ENGLISH ANNOTATIONS ON DEUTERONOMY

Annotations on the fifth and last book of Moses, called after the manner of the Hebrews, from the first words, Elleh Haddebarim; that is, These are the words. But the name most in use with us is derived from the Greek, Deuteronomy.

CONTENTS

THE ARGUMENT

The word Deuteronomy signifies the second law, it being a repetition of the law, or a second edition of it, with addition of some new laws, and a more clear and copious explication of the old; and the law was declared again, because the generation to whom it was published at Mount Sinai was now dead, and among them Aaron the high priest, for he died in Mount Hor (Num. 20:28), the first day of the fifth month, in the fortieth year after the children of Israel came out of Egypt (Num. 33:38), and in the 123rd year of his age. The same year did Moses write this book of Deuteronomy (except the last chapter, which some ascribe to Ezra, others, more probably, to Joshua, Moses his servant first, and after his successor); and the same year died he also, which was in the 120th year of his age, and in the year of the world 2493, and before the year of Christ 1456 years. This book (not only for the excellency of the laws, and memorable stories comprehended in it, but because also it contained the last words of Moses, uttered a little before his departure out of the world) was so much to be esteemed, that first the king himself was to write a copy of it, and to read in it all the days of his life (chap. 17:18). Secondly, it was for more perpetual memory to be written upon great stones upon the people’s passing over Jordan (chap. 27:3). Thirdly, it was to be solemnly read every seventh year, in the audience of all the people (chap. 31:9, 10, 11).

CHAPTER 1

1:1. {These be the words} Which are partly a repetition of precedent passages, and so might be the conclusion of the book of Numbers; but withal they are such as make a good part of Deuteronomy; and so may have reference to what follows; where he repeats much of that which has been spoken of before, not binding himself to any exact order in observation of places.

{on this side} In the country of Moab, not yet having passed over Jordan into Canaan; and the Israelites or people in Canaan were in this respect said to be beyond Jordan (chap. 3:25), yet ordinarily, when they passed, and were possessed of Canaan, this part where Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh had their portion, was said to be beyond Jordan.

{Jordan} The most famous river of Palestine or Canaan, arising out of two fountains, Jor and Dan (which give the name unto it), at Mount Lebanon in the north end of Canaan, whence it runs all along the country: or, it may be so called from Jarad, to descend, because it descends from the mountain. See on Num. 24:12.

{in the wilderness} Some take this for the champaign country of Moab, some for the wilderness of Arabia, where the Israelites had remained forty years.

1:2. {Eleven days} That was their journey from Horeb or Sinai, to the plains of Moab, which was in measure fifty-one leagues, after four leagues a day, eleven days’ journey, going by Mount Seir, and Kadesh-Barnea. See Annot. on v. 46.

{Horeb} Or, Sinai (for the mountain where the law was first published with terrible solemnity, about forty years before this, was called by both those names).

1:3. {Eleventh month} Called in Hebrew Shebat, answering to part of January, and part of February. See on Gen. 7:11.

1:4. {At Ashtaroth in Edrei} Astaroth and Edrei were two cities of the land of Og (Josh. 13:31), within six miles’ distance one of another, where he might dwell by turns; at this time keeping his court at Astaroth, he went thence to Edrei, and drew his military forces thither to battle (Num. 21:33; Deut. 3:1), at which battle he was slain; so that though he had his dwelling at Astaroth, he had his death at Edrei; wherefore the words [which dwelt at Astaroth], for the clearing of the sense, should be shut up within a parenthesis. See on Josh. 12:4.

1:5. {began} To make this repetition of the law following.

1:7. {Turn you} Take your thoughts from other things, and set them seriously on your progress unto Canaan, and bend your course that way.

{Mount of the Amorites} To Kadesh-Barnea, at the border of the land of Canaan, which city is hard by those hills where the Amorites dwell.

{The River Euphrates} In this verse are set down the bounds of the land of Canaan, east, west, north and south: but in the 34 of Num. the limits thereof are narrower; the reason may be, because there is a distinction betwixt that which was hereditary to the Israelites, as their constant possession, and that which by conquest was added to it, and made tributary; and if they had less than either, the fault was not in God’s failing of his promise, but the people’s breach of covenant with him, whereby he was discharged from his engagement to them. See chap. 19:8, 9. See on Gen. 15:18.

1:9. {Spake unto you} By the counsel of Jethro my father-in-law (Exod. 18:19).

{to bear you} That is, to bear the burden of government of you, and provision for you. See v. 12.

1:15. {Known} Not only wise and worthy men, but so known and reputed by the people.

1:19. {terrible wilderness} By reason of the extreme barrenness, having (for the most part) neither house, nor men, nor beasts, nor birds, nor trees, nor grass, nor wells, no rivers, nor anything necessary for the sustenance of man, but by miraculous supply; and terrible by fiery serpents within it, and a multitude of mighty enemies bordering upon it. See on chap. 8:15.

1:22. {We will send} The motion of sending searchers or surveyors of the land of Canaan proceeded from the people, yet was it approved by Moses, and by their joint consent, and approbation from God, it was put in execution (Num. 14).

1:25. {said, It is a good land} So said Caleb and Joshua (Num. 14:7), whom (though but two) he prefers before the other ten; the better part being rather to be believed than the greater part, who raised a bad report of the land, and as false as it was bad.

1:27. {hated us} How grossly are God’s own people sometimes mistaken? How ungrateful is he requited, when his fatherly discipline of love is received as a demonstration of hatred towards them?

1:28. {up to heaven} So said the false-hearted, and in this, false-worded spies, to discourage the people; otherwise such excess of speech, intending to raise the mind to an extraordinary apprehension of extraordinary things, are figurative hyperboles, not unusual in the Scriptures, and very frequent in human writers, especially poetical. See on Gen. 11:4.

1:29. {Anakims} That is, men of huge stature, of the posterity of Anak the giant. See chap. 2:10.

1:36. {save Caleb} For he was one of the two, who made a survey of the land before; Joshua was the other, but he is not mentioned with Caleb now, because he was advanced to a higher condition than any of the rest, who is therefore afterward mentioned by himself (v. 38).

1:36. {wholly followed} God must not be obeyed or served by halves, but wholly and entirely; and that, as most acceptable to him, so is it most profitable for man.

1:37. {for your sakes} Your murmurings made me sometimes too rash in speaking (Ps. 106:33), and sometimes too slow in believing in the Lord, which moved him to offense against me (Num. 20:12). See Deut. 3:26, and chap. 4:21 and 32:51.

1:40. {turn ye} He does not now turn them back toward the Red Sea, but repeats what he had formerly said unto them (Num. 14:25).

1:42. {I am not among you} Signifying, that man, though he have a courage to fight, has no power to prevail; but when God is at hand to help him; and therefore when there is just cause of war, God is to be sought unto to go forth with the host (Ps. 60:10, 11).

1:44. {as bees do} When they set upon drones, or wasps; or swarm about the ears of those that provoke them (Ps. 118:12), so the Amorites enraged, in great troops pursued you, and with their warlike weapons (as the bees with their stings) made at you, to wound and kill you.

1:45. {would not hearken} Such was your stubbornness when it was well with you, and such your hypocrisy when the rod of correction was upon you, that God showed as little respect to your tears or prayers, as you did to his precepts (Zech. 7:11, 13).

1:46. {Kadesh} A wilderness (Ps. 29:8).

{according to the days} Repeating the words again, he admonishes them to double their thoughts upon their abode in that place where they were many days, yea many years; for though by a right progress it was but eleven days’ journey (v. 2), yet for their sins, they were made to wander there almost thirty-eight years (chap. 2:14), therefore there was just ground to come over the words again, that they might recount the rubs they had in the way, and the reason of so long delays. See Annot. on v. 2.

CHAPTER 2

2:1. {As the LORD spake} Num. 14:25.

{mount Seir} That is, the country of Idumea, which was mountainous; called Idumea, as it were Edomia, from Esau, who was called Edom; and it was called Seir also, the word signifying hairy, as he was. See Annot. on Num. 24:18.

2:3. {Northward} That is, toward the land of promise, which is northward to those that travel out of Egypt.

2:4. {brethren} Num. 20:14.

{shall be afraid} God is able to give, and take away courage as he pleases, by making these Edomites afraid; no doubt he made them give consent to let the Israelites pass by the borders of their country, though they denied their passage through it (Num. 20:21).

{take ye good heed} In the precedent words it is said, they of mount Seir shall be afraid of the Israelites; and here it is said, the Israelites must take heed; a caveat which might seem more pertinent to their adversaries, yet indeed since God had cast a fear upon them, the Israelites of whom they were afraid, ought in fear of God to take heed to the charge he gives of them; and that was, that as the Edomites’ fear was security to the Israelites, that they should receive no hurt from the inhabitants of Mount Seir, so the Israelites upon this prohibition forbearing all violent acts against them, they were more afraid than hurt. For God’s favor to us binds us to show the more obedience to him in whatsoever he commands or forbids (chap. 4:9 and 12:19; Mal. 2:15, 16).

2:5. {because I have given} Not only by my general providence allotting every one his portion, which by the same providence I transfer from one to another at my pleasure; but I give an especial grant for securing his possession at this time against your invasion, though afterwards when his posterity have made up the measure of their iniquity (as Gen. 15:16), they may be expelled out of their possession. See 1 Chron. 18:13.

2:6. {buy meat} They had manna to eat, yet they might eat other meats, when they could get them; but of that they had a certain and constant provision (Exod. 16:16).

2:7. {he knoweth} A figure called Meiosis, whereby more is meant than is expressed; as not only God’s knowing, but his ordering, and governing their walking through the wilderness. See Ps. 1:6.

2:9. {I will not give thee of their land} This is to be understood of the land whereof they were peaceably possessed at that time. See on Num. 21:26; Josh. 13:16. But there was a part of the land of Moab of which a great while ago they were dispossessed by the Amorites, and this land (though in the hands of other lords) was called many times by the old name, the land of Moab; in this was Mount Nebo where Moses died (chap. 34:1, 5).

{children of Lot} The Moabites descended from his incestuous issue, Moab; yet God is so gracious, that for Lot’s sake, who sinned of ignorance, and served God with uprightness, rather than for their own, he gives this order for their peaceable possession. The godly are not forgotten by God, though many years after they be out of memory with men. See v. 19, where there is the like charge given concerning the children of Ammon, where Lot is again mentioned as the root of that stock, on which God set so much favor as extends to the branches stretched out afar off.

{Ar} The chief city of the Moabites (Num. 21:15, 28).

2:10. {Emims} That is, terrible ones: for their tall stature, and tyrannical oppression. Some derive the word from Ema, which in Hebrew signifies terror. Others from Amma, in the same language signifying a cubit, as men of a large cubit: or by their tall stature consisting of many cubits. By the expulsion of these Emims out of their possession, Moses encourages the people to the conquest of Canaan. Gen. 14:5.

2:12. {as Israel did} That is, Esau drove out the Horims, as the Israelites did those people whose land they possessed; to wit, the land of Og and Sihon: whereof see Num. 21:24, and v. 35. Or the words may be read, as Israel shall do: which may be the meaning of the words, as a prophetical speech, spoken (by way of assurance) in the preter tense. See Gen. 14:5. Some conceive this and certain other like passages to have been added here and there to the words of Moses after the conquest of Canaan. See on chap. 3:14 and 34:5.

2:14. {as the LORD sware} He shows hereby, that as God is true in his promises, so his threatenings are not in vain; but are sure to take effect to the confusion of the wicked, as his promises to be performed to the comfort of the godly.

2:19. {children of Lot} See Annot. on v. 9.

2:20. {Zamzummims} That is, boisterous, or presumptuous, or abominable wicked ones, though they called themselves Rephaims, that is, physicians, or preservers; they are called Zuzims (Gen. 14:5).

2:23. {Avims} Josh. 13:3.

{Caphtorims} See on Jer. 47:4.

2:24. {Arnon} Num. 21:13.

2:25. {put the dread} This declares that the hearts of men are in God’s hands, either to be made faint, or bold. See Annot. on v. 4, and Num. 22:3.

2:26. {sent messengers} Num. 21:21.

2:27. {let me pass} Judg. 11:19.

2:29. {children of Esau} Called (after his other name) Edomites; why, albeit they had denied them passage through their land, yet allowed them to coast along their borders, and furnished them with necessaries for their money. So v. 28 compared with this 29 (Num. 20:20, 21).

2:30. {hardened} See Annot. on Exod. 4:21, and on chap. 10:1.

2:33. {we smote him} Chap. 29:7.

2:34. {utterly destroyed} God had cursed Canaan, and therefore he would not that any of his wicked race would be preserved. See chap. 20:16; Lev. 27:28; Job 18:16, 17.

2:35. {only the cattle} Chap. 3:7.

2:36. {God delivered} Though they were so many thousand able warriors, yet the victory is ascribed to the Lord of hosts, and not assumed to themselves (Ps. 44:3).

2:37. {river Jabbok} Near which Jacob wrestled with the angel (Gen. 32:22). It appertained to the possession of the Ammonites (Judg. 11:15).

CHAPTER 3

3:1. {Came out} Therefore besides the commandment of the Lord they had just occasion given on Og’s part to fight against him; and so they did, and the battle with him is set down (Num. 21:33), where are most of the same things that here are mentioned.

{Edrei} See on chap. 1:4.

3:2. {I will deliver} See Annot. on chap. 2:4.

3:2. {Argob} This is another name of the kingdom of Bashan, or a province in that kingdom (1 Kings 4:13).

3:5. {all these cities} No fewer than threescore (v. 4), and Josh. 13:30, which shows that neither number nor power of men can hold out against God.

3:6. {utterly destroyed them} See on chap. 2:34, 35, and 20:16; Lev. 27:28.

3:8. {on this side Jordan} To those who journeyed from Egypt towards Canaan; but those that were in Canaan were said to be beyond Jordan (v. 25). See on chap. 1:1.

{mount Hermon} This is conceived to be the utmost part of Mount Gilead beyond Jordan, joining (as some affirm) Mount Lebanon and Gilead together: this mountain has several names for several parts of it; yea one part of it, to wit, Hermon, has many names (v. 9), and it is called Sirion, and Shenir, and (chap. 4:48) Sion and Hor (Num. 34:7). See Ps. 42:6 and Gen. 31:21.

3:11. {only Og remained} Viz. in that region. In the Hebrew it is, of the stock of Rephaim, which in the time of Abraham possessed the whole country (Gen. 14), for all the race of the giants was not everywhere extinct: as appears by Goliath the giant of Gath (1 Sam. 17:4). See also Num. 13:33 and Josh. 15:14. But in that country, the remnant of the giants or the offspring of Rephaim (who in the time of Abraham possessed that whole land, Gen. 14:5) was with Og utterly rooted out. See on Gen. 6:4.

{bedstead of iron} Belike wood was not strong enough to bear his weight and strength, in stretching and turning himself upon his bed. Some take this repository not for a bed for ordinary sleep, but for a sepulcher, the bed of the sleep of death.

{after the cubit of a man} There were divers sorts of cubits: some were measured from the bending of the arm to the palm where the fingers meet, and these are called our short cubits: some from the bending of the arm to the end of the longest finger; and these were longer and shorter according to the difference of human stature; and when it is said after the cubit of a man, the largest usual measure among artificers is meant, a cubit of a foot and nine inches long; so that this bed was fifteen foot, that is, five yards and nine inches long, and seven foot broad.

{Rabbath} 2 Sam. 12:26; Jer. 49:2.

3:14. {unto this day} Because these words are thought to import a longer continuance of time than the age of Moses; some think they are the words of Ezra, or of some other sacred scribe, who wrote part of the 34th chapter of this book, from the sixth verse, to the end of it: but because the words (v. 13) next before these, and (v. 15) next after, do plainly appear to be the words of Moses, there is no reason to think that these words (unto this day) have any other author but him: and though from the conquest of these places, and the name given to them to the time of Moses his writing of this story (which was at the latter end of his life) there passed not above three or four months, yet might it be said (unto this day): for the words are not simply an affirmative, that the towns were still called so, as by common and ancient custom, but that Jair that took them called them so to this day; and so the continuance is not to be extended beyond his time, which might be no longer than the time of Moses; and yet it was a matter to be noted, that he could take such places from giants, and still continue them in his power and under his name: and by adding (unto this day) Moses both gives a note of assurance of his story, and a motive of courage to the Israelites by the example of Jair to do valiantly, and to set their names on conquered towns and countries, as he had done.

3:15. {Gilead unto Machir} Part of Gilead: for the Reubenites and Gadites therein were partners with him. See v. 12 and Annot. on Num. 32:40. See also 1 Chron. 2:22.

3:17. {Chinnereth} See Num. 34:11.

{salt sea} See Annot. on Num. 34:3.

3:24. {what God} He means not that there are indeed many gods, or any other but the true God; but he speaks with respect to the common and corrupt speech of them, who attribute that power unto idols that only appertains to the true God, and by way of contestation and contempt against false and feigned gods (Ps. 86:8 and 89:8).

3:25. {I pray thee let me go over, and see} God had told Moses he should not go over (Num. 20:12), we must think then that either Moses took the saying of God for no absolute commination, but such a one as was made of Hezekiah’s death (2 Kings 20:1), and of Nineveh’s destruction (Jonah 3:4). Or that he suffered his affections to go too far, in desiring to go further than God would have him; yet this was not of any superstition of the place, in regard of any holiness in the place, from its reference to the ancient patriarchs buried there (as some Popish glosses would have it) but because he longed to see that land so long ago promised to God’s people, as the glory of all lands (Ezek. 20:6), and to see God’s promise fully performed by their actual possession of it, whereof the Israelites so much doubted.

{goodly mountain} Some think it was Mount Moriah, on which the temple was after built, but that was too far off for Moses to see, being 210 furlongs distant from Jordan: Josephus, of the Wars of the Jews, l. 5, c. 4. Or one of the mountains of Bethel, which were higher than it, and nigher to Jordan: but certainly it was some mountain of eminent note, though not here named, unless Lebanon be it, which some affirm, taking the word (and) to be redundant: or (as sometimes it is taken) by way of exposition, as, and Lebanon, for that is to say, Lebanon. See Annot. on v. 8.

{Lebanon} A mountain situate in the north part of the land of Canaan, famous for tall and strong cedars, and other trees, and for odoriferous plants (Ps. 29:5 and 104:16; Isa. 2:13 and 14:8; Cant. 4:11).

3:26. {for your sakes} See on chap. 1:37; Num. 33 and 27:13, 14; Deut. 32:51.

3:27. {thine eyes} As before he saw by the spirit of prophecy the goodly mountain which was Sion, so here his eyes were lifted up above the order of nature to behold all the plentiful land of Canaan; whereof God was much more able to give him a true, full, and clear prospect at once, than the devil could present an apparition from a high mountain of all the kingdoms of the world (Matt. 4:8).

CHAPTER 4

4:1. {To do} For this doctrine stands not in bare knowledge, but (withal) in practice of life (v. 8 and chap. 5:1; Ps. 78:6, 7).

4:2. {shall not add} It is not forbidden to add a comment or exposition to a text, but man must not add anything to God’s Word, either for words or meaning contrary to it; nor as God’s Word, with an intent to make that of divine authority which is but human, as the Papists do by Apocryphal writings and unwritten traditions. See chap. 12:32 and 18:20; Prov. 13:6; Rev. 22:18, 9.

{diminish} By denying any part of it to be of divine authority, or concealing any part of it, either for words, or meaning, or by partial belief of it, or obedience to it. God is not to be believed, obeyed or served in part and by halves, but as he is to be loved, wholly (chap. 6:5).

4:3. {your eyes} God’s judgments executed on some, serve for instruction and caution for others. See Num. 25:3, 4, and Luke 13:5; 1 Cor. 10:6.

{Baal-peor} Baal is a common name of all idols, signifying a lord, because idolaters carry themselves towards them as servants; and Peor is the proper idol of the Moabites and Midianites. See Num. 25:3; Josh. 22:17.

4:4. {cleave to the LORD} Chap. 10:20 and 13:4.

4:6. {wisdom} Because all men naturally desire wisdom, he proposes that as a motive to obedience; and because they generally mistake it, he shows wherein it consists, and how much it excels all human wisdom of what kind or degree soever (2 Tim. 3:15; Job 28:28; Ps. 111:10; Prov. 1:7 and 9:10).

{in the sight} Mal. 3:12.

4:7. {so nigh} So ready at hand both to instruct what to do (v. 36), and to deliver us from undoing, and to manifest his power apparently on our side (2 Sam. 17:23; Josh. 24:19; Ps. 46:1, 2 and 86:5 and 145:18 and 148:14; Lam. 3:57).

4:9. {teach them, etc.} Gen. 18:19; Exod. 10:2; Deut. 6:7 and 11:19; Ps. 78:6.

4:10. {specially the day} Exod. 19:9, 16 and 20:18; Heb. 12:18.

{make them hear} Ps. 51:8.

4:11. {burnt with fire} The law was given with fearful miracles to declare both that God was the author thereof, and also that no flesh was able to abide the rigor of the same (chap. 5:23; Heb. 12:18).

4:12. {no similitude} V. 15.

4:13. {to perform} God joins this condition to his covenant, to wit, the condition of obedience on his people’s part, as of providence, protection, and deliverance on his own part.

{wrote them} Exod. 24:11.

4:14. {Statutes and judgments} The ceremonial and judicial laws. Mal. 4:4; Exod. 21:1.

4:15. {good heed} Signifying that destruction is prepared for all them that make any image to represent God (v. 9).

{no manner of similitude} For he is the invisible God, and has no visible image, whereby a man may make a representation of him (Col. 1:15). See Isa. 40:18 and Acts 17:29.

4:16. {any figure} The image of God cannot be made, nor must the image or figure of any other creature be made by way of resemblance of him, or religious reference unto him (v. 15; Exod. 20:4, 5).

4:19. {driven to worship them} Or compelled by the prevailing of a glorious object over your frail nature and feeble spirits, which can make but weak resistance to strong temptations (chap. 29:26).

{divided} Distributed, or so imparted, that by turn they may be of use, and do service to all the world.

4:20. {iron furnace} That is, a furnace to mollify and melt iron in, which requires an excessive heat. See 1 Kings 8:51. He has delivered you out of most miserable slavery from the iron yoke (Deut. 28:48), which most wrings the neck; from furnace of fire, which most torments the body; wherein he alludes to the servile labor of the Israelites in making and burning of bricks. See Exod. 5:7; Jer. 11:4.

{a people of inheritance} Exod. 19:5; 1 Pet. 2:9.

4:21. {for your sakes} See on chap. 1:37 and 3:26 and 31:2 and 34:4.

4:22. {I must die} Moses’ good affection appears, in that he being deprived of such an excellent possession does not envy them that must enjoy it. And indeed he that is sure of heaven, as Moses was, needs not envy any one for any earthly felicity. See 2 Pet. 1:14, 15.

4:23. {which the LORD thy God hath forbidden thee} Or, as the Lord thy God hath charged thee (Exod. 20:4, 5).

4:24. {a consuming fire} He is a sun and a shield (Ps. 84:11), to warm and defend those that love and fear him; but a fire to burn and consume such as irreverently rush upon him, or rebelliously rise up against him. Chap. 9:3; Heb. 12:29.

4:25. {remained long} Heb. waxed old.

{corrupt yourselves} Corruption is both the mother and the daughter of idolatry: for when the heart is corrupted, it breeds idolatrous affections and fancies; and when idols are made and used, they corrupt the heart and conscience more than before.

4:26. {heaven and earth to witness} By heaven and earth may be meant the intelligent creatures in the one, and on the other; or, if the insensible creatures be meant, the meaning is, that God will bring evidence and witness from them to convince and condemn his people of ingratitude. See Isa. 1:2; Jer. 2:12.

{soon utterly perish} Chap. 7:10; Josh. 22:18; 2 Pet. 2:3.

4:27. {few in number} Heb. men of number. For the Hebrews, when they use the word number absolutely, mean a small number or a few, because the greatest multitudes are of those things which cannot be numbered; as the stars of heaven and dust of the earth, thus is Abraham’s progeny promised a numberless increase (Gen. 13:16 and 15:5).

4:28. {Gods} Not indeed, but in name and opinion of brutish idolaters, though so far short of Divinity, that they have neither reason nor sense. Chap. 28:36, 64; Jer. 16:13.

{if from thence, etc.} Chap. 30:1, 2; Neh. 1:9; Jer. 29:12, 13.

4:29. {all thy heart} Not without word, show, or ceremony, but with a true confession of your faults, and a sincere desire of his favor.

4:32. {one side of heaven} Chap. 30:4; Matt. 24:31.

4:33. {and live} See Annot. on Exod. 33:20.

4:34. {Out of another nation} As he had taken the Israelites from among the Egyptians.

{temptations} Trials of their obedience. Chap. 7:19 and 29:3.

4:35. {That thou mightest know} God wrought these wonders, that he might be known, not only to be God, but the only God, since none could do such works as he had done (chap. 32:39; Isa. 45:5; Mark 12:29, 32).

4:36. {Out of heaven} Exod. 19:9 and 20:18, 22; Neh. 9:13.

{upon the earth} Mount Sinai (Exod. 24:16).

4:37. {brought thee out, etc.} Exod. 13:3.

4:38. {As it is this day} They had already won sixty cities of Og (chap. 3:4), and conquered him, and Sihon king of the Amorites (vv. 46, 47 of this chapter), which conquests were an earnest of further victory over their enemies.

4:40. {that it may go well} God promises not reward for our merits, but to encourage us to obedience, since our labor shall not be lost (chap. 5:16; Eph. 6:3).

4:41. {Severed, etc.} Num. 35:6, 14. See on Josh. 20.

4:42. {Flee thither} Exod. 21:12, 13; Num. 35:15.

4:45. {Testimonies} The articles and points of covenant, whereby God’s mind is testified unto the people in his proposal, and theirs in their acceptance of them. See 1 Kings 2:3.

4:46. {Beth-peor} That is, the house or temple of the idol Peor, the god of the Moabites and Midianites. See Num. 25:3; chap. 3:29.

4:48. {Mount Sion} This is not that mountain, whereon the city of David and the temple were built, but differing from it both in writing and situation, that is written with Tzade, this with Schin, and that was seated westward from Jordan, this eastward. This name of Sirion (chap. 3:9), by contraction. Some conceive this Sion to be meant (Ps. 133:3), that being one of the names of Hermon.

4:49. {Sea of the plain} That is, the Salt Sea, whereof see Annot. on Num. 34:3.

CHAPTER 5

5:1. {All Israel} As chap. 29:10, 11. To speak to so many at once that all might hear, required a very loud and shrill voice.

{do them} Chap. 4:1.

5:3. {made not this Covenant} The word not is not always purely negative: sometimes it is to be taken for not only, or not principally (Gen. 32:28; Matt. 9:13). And so it may be here expounded, the Lord made not the covenant at Horeb only with those who are now dead (at least the most of them), but with them, and their posterity after them, as the promise (Acts 2:39). Or, by Fathers, may be understood the patriarchs, who were before the giving of the law at Horeb, upward unto Adam, with whom there was not such a formal, legal, and particular covenant made, as was with the Israelites at Horeb, though in his substance it were the same; for they were obliged to believe in Christ, and to keep the law to the utmost of their ability, so far as it was revealed unto them. And in many particulars, both moral, as keeping the Sabbath, avoiding idolatry, and ceremonial, as sacrifices, the distinction of clean and unclean beasts, with others, they practiced that which afterwards came under legal precepts (chap. 29:15; Rom. 4:23, 24). See Exod. 33:11.

5:4. {face to face} Not in a visible or sensible form or figure (chap. 4:12), but so plainly, that you need no more to doubt who it was that spoke to you, than of him that talks with you face to face. Exod. 33:11.

5:5. {I stood between} Gal. 3:19; Exod. 19:16, etc., and 20:18.

5:8. {graven image} See on Exod. 20, where the Ten Commandments here repeated are explained.

5:9. {jealous God} That is, of his honor, not permitting it to any others, no more than a generous husband will permit the prostitution of his wife to another man. See Hos. 2:15–20.

{iniquity} In the children eternally, if they live and die in the sins of their fathers; but temporally (if they do not) for their fathers’ sakes; who as they might in their posterity have flourished, so are they in them punished.

5:10. {Love me, and keep, etc.} Love of God, and obedience to God, are linked together, so that the argument is good from the one to the other; as John 14:15.

5:11. {Not hold him guiltless} But so guilty, as that he will severely punish him; for the words are a figurative Liptote or Litotes, whereby more is meant than is expressed (1 Sam. 12:21).

5:13. {six days} Meaning, since God permits six days to our laboring, we ought willingly to dedicate the seventh wholly to his service. Exod. 35:2.

5:14. {stranger} An uncircumcised person shall not be suffered to violate the Sabbath by any public profanation. See Neh. 13.

5:15. {Therefore the LORD} This reason is peculiar to the Jews, the rest (Exod. 20) are general, obliging universally all persons in all ages. Some think, God brought the people out of Egypt on the Sabbath day.

5:16. {Honour} With love, reverence, obedience, assistance and succor, if they shall have need.

5:17. {not kill} All manner of killing is not here forbidden, but that which is done without warrantable cause, and lawful authority. See on Exod. 20:13.

5:18. {Not commit adultery} See on Exod. 20:13.

5:19. {Not steal} See Exod. 20:15.

5:20. {false witness} See Exod. 20:16.

5:21. {neither shalt thou desire} See Annot. on Exod. 20:17.

5:12. {added no more} That is, no more moral precepts, nor any more laws to the people immediately: for the other ordinances were delivered to them by the mediation of Moses. See vv. 30, 31.

5:23. {for the mountain did burn with fire} This is rendered as a reason, not of the darkness, but as a reason of the people’s fear; which was the more, because exceeding thick darkness (v. 22), and bright flaming fire appeared on the mount at the same time; which, as it was more strange, so was it more terrible, as the fire and hail coming together (Exod. 9:24; Ps. 18:12; Deut. 4:11).

5:25. {if we hear} See Annot. on Exod. 20:19.

5:26. {And lived} See Annot. on Exod. 33:20 and chap. 4:33 and Exod. 24:11.

5:28. {well said} Chap. 81:17.

5:29. {O that, etc.} Chap. 32:29; Ps. 81:13; Isa. 48:18; Jer. 44:4; Matt. 23:37.

{Always} Chap. 11:1.

5:31. {by me} In the mountain.

5:32. {to the right} Chap. 2:27 and 17:20 and 28:14; Josh. 1:7; Prov. 4:27. See on Josh. 23:6.

CHAPTER 6

6:1. {Do them} See Annot. on chap. 4:1.

6:2. {fear} A reverend fear of God is the first beginning of obedience to God’s commandments. Eccles. 12:13.

{I command thee} That is, God; for though Moses speaks sometimes of God in the third person, yet he often uses the first, as if God himself spoke; from whom, and in whose name he gives the charge unto the people.

{prolonged} Chap. 5:16 and 22:7; Prov. 3:2; 1 Pet. 3:10.

6:4. {One LORD} One in the substance of the Deity (though three in the persons of the Trinity); and therefore being one Lord to all, he alone is to be worshiped by all in one way and form of worship; and though but one, he must be loved and served with all the heart, soul and might of every man, as in the next verse; and all that is too little for so great and good a God, though it be a great deal more than we can perform. Chap. 4:35; Zech. 14:9; Mark 12:29; John 27:3; 1 Cor. 8:4, 6; Eph. 4:5.

6:5. {with all thine heart} See on chap. 4:29; Gen. 31:6; Matt. 22:37.

6:7. {teach them} Or whet them; that is, sharpen them, so that they may make the deeper impression in the minds and hearts of the hearers. Chap. 4:9; Exod. 13:8; 2 Pet. 1:13.

{talk of them when} Holy discourse is never out of season.

6:8. {frontlets} Which are not (as some expound) to be taken literally, but parabolically, with this meaning, that we should as much remember and mind the law of God, as if it were written in frontlets on the forehead, and bracelets on the arms; yet the Jews, the Pharisees especially, followed the literal sense (Matt. 23:5). See Annot. on Exod. 13:16; Prov. 3:3 and 6:21 and 7:3.

6:9. {Write them} Chap. 11:20. See on Isa. 57:8.

6:10. {Cities, which, etc.} Josh. 24:13; Neh. 9:25; Ps. 105:44.

6:12. {Then beware} Let not wealth and ease cause you to forget God’s mercies, whereby you were delivered out of misery (chap. 8:11; Prov. 30:9).

6:13. {fear the LORD} Matt. 4:10; Luke 4:8.

{swear by} We must fear God, and serve him only, and confess his name, which is done by swearing lawfully (Jer. 4:2). And when swearing is lawful, then to swear by another name than God’s, is unlawful. See Ps. 63:11; Isa. 45:23 and 65:16; Jer. 12:16.

6:16. {tempt the LORD} By making doubt, or trial of his presence, wisdom, power and providence, without warrant from his revealed will; or, by provoking him to wrath by your unbelief and murmurings, as formerly you have done. Matt. 4:7.

6:17. {Diligently} Chap. 11:22; Ps. 119:4.

{Testimonies} His laws by which he has testified his will concerning your obedience unto him.

{Statutes} The same laws ratified by his authority for rules of obedience, with commination of penalty to those that disobey them.

{commanded thee} This verse begins in the plural number, but ends in the singular, that every one should make application of general precepts to himself.

6:18. {sight of the LORD} We must do, not what seems good in our own eyes, but what is good in God’s sight (chap. 12:8, 11, 23).

6:20. {When thy son} Exod. 12:26 and 13:14.

6:21. {mighty hand} Exod. 3:19 and 13:3.

6:23. {brought us} The more we receive of God’s benefits, the more are we bound to obey him. Luke 1:74, 75.

6:24. {For our good} Our conformity to the law of God does him no good (Job 35:7). Though the law be his, the benefit of obedience is ours; and the more constant it is, the more beneficial (Prov. 9:12).

6:25. {Our righteousness} So it should be, if we could exactly keep the law, but because we cannot, we must betake ourselves for refuge to the righteousness of faith (Rom. 10:5, 6), and so be saved, not by our own justice, but by God’s mercy for Christ’s merits, as divers translations render it, He will be merciful unto us (chap. 24:13).

CHAPTER 7

7:1. {Seven Nations} In the 33 of Exodus, v. 2, and Deut. 20:17, six only are named, the Gergashite being omitted; and in the 15 of Gen., v. 19, etc., are named ten: the Hivites omitted, and the Kenites, Kenezites, Kadmonites, and Rephaims added: the reason of which difference may be, that one part of the people might have several names, and several parts of them might be comprehended under one name; or, sometimes general names, sometimes particular might be mentioned.

7:2. {Make no Covenant} Heb. Cut no Covenant. See on Gen. 14:13 and 15:17, 18; Jer. 34:18. No covenant of cohabitation in the same country; much less of marriage, unless they be converts to the true religion. See on Gen. 24:13. See Exod. 14:15, 16; 1 Kings 11:2; Ezra 9:2, 12; Neh. 13:23; Judg. 3:6, 7 and 14:2, 3. Yet both covenants and marriages were made with them sometimes on extraordinary occasions (Josh. 2:14). See chap. 20:10 and on Josh. 6:25 and 9:15.

7:4. {turn away, etc.} 1 Kings 11:2; Neh. 13:26.

7:5. {destroy} God would have his service pure without any pollution of superstition and idolatry (v. 25 and chap. 12:2, 3; Exod. 23:24 and 34:13).

7:7. {fewest} Before God had made a miraculous multiplication of you from those few which were of your posterity of Jacob. See chap. 10:22.

7:8. {loved you} You freely, finding no cause in you more than in others so to do. Chap. 10:15; 1 Sam. 12:22; 2 Sam. 22:20; Ps. 44:3; Zeph. 3:17.

7:9. {To a thousand Generations} Chap. 5:9, 10; Exod. 20:6.

7:10. {to his face} The words are doubled, for assurance that God will so apparently take vengeance of his enemies, so as they shall plainly perceive (as they do a thing set before their face) that he does it for their wickedness, as in that example of the idolaters, and of the lusters after flesh (Num. 11), and of Corah and his company (chap. 16; Exod. 32).

7:12. {mercy} This covenant is grounded upon his free grace: therefore in recompensing the people’s obedience, he has respect to his own mercy, not to their merits. Chap. 28:1; Lev. 26:3.

7:13. {The fruit} By multiplying your posterity, and withholding the mishaps of abortion, and feeble and deformed births. Chap. 28:4.

7:15. {All sicknesses, etc.} Exod. 23:25; Ps. 105:37.

7:16. {No pity} We ought not to be merciful, where God commands severity: for such a mercy to others would prove a cruelty to their own souls that use it.

7:18. {remember, etc.} Ps. 77:11.

7:19. {temptations} The trials of their faith and obedience were very great, and such as required miracles to uphold them from falling from God, and to courage and recover them when they were fallen (chap. 4:34 and 29:3).

{so shall} This is to be referred to the precedent verse, concerning the destruction of Pharaoh and his people, meaning, the Canaanite shall be overcome as well as they were, though not with so many works of wonder.

7:20. {Hornet} The smaller creatures shall be armed against the enemies of God, and of his people, and shall subdue them as well as the greater (Exod. 23:28).

7:21. {among you} Exod. 17:7.

7:22. {lest the beasts} So that it is for your commodity that God accomplishes not his promise so soon as you will.

7:23. {until they be destroyed} That is, destroyed utterly.

7:24. {destroy their name} So as their name shall be buried in oblivion, or, if it be mentioned, it shall be but as the stirring of a sepulcher, which will raise an offensive fume.

7:25. {An abomination} A thing that the Lord does loathe and abhor, as he does all sins, though one sin more than another, idolatry especially. See on chap. 13:14.

7:26. {lest thou be a cursed thing} Josh. 7:1, 12; 2 Macc. 12:40.

CHAPTER 8

8:1. {Observe to do} See Annot. on chap. 4:1.

8:2. {To prove thee} See Annot. on Exod. 16:4; v. 16 of this chapter.

8:3. {but by every word} Not by the ordinary way of provision, wherein man’s providence is exercised only, as in preparing of bread (the principal substance of his table), but in room thereof, either God’s word or command will make a miraculous supply of food, as by quails and manna (Exod. 16), and that without any means at all; his word, that is, his will, made as really and evidently known by his powerful work, as a man’s mind by his word, will support a man’s life: and when a man has meat, it is the virtue of that word, and power of his that nourishes, else it would be more likely to choke than to feed; yea, God’s word of command would soften stones into dough, and make poison to be both meat and medicine. See Matt. 4:4; Luke 4:4; Mark 16:18.

8:4. {thy raiment} Besides the provision of apparel which they had of their own, they were furnished with many suits of several sizes for themselves and their children by borrowing of the Egyptians (Exod. 3:22 and chap. 12:35). These being by a divine power preserved from decay, some conceive the garments of thriving children or young men miraculously grew up with their persons: but it is more like that many of different ages and statures dying, their garments were kept for, and used by, such as succeeded in the same measure; for we must not multiply miracles without necessity; where one is mentioned (as the preserving of clothes without decay), there is no need nor ground for God to make, or man to imagine any more. See chap. 29:5.

8:5. {chasteneth his son} God shows his love as well by afflictions, as by apparent favors; as a man shows love to his son, as well by providing physic for him in his sickness, as food in his health (Heb. 12:6), and his chastening of his children is for their correction and amendment; not as the punishments of the wicked, for their ruin and destruction (2 Sam. 7:14; Ps. 89:32; Prov. 3:11, 12; Rev. 3:19).

8:6. {fear} Chap. 6:2, 13 and 10:12.

8:7. {Bringeth thee, etc.} Chap. 6:10, 11 and 11:10, 12.

8:9. {Stones} That is, store of mines of iron and brass. Chap. 33:25; Job 28:2.

8:10. {shalt bless} To receive God’s blessings and not to be thankful, is to contemn God in them; we must not only conclude our refreshings with thanksgiving, but pray for a blessing before the use of them. See 1 Tim. 4:5; Rom. 14:6.

8:12. {And art full, etc.} Chap. 28:47 and 31:20 and 32:15; Prov. 30:9.

8:14. {lifted up} By ascribing God’s benefits to your own power or care, or skill, boasting as if you had them of yourself without receiving them from God (1 Cor. 4:7), or, as if for some worthiness in you, God had been so bountiful unto you. Hos. 13:6.

8:15. {terrible wilderness} See on chap. 1:19; chap. 32:10; Ps. 136:16; Hos. 13:5.

8:16. {to do thee good} Jer. 24:5; Heb. 12:10, 11.

8:19. {If thou do} The word thou taken distributively in the beginning of this verse, amounts to a collective sense, and is as much as ye in the end of it.

CHAPTER 9

9:1. {This day} Is not precisely to be taken for one of the three hundred sixty-five days in the year, but for a short time near at hand, within this two months: for Moses said this the first day of the eleventh month (chap. 1:3), and the people passed over Jordan the tenth day of the first month (Josh. 4:19).

{possess Nations} So, as not only to have their land for your habitation, but their persons at your disposal, either for slaughter or service (Lev. 25:45, 46).

{up to heaven} He speaks according to the report of the spies. See Annot. on Gen. 11:4. See on chap. 1:28.

9:2. {Heard say} By the report of the spies (Num. 13:28, 33).

9:3. {Consuming fire} Chap. 4:24. His burning indignation will not be quenched, until your enemies be consumed; the heat thereof made their hearts to melt afar off (Josh. 5:1 and chap. 7:5).

{So shalt thou drive} That is, God’s justice having doomed them to destruction, he will give you the power to do execution upon them; yet divers of them were destroyed by hornets (chap. 7:20), without their pursuit or slaughter.

9:4. {in thine heart} Ps. 14:1.

{my righteousness} Vv. 5 and 6; Ezek. 36:22.

9:5. {For the wickedness of these Nations} Gen. 15:16; 1 Tim. 1:9; Lev. 18:25.

{perform the word, etc.} Gen. 12:7 and 13:15 and 15:7 and 17:8, 25:4 and 28:13.

9:6. {stiffnecked} Exod. 32:9, and see Annot. on Exod. 33:3 and on 34:9.

9:8. {in Horeb} By idolatry to the golden calf. Exod. 32:4; Ps. 106:19.

9:9. {neither did eat bread} Moses, the chief minister of the law, fasted forty days and forty nights, at the publication of it (Exod. 24:10). So did Christ before the publication of the Gospel (Matt. 4:2), and Elijah that famous prophet betwixt them both (1 Kings 19:8).

9:10. {finger of God} That is, miraculously, and not by the hand of man. Exod. 8:19; Luke 11:20. See on Exod. 31:18.

9:12. {quickly} V. 16 and Judg. 2:17.

9:13. {stiffnecked} V. 6 and chap. 10:16 and 31:27; 2 Kings 17:14.

9:14. {Let me alone} Signifying that the prayers of the faithful are a bar to stay God’s anger, that he consume not all. See Annot. on Exod. 32:10.

9:16. {I looked} Exod. 32:9.

9:17. {and brake them} See Annot. on Exod. 32:19.

9:18. {forty days and forty nights} Some hence collect that Moses fasted forty days and forty nights, now the second time by occasion of the sin about the golden calf, and some hold a third time (v. 25), but for twice is probable, though not certain, but for the third time it is neither certain nor probable. See Annot. on Exod. 34:28 and on v. 25 of this chapter; Ps. 106:23.

9:20. {to have destroyed him} Whereby he shows what danger they are in that have authority, and resist not wickedness. See 1 Sam. 3:13.

9:21. {your sin} That is, the matter, instrument and object of your sin on which you set your idolatrous conceits, and to which you directed your idolatry (Exod. 22:20).

{into the brook} See Exod. 22:20.

{out of the mount} That is, Horeb, or Sinai.

9:23. {then you rebelled} At the return of the spies (Num. 13:31 and 14:1).

9:25. {As I fell down at the first} These words import only a repetition of a thing that was formerly done, as if it were, as I said before; for he was thrice several times on the mount in the space of forty days; once at the receiving of the law (Exod. 24:18), after that when he interceded for the people (Exod. 32:30, 31), and thirdly, when he received the new tables (Exod. 34:28), of which some conceive that Moses so many times fasted forty days and forty nights; which is not likely: for they that make that allowance of time for fasting and absence from the people, allow too little time (not full three days) for many businesses with the people. Besides, if from the mentions that is made thereof in several places, they will infer so many forty days’ fast, they may as well say Moses fasted four times as thrice, for the like mention is made (chap. 10:10). Thirdly, two of the places belong to the same action, which is for reconciliation after the sin touching the golden calf: which obtained by once fasting forty days, what need was there to do the like again?

9:26. {destroy not, etc.} Exod. 32:11.

9:27. {Remember thy servants} By the authority of God’s promise, and sincerity of those to whom he promised, he strengthens his hope of obtainment of mercy for the people notwithstanding their transgression.

9:28. {was not able, etc.} Exod. 32:12; Num. 14:16.

9:29. {Yet they are thy people} Notwithstanding their gross idolatry, their manifold murmurings, and other rebellions he has not yet given them a bill of divorce, they are yet the people of his covenant, and his visible Church upon earth. Chap. 28:9; Ps. 95:7 and 100:3; Jer. 14:9.

CHAPTER 10

10:1. {Hew thee two} Here precedent passages are repeated without any strict observation of order.

10:2. {an Ark of wood} Of this ark, of what wood it was, and in what manner made, see v. 3 and Exod. 25:10. The order for making the ark was given before the second writing of the law, but it was not made indeed until afterward; as appears by comparison of Exod. 25:10 with Exod. 37:1. See on Exod. 34:1.

10:3. {Shittim wood} Which yields firm and durable timber (Exod. 25:5, 10).

10:4. {he wrote} Exod. 34:28.

10:6. {to Mosera; there Aaron died} He died on mount Hor, which is the place adjacent, or circumjacent, where the Israelites encamped, it is called Moseroth (Num. 33:31). Whither the people came now the second time: for wandering in the wilderness forty years together, it was not strange for them to come again and again to the same place, and so the place from whence they came was varied, which without this consideration may be thought a contradiction. Besides, the places of their encampings had sometimes divers names, as the place here called Beeroth of the children of Jaakan, is called Benejaakan (Num. 33:31). It is likewise to be observed that for avoiding of contradiction we must for come, etc., read had come, etc., for the Hebrews having but one preter tense, it is used sometimes for the preterperfect, sometimes for the preterimperfect, sometimes for the preterpluperfect tense, as in the next verse.

10:7. {Gudgodah} It is called Harhagidgad (Num. 33:32). Comparing this place with the Israelites’ journeying to and fro may be conceived to be, from Hashmonah to Moseroth (Num. 33:30); from Moseroth to Benejaakan (v. 31), or (as here it is called Beeroth of the children of Jaakan; Num. 33:31). And in their return they came from Benejaakan to Moseroth, and from Moseroth to Gudgodah, as it is here. Some endeavor to dissolve the difficulty by laying blame upon the scribe that copied out the place, as if he should have left out somewhat which he found in the text; some by a nice distinguishing of the same name Moseroth and Mosera, applying the former to be the mansion of the Israelites here mentioned, and the latter to be mount Hor, where Aaron died; and some say Moses being less observant of matter of circumstance (as the particular removals from place to place are) than of matter of substance for the main truth of the story, omitted divers particular mansions, and so brings in such places together as in their situation were asunder: but the best answer is, that so mutable and uncertain were the windings of the Israelites in the wilderness, as may appear by the map of Adrichom., Delph. of the desert of Pharan, inter p. 116 & 117, Theat. ter. sanct., that the same place might be terminus a quo, et ad quem, the place whence and whither again and again, according as their turnings and windings, their stay or diversion varied them. And yet there might be more wanderings than he has drawn out in his spotted lines.

10:8. {at that time} Which is not to be taken strictly for the time of the precedent encamping, but with more latitude, for the time while Aaron was priest (Num. 3:6), or, at the time mentioned (v. 5), when Moses brought the new tables from the mount.

{separated} Rom. 1:1.

{to bear the Ark} Which belonged to the tribe in general; yet so that at some special and solemn times, the priests did (as they always might) bear it themselves as they were Levites (Josh. 3:3).

{to stand before, etc.} 2 Chron. 29:11; Jer. 35:19.

{and to bless} Ministering in the tabernacle, and offering of sacrifices belonged to the priests, so did the solemn blessing of the people; yet the other Levites were employed in singing praise to God, while the sacrifices were offered.

10:9. {the LORD is his inheritance} That is, having God for his God in especial manner; as he is God’s portion rather than any of the other tribes, so is God his, and thereupon he has his maintenance out of that which God has set apart for himself, his own allowance out of every tribe wherein the Levites are dispersed, and so the God of Jacob turned their father’s curse (Gen. 49:7) into a blessing. See Annot. on Num. 18:20, 21, etc.; Deut. chap. 18:1; Ezek. 44:28.

10:10. {according to the first time} See Annot. on chap. 9:25.

10:12. {what doth, etc.} Mic. 6:8.

10:13. {for thy good} Prov. 9:12; Jer. 32:39.

10:14. {and the heaven of heavens} By heaven may be meant all the visible heavens; and by heaven of heavens that which excels them all, the third heaven, the place of the blessed. Gen. 14:19; Ps. 115:16. See on 1 Kings 8:27.

{the earth also} Exod. 19:5; Ps. 24:1.

10:15. {had a delight} Chap. 7:7, 8.

10:16. {circumcise} Cast off all your evil affections. Jer. 4:4.

{stiffnecked} See Annot. on chap. 9:13.

10:17. {a God of gods} Above all that are gods in name only: for indeed there is but one God. See Annot. upon Exod. 12:12; 1 Cor. 8:5.

{Lord of lords} Rev. 17:14.

10:19. {Love the stranger} Lev. 19:34.

10:20. {swear by his Name} See Annot. on chap. 6:13.

10:21. {thy praise} That is, the object of your praise, in whom you shall find most matter and cause of praise and glory. See, and he that makes you worthy of praise, and so to be praised (chap. 4:6, 7). See Jer. 17:14.

10:22. {threescore and ten} See Annot. on Gen. chap. 46:27.

{as the stars} See on Gen. 15:5.

CHAPTER 11

11:2. {Which have not seen} Moses addresses his speech not to the younger sort who were born since their fathers departed out of Egypt, but unto those, who then being under twenty years old at that time, and of apprehension then to observe (for those above twenty years were cut off for their murmuring), to these now of the ancienter sort who had seen God’s miraculous deliverance he speaks, who ought rather to be acquainted therewith, than those that had only heard of them, and not seen. See v. 7.

11:4. {red Sea, etc.} Exod. 14:27.

11:5. {and what he did} As well concerning his benefits as his correction.

11:6. {Dathan and Abiram} Korah is not left out, as more innocent than the rest, but the story being fully set down, and the three principal conspirators are particularly named, in other places, which refer to that story, it is sufficient to name any of the three, as Jude 11. Korah only is named, and yet Dathan and Abiram are neither excluded nor excused: and here and Ps. 106:17, Dathan and Abiram are named, and yet Korah is not left out as less guilty, only it may be as he was first named in the first mention of their conspiracy, because he was ringleader to the rest, but because the mention of any one will bring to memory the rest, these two are the rather named together, because they were not only brethren in evil, but brethren also in blood, whereas Korah was of another family. Some say Korah is omitted, because not swallowed up by the earth, as the other, but consumed with fire. See on Num. 16:35.

{the son of Reuben} The descendants in a direct line, though remote, as grandchildren, great-grandchildren, in the Hebrew phrase, are all called sons, as well as the immediate children.

11:7. {all your eyes} An undoubted evidence of the truth of this holy story, wherein Moses appeals to so many eyewitnesses of God’s miraculous acts yet alive.

11:8. {may be strong} Not to be headstrong, nor stiff-necked against God, but humble-hearted and obedient towards them, is the way to be arm-strong against enemies. See Josh. 1:5, 6, 7.

11:9. {prolong your days} Though corrupt nature be an enemy to grace, yet grace is a friend to human nature, for it upholds it in health, and prolongs life, whereas wickedness cuts off the life by the halves (Ps. 55:23), and if the godly be taken away while they be young, it is but from the evil to come (Isa. 57:1). And if the life of the wicked be prolonged (as Eccles. 7:15 it is said), it is not in favor, but in anger, as the Amorites were forborne that they might make up the measure of their iniquity (Gen. 15:16), that their judgment might be the heavier when it came. See chap. 5:16 and 6:2; Prov. 9:11 and 10:27.

11:10. {with thy foot} That is, with bodily labor, which (though it be usually called the labor of the hands; as Ps. 128:2) is sometimes attributed to the feet, as Gen. 30:30. (See the Annot. on the place.) The meaning is, that Canaan is not like the land of Egypt, which (having but little rain; Zech. 14:18, and being watered by the overflowing of Nilus) puts the people to put their feet to the spade to dig gutters and channels to keep water for the watering of their gardens; whereas the land of Canaan was watered and made fruitful by rain from heaven.

11:11. {of hills and valleys} Chap. 8:7.

11:12. {the eyes of the LORD} Ezra 5:5; Jer. 40:4, in marg.; Ps. 34:15 and 33:18.

11:13. {diligently} V. 22.

11:14. {the first rain and latter} The first (meaning after seed) was to bring the corn out of the ground; the latter afterwards to make it full in the ear. Zech. 10:1; James 5:7; Jer. 5:24.

11:16. {take heed} Chap. 4:9.

11:17. {shut up the heavens} Amos 4:7.

11:18. {frontlets} See Annot. on Exod. 13:16 and on Deut. chap. 6:8.

11:21. {as the days of heaven} As long as the heavens endure. And the phrase also may import a temporal prosperity like a heaven upon earth, as an earnest of that everlasting happiness in heaven above (Ps. 89:29).

{cleave unto him} Gen. 2:24; Acts 11:23; Josh. 22:5.

11:24. {every place} Within the compass of the promised land, not universally, as if they were to be lords of the whole earth, as the Jewish rabbins vainly fancy.

{uttermost sea} That is, the main ocean, which was the western bound of the land of Canaan. Chap. 34:2.

11:25. {fear of you} Chap. 28:10; Exod. 23:27.

11:26. {a blessing, and a curse} Chap. 30:15.

11:29. {put the blessing upon, etc.} The manner of blessing and cursing upon mount Gerizim, and mount Ebal (two hills near together in the tribe of Ephraim) is conceived to be thus: six of the tribes being placed on the one mount, and six on the other: in a little valley betwixt both (for there is but a little valley betwixt them) stood the priests only, one while pronouncing blessings upon the observers of the law, another while denouncing curses against the transgressors of the law. When a blessing was pronounced, the tribes of mount Gerizim sounded out Amen, and when a curse was denounced, Amen was sounded from the tribes on mount Ebal. See Annot. on chap. 27:12 and Josh. 8:33.

11:30. {are they not} This manner of interrogation has the force of an assured affirmation, as if he had said, they are, and are well known so to be.

CHAPTER 12

12:1. {All the days that} 1 Kings 8:40; Ps. 104:33.

12:2. {utterly destroy} Chap. 7:5; Num. 33:52.

{high mountains, etc.} Num. 22:41; 2 Kings 23:13, 15.

12:3. {names} Either forbearing to name them; as Exod. 23:13, and putting other names in their stead; as Num. 32:38, or by naming them only by way of reproof or contempt (1 Kings 18:26, 27). See on Josh. 23:7.

12:4. {do not so} You shall not serve the Lord in such sort as they served idols with their superstitious and idolatrous observances; especially you shall not serve him in consecrated groves; or you shall not do so by those things which belong unto the Lord, as unto such things as are dedicated unto idols. And if any of the faithful servants of God did at any time sacrifice in groves, they either had an especial warrant, or their fact was their fault; against this negative rule, there can be no dispensation but by divine authority.

12:6. {thither, etc.} Lev. 17:3, 4; Ezek. 20:40.

12:7. {there} See Annot. on Num. 18:10.

{ye shall eat} The priests such things as belonged unto them; and the people such things as were allowed unto them: and they might eat of the peace-offerings; but they might not eat of the sin-offering, nor of votive-offerings, nor of the whole burnt-offerings, as appears (Num. 18:9, 15). Or, by their eating before the Lord, may be meant their feasting and rejoicing, when they were thrice in a year to appear before the Lord in the place where the tabernacle was, or the temple should be (chap. 27:7).

{before the LORD} This is to be understood chiefly of the priests, who might eat in places which had near reference to God, with whom the people were not to be partakers. Or, if it be referred to the people, they may be said to eat before the Lord, when eating they give thanks unto the Lord (Rom. 14:6). Or, because they were to eat a second tithe (after they had paid the first to the Levites) only in that city or place, where God’s sanctuary was set up. See vv. 17, 18 of this chapter.

12:8. {after all the things that we do} For God will be served after a more exact and perfect manner when you be come into the land of Canaan, than hitherto he has been, or conveniently could be in the wilderness.

{right in his own eyes} Not that they sacrificed altogether after their fancies; but in many things they took too much liberty to do what they liked; uniformity in divine worship was not yet established, things not being there as they were afterward in a settled and quiet posture: or the people were not to be so free from oblation and practice of them in the promised land, as now they were in the wilderness, where neither circumcision, nor the Passover, nor other ritual ordinances were, or could conveniently be observed as in the land of Canaan they might, and must be too: and withal it was to admonish them that the more God’s favor was manifested to them (and it is more manifest in the fruition than in the promise of his blessings), the more should their obedience be manifested to him. See 1 Chron. 13:4; Judg. 17:6; Prov. 14:12.

12:10. {in safety} This is spoken with reference to their anniversary recourse to the place of the tabernacle or temple thrice a year, that they might not fail of their appearance there so oft as was required, out of fear lest in their absence their enemies should invade their dwellings, and take away or spoil what they left at home. See on Exod. 34:24.

12:11. {shall choose} That was for a time the city Shiloh, where the tabernacle was placed (Jer. 7:12; Ps. 78:60), and where it continued unto the days of Samuel, which was two hundred forty and three years; or (as some think) three hundred (1 Sam. 4:12, 13), though called the temple (1 Sam. 1:9), and afterwards Jerusalem, where the temple was built in Solomon’s time. See on 1 Kings 8:29; Ps. 78:68; Dan. 6:10.

{choice vows} That is, such things as you vowed freely, being at your own choice; or, such things as you offered, not taking what comes first to hand, but making choice of the fairest and best, as meetest for God’s service and acceptance.

12:12. {before the LORD} At the tabernacle or temple, or in the city where either of them shall be erected for the solemn service of God to be presented to him, as conversant with those that sincerely serve him.

{hath no part} His rejoicing is not because he has no part of inheritance, but because, though he have no such portion as the rest, he shall rejoice in the participation of the offerings, etc. Or these words may have reference to what was said before, which is, that the priests should invite the Levites to their feasts, as may be collected from chap. 16:11, 14, and that because he has no portion of lands with the other tribes (Num. 18:20).

12:13. {take heed, etc.} Chap. 11:16; Lev. 17:4.

{the burnt offerings} Under this word are other holy oblations comprehended, though they be not expressly mentioned, as burnt-offerings are.

12:15. {as of the Roebuck} Every one, whether ceremonially unclean or not, might eat of the kinds of beasts which were appointed for sacrifice, as well as of them that were not, as the roe-buck, and the hart, which were not to be sacrificed to the Lord; for in civil meats (whereof he speaks here) there was not that distinction observed betwixt persons or meats as in sacrifices there was (vv. 20, 21, 22), of which this distinction is to be observed; some creatures were ceremonially unclean, so that they might neither be sacrificed nor eaten; whereof see Lev. 11 and chap. 14 of this book; some were wholly clean, which might be both eaten and offered in sacrifice; as of birds, the turtle and pigeon, and of beasts the sheep, kine, and goats; and some were partly clean, and partly unclean, so clean, that they might be eaten, and so ceremonially unclean, that they might not be sacrificed; whereof see chap. 14:5.

12:16. {as water} That the ground may drink it up, and it be not used for meat to man or beast, because the blood of sacrifices is peculiarly consecrated to God, as a type of the blood of Christ. There be other reasons used against the eating of blood; whereof see vv. 23, 24 and Annot. on Gen. 9:4.

12:19. {Take heed} This caveat shows men’s proneness to forsake the Levite, and imports a threat to them that do it. Chap. 14:27; Neh. 10:39.

12:21. {be too far} They that dwelt too far off from the place of the tabernacle or temple, might for all keep their feasts here mentioned, though they had not priests and sacrifices as at the place where the tabernacle or temple stood: for though the priests were there, it was not their duty to kill the cattle which were eaten in their particular or private houses; therefore they that dwelt at such distance that they could not appear, need neither forbear their feasts, nor be scrupled because they had no priests among them to celebrate such services as were done at the tabernacle or temple.

12:22. {Roe} V. 15; chap. 14:5 and 15:22.

{unclean, etc.} There was a twofold ceremonial uncleanness: a lesser, which only rested on the party who was ceremonially unclean, and did not derive uncleanness unto another; and there was an uncleanness by which another became ceremonially unclean, by touch or company; the former lesser uncleanness was no let at all to a sociable eating with others who were not ceremonially unclean at all; the latter was: yet they that were thus unclean might, in their meat, communicate among themselves; as when a whole family was unclean, by reason of a dead body among them.

12:23. {for the blood} See on Gen. 9:16; Lev. 17:11.

12:26. {thy holy things} Such as are mentioned, v. 17.

12:27. {the flesh thereof} That is, the flesh of peace-offerings, for part thereof was to be eaten by the owners who offered them. So are we to understand Lev. 7:15.

12:28. {after thee for ever} A man cannot better bless his children, than by his own obedience to his heavenly Father (Isa. 48:18, 19).

12:30. {after that they be destroyed} That is, in time to come, when their judgment is out of mind, or little thought of, being past a great while before, else their destruction might be a warning against their evil imitation of them.

12:30. {enquire not} With any purpose to make any pattern of their practice.

12:31. {burn} They thought nothing too dear to offer to their idols, whereby it appears how subtle and powerful Satan is in drawing idolaters to do so contrary both to grace and nature (Lev. 18:21 and 20:2; 2 Kings 16:3; Jer. 32:35).

CHAPTER 13

13:1. {Dreamer} Which, says he, has things revealed to him in dreams.

13:2. {come to pass} As the prophecies of such prophets are false, so are their wonders fallacious and counterfeit (2 Thess. 2:9), else, if they were true wonders, they were God’s seals, which are never set to confirm an untruth: and therefore the devil’s argument was good (though his meaning was naught), when from a miraculous mutation of stones into bread (Matt. 4:3), he inferred the divinity of the Son of God; for if God had wrought a miracle to confirm the position, it must needs have been assured as undoubtedly true. But many things forespoken might come to pass, and yet not by any divine revelation: for the devil may to a false and idolatrous suggestion (as in this verse) affix a prediction by his skill in natural causes: as if a Jesuit, to persuade the Indians to the Popish party, should give them for a sign of assurance, a prediction of the eclipse of the sun: in such a case we must bring the proposal to the trial of the Scripture, and always prefer the divine word before a natural or diabolical work. See chap. 18:22; Jer. 28:9; Matt. 7:22.

13:3. {proveth you} Tempts; or tries. See on chap. 8:2; Gen. 22:1; 1 Cor. 11:19.

{to know} Or (as some render the Hebrew word) that it may be manifest, or known and discerned to themselves or others, or so convicted in the sight of God, that he may without suspicion of injustice punish them for their apostasy.

13:5. {to death} When their evil hearts are made known by their evil works, and of those evil works they are sufficiently convicted and for them judicially condemned (chap. 18:20; Jer. 14:15; Zech. 13:2).

13:6. {If thy brother} All natural affection must give place to God’s honor: and in such a case we must show ourselves rather children of God than brethren, or kinsmen, or intimates, in what degree of relation soever (chap. 12:2).

13:9. {thou shalt surely kill him} See on v. 5; chap. 17:6.

{thine hand} You who are a witness to accuse him, shall cast the first stone at him: for the witnesses were to begin, and all the people to follow in throwing stones at the offender (chap. 17:7; Acts 7:58).

13:13. {children of Belial} Belial signifies without yoke, and it is usually applied to such as are most unruly, submitting to no yoke, living by no rule, and so most wicked and licentious; and therefore the word is often taken for the devil (2 Cor. 15:6), and for conformity to him, wicked men may be so named, who are devils incarnate. See 1 Sam. 1:16 and 2:12 and 25:25; Judg. 19:22.

13:14. {enquire} This is spoken chiefly to the magistrate, who has power to punish such faults. See Josh. 22:13.

{abomination} Though idols be set out gloriously with gold and silver, and curious mixtures of colors, and their temples gorgeously garnished, yet is idolatry a loathsome and abominable thing in the sight of God; and so it should be in the sight of men. Exod. 8:26.

13:15. {destroying it utterly} Which shows, that no idolatry is more execrable, nor more grievously to be punished than theirs, who have formerly professed God, and have fallen off from that profession. Lev. 27:28; Josh. 6:17.

13:16. {an heap} Of rubbish, a monument of ruin, never to be repaired or built up again.

13:17. {of the accursed thing} That is, of the spoil of the city which God has cursed to confusion and ruin.

13:17. {to thine hand} Though it come to your hand, it shall not cleave or stick to it, so as to tarry with you, but you shall cast it away as an execrable thing. Chap. 7:25, 26.

CHAPTER 14

14:1. {Cut yourselves} See Annot. on Lev. 19:27, 28.

{between your eyes} That is, in that part of the forehead which is above the partition between the eyes.

{for the dead} That is, by occasion of the dead, as by way of lamentation for their death. Lev. 19:28 and 21:5; Jer. 16:6 and 41:5.

14:2. {an holy people} That is, consecrate, separate, or set apart from other nations, as the peculiar people of God, not in respect of inherent holiness, or of saint-like life; for they are justly charged with many great rebellions (chap. 9 throughout). Yet that relation to God did bind them to more holiness than other people, to take his example for a pattern of holiness, and ever to keep them at a further distance from conformity with the corruptions of uncircumcised nations. See chap. 7:6 and 26:18; Exod. 19:5.

14:3. {abominable thing} That is, not only what man’s nature abhors, but what God’s law forbids, for when it is forbidden by God it should be abominable to man.

14:4. {the beasts} This ceremonial law instructs the Jews to seek a spiritual pureness even in meat and drink.

{sheep; and} The Hebrew word Seh signifies the lesser cattle; not lesser for age, as the lamb in respect of the sheep, but in their kind, and is commonly taken for a sheep, or a goat.

14:5. {wild goat} In other languages this creature is called by a name signifying a goat, and a deer or hart, in short a Goat-hart; resembling a goat in his horns and hair, especially his beard, and a hart or deer, in the rest of his body, of which see Plin., l. 8, c. 31.

{Pygarg} So called after the Greeks’ translation: the Hebrew word Dishon used only in this place is variously understood; some take it for a wild beast, whose horn turns inward toward his head; some for a kind of bugle; some for an unicorn; some for a wild beast like to a fallow-deer, or roe-buck: but though to us it be not perfectly understood (as the names of many living creatures, herbs and stones are so), yet those to whom the precept or prohibition of such things was given, had the right understanding of them (with the rule, whether it were a command or a caveat), if not in particular, yet by the general notes.

{wild ox} Such as do not sort with tame cattle, but haunt desert places, and are hurtful to many, and no way serviceable, but when they are hunted to death. And as there are wild oxen, and wild goats, so of all sorts of domestical creatures that are tame, there are of like kind which are wild. Plin. hist., lib. 8, cap. 53.

{Chamois} Wild one: the Hebrew word Zemerr is rendered in the best English translations by a French word, Chamois, which signifies a wild goat, a goat that haunts the rocks, and other places out of ordinary access: many authors call it a Camelopard, which is a creature resembling a camel in his head, and a libbard or panther in spots; for the body of it has white spots upon a red ground. Plin., l. 8, c. 18.

14:6. {parteth the hoof} See Annot. on Lev. 11:3, 7.

14:10. {nor fins} See Annot. on Lev. 11:9.

14:9. {that flieth} See Annot. on Lev. 11:20.

14:21. {dieth of itself} This also is to be understood of such a creature as dies by any mishap, as falling, drowning, or any other way, so that the blood was not let out of it, but remained in it; and it is to be understood of a clean beast: for the unclean were not to be eaten at all. See Lev. 11:39.

{unto the stranger} Which is not of your religion; for the converts of other nations were bound to the same rule with the Hebrews (Lev. 17:15).

{that he may eat it} Though for the most part such creatures as die of themselves be not wholesome food; yet sometimes the disease affecting but one principal part, as the vertigo, or turn in the head, the rest of the body may be of use for diet.

{his mother’s milk} See Annot. on Exod. 23:19.

{for thou art} Your profession of holiness, as the holy Lord God his peculiar people, engages you to discreet and decent observances in your diet, that it be not disgraced by the uncleanness or loathsomeness thereof.

{his mother’s milk} See on Exod. 23:19.

14:22. {truly tithe} Chap. 12:6, 17.

14:23. {before the LORD} See Annot. on chap. 12:7.

{tithe of} See Annot. on chap. 26:12.

{that thou mayest learn} In the place where these tithes were eaten, the fear of the Lord was especially taught, and to be learned the better by the solemn service there performed; and by dieting themselves with especial reverence to the Lord’s portion of tithe, and his ordinance in the use of a tenth to themselves, called the second tenth: whereof see Annot. on chap. 12:17.

14:26. {bestow that money} Vv. 21, 22.

14:27. {Within thy gates} Living in the same city with you. Chap. 10:9 and 11:12, 19 and 18:1, 2; 26:12; Num. 18:20, 24.

14:28. {at the end of three years} When the tenths were gathered in the third year (Deut. 26:12), besides the yearly tithe that were given to the Levites, and a second tithe which the owners set apart for their journey-sacrifice and feasting (when they appeared before the tabernacle or temple stood), thrice a year there was a third tithe, or, the tithe mentioned, which every third year (not reckoning the Sabbatical year when all was common; Exod. 23:10, 11) was laid up in store for the use specified in the next verse, where the giver himself is not mentioned; nor was he to have his part in these tithes as in those oblations which were brought for public feasts. These tithes were called [πτωχοδεκάδαι, Ptochodecades].

14:29. {may bless thee} By blessing and beneficence to others, men may derive blessings upon themselves. Bounty is the way to plenty, and a godly liberality a prevention of poverty. See chap. 15:10; Prov. 11:24, 25; Mal. 3:10.

CHAPTER 15

15:1. {End of every seven years} V. 12; Exod. 21:2 and 23:11; Lev. 25:4; Jer. 34:14.

15:2. {shall release it} To such poor debtors as were not able to pay what was due to be paid that year, so it appears by v. 4. This release is taken by some to be but a forbearance of payment for that year, which might be expected the year following, but if the party were as unable that year as the former, it was not then to be called for, and the lender was to expect a recompense from the blessing of God (v. 6).

{neighbour or of his brother} By this is understood a neighbor or brother, not by community of human nature (as sometimes it is) but by nation: so that one of another nation, though a proselyte or convert, if he were not a natural Jew, was not (as some restrain the rule) to have this privilege, but if he had not to pay, was to make recompense by service. But it is more probable that his religion gave him as much privilege as his carnal kindred could do, and therefore that the proselyte shall be taken for a neighbor and brother, and so have as much favor for God’s sake (if not more) as the natural Jew for man’s.

15:4. {save when} Or, that there be no poor among you. That is, made poor by exacting that of them which they are not able to pay: for God will have poor always for the exercise of the charity of the rich (v. 11; Matt. 26:11), though private poor, rather than public beggars; for such are forbidden by law, and order taken in well-governed commonwealths that there be none such.

15:6. {lend to many nations} Chap. 28:12, 44.

15:8. {open thy hand, etc.} Matt. 5:42; Luke 6:34; 2 Cor. 9:5, 6.

15:9. {sin unto thee} Bring the punishment of sin upon you, if he stand in need of your charity by giving or lending, and you withhold the relief, because the year of release is at hand.

15:10. {not be grieved} Charitable beneficence must be performed with cheerful benevolence; for God not only loves a cheerful giver, but bountifully rewards him. V. 18; chap. 14:29; Prov. 11:14 and 28:27.

15:11. {the poor shall never cease} That is not contrary to what is said (v. 4). See the reconcilement there.

15:12. {in the seventh year} That is, at the beginning of the seventh year: but the release of debts was at the end of it (v. 1).

15:14. {liberally} As acknowledging the blessing of God upon his labor, and conscionably recompensing his painful and faithful service (v. 18).

15:17. {unto thy maidservant} That is, for giving unto her, as unto the man-servant (vv. 13, 14, 15), not for boring through the ear, which was peculiar to a man-servant.

15:18. {double hired} For three years’ service was the stinted time of an hireling (Isa. 16:14). But the Hebrew servant here spoken of, served six years. See on Isa. 15:14 and 21:16.

15:19. {not shear} Being appropriated to God, they must not be used for the service or advantage of man; therefore the sheep and wool must be given unto the priest. Some understand this of the firstlings of the females, whereof the wool might be a part, being offered as peace-offerings, which seem to be meant (v. 20).

15:20. {before the LORD} Chap. 12:7, 17.

15:22. {the unclean and the clean} Which is not lawful, if it were offered as a peace-offering: for of such only the clean were partakers. Lev. 7:21.

15:23. {not eat the blood} This prohibition is often repeated for better caution against all kinds of cruelty, and because blood was sprinkled for atonement, and so as a thing consecrated to God to be kept out of common use. See Lev. 17:11.

CHAPTER 16

16:1. {Month of Abib} Containing part of March, and part of April, when the barley-harvest began to be ripe, and the first ripe ears were offered at the Passover the second day of unleavened bread (Lev. 2:14 and chap. 23:10). Exod. 13:4 and 12:2 and 13:4.

16:2. {and herd} The Passover was to be a lamb or young kid; but this of the herd is thought by some an additional sacrifice of a sheep or bullock offered at that time (Num. 28:19).

{his name there} Where he is known and acknowledged by his worship, as a man is known by his name.

16:3. {bread of affliction} So the unleavened bread was called, because it was to mind them of their afflicted condition, from which they fled in such haste, that they could not stay till their bread was leavened. Exod. 12:39; Isa. 30:20.

16:4. {until the morning} See Annot. on Exod. 12:10.

16:6. {at the season} This is not meant punctually for the precise hour for killing of the Paschal lamb: for they departed not till the next day, but with some latitude of time: or their departing, or coming forth is taken for their preparation for their departure. See Annot. on Exod. 12:8.

16:7. {unto thy tents} Or, to your dwelling place, whether tents, or houses, and indeed this has especial reference to the settled estate of the Hebrews in the land of Canaan.

16:8. {six days} The days of unleavened bread were seven, but the seventh is spoken of by itself, as having somewhat proper and peculiar to it; but it is to be understood for unleavened bread to be like unto the rest, for the ordinance is expressly for seven (Exod. 12:19; Lev. 23:6). Some say by the six days are to be understood the six immediately following the Passover, which was the first day of unleavened bread (Matt. 26:17), but is not here counted as elsewhere.

16:9. {seven weeks} Beginning the next morning after the Passover.

{the sickle to the corn} For the reaping of the sheaf to be waved before the Lord.

16:10. {the feast of weeks} See on Lev. 23:15.

16:11. {rejoice} In cheerful feasting, whereof see chap. 10:18.

16:13. {of Tabernacles} See Annot. on Exod. 23:16 and Lev. 23:34 and Num. 29:12.

16:20. {altogether just} Not seeming just, but so indeed; not just in part, but entirely just, in measure and degree; not just to some, but just to all, and to all alike; and not sometimes just, but always, this is altogether just.

16:21. {grove} Chap. 12:3. See on Exod. 34:13 and on Gen. 21:33; Exod. 34:13; Isa. 17:8; Jer. 17:2.

CHAPTER 17

17:1. {Wherein is blemish} Chap. 15:21; Lev. 22:20; Mal. 1:8 and 14.

17:2. {or woman} Showing the crime cannot be excused by the frailty of the person; for both sexes are obliged to God’s holy prohibitions and precepts; and his justice and mercy are upon the same grounds indifferently distributed to both. Gal. 3:28.

17:3. {host of heaven} See Annot. on Gen. 2:1.

{not commanded} Whereby he condemns all religion and service of God, which God has not commanded; and withal in this expression there is a figure called Liptote, or Litotes, whereby more is meant than spoken; for by not commanded, is to be understood forbidden; and not simply forbidden, but with severe comminations, as v. 5; chap. 4:23, 29; Exod. 20:5. See Lev. 10:41; Jer. 7:31, 32; 2 Kings 19:5, 16; chap. 4:19; Lev. 10:1; Jer. 7:31, 32 and 19:5.

17:5. {unto thy gates} For there was the place of public judicature; and the offender condemned there was the readier for his execution, which was done without the gates of the city, whether the death were by stoning (as here, and Acts 7:58) or by crucifying, as that of our blessed Savior, or any other. Chap. 22:24.

{shalt stone them} See Annot. on chap. 14:9.

17:7. {first upon him} Laid on his head is avowing the guilt of that man, or throwing stones at him to put him to death. See Annot. on chap. 13:9; Lev. 24:14.

{all the people} To signify their common consent to maintain God’s honor and true religion, and their detestation of such impiety against him.

{So shalt thou put} To sacrifice sinners to public justice, is the means to obtain mercy for the preservation of them that survive. V. 12 and chap. 12:5 and 19:19 and 21:21 and 22:24 and 24:7.

17:8. {between blood and blood} That is, betwixt the guilt of willful murder, and casual manslaughter; or, betwixt bloodshed by violence, and blood to be shed by justice: or, betwixt blood and blood, may be betwixt kindred and kindred, wherein justice must put a difference betwixt guilt and innocence, though the party be never so near in alliance or kindred.

{plea and plea} Pleading for and against in the same cause; some accusing, some denying.

{stroke and stroke} Whether it be of malignity, or casually.

{God shall choose} For the pitching of his tabernacle, or building his temple.

17:9. {Judge} Who shall give sentence as the priests counsel him by the law of God, in matters of religion, or the ceremonial law; but in civil controversies there were civil magistrates, who were to hear and determine betwixt party and party; yet so, that if there were a scruple, or case of conscience which made the judge doubtful what to determine, he was to consult with the priest. Ps. 122:4, 5; Mal. 2:7; 2 Chron. 19:8, etc.; Num. 27:21; Hag. 2:11; Jer. 18:18.

17:11. {sentence of the law} The judge was not to give what sentence pleased himself, but according to the law: and if the case were such as was not already ruled by the law, God was to be consulted with, and resolution to be made by his direction. See Lev. 24:12; Num. 15:34; Deut.; Ezek. 44:24; Deut. 21:5 and 24:8.

17:12. {unto the Priest} While the priest brings warrant from God for the sentence which he passes in the cause of man (Ezek. 44:23, 24), he that contumaciously disobeys him, disobeys God (Luke 10:16; Matt. 10:14). The case is alike, if the just sentence of a competent judge be contemned in secular affairs. See on Hos. 4:4.

17:15. {not set a stranger} Not one of another nation or religion, lest he change the religion to idolatry, and bring you both into slavery and sin. Chap. 11:3; Jer. 30:21.

17:16. {not multiply horses} Not affect to be master of too many horses, lest they should occasion him or his people to have too much to do with the idolatrous Egyptians; to go or send his courtiers to Egypt, where there was great store of such cattle (1 Kings 10:26, 28), the abundance whereof might occasion too much confidence in their number and strength. See Isa. 31:1; Ezek. 17:15.

{hath said} Not in express words, but implicitly: and by consequence: when he showed himself much offended at those who would have made them a captain to lead them back into Egypt (Num. 14:4, 11). See Jer. 42:15.

{that way} He speaks not of any particular way, but of that way (whichsoever it is) which leads unto Egypt: for in this case the matter of moment lies not in the journey, but in the end of it. See chap. 28:68.

17:17. {multiply wives} If kings may not, much less may their subjects, since it is of more moment that princes have children than inferior persons; and though the patriarchs had more wives than one at once, it was not according to the first institution of marriage. See Annot. on Gen. 4:19 and 29:28; Lev. 18:18. It was never allowed by God, though for a time tolerated upon reasons which concern not our times. And this might the rather be forbidden to a king, because of the power of his example upon the manners of his people.

{greatly multiply} That is, immoderately addict himself to multiply gold or silver: for covetousness is a mischievous sin in a man of great power, in a king especially, since it will for reward attempt, admit and applaud any wickedness; and oppose and suppress any good man, good cause (Isa. 27).

17:18. {he shall write} Or, cause to be written, as 2 Sam. 13.

{a copy of this Law} Of this fifth book of Moses; out of that original record, which was kept in the sanctuary (chap. 31:26; 2 Kings 22:8), or, of the whole law. Philo writes, that the king ought to write it with his own hand: but by whomsoever it was written, he must diligently read in it; notwithstanding the multiplicity and greatness of the affairs of his kingly office. 1 Sam. 10:25.

17:19. {read therein} Josh. 1:8; Ps. 119:98; chap. 31:11.

17:20. {Not lifted up} Not so lifted up above his subjects, as to forget they are his brethren, but to make his government rather loved by lenity, than feared or hated by rigor. 1 Kings 12:7; Dan. 5:20.

CHAPTER 18

18:1. {Made by fire} Which were partly burned for God’s glory, and partly reserved for maintenance of the Levites (Lev. 7:32, 34), as in the right of the Lord’s inheritance, who has reserved that portion for the service of himself, and the sustenance of his servants. Chap. 10:9; 1 Cor. 9:13.

18:2. {The LORD is their inheritance} They must look to the Lord for their portion, and shall find it in him by his right in all, and his favor to them, whose riches and beneficence will supply them with maintenance. Num. 18:20. See on Josh. 13:14.

18:3. {that offer} That bring a sacrifice of peace-offerings. Lev. 7:32, 34.

{the maw} Or, the breast, as Exod. 29:27; Lev. 7:31. Or the maw with the breast.

18:7. {As all his brethren} Though they attend the service of the sanctuary by course, yet if any would willingly offer his service who was not bound unto it by turn, he was to be admitted.

18:8. {like portions} For their diet out of the revenues of the tabernacle, while they attend at it, who at other times were maintained by the tithes: some conceive, they that did not perform service in the sanctuary, had neither any sustenance thence, nor so much in tithes as their brethren who underwent the service in their turns.

{Sale of his patrimony} Which he was to keep, for if he did not spend the money, he might redeem what he had sold at any time (Lev. 25:32).

18:10. {pass through the fire} Either as a superstitious purging by passing between two fires, or by an idolatrous sacrificing them to the idol Molech. See Annot. on Lev. 18:21.

{divination} Taking upon them to foretell things to come (Mic. 3:11), without any ground of reason or divine revelation. See on Prov. 16:10 and on Gen. 1:14.

{observer of times} Superstitiously making difference of days and times, as good or bad, as lucky or unlucky.

{enchanter} Is such an one as uses songs and verses or other words or ceremonies to produce supernatural effects.

18:11. {Or a Charmer} A charmer is the same in effect with the enchanter.

{a wizard} Is the same with the diviner.

{a Necromancer} One that seeks to the dead, as 1 Sam. 28:8; Isa. 8:19.

18:14. {hath not suffered} Heb. And hath not given, God hath given thee; that is, prophets and instructors to teach you, that you might not need to seek to diviners for instruction or direction.

18:18. {A Prophet like} This is meant principally of Christ (Acts 3:22), betwixt whom and Moses though there are many remarkable conformities, as Num. 12:3; Exod. 32:32, compared with Matt. 11:29; John 2:17, and Deut. 5:5; Gal. 3:19, with 1 Tim. 2:5, and Exod. 1 with Matt. 2; yet withal God promises here a succession of prophets before Christ’s coming, by whom his people were to be instructed from time to time, that they should not be affrighted with God’s speaking to them, as formerly they had been. Chapter 5:25; Exod. 20:19.

18:19. {I will require it of him} That is, I will call him to an account, and bring him to punishment for it.

18:22. {if the thing follow not} For if the prophecy were of God, it must needs come to pass, for he cannot lie, nor be deceived; though it follow not to say, the thing is come to pass, therefore it is the Lord that speaks: for they that use to foretell, may among many untruths light upon some truth: as if a blind man shoot many arrows at a mark, he may sometimes hit it, though it be rather by chance than any good cunning; and sometimes God may for trial (chap. 13:3), in judgment punishing the people by misguidance, suffer the sayings of false prophets to come to pass. See on chap. 13:2.

{not be afraid of him} Though he foretell fearful things, you shall not be afraid of him, since he is a false prophet, and his predictions shall not take effect.

CHAPTER 19

19:1. {Three cities} On the other side Jordan; for on the east side there were three appointed always (chap. 4:41). See Num. 35:14.

19:2. {in the midst} That is, within the land (though not precisely in the midst) so that from all parts there may be convenient recourse to some of them. The three cities were to be of equal distance one from another, and as it is probably conceived, the distance was triangular thus, like the capital Greek letter Delta, Δ.

19:3. {prepare thee a way} For commodious passage unto them, which some think was paved, and had marks of direction, that they which fled towards them might not miss their way, nor be hindered, if there were need to make an hasty flight from the pursuit.

{every slayer} Which killed against his will, and bore no hatred in his heart before.

19:4. {ignorantly} At unawares, or unwillingly. See Num. 35:6, etc.

19:5. {and live} That murder be not committed upon murder, by slaying of him in wrathful revenge, who slew another against his will.

19:7. {for thee} He speaks to the people as to one man, or to Moses, as in their names, and for their use.

19:8. {enlarge thy coast} When you go over Jordan, and are possessed of the land of Canaan.

{to give unto thy fathers} Which he promised to your fathers to give you, as to Abraham (Gen. 15:7), to Isaac (Gen. 26:3), and to Jacob (Gen. 28:13).

19:9. {if thou shalt keep} The promise of the land of Canaan was but conditional, and therefore if the people did not their part, their failing of possession was not God’s, but their own fault. See on chap. 1:7.

{shalt thou add} In the enlarged portion (v. 8), which if it be without the land of Canaan, the cities of refuge shall be there; but we read not of those three cities more added to the former six, for the enlargement of the dominion of the Israelites in the time of David and Solomon, was not so much in actual possession, as a tributary dominion; in which case (if it were none otherwise), the cities of refuge would have been of no use to the people of the Jews: nor was this therefore an idle ordinance; for if the people had kept covenant with God, he had enlarged their borders, not only by conditional subjection by tribute, but by actual possession.

19:11. {if any man hate, etc.} Num. 35:20, 21, etc.

19:12. {of his city} Not where the manslayer has taken sanctuary for safety, but where the slain man dwelt.

19:13. {put away the guilt} See Annot. on chap. 17:7.

19:14. {landmark} See Annot. on chap. 27:17; Prov. 22:28; Hos. 5:10.

19:15. {at the mouth} An enallage of number: that is, of mouth for mouths; or, though the several witnesses, they must all agree as if they had but one mouth. Matt. 18:16.

19:17. {before the LORD} God’s presence is where his ministers are assembled to do according to his commandments.

CHAPTER 20

20:1. {When thou goest} Which is to be understood of a warrantable war, which requires a just cause, and lawful authority, and great necessity, when peace will not be entertained (v. 12).

20:2. {the Priest} The priest, though he warred not with his hands, he animated to the battle with his tongue.

20:4. {goeth with you} That is, is present to defend you with his grace and power.

20:5. {not dedicated it} For when they entered first to dwell in an house, they gave thanks to God, acknowledging that they had that benefit by his grace, and it may be also feasted with singing of psalms at the first possession of it, which was a kind of dedication of it to the use intended. See the title of the thirtieth Psalm, and Neh. 12:27.

20:6. {planted a vineyard} Or garden, or any such like thing, which makes men unwilling to go to wars: for as in all the services done to God, we are to bring a good will to the work; so especially in war God requires a most cheerful and cordial resolution to fight his battles.

{not eaten of it} Heb. not made it common. For the law concerning a vineyard was, that for the first three years the fruit of it should not be eaten; the fourth year that should be offered to God, and the fifth year it was common to the owners and others; see Lev. 19:23.

20:8. {faint as well as} Cowardice is catching, especially in such as should be leaders unto others; insomuch that some hold that an army of harts led by a lion would be more valorous and victorious than an army of lions led by an hart. See Judg. 7:7.

20:10. {proclaim peace} For though nothing seem more contrary to peace than war; yet war is not to be undertaken, if peace may be obtained without it; and the end of war should be peace; and therefore David, in his charge of Uriah concerning Joab his army, and the war, asked him of the peace of the war, so it is in the original (2 Sam. 11:7). But this is not to be understood of the cities without the land of Canaan (v. 15); those without were to be more severely dealt withal (vv. 16, 17), and for showing them more favor Israel is blamed (Judg. 1:28). See 2 Sam. 20:18.

20:14. {women, and the little ones} The weakness of the sex in the one, and of age in the other, made them objects of compassion; when men, who were more able for doing, were more obnoxious to the suffering of violence; yet sometimes the slaughter was to be general, when God did particularly prescribe it; women and children not excepted (Josh. 6:21).

20:15. {Thus shalt thou do} In sparing women and children, and taking the spoil, as v. 14.

{of these nations} Which are after mentioned (vv. 16, 17).

20:16. {save alive nothing} If they refuse conditions of peace, when they are tendered unto them; this slaughter is not to be understood of beasts but of mankind (Josh. 11:14). See on Josh. 9:15.

20:17. {the Hittites} See Annot. on chapter 7:1.

20:19. {is man’s life} This is spoken of the fruitful tree, which ministered food for man’s sustenance, and so is called man’s life, by a figure called a metonymy, whereby the cause is put for the effect.

CHAPTER 21

21:1. {Slain} This law declares how chary the Lord is of spilling man’s blood, how displeasing the shedding of it is to him, and how dangerous to others that have their hearts and hands defiled with it, when a whole city or country may be charged with one man’s murder, and brought to punishment for it, if they do not solemnly testify their clearness from it.

{and it be not known} Upon diligent inquiry after the blood-guilty person.

21:2. {they shall measure} If there were any doubt concerning the distance of it to the place of the slain.

21:3. {which is next} Since the guilty person might be most like to lurk there, or to have come thence to do the murder, or there to have conceived or plotted the execution of it; or because they that were next, if he fled, might have the first notice of that wicked act, and had therefore the advantage of other places for a speedy pursuit and apprehension of the murderer.

{yoke} The like is said of the sacrifice of the red cow (Num. 19:2), which as it was a type of Christ, had a suitable signification unto it. See the Annot. on that place: but here being killed for, or instead of the murderer, which should have suffered if he had been taken, it may signify an unruly wrathful man, not subject to the yoke of reason or conscience, and so a son of Belial, that is, one without yoke; see on chap. 13:13.

21:4. {rough valley} A place of itself to be abhorred, to make the thought of murder more horrible. The Hebrew word Nabhal is put sometimes for a brook, or for a valley (chap. 2:36). It signifies properly a declive place, or a place of descent, where waters usually fall, and come together; although there be no water in it: and the word Ethan, rendering hereby rough, signifies strong; as either fortified by hills round about it, or having hard and strong things in it, as rocks and stones.

{strike off} Signifying that the murderer deserved to be so used, and that they, if they had him, would do capital execution upon him.

21:5. {by their word} See Annot. on chap. 17:11.

21:6. {wash their hands} Murder defiles the hands with blood (Isa. 1:15), and washing the hands was a ceremony of clearing man’s self from the guilt of it (Matt. 27:24).

21:7. {this blood} By this it seems either the slain man was brought where the heifer was killed, or the heifer to the place where the slain man lay.

{neither have our} We neither saw the deed when it was done, nor knew the living man that slew the slain.

21:8. {Be merciful} This was the prayer which the priest made in the audience of the people.

{lay not innocent blood} That is, the blood of the slain: but if they were not guilty of it, what need they pray for mercy; or that the guilt might not be imputed unto them? Because it was not enough not to have their hands or hearts polluted with so heinous a crime, but they must so far clear themselves from it, as in this manner to show their detestation of it, else they were to be reputed, and deserved to be punished as guilty, though not in so high a degree as the murderer.

21:9. {So shalt thou put away} So speaks Moses to the priest, showing that thus they might acquit themselves of that guilt of the fact, which otherwise in some degree would be charged upon them. See on chap. 17:7.

21:12. {shave her head} Which may be taken as a token of mourning for her final parting from her parents (v. 13), whom by that ceremony she lamented, as to her utterly lost and dead, especially if they, or either of them were killed in the war; where is permitted unto her to mourn after the manner of her country; or her head might be shaven for the reason alleged in the next annotation.

{pare her nails} The original has no more but (she shall make her nails) which some expound, that she shall make or suffer them to grow, or, let her nourish her nails; and then the meaning may be, that the deformity of her shaven head and long nails, should allay the affections of him that took her, that he might not take her to wife, unless she should show herself a true convert to the right religion. But most read the words pare her nails, and the original word being rendered (as it is by some) make, or dress, by dressing of her nails may be meant paring of them; and so it might be to admonish her to put off her former manners, and to betake herself to a contrary course, which is further implied by putting off the attire of her captivity, according to the custom of changing the garment in mourning (2 Sam. 14:2). See Joseph. Antiq., l. 4, c. 8. So she must renounce her former religion, and profess the religion of the Hebrews, else she was not to be taken to wife (Exod. 34:16).

21:13. {bewail her father} See Annot. on v. 12.

{a full month} That time was observed in mourning for Aaron (Num. 20:29), and for Moses (Deut. 34:8), but withal there might be somewhat more in this matter, as that the man that took her might learn to be moderate in his desires, and to curb his concupiscence by this monthly forbearance; and in that time he might be better acquainted with the woman’s disposition, and so he might the better judge whether she were fit or worthy to be his, or no.

{thy wife} This was permitted only in the wars, otherwise they could not marry strangers; nor so neither, but by such an especial allowance as this is.

21:14. {no delight in her} If he were actually married, he had not liberty to leave her, though he hated her (chap. 22:13, 19), but if upon some purpose of marriage, or intemperate desires, he had lain with her (which is meant by humbling her, and though mentioned without reproof, is not allowed), and had not yet married her, she was of a captive to be made a free woman again.

{let her go whither she will} Heb. thou shalt set her free to her soul. That is, give her power to do according as her soul desires; as in servitude, the soul is said to be subject to the higher powers (Rom. 13:1).

21:15. {have two wives} In this supposition, plurality of wives is not allowed, being contrary to the first institution of marriage (Gen. 2:24), to which our Savior reduces the Pharisees for resolution of a matrimonial question (Matt. 19:4, 5). See on Gen. 4:19. But presupposing the practice, he resolves the case concerning the firstborn son of the hated wife, which was held also in second marriages. See on chap. 17:17. See Gen. 29:31; 1 Sam. 1:8.

21:17. {double portion} As if a man had two sons, his estate being divided into three parts, the firstborn was to have two, the other one; and if he have many sons, he is to have double to them, as he must have a third part for their sixth, a fourth for their eighth, a fifth for their tenth throughout.

{the right of the firstborn is his} Except he deserve to be deprived of it, as Reuben did (Gen. 49:3, 4; 1 Chron. 5:1).

21:18. {voice of his mother} For it is the mother’s duty also to instruct her children (Prov. 1:8 and 31:1).

{when they have chastened him} This goes beyond words: and if this chastening will either not be received, or if thereby he be not bettered, then when all other means were fruitless and hopeless, the magistrate was to be appealed unto.

21:19. {lay hold on him} Or, cause him to be apprehended.

21:20. {stubborn} Contumacy, or stubbornness in a dissolute person, shows he is incorrigible: therefore he deserves to die by the law.

{a glutton} Heb. an eater, or devourer of flesh, and a drinker, or a carouser of wine: because usually men are most excessive in such kinds of meat and drink; though there may be, and is gluttony and drunkenness committed in other meats and drinks.

21:21. {stone him} Which death was also appointed to blasphemers, and idolaters; so that to disobey the parents, and to be stubborn against their authority, is an horrible sin. See Lev. 20:9.

21:23. {all night} For God’s law by his death being satisfied, he required not that there should be still a visible remembrance of his wrath; see Josh. 10:26. But it was otherwise in the case of Saul’s sons (2 Sam. 21:9, 10; Gen. 40:19). See on Josh. 8:29.

{accursed} A temporal curse it is to all that undergo it (Gal. 3:13), which is seconded with an eternal malediction, on such as die in their sins without repentance (Luke 23:42).

{that thy land be not defiled} That there might not be a visible monument of an accursed thing to remain: there was a defilement, by a scandalous looking on the dead malefactors, whereby some might take occasion to murmur at the justice done upon them, and strangers might think the worse of God’s people for having such malefactors among them. Or, by these words (that thy land be not defiled) may be meant that great offenders are to be put out of all manner of communion with men, being indeed vile as dung (Ps. 83:10), which was to be covered in the earth (chap. 23:13).

CHAPTER 22

22:1. {Hide thyself} Or, make as if you saw it not.

22:2. {not nigh} Showing that brotherly love must be showed, not only to them that dwell near unto us, but also to them that are far off: yea, in this case justice and charity must be offered to an enemy (Exod. 23:4).

22:3. {With his ass} And so likewise with his horse: for under these creatures particularly named, the cattle or creatures of other kinds, are comprehended so far as they have reference to the good or hurt of their owners.

22:5. {The woman shall not} For this prohibition there may be many reasons; as, because it was against the ordinance of God, for distinction of sexes, which would make men effeminate, and women immodest, and might be occasion, or give opportunity to some to commit sins against nature: and it is observed that the worst and wickedest sort of men, have been most noted for wearing the apparel of women; as Caligula, Sardanapalus, Clodius, and others.

{abomination} Except in case of necessity, as for necessary covering.

22:6. {dam with the young} If God detests cruelty done to birds, how much more to man, made according to his image? See on Lev. 22:28.

22:8. {battlements} Their houses were so built that they might walk upon them (2 Sam. 11:2; Matt. 10:27), and the battlements which were borders of each side, were to be so strong, that one might safely lean on them, and so high that he might not be like to fall over them. See on Josh. 2:6.

22:9. {not sow} The tenor of this law was to teach the people to walk in simplicity, and not to be curious of new inventions; as also to warn them against mixtures in religion, and manners with other nations.

{defiled} Or, corrupted, which may be understood of a ceremonial defilement, for the neglect of a ceremonial law, caused at least a ceremonial uncleanness, both personal and real: and by these mixtures, the fruit might be physically corrupted, either by an ill temperament, or weak nourishment of them; especially if they were sown too thick, or that the stronger seed sucked the juice from the weaker.

22:10. {ox and an ass} Which might be partly because of their unequal strength and stature betwixt them, which might prove a pressure to the lower and weaker; but withal (if not principally) to admonish the people against uneven mixtures, and matches of the clean, and unclean; the ox was a clean creature, the ass unclean.

22:11. {of woollen and linen} See Annot. on v. 9 and Lev. 19:19.

22:12. {fringes} See Annot. on Num. 15:39.

22:17. {the cloth} Meaning the sheet wherein were the signs of her virginity, which are of the color of a maiden’s blush: yet for the clearing of her innocency, the elders (not the younger sort) might have the view of them: for thereby (as physicians affirm) the truth or falsehood of her husband’s charge might be discerned. Vales. de sacra philos., c. 25.

22:18. {chastise him} Either by strokes, or very sharp words at the least, besides the amercement (v. 19).

22:19. {to the father} For the fault of the child, redounds to the shame of the parents; therefore he was recompensed, since he was slandered.

{not put her away} If she be content to continue with him as his wife.

22:22. {both of them die} In adultery there is divers times the concurrence of several sins of heinous guilt; as of vow-breaking, of theft, whereby one man’s seed may come to inherit another man’s estate; besides the foulness of defiling the marriage bed with lawless lust, and therefore it was punished with death in both sexes, without partiality to either.

{because she cried not} For her silence in such a case, was a sign of consent.

22:24. {his neighbour’s wife} Because she was betrothed, she was a wife in right, though not in fact; for the mutual stipulation or promise makes the marriage-bed, not the lying together, which is but a consequence upon it, and a consummation of it.

22:26. {so is this matter} By violence on the one side, and innocence on the other.

22:28. {lay hold on her} This argues violence, and enforcement; which goes beyond enticement, and so it is a different case from that of Exod. 22:16.

22:29. {fifty shekels} See Annot. on Exod. 22:17.

{shall be his wife} That is, if her father give his consent to the marriage, as in the place forecited.

22:30. {his father’s wife} He shall not lie with his stepmother; meaning thereby, all other degrees are forbidden. Lev. 18:8 and 20:11.

{discover his father’s skirt} That is, uncover or remove that covering, which his father only had power to make bare, or naked. See on Ruth 3:9; Ezek. 16:8.

CHAPTER 23

23:1. {Wounded in the stones} In one or both of them: for the word is of the singular number. Or, is an eunuch.

{shall not enter} Shall not be accepted, or admitted, as one belonging to the commonwealth of Israel, or bear any office in the Church or State of Israel (Lev. 22:21, 24; Neh. 13:1, 2, 3; Isa. 56:3).

23:2. {bastard} Some restrain this to a bastard, that was not a Jew, who, though he would embrace the religion of the Israelites, was not to be admitted to their holy assemblies, howsoever, whether the law be made of aliens, or home-born, it was an admonition of chastity, in regard of the infamy and contempt of such a polluted posterity.

23:3. {tenth generation} Inclusively, so that until the grandchild of the eleventh descent, there was no admission of the offspring of a bastard into the holy congregation. See Judg. 11:1.

{for ever} Some read, and for ever, as an aggravation of their rejection, as though that of the bastard (v. 2) were too little; and therefore to show the condition of the Ammonite and Moabite more abominable to the Israelites, for ever is added to the exclusion forementioned. Or the meaning may be, that this ordinance against the Moabites to be cast off to the tenth generation, was to last forever, which is thought to be made rather against the men than against the women: for Moabitish wives (if their husbands were Israelites, as it was in the case of Booz and Ruth; Ruth 4:10) had more acceptance among Israelitish women, than a Moabitish husband had among the men of Israel, if he had married an Israelitish wife. See Neh. 13:1, 2, 3.

23:4. {met you not} Hereby he condemns all that further not the children of God in their vocation: not only they that do hurt, but they that do not good to God’s people are displeasing to him, and he will for their omission of observance, repay them with vengeance. See Gen. 14:18; Matt. 25:42.

23:7. {thy brother} An Edomite is brother to an Israelite, as Edom, or Esau (for he was called both) was brother to Israel or Jacob.

{not abhor an Egyptian} The reason rendered is, because the Israelites were strangers in their land, though they endured hard bondage there; yet at their first coming they were very kindly entertained (Gen. 47:6), and at their going out of Egypt (Exod. 11:3 and 12:35, 36), and it was more agreeable to the goodness of their religion to forget the offenses, than the favors of their landlords.

23:8. {third generation} After their first profession of the Israelitish religion, if their fathers having renounced idolatry and received circumcision, their children persist in the profession of the same.

23:9. {then keep thee} A soldier should be a saint, and precisely abstain from all sorts of sin, as a dying sick man, since (carrying his soul in his hand; Judg. 12:3; 1 Sam. 19:5) he is in danger of death every step, and consequently of damnation, if he die in sin unrepented of.

23:10. {out of the Camp} That was for the people, but if a priest were ceremonially unclean, it was enough for him (as some affirm) to go out of the temple or tabernacle, and court of either; and if any were unclean before, he was to keep out of the camp, or temple, etc., and not to enter until he were cleansed by washing (v. 11). See Num. 19.

23:12. {whither thou shalt go} For the necessities of nature.

23:13. {a paddle upon thy weapon} Or, besides thy weapons, or, among thy weapons: which, what it was, may be known by the use to which it is put in this verse, which shows, that God’s people should be pure, both in soul and body; and by this curiosity concerning bodily defilements, be meant to admonish them to be so much more curious of the cleanness of the soul, as it is more excellent than the body.

23:14. {walketh in the midst} Because the ark, which was the sign of God’s especial presence, was placed in the midst of the camps of Israel.

23:15. {not deliver} This is meant especially of the heathen, who fled from their masters’ cruelty and embraced true religion; who were not to be given up to their masters, until they had given over their wrath, and were reconciled unto them.

23:18. {hire of a whore} Hereby is forbidden that any gain of evil things should be applied to the service of God (Mic. 1:7), but the Pope takes tribute of whores, and Papists hold the price of whoredom to be base, but not unjust.

{or of a dog} Haply because the impudence of lust is compared to that of dogs, wherefore such as were most shameless were called Cynics from dogs: some take it to be the price of some dog of most use, let out for hire to breed others of the same race; or of the price of the first of the litter, which was neither to be offered nor redeemed, as the firstling of an ass was (Exod. 13:13).

23:19. {upon usury} See Annot. on Exod. 22:25.

23:20. {unto a stranger} This was permitted for a time, partly for the hardness of their hearts, as bills of divorce; but by a stranger was to be understood, one rather of another religion, than of another nation; for if he were a convert to the Israelitish religion, he was to be accounted as a brother (Lev. 19:34 and 25:35, 36). See on chap. 15:2.

{Bless thee} If you show your charity to your brother, God will declare his love towards you.

23:21. {sin in thee} If you should not pay, or perform what you have vowed. Num. 30:2; Eccles. 5:4.

23:23. {keep and perform} If the vow be lawful and godly.

23:24. {neighbour’s vineyard} Orchard, or olive-yard, being hired to labor in it, or such as occasionally pass by them, or through them; if necessity urge them, they may take some refreshing as the disciples did passing through cornfields which they sowed not (Matt. 12:1).

{put any into thy vessel} To bring home to your house.

CHAPTER 24

24:1. {Some uncleanness} Nor of adultery, as some take it: for if that could be proved, she was to die for it (Lev. 20:10; Deut. 22:23, 24), and if it were doubtful, she was to be tried by the water of jealousy (Num. 5), but some bodily uncleanness, as of leprosy, or some other disease which hindered contentment in her. To these, as causes of divorce, are added by some, barrenness, madness, stubbornness, reproachful insolency toward her husband, which is an uncleanness of the mind, or any other things which might dispose him rather to loathe them than to love her.

{bill of divorcement} Hereby God approves not the fickleness of men’s affections, in a light, or causeless leaving of their wives (Mal. 2:16), but permits a parting, for prevention of danger through dislike (Matt. 5:31 and 19:6, 7, 8, 9). In this bill (which was a schedule of writing) the husband gives his wife a release of the bands of marriage, and liberty to go whither she would, and to marry whom she would; this seems to have been rather at the husband’s choice to give the wife a bill of divorce, than at the wives to give one to the husband, which was not allowed among the Jews, as Josephus affirms (Antiq., lib. 15, c. 11).

24:4. {may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled} That is, put away for some uncleanness, or if she were not taken by the second man as a wife, her lying with him was an uncleanness; and such a putting away for a time only, might occasion an unlawful love of one man’s wife, to be another man’s bedfellow: by this debarring of the husband of liberty, to resume her that was divorced, might make him less forward to put away his wife. See Mal. 2:14, 15, 16. Yet before she was taken to the bed of another, he might take her again, but not after, though she were again divorced.

{cause the land to sin} If such lightness and lewdness should be practiced, or permitted, it would draw a guilt of sin upon the people, and a curse upon the land (Ps. 107:34).

24:5. {with any business} Which may cause him to break off cohabitation with his new married wife: see chap. 20:7; Prov. 5:18.

24:6. {millstone} (Whether upper or nether, because without both he cannot grind) nor anything whereby a man gets his living, which therefore is called his life in this verse.

24:7. {stealing} See Annot. on Exod. 21:16.

24:8. {of the plague of leprosy} Which you might incur by contempt of their authority who are set over you, whether in the Church, or in the commonwealth. See 2 Chron. 26:19; Num. 12:16.

24:10. {not go into his house} Although you might appoint what to have, yet you shall receive for a pledge, what he may spare, and will willingly part withal.

24:12. {sleep with his pledge} What pledge is here meant, is plain by v. 13, and by this God admonished the lender to take such pledge (if any at all) as he should not need often to return, and resume.

24:13. {Sun goeth down} See Annot. on Exod. 22:26.

{before the LORD} As done with respect to God’s presence, and knowledge; though the man may be unthankful, yet God will not forget it; but accept it as an act of conformity to his own law, and so far righteous, and withal as merciful to man, as righteous before God. See on Matt. 6:1.

24:16. {The children} This is a law for man to follow; but God, to whom all, both parents and children, are guilty of sin, and who is supreme Lord of life and death, is not bound unto it. See on Exod. 20:5 and Josh. 7:24 and 2 Sam. 25:22; Ezek. 18:20; 2 Kings 14:6; Jer. 31:30.

24:17. {the stranger} Who being unknown, and without friends, was most like to be wronged by false accusations, and other hard measures; therefore God had so much the more care of their comfortable condition, as men have the less. See Isa. 1:23; Jer. 5:28; Ezek. 22:29.

24:18. {Therefore I command thee} To do justice, and to show mercy unto strangers, to the fatherless and widow, of oppressing whom you should be the more apprehensive, because you yourself were oppressed in Egypt, and you must show yourself thankful for your deliverance, by charitable offices towards them that need; for he will not judge them mindful of his benefits, who are not beneficial unto others.

24:19. {not go again to fetch it} A merciful oblivion is to be preferred before a just remembrance. This care of the poor is observable (Lev. 19:9), wherein men were to be so free, that they should rather remember to leave a portion for the poor (Joseph. Antiq., lib. 4, c. 81), than fetch that home, which by forgetfulness was left behind.

CHAPTER 25

25:2. {Beaten} When the crime deserved not death.

25:3. {forty stripes} Every fault that deserved not death, was not to be punished with forty stripes, for correction must be done according to the proportion of the fault (v. 2), but the punishment of any fault (which was not capital) must not exceed the number of forty stripes, of which the Jews used to abate one, lest they should by miscounting go one beyond: yet sometimes it is like some of them did not out of mercy make that stint, but out of cruelty, that they might begin their account again the sooner; it might be so with Saint Paul, when as we read (2 Cor. 11:24) he five times received forty stripes save one (as it is probable for preaching five times against their minds), the keeping back of that one, might bring thirty-nine upon his back the sooner, and so for that one he might have one hundred fifty and six; so cruel are the mercies of some wicked men. Some think these stripes were given with a whip of three leather thongs, wherewith having given thirteen blows, they made account they had given thirty-nine stripes, one less than the just number, for three times thirteen is thirty-nine.

25:3. {vile} As if he were rather a slave than a brother, or rather a beast than a man; and by using of extreme tyranny in this kind, men’s hearts might be hardened in cruel contempt of those whom they should love and esteem, hating the sin, and not hurting the sinner, but so as may tend to his greater good. Or, he might become vile by extremity of pain, falling down to the ground as half dead, or by losing the ligaments of the retentive faculty.

25:4. {treadeth out} There were many ways to bring the grain out of the ears of corn, as threshing instruments (2 Sam. 24:22), beating with a staff, bringing the wheel over the ear (Isa. 28:27, 28), and here by treading of the oxen (which was in use, not only with the Jews; Hos. 10:11, but with Romans, Greeks, and other nations; Varro, de re Rustica, l. 1, c. 11; Columella, de re Rustica, l. 2, c. 21), the beast while he was labored, was not to have his mouth muzzled, but might feed himself while he prepared food for man, and had as much liberty to his meat, as his master had authority over his work. Saint Paul applies this to the maintenance of the laborers in the Gospel. See 1 Cor. 9:9, 10; 5:18; Prov. 12:14.

25:5. {her husband’s brother} Or next kinsman, for the Hebrew word Jabbam signifies not only a natural brother, but also a kinsman; so it may be that it is not meant that the natural brother should marry his brother’s wife, but some other of the kindred, who was in that degree which might marry; yet it may be a natural brother, as Onan was to Er. See Annot. on Gen. 38:8. And if there were many brothers, this rule was, when as one died, successively to be observed by the next surviving brother; but this was to have place only where the brother died altogether childless; for if he had no son, but a daughter, there was another rule to be observed, for continuation of the name and family of the deceased (Num. 36:2, 3), so that besides the case of extreme necessity, when the brother died altogether childless, the negative precept (Lev. 18:16 and 20:21) stood in force.

25:6. {in the name} That is, in the stead, for it was not necessary that the name of the first husband should be put upon the son of the second: for the son of Boaz by Ruth was not called Mahlon, the name of her first husband, but Obed. See Ruth 4:10, etc.

25:9. {loose his shoe} Loosing of the shoe and giving it (Ruth 4:7, 8) was a ceremony of alienation of land, whereby the seller, resigning up his land to the buyer, made tender of his shoe, signifying, that not he, but the buyer had the right to tread on that ground from that time forward. In this case the like ceremony was used, but with another intimation, to keep a memorial of contempt to the unkind brother, who was held as worthy to go barefoot, in that he would not uphold the name of his brother, and raise up seed unto him.

{spit on his face} Or, on the ground before him, as in contempt and defiance of him.

{that will not build up} By raising him issue to uphold his family. See Annot. on Exod. 1:21.

25:12. {cut off her hand} Because by such an act she may maim the man, and utterly disable him from being a father; and because she shows herself to be a very impudent woman, and it is an horrible thing to see a woman past shame.

25:13. {a great and a small} For deceitful bargainings to buy by the great weight, and to sell by the small. See Prov. 20:10.

25:18. {and smote the hindmost} This belongs to the story of the war of the Amalekites against the Israelites (Exod. 17), yet there this particular is not mentioned, the wisdom of the Holy Ghost holding it fittest to be mentioned in this place; the like is observed of other passages before.

25:19. {blot out the remembrance} This was partly accomplished by Saul, about four hundred and fifty years afterward (1 Sam. 15:2, 3), and further pursued by the Simeonites in Hezekiah’s days (1 Chron. 4:42), and yet further when Queen Esther prevailed against Haman and his ten sons (Esther 7:10 and 9:12, 13), who were slips of that corrupt and accursed stock of Amalek (Exod. 17:46).

CHAPTER 26

26:2. {The first of all} By this ceremony, they acknowledged that they received the land of Canaan as a free gift of God: this oblation was yearly, and the time of the year when it was made, was the feast of Tabernacles (Num. 18:12). See Lev. 23:19.

{to place his Name} To be called upon, served and worshiped. See Annot. on chap. 16:2.

26:5. {A Syrian} Meaning Jacob, who lived twenty years in Syria with Laban, who was the son of Bethuel the Syrian (Gen. 31:24, 38).

{ready to perish} By the deadly hate of his brother Esau pursuing to kill him (Gen. 27:41), and his approaching towards him, with four hundred men in an hostile manner (Gen. 33:1), after, by his hard service unto Laban, wherein he was consumed by drought in the day, and frost in the night (Gen. 31:40), and lastly, ready to perish by the famine in Canaan, whence he removes into Egypt, for necessary sustenance to preserve his life (Gen. 42:1, 2, etc., and 46:1).

26:7. {when we cried} Alleging the promises made to our fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

26:9. {floweth with} See Annot. on Exod. 3:8.

26:10. {thou shalt set} You shall bring it near the place where it shall be set, but the priest shall take it out of your hand and place it (v. 4).

{it} That is, the basket where the firstfruits are put (v. 2).

{before the LORD} That is, before the altar of the Lord (v. 4).

26:11. {rejoice} See chap. 12:7.

26:12. {year of tithing} To wit, the third year. There was a threefold tithe taken, one out of the whole for allowance of the Levites, another out of that which remained for the owners to eat with thanksgiving in the place where the sanctuary was situate; as in the city of Shiloh when the tabernacle stood there, and afterwards in Jerusalem where the temple was built; and of the third tithe, see Annot. in chap. 14:28. From this addition of tithe more than was other years (for in them there was but a double tithe, in this a third tithe besides the other two), the third year was called the year of tithing.

{the third year} See Deut. 14:28.

26:13. {before the LORD} That is, sincerely, as in his presence without all guile or hypocrisy.

26:14. {my mourning} That is, being ceremonially unclean by mourning for, and burial of the dead; for none such might eat thereof (Lev. 7:20). See Hos. 9:4. It was to be eaten with rejoicing, as in manner of feasting (chap. 16:11, 15). See on v. 12 of this chapter, and chap. 28:47.

{for any unclean} Common or profane use, or for any unclean person to eat thereof.

{for the dead} To furnish the funeral of the dead, whereof see Jer. 6:7, or the sacrifice offered to dumb and dead idols (Ps. 106:28).

{according to all} As far as sinful nature would suffer; for else as David and Paul say, there is not one just (Ps. 14:3; Rom. 3:10).

26:17. {Thou hast avouched} The covenant betwixt God and his people, consists of mutual conditions; on the people’s part the conditions are faith and obedience, whereby they embrace him, and rely upon him as their God; and obedience to his commandments, as to their lawmaker and governor.

26:18. {the LORD hath avouched} On God’s part, the conditions are to take them for his peculiar people; which implies both his protection of them, and provision for them, both for this life and the next.

CHAPTER 27

27:1. {I command you} That is, Moses God’s minister: or, God by his minister Moses.

27:2. {great stones} These were for building of an altar; but being smoothed over with plaster, they served for another use, noted in the next verse.

27:3. {write upon them} What was written, see Annot. on v. 8, and for the reason why we may conceive it to be, for that God would have his law set up in the borders of the land of Canaan, that all that looked thereon, might know that the land was dedicated to his service; and that the twelve tribes (according to whose number, it is probable, the stones were twelve) were especially obliged to obedience to the law of God upon their actual possession of the promised land.

27:4. {mount Ebal} See on v. 12.

27:5. {iron tool} The altar should not be curiously wrought, because it was to continue but for a time: for God would have but one altar in Judah; and as yet the ark not having a certain place, the altar was to be but such a one as might serve for the present occasion, and afterwards be easily demolished.

27:8. {upon the stones} That is, not upon the stones of the altar (vv. 5, 6), but upon the stones which were plastered (v. 4).

{this law} Not the whole book of Deuteronomy, or Exodus, but the principal part of the law, which is the Ten Commandments, with some other selected parcels of most use for edification of the people, which were (as some conceive) the blessings and cursings upon mount Gerizzim and mount Ebal (vv. 12, 13).

{very plainly} So that it may be easily and readily read by those who are least skillful in reading.

27:9. {this day thou art become} See Annot. on chap. 26:17, 18.

27:12. {These shall stand} See Annot. on chap. 11:29.

{upon} Josh. 8:33. It is said, over against; yet no contradiction; for they that stood upon the one, stood over against the other.

{Gerizim} Is a mountain near the city Shechem (Judg. 9:7). Near unto it (only a little valley betwixt them) is mount Ebal, which v. 4 was named before mount Gerizzim, because the curses, after mentioned pronounced from the top of Ebal, take up a very great part of the chapter.

{Simeon, and} Only the tribes who were born of the wives of Jacob, Leah and Rachel (though not all of them, for incestuous Reuben the eldest, and Zebulon the youngest of Leah’s sons stood upon mount Ebal) are named first, and have the more honorable part applied to them, which is to assist at the pronouncing of blessings from mount Gerizzim.

{Joseph} Meaning Ephraim and Manasseh his sons, in whom he had a double portion; for they were each of them reputed, and provided for as several tribes.

27:13. {curse} Signifying, that if they would not obey God for love, they should be made to obey for fear.

27:14. {the Levites} The main body of the tribe was to stand on mount Gerizzim (v. 12), by the Levites therefore we are to understand the priests (Josh. 8:33). These stood with the ark in the valley betwixt the two hills, and their office, from God was to pronounce, not only blessings (Num. 6:23), at which they looked toward mount Gerizzim, but curses, at which they turned their faces toward mount Ebal, to which the tribes forenamed were (by their presence and saying Amen) to signify their assent.

{loud voice} So loud that all might hear; or those who were near, beginning their Amen with a loud voice, the rest might take it from them; and from them again others, till it went through all the company.

27:15. {image} Under this he contains all the corruption of God’s service against the first table. See Exod. 20:4.

{in a secret place} God will not endure idolatry in secret; much less when it is committed with public scandal.

{say, Amen} That is, some of them shall say Amen, at the pronunciation of the blessings, some at the denunciation of the curses, as vv. 12, 13.

{Amen} Signifies truth: or, be it true: and that either imports a protestation, that it shall be so; or a prayer, that it may be so. See on Matt. 28:20.

27:17. {landmark} To enlarge his own portion by taking from another man’s: or diminish the inheritance of his father, to gratify a friend. See 1 Kings 21:3.

27:18. {blind to wander} When his eyes should rather guide him, and his hands lead him in the right way. See Job 29:15; Gen. 27:12; Lev. 19:14.

27:20. {father’s skirt} See on chap. 22:30.

27:26. {to do them} Conformity in work is the best confirming of the words of the law; yet the law is so perfect, and all men since the fall so imperfect, that it is not only a rule for our life, but a rod, upon discovery of our failings, to make us run unto Christ, the Lord of life, for safety against the second death (Gal. 3:24).

CHAPTER 28

This chapter is for the material contents of it much like the 26 of Leviticus, so that the clearing of that may be a sparing of some labor in the expounding of this.

28:2. {overtake thee} If you be diligent in hearing, and constant in doing of the will of God out of pure love to him, though you have no mind of the reward, but should rather run from it, than aim at it, or labor for it; blessings nevertheless should follow you so fast as to be sure to overtake you.

28:7. {seven ways} That is, many ways; a certain number for an uncertain; as v. 25; Lev. 26:24.

28:8. {command the blessing} We obtain blessings by entreaty, but God bestows them by command, since the creatures can no more resist his power in their use, than in their essence, when at first he commanded their being.

28:10. {the Name of the LORD} That is, you are the Lord’s children, as chap. 14:1. Or, his peculiar people (chap. 26:18).

{afraid of thee} The holy league betwixt God and his people, is matter of terror to those, who otherwise would be a terror to them. See Exod. 23:22.

28:21. {treasure, the heaven} Heaven is the treasure of every blessing; even those which are most earthly, have their original from thence.

28:13. {and not the tail} A proverbial speech, importing high preeminence, or a security, from contempt. See Isa. 9:13.

28:15. {not hearken} To hearken is more than to hear, for that comprehends hearing with attention, and with a ready disposition to actual obedience.

28:20. {perish quickly} Plagues shall come on apace, treading on the heels of one another, like Job’s messengers, making haste to make you quickly miserable many ways. See Job, chap. 1.

28:23. {brass} See on Lev. 26:19.

28:24. {powder and dust} That is, instead of rain, by exceeding great drought grains of dust shall ascend into the air with the wind, and come down as the drops of rain in a shower when it is kindly weather.

28:26. {carcase} You shall be cursed both in your life and in your death, and after it, for your burial is a testimony of the resurrection, but for your wickedness you shall want it, being left a prey to be devoured by the fowls of the air, and the beasts of the earth. See on Deut. 6:8.

28:27. {botch of Egypt} See Exod. 9:9.

{Emerods} A disease proceeding principally of the excess, and malignity of melancholic blood in the heads of the veins of the fundament, which sometimes bleed, and sometimes gather into knots with a painful swelling, called by some the piles.

28:29. {grope at noonday} In things evident and clear, you lack discretion and judgment to do what is best, or to prevent and avoid the worst.

28:32. {to another people} Carried captive to another nation (v. 41).

{thine eyes shall look} When they shall return from their captivity.

28:36. {and thy King} As he did Manasseh, Jehojakim, Zedekiah, and others; for they have no more privilege to offend, nor protection from punishment, than their meanest subjects.

{serve other Gods} There is no God but one (Isa. 4:8), the maker of all things; but there are many gods made by the fond fancies of men: these they shall be made to serve, either blinded in their understandings, or forced against their consciences. See Dan. 3:19, etc.

28:40. {cast his fruit} Before it come to maturity.

28:42. {locust consume} Under one kind is contained all the vermin which destroy the fruit of the land, which sometimes succeed and prey upon the leavings of each other; as Joel 1:4.

28:43. {very high} Heb. high, high.

{very low} Heb. low, low.

28:44. {and thou the tail} See Annot. on v. 13.

28:45. {for a sign} Of God’s great indignation, which shall be evident upon you.

{for a wonder} That a people once so happy in God’s favor, should be so unwise and wicked as to deserve so great a change.

28:49. {as the Eagle flieth} With swiftness of her wings, greediness of prey, without any respect of pity: such were their enemies mentioned (Jer. 4:13; Lam. 4:19 and Ezek. 17:3). See Dan. 7:4. Such were the Chaldeans (Jer. 5:15), and Romans (Luke 19:43).

28:53. {the fruit of thine own body} See Lev. 26:29.

28:55. {not give to any of them} That is, neither to his brother, nor to his wife, nor to the remnant of his children, whom yet he has not eaten.

28:57. {between her feet} See Annot. on Gen. 49:10.

28:58. {to do all} For he that willingly offends in one point, is guilty of all; because he contemns the author of the law; and he that contemns him in one point, obeys him not in any (James 12:0). For though he observe the matter of the law, he does it for some other reason, than the word, or law of God, and so to him it is no obedience.

{fearful Name} The name of God is sometimes put for God himself, as Ps. 20:1; Joel 2:32. So here.

28:61. {not written} Though God has threatened many sorts of punishments in express terms, yet he has many more plagues in store, than are committed to record, or writing.

28:63. {rejoice over you to destroy} Not as a work of misery to the creature (Ezek. 33:11), but as an execution of justice upon the sinner.

28:64. {serve other gods} See Annot. on v. 36.

28:68. {with ships} In mentioning ships, he gives them occasion to remember their passage through the sea without ships, by God’s miraculous making of the water to give way unto them (Exod. 14:21, 22, 29), and to stand as a wall on each side their passage, and afterward to turn, and overwhelm their enemies. This mention of ships by Moses, confutes the fiction of those who feign there were no ships until about forty years before the last Trojan wars, which is later than this record of Moses by above two hundred years; and although this be a prophecy for after-times, Moses speaks of ships as things then known to those, to whom he speaks. See on Gen. 8:17 and 9:1.

{thou shalt see it no more again} That is, that miraculous way foretold by God, and forementioned by Moses (Exod. 14:16), you shall not go that way, nor shall see that way any more; for that is covered with the sea, which no more shall be divided to show the bare ground for your passage, as once it did. Or, no more that long and winding way by many turnings and changes to and fro, backward and forward, in the wilderness; and when many hundreds of years after, the Jews (upon the taking of Jerusalem by the Romans) were led captives many ways, and some were carried into Egypt partly by ships, partly by the way of the wilderness; yet was not the passage in the same road or way whereby they passed out of Egypt towards Canaan. See chap. 17:16.

{no man shall buy you} That is, set to sale, and they shall be so vile and contemptible, that none shall bid any money for you, or, you shall be sold, and none shall buy you again by way of redemption; and hereof read Josephus of the Wars of the Jews, lib. 17, cap. 16.

CHAPTER 29

29:1. {Beside the covenant} The same in substance, but not altogether the same, but much varied with sundry additions of explanation, admonition, with some new commands, comminations, and benedictions, which were not mentioned in the former edition of the covenant; in which respect it may be said to be diverse from the former, so diverse, as if it were another besides it.

29:2. {Moses called} It is not like that all this was delivered at once, but that the people dismitted having heard some part and then dismissed were called together again to hear the rest.

{ye have seen} See on Exod. 19:4 and on Deut. 2:7.

29:3. {temptations} Trials or proofs of God’s power. See Annot. on chap. 7:19.

29:4. {not given you} They had both naturally eyes and ears but a spiritual apprehension and use of those great works they had not; and they had it not, because God had not given it unto them: so that wonders without the work of grace, will not avail for man’s conversion, but grace without them will be sufficient for faith and salvation.

29:5. {clothes not waxed old} See Annot. on chap. 8:4.

29:6. {not eaten bread} Made by man’s art, but manna, which is the bread of angels (Ps. 78:24, 25).

{or strong drink} For your drink has been as miraculous as your bread; water fetched out of the rock (Num. 20:11; Ps. 78:15, 16).

{that ye might know} By a miraculous supply of your wants of both; how great a God I am in power, how able to provide for my people without ordinary means.

29:10. {all of you} All of what difference soever, by sex, by age, stature or state must be made to know what they are bound to keep.

{before the LORD} Who sees you, though you see not him; and in you sees what man cannot see (your hearts) and therefore you may not think to dissemble with him in making of the covenant, nor in a guileful observation of it.

29:11. {thy stranger} Such as came with you out of Egypt, and left their idolatrous religion behind them.

{from the hewer} A proverbial speech, as from a thread to a shoe-latchet (Gen. 14:23). See Josh. 9:21.

29:12. {enter} Heb. pass. Alluding to them who when they made a sure covenant divided a beast, and passed between the parts divided. See Annot. on Gen. 15:10.

29:13. {a people unto himself} Chap. 28:9.

29:15. {that is not here} Meaning your posterity.

29:16. {passed by} To come through (as is said before) and to pass by (as here) seem repugnant; but the meaning is, that they came through some parts of the nations, where they saw their idols (v. 17), and passed by others; or that though they came through them, they made no stay among the people, but as wayfaring men passed away.

29:18. {Lest there should be} He proposes the covenant in general terms both for those that are, and those that shall be (vv. 14, 15), lest any one should expect a privilege from the curse, if he do transgress: or this word (lest) may be answered by v. 20, lest any one should do so, the Lord protests he will not spare him. See Heb. 12:25. V. 19. {Add drunkenness to thirst}. See on Prov. 23:35.

{root that beareth} That is, a corrupt heart whence proceed evil words and deeds, which are bitter leaves and fruit; bitter by repentance if they be pardoned, and bitter by pain if they be punished; and unto God as distasteful as the bitterest gall can be unto man. And though it be in the root, and that hidden in the ground, yet it is as well known to God, as that which is in the branches or fruit are to men which are obvious to the view or taste of man.

29:23. {brimstone and salt} The heat of brimstone and salt dry up the fruitful juice of the earth, and make it barren; wherefore Abimelech when he had overthrown the city of Shechem sowed the ground with salt (Judg. 9:45). See Ps. 107:34, text and marg.; Jer. 17:6.

29:28. {as it is this day} These words are not to be taken as spoken by Moses himself, or as if the condition of the people were in his time such as is said (v. 22), but they are spoken as of the time when the prophecy should come to pass, as in the name, and by those who should see it accomplished.

29:29. {the secret things} These words are not, as the former, the words of God, but of Moses; and they are an Epiphonema, or a sententious conclusion of that which went before, wherein mention is made concerning curses and judgments, in which there are many secrets which men cannot search into, as the wicked thoughts of men, and their privy practices (chap. 27:15), what manner of curse shall come upon men for their sins as they are particularly named (chap. 27:15, etc.), and when they shall come, and who are impenitently guilty of such sins, as deserve these curses; these and such like secrets we must leave as locked up in God’s private closet, of which the key is in his own keeping, not in ours.

29:29. {revealed things} Are of many sorts, but those here chiefly meant, are the rules of duty to God and man, revealed not for contemplation, but for practice, and the judgments in the general before threatened to the transgressors of them; in which sentence he gives a caveat against curious presumption in prying into hidden matters, and careless neglect of known laws.

CHAPTER 30

30:1. {Blessing and the curse} First the blessing, the ungrateful neglect, and the ungracious abuse whereof deserves the curse; or, the blessing to those that keep the law, the curse to such as break it.

{hath driven thee} Upon presupposal of their great sin, he foretells their punishment, whereof he speaks by way of assurance, as if it were already come upon them.

30:3. {turn thy captivity} That is, return you out of your captivity. Ps. 126:1, 147:2.

30:4. {utmost parts of heaven} As far upon earth as there is heaven beyond or above it.

{fetch thee} And bring you into your country.

30:6. {circumcise thy heart} See what is legally commanded (chap. 10:16), is here evangelically promised on chap. 10:16.

30:11. {not hidden from thee} The law is so evident that none can pretend he is ignorant of it.

30:13. {beyond the sea} By heaven (v. 12) and sea here, he means places most distant. See Rom. 10:6.

30:14. {very nigh} So near, that it is within your nature, and you cannot pretend any ignorance of it, for it is by word of mouth revealed to you and that you may not forget it, it shall be written for you (chap. 31:9).

{that thou mayest do it} By faith in Christ, for so his obedience is made ours, and without it, man’s obedience is very imperfect, not only because he cannot do all he should, but because he does not all he might in outward exercises and duties of devotion.

30:16. {love} So that to love and obey God, is the means to escape death, and to obtain life eternal.

{to keep his Commandments} Though God command to keep his commandments, it does not follow, that it is in man’s power to perform them (no more than it was in the power of Lazarus to deliver himself from whence Christ bade him come forth; John 11:43), and such as was his corporal, is man’s spiritual deadness (Eph. 2:1), for the law implies a right to command, and a duty to obey, and not any ability thereto; or if an ability, an ability once had, though since lost, when entrusted to the custody of our first parents’ freewill, it was treacherously made away by their consent to the evil motions of Satan.

30:19. {I call heaven} See Annot. on chap. 4:26.

30:20. {thy life and} That is, effectively the cause, or Christ the author of life and length of days, for in him we live, move, and have our being; that is, by power and virtue from him (Acts 17:28).

CHAPTER 31

31:1. {Went and spake} That is (as some take it), Moses went to the people assembled together, and to them assembled, spoke as follows: but it may be, went and spake, is, he went on in speaking, or began again to speak; for the Hebrews use to phrase beginning, by going, or rising.

31:2. {an hundred and twenty years old} His years might have made him too aged to bear so great a burden, yet his sight was not dim, nor his natural force decayed when he died (Deut. 34:7), but the chief reason was, he knew though he were neither sick, nor weak, he must quickly die (v. 14), and must not lead the people over Jordan, as he says in the next words, and that Joshua was designed to take the charge which he laid down: and he complained of his age, to make them the more to accept of a younger man for their governor in his stead.

{no more go out and come in} That is, do the office of a captain to lead the people forth to war, and to bring them home back again in peace.

31:3. {and Joshua} He joins the Lord and Joshua together, that the people may have the better hope of his happy guidance, who, though he were before but a servant to Moses, was now to be commander in chief under God, as himself had been, and whatsoever difference they conceived betwixt them as men, they were to expect, that he is guided and assisted by God, would be a sufficient conductor of them to the possession of the promise, and therefore they might follow him with confidence, and must follow him with obedience, rather as second only to God, than as a successor to Moses.

31:4. {as he did to Sihon} God is the same in future, that he was in former favors to his people, and judgments on their enemies, if they be not rebels against him, or revolters from him.

{unto the land} That is, the inhabitants of the land.

31:5. {Before your face} They shall so fly or fall before you, that you shall perceive that you prevail by the power of the Lord.

31:6. {Be strong and of} For he that must govern his people (especially so numerous and apt to murmur) has need to be valiant to repress vice and constant to maintain virtue.

31:8. {The LORD he it is that doth} God’s assistance is the surest ground of courageous confidence.

31:9. {this Law} That is, the book of Deuteronomy. Some conceive the whole Pentateuch to be here meant and that that which was now written was found (2 Kings 22:8).

{to the Priests} Who were to be most conversant in it, that they might the better instruct the people out of it, especially in the year of release, which was every seventh year (Exod. 23:11), when it was solemnly and entirely to be read unto them (v. 11 of this chapter).

{which bear the Ark} The ark is mentioned here by occasion of the book, which was laid up in the side of it, and for the bearing of the ark, there is some doubt whether it belonged to the priests only, or to the Levites with them, or whether to the priests as priests, or as Levites. Some conceive that the priests must bear the ark, and not the Levites, and therefore that Uzzah being but a Levite when he touched it, was smitten, because he presumed upon the charge of the priests, but it appears (Num. 3:31) that the Levites (which were the sons of Kohath, who had the charge of the ark) did carry it, as v. 25 of this chapter, though not only, nor always, for at some extraordinary times the priests did bear it (Josh. 3:13 and 1 Kings 8:3), yet with this difference, that the priests might, and sometimes did it upon especial occasion, to testify their piety, or for greater solemnity; but the Levites must do it, as a part of their service in ordinary. See 1 Chron. 15:2. And yet might they not touch any of the holy things they carried until they were covered by Aaron and his sons the priests (Num. 4:15), and therefore the sin of Uzzah, whether priest or Levite, was not only, for that he and the rest suffered the ark to be carried on a cart (which they should have borne on their shoulders) but for that he either feigned a peril of falling, and so seemed hypocritically to support it, or that he took the boldness irreverently to touch some part of it, for which he ought to be smitten as he was (Num. 4:15).

31:10. {year of release} Every seventh year was a year of release. See on chap. 15:1, 2.

31:11. {before the LORD} Before the ark of the covenant, which was the sign of God’s presence, and the figure of Christ.

{Thou shalt read} It is not said who in particular, but it is like the service was performed by some eminent person in the priesthood, as by Ezra, who is called both a scribe, and a priest (Neh. 8:1, 2). A Scribe, as he was a writer of the law; and a Priest, as a reader, and expounder of it to the people, and a sacrificer to God.

31:12. {children} Children must be timely instructed in the law of God, that they may be inured unto it, and habituated in it before they come to be men; for young saints are most like to be old saints (though one of the devil’s proverbs calls them the old devils).

31:14. {in the Tabernacle} The tabernacle is sometime taken for the whole space, or place, which was marked, and bounded out for holy uses, and not fit for the curious tent of curtains (Exod. 26:10, 11, etc.). Here it is taken for that part of the court which was near the door of the tabernacle, for into the tabernacle itself none but the priest might enter.

31:15. {pillar of a cloud} That is, a cloud in form and fashion of a pillar, as the flaming sword, was fire in form of a sword (Gen. 3, last verse).

31:17. {hide my face} That is, I will take my favor from them; as to turn his face towards them, is to show them his favor. See on 2 Kings 2:15 and on Isa. 8:17 and 54:8.

31:19. {this song} See on v. 30.

{a witness} For me against their disobedience and ingratitude, and against their obstinacy and stupidity, who, though they were warned of the wretched end of wicked works, would not beware.

31:20. {then will they turn} Outward prosperity, though good for the body, may be bad for the soul; for many will no longer obey God than they are under his rod, who turn their prosperity, which should be a motive to their obedience to God, to an occasion of contempt against God.

31:21. {testify against them} That they own wickedness wrought their woe, and that their sufferings were but the just reward of their disobedience.

{which they go about} There were some so ill-minded among them, as to meditate on mischief beforehand, whereby they deserved their expulsion out of the land, when as yet they had not gotten possession of the land: but God foresaw how bad they would be, and therefore foreordained a just reward for their wickedness.

31:23. {and said} Hitherto God spoke of, and to Joshua, but by Moses; now he speaks to him by himself, and here both gives him his charge, and encourages him to it.

31:26. {in the side of} Or, by the side: and (as some Hebrew Rabbins note) in a chest by itself placed on the right side of the ark; for there was no writing kept in the ark, but the two tables of the Ten Commandments (1 Kings 8:9; 2 Chron. 5:10). See on Exod. 25:16, where the doubt is more largely discussed.

31:28. {heaven and earth to record} See Annot. on chap. 32:1.

31:29. {you will utterly corrupt} By the spirit of prophecy he foretells their defection, as a forerunner and cause of their future affliction.

31:30. {of this song} Which follows in the next chapter.

CHAPTER 32

32:1. {Give ear O heavens} Here begins the song spoken of v. 19 of the precedent chapter, where he turns his speech to the heavens, either meaning by the heavens, angels, the inhabitants of the heavens, and by the earth, men, the inhabitants of the earth; as by the land, the inhabitants of the land (chap. 31:4). Or else by the heavens, and the earth, we may understand the heavens, and earth themselves. The meaning is, by such a passionate expression, to stir up their apprehensions: or by appealing to the heavens, and earth, which have neither sense nor reason, nor religion, and yet obey God’s ordinance, to shame them, who profess to have all, and against all are disobedient to him: or that upon their rebellion against God, the heavens and the earth should both join in judgment against them, as is threatened (chap. 28:23).

32:2. {My Doctrine shall drop} I would have my doctrine to drop from my lips upon your hearts to mollify them: or that it may be unto them as a fruitful dew or rain which makes grass, and flowers to spring and sprout. Heb. 6:2. See Isa. 55:10; Ezek. 21:27; Amos 7:16; Mic. 2:6.

32:4. {He is a rock} In strength, and fixedness, a strong, and durable foundation, that cannot be removed; Isa. 26:4 and 28:16.

32:5. {their spot} That is, their sin, which spots, and blemishes their souls (2 Cor. 7:1; Jude 23).

{not the spot of his children} That is, not such sin as is of infirmity, which God’s children may, and many times do commit (1 John 2:1), but of malignity, perverseness, and contempt. See 1 John 3:6.

32:6. {O foolish people} Great ingratitude is gross folly, and the ingratitude is great which returns evil for good to a man’s best Father, and only Maker, as God is.

32:8. {divided to the Nations} This some conceive to be meant of the division by confusion of tongues upon the building of Babel, others of assigning portions to the nations, as of Seir to the posterity of Esau (chap. 2:5), and through the whole earth the Lord distributes the portion to every people as pleases himself.

{set bounds} Or limits, meaning the division of the land of Canaan among the children of Israel according to the Lord’s allotment; for it was done (for the most part) by lots (Num. 34:13), and the disposition of the lot is of the Lord (Prov. 16:33).

32:9. {the LORD’s portion} The Lord has chosen the people of Israel for his peculiar portion, out of all the nations of the world (Amos 3:2).

{lot} He alludes to the division of the land of Canaan, as if the sons of Jacob had fallen to him by lot.

32:10. {he found} Not by chance, but with resolved choice he manifested himself to him in the wilderness.

{howling wilderness} Because of wild beasts, whose noise is howling, when they want provision. See Isa. 43:20; Mic. 1:8.

32:11. {fluttereth over her young} Either to teach them to fly, or to save them from violence. See on Exod. 19:4; Matt. 23:37.

{on her wings} It is noted as the peculiar property of the eagle, to carry her young in her claws, as she catches, or carries the prey; but with such tenderness, as that she may not hurt them, and at such an height, as other may not reach them.

32:12. {did lead him} By the pillar of cloud by day, and of fire by night.

32:13. {ride upon the high places} That is, triumphantly prevail over the fenced cities, whose walls and towers are raised highest. Chap. 33:29; Isa. 58:14.

{made him} The preterperfect tense used for the future as in other verses of this chapter.

{honey out of the rock} Barren places, like rough, and craggy rocks were made to yield fruit; or (according to the letter) swarms of bees made honey in the clefts of the rocks; and olive trees prospered in stony places.

32:14. {breed of Bashan} A place of special note for a good breed of cattle, or for good pasture for them.

{kidneys of wheat} The fatness of the creature appears in the kidneys, and the best are such as are most fat; to such is the fruitfulest, fullest, and whitest flour of wheat compared. See Ps. 81:16.

{pure blood of the grape} That is, the liquor of it, which in some sort of grapes is red; and being pure without mixture, is more red, and like to blood. See Annot. on Gen. 49:11.

32:15. {Jeshurun} The word is derived of Jesher, signifying righteousness, or uprightness; by which is meant Israel, God’s peculiar people (Isa. 44:2), who should have been upright, righteous, just in obedience to the will and law of God, but was lawless, and unruly, and like a fatted bullock, kicked against his feeder. The word Jeshurun is very rarely used, and it seems to be made by Moses by way of paronomasia or allusion to an ox, as if he had said, Israel should be Jeshurun, but is Scher, that is, an ox: or a bullock.

{waxed fat and kicked} See on Eccles. 7:2; Jer. 5:7; Hos. 13:6.

32:17. {new gods} For all false gods are new, and young to God the Ancient of days, who was from everlasting (Dan. 7:9).

32:18. {the Rock that begat} He was called a rock before (v. 4), and here again, but with a great difference from an extraordinary rock: for the same God who is so called, is (as a rock is not) of a quickening and a generative power to beget sons and daughters as they are called (v. 19).

32:20. {hide my face} See Annot. on chap. 31:17.

{see what their end} God’s hiding, is a withdrawing of his favorable influence and assistance, and though he be not seen, he can see and observe, and will so see, as to make others observe (and this phrase is used after an human manner; as many others in the Scripture), as if God watched (as Moses’s sister did, Exod. 2:4, to see what would become of him, Exod. 2:4), whereas indeed he knows all things concerning all creatures at one act of understanding.

32:21. {not a people} That is, such as I have not taken for a people as I have done Israel, nor given laws as a Lord unto them, nor entered any covenant with them: to wit, the Gentiles, whom I will uphold against the Jews and make them victorious over them, and when their sins are ripe for a further rejection, and they refuse the greatest favor I can do them (my Son sent to save them), then I will accept of the Gentiles for my people, who shall embrace the Messiah I send, by belief in him, and adherence to him. The words in this sense are applied by the Apostle (Rom. 10:19).

{foolish Nation} So are all blinded Gentiles, who not discerning the difference between the Almighty God, and impotent idols, turn their backs upon him, and set their faces with bended knees towards them.

32:22. {to the lowest hell} Or, to the deepest part of it. A vigorous metaphor importing a most deep destruction, rooting out all hope of growing up, or recovering prosperity again. Or, by the lowest hell, may be meant the extremest plagues of the other world, as well as manifold and woeful calamities in this; such terror of the Lord might persuade men to beware of sin (2 Cor. 5:11).

32:24. {burnt with hunger} Famine consumes the flesh and moisture, and shrivels up a young girl, so that it makes her look like an old woman; and (as fire) makes the visage black like a coal (Lam. 4:8).

32:25. {sword without, and terror within} They shall be slain both in the field, and at home, within their houses, and chambers.

32:27. {Were it not} Here again, as v. 20, God speaks after the manner of men, who do not what otherwise they would for fear of scandal and encouragement of the wicked. See Ps. 140:8.

32:28. {a nation void of counsel} This is spoken of the Israelites, who inconsiderately went on in wickedness without forecasting what would come of it (Isa. 27:11; Jer. 4:22).

32:30. {how should one chase} That is, one of the enemies of Israel chase a thousand Israelites, except God, who was, and would have been their rock of defense and refuge, had given them up to ruin.

32:31. {not as our Rock} That which was said before, is spoken in the person of God; this is in the person of Moses, or the people, where comparing the true God of Israel with the false under the name of rocks, the enemies upon former experience of God’s power and terror in punishing their transgression and wickedness (which ignorant and impotent idols could not do) have judged the preeminence on God’s side, against them.

32:32. {their vine} (Meaning of the wicked Jews) is compared to the vine of Sodom, whose fruit is abhorred, as was all that belonged to that accursed city, and to her wicked sister Gomorrah. See on Gen. 19:25.

32:33. {the poison} The fruits are as poison, detestable to God, and dangerous to man.

32:34. {treasures} God has his just treasures of wrath (Rom. 2:5), answerable to the evil treasure of sin (Matt. 12:35), which is heaped up by the wicked.

32:35. {slide in due time} Due is added by way of explication: for the wicked, though they be thought to stand too long, shall fall in due time, that is, in the time which God chooses, as most meet for the honor of his own justice, and for the good of the godly.

32:36. {judge his people} That is, give sentence for them, by taking vengeance on them that wrong them (Ps. 26:1).

{repent himself} In favor and compassion to his servants. Of his repenting, see Annot. on Gen. 6:6.

{their power is gone} When there is least hope in the creature, there is most help from the Creator. See Exod. 14:13.

{none shut up} That is, none lying hid, as those in the prophet Elijah’s time, who would not bow to Baal (1 Kings 14:10 and chap. 19:14, 18 and 2 Kings 14:25, 26).

32:37. {he shall say} That is, God, spoken against by the wicked, to whom he makes answer (vv. 39, 43).

32:38. {Let them rise up} That may be applied to the heathens (who oppressed God’s people) as a taunt for their idolatry, when God takes vengeance of them for it. But withal, God speaks the like words by way of bitter reproach against idolatrous Israel (Judg. 10:14; Jer. 2:28).

32:40. {lift up my hand} See on Gen. 14:22. See also Heb. 6:16, 17.

{and say, I live for ever} That is, God protests by himself, that he will do as he says, afterward (vv. 41, 42).

32:42. {from the beginning} Or, the head of revenges. That is, the chief of the enemies of my people. Or, from the beginning of revenges: that is, from the beginning of the enemies’ oppression of my people with revengeful minds towards them; I will begin my revenges at the beginning of theirs.

32:46. {to observe to do all} Observing to do, or observe to do (even) all: else the sense is not so clear.

32:47. {For it is not a vain} Not vain that I command, nor shall it be in vain that I have promised unto you. See Isa. 55:10, 11.

32:49. {mount Abarim} See on Num. 27:12.

32:50. {and die in the mount} This is not a command to Moses to die; but a decree that he should die there; for he was not to kill himself, but to expect there until God took away his soul to heaven.

{gathered unto} See Annot. on Gen. 25:8.

{unto his people} Moses and Aaron were brethren, and their people on earth were the same, and being in heaven (both of them) there society there is the same: therefore the words (thy and his) here repeated, does not imply they went several ways, or had different kindred or company in heaven; but it notes the particular right of each to the comfort and rest with the same people; as when our Savior says, “I ascend to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God”; he means not two fathers, or two gods, but only one Father, and one God (John 20:17).

32:51. {because ye trespassed} See Annot. on Num. 20:10, 11, 12.

32:52. {thou shalt not go thither} See on 1 Sam. 31:2.

CHAPTER 33

33:1. {The blessing} This blessing contains not only a simple prayer, but an assurance of the effect thereof.

33:2. {The LORD came from} Or, unto mount Sinai: (for the word will admit of three readings, though more usually it be rendered from, or out of it) throughout the whole verse there is a continued metaphor, wherein God is brought in as the sun, showing himself to the people in divers places, in several kinds and degrees of glory and goodness; as at mount Sinai, God called for his people to make a covenant with them: out of it, or from it, he went to guide them towards Canaan.

{rose up from Seir} A mountain of Idumea. The former favor was as the light before the sun-rising; here at mount Seir he rose up, and showed himself in special favor and glorious power, when in their way by Seir or Edom, the brazen serpent (a type of Christ the sun of righteousness arising with healing in his wings; Mal. 4:2, and a remedy against the biting of fiery serpents) was erected. Some take it literally, as that the glory of God began to shine from mount Seir (the top whereof might be seen near Sinai) and that it passed thence to Sinai, becoming more and more glorious, and there settled for a time.

{shined forth from mount Paran} A mountain in the wilderness, near unto which Moses made this repetition and explication of that book of Deuteronomy (chap. 1:1), and where it is conceived by some that God endowed the elders of Israel with a larger measure of his Spirit: and there also did he manifest his miraculous power in provision for his people by sending quails from heaven.

{ten thousands of his Saints} That is, holy ones: meaning an infinite company of angels: for the good angels are all of them saints, though all saints be not angels; and they attended him in the solemnity of his appearance at Sinai, from whence also was his law delivered. See Acts 7:53; Gal. 3:19; Heb. 2:2. See Hab. 3:3; 2 Thess. 1:7.

{a fiery Law} Given with the fire of terrible lightnings (Exod. 19:16, 18). Or, because the law is the rule of our ardent devotion to God, and fervent affection to our neighbors.

{for them} That is, for his people.

33:3. {In thy hand} That is, in the Lord’s hand; by which is signified his power and protection; the person is often changed, the Spirit sometimes moving the inspired penmen to speak of God, sometimes (upon speaking of him) ravishing their affections in devotion towards him, and moving them to speak to him.

{at thy feet} Your holy people attended upon you at the foot of mount Sinai (where your Majesty appeared) as disciples at the foot of their teacher (Acts 22:3).

33:4. {Moses commanded} The fourth and fifth verses are the words of the pious part of the people, expressing their good affection to the law and to Moses, by whose mediation they received it.

{the inheritance} Or an hereditary law to be kept by themselves, and transmitted to their posterity. Ps. 119:111.

33:5. {King} That is, prince or chief governor (Judg. 19:1), meaning Moses; for the kingly government, as it is described (1 Sam. 8:9), was not yet set up in Israel. Or, if it be meant of such an one, it is a prophecy of the commonwealth of Israel in the reign of Saul. See on Gen. 36:31.

{in Jeshurun} That is, in Israel. See on chap. 32:15.

33:6. {live and not die} See Annot. on Gen. 42:2.

{let not his men be few} Or, Let his men be few; for the word (not) is not in the original, yet it may be repeated as in Job 30:20, 25 and Ps. 9:18: “The needy shall not always be forgotten, the expectation of the poor shall perish for ever”; but the word not, must be repeated thus: “The expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever”: or, “nor the expectation of the poor perish for ever.” So, “let Reuben live and not die,” and let not his men be a number; that is, let them be few: and if the words be read without the word not, let his men be a number (as in the Douay Bible), that number may be either few or many. The Geneva renders the words, though his men be a small number; and thereupon the annotation is, Reuben shall be one of the tribes of God’s people, though for his sin his honor be diminished, and his family but small. And Num. 1, where the number of the tribes is set down, Reuben has the fewest of all the sons of Leah there mentioned, yea, comes far short of the sons of Bilhah, Dan and Naphtali; and in the latter account brought in Num. 26, eight of the twelve go beyond him. See on Gen. 49:4.

33:7. {Hear the voice of Judah, and bring him unto his people} The prayer of Moses, or voice of Judah is not to be understood of the person of Judah, for he was dead long before this time, but of the tribe of Judah, and of the bringing of him unto his people, some conceive to be the bringing of them with his people into the land of Canaan, according to the desire of Caleb and Joshua (Num. 14:8). Secondly, others take it to be a coming as a warrior with victory over his enemies, into safety and protection to his people; and this as well by prayers as by force of arms of the tribe of Judah; as in the example of David, who prayed devoutly, as well as fought valiantly and victoriously against his enemies; as Asa, and Jehoshaphat and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. Thirdly, the bringing of Judah to his people, is taken for the return of the tribe of Judah from captivity: for though the children of Israel, and the children of Judah were oppressed together, and all that took them captives held them fast, and refused to let them go (Jer. 50:33), yet the Lord’s promise was to bring again the captivity of Israel and Judah (Jer. 30:3), which promise implies a condition of repentance, and that condition performed by the tribe of Judah and Benjamin, and some few of the other tribes, they were restored to the people, to wit, to the poor which were left to husband the land (Jer. 39:10 and 40:7 and 52:16), but the other ten tribes, generally persisting in their impenitency, continued in their captivity.

{sufficient} Give you sufficient strength to his hands, that he may not be made a prey to his enemies.

33:8. {And of Levi} Simeon his elder brother, who was joined with him in the curse of Jacob, was not here made his partner in the blessing of Moses, for he is not mentioned at all: the reason is thought to be, because that tribe was exceedingly defiled with fornication spiritual and corporal; and although Levi had his part in the slaughter of the Shechemites, and curse of Jacob for it, yet is his tribe here blessed by Moses, and because of his zeal against idolatry (Exod. 32:26, 27, etc.). See Gen. 49:7.

{let thy Thummim and Urim} Or, Urim and Thummim. See Annot. on Exod. 28:30.

{thy holy One} Your high priest dedicated unto you by a peculiar consecration. See on Ps. 86:2.

{Massah} The word signifies temptation, probation or trial, and so the words may be read, whom thou dost prove with a probation, that is, with some great especial trial.

{Meribah} Of Meribah, see Num. 20:13. Of Massah and Meribah both, see Exod. 17:7.

33:9. {Who said unto} Or, of his father and mother, I have not, nor do not see him. (Concluding both under the more worthy gender.) That is, who was so impartial in God’s cause, as not to acknowledge either father or mother, brother or children, against his command. This is applied to the state of the high priest, who was not to defile himself by mourning for the dead, whether father, mother, etc. (Lev. 21:11, 12), nor being judge to favor his nearest kindred in a naughty cause (Deut. 17:9), nor in execution of just punishment to spare his own flesh and blood, how near soever, from slaughter in the Lord’s cause and quarrel, as Exod. 32:26, 27, 28, 29.

33:10. {Teach} Mal. 2:7.

33:11. {that hate him} He declares, that the ministers of God have many enemies, and therefore have need to be prayed for.

33:12. {The beloved of the LORD} That is, Benjamin, who, as he was his father Jacob’s darling, when Joseph was supposed to be dead; so was he much beloved of the Lord; of whose tribe the first king was chosen, and in whose portion the temple was built.

{by him} That is, by God’s assistance; or Benjamin shall dwell in safety by Levi; for the temple wherein the tribe of Levi ministered, was in the lot of Benjamin, whose lot of inheritance was betwixt the tribe of Judah, and the tribe of Joseph.

{his shoulders} God shall choose him an habitation in the chief city of the tribe of Benjamin: for though the south part of Jerusalem (which is called the city of God in especial manner) where was mount Sion, were in the tribe of Judah, yet the northern part, with mount Moriah where the temple stood, was in the tribe of Benjamin; and being set upon that hill, it was conspicuously eminent, as the head placed above, and between the shoulders. And though God be said to dwell in mount Sion, and thence some conceive his temple was situate upon it, yet where it is so said, the word Sion must be taken, not strictly for the hill of Sion, but by a synecdoche for the whole city of Jerusalem, and therewith for the temple founded upon mount Moriah. See on Josh. 18:11.

33:13. {The precious things of heaven} He plentifully sets forth the fruitfulness of the portion of Joseph, by all the means that produce increase, whether from above, as rains and dews which fall from heaven upon the earth, or from beneath (Ezek. 34:26).

{the deep that coucheth} That is, the springs, and rich minerals which are below.

33:14. {By the Moon} The influences of the sun by heat, and of the moon by moisture, and the influences of the stars make the fruits of the earth to prosper. Or, according to the Hebrew, Moons, meaning the various operation by the change and course of the moon for that blessing of the earth. See on Gen. 49:26.

33:15. {Ancient mountains} There are some mountains of sand and rubbish casually made, some purposely cast up by the labor of man, in respect of these, the mountains made at the creation are very ancient mountains; and upon some of them grow olives, cedars, pine-trees, cypress-trees, and other things useful for necessity and delight.

33:16. {in the bush} See Exod. 3.

{and upon the top of} Which is not another, but the same Joseph, but spoken of under another title, that the blessing might be doubled upon him.

{separated from his brethren} Or, was a Nazarite; which some take in respect of beauty, for the Nazarites are commended for that (Lam. 4:7), and so was Joseph (Gen. 39:6). But why he was called so, see on Gen. 49:26.

33:17. {His glory} That is, the glory of Ephraim shall be like unto a fair young and lusty bullock.

{horns of unicorns} See Annot. on Num. 23:22.

{to the ends of the earth} He shall overcome countries far remote.

{the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh} By this the fruitfulness of Ephraim, by this comparative proportion, seems to be much greater than that of Manasseh, and so we find it at the muster and number of the people (Num. 1:33, 35), but when Moses blessed them the tribe of Manasseh was more numerous (Num. 26:34, 37), yet Moses overlooks the present overplus of the tribe of Manasseh, foreseeing and foretelling that Ephraim should overtake it, and overgo it in the multitude of his troops in future times.

33:18. {in thy going out} In your prosperous voyages by sea, according to that, Gen. 49:13, and your going out to war against your enemy.

{in thy tents} In your peaceable habitation in pasturing of cattle, and other exercises of husbandry, whereto Issachar so addicted himself, that he had rather submit like a strong ass to a double burden of tribute, than fight for his freedom from it (Gen. 49:14).

33:19. {unto the mountain} To the mount where Moses by the spirit of prophecy foresaw the temple should be seated. See Annot. on chap. 33:12.

{they shall suck} The former part of the verse of inviting to the holy mountain, may be meant of both the tribes forementioned, but this of sucking of the abundance of the seas, is to be appropriated to Zebulun, who being commodiously situate for merchandise, reaped great benefit by the seas, and by the cities seated upon the seashore, which is sandy ground, whereof Issachar had some, though Zebulun had more, or more commodious for traffic.

33:20. {That enlargeth Gad} Either by giving him more scope and compass for his company, as Josh. 17:15, or by delivering him out of straits when he is distressed (Ps. 4:1, 2; 1 Chron. 5:18, 20, 21).

{teareth the arm with} That is, catching the prey like a lion, who greedily seizes on the arm and head together; so that he shall prevail over the strong, and pull down the dignified; for the arm is the strongest part, the crown of the head the highest.

33:21. {Provided the first part for himself} That is, Gad, with the Reubenites and half tribe of Manasseh, got the first portion of land, which was on this side Jordan, to those which journeyed towards Canaan out of Egypt. See Num. 32:23, 29, 33; 1 Chron. 12:8, etc.

{Lawgiver} That is, Moses; for he had not his portion by lot, as others had, but by his own request, and Moses his grant.

{he came with the heads} A prophecy for asseveration and assurance, set down in the phrase of an history, as if already the deed were done: it imports the forwardness of that tribe, who would be as ready as the best to execute the justice of the Lord upon the Canaanites. Josh. 4:12.

{and his judgments} Which God had denounced against them.

{with Israel} For although the Gadites, with the Reubenites, and half tribe of Manasseh, had their part on the east side of Jordan, they undertook the conquest on the other side, with the rest of their brethren (Num. 32:23, 29, 33).

33:22. {Dan is a Lion’s whelp} As a fierce young lion leaping from the hills of Bashan (where he was bred) to catch the prey. Bashan was a part of the portion of Manasseh, not of Dan (chap. 3:13). So that the similitude is in regard of quality, not of place; and in this he is resembled (as Judah was) to a lion (Gen. 40:9), and the Danites were valorous, of which tribe were more warriors numbered (Num. 1) than of any other tribe, but Judah (vv. 22, 39). Or it may note the disposition of the Danites to hunting and living upon prey as lions do. See Num. 1:27, 39 and 26:42, 43.

33:23. {Naphtali satisfied with favour} His portion was most pleasant and fruitful by land; and for foreign dainties his situation near the sea, furnished him with abundance by his traffic with the Sydonians, Tyrians and Phoenicians, so that he might very well be satisfied who neither wanted contentment for the quantity or quality of desirable provision.

33:24. {dip his foot in oil} In his portion shall be great store of oil, not only to anoint the face, but to supple the feet: this is agreeable to Jacob’s prediction (Gen. 49:20).

33:25. {Iron and brass} At your feet where you tread shall be mines of those metals, which you shall dig in great abundance; or it may be meant of strengthening their shoes with nails, or plates of iron or brass (sometimes used by Romans and Syrians). See Josephus of the Wars of the Jews, lib. 7, cap. 3; Plin. Nat. Hist., l. 33, c. 3; Val. Max., l. 9, c. 1. See chap. 8:9.

{as thy days, so shall thy strength be} While your days hold out, your strength shall hold out, and not fail, as it was with Moses (chap. 34:7). Or, the honor and power of the tribe of Asher shall not decay with age, as usually a man’s personal strength does, but it shall continue in vigor and virtue which shall not fail or languish with continuation of time.

33:26. {of Jeshurun} See the Annot. on chap. 32:15.

{in thy help} For your help.

33:27. {Underneath are the everlasting arms} God’s protection over his people is above and beneath, and both everlasting.

33:28. {In safety alone} Without any enemy to challenge or usurp any part of his promised possession. See Num. 23:9.

{the fountain} That is, the posterity of Jacob spread abroad like the overflowing of a fountain (Ps. 68:27 and Isa. 48:1 and Rev. 17:15), or, his plentiful blessing which flows from God as a fountain that cannot (not as a cistern that may) be drawn dry. Some for the fountain of Jacob, read the eye of Jacob, and the meaning then is, that he shall feed and delight his eyes with the fruitfulness of his land abounding with good corn and wine.

{his heavens} The heavens spread over the land of his habitation.

33:29. {Sword of thy excellency} God is not only a buckler of defense to his people, but a sword of assault against their enemies, whom by his assistance they shall excel, and gloriously conquer in combat with them. See Ps. 44:5, 6.

{found liars} Either in their prophecies of triumph over you; or in feigning and lying, like the Gibeonites, to curry favor with you (Josh. 9:4; Ps. 18:44 and 66:3).

{high places} See Annot. on chap. 32:13.

CHAPTER 34

34:1. {Plains of Moab} A part of the wilderness where Moses had given his instructions to the people, and pronounced his last blessing upon them.

{Nebo} A part of mount Abarim. See on Num. 27:12.

{Pisgah} Nebo was the highest of the mountains of Abarim, and Pisgah was the highest top of Nebo, thither he ascended from whence he had the fairest and truest prospect of the land of Canaan.

{the land of Gilead} The land of Gilead is here taken largely for that part of the land which was already bestowed upon the Reubenites, Gadites, and half tribe of Manasseh. Moses being on the top of Pisgah, which afforded him a prospect every way, he first cast his eyes upon Gilead; and having taken a view of that, he directed his sight to the survey of the other part of Canaan beyond Jordan.

{unto Dan} A city anciently called Leshem (Josh. 19:47), and Laish (Judg. 18:27, 29), but afterwards possessed by the Danites, it was called Dan; it was the further part of the land of Canaan towards the north as Beersheba was towards the south, and by these two were the utmost limitations of it set out. See Judg. 20:1.

34:2. {All Naphtali, and the land} Their portions were not severally assigned them in Moses’ time, therefore he either uttered this by the spirit of prophecy, as that this was afterward by lot to be the portion of Naphtali, and so of the rest; or else this chapter was written, not by Moses but by some other sacred penman of the Holy Ghost, who wrote the rest of this chapter from v. 5 to the end of it.

{and all the land of Judah} The like may be understood of the land allotted to the other tribes, for his prospect was not limited to those particularly named.

{utmost sea} The Mediterranean Sea; the Hebrews use to call any great confluence of waters Sea; and they called this the utmost sea because it was the utmost bound of the land of Canaan (chap. 11:24).

34:3. {Valley of Jericho} This was in the tribe of Benjamin.

{City of Palm trees} Jericho is so called, because it abounded with palm trees. Joseph. Antiq., l. 4, c. 5; Judg. 1:16; Plin., l. 4, c. 15 and l. 13, c. 4.

{Zoar} Lot’s place of refuge, situate near the lake Asphaltites, whereof see Annot. on Gen. 19:20.

34:5. {Died} And (as some, who seem exact in the computation of time, affirm) he died the third or fourth day of the month Adar, which answers to our February: from hence the rest of the chapter (and it may be the whole) was not written by Moses, but by some other by the Lord’s appointment, who is thought by some to be Ezra, but by others, more probably, Eleazar, or Joshua. The like observation is to be made of the book of Joshua until the 28 verse of the last chapter, but from the 29 where his death is mentioned, is thought to be supplied by Samuel, Ezra, or King Hezekiah.

34:6. {He buried him} The Lord himself without any human act or aid, prepared a grave for Moses, and laid his body in it, having taken his soul unto himself. See on Josh. 13:19.

{Over against Beth-peor} The place of that abominable idol forementioned (chap. 3:29 and 4:46).

{but no man knoweth} For though it be said, he was buried in a valley in the land of Moab over against Beth-Peor, that was so great a space of ground, that the particular grave might be altogether unknown; especially God’s purpose being to conceal it, he would leave no outward appearance of it, lest the Israelites should have made it an occasion of idolatry. But why had Moses possession of the land of Moab by his burial, when God said, he would give the Israelites none of the land of Moab? For answer to this doubt, see Annot. on chap. 2:9.

34:7. {His eye was not} See on chap. 31:2.

34:8. {thirty days} It was the manner to make thirty days the measure of mourning for principal rulers, whether of the Church or State, so long was Aaron lamented for (Num. 20:29).

34:9. {And Joshua—was full of} Hereby appears the favor of God, that he left not the Church destitute of a governor.

{hands upon him} See Annot. on Num. 8:10.

34:10. {since} By this it seems that this part of Deuteronomy was written not presently, but a good while after the death of Moses: or, for since him, we may read besides him, according to some translations (which accord well enough with the original), and so the writer having the spirit of prophecy, might speak not for his own time, but for a good while after.

{face to face} Unto whom the Lord did reveal himself so plainly. See on Exod. 33:11 and on Num. 12:8.

34:11. {In all the signs} That is, there is none like him in might and miraculous operations, whereby the Lord magnified his own Majesty, and dignified his servant Moses his ministry. This is no prejudice to the praise of John the Baptist, whose excellency did not consist in signs and wonders, nor in such familiarity with God, but in other graces wherein he was exceeded by none that went before him.