CHAPTER XXI.

This chapter might borrow its title from Mal. 2. 1, And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you. It is a law obliging priests with the utmost care and Jealousy to preserve the dignity of their priesthood. I. The inferior priests are here charged both concerning their mourning, and concerning their marriages, and their children, v. 1-9. II. The high priest is restrained more than any of them, v. 10-15. III. Neither the one nor the other must have any blemish, v. 16-24.

AND the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto the priest's the sons of Aaron, and say unto them, There shall none be defiled for the dead among his people:

2 But for his kin that is near unto him, that is, for his mother, and for his father, and for his son, and for his daughter, and for his brother,

3 And for his sister a virgin, that is nigh unto him, which hath had no husband, for her may he be defiled.

4 But he shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself.

5 They shall not make baldness upon their head; neither shall they shave off the corner of their beard, nor make any cuttings in their flesh.

6 They shall be holy unto their God, and not profane the name of their God: for the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and the bread of their God, they do offer; therefore they shall be holy.

7 They shall not take a wife that is a whore, or profane; neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband: for he is holy unto his God.

8 Thou shalt sanctify him therefore; for he of fereth the bread of thy God; he shall be holy unto thee: for I the LORD, which sanctify you, am holy.

9 And the daughter of any priest, if she profane

of, if they kept their integrity; but withal, it was a land full of idols, idolatries, and superstitious usages, which they would be apt to fall in love with, having brought from Egypt with them a strange disposition to take that infection. (2.) If they took the infection, it would be of pernicious consequence to them. The Canaanites were to be expelled for these very sins; They committed all these things, and therefore I abhorred them, v. 23. See what an evil thing sin is, it provokes God to abhor his own creatures, whereas otherwise he delights in the work of his hands. And if the Israelites trod in the steps of their impiety, they must expect that the land would spew them out too, (v. 22,) as he had told them before, ch. 18. 28. If God spared not the natural branches, but broke them off, neither would he spare these who were grafted in, if they degenerated. Thus the rejection of the Jews stands for a warning to all Christian churches, to take heed lest the kingdom of God be taken from them. Those that sin like others, must expect to smart like them; and their profession of relation to God will be no security to them.

NOTES TO CHAPTER XXI.

V. 1-9. It was before appointed that the priests should teach the people the statutes God had given concerning the difference between clean and unclean, ch. 10. 10, 11. Now here it is provided that they should observe themselves what they were to teach the people. Note, They whose office it is to instruct, must do it by example as well as precept, 1 Tim. 4. 12. The priests were to draw nearer to God than any of the people, and to be more intimately conversant with sacred things, and therefore it was required of them that they should keep at a greater distance than others from every thing that was defiling, and might diminish the honour of their priesthood.

1. They must take care not to disparage themselves in their mourning for the dead. All that mourned for the dead were supposed to come near the body, if not to touch it: and the Jews say, "It made a man ceremonially unclean, to come within six feet of a dead corpse;" nay, it is declared, (Num. 19. 14,) that all who come into the tent where the dead body lies, shall be unclean seven days. Therefore all the mourners that attended the funeral, could not but defile themselves, so as not to be fit to come into the sanctuary for seven days: for this reason it is ordered,

1. That the priests should never put themselves under this incapacity of coming into the sanctuary, unless it were for one of their nearest relations, v. 1-3. He was permitted to do it for a parent or a child, for a brother or an unmarried sister, and therefore, no doubt, (though this is not mentioned,) for the wife of his bosom; for Ezekiel, a priest, would have mourned for his wife, if he had not been particularly prohibited, Ez. 24. 17. By this allowance God put an honour upon natural affection, and favoured it so far as to dispense with the attendance of his servants for seven days, while they indulged themselves in their sorrow for the death of their dear relations; but beyond this period, weeping must not hinder sowing, nor their affection to their relations take them off from the service of the sanctuary. Nor was it at all allowed for the death of any other, no not of a chief man among the people, as some read it, v. 4. They must not defile themselves, no not for the high priest himself, unless thus akin to them. Though there is a friend that is nearer than a brother, yet the priests must not pay this respect to the best friend they had, except he were a relation, lest if it were allowed for one, others should expect it, and so they should be frequently taken off from their work: and it is hereby intimated that there is a particular affection to be reserved for those that are thus near akin to us; and when any such are removed by death, we ought to be affected with it, and lay it to heart, as the near approach of death to ourselves, and an alarm to us to prepare to follow.

2. That they must not be extravagant in the expressions of their mourning, no not for their dearest relations, v. 5. Their mourning must not be either, (1.) Superstitious, according to the manner of the heathen, who cut off the hair and let out their blood in honour of the imaginary deities which presided (as they thought) in the congregation of the dead, that they might engage them to be propitious to their departed friends. Even

7, 8.

the superstitious rites used of old at funerals are an indication of the ancient belief of the immortality of the soul, and its existence in a separate state: and though the rites themselves were forbidden by the divine law, because they were performed to false gods; yet the decent respect which nature teaches, and the law allows, to be paid to the remains of our deceased friends, shows that we are not to look upon them as lost. Nor, (2.) Must it be passionate or immoderate. Note, God's ministers must be examples to others of patience under affliction, particularly that which touches in a very tender part, the death of their near relations. They are supposed to know more than others of the reasons why we must not sorrow, as those that have no hope, (1 Thes. 4. 13,) and therefore they ought to be eminently calm and composed, that they may be able to comfort others with the same comforts wherewith they are themselves comforted of God. The people were forbidden to mourn for the dead with superstitious rites, (ch. 19. 27, 28;) and what was unlawful to them was much more unlawful to the priest. The reason given for their peculiar care not to defile themselves, we have, (v. 6,) because they offered the bread of their God, even the offerings of the Lord made by fire, which were the provisions of God's house and table. They are highly honoured, and therefore must not stain their honour by making themselves slaves to their passions; they are continually employed in sacred service, and therefore must not be either diverted from, or disfitted for, the services they were called to. If they pollute themselves, they profane the name of their God on whom they attend: if the servants are rude and of ill behaviour, it is a reflection upon the master, as if he kept a loose and disorderly house. Note, All that either offer or eat the bread of our God, must be holy in all manner of conversation, or else they profane that name which they pretend to sanctify.

II. They must take care not to degrade themselves in their marriage, v.7. A priest must not marry a woman of ill fame, that either had been guilty, or was suspected to have been guilty, of uncleanness. He must not only not marry a harlot, though never so great a penitent for her former whoredoms, but he must not marry one that was profane, that is, of a light carriage or indecent behaviour. Nay, he must not marry one that was divorced, because there was reason to think it was for some fault she was divorced. The priests were forbidden to undervalue themselves by such marriages as these, which were allowed to others, 1. Lest it should bring a present reproach upon their ministry, harden the profane in their profaneness, and grieve the hearts of a serious people: the New Testament gives laws to ministers' wives, (1 Tim. 3. 11,) that they be grave and sober, that the ministry be not blamed. 2. Lest it should entail a reproach upon their families; for the work and honour of the priesthood were to descend as an inheritance to their children after them. Those do not consult the good of their posterity as they ought, who do not take care to marry those that are of good report and character. He that would seek a godly seed, (as the expression is, Mal. 2. 15,) must first seek a godly wife, and take heed of a corruption of blood.

He is

It is added here, (v. 8,) Thou shalt sanctify him, and he shall be holy unto thee. "Not only thou, O Moses, by taking care that these laws be observed, but thou, O Israel, by all endeavours possible to keep up the reputation of the priesthood, which the priests themselves must do nothing to expose or forfeit. holy to his God, (v. 7,) therefore he shall be holy unto thee." Note, We must honour those whom our God puts honour upon. Gospel ministers by this rule are to be esteemed very highly in love for their works' sake, (1 Thes. 5. 13,) and every Christian must look upon himself as concerned to be the guardian of their

honour.

III. Their children must be afraid of doing any thing to disparage them: (v. 9,) If the daughter of any priest play the whore, her crime is great; she not only polluteth but profaneth herself: other women have not that honour to lose that she has; who, as one of a priest's family, has eaten of the holy things, and is supposed to have been better educated than others. Nay, she profaneth her father, he is reflected upon, and every body will be ready to ask, "Why did not he teach her better?" "Here is your And the sinners in Zion will insult and say, priest's daughter:" her punishment therefore must be peculiar,

herself by playing the whore, she profaneth her father: she shall be burnt with fire.

10 And he that is the high priest among his brethren, upon whose head the anointing oil was poured, and that is consecrated to put on the "garments, shall not uncover his head, nor rend his clothes;

11 Neither shall he go in to any dead body, nor defile himself for his father, or for his mother;

12 Neither shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the crown of the anointing oil of his God is upon him: I am the LORD.

13 And he shall take a wife in her virginity; 14 A widow, or a divorced woman, or profane, or an harlot, these shall he not take: but he shall take a virgin of his own people to wife.

15 Neither shall he profane his "seed among his people; for I the LORD do sanctify him.

16 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 17 Speak unto Aaron, saying, Whosoever he be of thy seed in their generations that hath any blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread of his God:

18 For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish, he shall not approach; a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or any thing superfluous,

She shall be burned with fire, for a terror to all priests' daughters. Note, The children of ministers ought, of all others, to take heed of doing any thing that is scandalous, because in them it is doubly scandalous, and will be punished accordingly by him whose name is Jealous.

V. 10-15. More was expected from a priest than from other people, but more from the high priest than from other priests, because upon his head the anointing oil was poured, and he was consecrated to put on the garments, (v. 10,) both which were typical of the anointing and adorning of the Lord Jesus, with all the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit, which he received without measure. It is called the crown of the anointing oil of his God, (v. 12,) for the anointing of the Spirit is, to all that have it, a crown of glory, and a diadem of beauty. The high priest being thus dignified,

I. He must not defile himself at all for the dead, no not for his nearest relations, his father or his mother, much less his child or brother, v. 11. 1. He must not use the common expressions of sorrow on those occasions, such as uncovering his head, and rending his clothes, (v. 10,) so perfectly unconcerned must he show himself in all the crosses and comforts of this life: even his natural affection must be swallowed up in compassion to the ignorant, and a feeling of their infirmities, and a tender concern for the household of God, which he was made the ruler of. Thus being the holy one that was intrusted with the Thummim and the Urim, he must not know father or mother, Deut. 33. 8, 9. 2. He must not go in to any dead body, v. 11. If any of the inferior priests were under ceremonial pollution, there were other priests that might supply their places, but if the high priest were defiled, there would be a greater miss of him. And the forbidding of him to go to any house of mourning, or attend any funeral, would be an indication to the people of the greatness of that dignity to which he was advanced. Our Lord Jesus, the great High Priest of our profession, touched the dead body of Jairus's daughter, the bier of the widow's son, and the grave of Lazarus, to show that he came to alter the property of death, and to take off the terror of it, by breaking the power of it. Now that it cannot destroy, it does not defile. 3. He must not go out of the sanctuary, (v. 12,) that is, whenever he was attending or officiating in the sanctuary, where usually he tarried in his own apartment all day, he must not go out upon any occasion whatsoever; nor cut short his attendance on the living God, no not to pay his last respects to a dying relation. It was a profanation of the sanctuary to leave it, while his presence was requisite there, upon any such occasion; for therehe preferred some other business before the service of God and the business of his profession, to which he ought to make every thing else give place. Thus our Lord Jesus would not leave off preaching, to speak with his mother and brethren, Matt. 12. 48.

II. He might not marry a widow, (as other priests might,) much less one divorced, or a harlot, v. 13, 14. The reason of this was to put a difference between him and other priests in this matter; and (as some suggest) that he might be a type of Christ, to whom the church was to be presented a chaste virgin, 2 Cor. 11. 2; see Ez. 44. 22. Christ must have our first love, our pure love, our entire love; thus the virgins love thee, (Cant. 1. 3,) and such only are fit to follow the Lamb, Rev. 14. 4. III. He might not profane his seed among his people, v. 15. Some understand it as forbidding him to marry any of an inferior rank, which would be a disparagement to his family. Jehoiada indeed married out of his own tribe, but then it was into VOL. I.-39

19 Or a man that is broken-footed or brokenhanded,

20 Or crook-backt, or ta dwarf, or that hath a blemish in his eye, or be scurvy or scabbed, or hath his stones broken:

21 No man that hath a blemish of the seed of Aaron the priest shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the LORD made by fire; he hath a blemish : he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God. 22 He shall eat the bread of his God, both of the most holy, and of the holy;

23 Only he shall not go in unto the vail, nor come nigh unto the altar, because he hath a blemish; that "he profane not my sanctuaries; for I the LORD do sanctify them.

24 And Moses told it unto Aaron, and to his sons, and unto all the children of Israel.

CHAPTER XXII.

In this chapter, we have divers laws concerning the priests and sacrifices, all for the preserving of the honour of the sanctuary. I. That the priests should not eat of the holy things in their uncleanness, v. 1-9. II. That no stranger who did not belong to some family of the priests, should eat of the holy things, (v. 10— 13.) and if he did it unwittingly, he must make restitution, v. 14-16. III. That the sacrifices which were offered must be without blemish, v. 17-25. IV. That they must be more than eight days old, (v. 26-28,) and that the sacrifices of thanksgiving must be eaten the same day they were offered, v. 29-33.

ND the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

AN

2 Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, that they

or, food. c. 3. 11. 9 c. 22. 23. tor, too slender. r Deut. 23. 1. 8 c. 2. 3, 10. 6. 17, 29. 7. 1. 24. 9. Num. 18. 9. c. 22. 10-12. Num. 18. 19. u ver. 12. ver. 8.

the royal family, 2 Chr. 22. 11. This was not to teach him to be proud, but to teach him to be pure, and to do nothing unbecoming his office and that worthy name by which he was called. Or it may be a caution to him in disposing of his children: he must not profane his seed, by marrying them unsuitably. Ministers' children are profaned if they be unequally yoked with unbelievers.

V. 16-24. The priesthood being confined to one particular family, and entailed upon all the issue male of that family throughout their generations, it was very likely that some or other in after ages, that were born to the priesthood, would have natural blemishes and deformities: the honour of the priesthood would not secure them from any of those calamities which are common to men. Divers blemishes are here specified; some that were ordinarily for life, as blindness; others that might be for a time, as a scurf or scab, and when they were gone, the disability ceased.

Now the law concerning priests that had blemishes, was,

1. That they might live upon the altar; (v. 22,) He shall eat of the sacrifices with the other priests; even the most holy things, such as the tithes and first-fruits, and the priests' share of the peace-offerings. The blemishes were such as they could not help, and therefore, though they might not work, yet they must not starve. Note, None must be abused for their natural infirmities. Even the deformed child in the family must have its child's part.

2. Yet they must not serve at the altar, at either of the altars, nor be admitted to attend or assist the other priests in offering sacrifice or burning incense, v. 17, 21, 23. Great men choose to have such servants about them as are sightly, and it was fit that the great God should have such in his house, then when he was pleased to manifest his glory in external indications of it. But it was especially requisite that comely men should be chosen to minister about holy things, for the sake of the people, who were apt to judge according to outward appearance; and to think meanly of the service, how honourable soever it was made by the divine institution, if those that performed it looked despicably, or went about it awkwardly. This provision God made for the preserving of the reputation of his altar, that it might not at any time fall under contempt. It was for the credit of the sanctuary that none should appear there that were any way disfigured, either by nature or accident.

Now under the Gospel, (1.) Those that labour under any such blemishes as these, have reason to thank God that they are not thereby excluded from offering spiritual sacrifices to God; nor, if otherwise qualified for it, from the office of the ministry. There is many a healthful beautiful soul lodged in a crazy deformed body. (2.) We ought to infer from hence, how incapable those are to serve God acceptably, whose minds are blemished and deformed by any reigning vice. Those are unworthy to be called Christians, and unfit to be employed as ministers, that are spiritually blind, and lame, and crooked; whose sins render them scandalous and deformed, so as that the offerings of the Lord are abhorred for their sakes. The deformities of Hophni and Phinehas were worse than any of the blemishes here mentioned. Let such therefore as are openly vicious be put out of the priesthood as polluted persons; and let all that are made to our God spiritual priests, be before him holy and without blemish, and comfort themselves with this, that though in this imperfect state they have spots that are the spots of God's children, yet they shall shortly appear before the throne of God without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing. ( 305 )

separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel, and that they profane not my holy name in those things which they hallow cunto me: I am the LORD.

3 Say unto them, Whosoever he be of all your seed, among your generations, that goeth unto the holy things, which the children of Israel hallow unto the LORD, having his uncleanness upon him, that soul shall be cut off from my presence: I am the LORD.

4 What man soever of the seed of Aaron is a leper, or hath a running issue, he shall not eat of the holy things until he be clean. And whoso toucheth any thing that is unclean by the dead, or a man whose seed goeth from him;

8 That which dieth of itself, or is torn with beasts, he shall not eat to defile himself therewith: I am the LORD.

9 They shall therefore keep mine ordinance, lest Pthey bear sin for it, and die therefore, if they profane it: I the LORD do sanctify them.

10 There shall no stranger eat of the holy thing: a sojourner of the priest, or an hired servant, shall not eat of the holy thing.

11 But if the priest buy any soul with his money, he shall eat of it, and he that is born in his house: they shall eat of his meat.

12 If the priest's daughter also be married unto a stranger, she may not eat of an offering of the holy things.

6 The soul which hath touched 'any such shall be unclean until even, and shall not eat of the holy things unless he wash "his flesh with water.

7 And when the sun is down he shall be clean, and shall afterward eat of the holy things, because "it is his food.

a Num. 6. 3. b c. 18. 21. c Ex. 28. 38. Num. 18. 32. Deut. 15. 19. d c. 7. 20. e c. 15. 2. of the reins. f c. 15. 13. g Num. 19. 11, 12. h c. 15. 16. i c. 11. 24, 43. c. 15. 7, 19. Hag. 2. 13. c. 15. 5. Heb. 10. 22.

NOTES TO CHAPTER XXII.

to

14 And if a man eat of the holy thing unwittingly, then he shall put the fifth part thereof unto it, and shall give it unto the priest with the holy thing.

15 And they shall not profane the holy things 'of the children of Israel, which they offer unto the LORD; n c. 21. 22. Num. 18. 11, 13. o Ex. 22. 31. Ez. 14. 31. p Ex. 28. 43. the purchase of his money. 9 Num. 18. 11, 13. a man, a stranger. r Gen. 38. 11. c. 5. 15, 16. Num. 18. 32.

V. 10-16. The holy things were to be eaten by the priests and their families. Now,

1. Here is a law that no stranger should eat of them, that is, no person whatsoever but the priests only, and those that pertained to them, v. 10. The priests are charged with this care, not to profane the holy things, by permitting the strangers to eat of them, (v. 15,) or suffer them to bear the iniquity of tres

1. Some pollutions were permanent, as a leprosy or a running issue, v. 4. These separated the people from the sanctuary, and God would show that they were so far from being less objectionable, that really they were more so in a priest.

2. Others were more transient, as the touching of a dead body, or any thing else that was unclean, from which, after a certain time, a man was cleansed by bathing his flesh in water, v. 6. But whoever was thus defiled, might not eat of the holy things, under pain of God's highest displeasure, who said it, and ratified the saying, That soul shall be cut off from my presence, v. 3. Our being in the presence of God, and attending upon him, will be so far from securing us, that it will but the more expose us to God's wrath, if we dare to draw nigh to him in our uncleanness. The destruction shall come from the presence of the Lord, (2 Thes. 1. 9,) as the fire by which Nadab and Abihu died, came from before the Lord. Thus they who profane the holy word of God, will be cut off by that word which they make so light of; it shall condemn them. They are again warned of their danger, if they eat the holy thing in their uncleanness, (v. 9,) lest they bear sin, and die therefore. Note, (1.) Those contract great guilt, who profane sacred things, by touching them with unhallowed hands. Eating the holy things signified an interest in the atonement; but if they ate of them in their uncleanness, they were so far from lessening their guilt, that they increased it; they shall bear sin. (2.) Sin is a burden which, if infinite mercy prevent not, will certainly sink those that bear it; they shall die therefore. Even priests may be ruined by their pollutions and presumptions.

Now, [1] This obliged the priests carefully to preserve their purity, and to dread every thing that would defile them. The holy things were their livelihood; if they might not eat of them, how must they subsist? The more we have to lose of comfort and honour by our defilement, the more careful we should be to preserve our purity. [2] This possessed the people with a reverence for the holy things, when they saw the priests themselves separated from them, (as the expression is, v. 2,) so long as they were in their uncleanness. He is doubtless a God of infinite purity, who kept his immediate attendants under so strict a discipline. [3.] This teaches us carefully to watch against all moral pollutions, because by them we are unfitted to receive the comfort of God's sanctuary. Though we labour not under habitual deformities, yet actual defilements deprive us of the pleasure of communion with God; and therefore he that is washed, needeth to wash his feet, (John 13. 10;) to wash his hands, and so to compass the altar, Ps. 26. 6. Herein we have need to be jealous over ourselves, lest (as it is observably expressed here) we profane God's holy name in those things which we hallow unto him, v. 2. If we affront God in those very performances wherein we pretend to honour him, and provoke him instead of pleasing him, we shall make up but a bad account shortly; yet thus we do, if we profane God's name, by doing that in our uncleanness which pretends to be hallowed to him.

by meddling with that which they have no right to do. Thus it is commonly understood. Note, We must not only be careful that we do not bear iniquity ourselves, but we must do what we can to prevent others bearing it. We must not only not suffer sin to lie upon our brother, but if we can help it, we must not suffer it to come upon him. But perhaps there is another meaning of those words: the priests' eating of the sin-offerings is said to signify their bearing the iniquity of the congregation to make an atonement for them, ch. 10. 17. Let not a stranger therefore eat of that holy thing particularly, and so pretend to bear the iniquity of trespass; for it is daring presumption for any to do that, but such as are appointed to do it. Those that set up other mediators beside Christ our Priest, to bear the iniquity of trespass, sacrilegiously rob Christ of his honour, and invade his rights. When we warn people not to trust to their own righteousness, nor dare to appear before God in it, but to rely on Christ's righteousness only for peace and pardon, it is because we dare not suffer them to bear the iniquity of trespass, for we know it is too heavy for them.

2. Here is an explanation of the law, showing who were to be looked upon as belonging to the priest's family, and who not. (1.) Sojourners and hired servants abode not in the house for ever; they were in the family, but not of it; and therefore they might not eat of the holy things, (v. 10;) but the servant that was born in the house, or bought with money, being an heirloom to the family, though a servant, yet might eat of the holy things, v. 11. Note, Those only are entitled to the comforts of God's house, who make it their rest for ever, and resolve to dwell in it all the days of their life. As for those who for a time only believe, to serve a present turn, they are looked upon but as sojourners and mercenaries, and have no part nor lot in the matter. (2.) As to the children of the family, concerning the sons there could be no dispute, they were themselves priests; but concerning the daughters there was a distinction. While they continued in their father's house they might eat of the holy things; but if they married such as were not priests, they lost their right, (v. 12,) for now they were cut off from the family of the priests. Yet if a priest's daughter became a widow, and had no children in whom she might preserve a distinct family, and returned to her father's house again, being neither wife nor mother, she shall again be looked upon as a daughter, and shall eat of the holy things. If those whom Providence has made sorrowful widows, and who are dislodged from the rest they had in the house of a husband, yet find it again in a father's house, they have reason to be thankful to the widow's God, who does not leave them comfortless. (3.) Here is a demand of restitution to be made by him that had no right to the holy things, and yet should eat of them unwittingly, v. 14. If he did it presumptuously, and in contempt of the divine institution, he was liable to be cut off by the hand of God, and to be beaten by the magistrate; but if he did it through weakness and inconsideration, he was to restore the value, adding a fifth part to it; beside which, he was to bring an offering to atone for the trespass; see ch.5. 15, 16.

Now, [1.] This law might be dispensed with in a case of necessity, as it was when David and his men ate of the show

unto them, concerning the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts.

3 Six days shall work be done; but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings.

4 These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons. 5 In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD's passover.

6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread.

7 In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work therein.

8 But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD seven days: in the seventh day is an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work therein.

a ver. 4, 37. b Ex. 32. 5. Ps. 81. 3. cc. 19. 3. Ex. 20.9. d Ex. 12. 6, &c. 13. 3, 10. 34. 18. Num. 9. 2, 3. Deut. 16. 1-8. Josh. 5. 10.

authority over them, I am the Lord; His interest in them, I am your God: The title he had to them by redemption, " I brought you out of the land of Egypt, on purpose that I might be your God:" The designs of his grace concerning them, I am the Lord that hallow you: And the resolutions of his justice, if he had not honour from them, to get him honour upon them, I will be hallowed among the children of Israel. God will be a Loser in his glory by no man at last; but sooner or later will recover his right, either in the repentance of sinners, or in their ruin.

NOTES TO CHAPTER XXIII.

V. 1-3. Here is,

1. A general account of the holy times which God appointed, (v. 2,) and it is only his appointment that can make time holy for he is the Lord of time; and as soon as ever he had set its wheels a going, it was he that sanctified and blessed one day above the rest, Gen. 2. 3. Man may by his appointment make a good day, (Esth. 9. 19,) but it is God's prerogative to make a holy day; nor is any thing sanctified but by the stamp of his institution. As all inherent holiness comes from his special grace, so all adherent holiness from his special appointment. Now concerning the holy times here ordained, observe, (1.) They are called feasts. The day of atonement, which was one of them, was a fast; yet because most of them were appointed for joy and rejoicing, they are in the general called feasts. Some read it, These are my assemblies, but that is coincident with convocations; I would rather read it, These are my solemnities; so the word here used is translated, (Is. 33. 20,) where Zion is called the city of our solemnities: and reading it so here, the day of atonement was as great a solemnity as any of them. (2.) They are the feasts of the Lord; (my feasts;) observed to the honour of his name, and in obedience to his command. (3.) They were proclaimed; for they were not to be observed by the priests only that attended the sanctuary, but by all the people. And this proclamation was the joyful sound, concerning which we read, Blessed are the people that know it, Ps. 89. 15. (4.) They were to be sanctified and solemnized with holy convocations, that the services of these feasts might appear the more honourable and august, and the people the more unanimous in the performance of them: it was for the honour of God, and his institutions which sought not corners, and the purity of which would be best preserved by the public administration of them; it was also for the edification of the people in love, that the feasts were to be observed as holy convo

cations.

2. A repetition of the law of the sabbath in the first place. Though the annual feasts were made more remarkable by their general attendance at the sanctuary, yet these must not eclipse the brightness of the sabbath, v. 3. They are here told, (1.) That on that day they must withdraw themselves from all the affairs and business of the world. It is a sabbath of rest, typifying our spiritual rest from sin, and in God, Ye shall do no work therein. On other holy days they were forbidden to do any servile work, (v. 7,) but on the sabbath, and the day of atonement, (which is also called a sabbath,) they were to do no work at all, no, not the dressing of meat. (2.) On that day they must employ themselves in the service of God. [1.] It is a holy convocation; that is, "If it lie within your reach, you shall sanctify it in a religious assembly: let as many as can come to the door of the tabernacle, and let others meet elsewhere for prayer, and praise, and the reading of the law;" as in the schools of the prophets, while prophecy continued, and afterward in the synagogues. Christ appointed the NewTestament sabbath to be a holy convocation, by meeting his disciples once and again, (and perhaps oftener,) on the first day of the week. [2.] "Whether you have opportunity of sanctifying it in a holy convocation or not, yet let it be the sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings. Put a difference between that day and other days in your families. It is the sabbath of the Lord, the day on which he rested from the work of creation, and on which he has appointed us to rest: let it be observed in all your dwellings, even now that you dwell in tents." Note, God's sabbaths are to be religiously observed in every private

9 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 10 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a "sheaf of the first-fruits of your harvest unto the priest:

11 And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.

12 And ye shall offer that day, when ye wave the sheaf, an he-lamb without blemish of the first year, for a burnt-offering unto the LORD.

13 And the meat-offering thereof shall be two tenth-deals of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto the LORD for a sweet savour: and the drink-offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth part of an hin.

14 And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the self same day that ye omer, or, handful. e Ex. 22. 29. 23. 19. 34. 26. Frov. 3. 9. Ez. 44. 30. f Ex.

29. 24. c. 2. 14-16.

house, by every family apart, as well as by many families together, in holy convocations. The sabbath of the Lord in cur dwellings will be their beauty, strength, and safety; it will sanctify, edify, and glorify them.

V. 4-14. Here again the feasts are called the feasts of the Lord, because he appointed them. Jeroboam's feast, which he devised of his own heart, (1 Kings 12. 33,) was an affront to God, and a reproach upon the people. These feasts were to be proclaimed in their seasons, (v. 4;) and the seasons God chose for them, were in March, May, and September, (according to our present computation,) not in winter, because travelling would then be uncomfortable, when the days were short and the ways foul; not in the middle of summer, because then in those countries they were gathering in their harvest and vintage, and could be ill spared from their country business. Thus graciously does God consult our comfort in his appointments, obliging us thereby religiously to regard his glory in our observance of them, and not to complain of them as a burden. The solemnities appointed them were, 1. Many, and returned frequently; which was intended to preserve in them a deep sense of God and religion, and to prevent their inclining to the superstitions of the heathen. God kept them fully employed in his service, that they might not have time to hearken to the temptations of the idolatrous neighbourhood they lived in. 2. They were most of them times of joy and rejoicing. The weekly sabbath is so, and all their yearly solemnities, except the day of atonement. God would thus teach them that wisdom's ways are pleasantness, and engage them to his service, by encouraging them to be cheerful in it, and to sing at their work. Seven days were days of strict rest and holy convocations; the first day and the seventh of the feast of unleavened bread; the day of pentecost; the day of the feast of trumpets; the first day and the eighth of the feast of tabernacles; and the day of atonement: here were six for holy joy, and one only for holy mourning. We are commanded to rejoice evermore, but not to be evermore weeping, Here is,

(1.) A repetition of the law of the passover, which was to be observed on the fourteenth day of the first month, in remembrance of their deliverance out of Egypt, and the distinguishing preservation of their first-born; mercies never to be forgotten. This feast was to begin with the killing of the paschal lamb, v. 5. It was to continue seven days, during all which time they were to eat sad bread, that was unleavened, (v. 6,) and the first and last day of the seven were to be days of holy rest, and holy convocations, v. 7, 8. They were not idle days, spent in sport and recreation, (as many that are called Christians spend their holy days,) but offerings were made by fire unto the Lord at his altar; and we have reason to think that the people were taught to employ their time in prayer, and praise, and godly meditation.

(2.) An order for the offering of a sheaf of the first-fruits, upon the second day of the feast of unleavened bread: the first is called the sabbath, because it was observed as a sabbath, (v. 11,) and on the morrow after, they had this solemnity. A sheaf or handful of new corn was brought to the priest, who was to heave it up, in token of his presenting it to the God of Heaven, and to wave it to and fro before the Lord, as the Lord of the whole earth, and this should be accepted for them as a thankful acknowledgment of God's mercy to them in clothing their fields with corn, and of their dependence upon God, and desire toward him, for the preserving of it to their use. For it was the expression both of prayer and praise, v. 11. A lamb for a burnt-offering was to be offered with it, v. 12. As the sacrifice of animals was generally attended with meat-offerings, so this sacrifice of corn was attended with a burnt-offering, that bread and flesh might be set together on God's table. They are forbidden to eat of their new corn, till this handful was offered to God; for it was fit, if God and Israel feast together, that he should be served first. And the offering of this sheaf of first-fruits in the name of the whole congregation, did, as it were, sanctify to them their whole harvest, and give them a comfortable use of all the rest; for then we may eat our