Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition)
Moses Numbering the Men of War. NUMBERS I. The Leiiles Exempted.
beasts—These, in the case of clean beasts, boing consecrated to God by a universal and standing iaw (Exodus cient usage. (Genesis 11.20; 28.22.) The whole produce of the land was subjected to the tithe tribute—it was a yearly rent which the Israelites, as tenants, paid to God, the owner of tlie land, and a thank ottering they rendered to Him for the bounties of His providence. (See Proverbs 3. 9; 1 Corinthians 9. 11 ; Galatians 6. 0.) 33. "Wn»atsoever passeth under the rod, &c.—This alludes to the mode of taking the tithe of cattle, wliicli were made to pass singly througli a narrow gateway, where a person with a rod, dipped in ochre, stood, and counting them, marked the back of every tenth best, wliether male or female, sound or unsound. 34. Tliese are the coinniaiidments, &c.—Tlie laws contained in this book, for the most part ceremonial, had an important spiritual bearing, the study of which is highly Instructive. (Romans 10. -1; Hebrews 4.2; 12.18.) They imposed a burdensome yoke (Acts 15.10), but yet in the infantine age of"the Clinrch formed the necessary discipline of "a schoolmaster to Christ."
13.12; 3-1. 19), could not be devoted; and in that of unclean beasts, were subject to the rule mentioned (r. 11, 12). 28, 89. No devoted tiling that a man sliall devote unto the Lord of all tliat lie liath, shall be sold or redeemed —This relates to vows of the most solemn kind—tlie devotee accompanying his vow with a solemn Imprecation on himself not to fail in accomplishing his declared purpose, shall surely be put to death—Tliis announcement Imported not that tlie person was to be sacrificed or doomed to a violent death ; but only tliat lie sliould remain till death unalterably in the devoted condition. The preceding regulations were evidently designed to prevent rashness in vowing (Ecclesiastes 5. 4), and to encourage serious and considerate reflection in all matters between God and the soul. (I-uke 21. 4.) 30-33. All the tltlie of the land, whether of the seed of the land This law gave the sanction of Divine authority to an an-
THE FOURTH BOOK OF MOSES, CALLED
NUMBERS. CHAPTER I.
there were twelve chiefs appointed to assist in taking tho census of the people. 5. These are the names of the men that shall stand with you, &c.—Each is designated by adding tlie name of the ancestors of his tribe, the people of which were called "Beni-Reul)en, Beni-Levi," sons of Ueuben, sons of Levi, according to the custom of the Arabs still, as well as other nations which are divided into elans, as the Maes of Scotland, the Aps of Wales, and and the O's and the Fitz's of Ireland. [Ch.m.mf.rs.] litis. These were the renowne«l—i(7., the call{"d of the congregation, summoned by name ; and tliey entered upon the survey the very day tlie order was given, by their polls —individually, one by one. 19. As the Lord eoinmauded Bloses, etc.—The numbering of tlie people was not an act siiilul In itself, as Moses did it by Divine appointment; but David incurred guilt by doing it without the authority of God. (See on 2 Samuel 21. 10.) aO-4 4. These are those that were numbered—In this legistration tlie tribe of Judah apjiears the most numerous; an<l accordingly, as the pre-eminence had been assigned toil
Ver. 1-54. Mosks Numbering the Men of War. 1. On the first day of the second month, &c.—Thirteen months bad elapsed since the exodus. About one month had been occupied in tlie journey; and the rest of the period had been passed in encan\pment amongst tlic recesses of Binni, where the transactions took place, and the laws, religious and civil, were promulgated, whicli are contained In tlie two preceding books. As tlie tabernacle was erected on the first day of the first month, and the order here mentioned was given on the first day of the second, some think the laws in Leviticus were all given in one month. The Israelites having been formed into a separate nation, under the special government of God as th'itr King, it was necessary, before resuming their march towards the promised land, to put them into good order. And accordingly Moses was commissioned, along witli Aaron, to take a census of the people. This census was Incirlont illy noticed (Exodus 38. 2<i), In reference to the poll-lax tor the works of the tabernacle; but it is here uescri Vied in detail, in order to show the relative increase and military strength of the different tribes. The enumeration was confined to those cap.able of bearing arms, and b,v .Jacob, it got the precedence In all tho encampments of Israel. Of the two half tribes of .Joseph, who Is seen to V)e "a fruitful bough," that of ICphraim was the larger, as had been predicted. The relative Increase of all, as in the two just mentioned, was owing to the special blessing of God, conformably to the prophetic declaration of the dying patrlanOi. Hut the Divine blessing is usually conveyed through the Intliience of secondary causes; and therein reason to beli(-ve that the relative populonsness of the tribes would, under God, depend upon the pi'oductlveiH'ss of tlie respectivt localities assigned to lliem. 4.'>, 4«. AH they that were numbered were six hundred thousand, Ac.—What an astonishing Increase from sevi Mily-fivc persons who went down to lOgypt about 215 years belbre, and who were subjected to the greatest privations and liardships! And yet this enumeration was restricted to men from 20 years and upwards. Including women, children,
It was to be made with a careful distinction of the tribe, family, and houscholil to whU'li every individual belonged. By this rule of summation many important advantages were secured—an exact genealogical register was Cormed—the relative strength of each tribe was ascertained, and the reason found for arranging the order of precedence In march as well as disposing the dlU'ereut tribes In camp around the tabernacle. The promise of God to Abraham was seen to be fulfilled In the extraordinary increase of his posterity, and provision made for tra<-iiig the regular descent of the; Messiah. .3. Aaron hall number them by their armies—or companies. In their departure frf>ni Egypt they were divided Into five grand coinpnnles (Exodus 13. 18), but from the r.ojourii In the wilderness to the jiassnge of the .Jordan they were formed into four greatdivisions. The latter is here reaiKl old men, together with the licvltes, the whole iiopulatlon of Israel, on the ordinary principles of coiui)Utaferred to. 4-10. With you there sliall be a man of every tribe, Ac—The social condition of the Isruelltes In tlon, amounted to about 2,100,000. 47-54. ITut the l,evltes were not numbered amon Ihi-m—Tlu\v wero obliged to keep a register of their own. The.v were conth(! wl Meriicss bore a close resemblance to that of the nomad tribes of the East In the present day. The head of the tribe was a hereditary dignity, vested In the eldest eon or some other to whom the right of primogeniture was tiaiislerred, and under whom were other Inferior heads, also lieredltary, among the dlll'erent branches of sccrateil to the priestly ofllce, which In all countries lias l>een exempted customarily, and In Israel h,v the express authority of (lOd, frcnn military service. Tlio custody of the things devotiMl to the Divine service was assignee! to them HO exclusively, that " no stranger "—>. r., no pi rson, not even an Israelite of any other tribe, was allowed, lue 1 rlb(!. The Israelites being divided Into twelve tribes, l»4