Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition) (continued)
The Rebellious are Smitten. NIJMBERS XV, The Law of Sundry Offeringt.
parted" from them, is, that the favour of God was now lost to those whose iniquities were full (Genesis 15. 16), and transferred to the Israelites. 10. The glory of the Lord appeared—It was seasonably manifested on this great emergency to rescue His ambassadors from their perilous situation. 11. The Lord said, ... I will smite them •with the x>estileiice—Not a final decree, but a threatening, suspended, as appeared from the issue, on the intercession of Moses, and the repentance of Israel. 17. Let the power of my Lord he great—be magnified. 21. All the eartli shall be filled tt ith the glory of tlie Lord This promise, in its full acceptation, remains to be veri-
The Amalekites and Canaanites, who had been lying In ambuscade expecting their movement, ruslied down upon them from the heights, and became the instruments of punisliing their guilty rebellion, even unto Hormah— The name wis afterwards given to that place in memory of the immense slaughter of the Israelites on this occasion.
CHAPTER XV.
Ver. 1-41. The Law OF Sundry OrFEKiNGS. 1,3. The Lord spake unto Moses, saying. Speak unto tlie children of Israel—Some infer from i'. 23, that the date of this communication must be fixed towards the close of the wanderings in the wilderness; and, also, that all the sacrifices prescribed in the law were to be offered only after the settlement In Canaan. 3. Make an offering by fire unto the Lord, a burnt oifering—It is evident that a peace offering is referred to, because this term is frequently used in suoh a sense (Exodus 18.12; Leviticus 17.
fied by the eventual and universal prevalence of Christianity in the world. But the terms were used restrictlvely in I'espect to the occasion, to the report which would spread over all the land of the " terrible things iu righteousness" which God would do in the infliction of the doom described, to which that rebellious race was now consigned, ten times— very frequently. my servant Caleb—Joshua was also excepted, but he is not named, because he was no longer in the ranks of the peo-
5). 4. tenth deal— i. e., an omer, the tenth part of an ephah (Exodus 16. 30). Fourth part of an hin of oil This element shows it to have been different from such meat offerings as were made by themselves, and not merely accompaniments of other sacrifices. 6-12. two tenth ileals—Tlie quantity of flour was increased, because the sacrifice was of superior value to the former. The accessory sacrifices were always increased in proportion to the greater worth and magnitude of its principal. 13-16. a stranger—one wlio had become a proselyte. There was not any of the national privileges of the Israelites, with hardly an exception, in which the Genple, being a constant attendant on JIoscs. 24. because lie had another spirit, and hath follo Aved me fully— under the influence of God's Spirit, was a man of bold, generous, heroic courage, above worldly anxieties and fears. 25. Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwelt in the valley i. c, on the other side of the I<lumean mountain, at whose base they were then encamped. Those nomad tribes had at that time occupied it with a determination to oppose the further progress of the Hebrew people. Hence the command to seek a safe and timely retreat into the desert, to escape the pursuitof those resolute enemies, to whom, with their wives and children, they would fall a helpless prey, because they had forfeited the presence and protection of God. The 2oth verse forms an important part of the narrative, and should be freed from the parenthetical form which our English translators have given it. 30. Save Caleb and Josliisa—These are specially mentioned, as honourable exceptions to the rest of the scouts, and also as the future leaders of the people. But it appears that some of the old generation did not Join in the mutinous murmuring, including in that number the whole order of the priests. (Joshua U. 1.) 34. ye shall know my breacli of promise i. c, that in consecjuence of your violation of tlie covenant betwixt you and me, by breaking the terms of it, it sliall be null and void on my part, as 1 shall withhold the blessings I promised in th.at covenant to confer on you on condition of your obedience. 3G-38. the men that tlld bring \ip the evil report upon the land, died by tlie plague before tl>c Lord—Ten of the spies were struck dead on the spot—either by the pestilence, or some other judgment —tlie great and appalling mortality occasioned by which cleaily betokened the hand of tlie Lord. 40-4,5. TSiey rose up early In tlie moriiiiig, and gat them to the top of tlie mountain—Nolwitlistanding tlie tidings that .Moses co Mimunieuted, and wliieh difl'iised a general feeling of melancholy and grief througliout the camp, the impression was of very brl<'f continuance. They rushed from one extreme of rashness and perversity to another, and the obstinacy of their rebellious spirit was evinced by their active preparations to ascend tlie hill, notwithstanding the Divine warning they had r<!celve<l not to undertake tliat enterprise, for we have sinned— i. />., sensible of our sin, we now repent of it, and are eager to do as Caleb and Joshna exhorted us—or, as some rendin' It, tile stranger might not, on conforming to certain conditions, fully participate. 19. when ye eat of the bread of the land, ye shall offer np an lieave oltering—The offering prescribed was to precede the act of eating, unto the LoTtl i.e., the priests of the Lord. (E/.ekiel -11. 30.) 20. heave oifering of the threshing-floor— meaning the corn on the tlireshing-fioor— i. e., after harvest, so shall ye heave It— to the priests accompanying the ceremony with the same rites. 22. if ye liavc erred and not observed all these commandments, &c.—respecting the performance of Divine worship, and the rites and ceremonies that constitute the holy service. The law relates only to any omission, and consequently is quite different from t?iat laid down in Leviticus 4. i;>, wliicli implies a transgression or positive neglect of some observances requireil. Tliis law relates to private parties, or individual tribes; ttnno the whole congregation of Isra<'l. 24-36. If nnght be committe<l by Ignorance—The 5Iosaic ritual was complicated, and the ceremonies to bo gone through in the various instances of purification which are specified, would expose a worshipper, through ignorance, to the risk of omitting or neglecting some of them. This law includes the stranger in the number of those for whom the sacrifice was offered for the sin of general ignorance. 37-21). If any soul sin through ignorano—Not only In common with the general body of the ieople, but his personal sins were to be ex])iated in the same manner. 30. the soul that doeth aught presumpitnously—Heh. with an lii<)h or iipli/ted tuind— i.i'., knowingly, wilfully, obstinately. In this sense the phraseology occurs. ( F.xodus 14. 8; TiCvitlcus 20. 21 ; Psalm
10. 1.'!.) the same reproaclieth the Lord—sets Him at open di'tliiiicc, and dishonours His majesty. 31. his Inl<iul(y shall be upon him—i.e., the punishment of his sins shall fall on himself Individually; no gutltshullbo incurred by the nation, unless there bi' a criminal carelessness In overlooking the odence. 33-.'}4. a mnn that gadiei-ed stIrUs upon the aabbatli-ilay—Tli is i iiclili ii t ttioiir/h we have sinned, we trust God will yet give us the land of promise. The entreaties of their iiriulent and pious leader, wiio re present (>d to them tliat t heir enemies, scaling tli(! ot h<'r siih'of the valley, would post ( liemsi'l vi's on the topof the hill before them, werodisregarded. How strangely i)erv(?rse the conduct of the Israelites, who, shortly before, weVe afraid that, though their Almlglity King was willi them, tliey could not get ))osses Klon of the land; and yet now they act still more foolishly in su])- poslng tliat, though God were* not with tliein, they could expel the inhabitants l>y their unaided eflbrts. The conequencos were .such as iiilglit have been aiitlcijiated. 106
Is evidently narrated as an Instanceof ))resuniptuoussiii. The mere gathering of sticks was not a sinful act, and might be necessary for fuel to warm hlni, or to niuUe ready his food. But Its being done on the sabliath altered the entire character of the action. The law of the sabbath being a jilaiu and pos't'vo eommandnient, this ti Mnsgression of It was a known and wilful sin, and U was marked by several aggravations. For the deed was done with unblushing boldness In broad daylight, In opeu
The Ecbdlion of Koi ah, NUMBERS XVI. DalhdV; ana Abiram, cover their lost rights of prlmogoniture. \Vl;eii tlie conspiracy was ripe, they openly and boliUy declared its obdefiance of the Divine aiitliority—In flagrant inconsistency with his religious connection witli Israel, as the covenant people ot God; and it was an application to Impioper purposes of time, whicli God had consecrated ject, and at the head of 250 princes, charged Moses with an ambitiousand unwarrantable usuri)ati()n ol authority, especially in tlie appropriation of the pricslhood, for they disputed the claim of Aaron also to pre-eminence. 3. They gathered tliemselves together against Moses and against Aaron—The assenrblage seems to liave been composed of the whole band of conspirators; .and they grounded their complaint on the fact tliat the vvliole people being separated to the divine service (Exodus 1!). (ij, were equally qualified to present oft'erings on the altar, and that God being graciously present among them by the tabernacle and the cloud, evinced his readiness to receive sacto h , mself and the solemn duties of religion. The olfender wa/t brought before llie rulers, who, on hearing the painful report, were at a loss to determine what ought to be done. That they should have felt any embarrassment in such a case may seem surprising, in the face of the sabbath law. (Exodus 31. 14.) Their difficulty jiroljably arose from this being the first public offence of the kind which had occurred; and the appeal might be made to remove all ground of complaint—to produce a more striking effect, and that the fate of tills criminal might be a beacon to warn all Israelites in future. 35, ."JG. The Lord rifices from the hand of any otliers as well as from theirs. 4. When Moses heard it he fell upon his faee—This attitude of prostration indicated not only his huiiibie and earnest desire that God would interpose to free him from the false and odious imputation, but his strong sense of the daring sin involved in this proceeding. Wliatever gala, Tlie man sliall surely be put to de.itli—Tlie Lord was king, as well as God of Israel, and the ofl'ence being a violation of the law of the realm, the Sovereign Judge gave orders that this man should be put to death, and, moreover.requiredtliewliole congregation to unite in exefeelings may be entertained respecting Aaron, who had formerly headed a sedition himself, it is impossible not to sympathize with Mo.ses in this difficult emergency. But he was a devout man, and the prudential course he adopted was probably the dictate of that heavenly wisdom witli wliich, in ansv/er to his prajers, lie was endowed. 5-11. He spake nnto Korah and all iiis company—They were first addressed, not only because being a party headed by his own cousin, Moses miglit hope to have more influence in that quarter, but because they were stationed near the tabernacle, and especially because an expostulation was the more weighty coming from him who was a Levite himself, and wlio was excluded along with his family from the priesthood. But cuting the fatal sentence. 38, bid them that tbey make friitges in the bor<ler of their garments—These were narrow strips, in a wiiig-lilie form, wrapped over the shoulders, and on various parts of the attire. " Fringe," however, is the English rendering of two distinct Heltrew words—the one meaning a narrow lappet or edging, called the "hem or bolder" (Matthew 2!. 5; Luke 8. 44), M'hich, in order to make it more attractive to the eye, and consequently more serviceal)le to t!ie purpose desia-ibed, was covered with a riband of blue orrather purple colour; the other term signifies strings with tassels at the end, fastened to the corners of the garment. Both of these are seen on the Egyptian and Assyrian frocks; and as the Jewish people were commanded by express and repeated ordinances to have them, the fashion was rendered subservient, in their case, to awaken high and to bring the matter to an issue, he proposed a test wliich would aft'ord a decisive evidence of tlie divine appointment. E-ven to-morrow lit., "in the morning," the usual time of meeting in the East lor the settlement of public affairs, the Lord will show wIio are his, . . , even him whom he hath chosen will lie cause to come near unto him— i. e., will bear attestation to his ministry by some visible or miraculous token of his ajiproval.
religious .associations—to keep them in habitual remembrance of the Divine commandments. 41. I am the Liord yonr God—The import of this solemn conclusion
Is, that though he was displeased with them for their frequent rebellions, for wliich tliey would be doomed to forty years' wanderings. He would not aliandon them, but continue His divine protection and care of them till they were brought into the land of promise.
G. take your censers, Koi-ah, and all his company, iSc. i. e., since you aspire to the priesthood, then go, perform the highest function of the oflice—that of offering incense; and if you are accepted—well. How magnanimous the conduct of Moses, who was now as willing that God's people should be priests, as formerly tliat they should be prophets. (Ch. H. 29.) But he warned them that they were making a perilous experiment. 1^-14. Moses sent to call Dathan anil Abiram—in a separate interview, the ground of their mutiny being ditterent; for wliile Korah murmured against the exclusive appropriation of the priesthood to Aaron and his family, they were opposed to the supremacy of Moses in civil power. They refused to obey the summons ; and their refusal was grounded on the plausible pretext that their stay in the desert was prolonged for some secret and seltisli jMirposes of the leader, who was conducting them like blind men wherever it suited him. 15. Moses was very wroth Tliough the meekest of all men, he could not restrain his
CHAPTER XVI.
Ver. 1-30. The Rebellion of Korah. 1, 3. Now Korah, the son of Iilinr—Izhar, brother of Amram (Exodus 6. 18), was the second son of Kohath, and for some reason unrecorded he had been supplanted by a descendant of the fourth son of Kohath, who was appointed prince or chief of the Kohathites. (Oh. 3. 30.) Discontent with the preferment over him of a younger relative was probably the originating cause of this seditious movement on the part of Korah. Datl>an, Abiram, and On—These were confederate leaders in tlie rebellion, but On seems to have afterwards withdrawn from tlie conspiracy. Took men—The latter mentioned individuals being all sons of Reuben, the eldest of Jacob's family, had been stimulated to this Insurrection on the pretext that Moses had, by an arbitrary arrangement, taken away the right of primogeniture, which had vested the hereditary dignity of the priesthood In the first-born of evei'y family, witli a view of transferring the hereditary exercise of the sacred functions to a particular branch of his own house; and that this gross Instance of partial it,y to his own relations, to the permanent detriment of others, was a suflicient ground for refusing allegiance to his government. In addition to this grievance, another cause of jealousy and dissatisfaction that rankled In the breasts of the Reubenindignation at these unjust and groundless charges; and the highly-excited state of his feeling was evinced by the utterance of a brief exclamation in the mixed form of a prayer and an Impassioned assertion of his integrity.
(Cf. 1 .Samuel 12. 3.) And said toito the Lord, Resiiect not their oflfering—He calls it their offering, because, though
It was to be offered by Korah and his Levitical associates, it was the united appeal of all the mutineers for deciding the contested claims of Moses and Aaron. lG-18. Moses said unto Korah, Be tliou and all thy company bcforn tine Lord i. e., at " the door of the tabernacle " (v. IS), that the assembled people might witness the experiment, and be properly imjiressed by the issue, two hundred and llfly censers—probably the small platters, common la Egyptian families, where incense was oflered to household deities, and which had been among the precious things borrowed at their departure. 'M, '41. The Lord spaka
Ites was the advancement of Judah to the leadership amongst the tribes. These malcontents had been incited by the artful representations of Korah (Jude 11), with whom the position of their camp on the south side afforded them facilities of frequent .ntercourse, and who, Jn addition to his feeling of per»onai wrongs, participated In their desire, if he did not originate the alteii/pt, to re-
AmorCs Rod Fkturisheth. xmiBERs XYir, xvrir. The Priests' Portion.
name would have opened'a door of controversy among tha Levites ; and as there was to be one rod only for the head of each tribe, the express appointment of a rod for Aaron determined him to be the liead of that tribe, as well na that branch or family of tlie tribe to which the priestly dignity should belong. These rods were to be laid in the tabernacle close to the ark (cf. v. 10 and Hebrev.'S 9. 4), where a divine token was promised that would for all time terminate the dispute. 6, the rod of Aaron was among tlifir rods—cither one of the twelve, or, as many suppose, a thirteenth in the midst. (Hebrews 9. 4.) The rods were of dry sticks or wands, probably old, as transmitted from one head of the family to a succeeding. 8. Moses went into the tabernacle—being privileged to do so on this occasion liy the special command of God; and he there beheld the remarkable spectacle of Aaron's rod which, according to Josepliiis, was a stick of an almond tree, bearing fruit in three dif Terent stages at once—buds, blossoms, and fruit. 10. Bring Aaron's rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against tlie rebels —For if, after all admonitions and judgments, seconded by miracles, the people should still rebel, thejwould certainly pay tlie penalty by death. I'Z, 13. Behold we die, we perish—An exclamation of fear, both from the rememljrance of former judgments, and the apprehension of future relapses into murmuring, cometh any thing near i.e., nearer than he ought to do; an error into which many may fall. "Will the stern justice of God overtake every slight offence? We shall all bo destroyed. Some, however, regard this exclamation as the symptom of a new discontent, rather than the indication of a reverential and submissive spirit. Let us fear and sin not.
nnto Moses and Aaron, sayiiis;, Sennratp yonrsclvos from nmoiif; tills congregation—Curiosity to witness the exciting spectacle attracted a vast concourse of tlie people, and it would seem thai the popular minil liad Deeu incited to evil by tlie clamours of the mutineers against Moses and Aaron. There was something in tlicir heliaviour very of Tensive to God; for after }Iis glory had oppeared—as at the installation of Anion (Leviticus !l. 28), so now for his confirmation in the sacred office—He bade Moses and Aaron withdraw from the assembly "that He might consume them in a moment." Tliey fell npon tlieir faces, and said, O God, tlie God of t!ie spirits of all flesli—The benevolent importunity of their prayer was the more remarkable that the intercession was made for their enemies. 24-36. Speak nnto the congregation,. . Get yoti up from tlic taliernacle—Moses was attended in the execution of this mission by the elders. The united and urgent entreaties of so many dignified personages produced thedesired effect of convincing tlie people of tlreir crime, and of withdrawing them from the company of men who were doomed to destruction, lest, being partakers of their sins, tliey.should perish along with them. 37. tlie tabernacle of Korali, Dathan, and A.birani—Korah being a Koliathite, his tent could not have been in the Reubenite camp, and it does not ajipear that he himself was on tlie spot where Uatlian and Abiram stood with their families. Their altitude of defiance Indicated their daring and impenitent character, equally regardless of God and man. aS-Sl. Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to do all these -ivorks—The awful catastrophe of the earthiiuake which, as predicted by Moses, swallowed up those impious rebels in a living tomb, gave the divine attestation to the mission of Moses, and struck the spectators witli Bolemn awe. 35. there came out a tire from the Lord
CHAPTER XVIII.
t. e., from the cloud—This seems to describe the drst ruction of Korah and those Levites who with him aspired to the functions of the priesthood. fSee on ch. 2(). 11,").S; IC'hroni-
Ver. 1-7. The Charge of the Priests and Levites.
1. Tlie Lord said unto Aaron, Thou, and tJiy sons, and thy father's house with thee, shall bear the ini<iuity of the. sanctuary—.Security is liere given to the people from the fears expressed (ch. 17. 12), by the responsibility of attending to all sacred things being devolved upon the priesthood, together with the penalties incurred through neglect; and thus the solenin responsibilities annexed to their high dignity, of having to answer not only for their own sins, but also for the sins of tlie people, were calculated in a great measure to remove all feeling of envy at the elevation of Aaron's family, when the honour was weighed in the balance with its liurdens and dangers.
eles 6. 22. 37.) 37-39. Spealc unto Eleazar—He was selected last the high priest might contract defilement from goi ng a mong the dead carcasses, the braxen censers made broad plates to be a memorial—The altar of bvinit olt'er Ings, being made of wood, and covered with brass, this additional covering of broad plates not only rendered it doubly secure against the fire, but served as n, warningbeacon to deter all from future invasions of the priesthood. 41. The children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying. Ye have killcxl (lie people of the Lord—What a strange exhibition of popular prejudice and passion—to blame the leaders for saving the rebels! Yet Moses and Aaron interceded for the people—the high priest perilling his own life in doing good to that perverse race. 48. he stood between tlie living and the dead—The plague seems to have begun In the extremities of the camp. Aaron, in this remarkable act, was a type of Christ.
SJ-7. thy brethren of the trii)c of Levi—The departments of the sacred ollice, to lie tilled respectively by Ino priests and Levites, are here assigned to each. To the priests were committed the charge of the sanctuary and the altar, while the Levites were to take care of evei>'- tliing else about the tabernacle. The Leviti'S were to attend the priests as servants—bestowed on them as "gilts' to aid in the service of the tabernacle—while the high and dignified office of the priesthood was a " service of gilt." " A stranger," t. e., one, neillu-r a priest nor a Levite, who should Intrude into any departments ot the sacred ottice, should incur the penally of deadi.
CHAPTER XVII.
Ver. 1-13. Aaron's Ron Flouki.siteth. 2. Speak unto the children of Israel—The controversy with Moses and Aaron about the priesthood was of su(^h a nature and magnitude as required a decislv(! and authoritative" settlement. For the removal of all doubts, and the silencing
K-20. The Rr hosts' Portion. S-13. Tlie Lord spaKe nnto Aaron, I have given (lice charge of my heave olt'crings—A recai)itulation is made in this passage of certain perquisites specially appropriated to the maintenance of the priests. They were parts of the votive and freewill offerings, including both meat and bread, wine and oil, and the II isl -fruits, which formed a large and valuable item. 11. every thing devoled In Israel shall be thine—provided it was adapted for food or consumable. of all murmuring in future regarding the holder of the office, a miracle was wrought of a remarkable character and permanent duration, and In the manner of iierform Ing It, all the people were made to have a dinct and special Interest, take every one . . . princes . . . twelve rods—As the princes, being the eldest sons of the chief famil.v, and heads of their tribes, might have advanced the best claims to the priesthood, if that sacred dignity was to be shared among all the trilics, tlicy were therefore selected, and being twelve In number—that of .Joseph being counted only one—Moses was ordered to see that the name of each was Inscribed-a practice borrowed from the Egyptians—upon his rod or wand of ot Hce. The name of Aaron ratlier than of Levi was used, as the latter b,v use ; for the gold and silver vessels that were dedicated as the spoils of victory were not given to the priests, but for the use and adornment of the sacred edifice. 19. II Is a covenant of salt—j. p., a periietnul ordln.ince. This figurative form of expression was evidently founded on the conservative properties of salt, which keejis meat from corruption, and hence It became an emblem of Inviolability and permanence. It is a common phrase among.sl Oriental pi:ople, who consider the eating of salt a picugfc
The Water oj Separation. NUMBERS XIX, XX. Tlie Death of Miriam, of fidelity, binding them in a covenant of friendsliip; and hence the partaling of the altar meats, whicli were appropriated to the priests on condition of tlieir services, and of which salt formed a necessary accompaniment, was naturally called a covenant of salt (Leviticus 2. 13).
the ashes were the same as those employed in the .sprinkling of lepers (Leviticus 14. 4-7). It was a water of separation—'t. e., of "sanctification' for the people of Israel. 7. the priest sliall be nnclean until the even—The ceremonies prescribed show the imperfection of the Levitical priesthood, while tliey tj'pify the condition of Christ when expiating our sins. (2 Corinthians 5. 21.) 11-22. he that toucheth the dead body of any man, sliall be unclean—This law is noticed here to show the uses to which the water of separation was applied. The case of a death is one ; and as in every family which sustained a bereavement the members of the liouseliold became defiled, so in an immense population, wliere instances of mortality and otlier cases of uncleanness would be daily occurring, the water of separation must have been in constant requisition. To afford tlie necessary supply of the cleansing mixture, the Jewish writers say that a red heifer was sacrificed every year, and that the ashes, mingled with the sprinkling ingredients, were di.stributed through all the cities and towns of Israel. 13. he shall purify himself the tliird day—The necessity of applying the water on tlie tliird day is inexplicable on any natural or moral ground; and, therefore, the regulation has been generally supposed to have had a typical reference to the resurrection, on that day, of Clirist, by whom His people are sanctified; while the process of ceremonial purification being extended over seven days, was intended to show that sanctification is progressive and incomplete till the arrival of the eternal Sabbath. Everyone knowingly and presumptuously neglecting to have himself sprinkled witli this water was guilty of an offence which was punished by excommunication. 14. when a man dieth in a tent, ttc.—The instances adduced appear very minute and trivial; but important ends, both of a religious and of a sanitary nature, were promoted by carrying the idea of pollution from contact with dead bodies to so great an extent. While it would effectually prevent that Egyptianized race of Israelites imitating the superstitious custom of the Egyptians, who kept In their houses the mummied remains of their ancestors, it ensured a speedy interment to all, thus not only keeping burial-places at a distance, but removing from tlie habitations of the living the corpses of persons who died from infectious disorders, and from the open
21-:fi. The Levitks' Poktion. 21, 33. I nave given to the cliildreii of Levi all the tentU In Israel for an Inheritance, for their service which they serve—Neitlier the piiests nor the Levites were to possess any allotments of land, but to depend entirely upon Him who liberally provided for them out of His own portion; and this law was sul)servient to many important purposes—such as that, being exempted from the cares and labours of worldly business, they might be exclusively devoted to His service; that a bond of mutual love and attachment might be formed between the people and the Levites, who, as performing religious services for tlie people, derived their subsistence from them ; and further, that being the more easily dispersed among the different tribes, they might be more useful in instructing and directing the people. 23. but the licvltes shall do the service of the congregation ; they sitall bear their iniqnity—They were to be responsible for tlie right discharge of those duties that were assigned to them, and consequently to bear the penalty that was due to negligence or carelessness in the guavdiansliip of the holy things. 36. the I.elt<;a . . . offer a tenth of the tithe—Out of their own they were to pay tithes to tlie priests equally as the people gave to them. The best of tlieir tithes was to be assigned to tlie priests, and afterwards they enjoyed the same liberty to make use of the remainder that other Israelites had of the produce of tlieir thresliing-floors and winepresses. 33. ye sliall bear no sin by reason of it, &c. Neglect in having the best entailed sin in the use of such unjiallowed food, and the holy things would be polluted by the reservation to themselves of what should be offered to God and the priests.
CHAPTER XIX.
Ver. 1-22. The Watbk of Separation. 3. This is the ordinance of the law—An institution of a peculiar nature ordained by law for tlie purification of sin, and provided at the public expense, Ijecause it was for the good of the whole community, speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring thee a red heifer withont spot, &c.—Tliis is the only case in which the colour of the victim is specified; and it has been supposed the ordinance w.as designed in opposition to the superstitious notions of tlie Egyptians. That people never offered a vow but they sacrificed a red bull, tlie greatest care being taken by their priests in examining whether it possessed the requisite characteristics, and it was an annual offering to Typhon, their evil being. By the choice, both of the sex and the colour, provision was made for eradicating from the minds of the Israelites a favourite Egyptian superstition regarding two objects of their animal worship. 3. ye shall give her unto Eleazar, that he may bring her forth withont the camp—He was the second or deputy high priest, and he was selected for this duty iiecause the execution of it entailed temporary defilement, from which tlie acting liigh priest was to be preserved with the greatest care. It was led " forth without the camp," in accordance wi the law regarding victims laden witli tlie sins of the people, and thus typical of Christ (Hebrews Vi. 12; also Leviticus 24.lt). The priest was to sprinkle the blood "seven times" before— field the unburied rem.iins of strangers and foreigners who fell in battle. 21. lie tliat sprinkietli, and he that toucheth tite water of separation, shall be nnclean until even—The opposite effects ascribed to tlie water of separation—of cleansing one person and defiling another —are very singular, and not eapalile of very satisfactory explanation. One important lesson, however, wiis tiius taught, that its purifying efficacy was not inherent iu itself, but arose from the Divine appointment, as in other ordinances of religion, which are effectual means of salvation, not from any virtue in tliem, or in liini that administers them, but solely through the grace of God communicated thereby.
CHAPTER XX.
Ver. 1-29. The Death of Miriam. 1. Then came tlie children of Israel . . . into the desert of Zin in the first month—i. e.. Of the fortieth year (cf. v. 22,2:!, with ch. 33. 38). In this history only the principal and most Important incidents are recorded, those confined cliiofly to the first or second and tlie last years of llie jouruey Ings in the wilderness, thence cjillrd Et-Tih. Between the last verse of the preceding and the first verse of this cliapter there is a long and undescribcd interval of thirtyseven years, tlie people abode In Kndesh—siipjjosed to lit., totvards or near the tabernacle, a description which seems to imply either that he carried a portion of the blood In a bason to the door of the tabernacle (Leviticus
1)6 what is now known as AIn El-Weibeh, tliice springs surrounded by palms. (.See on cli. 13. 2(i.) It was thtir second arrival after an Interval of thirty-einlil years. (Deuteronomy 11. IC.) The old generation had nearly all iMed, anil the new one encamped in it with Un: view of entering the promised land, not, however, as foi nierly on
4. 17), or that in tlie act of sprinkling he turned his face towards the sacred edifice, being disqualitled through the defiling influence of this operation from approaching close to it. By this attitude he Indicated that ho was presenting an expiatory sacrifice, for tlie acceptance of which he hoped, In the grace of Go<l, by looking to the mercyseat. Every part of It was consumed by fire except the blood used In sprinkling, and the ingredients mixed with tlie south, but by crossing the Edomlte region on tlie last. Miriam died there—four mouths before Aaron.