of which were held during this month than at any other sea.son of the year. Although the institution of this feast was described be-
39 of the preceding chapter, mention was made of "vows and freewill offerings," and it is probable, from the explanatory nature of the rules laid down in tliis cliapler, that these were given for the removal of doubts and difficulties which conscientious persons had felt about their obligation to perform their vows in certain circumstances that had arisen. 2. If a man vow a vow unto tlie Lord —A mere secret purpose of the mind was not enough to constitute a vow; it had to be actually expressed in words ; and though a purely voluntary act, yet when once the vow was made, the performance of it, like that of every other promise, became an indispensable duty—all the more that, referring to a sacred thing, it could not be neglected without the guilt of prevarication and unfaithful ness to God. he shall not break his word lit., profane his word—render it vain and contemptible. (Psalm 55.
fore, tiiere is more particularity here as to what the burnt offering should consist of, and, in addition to it, a sin offering is prescribed. The special offerings, appointed for certain days, were not to interfere with the offerings usually requisite on these days, for in v. 6 it is said that the daily offerings, as well as those for the first day of the month, were to take place in their ordinary course. 7-11. Ve slknll have, oit the tenth day of the sevent li month, an laoly convocation—This was the great day of atonement. Its institution, together with the observance to which that da.y was devoted, was described. (Leviticus 16.
29,30.) But additional offerings seem to be noticed, viz., the large animal sacrifice for a general expiation, which was a sweet savour unto the Lord, and tlie sin offering to aton^ for the sins that mingled with that day's services. The prescriptions in this passage appear suiiplementary to the former statement in Leviticus. 12-34. On the fifteenth day—was to be held the feast of booths or tabernacles. (See on Leviticus 2;J. 31, 35.) The feast was to last seven days, the first and la.st of which were to be kept as Sabbaths, and a i)articular offering was prescribed for each day, the details of which are given with a. minuteness suited to the infant state of the church. Two things are deserving of notice—first, that this feast was distinguished by a greater amount and variety of ssicri flees than any other—partly because, occurring at the end of the year, it might be intended to supply any past deficiencies —partly becjiuse, being Immediatelj' after tiie ingathering of the fruits, it ought to be a liberal acknowledgment —and partly, perhaps, because God consulted the weakness of mankind, wlio naturally grow weary both of the charge and labour of such .services when they are long continued and maile them every day less toilsome and expensive. [Patrick.] Secondly, it will be remarked, that the sacrifices varied in a progressive ratio of decrease every day. after the manner—according to the ritual order appointed by Divine authority—that for meat offerings (v. :}-10/, and drink offerings. 'Seeon ch.2«. 7, 11.) 3.540. on the elf^htJi day ye shall have a solemn (uisembly —The feast of tabernacles was lirought to a close on the eighth day, which was the great djiy. (Joel 7. .'17.) Besides the common routine sacrifices, there were special oll'erIngs appointed for that day, though these were fewer than on any of the preceding days; and there were also, as was natural on that occasion, when vast multitudes were convened for a solemn religious purpose, many spontaneous Rifts and services, so that there was full scope for the exercise of a devout spirit In the people, both for their obe-
20 ; 89. 31.) But as it would frequently happen that parties would vow to do things, which were neither good in themselves nor in their power to perform, the law ordained that their natural superiors should have the right ofjudging as to the propriety of those vows, with discretionary power to sanction or interdict their fulfilment. Parents were to determine in the case of their children, and husbands in that of their wives;—being, however, allowed only a day for delibei-.ation after the matter became known to them, and their judgment, if unfavourable, released the devotee from all obligation. 3. If a woman also vow a vow unto tike Lord, and bind lierself by a bond, being in her fatiier's Iiouse in Iier youth—Girls only are specified; but minors of the other .sex, who resided under the parental roof, were included, accoi'ding to Jew-
Isli writers, who also consider the name "father" as comprehending all guardians of youth, and tell us that the age at which young people were deemed capable of vowing, was 13 for boys, and 12 for girls. The judgment of a father or guardian on the vow of any under his cliarge might be given either byan expressed approval, or by silence, which was to be construed as approval. But in the case of a husband—who, after silence from day to day, sliould ultimately disapprove or hinder his wife's vow, the sin of non-perfornfiaiice was to be imputed to him and not to her. 9. Every vow of a widow—In the case of a married woman, who, in tlie event of a separation from her husband, or of liis death, returned, as was not nncommoii, to her father's house, a doubt miglit have been entertained whether she was not, as before, subject to paternal jurisdiction, and obliged to act witli tlie jiaternal consent. The law cirdaiiied that the vow was binding,
if it had been made in her husband's lifetime, and he, on being made aware of it, had not interposed his veto; as,
for instance, she might have vowed, when not a widow, that slie would assign a proportion of licr income to pious
llo
TAe Midicnites Spoiled, NUMBERS XXXI. and Balaam Slain.
and charitable uses, of which she might repent when actually a widow; but by this statute she was required to
counsel; or, lear ling in his own country that the Israel-
ites had fallen into the snare which he had laid, and which he doubted not would lead to their ruin, he had, under the impulse of insatiable greed, returned to demaud his reward from the Midianites. He was an object of merited vengeance. In the immense slaugliter of th€ Midianitish people—in the capture of their women, children, and property—and in the destruction of all tljeii places of refuge—the severity of a righteous God fell heavily on that base and corrupt race. But, more than
fulfil the obligation, provided her circumstances enabled her to redeem the pledge. The rules laid down must have been exceedingly useful for the prevention or cancelling of rash vows, as well as for giving a proper sanction to such as were legitimate in their nature, and made in a devout, reflecting spirit.