The holy garments, &c. Before CHRIST 1491. d Chap. 28. 33. e Chap. 28. 42. f Chap. 28. 36. EXODUS. Before CHRIST 1491. approved by Moses. plate by his rings unto the rings of | Israel did according to all that the the ephod with a lace of blue, that it LORD commanded Moses, so did might be above the curious girdle of they. the ephod, and that the breastplate might not be loosed from the ephod; as the LORD commanded Moses. 22¶ And he made the robe of the ephod of woven work, all of blue. 23 And there was an hole in the midst of the robe, as the hole of an habergeon, with a band round about the hole, that it should not rend. 24 And they made upon the hems of the robe pomegranates of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and twined linen. 25 And they made bells of pure gold, and put the bells between the pomegranates upon the hem of the robe, round about between the pomegranates; 26 A bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate, round about the hem of the robe to minister in; as the LORD commanded Moses. 27 And they made coats of fine linen of woven work for Aaron, and for his sons, 33 And they brought the tabernacle unto Moses, the tent, and all his furniture, his taches, his boards, his bars, and his pillars, and his sockets, 34 And the covering of rams' skins dyed red, and the covering of badgers' skins, and the vail of the covering, 35 The ark of the testimony, and the staves thereof, and the mercy seat, 36 The table, and all the vessels thereof, and the shewbread, 37 The pure candlestick, with the lamps thereof, even with the lamps to be set in order, and all the vessels thereof, and the oil for light, 38 And the golden altar, and the anointing oil, and + the sweet incense, and the hanging for the tabernacle door, 39 The brasen altar, and his grate of brass, his staves, and all his vessels, the laver and his foot, 28 And a mitre of fine linen, and 40 The hangings of the court, his 30 And they made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and wrote upon it a writing, like to the engravings of a signet, 'HOLINESS TO THE LORD. 31 And they tied unto it a lace of blue, to fasten it on high upon the mitre; as the LORD commanded Moses. 32 Thus was all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation finished: and the children of 32. Thus was-finished:] It is reasonably supposed that Moses has been thus exact and particular, in chapters xxxvi, xxxvii, xxxviii, xxxix, in relating how the tabernacle and its particulars were made, in order to shew more clearly and fully, that they were made according to God's directions, in chapters xxv, xxvi, &c. Dr. Wells. tabernacle of the tent] The tabernacle, or dwelling-place of God, which was a tent; or, "the tabernacle" may be thought to signify the inward part of the house, as the tent did the outward part which covered the inward. See chap. xl. 17, 19, 29. Bp. Patrick. 43. as the Lord had commanded,] This is the tenth time that Moses, in this one chapter, says all this was done, "as the Lord had commanded," to shew how 41 The cloths of service to do service in the holy place, and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and his sons' garments, to minister in the priest's office. 42 According to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel made all the work. 43 And Moses did look upon all the work, and, behold, they had done it as the LORD had commanded, even so had they done it and Moses blessed them. Heb. the sweet spices. incense of scrupulously exact they were in their obedience. Bp. Patrick. · Moses blessed them.] He gave to the workmen, who had bestowed their labour on it, and to the whole congregation that contributed to it, his commendations, blessings, and prayers. Pyle. On reviewing the account of the Jewish tabernacle and its utensils, as also of the priesthood and its offices, it is proper to consider for what ends and purposes God was pleased to institute these things. To this purpose, St. Paul informs us, that the Jewish Law was an imperfect dispensation from the first, and "added because of transgressions, till the seed should come," Gal. iii. 19; that in great condescension it was adapted to the weakness of the Jewish people, whom he compares to The tabernacle commanded to be reared. CHAP. XL. Before CHRIST 1491. a Chap. 26. 35. + Heb. the CHAP. XL. 1 The tabernacle is commanded to be reared, 9 and anointed. 13 Aaron and his sons to be sanctified. 16 Moses performeth all things accordingly. 34 A cloud covereth the taber nacle. Aaron and his sons to be sanctified. : sels, and sanctify the altar and it shall be an altar + most holy. 11 And thou shalt anoint the laver and his foot, and sanctify it. Before CHRIST 1491. + Heb. holiness of holi and his sons unto the door of the ta- AND the LORD spake unto Moses, wash them with water. saying, 2 On the first day of the first month shalt thou set up the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation. 3 And thou shalt put therein the ark of the testimony, and cover the ark with the vail. 4 And thou shalt bring in the table, and set in order the things order thereof. that are to be set in order upon it; and thou shalt bring in the candlestick, and light the lamps thereof. 5 And thou shalt set the altar of gold for the incense before the ark of the testimony, and put the hanging of the door to the tabernacle. 6 And thou shalt set the altar of the burnt offering before the door of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation. 7 And thou shalt set the laver between the tent of the congregation and the altar, and shalt put water therein. 8 And thou shalt set up the court round about, and hang up the hanging at the court gate. 9 And thou shalt take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle, and all that is therein, and shalt hallow it, and all the vessels thereof: and it shall be holy. 10 And thou shalt anoint the altar of the burnt offering, and all his ves an heir under a tutor or governour, Gal. iv. 1, 2, "the law being our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ," Gal. iii. 24, and having only “a shadow of good things to come," Heb. x. 1. Thus the Jewish religion was, in its several particular institutions, intended in great measure to typify and prefigure the more perfect dispensation of the Gospel. That the Jewish high-priest was a manifest type of our Lord and Saviour, the author of the Epistle to the Hebews has frequently declared, Heb. iii. 1; viii. 1; ix. 11. So the tabernacle itself was a type of our Redeemer dwelling in our nature, John i. 14, as was the ark in the Holy of Holies, with its mercy seat, an emblem of Him, from whose mouth we have received the Law, and whose satisfaction to Divine justice is our true propitiatory or mercy seat. In like manner, the several altars appointed in the tabernacle, and the sacrifices appointed to be performed upon them, equally lead us to Christ and his Dispensation. Since therefore the chief end of the several institutions re 13 And thou shalt put upon Aaron the holy garments, and anoint him, and sanctify him; that he may minister unto me in the priest's office. 14 And thou shalt bring his sons, and clothe them with coats : 15 And thou shalt anoint them, as thou didst anoint their father, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office: for their anointing shall surely be an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations. 16 Thus did Moses: according to all that the LORD commanded him, so did he. 17 And it came to pass in the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, that the b tabernacle was reared up. 18 And Moses reared up the tabernacle, and fastened his sockets, and set up the boards thereof, and put in the bars thereof, and reared up his pillars. 19 And he spread abroad the tent over the tabernacle, and put the covering of the tent above upon it; as the LORD commanded Moses. 20 And he took and put the testimony into the ark, and set the staves on the ark, and put the mercy seat above upon the ark: 1490. b Numb. 7.1. 21 And he brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up the vail Chap. 35. C 12. lating to the ceremonial part of the Jewish worship was to prefigure the person and transactions of our blessed Saviour, so the ceremonies appointed under it could never be of any esteem in the sight of God, except as they tended to promote this end, and to prepare men's minds for the reception of a more perfect institution of religion. Stackhouse. Chap. XL. ver. 2. On the first day of the first month] This was the second year (as is expressly mentioned, ver. 17) after their coming out from Egypt: a complete year within fourteen days after that great deliverance. Bp. Patrick. 3. cover the ark with the vail.] That is, hang the vail so as to separate the most holy part of the tabernacle, in which the ark was to stand, from the holy and outer part of the tabernacle. Bp. Patrick. 15.-for — an everlasting priesthood] This anointing shall not only consecrate them for the priesthood in A cloud covereth Before CHRIST 1490. EXODUS. of the covering, and covered the ark of the testimony; as the LORD commanded Moses. 22 And he put the table in the tent of the congregation, upon the side of the tabernacle northward, without the vail. 23 And he set the bread in order upon it before the LORD; as the LORD had commanded Moses. 24 And he put the candlestick in the tent of the congregation, over against the table, on the side of the tabernacle southward. 25 And he lighted the lamps before the LORD, as the LORD commanded Moses. 26 And he put the golden altar in the tent of the congregation before the vail : 27 And he burnt sweet incense thereon; as the LORD commanded Moses. 28 ¶ And he set up the hanging at the door of the tabernacle. 29 And he put the altar of burnt offering by the door of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation, and offered upon it the burnt offering and d Chap. 30.9. the meat offering; as the LORD commanded Moses. 30 ¶ And he set the laver between the tent of the congregation and the altar,and put water there, to wash withal. their own persons; but their posterity also, who shall stand in need of no other anointing for the office, in succeeding generations. Bp. Patrick. 38.-fire was on it by night,] That is, the pillar, which in the day time was dark and had the appearance of a cloud, had in the night the appearance of fire. Bp. Putrick. The following observations on the journeying of the Israelites, from an author who has contributed largely to the foregoing annotations, may serve as a valuable conclusion to the notes on this book of Exodus. "Without paying much regard to the opinions of the modern Arabs, and to the names which they assign to places, unless they have the sanction of antiquity, it may be remarked, that where there are names of long standing, and accounts incidentally introduced by authors, who knew not the original history, and consequently could have no system to maintain, their evidence must necessarily have weight, and demand our attention. Such is the evidence of Diodorus Siculus, who mentions the traditions which prevailed among the people upon the coast, that the Red Sea upon a time retired in a wonderful manner, and left the channel dry. The region also will often bear witness for itself. For when travellers | arrive at that part of the bay, where the Israelites are supposed after their passage to have been engaged, they find names of places, and other memorials, which greatly illustrate and confirm the sacred history. It is said that the tabernacle. 31 And Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet thereat: 32 When they went into the tent of the congregation, and when they came near unto the altar, they washed; as the LORD commanded Moses. 33 And he reared up the court round about the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the hanging of the court gate. So Moses finished the work. e Before CHRIST 15. 1490. 34 Then a cloud covered the e Numb. 9. tent of the congregation, and the 1 Kings 8. 10. glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 35 And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 36 And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel + went onward in all ↑ Heb. their journeys: 37 But if the cloud were not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up. 38 For the cloud of the LORD was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys. journeyed. they came into the region of Etham, which is still called Etti, the inhabitants of which were the Autæi of Pliny. Here also at this day is the wilderness of Shur and Sin, and the region of Paran. Beyond Corondel (near which place the natives still preserve a tradition, that a numerous army was formerly drowned near Bedea, the same as Clysma) is a hill called Gibel al Marah, and the coast downward seems to have the same name as it had of old, from the bitter waters with which it abounds; the inhabitants of which were probably the Maranai of Pliny. The names of Elath and Midian also remain, and are mentioned by Abulfeda. Below this region are the palm trees, and the twelve wells of water in Elim. Diodorus Siculus gives an account of this palm grove, as it was described by Ariston, who was sent by Ptolemy to descry the coast of Arabia upon the Red Sea. The place was held in great reverence on account of the palms which grew there in great number: all the country around was exposed to violent heats, and was destitute of good water: but in this spot, he says, "there are a number of springs and scantlings of water, which fall as cool to the taste as snow.' Just above this part of the desert he places the Maranæi; in whose name we probably see traces of the ancient Marah. Here likewise is the desert of Faran, the Pharan of Ptolemy, which in its situation agrees precisely with the Paran of the Scriptures. Diodorus further speaks of some rocks or pillars here, engraven with unknown characters. The same history of this palm EXODUS. grove and the fountains is given by Strabo: and they | for the religion of Jesus or of the Jews; nor any premust have been the same mentioned by Moses; for we do not read that there was any other part of the region which had either such a grove of trees or such water. Thus it was in the time of the Israelites; and so it was found to be in the time of Strabo and Diodorus: and thus we find it at this day. 66 Monconys, in his return through the desert from mount Sinai, took a lower way to the south towards a place now called Tor, where seems to be the district described by Strabo and Diodorus, near Paran. He mentions a valley, which he passed through; and in this valley, towards the end, he saw the rocks with ancient inscriptions: and at last came to a place, which he seems very justly to suppose the Elim of the Scriptures: "where," he says, are still the twelve fountains, and a number of fine palm trees." Bp. Pococke also visited this district; and says, that in going southward towards Tor, and about a league from it towards the north, "there is a well of good water; and all about it are a great number of date-trees or palms, and several springs of salt water, especially to the southeast, where the monks have a garden. Near it are several springs, and a bath or two, which are called the baths of Moses. The Greeks, as well as some others, are of opinion, that this is Elim." To the same purpose is the evidence of the traveller Brietenbach, as quoted by Niebuhr. It may perhaps be thought that these names were introduced by Christian travellers, and adopted by the later inhabitants of these parts. But this could not have been the case. Ariston, Diodorus, and Strabo, all lived before the Christian era. The learned Abulfeda was indeed much later; but he could have no regard judice in favour of Moses. The names therefore have remained from the beginning unimpaired, and the situations of the places, which they point out, correspond so precisely with those mentioned in the Scriptures, and are supported by such indisputable authority, that they appear manifestly to be the same as those mentioned by the sacred historian. The distance of time is so great, and the scene of action so remote and so little frequented, that one would imagine there could be no traces obtained of such early occurrences. It must therefore raise within us a kind of religious reverence for the sacred writer, when we see such evidences still remain to the truth of his wonderful history. We read of expeditions undertaken by Osiris, Sesostris, Bacchus, Semiramis, and the Atlantians, into different parts of the world. But no vestige remains of their operations, no particular history of their appulse, in any region upon earth. We have in like manner accounts of Brennus, as well as of the Teutones, Cimbri, and Ambrones; also of the Goths and Visigoths; and of other swarms from the great hive of the north; all which are better authenticated. Yet we have only a general history of their migrations. The places, from whence they originally came, and the particulars of their journeying, have been effaced for ages. When we look back upon the accounts transmitted concerning the Assyrians, Egyptians, Medes, and Scythians, or those of the early ages of Italy and Greece, we find nothing but a series of incredible and inconsistent events. But concerning the Israelites we have a regular and consistent history: and though they were roving in a desert for forty years, and far removed from the rest of the world, yet manifest tokens remain of their journeying and miraculous preservation." Bryant. The following are the Chapters from the book of Exodus, appointed for Proper Lessons on Sundays and THE THIRD BOOK OF MOSES, CALLED LEVITICUS. INTRODUCTION. THE Book of Leviticus is so called, because it is chiefly employed in describing the sacrifices and services of the Tabernacle, to be performed by that holy order of men who were of the tribe of Levi, and in detailing the particulars which related to the discharge of the priestly office; the historical parts of this book being extremely few. That Moses was the author of this book is shewn not only by the general arguments which prove him to have written the Pentateuch, but appears also from particular passages in other books of Scripture, in which this is expressly cited as his inspired work. The delivery of these Laws, it is supposed, was included in the space of one month. The two main designs of the Jewish Law seem to have been, to oppose the idolatry and false worship so universally prevalent in the heathen world, and to prefigure the spiritual religion of Jesus Christ, the promised Saviour. As to the former of these designs, many particular customs and usages are forbidden the Jewish nation, for the prohibition of which we can in no way account, except by taking them under this view of an intended opposition to the several superstitions of the Gentiles. The chief difficulty under which we labour in this matter, is, that we cannot determine what particular idolatrous customs were prevailing in the time of Moses; so vastly distant is the time, and so short the records of ancient nations. The religious services prescribed in this book are reducible to the following heads: First, Sacrifices of different kinds. Though these were outward rites of religious service, yet did they carry with them their several meanings, which had relation to spiritual religion and worship, while the whole was a typical scheme, and a fit introduction to that more perfect dispensation of Jesus Christ the Messiah, by whom all mankind were to receive full atonement with God, and be blessed with the more pure revelation of his perfect will and way of worship. Secondly, Purifications from legal uncleannesses. These were a numerous and burdensome part of the Israelitish religion but they were not intended to terminate in mere ritual observance: they were most aptly significant of many things tending to inward and substantial religion, such as reverence towards God's house, his worship, and all holy things appropriated to his service: they represented also the necessity of inward purity of heart, life, and principles; the difficulty of rooting out evil habits from the mind, and the danger of sinful affections in such as worship the true God, and are related to Him as his peculiar people. These and other such things were represented by the purifications of the Jewish Law, always with a view to the promised Redeemer, who was in the most perfect manner to cleanse us by his blood, enlighten us by his doctrine, and purify us by his Spirit. Thirdly, Various solemn festivals. The exact and pompous observance of these was so far from being a needless and trivial institution, that they appear to have been exceedingly proper for preserving the whole nation in the practice of true religion. They were thankful commemorations of the most signal national mercies and deliverances; mercies that formed the foundation of all their blessings, peace, and prosperity, as an united Church and people: and, by their constant attendance on these joyful solemnities, at so many stated times of the year, and at the one fixed place of national worship, the people went through those courses of pious service to God, and that intercourse of kindness, generosity, and charity towards each other, which tended to make them adhere to the religion of the true God, and to confirm them in the love of that constitution under which they lived, surrounded with the uncommon blessings of his providence. If in parts of the Jewish Law we should meet with some directions, the utility of which should not be at first sight apparent to us, let us beware of setting up the conclusions of our own reason against the unbounded wisdom of God. A closer consideration of the subject will teach us humbly to acknowledge that all these institutions answered the purpose of exercising the Israelites in faith and obedience; of preserving them a distinct and separate people, and of training them by a peculiar mode of discipline, wisely suited to their habits, prejudices, and circumstances, for the reception of the new dispensation under the Messiah. It will teach us also, that many of those directions, which rashness and presumption sometimes censure as trifling, and as unworthy of the Divine attention, were specifically calculated to guard the people of Israel, from being betrayed into particular modes of idolatry and wickedness, prevalent in the nations amongst whom they were to dwell. Besides the laws relating to religion delivered in this book, there are civil and judicial laws, which appear, when rightly considered, to make the surest provision for the honour of the government and magistracy, to lay down most impartially the rights of the people, and to advance those degrees of charity, peaceableness, mutual love, and justice, which form the strongest cement of a happy society. Pyle, Dr. Gray, Gisborne. |