Leviticus 19 commentary

There are some ceremonial precepts in this chapter, but most of these precepts are binding on us, for they are explanations of the ten commandments. It is required that Israel be a holy people, because the God of Israel is a holy God, verse 2. To teach real separation from the world and the flesh, and entire devotedness to God. This is now the law of Christ; may the Lord bring every thought within us into obedience to it! Children are to be obedient to their parents, verse 3. The fear here required includes inward reverence and esteem, outward respect and obedience, care to please them and to make them easy. God only is to be worshipped, verse 4. Turn not from the true God to false ones, from the God who will make you holy and happy, to those that will deceive you, and make you for ever miserable. Turn not your eyes to them, much less your heart. They should leave the gleanings of their harvest and vintage for the poor, verse 9. Works of piety must be always attended with works of charity, according to our ability. We must not be covetous, griping, and greedy of every thing we can lay claim to, nor insist upon our right in all things. We are to be honest and true in all our dealings, verse 11. Whatever we have in the world, we must see that we get it honestly, for we cannot be truly rich, or long rich, with that which is not so. Reverence to the sacred name of God must be shown, verse 12. We must not detain what belongs to another, particularly the wages of the hireling, verse 13. We must be tender of the credit and safety of those that cannot help themselves, verse 14. Do no hurt to any, because they are unwilling or unable to avenge themselves. We ought to take heed of doing any thing which may occasion our weak brother to fall. The fear of God should keep us from doing wrong things, though they will not expose us to men's anger. Judges, and all in authority, are commanded to give judgment without partiality, verse 15. To be a tale-bearer, and to sow discord among neighbours, is as bad an office as a man can put himself into. We are to rebuke our neighbour in love, verse 17. Rather rebuke him than hate him, for an injury done to thyself. We incur guilt by not reproving; it is hating our brother. We should say, I will do him the kindness to tell him of his faults. We are to put off all malice, and to put on brotherly love, verse 18. We often wrong ourselves, but we soon forgive ourselves those wrongs, and they do not at all lessen our love to ourselves; in like manner we should love our neighbour. We must in many cases deny ourselves for the good of our neighbour. Verse 31: For Christians to have their fortunes told, to use spells and charms, or the like, is a sad affront to God. They must be grossly ignorant who ask, “What harm is there in these things?” Here is a charge to young people to show respect to the aged, verse 32. Religion teaches good manners, and obliges us to honour those to whom honour is due. A charge was given to the Israelites to be very tender of strangers, verse 33. Strangers, and the widows and fatherless, are God's particular care. It is at our peril, if we do them any wrong. Strangers shall be welcome to God's grace; we should do what we can to recommend religion to them. Justice in weights and measures is commanded, verse 35. We must make conscience of obeying God's precepts. We are not to pick and choose our duty, but must aim at standing complete in all the will of God. And the nearer our lives and tempers are to the precepts of God's law, the happier shall we be, and the happier shall we make all around us, and the better shall we adorn the gospel.

1. And the Lord spake. This is the object of the exhortation: first, that they should not measure the service of God by their own conceits, but rather by His nature; and secondly, that they should begin by studying “Pour le servir deuement, ils commencent par ce bout, de se purifier de toutes souillures;” in order to serve Him duly, they should begin by purifying themselves from all uncleanness — Fr. to be holy. For nothing is harder than for men to divest themselves of their carnal affections to prepare for imitating God. Besides, they willingly lie slumbering in their own filthiness, and seek to cloak it by the outward appearance of religion. Here, then, they are recalled to the imitation of God, who, in adopting them, desired that they should bear His image, just as good and undegenerate children resemble their father. If any should pretend to equal God, his emulation would be madness; but although the most perfect come very far short even of the angels, yet the weakness of the very humblest does not prevent him from aspiring after the example of God. To this point did all the ceremonies tend, whereby God exercised His ancient people unto holiness, as we shall hereafter see. Although this declaration does not occur once only, yet because it is annexed in other places to special precepts in order to their confirmation, let it suffice at present to apprehend the general doctrine it contains.

Deuteronomy 6

Deuteronomy 6:14, 15

14. Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you;

14. Non ambulabitis post deos alienos e diis populorum qui undique circum vos sunt:

15. (For the Lord thy God is a jealous God among you;) lest the anger of the Lord thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth.

15. Quoniam Deus zelotes Jehova Deus tuus in medio tui est: ne forte irascatur furor Jehovae Dei tui in to, et disperdat te e superficie terrae.

Since this passage unquestionably relates to the explanation of the Fifth Commandment, it confirms what I have before shown, that the honor which God-commands to be paid to parents, does not consist in reverence only, but also embraces obedience. For the reverence which He now prescribes will render children submissive and compliant. Now, then, we more clearly understand how parents are to be honored, when God exhorts their children to beware of offending them; for this is, in a word, the true manifestation of filial piety, calmly to bear the yoke of subjection, and to prove by acts a sincere desire to obey.

The Supplements of the Fifth Commandment

Exodus 21

Exodus 21:15, 17

15. And he that smiteth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death.

15. Qui percusserit patrem suum aut matrem, morte moriatur.

17. And he that curseth his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.

17. Qui maledixerit patri suo vel matri suae, morte moriatur.

Leviticus 20

Leviticus 20:9

9. For every one that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death: he hath cursed his father or his mother; his blood shall be upon him.

9. Qui maledixerit patri suo aut matri suae morte moriatur: qui patri suo et matri suae maledixit, sanguis ejus super eum.

God here explains somewhat more clearly His mind and design, for He enumerates as thefts eases in which either deceit or violence is employed. The two words, which we have translated to deny, and to lie, signify also to deceive; as also to lie, or to frustrate hope. A. V., “deal falsely, neither lie.” Ainsworth, “neither falsely deny, nor deal falsely.” There is no question, then, but that God would restrain His people from all craft, or deceit, that they may deal sincerely and honestly with each other; even as Paul wisely explains the meaning of the Holy Spirit, when he exhorts believers to

“put away lying, and to speak every man truth with his neighbor; for we are members one of another.” (Ephesians 4:25.)

In the second passage, God commands men to demean themselves meekly and temperately with their neighbors, so as to abstain from all unjust oppression. The meaning which Jerome A. V., “Non facies calumniam proximo tuo, nec vi opprimes eum.” “The first of these terms signifies to oppress by fraud; the second to oppress by violence. Against both these offenses, John the Baptist warned the soldiers who came to him; Luke 3:14.” — Bush from Ainsworth. and others after him, have given to the word עשק gnashak, to calumniate, is incorrect altogether; for it is everywhere used for to oppress, despoil, rob, or lay hands on the goods of another. It is clear, therefore, that as Moses had previously provided against frauds, he now prohibits the iniquity of extorting from our neighbor what we have no right to. Still, violence, or open rapine, is better expressed by the other word גזל gezal; and these “Et a mon avis que le premier est comme genre, et le second comme espece;” and, in my opinion, that the first is, as it were, genus, and the second species. — Fr. two words are, ill my opinion, as it were, genus and species. After he had forbidden, therefore, that they should in any way oppress their brethren and possess themselves of their goods, he at the same time adds, that they should not use violence in despoiling them unjustly. Finally, he points out one mode of unjust oppression, when a person, who has hired himself as a laborer, is defrauded of his wages, and not only if he be sent away without payment, his wages being denied him, but if payment be deferred to the morrow. For we know that hirelings generally live from hand to mouth, and therefore, if there be ever so little delay, they must go without food. Consequently, if a rich man keeps a poor and wretched individual, whose labor he has abused, in suspense, he deprives him as it were of life, in depriving him of his daily food. The sum is, that humanity is so to be cultivated that none should be oppressed, or suffer loss from default of payment.

Deuteronomy 24

Deuteronomy 24:14, 15

14. Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy brethren, or of thy strangers that are in thy land within thy gates:

14. Non opprimes mercenarium pauperem et egenum e fratribus tuis, et ex peregrinis tuis qui sunt in terra tua, intra portas tuas.

15. At his day thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it; for he ‘is poor, and setteth his heart upon it: lest he cry against thee unto the Lord, and it be sin unto thee.

15. Die suo reddes mercedem ejus, neque occumbet super eam sol: quia pauper est, et ea sustentat animam suam: ne clamet contra te ad Jehovam, et sit in te peccatum.

Since the Law comprehends under the word murder, all the wrongs whereby men are unjustly injured, that cruelty was especially to be condemned by which those wretched persons are afflicted, whose calamity ought rather to conciliate our compassion. For, if any particle of humanity exists in us, when we meet a blind man we shall be solicitous lest he should stumble or fall, and, if he goes astray, we shall stretch out our hands to him and try to bring him back into the way; we shall also spare the deaf, for to insult them is no less absurd or barbarous than to assail stones with reproaches. It is, therefore, gross brutality to increase the ills of those whom our natural sense impels us to relieve, and who are already troubled more than enough. Let us, then, learn from these words, that the weaker people are, the more secure ought they to be from all oppression or injury, and that, when we attack the defenseless, the crime of cruelty is greatly aggravated, whilst any insult against the calamitous is altogether intolerable to God.

The Ceremonial Supplements of the Sixth Commandment

Deuteronomy 21

Deuteronomy 21:1-9

1. If one be found slain in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee to possess it, lying in the field, and it be not known who hath slain him;

1. Quum inventum fuerit cadaver hominis occisi in terra quam Jehova Deus tuus dabit tibi ut possideas eam, prostratum in agro, nec cognitum fuerit quis percusserit eum:

2. Then thy elders and thy judges shall come forth, and they shall measure unto the cities which are round about him that is slain.

2. Tunc egredientur seniores tui, et judices tui, et metientur usque ad civitates quae sunt in circuitibus cadaveris hominis illius occisi.

3. And it shall be, that the city which is next unto the slain man, even the elders of that city shall take an heifer, which hath not been wrought with, and which hath not drawn in the yoke;

3. Et seniores urbis, propinquioris urbis illi cadaveri occiso, capient vitulam de armento qua nemo usus fuerit, et quae non traxerit jugum.

4. And the elders of that city shall bring down the heifer unto a rough valley, which is neither card nor sown, and shall strike off the heifer’s neck there in the valley:

4. Et adducent seniores ejus urbis vitulam ad vallem asperare, quae nunquam fuerit arata, neque seminata, et praecident cervicem vitulae illic in valle.

5. And the priests, the sons of Levi, shall come near; (for them the Lord thy God hath chosen to minister unto him, and to bless in the name of the Lord;) and by their word shall every controversy and every stroke be tried

5. Et accedent sacerdotes filii Levi (eos enim elegit Jehova Deus tuus ut ministrent ipsi, et ad benedicendum in nomine Jehovae: et juxta quorum sermonem erit omnis lis atque omnis plaga.)

6. And all the elders of that city, that are next unto the slain man, shall wash their hands over the heifer that is beheaded in the valley:

6. Et omnes seniores ejus urbis ubi accesserint ad cadaver hominis occisi, lavabunt manus suas super vitulam percussam in valle.

7. And they shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it.

7. Et testificabuntur, ac dicent, Manus nostrae non effuderunt sanguinem istum, neque oculi nostri viderunt.

8. Be merciful, O Lord, unto thy people Israel, whom thou hast redeemed, and lay not innocent blood unto thy people of Israel’s charge. And the blood shall be forgiven them.

8. Expia populum tuum Israel quem redemisti Jehova, et ne imputes sanguinem innocentem in medio populi tui Israel: et expiabitur ab eis sanguis.

9. So shalt thou put away the guilt of innocent blood from among you, when thou shalt do that which is right in the sight of the Lord.

9. Tu autem auferes sanguinem innocentem e medio tui, quum feceris quod rectum est in oculis Jehovae.

16. Thou shalt not go up and down. The principle of the second clause is the same as that of the foregoing verse, for it is added to a general precept, whereby detraction is condemned: and much more ought we to be deterred from it, whilst we acknowledge that our tongue is thus armed cruelly to shed innocent blood. Some suppose that the word רכיל, racil, is metaphorically taken from merchants, because the tale-bearer or whisperer “Delator aut susurro.” — Lat. “The original properly signifies a trader, a pedlar, and is here applied to one who travels up and down dealing in slanders and detractions, as a merchant does in wares, possessing himself of the secrets of individuals and families, and then blazing them abroad, usually with a false colouring as to motives and a distortion of facts.” — Bush. “Some explain רכיל as if רגיל, (the ג being changed into כ,) from רגל, to run about, to explore.” — Fagius, from the Hebrew Commentators, in Poole’s Synopsis. “Non reperimus in S. Scriptura dictionem רכילות, quae non sit scripta lingua הליכה, i e., ambulationis.” — Sal. Jarchi in loco. See C. on Jeremiah 9:4, Cal. Soc. edit., vol. 1, p. 464 is no less busy in hunting for false reports, which he may afterwards circulate, than the merchant is diligently bent on buying and selling. Others think that there is a change of the letter ג into כ; and that thus the word is derived from the feet; because calumniators are always wandering about to hunt for grounds of detraction; and therefore is always joined with a verb which signifies to walk. I do not think, however, that it is always used in the same sense; for when Ezekiel reproves the Israelites, because there were always men called רכיל, racil, among them, to shed blood, “In thee are men that carry tales (margin, men of slanders) to shed blood.” — A.V. I understand men of fraud, or fraudulent persons, who plot against the good to procure their destruction. (Ezekiel 22:9.) Some also translate it spies. Meanwhile, I doubt not, but that Moses, in this passage, designates those vagabonds, who too eagerly run about hither and thither, and in their malignant inquisitiveness penetrate into everybody’s secrets, to bring quiet people into trouble. In short, we are taught that they are accounted false witnesses before God, whosoever by the virulence of their tongue bring their brethren into danger and inconvenience.

I doubt not but that this part of the verse should be taken separately, nor do I approve of the introduction of the adversative particle but, by which translators So in V. “Non oderis fratrem tuum in corde tuo, sed publice argue eum,” etc. connect it with what follows. We know that we are not always to trust to the division of verses; and, since it is clear that whatever precepts we meet with in the writings of Moses for the regulation of our lives depend on the Decalogue, this sentence sufficiently proves that murder was forbidden, not only in order that none should slay his brother by his ]land, or by a weapon, but also that he should not indulge in wrong-doing, by cherishing in himself hatred and ill-will. Hence the statement of Paul is confirmed, that “the Law is spiritual,” (Romans 7:14;) and their folly is refuted who pretend that Moses was an earthly lawgiver to the Jews, like Lycurgus or Solon, since he thus penetrates even to the secret affections. It is also probable that John derived from this passage his saying, “He that hateth his brother is a murderer,” (1 John 3:15;) for the word heart is here used emphatically; since, although no outward signs of hatred may appear, yet the internal feeling is accounted murder before God.

Leviticus 19

Leviticus 19:18

18. Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people; but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself: I am the Lord.

18. Ne ulciscaris te, neque serves odium contra filios populi tui: sed diliges proximum tuum sicut teipsum: ego Jehova.

17. Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbor. Because many, under the pretext of conscientiousness, are not only rigid censors of others, but also burst out in the open proclamation of their defects, Moses seeks to prevent this preposterous zeal, shewing how they may best restrain it, not by encouraging sin through their connivance or silence, whilst they are still far from evil-speaking. For those who labor under this disease of carping and vituperating, are wont to object that sins are nourished by silence, unless all are eager in reproving them; and hence their ardor in exclaiming against them and deriding them. But Moses points out a more useful remedy, that they should bring back wanderers into the way by private rebukes, and not by publishing their offenses. For whosoever triumphs in the infamy of his brother, precipitates his ruin as far as in him lies; whereas a well-regulated zeal consults the welfare of one who is ruining himself. Therefore we are commanded to rebuke the wandering, and not to regard our brethren as enemies. A similar course is prescribed by Christ, “If thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone.” (Matthew 18:15.) In fine, an immoderate love of fault-finding will always be found to be arrogant and cruel. The word נשא, nasa, undoubtedly means to publish what was concealed, and thus by exposure to drive to despair those who would else have been corrigible.

Supplement to the Ninth Commandment

Deuteronomy 19

Deuteronomy 19:16-21

16. If a false witness rise up against any man, to testify against him that which is wrong;

16. Quum steterit testis mendax contra aliquem, ut testificetur contra eum verbum perversum:

17. Then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the Lord, before the priests and the judges which shall be in those days:

17. Tunc stabunt duo illi homines quibus est lis, coram Jehova, id est coram sacerdotibus et judicibus qui fuerint in diebus illis.

18. And the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and hath testified falsely against his brother;

18. Et inquirent judices diligenter, et si testis ille est testis mendax, mendacium testificatus est contra fratrem suum:

19. Then shall ye do unto him as he had thought to have done unto his brother: so shalt thou put the evil away from among you.

19. Facietis ei, quemadmodum cogitavit facere fratri suo, et auferes malum e medio tui.

20. And those which remain shall hear, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil among you.

20. Et qui remanserint, audient ac timebunt, nec addent facere ultra malum simile huic in medio tui.

21. And thine eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

21. Neque parcet oculus tuus: animam pro anima, oculum pro oculo, dentem pro dente, manum pro manu, pedem pro pede.

Hence it clearly appears that God had a further object than that men should not kill each other, for He not only restrains their hands, but requires their hearts to be pure from all hatred. For, since the desire of vengeance is the fountain and cause of enmities, it follows that under the word kill is condensed whatever is opposed to brotherly love. And this is confirmed by the antithesis, that none should hate his brother, but rather love him as himself. We need, then, seek for no other expositor of the Commandment but God Himself, who pronounces those to be guilty of murder who are affected with any malevolence, and not only those who, when offended, desire to return evil for evil, but those who do not sincerely love their neighbors, even when with justice they deem them to be their enemies. Wherefore, in order that God may absolve us from spiritual murder, let us learn to purify our hearts from all desire of vengeance, and, laying aside hatred, to cultivate fraternal affection with all men.

Although the latter part of the verse embraces the sum of the whole Second Table, yet, because love is contrasted with vengeance, I have not thought fit to separate things which are so properly connected with each other, especially when one depends on the other. The precept is indeed only given with reference to the children of Abraham, because the crime of vengeance would be more atrocious between those who were bound together by fraternal rights; yet it is not to be doubted but that God generally condemns the vice. In the schools Fr., “Les Theologiens de la Papaute.” C. refers elsewhere to this scholastic maxim: “Nor is the argument worth a straw, That the thing regulated must always be inferior to the rule. The Lord did not make self-love the rule, as if love towards others was subordinate to it; but whereas, through natural pravity, the feeling of love usually rests on ourselves, He shows that it ought to diffuse itself in another direction — that is, should be prepared to do good to our neighbor with no less alacrity, ardor, and solicitude, than to ourselves.” — Inst., book 2, 8, Section 54. “Again, when Moses commanded us to love our neighbors as ourselves, he did not intend to put the love of ourselves in the first place, so that a man may first love himself and then love his neighbors: as the sophists of the Sorbonne are wont to cavil, that the rule must always go before what it regulates.” — Harm. of the Evangelists, (C. Society’s Trans.,) vol. 3, p. 59. this sentence was grossly corrupted; for, since the rule (as they say) is superior to what is regulated by it. they have invented a preposterous precept, that every one should love himself first, and then his neighbors; of which subject I will treat more fully elsewhere. The word נטר, natar, meaning to guard, when used without any addition, is equivalent to bearing an injury in mind; as we also say in French: “garder une injure.” Addition in Fr., “Et pourtant il faut suppleer ou injure ou rancune; and, therefore, injury or grudge must be supplied.

Leviticus 19

Leviticus 19:14

14. Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumblingblock before the blind, but shalt fear thy God: I am the Lord.

14. Surdo non maledices, et coram caeco non pones offendiculum, sed timebis a Deo tuo: ego Jehova.

18. Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. What every man’s mind ought to be towards his neighbor, could not be better expressed in many pages that in this one sentence. We are all of us not only inclined to love ourselves more than we should, but all our powers hurry us away in this direction; nay, φιλαυτία (self-love) blinds us so much as to be the parent of all iniquities. Since, therefore, whilst we are too much given to love ourselves, we forget and neglect our brethren, God could only bring us back to charity by plucking from our hearts that vicious passion which is born with us and dwells deeply in us; nor, again, could this be done except by transferring elsewhere the love which exists within us. On this point no less has the dishonesty betrayed itself than the ignorance and folly of those “Les docteurs Papistes.” — Fr. See ante on Leviticus 19:18, p. 23. who would have the love of ourselves come first: “The rule (say they) is superior to the thing regulated by it; and according to God’s commandment, the charity which we should exercise towards others is formed upon the love of ourselves as its rule.” As if it were God’s purpose to stir up the fire which already burns too fiercely. Naturally, as I have said, we are blinded by our immoderate self-love; and God, in order to turn us away from this, has substituted our neighbors, whom we are to love no less than ourselves; nor will any one ever perform what Paul teaches us to be a part of charity, viz., that she “seeketh not her own,” (1 Corinthians 13:5,) until he shall have renounced himself.

Not only those with whom we have some connection are called our neighbors, but all without exception; for the whole human race forms one body, of which all are members, and consequently should be bound together by mutual ties; for we must bear in mind that even those who are most alienated from us, should be cherished and aided even as our own flesh; since we have On Leviticus 19:33, ante p. 118. seen elsewhere that sojourners and strangers are placed in the same category (with our relations; Added from Fr. ) and Christ sufficiently confirms this in the case of the Samaritan. (Luke 10:30.)

The Use of the Law

Inasmuch as in the Law the difference between good and evil is set forth, it is given for the regulation of the life of men, so that it may be justly called the rule of living well and righteously. This object of the Law is known to almost all men, because all confess without controversy that God here prescribes what is right, lest we should wander all our lifetime in uncertainty; for since His will is the perfect law of righteousness, it can alone direct us to the mark. The knowledge of good and evil is indeed imprinted by nature on men, whereby they are rendered inexcusable; nor has any amount of barbarism ever so extinguished this light as that no form of law should exist. But, since the main principle of righteousness is to obey God, it was by special privilege that He deposited with His elect people the rule of living aright as a pledge of His adoption. Hence the declarations which so often occur in the writings of Moses: I command thee to keep and to do, etc. But, since we are “carnal, sold under sin,” (Romans 7:14,) we are so far from being able to fulfill the Law, which is spiritual, that all our imaginations are at enmity with its righteousness, as Paul teaches elsewhere. (Romans 7:7.) Those, therefore, who “Ceux doncques qui ne cherchent en la Loy, sinon de savoir, comment on doit servir a Dieu, s’abusent, etc.;” those, therefore, who only search in the law to know how we ought to serve God, deceive themselves, etc. — Fr. content themselves with using it for instruction, do wrong in confining themselves to this one point, since no advantage can hence be derived from it, as long as we shall remain in our corrupt nature. Nay, as soon as the Law presents itself before us, the curse of God falls upon our heads, as if He smote us with a thunder-bolt from heaven. I will not heap together all the testimonies to this effect; let one peculiarly striking passage suffice:

“The law (says Paul) is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good: but sin, that it might appear sin, worketh death in me by that which is good.” (Romans 7:12, 13.)

What he elsewhere says, that “the law worketh wrath,” (Romans 4:15,) and that “it was added because of transgressions,” (Galatians 3:19,) seems harsh indeed to profane persons, who only judge as philosophers; yet this is the theological use of the Law, for, by discovering our unrighteousness, it can bring nothing but death. Here, however, “Or ici les esprits fantastiques s’escarmouchent en demandant.” — Fr. rebellious questions arise, what use there could be in prescribing what we are unable to perform: why God should mock miserable men by imposing a burden whereby they are totally overwhelmed: how it is consistent that a law should be given for us to keep, and yet that we should be devoid of strength to do so: if we have not liberty to choose good or evil, why it should be brought in accusation against us that we yield to the sin to which we are naturally addicted? The enemies of God are very ingenious in amassing such calumnies, and eloquent in exaggerating them; but when they have disgorged all that their rabid dishonesty has dictated, their own conscience will always abundantly refute them; for they will be compelled to acknowledge that the Law is just, and that, when they transgress it by voluntary impulse, they are deservedly condemned. Let them, then, rave against God as they like, that He unjustly imposes upon them a heavier burden than they are able to bear, their natural reason will retain them under the conviction, that whatever God commands to be done for Him is His due. We must now see where the blame lies, that they are unable to satisfy Him. Surely their efforts to relieve themselves from it will be vain, because conscience will again make itself felt on the opposite side, and will hold them fast in the bond of condemnation, from which there is no escape. But the whole of Scripture teaches that it arises from the corruption of our nature that all our affections are repugnant to the Law, and also that, on the other hand, the Law is against us; for Adam, being alienated from God the fountain of all righteousness, ruined himself and us; and hence it comes that not only our strength is insufficient to perform the service we owe to God, but that we are impelled by a blind and headlong impetus to shake off His yoke. From this Paul infers that we are “under the curse,” because the Law pronounces all transgressors to be accursed. (Galatians 3:10.) For ridiculous will be the objection that it is in the power of every one’s free-will not to transgress, because there is nothing to be found in us which is not corrupt; and, in fact, the stupidity of those is most shameless who suppose that nothing impossible is commanded, whereas in every trifle, not merely our weakness, but our ἀδυναμία (powerlessness) betrays itself. But, although Paul says that the Law “The letter killeth.” — A.V. is deadly to us, (2 Corinthians 3:6,) yet he vindicates it from all objection, when he shews that this evil is accidental, and therefore must be imputed to ourselves. Let it therefore be established, that the Law was given not only for instruction, so that men might follow what they had learnt from it to be right, but also to convict them of their iniquity, that they might acknowledge themselves to be lost; as if they saw in a mirror their destruction through the just vengeance of God. Now this knowledge would by itself overwhelm all with horrible despair if they did not emerge from the deep abyss; for, since they are puffed up with vain confidence, and arrogate to themselves the merit of living righteously, it is necessary that they should be humbled; first of all, that, being condemned, they may learn to fly for refuge to God’s mercy; and secondly, that being convinced of their infirmity, they may implore the aid of the Holy Spirit, which in their security they had before neglected. Hence it appears that it is expedient for them to be slain by the Law, and that the death which it inflicts is life-giving. And this occurs in two ways; for, first, being stripped of the false opinion of their righteousness, wherein they prided themselves, they begin to seek in Christ what they mistakenly supposed might be found in themselves, so as to please God by gratuitous reconciliation, whereas they had previously sought to propitiate Him by the merit of their works; secondly, they learn that they are not sufficient to perform a single tittle of the Law, unless, being regenerated by God’s Spirit, they who were the slaves of sin live unto righteousness. And hence, in fine, the utility and fruit of the teaching of the Law proceeds; for, until we are renewed and God has given us hearts of flesh instead of hearts of stone, in vain are precepts dinned in our ears, since in our natural depravity we cordially reject them; but when He has engraved His law within our hearts, its outward instruction also profits us; for He so governs His children by the Spirit of reconciliation, as at the same time to will that they should be attentive and obedient to His voice. Still, because they are always far from attaining to perfect observance of it, they not only learn from it what is right, but also that they have need of His gratuitous mercy, that they may please Him through indulgence and grace, although they are still conscious of much infirmity.

Further, because Paul seems to abrogate the Law, as if now-a-days it did not concern believers, we must now see how far this is the case. And, first, indeed, it is easy to perceive that he does not treat of the Law in the abstract, but sets it forth invested with those of its qualities, wherein it is opposed to the Gospel; for, inasmuch as his controversy was with those who interpreted it amiss, he could not help contrasting the Law with the Gospel, as if they were in opposition to each other: not that they were really so, if their respective doctrine be dexterously applied to its proper object, but because such a conflict arose from the absurd mixture, which the false apostles introduced. They asserted that men are justified by the works of the Law, and, if this were admitted, the righteousness of faith was destroyed, and the Gospel fell to the ground. They, moreover, restored the yoke imposed on the ancient people, as if no liberty had been obtained by the blood of Christ. In this discussion it was necessary for Paul to advert only to that which is peculiar to Moses, and distinct from Christ; for although Christ and Moses perfectly accord in the substance of their doctrine, still, when they are compared with each other, it is fitting to distinguish what is peculiar to each. In this respect Paul calls the Law “the letter,” “By the term letter he means outward preaching, of such a kind as does not reach the heart; and, on the other hand, by spirit he means living doctrine, of such a nature as worketh effectually (1 Thessalonians 2:13) on the minds of men, through the grace of the Spirit. By the term letter, therefore, is meant literal preaching, that is, dead and ineffectual, perceived only by the ear. By the term spirit, on the other hand, is meant spiritual doctrine, that is, whatever is not merely uttered with the mouth, but effectually makes its way to the souls of men with a lively feeling.” — C. on 2 Corinthians 3:6, Cal. Soc. edit., vol. 2, p. 172. because Moses had no other charge than to speak in the name of God, (2 Corinthians 3:6;) and this in itself is not only useless, but also deadly; for when the word resounds in the ears only, it produces nothing but condemnation. Besides, he considers the Law as connected with promises and threatenings. Whence it follows, that salvation can only be procured by it if its precepts be exactly fulfilled. Life is indeed promised in it, but only if whatever it commands be complied with; whilst, on the other hand, it denounces death against its transgressors, so that to have offended in the slightest point is enough to condemn and destroy a person; and thus it overwhelms all men with despair. Lastly, because the ceremonies by which God prepared His ancient people as by puerile and elementary instruction for the faith of the Gospel, “Comme par un a, b, c, de petits enfans.” — Fr. were annexed to the Law, Paul embraces those also in his comparison between the Law and the Gospel. Hence it follows that, in so far as Moses is distinguished from Christ, his ministration has ceased, although his embassy was identical with that which Christ afterwards discharged. As regards the ceremonies, we must consider that an end was put upon them by Christ’s coming, in such a way as to establish their truth more firmly than as if they still remained in use: for we acknowledge that in them, as in a mirror, was formerly shewn to the Fathers, what is now displayed to us in its reality. Whence it appears that they are greatly mistaken who altogether reject as useless that instruction which we read in the writings of Moses; and that the squeamishness of those who despise it is also intolerable. “Et que ceux, qui le meprisent comme superflu, sont aussi a condamner comme trop delicats;” and that those who despise it as superfluous are to be condemned as too fastidious. — Fr. Let my readers seek in the Second Book of my Institutes, Chapter 7., what further tends to the explanation of this subject.

Sanctions of the Law

contained in the Promises and Threats

We now come to the conclusion of the Exposition of the Law, wherein we are to treat of the sanctions of it contained both in the promises and threats. For, although God might in His own right simply require what He pleased, yet such is His kindness to men, that He chose to entice them by promises to obey Him freely. Since, therefore, we are naturally attracted by the hope of reward, we are slow and lazy, until some fruit appears. Consequently God voluntarily promises, in order to arouse them from their sloth, that if men obey His Law, He will repay them. Nor is this an ordinary act of liberality that He prefers to agree with us for the payment of a recompense, rather than simply to command by His sovereignty. For we must bear in mind the declaration of Christ, that when we have fulfilled the whole Law, we still deserve nothing; since God claims for Himself our entire services. (Luke 17:10.) However we may strive, therefore, even beyond our strength, and devote ourselves entirely to keep the Law, still God lies under no obligation to us, except in so far as He has Himself voluntarily agreed, and made Himself our spontaneous debtor. And this has been pointed out even by the common theologians, that the reward of good works does not depend upon their dignity or merit, but upon His covenant. “Sur ceste paction, que Dieu en a faite;” but upon that agreement which God has made to give it. — Fr. Bishop Davenant, after quoting William Archbishop of Paris, Aquinas, and Durandus, to the same effect, says, “To these may be added Scotus, Gregory, Occam, Gabriel, (Biel,) Alfonsus, and very many others of the better class of writers among the Romanists, who avowedly maintain that the works of the righteous, wrought by the assistance of grace, do not on that account acquire any intrinsic worthiness for life eternal; but that, as regards this reward, it depends entirely upon the gracious acceptance and promise of God.” — Disputatio de Justitia. Allport’s Transl., vol. 2, p. 70. Still, as we shall soon see, such promises would not avail us the least if God rewarded every one according to his works; but, because this defect is adventitious, God’s great mercy nevertheless shines forth in the fact that he has deigned to encourage us to obedience by setting before us the hope of eternal life. And hence He reproves the ingratitude of the Israelites by Ezekiel 20:21; because they had despised His good commandments, of which it was said that “if a man do them, he should live in them.”

We now perceive how the authority of the Law was confirmed by the promises; but because we are not only indolent but also refractory, He added on the other side threats which might inspire terror, both to subdue the obstinacy of the flesh and to correct the security in which we are too apt to indulge. It will be expedient now to treat of both.

Leviticus 18

Leviticus 18:5

5. Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments; which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the Lord.

5. Custodite statuta mea, et judicia mea, quae homo si faciat, rivet in ipsis.

Albeit in God’s sight there is no difference between bond and free, yet their condition is diverse as regards courts of justice; “Quant aux jugemens terreins, et humains.” — Fr. nor do the same evil consequences ensue from adultery with a bond-maid, (as with a free woman.) Added from Fr. Notwithstanding, therefore, that the crime is worthy of death, still, in consideration of the people’s infirmity, the punishment is mitigated, so that, if a person shall have corrupted a betrothed bond-maid, both shall be scourged. C.’s Latin version and Commentary agree here with the margin of, A. V. rather than the text, “she shall be scourged;” margin, “there shall be a scourging.” Dathe’s translation is “vapulabunt ambo,” and his note, “sic Vulgatus recte, sequitur enim pluralis non moriantur. Cf. Michaelis in J. M. P. V., p. 50.” From hence we infer that, if a concubine, who had already cohabited with a man, were seduced, it was accounted a capital adultery. Lest it should be falsely held, from the lenity or indulgence of the law, that the offense was a trifling one, this error is at once anticipated by the addition of the expiation: for, if one already beaten with stripes still required reconciliation, it follows that the measure of the offense is not to be estimated by its penalty.

Exodus 21 This passage also taken further on in Fr.

Exodus 21:7-11

7. And if a man sell his daughter to be a maid-servant, she shall not go out as the men-servants do.

7. Quum vendiderit quispiam filiam suam in ancillam, non egredietur quemadmodum egredi solent servi.

8. If she please not her master, who hath betrothed her to himself, then shall he let her be redeemed: to sell her unto a strange nation he shall have no power, seeing he hath dealt deceitfully with her.

8. Si displicuerit hero suo, nec sibi desponderit eam, redimendam curabit: populo alieno non habebit potestatem vendendi eam, quum spreverit eam.

9. And if he have betrothed her unto his son, he shall deal with her after the manner of daughters.

9. Quod si filio suo desponderit eam, secundum morem filiarum faciet ei.

10. If he take him another wife; her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage, shall he not diminish.

10. Si aliam acceperit sibi, alimentum illius, operimentum illius, et constitutionem illius non diminuet.

11. And if he do not these three unto her, then shall she go out free without money.

11. Quod si tria haec non fecerit illi, egredietur gratis absque argento.

23. And when ye shall come. There seems to me no question but that the circumcision of trees as well as of men appertains to the First Commandment, not only that the Jews might see a symbol of their own adoption in the very trees, but that they might learn that it was permitted to none but the children of God to feed on their fruit; and also that whatsoever the earth produces is in a manner profane, until it is purified. For surely by this ceremony was set forth what Paul teaches, that all things are “sanctified by the word of God, and prayer,” (1 Timothy 4:5;) not that anything is in itself impure, but because the earth has contracted pollution from the corruption of man, it is just, as regards us, that the harmless fruits also should be accounted to be in uncircumcision. In sum, God would raise up a wall whereby He might separate His people from the Gentiles, and at the same time admonish them that a legitimate use of those things which the earth produced could not be made by the sons of Adam, except by special privilege. But the similitude of uncircumcision, until the year appointed for their being circumcised, was a very appropriate one, that they might acknowledge the fruits of their trees to be pure for them by the same right whereby they were consecrated as God’s peculiar people. But, lest the three years’ unproductiveness should press heavily upon them, he promises them compensation from the future blessing of God; for, if they should abstain from eating the unclean fruit, a larger produce was to be expected in future.

27. Ye shall not round the corners. It clearly appears that God had no other object than by the interposition of this obstacle to sever His people from heathen nations. For there is nothing to which men are more prone than to conform themselves to the customs of others; and hence it arises, that they mutually communicate each other’s vices. Wherefore care was especially to be taken lest the people of Israel should adopt foreign habits, and by this pliableness should fall away from the true worship of God; from whence too the ordinary phrase has arisen, that the word “common” should be used for “unclean.” God then strictly forbids them from declining to the habits of the Gentiles, and confounding the distinction which He had Himself placed between them. There is no doubt but that it was usual for the Gentiles, out of superstition, to cut marks “Most of the barbarous nations lately discovered have their faces, arms:, breasts, etc., curiously carved or tattooed, probably for superstitious purposes. Ancient writers abound with accounts of marks made on the faces, arms, etc., in honor of different idols; and to this the inspired penman alludes, (Revelation 13:16-17; 14:9-11, etc.), where false worshippers are represented as receiving in their hands, and in their forehead, the marks of the beast. These were called στίγματα among the Greeks, and to these St. Paul refers when he says, “I bear about in my body the marks (στίγματα) of the Lord Jesus.".(Galatians 6:17}

"All the castes of the Hindoos bear on their foreheads, or elsewhere, what are called sectarian marks, which not only distinguish them in a civil, but in a religious point of view, from each other."

"Herodotus observes that the Arabs shave, or cut their hair round, in honor of Bacchus; (lib. 3. ch. 8). He says, also, that the Macians, a people of Lybia, cut their hair round, so as to leave a tuft on the top of the head; (lib. 4. ch. 175."

"That the ancients were very violent in their grief, tearing the hair and face, beating the breast, etc., is well known. Virgil represents the sister of Dido: — Unguibus ora — foedans, et pectora pugnis. AEn. iv. 672.” — Adam Clarke, in loco. upon their faces, to trim the hair in certain steps or circles, and in their mourning to lacerate their flesh, or to disfigure it with marks. It is well known that the priests of Cybele The authorities for this practice of the Galli, or Priests of Cybele, are too numerous to mention. The following extract from a curious description given by Apuleius, of the religious dance of her worshippers, may suffice: “Die sequenti variis coloribus indusiati, et deformiter quisque formarti, facie coenoso pigmento delita, et oculis obunctis graphice, prodeunt; mitellis, et crocotis, et carbasinis, et bombycinis injecti. Quidam tunicas albas, in modum lanciolarum quoquoversum fluente purpura depictas, cingulo subligati, pedes luteis induti calceis, Deamque serico contectam amiculo mihi gerendam imponunt: brachiisque suis humero tenus renudatis, attollentes immanes gladios ac secures, evantes exsiliunt, incitante tibiae cantu lymphaticum tripudium.

"Nec paucis pererratis casulis, ad quandam villam possessoris beati perveniunt, et ab ingressu primo statim absonis ululatibus constrepentes, fanatice pervolant. Diuque capite demisso, cervices lubricis intorquentes motibus, crinesque pendulos rotantes in circulum, et nonnunquam morsibus suos incursantes musculos, ad postremum ancipiti ferro, quod gerebant, sua quisque brachia dissecant.” — Metam. (lib. 8, Edit). (Bipont. 1. 184-185) made gashes in their flesh with knives and razors, and covered themselves all over with wounds, for the sake of shewing their zeal. The same thing was also commonly practiced by others; inasmuch as the world is easily deceived by external ceremonies. But though this were a thing in itself indifferent, yet God would not allow His people to be at liberty to practice it, that, like children, they might learn from these slight rudiments, that they would not be acceptable with God, unless they were altogether different from uncircumcised foreigners, and as far as possible from following their examples; and especially that they should avoid all ceremonies whereby their religion was testified. For experience teaches how greatly the true worship of God is obscured by anything adscititious, and how easily foul superstitions creep in, when the comments of men are tacked on to the word of God. Doubtless that part, “Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead,” etc., might be expounded as a correction of immoderate grief; because we know how intemperately men set themselves against God when they give the reins to their sorrow; but since the object of the Gentiles was to pay what was due to the dead, and to celebrate their funeral obsequies “Et user de satisfactions pour racheter leurs ames;” and to offer satisfactions for the redemption of their souls. — Fr. as a kind of propitiation, it is probable, and more suitable, that by the whole context those preposterous gestures are condemned, which were proofs of piety among the Gentiles, but which would have been defilements to the people of God.

The same thing appears more clearly from the passage in Deuteronomy, which next follows, wherein Moses condemns cutting themselves, and making themselves bald for the dead in connection with each other, as if they were one thing; and confirms the law by a general argument, that they might withdraw themselves from every pollution as the children of God; since they were chosen to be His peculiar people; as much as to say, that God’s grace would be altogether frustrated, if they did not differ at all from foreign nations. As to his saying that they were chosen out of all the nations, it does not a little illustrate the gratuitous mercy of God, wherewith He honored them alone, by calling them to the hope of eternal salvation, and passing by the Gentiles; for there was no nobility found in them, nor did they exceed others either in number or in any other superiority, on account of which He should prefer them to the whole world. But the design of Moses in magnifying the extraordinary goodness of God, was that they might the more abhor that impure cornmixture, which, by bringing them on a par with the Gentiles, degraded them from this high honor.

Another Supplement touching the Clean and Unclean Beasts Heading added from the Fr., “Autre dependance, touchant les bestes pures ou impures."

Leviticus 20

Leviticus 20:25, 26

25. Ye shall therefore put difference between clean beasts and unclean, and between unclean fowls and clean: and ye shall not make your souls abominable by beast, or by fowl, or by any manner of living thing that creepeth on the ground, which I have separated from you as unclean.

25. Vos quoque discrimen facite inter animal mundum et immundum, et inter avem immundam et mundam, et ne abominabiles reddatis animas vestras in animalibus et volatilibus, atque in omni quod reptat in terra: quae separavi vobis ad im-munditiam.

26. And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the LORD am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine.

26. Eritis autem sancti mihi: quia sanctus sum ego Jehova, et separavi vosa populis, ut essetis mei.

Deuteronomy 14

Deuteronomy 14:3-20

3. Thou shalt not eat any abominable thing.

3. Non comedes ullam abominationem.

4. These are the beasts which ye shall eat: The ox, the sheep, and the goat,

4. Haec sunt animalia quae comedetis: bovem, agnum ovium, et hoedum caprarum,

5. The hart, and the roebuck, and the fallow deer, and the wild goat, and the pygarg, and the wild ox, and the chamois.

5. Cervum, et capream, et bubalum, et hircum sylvestrem, et damam, et bovem sylvestrem, et capram rupicolam.

6. And every beast that parteth the hoof, and cleaveth the cleft into two claws, and cheweth the cud among the beasts, that ye shall eat.

6. Omne animal findens ungulam, et findens fissuram duarum ungularum, ruminans inter animalia, illud comedetis.

7. Nevertheless these ye shall not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the cloven hoof; as the camel, and the hare, and the coney: for they chew the cud, but divide not the hoof; therefore they are unclean unto you.

7. Veruntamen hoe non comedetis ex ruminantibus et ex findentibus ungulam divisam, camelum, et leporem, et cuniculum: quia ruminant, et ungulam non dividunt, immunda sunt vobis.

8. And the swine, because it divideth the hoof, yet cheweth not the cud, it is unclean unto you: ye shall not eat of their flesh, nor touch their dead carcase.

8. Et porcum, quia findit ungulam, et non ruminat, immundus est vobis: de carne eorum non comedetis, et cadavera eorum non contingetis.

9. These ye shall eat of all that are in the waters: all that have fins and scales shall ye eat:

9. Hoc comedetis ex omnibus quae sunt in aqua, quicquid habet pinnulam et squamam, comedetis.

10. And whatsoever hath not fins and scales ye may not eat; it is unclean unto you.

10. Quicquid vero non habet pinnulam et squamam, non comedetis: immundum est vobis.

11. Of all clean birds ye shall eat.

11. Omnem autem mundam comedetis.

12. But these are they of which ye shall not eat: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray,

12. Hae autem sunt ex quibus non comedetis, aquila, et gryphus, et haliaeetus,

13. And the glede, and the kite, and the vulture after his kind,

13. Et ixus, et vultur, et milvus secundum speciem suam.

14. And every raven after his kind,

14. Et omnis corvus. secundum speciem suam.

15. And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind,

15. Et filia struthionis, et noctua, et larus, et accipiter secundum speciem suam.

16. The little owl, and the great owl, and the swan,

16. Et herodius, et ibis, et cygnus,

17. And the pelican, and the gier-eagle, and the cormorant,

17. Et pellicanus, et porphyrio, et mergulus,

18. And the stork, and the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat.

18. Et ciconia, et charadrius secundum speciem suam: et upupa et vespertilio.

19. And every creeping thing that flieth is unclean unto you: they shall not be eaten.

19. Et omne reptile alatum immundum est vobis, non comedetur.

20. But of all clean fowls ye may eat.

20. Omnem avem mundam cometis

This passage more clearly proves that all unlicensed connections “Toute compagnie d’homme et de femme hors le mariage.” — Fr. were always unlawful in God’s sight. It is a tame and forced interpretation to apply what is here said to spiritual fornication; and those also, who suppose that public stews only are forbidden, restrict the law too much, whereas God rather gives a general injunction that parents should preserve their daughters by means of a pure and chaste education. But even although we admit that nothing else is prohibited but that parents should be the panders of their daughters, still we gather from the word pollute Margin A. V., “profane.” (for some render the word חלל, chalal, too tamely to make common) that they are contaminated by their whoredom, and the reason given abundantly confirms the fact, that all whoredom is hateful to God, “lest the land fall to whoredom, (He says,) and the land become full of wickedness.” It is plain that adultery is not in question here; but God declares it to be criminal if a man and woman have connection out of wedlock. Consequently, the people are taught in the Seventh Commandment to beware of all unchastity.

Deuteronomy 23

Deuteronomy 23:17

17. There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel.

17. Non erit meretrix e filiabus Israel, neque erit scortum masculum e filiis Israel.

Leviticus 19:30; 26:2. Ye shall keep my Sabbaths. From these two passages it is manifest that the service of the tabernacle was annexed to the Sabbath, and that the two things were not only connected by an indissoluble tie, but that the rest from labor had reference to the sacrifices; since it would have been a mere mockery to rest without any ulterior object; nay more, after Moses has spoken of the rest, he seems to subjoin the reverencing of the sanctuary, as if it were the generic ordinance; so that the people might understand that all impediments were removed which are wont to withdraw them from the service of God. The expression, “fear the sanctuary,” “Reverence my sanctuary.” — A.V. Ainsworth says, “In Targum Jonathan this law is explained thus, Ye shall go to the house of my sanctuary in fear;” and then quotes from Maimon many Jewish rites observed in the temple. is a figurative one; but is equivalent to this, that they should shew by their very reverence of the sanctuary how truly and sincerely they fear God, who had promised that He would be present there, whenever He should be invoked.

Exodus 23

Exodus 23:12

12. Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest: that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed.

12. Sex diebus facies opera tua: die autem septimo quiesces, ut quiescat bos tuus, et asinus tuus, et respiret filius ancillae tuae, et peregrinus.

32. Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head. God teaches us that some sparks of His majesty shine forth in old men, whereby they approach to the honor of parents. It is not my purpose to gather quotations from profane authors in reference to the honor due to the old; let it suffice that what God here commands is dictated by nature itself. This appeared at Athens, Cicero, de Senectute, 18; and Val. Max., lib. 4:5. when an old man had come into the theater, and found no place among his fellow-citizens; but, when at length he was admitted with honor by the Spartan ambassador, (because old age is greatly reverenced among the Lacedemonians,) applause was raised on all sides; and then the Lacedemonian exclaimed, that “the Athenians knew what was right, but would not do it.” It was surely manifested by this universal consent of the people that it is a natural law in the hearts of all to reverence and honor old men. Many old men, indeed, either by their levity, or lewdness, or sloth, subvert their own dignity; yet, although gray hairs may not always be accompanied by courteous wisdom, still, in itself, age is venerable, according to God’s command.

Deuteronomy 16

Deuteronomy 16:18

18. Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall judge the people with just judgment.

18. Judices et praefectos constitues tibi intra omnes portas tuas quas Jehova Deus tuus dabit tibi per tribus tuas, qui judicent populum judicio justitiae, hoc est recto.

Leviticus 19:33. And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land. Before I pass on to the other iniquities, I have thought fit to introduce this precept, wherein the people are commanded to cultivate equity towards all without exception. Fob if no mention had been made of strangers, the Israelites would have thought that, provided they had not injured any one of their own nation, they had fully discharged their duty; but, when God recommends guests and sojourners to them, just as if they had been their own kindred, they thence understand that equity is to be cultivated constantly and towards all men. Nor is it without cause that God interposes Himself and His protection, lest injury should be done to strangers; for since they have no one who would submit to ill-will in their defense, they are more exposed to the violence and various oppressions of the ungodly, than as if they were under the shelter of domestic securities. The same rule is to be observed towards widows and orphans; a woman, on account of the weakness of her sex, is exposed to many evils, unless she dwells under the shadow of a husband; and many plot against orphans, as if they were their prey, because they have none to advise them. Since, then, they are thus destitute of human aid, God interposes to assist them; and, if they are unjustly oppressed, He declares that He will be their avenger. In the first passage He includes widows and orphans together with strangers; in the latter He enumerates strangers only; yet the substance is the same, viz., that all those who are destitute and deprived of earthly succor, are under the guardianship and protection of God, and preserved by His hand; and thus the audacity of those is restrained, who trust that they may commit any wickedness with impunity, provided no earthly being resists them. No iniquity, indeed, will be left unavenged by God, but there is a special reason why He declares that strangers, widows, and orphans are taken under His care; inasmuch as the more flagrant the evil is, the greater need there is of an effectual remedy. He recommends strangers to them on this ground, that the people, who had themselves been sojourners in Egypt, being mindful of their ancient condition, ought to deal more kindly to strangers; for although they were at last oppressed by cruel tyranny, still they were bound to consider their entrance there, viz., that poverty and hunger had driven their forefathers thither, and that they had been received hospitably, when they were in need of aid from others. When He threatens, that if the afflicted widows and orphans cry unto Him, their cry shall be heard, He does not mean that He will not interfere, if they endure their wrongs in silence; but He speaks in accordance with the ordinary practice, that those who find no consolation elsewhere, are wont to appeal to Him. Meanwhile, let us be sure that although those who are injured abstain from complaining, yet God does not by any means forget His office, so as to overlook their wrongs. Nay, there is nothing which incites Him more to inflict punishment on the ungodly, than the endurance of His servants.

The nature of the punishment is also expressed; those who have afflicted widows and orphans shall perish by the sword, so that their own widows and orphans may be exposed to the audacity, violence, and knavery of the ungodly. Moreover, it must be observed that, in the second passage, they are commanded to love strangers and foreigners as themselves. Hence it appears that the name of neighbor is not confined to our kindred, or such other persons with whom we are nearly connected, but extends to the whole human race; as Christ shows in the person of the Samaritan, who had compassion on an unknown man, and performed towards him the duties of humanity neglected by a Jew, and even a Levite. (Luke 10:30.)

Deuteronomy 10

Deuteronomy 10:17-19

17. ...God,...regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward.

17. Deus non accipit personam, neque recipit munus.

18. He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment.

18. Faciens judicium pupillo et viduae, diligens peregrinum, dando et panem et vestimentum.

19. Love ye therefore the stranger; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt

19. Diligite igitur peregrinum, quia peregrini fuistis in terra, AEgypti.

Leviticus 19:35 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment. If you take the word judgment in its strict sense, this will be a special precept, that judges should faithfully do justice to all, and not subvert just causes from favor or ill-will. But since the word משפט, mishpat, often means rectitude, it will not be unsuitable to suppose that all iniquities contrary to integrity are generally condemned; and that he afterwards proceeds to particular cases, which he adverts to elsewhere, where he enumerates the most injurious thefts of all, and such as involve the grossest violation of public justice. For the corruption which tends to the subversion of judgments, or, by undermining rectitude, vitiates all contracts, leaves nothing in security; whilst deception in weights and measures destroys and sweeps away all legitimate modes of dealing. Now, if the laws of buying and selling are corrupted, human society is in a manner dissolved; so that he who cheats by false weights and measures, differs little from him who utters false coin: and consequently one, who, whether as a buyer or seller, has falsified the standard measures of wine or corn, or anything else, is accounted criminal. “Inter falsarios.” — Lat. “Pour faussaire.” — Fr. By the laws of Rome, Modest. 1. penult, ad legem Corn. de fals. — C. This law is to be found in Digest. 48, tit. 11, De falsis, 32, “Si venditor mensuras publice probatas vini, frumenti, vel cujuslibet rei, aut emptor corruperit, dolove malo fraudem fecerit, quanti ea res est, ejus dupli condemnatur. Decretoque Divi Hadriani praeceptum est in insulam eos relegari, qui pondera, aut mensuras falsassent.” he is condemned to a fine of double the amount; and by a decree of Adrian, he is to be banished to an island. It is not, therefore, without reason that Solomon reiterates this decree, that he may fix it the deeper in the hearts of all. (Proverbs 20:10, 23.) But although this pestilent sin is by no means to be endured, but to be severely punished, still God, even if legal punishments be not inflicted, summons men’s consciences before His tribunal, and this he does both by promises and threats. A just weight (He says) and a just measure shall prolong a man’s life; but he who has been guilty of deception in them, is an abomination before me. Length of life, indeed, has only a figurative connection with just weights and measures: but, because the avaricious, in their pursuit of dishonest gain, are too devoted to this transitory life, God, in order to withhold His people from this blind and impetuous covetousness, promises them long life, if they keep themselves from fraud and all knavish dealings. We perceive from the conclusion, that, not in this respect only, but in all our affairs, those trickeries are condemned, by which our neighbors are defrauded. For, after God has said that He abominates “all that do such things,” He adds immediately by way of explanation, “all that do unrighteously.” We see, then, that He sets Himself against all evil and illicit arts of gain.

Deuteronomy 19

Deuteronomy 19:14

14. Thou shalt not remove thy neighbor’s land-mark, which they of old time have set in thine inheritance, which thou shalt inherit in the land that the Lord thy God giveth thee to possess it.

14. Non transferes terminum proximi tui quem finierint majores in haereditate tua, quam haereditate accipies in terra quam Jehova Deus tuus dat tibi ut possideas eam.

36. I am the Lord your God. In these first four passages he treats of the same points which we have observed in the preface to the Law; for he reasons partly from God’s authority, that the law should be reverently obeyed, because the Creator of heaven and earth justly claims supreme dominion; and, partly, he sets before them the blessing of redemption, that they may willingly submit themselves to His law, from whom they have obtained their safety. For, whenever God calls Himself Jehovah, it should suggest His majesty, before which all ought to be humbled; whilst redemption should of itself produce voluntary submission. At the beginning he repeats the same words which he had lately used; and thence exhorts them to observe His statutes and judgments, i.e., treasure them diligently in their minds. Afterwards he reminds them wherefore they ought attentively to observe the Law, viz, that they may perform the works which God therein requires. Nor is it without a reason that at the end of the second verse He declares Himself to be Jehovah, because it is not easy either to subdue rebellious minds or to retain fickle ones in the fear of God. In the next verse, the qualification “which sanctify you” is added, to arouse them earnestly to prove their gratitude to God, who has by peculiar privilege separated them from the rest of mankind.

leviticus 22

Leviticus 22:31-33

31. Therefore shall ye keep my commandments, and do them: I am the Lord.

31. Observate praecepta mea, et facite ea: ego Jehova.

32. Neither shall ye profane my holy name; but I will be hallowed among the children of Israel: I am the Lord which hallow you,

32. Et ne polluatis nomen sanctum meum, sed sanctificer in medio Israel. Ego Jehova sanctificans vos.

33. That brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the Lord.

33. Qui eduxi vos e terra Aegypti, ut essem vobis in Deum: ego Jehova.

CHAPTER 19

Le 19:1-37. A Repetition of Sundry Laws.

2. Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel--Many of the laws enumerated in this chapter had been previously announced. As they were, however, of a general application, not suited to particular classes, but to the nation at large, so Moses seems, according to divine instructions, to have rehearsed them, perhaps on different occasions and to successive divisions of the people, till "all the congregation of the children of Israel" were taught to know them. The will of God in the Old as well as the New Testament Church was not locked up in the repositories of an unknown tongue, but communicated plainly and openly to the people.

Ye shall be holy: for I ... am holy--Separated from the world, the people of God were required to be holy, for His character, His laws, and service were holy. (See 1Pe 1:15).

3. Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my sabbaths--The duty of obedience to parents is placed in connection with the proper observance of the Sabbaths, both of them lying at the foundation of practical religion.

5-8. if ye offer a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the Lord, ye shall offer it at your own will--Those which included thank offerings, or offerings made for vows, were always freewill offerings. Except the portions which, being waved and heaved, became the property of the priests (see Le 3:1-17), the rest of the victim was eaten by the offerer and his friend, under the following regulations, however, that, if thank offerings, they were to be eaten on the day of their presentation; and if a freewill offering, although it might be eaten on the second day, yet if any remained of it till the third day, it was to be burnt, or deep criminality was incurred by the person who then ventured to partake of it. The reason of this strict prohibition seems to have been to prevent any mysterious virtue being superstitiously attached to meat offered on the altar.

9-10. And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field--The right of the poor in Israel to glean after reapers, as well as to the unreaped corners of the field, was secured by a positive statute; and this, in addition to other enactments connected with the ceremonial law, formed a beneficial provision for their support. At the same time, proprietors were not obliged to admit them into the field until the grain had been carried off the field; and they seem also to have been left at liberty to choose the poor whom they deemed the most deserving or needful (Ru 2:2, 8). This was the earliest law for the benefit of the poor that we read of in the code of any people; and it combined in admirable union the obligation of a public duty with the exercise of private and voluntary benevolence at a time when the hearts of the rich would be strongly inclined to liberality.

11-16. Ye shall not steal--A variety of social duties are inculcated in this passage, chiefly in reference to common and little-thought-of vices to which mankind are exceedingly prone; such as committing petty frauds, or not scrupling to violate truth in transactions of business, ridiculing bodily infirmities, or circulating stories to the prejudice of others. In opposition to these bad habits, a spirit of humanity and brotherly kindness is strongly enforced.

17. thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour--Instead of cherishing latent feelings of malice or meditating purposes of revenge against a person who has committed an insult or injury against them, God's people were taught to remonstrate with the offender and endeavor, by calm and kindly reason, to bring him to a sense of his fault.

not suffer sin upon him--literally, "that ye may not participate in his sin."

18. thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself--The word "neighbour" is used as synonymous with "fellow creature." The Israelites in a later age restricted its meaning as applicable only to their own countrymen. This narrow interpretation was refuted by our Lord in a beautiful parable (Lu 10:30-37).

19. Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kind--This prohibition was probably intended to discourage a practice which seemed to infringe upon the economy which God has established in the animal kingdom.

thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed--This also was directed against an idolatrous practice, namely, that of the ancient Zabians, or fire-worshippers, who sowed different seeds, accompanying the act with magical rites and invocations; and commentators have generally thought the design of this and the preceding law was to put an end to the unnatural lusts and foolish superstitions which were prevalent among the heathen. But the reason of the prohibition was probably deeper: for those who have studied the diseases of land and vegetables tell us, that the practice of mingling seeds is injurious both to flowers and to grains. "If the various genera of the natural order Gramineæ, which includes the grains and the grasses, should be sown in the same field, and flower at the same time, so that the pollen of the two flowers mix, a spurious seed will be the consequence, called by the farmers chess. It is always inferior and unlike either of the two grains that produced it, in size, flavor, and nutritious principles. Independently of contributing to disease the soil, they never fail to produce the same in animals and men that feed on them" [Whitlaw].

neither shall a garment mingled of linen and woollen come upon thee--Although this precept, like the other two with which it is associated, was in all probability designed to root out some superstition, it seems to have had a further meaning. The law, it is to be observed, did not prohibit the Israelites wearing many different kinds of cloths together, but only the two specified; and the observations and researches of modern science have proved that "wool, when combined with linen, increases its power of passing off the electricity from the body. In hot climates, it brings on malignant fevers and exhausts the strength; and when passing off from the body, it meets with the heated air, inflames and excoriates like a blister" [Whitlaw]. (See Eze 44:17, 18).

23-25. ye shall count the fruit thereof as uncircumcised; three years ... it shall not be eaten of--"The wisdom of this law is very striking. Every gardener will teach us not to let fruit trees bear in their earliest years, but to pluck off the blossoms: and for this reason, that they will thus thrive the better, and bear more abundantly afterwards. The very expression, 'to regard them as uncircumcised,' suggests the propriety of pinching them off; I do not say cutting them off, because it is generally the hand, and not a knife, that is employed in this operation" [Michaelis].

26. shall not eat any thing with the blood--(See on Le 17:10).

neither ... use enchantment, nor observe times--The former refers to divination by serpents--one of the earliest forms of enchantment, and the other means the observation, literally, of clouds, as a study of the appearance and motion of clouds was a common way of foretelling good or bad fortune. Such absurd but deep-rooted superstitions often put a stop to the prosecution of serious and important transactions, but they were forbidden especially as implying a want of faith in the being, or of reliance on the providence of God.

27. Ye shall not round the corners of your heads, &c.--It seems probable that this fashion had been learned by the Israelites in Egypt, for the ancient Egyptians had their dark locks cropped short or shaved with great nicety, so that what remained on the crown appeared in the form of a circle surrounding the head, while the beard was dressed into a square form. This kind of coiffure had a highly idolatrous meaning; and it was adopted, with some slight variations, by almost all idolaters in ancient times. (Jr 9:25, 26; 25:23, where "in the utmost corners" means having the corners of their hair cut.) Frequently a lock or tuft of hair was left on the hinder part of the head, the rest being cut round in the form of a ring, as the Turks, Chinese, and Hindus do at the present day.

neither shalt thou mar, &c.--The Egyptians used to cut or shave off their whiskers, as may be seen in the coffins of mummies, and the representations of divinities on the monuments. But the Hebrews, in order to separate them from the neighboring nations, or perhaps to put a stop to some existing superstition, were forbidden to imitate this practice. It may appear surprising that Moses should condescend to such minutiæ as that of regulating the fashion of the hair and the beard--matters which do not usually occupy the attention of a legislator--and which appear widely remote from the province either of government or of a religion. A strong presumption, therefore, arises that he had in mind by these regulations to combat some superstitious practices of the Egyptians.

28. Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead--The practice of making deep gashes on the face and arms and legs, in time of bereavement, was universal among the heathen, and it was deemed a becoming mark of respect for the dead, as well as a sort of propitiatory offering to the deities who presided over death and the grave. The Jews learned this custom in Egypt, and though weaned from it, relapsed in a later and degenerate age into this old superstition (Is 15:2; Jr 16:6; 41:5).

nor print any marks upon you--by tattooing, imprinting figures of flowers, leaves, stars, and other fanciful devices on various parts of their person. The impression was made sometimes by means of a hot iron, sometimes by ink or paint, as is done by the Arab females of the present day and the different castes of the Hindus. It is probable that a strong propensity to adopt such marks in honor of some idol gave occasion to the prohibition in this verse; and they were wisely forbidden, for they were signs of apostasy; and, when once made, they were insuperable obstacles to a return. (See allusions to the practice, Is 44:5; Re 13:17; 14:1).

30. Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary--This precept is frequently repeated along with the prohibition of idolatrous practices, and here it stands closely connected with the superstitions forbidden in the previous verses.

31. Regard not them that have familiar spirits--The Hebrew word, rendered "familiar spirit," signifies the belly, and sometimes a leathern bottle, from its similarity to the belly. It was applied in the sense of this passage to ventriloquists, who pretended to have communication with the invisible world. The Hebrews were strictly forbidden to consult them as the vain but high pretensions of those impostors were derogatory to the honor of God and subversive of their covenant relations with Him as His people.

neither seek after wizards--fortunetellers, who pretended, as the Hebrew word indicates, to prognosticate by palmistry (or an inspection of the lines of the hand) the future fate of those who applied to them.

33-34. if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not vex him--The Israelites were to hold out encouragement to strangers to settle among them, that they might be brought to the knowledge and worship of the true God; and with this in view, they were enjoined to treat them not as aliens, but as friends, on the ground that they themselves, who were strangers in Egypt, were at first kindly and hospitably received in that country.

37. I am the Lord--This solemn admonition, by which these various precepts are repeatedly sanctioned, is equivalent to "I, your Creator--your Deliverer from bondage, and your Sovereign, who have wisdom to establish laws, have power also to punish the violation of them." It was well fitted to impress the minds of the Israelites with a sense of their duty and God's claims to obedience.

Ye shall fear every man his mother, etc. - Ye shall have the profoundest reverence and respect for them. See Clarke's note on Gen 48:12, and see Clarke's note on Exo 20:8, and see Clarke's note on Exo 20:12.

Turn ye not unto idols - אלילם elilim, literally nothings; and to this St. Paul seems to allude 1Cor 8:4, where he says, We know that an idol is Nothing in the world.

Peace-offerings - See the notes at the conclusion of Leviticus 7 at Lev 7:38 (note).

It is be eaten - on the third day - See the note on Lev 7:15.

When ye reap the harvest - Liberty for the poor to glean both the corn-fields and vineyards was a Divine institution among the Jews; for the whole of the Mosaic dispensation, like the Christian, breathed love to God and benevolence to man. The poor in Judea were to live by gleanings from the corn-fields and vine yards. To the honor of the public and charitable spirit of the English, this merciful law is in general as much attended to as if it had been incorporated with the Gospel.

Ye shall not steal, etc. - See the notes on Exo 20:15.

The wages - shall not abide with thee all night - For this plain reason, it is the support of the man's life and family, and they need to expend it as fast as it is earned.

Thou shalt not curse the deaf - Or speak evil of him, because he cannot hear, and so cannot vindicate his own character.

Nor put a stumbling - block before the blind - He who is capable of doing this, must have a heart cased with cruelty. The spirit and design of these precepts are, that no man shall in any case take advantage of the ignorance, simplicity, or inexperience of his neighbor, but in all things do to his neighbor as he would, on a change of circumstances, that his neighbor should do to him.

Thou shalt not go up and down as a tale-bearer - רכיל rachil signifies a trader, a peddler, and is here applied to the person who travels about dealing in scandal and calumny, getting the secrets of every person and family, and retailing them wherever he goes. A more despicable character exists not: such a person is a pest to society, and should be exiled from the habitations of men.

Neither shalt thou stand against the blood, etc. - Thou shalt not be as a false witness, because by such testimony the blood - the life of an innocent man may be endangered.

Thou shalt not hate thy brother - Thou shalt not only not do him any kind of evil, but thou shalt harbor no hatred in thy heart towards him. On the contrary, thou shalt love him as thyself, Lev 19:18. Many persons suppose, from misunderstanding our Lord's words, Joh 13:34, A new commandment give I unto you, that ye love one another, etc., that loving our neighbor as ourselves was first instituted under the Gospel. This verse shows the opinion to be unfounded: but to love another as Christ has loved us, i. e., to lay down our lives for each other, is certainly a new commandment; we have it simply on the authority of Jesus Christ alone.

And not suffer sin upon him - If thou see him sin, or know him to be addicted to any thing by which the safety of his soul is endangered, thou shalt mildly and affectionately reprove him, and by no means permit him to go on without counsel and advice in a way that is leading him to perdition. In a multitude of cases timely reproof has been the means of saving the soul. Speak to him privately if possible; if not, write to him in such a way that himself alone shall see it.

Gender with a diverse kind - These precepts taken literally seem to imply that they should not permit the horse and the she-ass, nor the he-ass and the cow, (as they do in the East), to couple together; nor sow different kinds of seeds in the same field or garden; nor have garments of silk and woolen, cotton and silk, linen and wool, etc. And if all these were forbidden, there must have been some moral reason for the prohibitions, because domestic economy required several of these mixtures, especially those which relate to seeds and clothing. With respect to heterogeneous mixtures among cattle, there is something very unnatural in it, and it was probably forbidden to prevent excitements to such unnatural lusts as those condemned in the preceding chapter, Lev 18:22, Lev 18:23. As to seeds, in many cases it would be very improper to sow different kinds in the same plot of ground. It would be improvident to sow oats and wheat together: the latter would be injured, the former ruined. The turnip and carrot would not succeed conjointly, where either of them separately would prosper and yield a good crop; so we may say of many other kinds of seeds; and if this be all that is intended, the counsels are prudential agricultural maxims. As to different kinds of garments, such as the linsey woolsey, the prohibition here might be intended as much against pride and vanity as any thing else; for it is certain that both these articles may be so manufactured in conjunction as to minister to pride, though in general the linsey woolsey or drugget is the clothing of the poor. But we really do not know what the original word שעטנז shaatnez, which we translate linen and woolen, means: it is true that in Deu 22:11, where it is again used, it seems to be explained by the words immediately following, Thou shalt not wear a garment of divers sorts, as of linen and woolen together; but this may as well refer to a garment made up of a sort of patchwork differently colored and arranged for pride and for show. A folly of this kind prevailed anciently in this very land, and I shall give a proof of it, taken from a sermon against luxury in dress, composed in the fourteenth century. "As to the first sinne in superfluitie of clothing, soche that maketh it so dere, to the harme of the peple, nat only the cost of enbrauderlng, the disguised endenting, or barring, ounding paling, winding or bending and semblable wast of clothe in vanite. But there is also the costlewe furring in their gounes, so moche pounsing of chesel, to make holes; so moche dagging with sheres foorth; with the superfluitie in length of the forsaied gounes, - to grete dammage of pore folke - And more ouer - they shewe throughe disguising, in departing of ther hosen in white and red, semeth that halfe ther members were slain - They departe ther hosen into other colors, as is white and blewe, or white and blacke, or blacke and red, and so forth; than semeth it as by variaunce of color, that the halfe part of ther members ben corrupt by the fire of Saint Anthony, or by canker, or other suche mischaunce."

The Parson's Tale, in Chaucer, p. 198. Urry's edit.

The reader will pardon the antiquated spelling. "What could exhibit," says Dr. Henry, "a more fantastical appearance than an English beau of the 14th century? He wore long pointed shoes, fastened to his knees by gold or silver chains; hose of one color on the one leg, and of another color on the other; short breeches which did reach to the middle of his thighs; a coat the one half white, the other half black or blue; a long beard; a silk hood buttoned under his chin, embroidered with grotesque figures of animals, dancing men, etc., and sometimes ornamented with gold and precious stones." This dress was the height of the mode in the reign of King Edward III. Something of the same kind seems to have existed in the patriarchal times; witness the coat of many colors made by Jacob for his son Joseph. See the note on Gen 37:3. Concerning these different mixtures much may be seen in the Mishna, Tract, Kilaim, and in Ainsworth, and Calmet on this place.

A woman that is a bondmaid - Had she been free, the law required that she should be put to death; (see Deu 22:24); but as she was a slave, she is supposed to have less self-command, and therefore less guilt: but as it is taken for granted she did not make resistance, or did consent, she is to be scourged, and the man is to bring a ram for a trespass-offering.

Three years shall it be as uncircumcised - I see no great reason to seek for mystical meanings in this prohibition. The fruit of a young tree cannot be good; for not having arrived at a state of maturity, the juices cannot be sufficiently elaborated to produce fruit excellent in its kind. The Israelites are commanded not to eat of the fruit of a tree till the fifth year after its planting: in the three first years the fruit is unwholesome; in the fourth year the fruit is holy, it belongs to God, and should be consecrated to him, Lev 19:24; and in the fifth year and afterward the fruit may be employed for common use, Lev 19:25.

Neither shall ye use enchantment - לא תנחשו lo thenachashu. Conjecture itself can do little towards a proper explanation of the terms used in this verse. נחש nachash; See note at Gen 3:1 (note), we translate serpent, and with very little propriety; but though the word may not signify a serpent in that place, it has that signification in others. Possibly, therefore, the superstition here prohibited may be what the Greeks called Ophiomanteia, or divination by serpents.

Nor observe times - ולא תעוננו velo teonenu, ye shall not divine by clouds, which was also a superstition much in practice among the heathens, as well as divination by the flight of birds. What these prohibitions may particularly refer to, we know not. See Clarke's note on Gen 41:8.

Ye shall not round the corners your heads - This and the following verse evidently refer to customs which must have existed among the Egyptians when the Israelites sojourned in Egypt; and what they were it is now difficult, even with any probability, to conjecture. Herodotus observes that the Arabs shave or cut their hair round, in honor of Bacchus, who, they say, had his hair cut in this way, lib. iii., cap. 8. He says also that the Macians, a people of Libya, cut their hair round, so as to leave a tuft on the top of the head, lib. iv., cap. 175. In this manner the Chinese cut their hair to the present day. This might have been in honor of some idol, and therefore forbidden to the Israelites.

The hair was much used in divination among the ancients, and for purposes of religious superstition among the Greeks; and particularly about the time of the giving of this law, as this is supposed to have been the era of the Trojan war. We learn from Homer that it was customary for parents to dedicate the hair of their children to some god; which, when they came to manhood, they cut off and consecrated to the deity. Achilles, at the funeral of Patroclus, cut off his golden locks which his father had dedicated to the river god Sperchius, and threw them into the flood: - Στας απανευθε πυρης ξονθην απεκειρατο χαιτην, Την ῥα Σπερχειῳ ποταμῳ τρεφε τηλεθοωσαν· Οχθησας δ' αρα ειπεν, ιδων επι οινοπα ποντον· Σπερχει', αλλως σοι γε πατηρ ηρησατο Πηλευς. κ. τ. λ.

Iliad, 1. xxiii., ver. 142, etc.

But great Achilles stands apart in prayer,

And from his head divides the yellow hair,

Those curling locks which from his youth he vowed,

And sacred threw to Sperchius' honored flood.

Then sighing, to the deep his looks he cast,

And rolled his eyes around the watery waste.

Sperchius! whose waves, in mazy errors lost,

Delightful roll along my native coast!

To whom we vainly vowed, at our return,

These locks to fall, and hecatombs to burn

So vowed my father, but he vowed in vain,

No more Achilles sees his native plain;

In that vain hope these hairs no longer grow;

Patrocius bears them to the shades below.

Pope.

From Virgil we learn that the topmost lock of hair was dedicated to the infernal gods; see his account of the death of Dido: - "Nondum illi flavum Proserpina vertice crinem

Abstulerat, Stygioque caput damnaverat orco - Hunc ego Diti Sacrum jussa fero; teque isto corpore solvo.

Sic ait, et dextra crinem secat."

Aeneid, lib. iv., ver. 698.

The sisters had not cut the topmost hair,

Which Proserpine and they can only know.

Nor made her sacred to the shades below -

This offering to the infernal gods I bear;

Thus while she spoke, she cut the fatal hair.

Dryden.

If the hair was rounded, and dedicated for purposes of this kind, it will at once account for the prohibition in this verse. The corners of thy beard - Probably meaning the hair of the cheek that connects the hair of the head with the beard. This was no doubt cut in some peculiar manner, for the superstitious purposes mentioned above. Several of our own countrymen wear this said hair in a curious form; for what purposes they know best: we cannot say precisely that it is the ancient Egyptian custom revived. From the images and paintings which remain of the ancient Egyptians, we find that they were accustomed to shave the whole hair off their face, except merely that upon the chin, which last they cut off only in times of mourning.

Any cuttings in your flesh for the dead - That the ancients were very violent in their grief, tearing the hair and face, beating the breast, etc., is well known. Virgil represents the sister of Dido "tearing her face with her nails, and beating her breast with her fists." "Unguibus ora soror foedans, et pectora pugnis."

Aen., l. iv., ver. 672.

Nor print any marks upon you - It was a very ancient and a very general custom to carry marks on the body in honor of the object of their worship. All the castes of the Hindoos bear on their foreheads or elsewhere what are called the sectarian marks, which distinguish them, not only in a civil but also in a religious point of view, from each other. Most of the barbarous nations lately discovered have their faces, arms, breasts, etc., curiously carved or tattooed, probably for superstitious purposes. Ancient writers abound with accounts of marks made on the face, arms, etc., in honor of different idols; and to this the inspired penman alludes, Rev 13:16, Rev 13:17; Rev 14:9, Rev 14:11; Rev 15:2; Rev 16:2; Rev 19:20; Rev 20:4, where false worshippers are represented as receiving in their hands and in their forehead the marks of the beast. These were called στιγματα stigmata among the Greeks, and to these St. Paul refers when he says, I bear about in my body the Marks (stigmata) of the Lord Jesus; Gal 6:17. I have seen several cases where persons have got the figure of the cross, the Virgin Mary, etc., made on their arms, breasts, etc., the skin being first punctured, and then a blue colouring matter rubbed in, which is never afterward effaced. All these were done for superstitious purposes, and to such things probably the prohibition in this verse refers. Calmet, on this verse, gives several examples. See also Mariner's Tonga Islands, vol. i. p. 311-313.

Do not prostitute thy daughter - This was a very frequent custom, and with examples of it writers of antiquity abound. The Cyprian women, according to Justin, gained that portion which their husbands received with them at marriage by previous public prostitution. And the Phoenicians, according to Augustine, made a gift to Venus of the gain acquired by the public prostitution of their daughters, previously to their marriage. "Veneri donum dabant, et prostitutiones filiarum, antequam jungerent eas viris." - De Civit. Del, lib. xviii., c. 5; and see Calmet.

Regard not them that have familiar spirits - The Hebrew word אבות oboth probably signifies a kind of engastromuthoi or ventriloquists, or such as the Pythoness mentioned Act 16:16, Act 16:18; persons who, while under the influence of their demon, became greatly inflated, as the Hebrew word implies, and gave answers in a sort of frenzy. See a case of this kind in Virgil, Aeneid, l. vi., ver. 46, etc.: - " - Deus ecce, Deus! cui talla fanti

Ante fores, subito non vultus, non color unus,

Non comptae mansere comae; sed pectus anhelum,

Et rabie fera corda tument; majorque videri,

Nec mortale sonans, afflata est numine quando

Jam propiore Dei." - Invoke the skies, I feel the god, the rushing god, she cries.

While yet she spoke, enlarged her features grew,

Her color changed, her locks dishevelled flew.

The heavenly tumult reigns in every part,

Pants in her breast, and swells her rising heart:

Still swelling to the sight, the priestess glowed,

And heaved impatient of the incumbent god.

Pitt.

Neither seek after wizards - ידענים yiddeonim, the wise or knowing ones, from ידע yada, to know or understand; called wizard in Scotland, wise or cunning man in England; and hence also the wise woman, the white witch. Not only all real dealers with familiar spirits, or necromantic or magical superstitions, are here forbidden, but also all pretenders to the knowledge of futurity, fortune-tellers, astrologers, etc., etc. To attempt to know what God has not thought proper to reveal, is a sin against his wisdom, providence, and goodness. In mercy, great mercy, God has hidden the knowledge of futurity from man, and given him hope - the expectation of future good, in its place. See Clarke's note on Exo 22:18.

Before the hoary head - See Clarke's note on Gen 48:12.

If a stranger sojourn - This law to protect and comfort the stranger was at once humane and politic. None is so desolate as the stranger, and none needs the offices of benevolence and charity more: and we may add that he who is not affected by the desolate state of the stranger has neither benevolence nor charity. It was politic to encourage strangers, as in consequence many came, not only to sojourn, but to settle among the Jews, and thus their political strength became increased; and many of these settlers became at least proselytes of the gate if not proselytes of the covenant, and thus got their souls saved. Hence humanity, sound policy, and religion said, Vex not the stranger; thou shalt love him as thyself. The apostle makes use of a strong argument to induce men to hospitality towards strangers: Be not forgetful to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares, Heb 13:2. Moses also uses a powerful motive: Ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. The spirit of the precept here laid down, may be well expressed in our Lord's words: Do unto all men as ye would they should do unto you.

Ye shall do no unrighteousness - Ye shall not act contrary to the strictest justice in any case, and especially in the four following, which properly understood, comprise all that can occur between a man and his fellow.

1. Judgment in all cases that come before the civil magistrate; he is to judge and decide according to the law.

2. Mete-Yard, במדה bammiddah, in measures of length and surface, such as the reed, cubit, foot, span, hand's breadth, among the Jews; or ell, yard, foot, and inch, among us.

3. Weight, במשכל bammishkal, in any thing that is weighed, the weights being all according to the standards kept for the purpose of trying the rest in the sanctuary, as appears from Exo 30:13; 1Chr 23:29; these weights were the talent, shekel, barleycorn, etc.

4. Measure, במשורה bammesurah, from which we derive our term. This refers to all measures of capacity, such as the homer, ephah, seah, hin, omer, kab, and log. See all these explained at Exo 16:16 (note).

Just balances - Scales, steel-yard, etc. Weights, אבנים abanim, stones, as the weights appear to have been originally formed out of stones. Ephah, hin, etc., see before.

Shall ye observe all my statutes - חקתי chukkothi, from חק chak, to describe, mark, or trace out; the righteousness which I have described, and the path of duty which I have traced out. Judgments, משפטי mishpatai, from שפט shaphat, to discern, determine, direct, etc.; that which Divine Wisdom has discerned to be best for man, has determined shall promote his best interest, and has directed him conscientiously to use. See the note on Lev 26:15.

1. Many difficulties occur in this very important chapter, but they are such only to us; for there can be no doubt of their having been perfectly well known to the Israelites, to whom the precepts contained in this chapter were given. Considerable pains however have been taken to make them plain, and no serious mind can read them without profit.

2. The precepts against injustice, fraud, slander, enmity, etc., etc., are well worth the notice of every Christian; and those against superstitious usages are not less so; and by these last we learn, that having recourse to astrologers, fortune-tellers, etc., to get intelligence of lost or stolen goods, or to know the future events of our own lives, or those of others, is highly criminal in the sight of God. Those who have recourse to such persons renounce their baptism, and in effect renounce the providence as well as the word of God.

3. The precepts of humanity and mercy relative to the poor, the hireling, and the stranger, are worthy of our most serious regard. Nor are those which concern weights and measures, traffic, and the whole system of commutative justice, less necessary to be observed for the benefit and comfort of the individual, and the safety and prosperity of the state.

Be ye holy - Separated from all the forementioned defilements, and entirely consecrated to God and obedient to all his laws. I am holy - Both in my essence, and in all my laws, which are holy and just and good.

His mother - The mother is put first, partly because the practice of this duty begins there, mothers, by perpetual converse, being sooner known to their children than their fathers; and partly because this duty is commonly neglected to the mother, upon whom children have not so much dependence as they have upon their father. And this fear includes the two great duties of reverence and obedience. And keep my sabbaths - This is added, to shew, that, whereas it is enjoined to parents that they should take care the sabbath be observed both by themselves and their children, it is the duty of children to fear and obey their parents in this matter. But that, if parents should neglect their duty herein, or by their command, counsel, or example, draw them to pollute the sabbath, the children in that case must keep the sabbath, and prefer the command of God before the commands of their parents.

Idols - The word signifies such as are no Gods, or nothings, as they are called, 1Cor 8:4, many idols having no being, but in the fancy of their worshippers, and all of them having no virtue or power to do good or evil, Isa 41:23.

At your own will - Or, according to your own pleasure, what you think fit: For though this in general was required, yet it was left to their choice to determine the particulars.

On the morrow - He speaks here of that sort of peace - offerings, which were offered either by vow or freely for the obtaining of some mercy, for the other sort, which was by way of gratitude for mercies received, were to be eaten the same day.

I am the Lord your God - Who gave you all these things with a reservation of my right in them, and with a charge of giving part of them to the poor.

Ye shall not swear falsely - This is added, to shew how one sin draws on another, and that when men will lye for their own advantage, they will easily be induced to perjury. Profane the name - By any unholy use of it. So it is an additional precept, thou shalt not abuse my holy name by swearing either falsely or rashly.

Before the blind - To make them fall. Under these two particulars are manifestly forbidden all injuries done to such as are unable to right or defend themselves; of whom God here takes the more care, because they are not able to secure themselves. Fear thy God - Who both can and will avenge them.

The poor - So as through pity to him to give an unrighteous sentence.

Stand against the blood - In judgment as a false accuser or false witness, for accusers and witnesses use to stand, whilst the judges sit in courts of judicature.

Thou shalt not hate - As thou dost, in effect, if thou dost not rebuke him. Thy brother - The same as thy neighbour, that is, every man. If thy brother hath done wrong, thou shalt neither divulge it to others, nor hate him, and smother that hatred by sullen silence; nor flatter him therein, but shalt freely and in love, tell him of his fault. And not suffer sin upon him - Not suffer him to lie under the guilt of any sin, which thou by rebuking him, and thereby bringing him to repentance, couldst free him from.

Thy neighbour - Every man, as plainly appears, By comparing this place with Lev 19:34, where this law is applied to strangers. Because the word neighbour is explained by another man, Lev 20:10 Rom 13:8. As thyself - With the same sincerity, though not equality of affection.

Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender - This was prohibited, partly to restrain the curiosity and boldness of men, who might attempt to amend or change the works of God, partly that by the restraint here laid even upon brute - creatures men might be taught to abhor all unnatural lusts, partly to teach the Israelites to avoid mixtures with other nations, either in marriage or in religion, which also may be signified by the following prohibitions.

She shall be scourged - Heb. There shall be a scourging, which probably may belong to both of them, for Both were guilty. It follows, they shall not be punished with death, which may seem to imply that they were to be punished by some other common and considerable punishment, which scourging indeed was, but the paying of a ram was a small penalty and very unsuitable to the greatness of the offence. And the offering of the ram as a trespass offering for the sin against God, is not inconsistent with making satisfaction other ways for the injury done to men, but only added here as farther punishment to the man, either because he only could do this, and not the woman, who being a bondwoman had nothing of her own to offer. Or because his sex and his freedom aggravated his sin. Not put to death - Which they should have been, had she been free, Deu 22:23,24. The reason of this difference is not from any respect which God gives to persons, for bond and free are alike to him, but because bond - women were scarce wives, and their marriages were scarce true - marriages, being neither made by their choice, but their masters authority, nor continued beyond the year of release, but at her master's or husband's pleasure.

As uncircumcised - That is, As unclean, not to be eaten but cast away. This precept was serviceable, To the trees themselves, which grew the better and faster, being early stript of those fruits, which otherwise would have drawn away much more of the strength from the tree. To men, both because the fruit then was less wholesome, and because hereby men were taught to bridle their appetites; a lesson of great use and absolute necessity in a holy life.

Holy - Consecrated to the Lord, as the first - fruits and tithes were, and therefore given to the priests and Levites, Num 18:12,13 Deu 18:4 yet so that part of them were communicated to the poor widows and fatherless and strangers. See Deu 14:28. To bless the Lord, by whose power and goodness the trees bring forth fruit to perfection.

That it may yield the increase - That God may be pleased to give his blessing, which alone can make them fruitful.

Any thing with the blood - Any flesh out of which the blood is poured. Neither shall ye use enchantments - It was unpardonable in them, to whom were committed the oracles of God, to ask counsel of the devil. And yet worse in Christians, to whom the son of God is manifested, to destroy the works of the devil. For Christians to have their nativities cast, or their fortunes told, or to use charms for the cure of diseases, is an intolerable affront to the Lord Jesus, a support of idolatry, and a reproach both to themselves, and to that worthy name by which they are called. Nor observe times - Superstitiously, esteeming some days lucky, others unlucky.

The corners of your heads - That is your temples, ye shall not cut off the hair of your heads round about your temples. This the Gentiles did, either for the worship of their idols, to whom young men used to consecrate their hair, being cut off from their heads, as Homer, Plutarch and many others write; or in funerals or immoderate mournings, as appears from Isa 15:2 Jer 48:37. And the like is to be thought concerning the beard or the hair in the corner, that is, corners of the beard. The reason then of this prohibition is because God would not have his people agree with idolaters, neither in their idolatries, nor in their excessive sorrowing, no nor so much as in the appearances of it.

Cuttings in your flesh - Which the Gentiles commonly did both in the worship of their idols, and in their solemn mournings, Jer 16:6.

Do not prostitute - As the Gentiles frequently did for the honour of some of their idols, to whom women were consecrated, and publickly prostituted.

Wizards - Them that have entered into covenant with the devil, by whose help they foretel many things to come, and acquaint men with secret things. See Lev 20:27 Deu 18:11 1Sam 28:3,7,9 2Kings 21:6.

Rise up - To do them reverence when they pass by, for which end they were obliged, as the Jews say, presently to sit down again when they were past, that it might be manifest they arose out of respect to them. Fear thy God - This respect is due to such, if not for themselves, yet for God's sake, who requires this reverence, and whose singular blessing old age is.

Vex him - Either with opprobrious expressions, or grievous exactions.

As one born among you - Either 1, as to the matters of common right, so it reacheth to all strangers. Or 2, as to church - privileges, so it concerns only those who were proselytes. Ye were strangers - And therefore are sensible of the fears, distresses, and miseries of such, which call for your pity, and you ought to do to them, as you desired others should do to you, when you were such.

In mete - yard - In the measuring of lands, or dry things, as cloth, ribband. In measure - In the measuring liquid or such dry things as are only contigious, as corn or wine.

A just ephah and a just hin - These two two measures are named as most common, the former for dry, the latter for moist things, but under them he manifestly comprehends all other measures.

Therefore - Because my blessings and deliverances are not indulgences to sin, but greater obligations to all duties to God and men.

2 Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, ye shall be holy : for I the LORD your God am holy .

Separated from all the forementioned defilements, and intirely consecrated to God and obedient to all his Laws and Statutes.

Both in my essence, and in all my Laws, which are holy and [illegible: 1+ letters]ust and good, and in all my actions: Whereas the Gods of the Heathens are unholy both in their Laws and Institutions, whereby they allow and require filthy and abominable actions, and in their practices, some of them having given wicked examples to their Worshippers.

Marginal references: chap. 11. 4[illegible: 1+ letters]. and 20. 7. 1 Pet. 1. 16.

3 Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father , and keep my sabbaths : I am the LORD your God.

The mother is put first, partly because the practise of this duty begins there, mothers, by perpetual converse being more and sooner known to their children then their fathers, and partly because this duty is most commonly neglected to the mother, upon whom children have not so much dependance as they have upon their Father. And this fear includes the two great duties of reverence and obedience.

This is here added, to shew, that, whereas it is enjoyned to Parents that they should take care that the Sabbath be observed both by themselves and by their children, it is the duty of children to fear and obey their Parents in this matter, and moreover, that, if Parents should neglect their duty herein, or by their command, counsel, or example draw them to pollute the Sabbath, yet the Children in that ca[illegible: 1+ letters]e must keep the Sabbath, and in all such cases prefer the command of God before the commands of their Parents or Superiours.

Marginal references: Exod. 20. 1[illegible: 1+ letters] ▪; Exod. 20. 8. and 31. 13.

4 Turn ye not unto Idols , nor make to your selves molten gods : I am the LORD your God.

Turn not your hearts and faces from me, whom alone you pretend to respect, unto them. He intimates, that their turning to Idols is a turning from God, and that they could not serve both God and Idols.

The word signifies such as are no Gods, or nothings, as they are called 1 Cor. 8. 4. many Idols having no being, but onely in the fancy of their Worshippers, and all of them having no vertue or power to do good or evil, Esa. 41. 23.

Nor graven Gods neither, as appears from Exod. 20. whereby we learn, that such expressions are generally to be understood Synecdochically.

Marginal references: Exod. 20. [illegible: 1+ letters] ▪; Exod. 34. [illegible: 1+ letters] ▪ Deut. 27. 15.

5 And if he offer a sacrifice of peace-offerings unto the LORD, ye shall offer it at your own will .

Or, according to your own good pleasure, what you think fit: For though this in the general was required, yet it was left to their choice to determine the particulars. See Levit. 7. 16. Or rather, to your acceptation, i. e. in such manner as it may be accepted by God on your behalf, which is explained in the next verse, and not in such manner as to lose the end you aim at▪ to wit, Gods acceptance: for if ve do otherwise than God hath prescribed, it shall not be accepted, as he addes ver. 7. but on the contrary severely punished, ver. 8.

6 It shall be eaten the same day ye offer it, and on the morrow : and if ought remain until the third day, it shall be burnt in the fire.

By which clause it appears that he speaks here onely of that sort of peace-offerings, which were offered either by vow or freely for the obtaining of some mercy desired; for the other sort, which was by way of gratitude for mercies received were to be eaten the same day. Levit. 7. 15.

8 Therefore every one that eateth it, shall bear his iniquity , because he hath prophaned the hallowed thing of the LORD, and that soul shall be cut off from among his people.

(i. e.) The punishment of his iniquity, instead of acceptation he shall receive punishment.

10 And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard: thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the LORD your God .

Who gave you all these things with a reservation of my authority over you and right in them, and with a charge of giving part of them to the poor.

11 Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsly, neither lie one to another .

Or, one against another to the defrauding of him of any of his goods, to which kind of lying the words foregoing and following seem here to restrain it, though it be true, that all sorts of lying are unlawful.

Marginal references: Exod. 20. 15▪ & 22. 1, 7, 10. chap. 6. 2.

12 And ye shall not swear by my name falsly , neither shalt thou prophane the name of thy God : I am the LORD.

This is here added, to shew, how one sin draws on another, and that when men will lye for their own advantage they will easily be induced to perjury.

By any unholy use of it. So it is an additional precept, thou shalt not abuse my holy name by swearing either falsly or rashly. Or this may be a reason of the former prohibition, because in so doing thou wilt prophane the name of thy God.

Marginal references: Exod. 20. 7. ch[illegible: 1+ letters]. 6. 3. Deut. 5. 11. Matth 5. 34. Jam. 5. 12.

13 Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob him: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night , until the morning.

Heb. The work, put for the wages, as Deut. 24. 15. Iob 7. 2. Ier. 22. 13.

Because his urgent necessities require it for present subsistence.

Marginal references: Deut. 24. 14, 15. Mal. 3. 5. James 5. 4.

14 Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind , but shalt fear thy God : I am the LORD.

To make them fall. Under these two particulars are manifestly and especially forbidden all iniuries done to such as are unable to right or defend themselves; of whom God here takes the more care, because they are not able to secure themselves.

Who both discerns the iniuries you do them and can avenge them, though the blind and deaf cannot.

Marginal references: Deut. 27. 18.

15 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor , nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judg thy neighbour.

So as through pity to him to give an unrighteous sentence. Compare Deut. 1. 17. and 10. 17. Prov. 24. 23.

Marginal references: Exod. 23. 3. Deut. 1. 17. and 16. 19. Prov. 24. 23. Jam. 2. 9.

16 Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I am the LORD.

Who makes it his business to go up and down from one to another, and divulge evil and false reports concerning others, which though many times it proceeds onely from levity and talkativeness, yet apparently tends to the great injury of our neighbour. See Prov. 11. 13. Ier. 6. 28. and 9. 4.

To wit, in judgement as a false accuser or false witness: For accusers and witness use to stand, whilst the Judges sate, in Courts of Judicature.

Marginal references: Exod. 23. 1.

17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour , and not suffer sin upon him .

To prevent murder, last spoken of, he forbids hatred, which is the common cause, and a degree, of murder, 1 Iob. 3. 15.

The same with neighbour, as it follows, i. e. every man, Matth. 5. 44. for it is manifest, that Gods Law commanded them to love strangers no less than Israelites.

If thy brother hath done thee or others any injury, thou shalt neither divulge it to others as a tale-bearer, nor hate him, and smother that hatred by sullen silence, as 2 Sam 13. 22 nor justifie and flatter and encourage him therein, but shalt freely and in love not with hatred tell him of his fault.

(i. e.) Not suffer him to lye under the guilt of any sin, which thou by rebuking of him, and the[illegible: 1+ letters]by bringing him to true Repentance couldst in some sort free him from. But the phrase of suffering sin upon him seems imperfect and unusual in Scripture, and I doubt whether the Hebrew verb Nasa be ever used for permitting or suffering. The words may be rendred thus, And (or so) thou shalt not bear sin for him. or for his sake, thou shalt not make thy self guilty of his sin, as thou wilst assuredly do, if thou dost not perform thy duty of rebuking him for his sin, which is a likely way, and a course appointed by God to remove the gu[illegible: 1+ letters]lt of his sin from him, and consequently, as it was his fault that he sinned and contracted guilt, so it is thy fault, that his guilt continues upon him. Many things favour this sence. 1. This is the proper and usual signification of the word, Nasa, 2. The same words are used in this sense, Levit. 22. 9. Numb. 18. 32. 3. The preposition al is oft used thus, as Gen. 37. 8, 34. Iudg. 9. [illegible: 1+ letters]. 1 Kin[illegible: 1+ letters] 16. 7. 4. This phrase of bearing sin or iniquity is constantly used in this book for being guilty and lyable to punishment. And so the sense is here full and compleat, and a very weighty reason here given to enforce the foregoing precept.

Marginal references: 1 Joh. 2. 11.; Mat. 18. 15.; Or, that thou be[illegible: 1+ letters]r not sin for him.

18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour , as thy self : I am the LORD.

Heb. nor keep, either 1, The injury here supposed, in thy memory: So it is opposed to those who say they will forgive, but not forget, an injury. Or 2. Anger or ha[illegible: 1+ letters]ed, in thy heart. So this verb is used, Ier. 3. 12. Na[illegible: 1+ letters]. 1. 2.

By which he understands not the Israelites onely, as some would perswade us, but every other man with whom we converse, as plainly appears 1. By comparing this place with verse 34. where this very law is applied to strangers. 2. Because the word neighbour is explained by another man, Levit. 20. 10. Rom. 13. 8. See more on Exod. 20. 18.

Either 1. My Laws. So this is fitly promised, because otherwise some of the following commands might seem tri[illegible: 1+ letters]ing and obedience to them unnecessary: Or 2. My Ordinances, to wit, of nature, or the order which I have appointed in creatures, as the word is used Iob 26. 10. and 38. 33. Psal. 148. 6. Prov. 8. 29. and therefore they shall not confound those things that I have distinguished, which were in some sort to reproach and correct my works, and which may seem to be done in some of the following instances.

Marginal references: Mat. 5. 43. and 22. 39. Rom. 13. 9. Gal. 5. 14. Jam. 2. 8.

19 Ye shall keep my statutes f. Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kind : thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed : neither shall a garment mingled of linen and woollen come upon thee.

This was prohibited, partly to restrain the curiosity and boldness of men, who might attempt to amend or change the works of God: Partly that by the restraints here laid even upon brute-creatures men might be taught to abhorre all unnatural and unlawful lusts: Partly to teach the Israelites to avoid mixtures with other Nations either in Marriage or in Religion: Which also may be signified by the following prohibitions.

See of this and the next Deut. 22. 9, 10, 11.

20 And whosoever lieth carnally with a woman that is a bondmaid betrothed to an husband and not at all redeemed, nor freedom given her, she shall be scourged : they shall not be put to death , because she was not [illegible: 1+ letters]ree :

Or, reproached or despised, and therefore forsaken, of her husband. For as his continuance with her in his and her masters family and service is mentioned as an evidence that he loved her, Exod. 21. 5, 6. So on the contrary his forsaking of her was a reproach to her and a sign of contempt.

Heb. There shall be a scourging, which may belong, either 1. To her alone, as the Jews understand it, for the mans punishment follows, ver. 21, 22. Or, 2. To both of them, for 1. Both were guilty. 2. It follows, they shall not be punished with death, which may seem to imply that they were to be punished by some other common and considerable punishment, which scourging indeed was, but the paying of a ram was a small penalty and very unsuitable to the greatness of the offence. And the offering of the ram as a trespass-offering for the sin against God is not inconsistent with making satisfaction other wayes for the injury done to men, as we may see Livit. 6. 4, 5, 6. but onely added here as a further punishment to the man, either because he onely could do this, and not the Woman, who being a bondwoman had nothing of her own to offer: Or because his Sex and his freedom aggravated his sin.

Which they should have been, had she been free, Deut. 22. 23, 24.

The reason of this difference is not from any respect which God leaves to persons, for bond and free are alike to him, but because bondwomen were scarce Wives, and their Marriages were scarce true marriages, being neither made by their choice, but by their masters authority, nor continued beyond the year of release, but at her Masters or Husbands pleasure: Of which see Exod. 21. 4, &c.

Marginal references: Or, abused by a[illegible: 1+ letters]y.; Heb. reproachedly, or, for man.; Or. th[illegible: 1+ letters].; Heb. there shall be a [illegible: 1 word].

23 And when ye shall come into the land, and shall have planted all manner of trees for food; then ye shall count the fruit thereof as uncircumcised : three years shall it be as uncircumcised unto you: it shall not be eaten of.

(i. e.) As unclean, not to be eaten but cast away, and counted abhominable, as the foreskins are.

This precept was serviceable, 1. To the trees themselves, which grew the better and faster being early stript of those fruits, which otherwise would have derived to themselves and drawn away much more of the strength from the root and tree. 2. To men, both because the fruit then was waterish, indigested and unwholesome, and because hereby men were taught to bridle their appetites, a lesson of great use and absolute necessity in a godly life. 3. To God, who required and deserved the first-fruits, which must be also of the best, and so they could not be in this time.

24 But in the fourth year all the fruit thereof shall be holy to praise the LORD withal .

Consecrated to the Lord, as the first-fruits and tithes were, and therefore given to the Priests and Levites, Numb. 18. 12, 13. Deut. 18. 4. yet so that part of them were communicated to the poor Widows and Fatherless and Strangers. See Deut. 14. 28.

To bless the Lord by whose power and goodness the trees bring forth fruit to perfection.

Marginal references: Heb. holiness of praise to the LORD. chap. 23. 20. Numb. 5. 8. Josh. 6. 19.

25 And in the fifth year shall ye eat of the fruit thereof, that it may yield unto you the increase thereof : I am the LORD your God.

That God may be pleased to give his blessing, which alone can make them fruitful.

26 Ye shall not eat any thing with the blood , neither shall ye use inchantment, nor observe times .

(i. e.) Any flesh out of which the blood is not first poured. See 1 Sam. 14. 32. The Jews write, that the Egyptians and other Nations, when they offered sacrifices to the Devils, did eat part of the sacrifices beside the blood which was kept in basins for that end, which also they believed to be as it were the special food of the Devils.

To wit, superstitiously, by the observation of the clouds, or stars, or otherwise, by esteeming some days lucky, others unlucky. See Deut. 18. 10, 11. Esth. 3. 7.

Marginal references: chap. 17. 10. &c.

27 Ye shall not round the corners of your heads , neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard.

(i. e.) Your Temples: Ye shall not cut off the hair of your heads round about your Temples. This the Gentiles did, either for the worship of the Devils or Idols, to whom young men used to consecrate their hair being cut off from their heads, as Homer, Plutarch, and many others write; or in funerals or immoderate mournings, as appears from Isa. 15. 2. Ier. 48. 37. And the like is to be thought concerning the beard or the hair in the corner, (i. e.) corners, of the beard. The reason then of this prohibition is because God would not have his people agree with Idolaters neither in their Idolatries nor in their excessive sorrowing, no nor so much as in the appearances and outward significations or expressions thereof.

Marginal references: chap. 21. 5.

28 Ye shall not make any cutting in your flesh for the dead , nor print any mark upon you: I am the LORD.

Which the Gentiles commonly did both in the worship of their Idols, and in their solemn mournings, Ier. 16. 6.

Heb. for a soul, i. e. either 1 improperly, for a dead body, as that word is sometimes used, as Lev. 19. 28. and 21. 1. Numb. 6. 6[illegible: 1+ letters] or 2. properly, for the soul, ye shall not cut your flesh or your bodies, for your souls, or upon pretence of doing your souls any good, either in way of mortification, or in the worship of God, as they did 1 King. 18. 28. in like manner as others were willing to give to God the fruit of their body for the sin of their soul Mic. 6. 7.

Marginal references: Deut. 14. 1.

29 Do not prostitute thy daughter, to cause her to be a whore lest the land fall to whoredom, and the land become full of wickedness.

As the Gentiles frequently did for the honour of some of their Idols, to whom diverse women were consecrated and publickly prostituted.

Marginal references: Heb▪ [illegible: 1 word]

30 Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary : I am the LORD.

Not presuming to approach it with irreverence, or with any kind of uncleanness upon you.

Marginal references: chap. 26. 2.

31 Regard not them that have familiar spirits , neither seek after wizards : I am the LORD your God.

That have entred into covenant with the Devil, by whose help they foretell many things to come, and acquaint men with secret things. See Lev▪ 20. 27. Deut. 18. 11. 1 Sam. 28. 3, 7, 9. 2 King. 21. 6.

Another name expressing the same thing for substance, to wit, persons in league with the Devil, with some difference onely in the manner of their operation.

Marginal references: Isa. 8. 19. Acts 16. 16.

32 Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God : I am the LORD.

To do them reverence when they pass by, for which end they were obliged, as the Iews say, presently to sit down again when they were past, that it might be manifest they arose out of respect to them.

A reason of the former precept, both because old men in some respect do most resemble God, who is stiled the ancient of days, Dan. 7. 9, 22. and because this respect is due to [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] for themselves, who may be unworthy or contemptible▪ yet for Gods sake who requires this reverence, and whose singular [illegible: 1 word] old age is.

33 And [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] sojourn with thee in your land, ye [illegible: 1 word] not vex him .

Either with opprobrious expressions, or grievous exactions.

Marginal references: Exod. 22. 21. and 23. 9.; Or, oppress.

34 But the stranger that dwelleth with you, shall be unto you as one born amongst you , and thou shalt love him as thy self: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

Either 1, as to the matters of common right, as it here follows: so it reacheth to all strangers. Or 2. as to Churchpriviledges: so it concerns onely those who were proselytes of righteousness.

And therefore are sensible of the fears, distresses, and miseries of such, which call for your pity, and you ought to do to them, as you would that others should do to you when you were such.

Marginal references: Exod. 12. 49.; Deut. 10. 19.

35 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in mete-yard , in weight, or in measure .

In the measuring of lands, or any dry and continued things, as cloth, ribband. &c.

In the measuring of liquid or such dry things as are not continued or contiguous, as of corn or wine, &c. Or, the former may note greater, the latter less, measures.

36 Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin shall ye have: I am the LORD your God which brought you out of the land of Egypt.

These two measures are named as most common, the former for dry, the latter for moist things: but under them he manifestly comprehends all other measures.

Marginal references: Deut. 2[illegible: 1+ letters]. 1[illegible: 1+ letters]. Prov. 11. 1. and 16. 11. and 2[illegible: 1+ letters]. 1[illegible: 1+ letters].; Heb. [illegible: 1 word]

37 Therefore ▪ shall ye observe all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: I am the LORD.

Because my blessings and deliverances are not indulgences to sin, but greater obligations to all duties to God and men. So that if religion and righteousness were utterly lost in the world, they ought in all reason to be found among you as my peculiar people and freed men.

Lev 19:1

Holiness of Behaviour Towards God and Man. - However manifold the commandments, which are grouped together rather according to a loose association of ideas than according to any logical arrangement, they are all linked together by the common purpose expressed in Lev 19:2 in the words, “Ye shall be holy, for I am holy, Jehovah your God.” The absence of any strictly logical arrangement is to be explained chiefly from the nature of the object, and the great variety of circumstances occurring in life which no casuistry can fully exhaust, so that any attempt to throw light upon these relations must consist more or less of the description of a series of concrete events.

The commandment in Lev 19:2, “to be holy as God is holy,” expresses on the one hand the principle upon which all the different commandments that follow were based, and on the other hand the goal which the Israelites were to keep before them as the nation of Jehovah.

Lev 19:3

The first thing required is reverence towards parents and the observance of the Lord’s Sabbaths-the two leading pillars of the moral government, and of social well-being. To fear father and mother answers to the honour commanded in the decalogue to be paid to parents; and in the observance of the Sabbaths the labour connected with a social calling is sanctified to the Lord God.

Lev 19:4

Lev 19:4 embraces the first two commandments of the decalogue: viz., not to turn to idols to worship them (Deu 31:18, Deu 31:20), nor to make molten gods (see at Exo 34:17). The gods beside Jehovah are called elilim, i.e., nothings, from their true nature.

Lev 19:5-8

True fidelity to Jehovah was to be shown, so far as sacrifice, the leading form of divine worship, was concerned, in the fact, that the holiness of the sacrificial flesh was strictly preserved in the sacrificial meals, and none of the flesh of the peace-offerings eaten on the third day. To this end the command in Lev 7:15-18 is emphatically repeated, and transgressors are threatened with extermination. On the singular ישּׂא in Lev 19:8, see at Gen 27:29, and for the expression “shall be cut off,” Gen 17:14.

Laws concerning the conduct towards one’s neighbour, which should flow from unselfish love, especially with regard to the poor and distressed.

Lev 19:9-10

In reaping the field, “thou shalt not finish to reap the edge of thy field,” i.e., not reap the field to the extreme edge; “neither shalt thou hold a gathering up (gleaning) of thy harvest,” i.e., not gather together the ears left upon the field in the reaping. In the vineyard and olive-plantation, also, they were not to have any gleaning, or gather up what was strewn about (peret signifies the grapes and olives that had fallen off), but to leave them for the distressed and the foreigner, that he might also share in the harvest and gathering. כּרם, lit., a noble plantation, generally signifies a vineyard; but it is also applied to an olive-plantation (Jdg 15:5), and her it is to be understood of both. For when this command is repeated in Deu 24:20-21, both vineyards and olive-plantations are mentioned. When the olives had been gathered by being knocked off with sticks, the custom of shaking the boughs (פּאר) to get at those olives which could not be reached with the sticks was expressly forbidden, in the interest of the strangers, orphans, and widows, as well as gleaning after the vintage. The command with regard to the corn-harvest is repeated again in the law for the feast of Weeks or Harvest Feast (Lev 23:20); and in Deu 24:19 it is extended, quite in the spirit of our law, so far as to forbid fetching a sheaf that had been overlooked in the field, and to order it to be left for the needy. (Compare with this Deu 23:24-25.)

Lev 19:11-13

The Israelites were not to steal (Exo 20:15); nor to deny, viz., anything entrusted to them or found (Lev 6:2.); nor to lie to a neighbour, i.e., with regard to property or goods, for the purpose of overreaching and cheating him; nor to swear by the name of Jehovah to lie and defraud, and so profane the name of God (see Exo 20:7, Exo 20:16); nor to oppress and rob a neighbour (cf. Lev 6:2), by the unjust abstraction or detention of what belonged to him or was due to him, - for example, they were not to keep the wages of a day-labourer over night, but to pay him every day before sunset (Deu 24:14-15).

Lev 19:14

They were not to do an injury to an infirm person: neither to ridicule or curse the deaf, who could not hear the ridicule or curse, and therefore could not defend himself (Psa 38:15); nor “to put a stumblingblock before the blind,” i.e., to put anything in his way over which he might stumble and fall (compare Deu 27:18, where a curse is pronounced upon the man who should lead the blind astray). But they were to “fear before God,” who hears, and sees, and will punish every act of wrong (cf. Lev 19:32, Lev 25:17, Lev 25:36, Lev 25:43).

Lev 19:15

In judgment, i.e., in the administration of justice, they were to do no unrighteousness: neither to respect the person of the poor (πρόσωπον λαμβάνειν, to do anything out of regard to a person, used in a good sense in Gen 19:21, in a bad sense here, namely, to act partially from unmanly pity); nor to adorn the person of the great (i.e., powerful, distinguished, exalted), i.e., to favour him in a judicial decision (see at Exo 23:3).

Lev 19:16

They were not to go about as calumniators among their countrymen, to bring their neighbour to destruction (Eze 22:9); nor to set themselves against the blood of a neighbour, i.e., to seek his life. רכיל does not mean calumny, but, according to its formation, a calumniator (Ewald, §149 e).

Lev 19:17

They were not to cherish hatred in their hearts towards their brother, but to admonish a neighbour, i.e., to tell him openly what they had against him, and reprove him for his conduct, just as Christ teaches His disciples in Mat 18:15-17, and “not to load a sin upon themselves.” חטא עליו נשׁא does not mean to have to bear, or atone for a sin on his account (Onkelos, Knobel, etc.), but, as in Lev 22:9; Num 18:32, to bring sin upon one’s self, which one then has to bear, or atone for; so also in Num 18:22, חטא שׂאת, from which the meaning “to bear,” i.e., atone for sin, or suffer its consequences, was first derived.

Lev 19:18

Lastly, they were not to avenge themselves, or bear malice against the sons of their nation (their countrymen), but to love their neighbour as themselves. נטר to watch for (Sol 1:6; Sol 8:11, Sol 8:12), hence (= τηρεῖν) to cherish a design upon a person, or bear him malice (Psa 103:9; Jer 3:5, Jer 3:12; Nah 1:2).

Lev 19:19-32

The words, “Ye shall keep My statutes,” open the second series of commandments, which make it a duty on the part of the people of God to keep the physical and moral order of the world sacred. This series begins in Lev 19:19 with the commandment not to mix the things which are separated in the creation of God. “Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kind: thou shalt not sow thy field with two kinds of seed, or put on a garment of mixed stuff.” כּלאים, from כּלא separation, signifies duae res diversi generis, heterogeneae, and is a substantive in the accusative, giving a more precise definition. שעטנז is in apposition to כּלאים בּגד, and according to Deu 22:11 refers to cloth or a garment woven of wool and flax, to a mixed fabric therefore. The etymology is obscure, and the rendering given by the lxx, κίβδηλον, i.e., forged, not genuine, is probably merely a conjecture based upon the context. The word is probably derived from the Egyptian; although the attempt to explain it from the Coptic has not been so far satisfactory. In Deu 22:9-11, instead of the field, the vineyard is mentioned, as that which they were not to sow with things of two kinds, i.e., so that a mixed produce should arise; and the threat is added, “that thy fulness (full fruit, Exo 22:28), the seed, and the produce of the vineyard (i.e., the corn and wine grown upon the vineyard) may not become holy” (cf. Lev 27:10, Lev 27:21), i.e., fall to the sanctuary for its servants. It is also forbidden to plough with an ox and ass together, i.e., to yoke them to the same plough. By these laws the observance of the natural order and separation of things is made a duty binding upon the Israelites, the people of Jehovah, as a divine ordinance founded in the creation itself (Gen 1:11-12, Gen 1:21, Gen 1:24-25). All the symbolical, mystical, moral, and utilitarian reasons that have been supposed to lie at the foundation of these commands, are foreign to the spirit of the law. And with regard to the observance of them, the statement of Josephus and the Rabbins, that the dress of the priests, as well as the tapestries and curtains of the tabernacle, consisted of wool and linen, is founded upon the assumption, which cannot be established, that שׁשׁ, βύσσος, is a term applied to linen. The mules frequently mentioned, e.g., in 2Sa 13:29; 2Sa 18:9; 1Ki 1:33, may have been imported from abroad, as we may conclude from 1Ki 10:25.

Lev 19:33-34

A few commandments are added of a judicial character. - Lev 19:33, Lev 19:34. The Israelite was not only not to oppress the foreigner in his land (as had already been commanded in Exo 22:20 and Exo 23:9), but to treat him as a native, and love him as himself.

Lev 19:35-36

As a universal rule, they were to do no wrong in judgment (the administration of justice, Lev 19:15), or in social intercourse and trade with weights and measures of length and capacity; but to keep just scales, weights, and measures. On ephah and hin, see at Exo 16:36 and Exo 29:40. In the renewal of this command in Deu 25:13-16, it is forbidden to carry “stone and stone” in the bag, i.e., two kinds of stones (namely, for weights), large and small; or to keep two kinds of measures, a large one for buying and a small one for selling; and full (unadulterated) and just weight and measure are laid down as an obligation. This was a command, the breach of which was frequently condemned (Pro 16:11; Pro 20:10, Pro 20:23; Amo 8:5; Mic 6:10, cf. Eze 45:10).

Lev 19:37

Concluding exhortation, summing up all the rest.

Ceremonial and Moral Laws. (b. c. 1490.)

1 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the Lord your God am holy. 3 Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my sabbaths: I am the Lord your God. 4 Turn ye not unto idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods: I am the Lord your God. 5 And if ye offer a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the Lord , ye shall offer it at your own will. 6 It shall be eaten the same day ye offer it, and on the morrow: and if ought remain until the third day, it shall be burnt in the fire. 7 And if it be eaten at all on the third day, it is abominable; it shall not be accepted. 8 Therefore every one that eateth it shall bear his iniquity, because he hath profaned the hallowed thing of the Lord : and that soul shall be cut off from among his people. 9 And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest. 10 And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the Lord your God.

Moses is ordered to deliver the summary of the laws to all the congregation of the children of Israel (v. 2); not to Aaron and his sons only, but to all the people, for they were all concerned to know their duty. Even in the darker ages of the law, that religion could not be of God which boasted of ignorance as its mother. Moses must make known God's statutes to all the congregation, and proclaim them through the camp. These laws, it is probable, he delivered himself to as many of the people as could be within hearing at once, and so by degrees at several times to them all. Many of the precepts here given they had received before, but it was requisite that they should be repeated, that they might be remembered. Precept must be upon precept, and line upon line, and all little enough. In these verses,

I. It is required that Israel be a holy people, because the God of Israel is a holy God, v. 2. Their being distinguished from all other people by peculiar laws and customs was intended to teach them a real separation from the world and the flesh, and an entire devotedness to God. And this is now the law of Christ (the Lord bring every thought within us into obedience to it!) You shall be holy, for I am holy, 1 Pet. i. 15, 16. We are the followers of the holy Jesus, and therefore must be, according to our capacity, consecrated to God's honour, and conformed to his nature and will. Israel was sanctified by the types and shadows (ch. xx. 8), but we are sanctified by the truth, or substance of all those shadows, John xvii. 17; Tit. ii. 14.

II. That children be obedient to their parents: "You shall fear every man his mother and his father, v. 3. 1. The fear here required is the same with the honour commanded by the fifth commandment; see Mal. i. 6. It includes inward reverence and esteem, outward expressions of respect, obedience to the lawful commands of parents, care and endeavour to please them and make them easy, and to avoid every thing that may offend and grieve them, and incur their displeasure. The Jewish doctors ask, "What is this fear that is owing to a father?" And they answer, "It is not to stand in his way nor to sit in his place, not to contradict what he says nor to carp at it, not to call him by his name, either living or dead, but 'My Father,' or 'Sir;' it is to provide for him if he be poor, and the like." 2. Children, when they grow up to be men, must not think themselves discharged from this duty: every man, though he be a wise man, and a great man, yet must reverence his parents, because they are his parents. 3. The mother is put first, which is not usual, to show that the duty is equally owing to both; if the mother survive the father, still she must be reverenced and obeyed. 4. It is added, and keep my sabbaths. If God provides by his law for the preserving of the honour of parents, parents must use their authority over their children for the preserving of the honour of God, particularly the honour of his sabbaths, the custody of which is very much committed to parents by the fourth commandment, Thou, and thy son, and thy daughter. The ruin of young people has often been observed to begin in the contempt of their parents and the profanation of the sabbath day. Fitly therefore are these two precepts here put together in the beginning of this abridgment of the statutes: "You shall fear, every man, his mother and his father, and keep my sabbaths. Those are hopeful children, and likely to do well, that make conscience of honouring their parents and keeping holy the sabbath day. 5. The reason added to both these precepts is, "I am the Lord your God; the Lord of the sabbath and the God of your parents."

III. That God only be worshipped, and not by images (v. 4): "Turn you not to idols, to Elilim, to vanities, things of no power, no value, gods that are no gods. Turn not from the true God to false ones, from the mighty God to impotent ones, from the God that will make you holy and happy to those that will deceive you, debauch you, ruin you, and make you for ever miserable. Turn not your eye to them, much less your heart. Make not to yourselves gods, the creatures of your own fancy, nor think to worship the Creator by molten gods. You are the work of God's hands, be not so absurd as to worship gods the work of your own hands." Molten gods are specified for the sake of the molten calf.

IV. That the sacrifices of their peace-offerings should always be offered, and eaten, according to the law, v. 5-8. There was some particular reason, it is likely, for the repetition of this law rather than any other relating to the sacrifices. The eating of the peace-offerings was the people's part, and was done from under the eye of the priests, and perhaps some of them had kept the cold meat of their peace-offerings, as they had done the manna (Exod. xvi. 20), longer than was appointed, which occasioned this caution; see the law itself before, ch. vii. 16-18. God will have his own work done in his own time. Though the sacrifice was offered according to the law, if it was not eaten according to the law, it was not accepted. Though ministers do their part, what the better if people do not theirs? There is work to be done after our spiritual sacrifices, in a due improvement of them; and, if this be neglected, all is in vain.

V. That they should leave the gleanings of their harvest and vintage for the poor, v. 9, 10. Note, Works of piety must be always attended with works of charity, according as our ability is. When they gathered in their corn, they must leave some standing in the corner of the field; the Jewish doctors say, "It should be a sixtieth part of the field;" and they must also leave the gleanings and the small clusters of their grapes, which at first were overlooked. This law, though not binding now in the letter of it, yet teaches us, 1. That we must not be covetous and griping, and greedy of every thing we can lay any claim to; nor insist upon our right in things small and trivial. 2. That we must be well pleased to see the poor supplied and refreshed with the fruit of our labours. We must not think every thing lost that goes beside ourselves, nor any thing wasted that goes to the poor. 3. That times of joy, such as harvest-time is, are proper times for charity; that, when we rejoice, the poor may rejoice with us, and when our hearts are blessing God their loins may bless us.

11 Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another. 12 And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the Lord . 13 Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob him: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning. 14 Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind, but shalt fear thy God: I am the Lord . 15 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour. 16 Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I am the Lord . 17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him. 18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord .

We are taught here,

I. To be honest and true in all our dealings, v. 11. God, who has appointed every man's property by his providence, forbids by his law the invading of that appointment, either by downright theft, You shall not steal, or by fraudulent dealing, "You shall not cheat, or deal falsely." Whatever we have in the world, we must see to it that it be honestly come by, for we cannot be truly rich, nor long rich, with that which is not. The God of truth, who requires truth in the heart (Ps. li. 6), requires it also in the tongue: Neither lie one to another, either in bargaining or common converse. This is one of the laws of Christianity (Col. iii. 9): Lie not one to another. Those that do not speak truth do not deserve to be told truth; those that sin by lying justly suffer by it; therefore we are forbidden to lie one to another; for, if we lie to others, we teach them to lie to us.

II. To maintain a very reverent regard to the sacred name of God (v. 12), and not to call him to be witness either, 1. To a lie: You shall not swear falsely. It is bad to tell a lie, but it is much worse to swear it. Or, 2. To a trifle, and every impertinence: Neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God, by alienating it to any other purpose than that for which it is to be religiously used.

III. Neither to take nor keep any one's right from him, v. 13. We must not take that which is none of our own, either by fraud or robbery; nor detain that which belongs to another, particularly the wages of the hireling, let it not abide with thee all night. Let the day-labourer have his wages as soon as he has done his day's work, if he desire it. It is a great sin to deny the payment of it, nay, to defer it, to his damage, a sin that cries to heaven for vengeance, Jam. v. 4.

IV. To be particularly tender of the credit and safety of those that cannot help themselves, v. 14. 1. The credit of the deaf: Thou shalt not curse the deaf; that is, not only those that are naturally deaf, that cannot hear at all, but also those that are absent, and at present out of hearing of the curse, and so cannot show their resentment, return the affront, nor right themselves, and those that are patient, that seem as if they heard not, and are not willing to take notice of it, as David, Ps. xxxviii. 13. Do not injure any because they are unwilling, or unable, to avenge themselves, for God sees and hears, though they do not. 2. The safety of the blind we must likewise be tender of, and not put a stumbling-block before them; for this is to add affliction to the afflicted, and to make God's providence a servant to our malice. This prohibition implies a precept to help the blind, and remove stumbling-blocks out of their way. The Jewish writers, thinking it impossible that any should be so barbarous as to put a stumbling-block in the way of the blind, understood it figuratively, that it forbids giving bad counsel to those that are simple and easily imposed upon, by which they may be led to do something to their own prejudice. We ought to take heed of doing any thing which may occasion our weak brother to fall, Rom. xiv. 13; 1 Cor. viii. 9. It is added, as a preservative from these sins, but fear thou God. "Thou dost not fear the deaf and blind, they cannot right themselves; but remember it is the glory of God to help the helpless, and he will plead their cause." Note, The fear of God will restrain us from doing that which will not expose us to men's resentments.

V. Judges and all in authority are here commanded to give verdict and judgment without partiality (v. 15); whether they were constituted judges by commission or made so in a particular case by the consent of both parties, as referees or arbitrators, they must do no wrong to either side, but, to the utmost of their skill, must go according to the rules of equity, having respect purely to the merits of the cause, and not to the characters of the person. Justice must never be perverted, either, 1. In pity to the poor: Thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, Exod. xxiii. 3. Whatever may be given to a poor man as an alms, yet let nothing be awarded him as his right but what he is legally entitled to, nor let his poverty excuse him from any just punishment for a fault. Or, 2. In veneration or fear of the mighty, in whose favour judges would be most frequently biased. The Jews say, "Judges were obliged by this law to be so impartial as not to let one of the contending parties sit while the other stood, nor permit one to say what he pleased and bid the other be short; see James ii. 1-4.

VI. We are all forbidden to do any thing injurious to our neighbour's good name (v. 16), either, 1. In common conversation: Thou shalt not go up and down as a tale-bearer. It is as bad an office as a man can put himself into to be the publisher of every man's faults, divulging what was secret, aggravating crimes, and making the worst of every thing that was amiss, with design to blast and ruin men's reputation, and to sow discord among neighbours. The word used for a tale-bearer signifies a pedlar, or petty chapman, the interlopers of trade; for tale-bearers pick up ill-natured stories at one house and utter them at another, and commonly barter slanders by way of exchange. See this sin condemned, Prov. xi. 13; xx. 19; Jer. ix. 4, 5; Ezek. xxii. 9. Or, 2, In witness-bearing: Neither shalt thou stand as a witness against the blood of thy neighbour, if his blood be innocent, nor join in confederacy with such bloody men as those described," Prov. i. 11, 12. The Jewish doctors put this further sense upon it: "Thou shalt not stand by and see thy brother in danger, but thou shalt come in to his relief and succour, though it be with the peril of thy own life or limb;" they add, "He that can by his testimony clear one that is accused is obliged by this law to do it;" see Prov. xxiv. 11, 12.

VII. We are commanded to rebuke our neighbour in love (v. 17): Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour. 1. Rather rebuke him than hate him for an injury done to thyself. If we apprehend that our neighbour has any way wronged us, we must not conceive a secret grudge against him, and estrange ourselves from him, speaking to him neither bad nor good, as the manner of some is, who have the art of concealing their displeasure till they have an opportunity of a full revenge (2 Sam. xiii. 22); but we must rather give vent to our resentments with the meekness of wisdom, endeavour to convince our brother of the injury, reason the case fairly with him, and so put an end to the disgust conceived: this is the rule our Saviour gives in this case, Luke xvii. 3. 2. Therefore rebuke him for his sin against God, because thou lovest him; endeavour to bring him to repentance, that his sin may be pardoned, and he may turn from it, and it may not be suffered to lie upon him. Note, Friendly reproof is a duty we owe to one another, and we ought both to give it and take it in love. Let the righteous smite me, and it shall be a kindness, Ps. cxli. 5. Faithful and useful are those wounds of a friend, Prov. xxvii. 5, 6. It is here strictly commanded, "Thou shalt in any wise do it, and not omit it under any pretence." Consider, (1.) The guilt we incur by not reproving: it is construed here into a hating of our brother. We are ready to argue thus, "Such a one is a friend I love, therefore I will not make him uneasy by telling him of his faults;" but we should rather say, "therefore I will do him the kindness to tell him of them." Love covers sin from others, but not from the sinner himself. (2.) The mischief we do by not reproving: we suffer sin upon him. Must we help the ass of an enemy that has fallen under his burden, and shall we not help the soul of a friend? Exod. xxiii. 5. And by suffering sin upon him we are in danger of bearing sin for him, as the margin reads it. If we reprove not the unfruitful works of darkness, we have fellowship with them, and become accessaries ex post facto—after the fact, Eph. v. 11. It is thy brother, thy neighbour, that is concerned; and he was a Cain that said, Am I my brother's keeper?

VIII. We are here required to put off all malice, and to put on brotherly love, v. 18. 1. We must be ill-affected to none: Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge; to the same purport with that v. 17, Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart; for malice is murder begun. If our brother has done us an injury, we must not return it upon him, that is avenging; we must not upon every occasion upbraid him with it, that is bearing a grudge; but we must both forgive it and forget it, for thus we are forgiven of God. It is a most ill-natured thing, and the bane of friendship, to retain the resentment of affronts and injuries, and to let that word devour for ever. 2. We must be well-affected to all: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. We often wrong ourselves, but we soon forgive ourselves those wrongs, and they do not at all lessen our love to ourselves; and in like manner we should love our neighbour. Our Saviour has made this the second great commandment of the law (Matt. xxii. 39), and the apostle shows how it is the summary of all the laws of the second table, Rom. xiii. 9, 10; Gal. v. 14. We must love our neighbour as truly as we love ourselves, and without dissimulation; we must evidence our love to our neighbour in the same way as that by which we evidence our love to ourselves, preventing his hurt, and procuring his good, to the utmost of our power. We must do to our neighbour as we would be done to ourselves (Matt. vii. 12), putting our souls into his soul's stead, Job xvi. 4, 5. Nay, we must in many cases deny ourselves for the good of our neighbour, as Paul, 1 Cor. ix. 19, &c. Herein the gospel goes beyond even that excellent precept of the law; for Christ, by laying down his life for us, has taught us even to lay down our lives for the brethren, in some cases (1 John iii. 16), and so to love our neighbour better than ourselves.

19 Ye shall keep my statutes. Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kind: thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed: neither shall a garment mingled of linen and woollen come upon thee. 20 And whosoever lieth carnally with a woman, that is a bondmaid, betrothed to an husband, and not at all redeemed, nor freedom given her; she shall be scourged; they shall not be put to death, because she was not free. 21 And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the Lord , unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, even a ram for a trespass offering. 22 And the priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering before the Lord for his sin which he hath done: and the sin which he hath done shall be forgiven him. 23 And when ye shall come into the land, and shall have planted all manner of trees for food, then ye shall count the fruit thereof as uncircumcised: three years shall it be as uncircumcised unto you: it shall not be eaten of. 24 But in the fourth year all the fruit thereof shall be holy to praise the Lord withal. 25 And in the fifth year shall ye eat of the fruit thereof, that it may yield unto you the increase thereof: I am the Lord your God. 26 Ye shall not eat any thing with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantment, nor observe times. 27 Ye shall not round the corners of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard. 28 Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the Lord . 29 Do not prostitute thy daughter, to cause her to be a whore; lest the land fall to whoredom, and the land become full of wickedness.

Here is, I. A law against mixtures, v. 19. God in the beginning made the cattle after their kind (Gen. i. 25), and we must acquiesce in the order of nature God hath established, believing that is best and sufficient, and not covet monsters. Add thou not unto his works, lest he reprove thee; for it is the excellency of the work of God that nothing can, without making it worse, be either put to it or taken from it, Eccl. iii. 14. As what God has joined we must not separate, so what he has separated we must not join. The sowing of mingled corn and the wearing of linsey-woolsey garments are forbidden, either as superstitious customs of the heathen or to intimate how careful they should be not to mingle themselves with the heathen nor to weave any of the usages of the Gentiles into God's ordinances. Ainsworth suggests that it was to lead Israel to the simplicity and sincerity of religion, and to all the parts and doctrines of the law and gospel in their distinct kinds. As faith is necessary, good works are necessary, but to mingle these together in the cause of our justification before God is forbidden, Gal. ii. 16.

II. A law for punishing adultery committed with one that was a bondmaid that was espoused, v. 20-22. If she had not been espoused, the law appointed no punishment at all; being espoused, if she had not been a bondmaid, the punishment had been no less than death: but, being as yet a bondmaid (though before the completing of her espousals she must have been made free), the capital punishment is remitted, and they shall both be scourged; or, as some think, the woman only, and the man was to bring a sacrifice. It was for the honour of marriage, though but begun by betrothing, that the crime should be punished; but it was for the honour of freedom that it should not be punished as the debauching of a free woman was, so great was the difference then made between bond and free (Gal. iv. 30); but the gospel of Christ knows no such distinction, Col. iii. 11.

III. A law concerning fruit-trees, that for the first three years after they were planted, if they should happen to be so forward as to bear in that time, yet no use should be made of the fruit, v. 23-25. It was therefore the practice of the Jews to pluck off the fruit, as soon as they perceived it knit, from their young trees, as gardeners do sometimes, because their early bearing hinders their growing. If any did come to perfection, it was not to be used in the service either of God or man; but what they bore the fourth year was to be holy to the Lord, either given to the priests, or eaten before the Lord with joy, as their second tithe was, and thenceforward it was all their own. Now, 1. Some think this taught them not to follow the custom of the heathen, who, they say, consecrated the very first products of their fruit-trees to their idols, saying that otherwise all the fruits would be blasted. 2. This law in the case of fruit-trees seems to be parallel with that in the case of animals, that no creature should be accepted as an offering till it was past eight days old, nor till that day were children to be circumcised; see ch. xxii. 27. God would have the first-fruits of their trees, but, because for the first three years they were as inconsiderable as a lamb or a calf under eight days old, therefore God would not have them, for it is fit he should have every thing at its best; and yet he would not allow them to be used, because his first-fruits were not as yet offered: they must therefore be accounted as uncircumcised, that is, as an animal under eight days' old, not fit for any use. 3. We are hereby taught not to be over-hasty in catching at any comfort, but to be willing with patience to wait the time for the enjoyment of it, and particularly to acknowledge ourselves unworthy of the increase of the earth, our right to the fruits of which was forfeited by our first parents eating forbidden fruit, and we are restored to it only by the word of God and prayer, 1 Tim. iv. 5.

IV. A law against the superstitious usages of the heathen, v. 26-28. 1. Eating upon the blood, as the Gentiles did, who gathered the blood of their sacrifices into a vessel for their demons (as they fancied) to drink, and then sat about it, eating the flesh themselves, signifying their communion with devils by their feasting with them. Let not this custom be used, for the blood of God's sacrifices was to be sprinkled on the altar, and then poured at the foot of it, and conveyed away. 2. Enchantment and divination, and a superstitious observation of the times, some days and hours lucky and others unlucky. Curious arts of this kind, it is likely, had been of late invented by the Egyptian priests, to amuse the people, and support their own credit. The Israelites had seen them practised, but must by no means imitate them. It would be unpardonable in those to whom were committed the oracles of God to ask counsel of the devil, and yet worse in Christians, to whom the Son of God is manifested, who has destroyed the works of the devil. For Christians to have their nativities cast, and their fortunes told them, to use spells and charms for the cure of diseases and the driving away of evil spirits, to be affected with the falling of the salt, a hare crossing the way, cross days, or the like, is an intolerable affront to the Lord Jesus, a support of paganism and idolatry, and a reproach both to themselves and to that worthy name by which they are called: and those must be grossly ignorant, both of the law and the gospel, that ask, "What harm is there in these things?" Is it no harm for those that have fellowship with Christ to have fellowship with devils, or to learn the ways of those that have? Surely we have not so learned Christ. 3. There was a superstition even in trimming themselves used by the heathen, which must not be imitated by the people of God: You shall not round the corners of your heads. Those that worshipped the hosts of heaven, in honour of them, cut their hair so as that their heads might resemble the celestial globe; but, as the custom was foolish itself, so, being done with respect to their false gods, it was idolatrous. 4. The rites and ceremonies by which they expressed their sorrow at their funerals must not be imitated, v. 28. They must not make cuts or prints in their flesh for the dead; for the heathen did so to pacify the infernal deities they dreamt of, and to render them propitious to their deceased friends. Christ by his sufferings has altered the property of death, and made it a true friend to every true Israelite; and now, as there needs nothing to make death propitious to us (for, if God be so, death is so of course), so we sorrow not as those that have no hope. Those whom the God of Israel had set apart for himself must not receive the image and superscription of these dunghill deities. Lastly, The prostituting of their daughters to uncleanness, which is here forbidden (v. 29), seems to have been practised by the heathen in their idolatrous worships, for with such abominations those unclean spirits which they worshipped were well pleased. And when lewdness obtained as a religious rite, and was committed in their temples, no marvel that the land became full of that wickedness, which, when it entered at the temple-doors, overspread the land like a mighty torrent, and bore down all the fences of virtue and modesty. The devil himself could not have brought such abominations into their lives if he had not first brought them into their worships. And justly were those given up to vile affections who forsook the holy God, and gave divine honours to impure spirits. Those that dishonour God are thus suffered to dishonour themselves and their families.

Moral Laws. (b. c. 1490.)

30 Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the Lord . 31 Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God. 32 Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the Lord . 33 And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not vex him. 34 But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God. 35 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, in weight, or in measure. 36 Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have: I am the Lord your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt. 37 Therefore shall ye observe all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: I am the Lord .

Here is, I. A law for the preserving of the honour of the time and place appropriated to the service of God, v. 30. This would be a means to secure them both from the idolatries and superstitions of the heathen and from all immoralities in conversation. 1. Sabbaths must be religiously observed, and not those times mentioned (v. 26) to which the heathen had a superstitious regard. 2. The sanctuary must be reverenced: great care must be taken to approach the tabernacle with that purity and preparation which the law required, and to attend there with that humility, decency, and closeness of application which became them in the immediate presence of such an awful majesty. Though now there is no place holy by divine institution, as the tabernacle and temple then were, yet this law obliges us to respect the solemn assemblies of Christians for religious worship, as being held under a promise of Christ's special presence in them, and to carry ourselves with a due decorum while in those assemblies we attend the administration of holy ordinances, Eccl. v. 1.

II. A caution against all communion with witches, and those that were in league with familiar spirits: "Regard them not, seek not after them, be not in fear of any evil from them nor in hopes of any good from them. Regard not their threatenings, or promises, or predictions; seek not to them for discovery or advice, for, if you do, you are defiled by it, and rendered abominable both to God and your own consciences." This was the sin that completed Saul's wickedness, for which he was rejected of God, 1 Chron. x. 13.

III. A charge to young people to show respect to the aged: Thou shall rise up before the hoary head, v. 32. Age is honourable, and he that is the Ancient of days requires that honour be paid to it. The hoary head is a crown of glory. Those whom God has honoured with the common blessing of long life we ought to honour with the distinguishing expressions of civility; and those who in age are wise and good are worthy of double honour: more respect is owing to such old men than merely to rise up before them; their credit and comfort must be carefully consulted, their experience and observations improved, and their counsels asked and hearkened to, Job xxxii. 6, 7. Some, by the old man whose face or presence is to be honoured, understand the elder in office, as by the hoary head the elder in age; both ought to be respected as fathers, and in the fear of God, who has put some of his honour upon both. Note, Religion teaches good manners, and obliges us to give honour to those to whom honour is due. It is an instance of great degeneracy and disorder in a land when the child behaves himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honourable, Isa. iii. 5; Job xxx. 1, 12. It becomes the aged to receive this honour, and the younger to give it; for it is the ornament as well as duty of their youth to order themselves lowly and reverently to all their betters.

IV. A charge to the Israelites to be very tender of strangers, v. 33, 34. Both the law of God and his providence had vastly dignified Israel above any other people, yet they must not therefore think themselves authorized to trample upon all mankind but those of their own nation, and to insult them at their pleasure; no, "Thou shall not vex a stranger, but love him as thyself, and as one of thy own people." It is supposed that this stranger was not an idolater, but a worshipper of the God of Israel, though not circumcised, a proselyte of the gate at least, though not a proselyte of righteousness: if such a one sojourned among them, they must not vex him, nor oppress, nor over-reach him in a bargain, taking advantage of his ignorance of their laws and customs; they must reckon it as great a sin to cheat a stranger as to cheat an Israelite; "nay" (say the Jewish doctors) "they must not so much as upbraid him with his being a stranger, and his having been formerly an idolater." Strangers are God's particular care, as the widow and the fatherless are, because it is his honour to help the helpless, Ps. cxlvi. 9. It is therefore at our peril if we do them any wrong, or put any hardships upon them. Strangers shall be welcome to God's grace, and therefore we should do what we can to invite them to it, and to recommend religion to their good opinion. It argues a generous disposition, and a pious regard to God, as a common Father, to be kind to strangers; for those of different countries, customs, and languages, are all made of one blood. But here is a reason added peculiar to the Jews: "For you were strangers in the land of Egypt. God then favoured you, therefore do you now favour the strangers, and do to them as you then wished to be done to. You were strangers, and yet are now thus highly advanced; therefore you know not what these strangers may come to, whom you are apt to despise."

V. Justice in weights and measures is here commanded. That there should be no cheat in them, v. 35. That they should be very exact, v. 36. In weighing and measuring, we pretend a design to give all those their own whom we deal with; but, if the weights and measures be false, it is like a corruption in judgment, it cheats under colour of justice; and thus to deceive a man to his damage is worse than picking his pocket or robbing him on the highway. He that sells is bound to give the full of the commodity, and he that buys the full of the price agreed upon, which cannot be done without just balances, weights, and measures. Let no man go beyond or defraud his brother, for, though it be hidden from man, it will be found that God is the avenger of all such.

VI. The chapter concludes with a general command (v. 37): You shall observe all my statutes, and do them. Note, 1. We are not likely to do God's statutes, unless we observe them with great care and consideration. 2. Yet it is not enough barely to observe God's precepts, but we must make conscience of obeying them. What will it avail us to be critical in our notions, if we be not conscientious in our conversations? 3. An upright heart has respect to all God's commandments, Ps. cxix. 6. Though in many instances the hand fails in doing what should be done, yet the eye observes all God's statutes. We are not allowed to pick and choose our duty, but must aim at standing complete in all the will of God.

CHAP. XIX.

[non-Latin text not transcribed]

ANd Iehovah spake, unto Moses, saying. Speake unto all the Congregation of the sonnes of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I Iehovah your God, am holy.

Ye shall feare, every-man his mother and his father; and keepe my Sabbaths: I am Iehovah your God.

Turne yee not unto Idols; and make not to your-selves, molten gods: I, am Iehovah your God.

And when ye sacrifice, a sacrifice of Peace offring, unto Iehovah: yee shall sacrifice it, for your favourable acceptation. In the day that ye sacrifice it, it shall bee eaten, and on the morrow: and that which remaineth, untill the third day; shall bee burnt in the fire. And if, it be eaten at all, in the third day: it is a polluted-thing, it shall not bee favourably-accepted. And they that eate it, every one shall beare his iniquity; because he hath profaned, the holy thing of Iehovah: and that soule, shall be cut-off-from his peoples.

And when ye reape, the harvest of your land; thou shalt not wholly-rid, the corner of thy field, in reaping: neither shalt thou glean, the gleaning of thy harvest. And thou shalt not gather-the-single-grapes, of thy vineyard; nor gleane, the grapes that are broken off of thy vineyard: thou shalt leave them, for the poore and for the stranger; I, am Iehovah your God.

Ye shall not steale: neither falsly-deny, nor deale-falsly, any-man with his neighbour.

And ye shall not sweare by my name, to falshood: and thou shalt not profane, the name of thy God, I am Iehovah.

Thou shalt not fraudulently-oppresse thy neighbour, neither rob him: the work of him that is hired, shall not abide-all-night with thee, untill the morning.

Thou shalt not curse the deafe; and before the blinde, thou shalt not put a stumbling-blocke: but thou shalt feare thy God; I am Iehovah.

Ye shall not do unrighteousnesse, in judgment; thou shalt not respect the person of the poore; nor honor, the person of the great man: in justice shalt thou judge thy neighbour.

Thou shalt not walke a talebearer, among thy people; thou shalt not stand, against the blood of thy neighbour: I, am Iehovah.

Thou shalt not hate thy brother, in thine heart: rebuking thou shalt rebuke thy neighbour; and not beare sin, for him.

Thou shalt not avenge: nor keep grudge, against the sons of thy people; but thou shalt love thy neighbor, as thy self: I am Iehovah.

Ye shall keepe my statutes; Thou shalt not let thy cattell gender, with divers-kindes: Thou shalt not sow thy field, with divers-kindes: and a garment of divers-kindes, of linsie-woolsie; shall not come upon thee.

And a man, when he shall lye with a woman, to copulation of seed; and shee a bond-woman, betrothed to a man; and redeeming she is not redeemed; or freedome, is not given her: a scourging shall bee, they shall not be put-to death, because shee was not free. And he shall bring his Trespass-offring, unto Iehovah; unto the doore, of the Tent of the congregation: a ram, for a Trespass-offring. And the Priest shall make-atonement for him, with the ram of the Trespass-offring, before Iehovah; for his sinne, which he hath sinned: and the sinne, which hee hath sinned, shall be forgiven him.

And when ye shall come into the land, & shall have planted any tree for food; then ye shall count-as-uncircumcised the uncircumcision thereof, the fruit thereof: three yeers, shall it be unto you, as uncircumcised, it shall not be eaten. And in the fourth yeere, all the fruit thereof shall be, holinesse of praises, unto Iehovah. And in the fift yeere, yee shall eat the fruit thereof; to adde unto you, the revenue thereof: I, am Iehovah your God.

Ye shall not eat, with the blood: ye shall not observe-fortunes, not observe-times. Ye shall not round, the corner of your head: neither shalt thou marre, a corner of thy beard. And ye shall not make in your flesh, any cutting for a soule; neither shall yee make upon you, the print of any marke; I am Iehovah.

Profane not thy daughter, to cause her to be-an-whore: that the land fall not to whordome; and the land become full, of wickednesse.

Yee shall keepe my Sabbaths; and reverence my Sanctuarie; I, am Iehovah.

Turne not unto them that have familiar-spirits, and unto wizards; seek not, to be defiled by them: I, am Iehovah your God.

Thou shalt rise-up, before the hoary-head; and honour, the face of the old-man: and feare thy God, I am Iehovah.

And when a stranger, shall sojourne with thee, in your land: yee shall not vexe him. The stranger, that sojourneth with you, shall bee unto you, as one homeborne amongst you; and thou shalt love him, as thy selfe; for ye were strangers, in the land of Egypt: I am Iehovah your God.

Yee shall not doe unrighteousnesse, in judgement: in meteyard, in weight, or in measure. Iust ballances, just stones, a just Ephah, and a just Hin, shall ye have: I am Iehovah your God, which brought you out, from the land of Egypt. And yee shall keepe all my statutes, and all my judgments; and shall doe them: I am Iehovah.

Annotations. [non-Latin text not transcribed] Here beginneth the thirtieth section, or lecture of the Law. See Gen. 6. 9. BE holy] that is, separated from sin, & dedicated unto God, and his obedience; which is the sum of the first Table, yea of all the Law. The Apostle openeth it thus; As obedient children, not fashioning your selves, according to the former lusts in your ignorance: but as hee which hath called you is holy, so bee yee holy in all manner of conversation: because it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy, 1 Pet. 1. 14. 15. 16. See also Lev. 11. 44. Ver. 3. feare] or reverence. This openeth the fift commandement, Honour &c. Exod. 20. 12. shewing that it implyeth inward reverence, as all the Law is spirituall, Rom. 7. 14. And here the mother is named before the father, which is not usuall. See the notes on Exod. 20. 12. The Hebrewes say, It is written, Honour thy father and thy mother, Exod. 20. 12. it is also written, Honour the Lord with thy substance, Prov. 3. 9. Againe it is written, Yee shall feare every man his mother and his father, Lev. 19. 3. it is also written, Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God, Deut. 6. 13. as he commandeth the honour of Gods great name and his feare, so he commandeth the honour and feare of parents. He that curseth his father or mother, is stoned: and he that blasphemeth (God) is stoned: loe he maketh them equall in punishment. For honor, the father is set before the mother; and for feare, the mother before the father: to teach that they are both alike for honour or for feare. What is this Feare? It is not to stand in his place, nor sit in his place, nor to oppose his words, nor to carpe at his words, nor to call him by his name either living or dead; but to say Sir, or my Lord, my Father, Maimony in Misneh. tom. 4. treat. of Rebells, chap. 6. sect. 1. &c. Sabbaths] in Chaldee, Sabbath dayes: both the seventh day, and all other dayes of rest, which were likewise called Sabbaths, Lev. 23. 32. See the annotations on Exod. 20. 8.—11. I am Iehovah] This is a ground and reason of these, and almost all the other precepts following; as it was prefixed before the ten Commandements: see Exod. 20. 2. Vers. 4. Turne ye not] to weet, your faces: or Looke not, Regard not: in Greeke, Follow not. It implyeth also the turning-away of the heart, Deut. 30. 17. and 29. 18. But from this word, the Hebrewes say, that it is forbidden even to looke-attentively, on the similitude of an image. Maimony treat. of Idolatrie, ch. 2. sect. 2 Idols] called in Hebrew Elilim, which properly signifieth things of nought, nothing, vaine, and nought worth: according to the nature of which name, Paul saith, we know that an Idoll is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one, 1 Cor. 8. 4. Elim signifieth, Gods; Elilim, [illegible: 1 word] Gods; which the Greeke here nameth Eidda, whereof our English Idols is derived: in the Chaldee they are called Errours, or Aberrations. And Elilim is applied to other things also, which are of no value; as in Iob 13. 4. Physitians Elil, that is, vaine or of no value, & in Ier. 14. 14. false prophets prophesied Elil, a thing of nought. And as Images, are the same that Idols, in signification, so Images of silver and gold, are called Elilim Idols, Esay 2. 20. So that hereby God forbiddeth the transgression of the first and second commandements. And the Hebrew doctors say, It is not Idolatrie onely which a man is forbidden to turne after it in his thought; but every thought which occasioneth a man to deny any of the fundamentall points of the Law, wee are warned that it come not into our heart, &c. Maimony treat. of Idolatry, ch. 2. s. 3. molten Gods] Hebrew, gods of melting: meaning Images, Gods of silver and of gold, as Exodus 20. 23. such as was the mo[illegible: 1 span] calfe, Exod. 32. 8. 31. The Prophet calleth them teachers of lyes, Habak. 2. 18. yet unto such, Idolaters said, ye are our Gods, Esay 42. 17. Vers. 5. of Peace-offrings] or of payments, whereof see Lev. 3. 1. for your favourable-acceptation] that it may be acceptable to God for you: see the notes on Lev. 1. 3. This sense Sol. Iarchi giveth of these words here. Some doe understand it, at your owne will, such as you like best to offer: but the 7. verse following, sheweth the former interpretation [illegible: 1 word] ther to be meant. Though this later also is good, and may be implied; and is so expounded by C[illegible: 1 span] kuni, that they should give their good will therein, and not grudge or have an evill eye in that which they offred before the Lord. For some men (saith he) do not offer with the hart, but because they see other men doe so, and it were a shame for them, if they should not doe likewise. But another meaning (saith he) may bee this, Doe the thing that may bee for your favourable-acceptation, as that it bee eaten on that day, or on the morrow. Vers. 6. burnt] as being polluted by over long keeping it. See these things opened in Levi[illegible: 1 span] 7. 18. 19. Verse 7. eaten at all] or, any of it eaten: Hebrew, eating eaten. a polluted-thing] or, abominable, is Greeke, unsacrificeable; but Aquila turneth it [illegible: 1 word] in Greeke Apobleton, a thing to be rejected, which word Paul useth, in 1 Tim. 4. 4. See the notes [illegible: 1 word] Lev. 7. 18. Vers. 8. his iniquitie] in Greeke, sinne, meaning punishment for his iniquitie[illegible: 1 letter] see the notes on Levit. 7. 18. the holy thing] Hebrew, the holinesse; in Greeke, the holy things. that soule] that is, as the Chaldee translateth, that man shall be destroyed: see Lev. 7. 18. In Greeke, the soules that eat it, shall be destroyed out of their people. Vers. 9. not wholly-rid] or, not make a full-end, not make cleane-riddance, of the corner of thy field, to reape the same. The like is after, in Levit. 23. 22. corner] that is, the out side, or utmost-part: the corner may also be understood for many corners. The Hebrew canons declare it thus; Hee that reapeth his field, must not reape all the field wholly; but must leave a little standing corne for the poore, in end of the field, (Lev. 23. 22.) whether he cut it, or plucke it up: and that which is left, is called the Corner [Peah.] And as he must leave of the field, so of the trees, when he gathereth their fruits, he must leave a little for the poore. If be transgresse, and do reape all the field, or gather all the fruits of the trees: he must take a little of that which he hath reaped, or of that which hee hath gathered, and give it to the poore; for the giving of it is a commandement. Yea though he have ground it, or baked it into bread, yet he must give therof a corner to the poore. If all wch he hath reaped, be lost or burnt, before he hath given the corner, then is he to be beaten: because he hath transgressed a probibition and can not confirme the commandement thereof, which unto him is broken off. Maimony in Misneh tom. 3. in Mattanoth gnanijim, ch. 1. sect. 1. 2. 3. What is the measure of the Corner? By the Law, there is no measure set for it; if hee leave but one eare of corne, he is discharged. But by the words of the Scribes it must be no lesse then one of sixtie. And a man may adde more then one of sixty, according to the greatnesse of the field, or multitude of the poore, or blessing of the seed. As if the field be very small so that if hee leave thereof the sixtieth part, it will not benefit a poore man, then is he to adde unto the measure: and so if there bee many poore, be addeth. And if he did s[illegible: 1 letter]w little, & reapeth much because it is blessed: he addeth according to the blessing. And who so addeth more unto the corner, he shall his reward encreased, and there is no measure of this addition. They leave no corner, but [illegible: 1 word] the end of the field; to the end that the poore may know the place whither to come, &c. At three times in the day they part the corner for the poore; at morning, and at midday, and at the evening sacrifice. [that is, 3. of the [illegible: 1 word] in the afternoone] and the poore that comes not at [illegible: 1 word] of these times, they suffer him not [illegible: 1 letter]o take any away; [illegible: 1 word] there may bee a set time, for the poore, to come together all of them, to take, it. If a man have two fields, hee may not reap[illegible: 1 letter]the one wholly, and leave in the other a [illegible: 1 span] them both; for it is written, the corner OF THY FIELD: but hee must leave in every one [illegible: 1 span] for the same. He that soweth his field with one kind (of seed;) though hee make therein two threshing [illegible: 1 word], he leaveth but one corner. If he sow two kinds of seed, though he make but one floore, hee must give a [illegible: 1 word] for [illegible: 1 word] one sort, by it selfe; and a corner for the other sort, [illegible: 1 word] itselfe. If he sow it with [illegible: 2 letters]o kinds of wheat [illegible: 1 word] two kinds of barley; then, if he make but one floore, he giveth but one corner; if two floores, he giveth two cor [illegible: 1 letter]ers. Maimony in Mattanoth gn[illegible: 1 span]im, (or treat. of Gifts to the poore) c. 1. sect. 1. 2. 3. 15. and ch. 2. s. 12. 17. and c. 3. s. 1. 14. in reaping] or, to reape the same: which in Lev. 23. 22. Moses explaineth thus, when thou reapest. gleane] or gather. the gleaning] or gathering, that is, the eares of corn which fall off, as the Greek version explaineth it. So the Hebrewes say, the gleaning is that which falleth out of the sickle in the time of reaping, or that falleth out of the hand when he gathereth the cares and reapeth; if so bee that which falleth be but an eare, or two. But if there fall three together, those three are the owners of the field. And that which sallethfrō after the sickle, or from after the hand though it bee but one care, is not for gleaning. He that plucketh up things which are to be plucked, that which falleth from under his hand, is for gleaning. If he reape and there be left an eare unreaped, if the top of it reach to the other standing corne which is thereby, so that he may reape it with the other standing corne, it is the owners of the field; if not, it is for the poore. If the winde scatter the corne, so that the harvest of the owner of the field, is mixed with that which is to bee gleaned, then they mesure the field, how much gleaning it is meet for to afford, and they give (so much) to the poore. If (the owner) have transgressed, and gathered the gleanings, though he have ground it, and baked it, hee must give it to the poore. If it be lost or burnt, after it is gathered, before it be given to the poore; he is to be beaten. Mai. in Mattanoth gnanijim, ch. 4. sect. 1.—5. and c. 1. s. 4. Vers. 10. not gather-the-single-grapes] that is, the grapes which grow single, and not in clusters; such the owner of the vineyard might not gather, but leave them for the poore. Gnoleloth are single-grapes Esay 24. 13. Hobad, vers. 5. differing from the clusters of grapes, Mich. 7. 1. So the Hebrewes explaine this law, saying, Gnoleloth are little clusters which are not thicke, as clusters which are not compact together, and whose grapes are not joyned one upon another, but dissevered. And it is called Gnolel, because it is to the other clusters as (gnolel that is) achild to a man, &c. and single berries, they are gnoleloth. A branch whereon there is a cluster, and single grapes on the twig of the branch, if the single grapes be cut off with the cluster, they are the owners of the vineyard; if not, they are for the poore. If a vine-yard have all single grapes it is for the poore, as it is written, THOV SHALT NOT GATHER THE SINGLE GRAPES OF THY VINE-YARD, although it be all single grapes. And no single grapes or particular berries are due (to the poore,) but in the vineyard onely. Maimony in Mattanoth gnan. ch. 4. sect. 17. &c. the grapes-that-are-brokenoff] or, the particular-berries. The Hebrew Peret, which hath the signification of parting, breaking, and falling off, meaneth here such particular grapes as are broken and fall off from the clusters in the vintage. That as in the field, the corner was that which was left growing, and the gleaning was of the eares that fell away in the reaping: so the single grapes, were such as grew not in clusters; and the Peret, are grapes broken and fallen off in the gathering. So the Greeke translateth it, Rhogas, that is, berries-broken-off; and the Chaldee Nithra, is of like meaning; and the Hebrews expoūd it to be particular berries one or two, that are brokenoff from the cluster, in the time of the grape-gat hering: but if there bee three berries together, or moe; they are not Peret, nor left for gleaning, but are the owners. Yet that which is throwne to the earth, in the grape gathering, they count for Peret, though it be halfe a cluster, or an whole one: so that hee that putteth a basket under the vine, in the time when he gathereth grapes (to save for himselfe those which so fall off) he robbeth the poore: Maimony in Mattanoth gnan, chap. 4. sect. 15. 16. Besides the fruit of the vine, other fruits that are for food, are implyed in this law; therefore in Deut, 24. 20. Moses mentioneth the like of the Olive tree: and there in the verse 19. he addeth another branch of this law, touching a sheafe forgotten in the field, which must not be fetched againe, but left for the poore. So the Hebrew doctors understand this precept largely; for by harvest and reaping, they say is implyed what soever, is like unto harvest, that it is bound to yeeld a corner for the poore; as all kinde of graine in the field, and all pulse, as rise, millet, lentils, also nutts, almonds, pomgranats, grapes, olives, dates, and all such like; whatsoever is for meat, and groweth out of the earth, and is gathered as an harvest Therefore herbes are free from paying this duty, because they are not gathered and layd up for mens livelihood, but garlicke, and onions, must pay the corner, because, they are dryed and brought into the house for provision. So they say, There are foure gifts for the poore, in the vineyard: the grapes that are broken. off, and the single-grapes, and the corner, and that which is forgotten. Three gifts, are from the revenues of the field; the gleaning, and that which is for gotten, and the corner. And two, from trees; that which is forgotten, and the corner, Maimony in Mattanoth gua[illegible: 1 letter]ijim, ch. 2. sect. 1. 2. and ch. 1. sect. 7. thou shalt leave them] Hence the Hebrewes gather, that the poore have nothing to doe with these gifts, untill the good-man of the house have separated them purposely. Therefore a poore man, that seeth a corner in the end of a field, may not touch the same, (upon paine of robbery,) untill hee know that the master of the house knoweth thereof. After they are thus left, the master of the house hath no right in them, but the poore may come and take them, yea though it bee against the masters will. Maimony, ibidem, ch. 2. sect. 14. and ch. 1. s. 8. And whereas the master of the familie was to give the first fruits to the Pricsts, Numb. 18. 12. and the tithes to the Levites, Numb. 18. 24. and a second tithe, for him and his to eat before the Lord, Deut. 12. 17. 18. these gifts, were to be left for the poore, before any of the other: and every third yeere, that a tithe, was also given to the poore, Deut. 14. 28. 29. besides other releife, Deut. 7. 8. so merciful was God, to the poore of his people. Neither might they bee defrauded of these gifts, under colour of religion; If a man sanctified his vineyard, (to the Lord,) after single-grapes were knowne to be in it: the poore had these single-grapes not withstanding: and if the tithe were given to a Levite, and single-grapes were found therein, he was to give them to the poore. Maimony in Ma[illegible: 2 letters]gna[illegible: 1 letter]. ch. 4. sect. 23. 26. Now who those poore were, to whom these gleanings, single grapes, corners, &c. did belong, the Hebrew canons declare thus; Who so hath two [illegible: 1 span] dred Zurims, [that is, fiftie shek els of silver, for a [illegible: 1 word] is the fourth part of a shekel; and what the shekel is, see the notes on Gen. 20. 16] let him not take of the gleaning, or of that which is forgot, or of the corner, or of the tithe of the poore. If he have 200 lacking one, be may take. If they bee pawned to his creditor, or bee for his wives dowrie, them also bee taketh. And they can not binde him to sell his house or stuffe. Thalmud Bab. in Peah, ch. 8. s. 8. for the stranger] and for the father lesse, and for the widdow, Deut. 24. 19. By the stranger is chiefly meant the proselyte (as the Greek here translateth,) converted to the faith, though others are not forbidden, because in these gifts, was no holinesse at all, as in other things that were sanctified. The Hebrewes say, every stranger spoken of, in the gifts to the poore, is not meant, but of the righteous stranger. For loe hee saith of the second tithe, And the Levite shall come, and the stranger, (Deut. 14. 19.) the Levite is within the covenant, so the stranger is within the covenant. Notwithstanding they withhold not the poore heathens from these gifts. It is said, thou shalt leave them for the poore &c. all the while that there are poore men to require them. If the poore cease to seeke or come againe for them, that which is left, is free for any man to take. And he is not bound to give (the poore) the price of thē; for it is not said, he shall give them to the poore, but bee shall leave them. And it is not meet to leave them for beasts and birds, but for the poore: and loe there [illegible: 1 word] poore. After that the poore are gone into a vineyard & come away: the grapes which remain afterward, are [illegible: 1 word] for any man; &c. Maim. in Mattanoth gnan. chap. 1. sect. 9. 10. 11. I am Iehovah,] by whose commandement, this law was stablished in Israel, to the end that they might remember their owne poverty and bondage which they indured in Egypt; and that by doing these works of mercy, the Lord might blesse them, in all the work of their hands. Which reasons, M ses rendteth of this precept, in Dent. 24. 19. 22. Vers 11. not steale] see the notes on Exod. 20. 15. In that he speaketh as to many ye shall not, Chazkuni here gathereth, that he that seeth one steale, [illegible: 1 word] holdeth his peace, he also stealeth as doth the principal in the theft. falsly-deny] in Greeke, not lye; it is a generall word for lying, or denying of things in respect either of God, as Prov. 30. 9. or of men, as Lev. 6. 2. And unto this latter, of denying other mens goods that are in their hand, doe the Hebrewes referre this prohibition. Maimony rom 3. treat. of Oathes, ch. 1. s. 8. deale falsly] or lye, in violating covenants, as Gen. 21. 23. Psal. 44. 18. or swearing falsly, or any other way. Ver. 12. to falshood] or falsly; in Greek, to an unjust thing; The contrary is required, Thou shalt sweare, the Lord liveth, in Truth, in Iudgement, and in Instice. Ierem. 4. 2. And Gods Name is of large signification, as is noted on Exod. 20. 7. so that whether one use any of Gods proper names, or describe him by other words, as hee that liveth for ever, bee that created heaven and earth, &c. (as Rev. 10. 6.) or any the like, it is a full oath. And by swea[illegible: 1 span], is understood cursing also, which is of the same nature, as in Gen. 24. 8. 41. the same thing, is called an [illegible: 1 word], and a curse (or exsecration.) So the He [illegible: 1 span] canons say: Whether one sweare by (Gods) proper name, or by any of his surnames; as by him whose [illegible: 1 word] is Gracious, or whose name is Mercisull, or any the like an any language: loe it is a full oath. And so an [illegible: 1 word], and a curse, is an oath. As when a man saith, Cursed [illegible: 1 word] be of the Lord, or of him whose name is Gra [illegible: 1 span] Mercifull, who soever hath eaten this thing, and himselfe hath eaten it: loe he hath sworne falsly. Likewise [illegible: 1 word] that saith nay, nay, twise, by way of oath; or yea, yea, and mentioneth Gods name or surname, loe it is as if he [illegible: 1 word] sworne. And so hee that promiseth I will not doe this or that, and mentioneth Gods name or surname: it is an oath, Maimony in Misneh, tom. 3. treat. of O[illegible: 1 span]es, ch. 2. sect. 2. &c. not Profane] or, pollute, but contrariwise shalt sanctifie it; as Levit. 22. 32. The wordnet, in the former branch, is here againe necessarily understood, as often in the scripture: and so the Greeke version addeth it, ye shall not profane. By this, not onely false, but rash, vaine, unadvised, needlesse oathes, and all other abuses of Gods name are forbidden: as is noted on Exodus 20. 7. The Hebrews say, Although he that sweareth vainly or falsly, bebeaten (by the Magistrate,) and being a sacrifice (to the Priest,) yet is there not a [illegible: 1 span] made thereby, for all the iniquity of his oath; for it is written, (in Exodus. 20. 7.) the Lord will not hold him innocent: he is not freed from the judgement of (the God of) heaven, untill bee have his payment from him, for the great Name which he hath profaned, as it [illegible: 1 word] written, Thou shalt not profane the name of the Lord thy God: I am the Lord. Therefore a man must beware of this iniquity, more then of all transgressions. This is me of the heavy iniquities; although for it there bee as eutting off, nor death, by the Magistrates, yet is [illegible: 1 word] in it a profanation of the holy Name, which is greater then all iniquities. It is necessary to warne children much, and to teach their tongues the words of truth, without swearing; that they fall not into a custome to sweare continually, as doe the heathens. And this thing [illegible: 1 span]eth as a dury upon their parents, and upon school[illegible: 1 span]sters. And it is a great good thing, for a man [illegible: 1 word] to sweare at all. Maimony treat of Oathes, ch. 12. sect. 1. 2. 8. 12. Accordingly are wee to understand the doctrine of our Saviour, when hee saith S[illegible: 1 span] not at all, Mart. 5. 34. Whereby he forbiddeth not the lawfull use of oathes commanded of God, Deut. 6. 13. but all abuse in common speech, which was and is accustomed most sinfully, to the high dishonor of God. Vers. 13. fraudulently-oppresse] in Greeke, doe [illegible: 1 span], or injurie. This word signifieth to oppresse by [illegible: 1 word]; the next, to oppresse-by-violence: see the [illegible: 1 word] Lev. 6. 2. Both these, did Iohn the Baptist [illegible: 1 span]bid unto the souldiers, Luk. 3. 14. rob] or, violently-oppresse, and plucke-by-force, as it is said of Ben[illegible: 1 letter]jah, he plucked the speare out of the Egyptians [illegible: 1 word], 2 Sam. 23. 21. For these sinnes fraudulent [illegible: 1 span], and robbery, the Prophets doe often blame Israel, Ezek. 22. 29. Ier. 22. 3. Esay 3. 14. Eccles. 4. 1. Psal. 62. 11. It commeth from covetousnesse, as is said, they covet fields, and take them by rapine, Mich. 2. 2. and proceedeth unto murder, as he that is greedy-of-gaine, taketh away the life of the owners thereof: Prov. 1. 19. The Hebrewes say, Who so desireth his neighbours house, wife, goods, or any other thing which it is possible for him to get of him: when he hath thought in his heart how he might get that thing, and his heart is allured with the thing, he transgresseth this Law, Thou shalt not desire, Deut. 5. 21. and Desire is not but in the beart onely. Desire bringeth a man to Coveting, and Covetize bringeth him to Robbery. For if the owners will not sell the thing, though he would give a great price, then falleth he to rapine, Mic. 2. 2. And if the owners stand up against him to rescue their goods, or to forbid him to rob, then he falleth to shedding of blood. Goe and learne by the fact of Achab and Naboth. Loe thou maist learne that he which Desireth, transgresseth one prohibition; and he that getteth the thing which he desireth, by importuning the owners, or requesting it of them, transgresseth two prohibitions; therefore it is written, Thon shalt not Covet, and Thou shalt not Desire. And if he take it by robbery, he transgresseth three prohibitions. And who so robbeth his neighbour of the worth of a farthing, is as if he tooke his life from him, Prov. 1. 19. Maimony in treat. of Robbery. ch. 1. s. 10. &c. If a man finde and keepe backe a thing which his neighbor hath lost, he transgresseth also this Law; as is noted on Deut. 22. 1. the worke] that is, the wages for the worke: as the Greeke translateth it wages. So in Iob. 7. 2. an hireling looketh for his worke, that is, for the reward of his worke: and in Ier. 22. 13. Woe unto him, &c. that useth his neighbours service for nought, and giveth him not his worke; that is, his wages. So Christ saith, My worke is with my God, Esay. 49. 4. that is, my reward: and these two are joyned, as belonging to the same, as the Lords reward is with him, and his worke before him. Esay 40. 10. that is, his recompence for worke. This is a particular instance, of the foresaid oppression, as Moses after sheweth, saying, Thou shalt not fraudulently-oppress an hired servant &c. at his day thou shalt give him his hire: Deut. 24 14. 15. So in Malac. 3. 5. where God threatneth judgement for this sin. See more, in the notes on Deut. 24. V. 14. not curse] or, as the Greeke translateth, not speake evill of the deafe: or, not revile; as in Exod. 22. 28. is spoken of the Magistrates; here it is spoken of the deafe, who cannot hear, nor thereat be offended: so by proportion it is meant of all other; even of enemies, as Blesse your persecutors; blesse and curse not: Romans 12. 14. By the Hebrew canons, if a man cursed, not a ruler onely, but any one of Israel, bee was to bee beaten: which they grounded upon this Law, Thou shalt not ourse the deafe: and wherefore mentioneth he the deafe? For that, though it bee one that heareth not, neither is grieved for the curse, yet is he to be beaten for his cursing. Hee that curseth any of Israel, man or woman, great or small, he is once beaten: and if he curse a Iudge, he is twise beaten; and if he curse the Ruler (or Prince) he is thrise beaten. He that curseth himselfe, is beaten, as he that curseth others; for it is written (in Deut. 4. 9.) Take heed to thy self, & keep thy soule, Mai. in Sanbedrin, c. 26. s. 1. 2. 3. not put] Hebr. not give a stumbling-blocks, or (as the Greeke translateth it) a scandall: which as it should not bee before the blind, so neither before any, as it is written, let no man put a stumbling-blocks, or a scandall in his brothers way, Rom. 14. 13. and Woe unto the world, because of scandals, Mat. 18. 7. Generally this forbiddeth all occasion of errour or fall unto any, especially to the blinde and ignorant; for Cursed is he that maketh the blinde to erre out of the way, Deut. 27. 18. And as the soule is more precious then the body, so the sinne is greater to put a scandall of sinne, or stumbling-blocke of iniquitie, before the consciences of the weake or ignorant, Rom. 14. 13. and 16. 17. 1 Cor. 8. 9.—13. Rev. 2. 14. Sol. Iarchi expoundeth Moses thus, Before him that is blinde in a matter, doe not give such counsell as is unmeet for him. Vers. 15. unrighteousness] or injurious evill: it is a generall word for all in justice either in heart, as Psalme 58. 3. or with mouth, as Mal. 2. 6. Iob 27. 4. Esay 59. 3. or with hand and act, Psalm. 7. 4. Ezek. 18. 8. and applied sometime in speciall to unrighteousnesse in judgment; as here, and in Psal. 82. 2. All that doe this, are an abomination to the Lord, Deut. 25. 16. respect the person] or, lift up (or accept) the face, which is to shew favour, and to grant ones request: which sometime is taken in the good part, as is noted on Gen. 19. 21. and may be observed in 2 King. 3. 14. Lam. 4. 16. but in cases of judgement, it usually denoteth partiall cariage, and respect of one mans face or person, more then of anothers, which God forbiddeth here, and in Deut. 16. 19. Prov. 18. 5. Iob. 13. 10. Psal. 58. 3. Iam. 2. 1. 9. of the poore] though in respect of his poverty he may seeme to bee pitied, yet God would have all partiality in judgement to be avoided. honour the person] or, countenance the person (or face) of the great: as in Exod. 23. 3. wee are forbidden to countenance (or honour) the poore. The Gr. translateth Thaumases, which properly is to admire, but used for honorable-respect, as is noted on Gen. 19. 21. in justice] or, with righteousnes. Of this, see the annotations on Deut. 16. 18. Vers. 16. not walke a talebearer,] or, calumniator, or not walke with talebearing, and crimination. The Hebrew Rokel, properly signifieth, a merchant, or traffiquer up & down with spices, or other things, 1 Kings 10. 15. Ezek. 27. 15. 17. 22. 23. Whereupon Rakil (the word here used) is a talebearer or accuser, that maketh merchandise as it were of words, uttering them as wares, going from place to place, to heare, and to spread-abroad criminations of other men. His propertie is described to be a revealer of secrets, Prov. 1[illegible: 1 letter]. 13. and 20. 19. his end, to shed blood, Ezek. 22. 9. yet pretending friendship and good neighbourhood, Ierm. 9. 4. 5. Wherfore the Greeke translateth it here, Thou shal not walke with guile, and in Prov. 11. 13. and 20. 19. he is called in Greek double-tongued. The Holy Ghost in the new Testament seemeth to call him in Greeke Diabolos, that is, a false-accuser, calumniator, or make-bate, 2 Tim. 3. 3. 1 Tim. 3. 1[illegible: 1 letter]. and so Aquila (an ancient Greeke interpreter) translateth Rakil, Diabolos, in Prov. 11. 13. And to this the Chaldee version agreeth, saying, Thou shalt not d[illegible: 1 letter]v[illegible: 1 letter]lge accusations, (or criminations,) among thy people. Which phrase is used in Dan. 6. 24. of those men which made accusations against Daniel, (there translated in Greek Diaboliontas.) Hereupon Diabol[illegible: 1 letter]s the Devill hath his name of calumniating and accusing the brethren. Rev. 12. 9. 10. whom the Syriake in Matt. 4. and other places, calleth a Divulger of accusations, or criminations. So that the Hebrew Rakil, is in Greeke Diabolos, in English, a Calumniator, [illegible: 1 word] Make-bate, a Devill, (as Iudas is called a Devil; Iohn 6. 70.) Therefore this sin is great, & when it spred in Israel, that they (wth their other sins) walked as talebearers: they were called reprobate silver, because the Lord had rejected them, Ier. 6. 28. 30. The Hebrew doctors explain it thus; He that backbiteth his neighbour, transgresseth against this Law, Thou shalt not walke a talebearer among thy people, (Levit. 19.) and though they bee not beaten for this thing, ye[illegible: 1 letter] it is a great iniquitie, and occasioned the killing of many soules of Israel; therefore this is joyned next unto it, Thou shalt not stand against the blood of thy neighbour, (Levit. 19. 16.) Goe and learne what befe[illegible: 1 span] unto D[illegible: 2 letters]g the Edomite. (Psalme 52. 1 Samuel 22. 9.—19) Who is a Talebearer (Rakil) Hee that is loden with words, and goeth from one to another, and saith, Thus said such a one; or, Thus have I heard of such a one: although the thing be true, yet such a man marreth the whole world. Maimony in Misneh, tom. 1. in Degnoth chap. 7. sect. 1. 2. And as this Law, immediately followeth the former about the Iudges; so the Hebrewes apply this precept unto thē, saying, It is unlawfull for any of the Iudges, when he goeth out from the judgement hall, to say, I am hee that doth [illegible: 1 span] quit, or condemne; and my fellowes are against me: [illegible: 1 word] what can I do, seeing they are moe then I. And if he [illegible: 1 word] speake, he is in the compasse of this, HE THAT WA[illegible: 2 letters] ETH as A TALEBEARER, REVEALETH SECRETS: (Prov. 11. 13.) Maim. in Sanhedrin, ch. 22. s. 7. Whereto the Greeke version of that place agreeth; A double-tongued man, revealeth counsels (or secrets) [illegible: 1 word] the Synedrion (or Council.) And so in Proverbs 20. 19. The Ierasalemy Thargum followeth the formet exposition, but with another phrase, expounding this Law thus: My people the house [illegible: 1 span] rael, yee shall not follow the third (or the threef[illegible: 2 letters]) tongue against your neighbours: meaning hereby, the slaunderous or calumniating tongue. So[illegible: 1 span] Psalme 101. 5. He that slandereth, (or hurteth with the tougue,) is translated there by the Chaldee, He that speaketh with a third tongue: and in Psal. 140. 12. A man of tongue, that is, an evill tongued, or evill speaker, the Chaldee expounds it, A man which speaketh with a third tongue, And hence is that phrase of Iesus ben Syrach, in Ecclus. 28. 14. A third tongue hath disquieted many: and in v. 15. A third tongue, hath cast out vertuous women; meaning, calumniators & backbiters. These are called of the Hebrews treble tongued, for the much hurt which they doe, to their neighbours whom they calumniate, and to whom they tell it, and to themselves. Our wise men have said, the evill tongue ki[illegible: 1 span] three; the speaker, and the receiver, and him that is spoken against; but the receiver more then the speaker▪ Maimony in Degneth, chap. 7. sect. 3. [illegible: 1 word] against the blood] that is, not stand and see thy neighbors blood spilt, & thou withdraw thy helpe from him either by word or deed. So the Hebrewes explaine this Law, saying; Hee that pursueth his neighbors to kill him, all Israel are commanded to deliver the pursued from the hand of the pursuer, yea though it be by the life of the pursuer. As, if he hath been neighbors to leave off, and yet hee pursueth him, &c. hee may be killed. And if they can deliver him with the lesse of some of the pursuers limmes, as by striking off his hand, or breaking his leg, or striking out his eye, let them doe it. Who so can deliver him, by bereaving the pursuer of a limme, and doth not, but killeth the pursuer: that man sheddeth blood, and is guiltie of death; how be it, the Magistrates may not put him to death. Whose can deliver, and doth not; transgresseth this law, Thou shalt not stand against thy neighbours blood. And so bee that seeth his neighbour sinking in the sea; or theeves, or some wilde beasts comming upon him, and can deliver him, either by himselfe, or by hiring of others to deliver him, and doth not: or that hath heard, that infidells or other wicked have purposed his evill, or bid asnare for his neighbour, and he discloseth it not unto him, and the like: he that thus doth, breaketh this Law, Thou shalt not stād against the blood of thy neighbour. Mamony tom. 4. tret. of Murder, ch. 1. sect. 6. 7. 13. 14. It implieth also all other wayes whereby a man may keepe himselfe or others from spilling innocent blood, as in case of judgement, or the like. So Thargum Ierusalemy expoundeth it, Thou shalt not keepe-silent the blood of thy neighbour, in the time that thou knowest the truth in judgement. And this Law is joyned with the former of talebearing, as that which often causeth blood-shed: and the Prophet complaineth, In thee are men that cary tales, to shed blood, Ezek. 22. 9. Vers. 17. not hate thy brother] by brother, is meant here any other-man: therefore Christ blamed the Pharises glosse, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemie, and hath said unto us, Love your enemies: Mat. 5. 43. 44. And this Law followeth the former about blood, because Whosoever hateth his brother, is a murtherer, 1 Ioh. 3. 15. And because hatred often riseth of offences, he commandeth to rebuke, and not to hate for such things: which the Hebrewes explaine thus; When one man sinneth against another, he must not inwardly hate him, and keepe silence, as it is said of the wicked, And Absalom spake [illegible: 1 word] his brother Amnon, neither good nor bad, for Abs[illegible: 1 span] hated Amnon, 2 Sam. 1 3. 22. but he is commanded to make it knowne unto him, and to say, why hast [illegible: 1 word] done thus unto me? Maimony in Degnoth ch. 6. sect. 6. in thy heart] the Greek translateth, in thy mind (or thought,) which is an effect of the heart, as in luke 1. 51. there is mentioned the thought (or imagination) of their heart. So in Coloss. 1. 21. the Apostle speaketh of enemies in their minde: and I will write (my Law) in their heart, ler. 31. 33, is expounded in their minds, Heb. 10. 16. rebuking thou shalt rebuke] that is, thou shalt in any wise rebuke [illegible: 1 word], plainly, soundly reprove. The originall signifieth to rebuke with conviction or argument; by words to shew what is right, and to refell the contrary: as to reason, Iob 13. 3. Esay 1. 18. to convince Iob 32. 12. to reprove, Esay 11. 4. And it is opposed both unto hatred nourished in silence, as here, and in 2 Samuel 13. 22. and unto flattery, Prov. 28. 23. The same Law is given by Christ, in Luk. 17. 3. If thy brother, sinne against thee, rebuke him: and if he repent forgive him. This duty David desired, saying, Let the just smite me, &c. and let him rebuke me, Psalme 141. 5. and it is the meanes, both to nourish love among the wise, Prov. 9. 8. and to encrease knowledge among the prudent, Prov. 19. 25. and to procure a goodblessing, Prov. 24. 25. The Hebr. doctors say, He that seeth his neighbour sin, or walk in a way not good; is commanded to admonish him to doe better, and to certifie him that he sinneth against himselfe by his evill deeds, as it is written, Rebuking thou shalt rebuke thy neighbour. He that rebuketh his neighbour, whether it be for things betweene him and him, or betweene him and God: he must rebuke him betweene him and himselfe (alone;) and speake unto him gently, and with a soft tongue, and let him know, that he speaketh not unto him but for his good, to bring him to the life of the world to come. If he receive it of him, it is well; if not, let him rebuke him the second and third time: and so continually a man is bound to rebuke him, untill the sinner resist him, and say, I will not heare thee. Maimony in Degnoth, ch. 6. sect. 7. not beare sinne for him] This is the usuall and proper meaning of the Hebrew words, as after in Leviticus 22. 9. Numbers 18. 32. and the Greeke and Chaldee versions so explaine it: and Chazkuni confirmeth it by the like: Gnalaiu (saith hee) for his sake sake, as (in Psal. 44.) for for thy sake are wee killed all the day, &c. It teacheth that he who rebuketh not his brother for sinne, shall beare sinne, (that is, punishment) for his sake, because hee seeketh not to save a soule from death, as Iam. 5. 20. therefore God will require his blood at his hand; as Ezekiel 3. 18. It may also be Englished, suffer not sinne upon him, that is, leave him not in his sinne, unreproved. And as a man may [illegible: 1 letter]eare sinne for his brother, by leaving him unrebuked; so for not reproving him in good sort and in love, but in bitternesse and to his reproach. And thus the Hebrewes apply it, saying. He that rebuketh his neighbour, first let him not speake unto him hard words, to make him ashamed; for it is written, AND BEARE NOT SINNE FOR HIM, &c. Hereby a man is forbidden to shame an Israelite, how much more if it be in publike. Our wise men have said, he that maketh his neighbours face ashamed publikely, shall have no inheritance in the world to come. Therefore a man must be warned that he put not his neighbour to shame publikely, bee he small or great; nor call him by a name whereof hee is ashamed &c. whereby is meant, in matters that are betweene a man and his neighbour. But in matters of (the God of) heaven, if he convert not in secret, they are to make him ashamed publikely, and divulge his sin, & put him to reproach openly, & despise & set him at [illegible: 1 letter]ought, untill he returne unto well doing: as all the Prophets in Israel did (unto such.) Maim. in Degnoth, ch. 6. s. 8. Vers. 18. not avenge] The Greek translaceth, Let not thy hand revenge. The Apostle openeth it thus, Beloved, avenge not your selves, but give place unto wrath: for it is written, Uengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord: Rom. 12. 19. Hereupon David said to Saul, The Lord avenge me of thee, but mine hand shall not be upon thee, 1 Sam. 24. 12. so Ierem. 15. 15. And Solomon saith, Say not thou, I will recompence evill: wait on the Lord, and he will save thee. Prov. 20. 22. What vengeance is, is shewed in Ier. 50. 15. Take vengeance or her; as she hath done, doe unto her. The Hebrewes say, He that avengeth himself on his neighbour, transgresseth the Law, Levit. 19. 18. and although he is not to be beaten (by the Magistrate) for it, yet it is a very great evill. Avenging is thus; as when a man would borrow an axe of his neighbour, or the like; and he refuseth to lend it him: on the morrow his neighbour hath need to borrow an axe of him, and he saith, I will not lend it thee, because thou wouldest not lend mee when I would have borrowed of thee; this is vengeance. But when he commeth to borrow, he should give it him with a perfect heart, and not reward him, as hee hath done to him: and so in all like cases. And so David with a goodminde said (in Psal. 7. 5) If I have rewarded evill to him that had peace with me; yea I have released my distresser without cause. Maim. in Degnoth, c. 7. s. 7. nor keep] to weet, injurie in minde, that is, not beare grudge: or, not observe the sonnes of thy people; which is spoken of such as would seeme to forgive, but will not forget wrong, or unkindnesse. The Greeke translateth, thou shalt not be angry (or beare inveterate displeasure;) the Chaldee, thou shalt not keep enmity. So God is said to take vengeance on his adversaries, & to keepe (wrath) for his enemies; Nahum 1. 2. but to his people, not so, Ier. 3. 12. Psal. 103. 9. whose example herein, we are to follow, Matth. 5. 48. The Hebrewes explaine it by a similitude thus; As if Reuben say to Simeon, hire mee this house, or lend mee this oxe, and Simeon will not. After a time, Simeon commeth to Reuben, to borrow or hire of him; and Reuben saith, L[illegible: 1 letter]e I lend it thee, and I will not doe as thou didst, I will not repay thee according to thy deedes. Hee that doth thus, transgresseth this Law. THOV SHALT NOT KEEPE; but he should blot the thing out of his heart, and not keepe it. For all the while that be keepeth the thing, and remembreth it; he is in danger to fall unto revenging. Therefore the Law cutteth off this keeping (in minde;) untill he put the injurie out of his heart, and remember it not at all. Maimony in Degnoth, c. 7. s. 8. Chazkuni also explaineth it thus, Thou shalt not avenge, in worke; thou shalt not keepe, in thought. as thy selfe] This is the Second of the two great commandements, which our Saviour saith is like unto the first, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thine heart, &c. and on these two commandements hang all the Law and the Prophets, Matth. 22. 37. 40. For this, thou shalt not commit adulterie, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steale, Thou shalt not beare false witnesse, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandement, it is briefly comprehended in this word, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe. Rom. 13. 9. To this we may adde the Hebrewes testimony, LOVE THY NEIGHBOVR AS THY SELFE: this is the great universall (precept) in the Law. R. Azai said unto him, IN THE IMAGE OF GOD MADE HE HIM: this is an universall (rule) greater then it: that a man should not say, forasmuch as I am despised, my neighbour shall be despised with me. R. Thancuma answered, if thou dost so, know whom thou despisest; for loe, hee that loveth his neighbour, who is made in the Image of God, loveth the blessed God himselfe, and honoureth him. R. Menachem, on Levit. 19. Another writeth thus, Every man is commanded to love every one of Israel, as his owne body, Levit. 19. 18. Therefore he must speake in his commendation, and spare his goods, as he would spare his owne goods, and as be would his owne honour. And hee that honoureth himselfe, by the dishonour of his neighbour, he hath no inheritance in the world to come. Maimony in Degnoth, chap. 6. sect. 3. Vers. 19. my statutes] in Greeke, my law. This is here repeated, lest the ordinances following which may seeme to be small, should bee neglected. Or, as this word Statute (or, Decree) is sometime used for Gods ordinances in nature, bounding and limiting things, Psal. 148. 6. Iob 26. 10. and 38. 33. Prov. 8. 29. so here hee may intend the same, that his naturall ordinances for the distinct kindes of things, should not be violated. let thy catted] or, cause thy beast, of any sort. The Hebrewes say, He that causeth the male to ingender with the female which is not of the same kinde, whether it be of cattell, or wilde-beast, or fowle, yea though it bee of the kindes of wilde-beasts that are in the sea; he is to be beaten [of the Magistrates] by the Law, in every place; whether it be within the land [of Israel,] or without the same, Levit. 19. 19. and whether it be a beast or fowle of his owne, or of his neighbours. Who so transgresseth, and causeth he[illegible: 1 letter] beast to ingender with another kinde, that which is bred of them, is lawfull for use. And if it bee one kinde of cleane beasts, with another kinde of cleane beast; it is lawfull to be eaten. Two kindes of beasts that are one like another, though they be mixed together, and one like an other; yet for as much as they are of two kindes, it is unlawfull to cause them to gender together: as a wolfe, with a dog; a Roe bucke with a Goat; an horse, with a mule, &c. Beasts that are bred of divers kindes, if their dammes be of one kinde, it is lawfull to let them gender together; but if they be of two kindes it is unlawfull. As, a mule, whose damme is an asse, it is lawfull to let him gender with a shee-mule, if her damme be an asse. But if the damme of the mule, be a mare; it is unlawfull [illegible: 1 word] let him gender, with a shee-mule, whose damme is [illegible: 1 word] asse; and so in all other like cases. Maimony in Mis[illegible: 1 span], tom. 3 in Kilajim (or treat. of divers-kindes) chap. 9. sect. 1. 3. &c. The reason of this law, may be partly to conserve the nature of things, as God first created them, and blessed them to increase and multiply, every one after his kinde, Gen. 1. 11. 12. 21. 24. 25. and 6. 20. which order hee would have his people to keepe, and not in vanitie or curiositie of minde, to alter the shape and nature of the creatures, or seeme to make moe then God created. Therefore Anah (one of the wicked,) is noted as the first that found out Mules, by the gendring of divers kindes: see the Annotations on Gen. 36. 24. And partly it might leade Israel to the simplitie and sinceritie of religion, and to all the parts and doctrines of the Law and Gospell, in their distinct kindes: as Faith is necessarie, Good workes are necessary; but to mingle these together in the c[illegible: 1 span] of our justification before God, is forbidden, G[illegible: 2 letters]. 2. 16. and 3. 9. 10. 11. 12. The same is to be minded for the things of this nature, following. See also Deut. 22. 9. 10. 11. where in repeating this Law, the ploughing with an Oxe and an Asse together, is forbidden. The Hebrew doctors say, He that causeth gendring of two kindes, it is as if he thought that the [illegible: 2 letters]ly blessed God had not perfected whatsoever is needfull, but himselfe would adde moe creatures, and helpe in the creation of the world. And in the mixture of seedes, a man altereth the order of the creation, for it is written concerning them, AFTER HIS KINDE, (Gen. 1. 11.) And this is that which is said (in Levit. 19. 19.) YE SHALL KEEPE MY STATVTES; our Rabbines have said, these statutes [or bounds] are those by which he hath bounded the world, &c. Also they say, wheresoever a STATVTE is spoken of, it is a Kingsdecree, &c. And the intendment is, that man should not alter the statutes of the Lord most high, for he then doth at one that changeth the Kings coine: he that changeth the kindes, and maketh mixtures of div[illegible: 1 letter]rs sorts in any thing, is as a falsifier of the Kings coine. R. Menachem on Levit. 19. fol. 148. with a divers-kinde] The Hebrew Kilajim, is a generall word for all mixed things, as the Chaldee translateth it, as in beasts, seeds, garments, and the like. And it hath the name of Restraint or Prohibition, because such mixtures are forbidden. not sow thy field] not thy vineyard, Deut. 22. 9. and so by proportion, other the like, as trees, &c. The Hebrewes explaine it thus. He that soweth two kindes of seedes together, in the land of Israel, is to be beaten. Levit. 19. 19. As he that mixeth wheat and barley, or beanes and lentiles together, and layeth them on the earth, and covereth them with mould; whether it bee with his hand, or with his foot, or with an instrument; he is to be beaten. And it is unlawfull for a man to let divers kindes of seedes grow in his field; but hee must pull them up; though if he let them grow, he is not beaten. By tradition we have learned, that it is lawfull for an Israelite to sow divers kindes of seeds, out of the land, (of Israel.) None are forbidden by the name of divers-kinds; but such seedes as are meet for mans meat; bitter hearbs and other such like, meet for medicine or like uses; there is in them no respect of divers kindes of seeds. Divers kindes of trees, they are comprehended within this generall rule, THOV SHALT NOT SOW THY FIELD, &c. As he that graffeth one tree in an other, as the griffe of an apple tree, in a pome-citron tree, or a citron in an apple-tree; Loe such are to bee beaten by the Law, whether within the land, or without the land; and so he that planteth an hearbe in a tree, &c. And it is unlawful for an Israelite to let an heathen graffe trees with divers-kindes for him. But it is lawfull to sow seedes of graine, and seeds of trees together; and lawfull likewise to mixe the seedes of trees, and to sow them together; for there is no mixture of divers-kindes in trees, [illegible: 1 span]e graffing onely. Though he that soweth divers-kinds is to be beaten, yet those fruits are lawfull to bee eaten, [illegible: 1 word]. for the sowing onely is forbidden. And it is lawfull [illegible: 1 word] plant a branch of that tree, which hath beene graffed with divers-kindes, and to sow of the seed of that herbe, which was sowne with divers-kindes. One seed that is mixed with another, if it bee one of foure and twenty, (that is, the foure and twentieth part,) as one pecke of wheat, with three and twentie peckes of barley, let it is unlawfull to sow this mixture; untill either the wheat be lesse, or the barley more: otherwise he that soweth it, is to be beaten. A field that hath beene sowne and reaped, and the rootes remaine in the earth; although they spring up but after some yeeres: they may not sow other seed in that field, untill the rootes be plucked up. In the first day of Adar (that is, Februarie) they make proclamation against divers-kindes of seedes; and every man goeth cut to his garden and field; and purgeth it of divers-kindes [if they grow there] And in the fifteenth day thereof, the Magistrates send messengers forth, and they goe about to search. Maimony in Kilajim. chap. 1. sect. 1. &c. and chap. 2. sect. 1. 12. 15. The reason of this Law, is the same with the former: see more on Deut. 22. 9. of linsie-wolsie] in Hebrew, Shagnatnez, a word used onely here, and in Deut. 22. 11. where Moses after explaineth it, of woollen and linnen together: but the word it selfe is like to be of some other language, which used (as seemeth) to call such garments by that name. The Chaldee keepeth the Hebrew word: but the Greeke translateth it Kibdelos, which is used of things adulterate, or impurely-mixt. According to which interpretation, it should be figure of corruption and hypocrisie. Among the Hebrewes R. Menachem (upon this place, applaudeth an exposition of this word which he found in the Doctors of the Kabbala, that it is Satan one of the high rulers, [hee meaneth the Ruler of the power of the aire, spoken of in Ephes. 2. 2] which is clad with Shagnatnez, and is able to doe hurt, and is [non-Latin text not transcribed] [Satan the Idolater,] by transposition of letters [non-Latin text not transcribed] [Shagnatnez:] and the Gentiles which knew not the meaning of the word, called him Satanas: [So the Divell is called in the Greeke tongue, Rev. 12. 9.] But their Canonists explaine the thing thus; Nothing is forbidden concerning divers-kindes in garments, but wooll and flaxe only, Deut. 22. 11. And there is a thing like wooll that groweth on stones in the salt sea, &c. which is forbidden with flaxe, because to the eye sight it is like sheepes wooll. When wooll and flaxe are mixed together, as when they are tozed together, or spun together, and so woven into a garment; this is the divers-kindes forbidden in the Law. To sow a woollen garment with flaxen threed, or a flaxen garment with woollen threed, &c. is divers-kindes. Of these divers-kindes there is no stinted-measure; though it be but a threed of wooll in a flaxen garment, or a flaxen threed in a woollen garment, it is unlawfull. If the wooll of sheepe and of camels or the like, be tozed and spun together; and if the halfe be sheepes wooll, loe it is al as sheepes wooll, and being with flaxe, it is of divers-kindes. But if the most part be of camels wooll, it is lawfull to mixe it with flaxe; for it hath all the forme of camels wooll. Likewise hempe and flaxe tozed together, if the most part be hemp, it is lawfull to weave the threeds thereof, with the threeds of wooll: but if they be halfe to halfe, it is unlawfull. Maimony in Kilajim, chap. 10. sect. 1. &c. So in Thalmud Bab. in Kilajim, chap. 9. they say, Nothing is forbidden by the name of divers-kindes (in garments) but wooll and flaxe together. not come upon thee] in Greeke, thou shalt not put upon thee: and so Moses explaineth it in Deut. 22. 11. Thou shalt not weare (or clad thy selfe,) And this the Hebrewes understand strictly, that nothing is forbidden but the wearing of it in garments: therefore they say; Garments of divers-kindes, it is lawfull to make them, and to sell them; and nothing is forbidden but to weare them onely, Deut. 22. 11. It is lawfull to dwell in a Tent made all of linsie-woolsie; and to sit upon carpets, beds, &c. made thereof. Also to make shrowds of such, to wrap the dead in; for unto the dead there is no commandement. Who so weareth linsie-woolsie; or putteth it on; is to be beaten. Who so putteth it upon his neighbour, if he that hath it upon him, doe it presumptuously, then he is beaten that hath it on him; and hee that put it upon him, transgresseth this rule, Thou shalt not put a stumbling-blocke before the blinde. But if hee that hath the garment on him, knoweth not that it is linsie-woolsie, but he that put it on him did it presumptuously; he that put it on him is beaten, and hee that hath it on, is free. Maimony in Kilajim, chap. 10. sect. 12. 25. 30. 31. Vers. 20. a man] in Greeke, if any (man) lye with a woman. betrothed] so the Chaldee expoundeth the Hebrew Necherepheth, which comming of Caraph, that is, to publish and to reproach, is diversly here understood; of some, for a woman in reproach and publike contempt: of others, publikely betrothed. The Greeke translateth it, kept (or reserved) to a man. The Hebrew doctors explaine it thus. The bond-woman (charuphah) betrothed, spoken of in the Law, is one that is halfe a bondwoman and halfe a freewoman, and betrothed to an Hebrew servant. Thalmud Bab in Cherethoth chap. 2. and Maimony in Issurei biah, chap. 3. sect. 13. But this betrothing is not complete, as elsewhere he saith, He that is espoused to a woman that is halfe bond and halfe free, she is not espoused with complete espousals untill she be made free: and when she is free, they accomplish the espousals, as the espousals of a girle, which is growne great, and he needeth no other espousals. Maim. treat. of Wives, chap. 4. sect. 16. not redeemed] the Chaldee explaineth it thus, not redeemed with money, or freedome is not given her by a bill of dismission. a scourging] The Hebrew Bikkoreth signifieth first a carefull-inquisition or visitation, and by consequence a scourging or beating; and this is meant of her onely, as the Chaldee version sheweth; and the Greeke saith, there shall be a visitation of her: and so the Hebrew Canons explaine it, She is to be beaten; and he is to bring a sacrifice: Maimony in Shegagoth, chap. 9. sect. 1. and elsewhere (in Issure biah, chap. 3. sect. 14.) he saith, The lying with this bondwoman, differeth from all other unlawfull copulations; for loe shee is to be beaten, (Levit. 19. 20.) and he is bound to bring a trespasse offring, (Lev. 19. 21.) So in the Thalmud, in Cherethoth, chap. 2. it is said, In all unlawfull copulations, whether it be man or woman, they are alike in stripes and in sacrifice: but in (the case of) the bond-woman, the [illegible: 1 word] is not like to the woman in stripes, nor the woman to the man in sacrifice. not free] for if she were free, the punishment of them both should be death: Deut. 22. 24. Vers. 21. his trespasse-offring] whereof see Lev. 5. Vers. 23 into the land] of Canaan: the Greeke addeth, which the Lord your God, giveth unto you. This Law was peculiar for the Land of Canaan, not for other countries. tree for food] or, tree of food, that is, whose fruit serveth for mans meat. So this law concerneth not other trees that are for timber: and (as the Hebrewes thinke) not fruit trees which are not intended by the owner for food. They say, He that planteth a tree for food, and he intendeth it to be a fense for a garden, or that he hath planted it for timber, not for fruit: it is free from the (Law of the) uncircumcised (fruits.) If he plant it for fense, and after changeth his minde, and reputeth it for food; or planteth it for food, & after reputeth it for fense: as he shall please to intend, so is hee bound concerning it. If he planted it three yeeres for fense, and thenceforth for food, it is not the fourth yeere sanctified: for whatsoever hath not beene (three yeeres) uncircumcised, cannot be the fourth yeere sanctified. He that planteth, for (to observe) a commandement, as when hee planteth a Citron tree, for branches at the feast of Tabernacles; or an Olive tree for (oile for) the Candlesticke (in the Sanctuarie,) it is bound to (this law of) the uncircumcision. That which the heathens planted before (Israel) came into the land, was free from it: but after they came into he land, though the heathens planted it, it was bound thereunto. Whether a man plant a slip or branch of a tree, or pull up the whole tree out of his place and plant it in an other place; it is bound to the uncircumcision: and they are to reckon from the houre of the planting thereof. Whether he plant it, or slip it, or graffe it; it is bound hereunto. Maimony in Magnaser sheni (or treat of the second Tithe) chap. 10. sect. 2. 3. 7. 9. 11. 13. And elsewhere they say, Our fathers came into the land; whatsoever they found planted, was free (from this law of uncircumcision:) what they themselves planted, though before the land was conquered, was bound hereunto. Thalmud in Gnorlah chap. 1. sect. 2. count as uncircumcised] or, cut-off the uncircumcision thereof, to weet, the fruit thereof. The Greek translateth, ye shall purifie the impuritie thereof. three yeeres] By the Hebrew canons, The first (day) of Tisri (that is, the moneth which we call September,) was the beginning of the yeere for uncircumcised fruits, and for the fourth (yeere.) Maim. in Magnaser sheni chap. 9. sect. 8. as uncircumcised] in Gr. unpurified (or uncleane:) the Chaldee expounds it, abhorred (or put-away) unto destruction. not be eaten] nor sold to infidels, nor any use or profit made of them, but eaten off and destroyed. The fruits that the tree yeeldeth, for three yeeres after the planting, are unlawfull to be eaten, or put to any profitable-use: and who so eateth of them so much as an olive, is to be beaten by the Law. Maimony, treat. of Forbidden meats, chap. 10. sect. 9. Vers. 24. holinesse of praises] that is, fruit of holinesse, or an holy thing, to be consecrated unto the Lord for his praise, and eaten with mi[illegible: 1 letter]th before him: as in Iudg. 9. 27. they made praises; that is, songs and mirth, and as the Greeke there translateth, dances. This was done, either by giving them to the Priests, as Num. 18. 12. 13. &c. (and so Aben Ezra on Levit. 19. saith, the Priests did eat it,) Or the owners did eat them before the Lord, as they did their second tithes. Deuter. 12. 17. 17. This latter is the Hebrewes common opinion, who say; The fruits of the fourth (yeere) after the plantation, are holy, Levit. 19. 24. and their right is, to [illegible: 1 span] in Ierusalem, by the owners of them, as the se [illegible: 1 span] [illegible: 1 letter]ith[illegible: 1 letter]. He that would redeeme these fruits, may re [illegible: 1 span] [illegible: 1 word] as the second tithe; and if he redeeme them for himselfe, he must adde the fift part, [as Levit. 27. 30. 3[illegible: 1 letter].] A vineyard of the fourth (yeere) is not [illegible: 1 word] to that law [forementioned in Levit. 19. 9. 10.] to leave a corner, or the single-grapes, or the grapes broken off, &c. neither doe they separate out of it first fruits or tithes, or second tithes: but all the fruits are c[illegible: 1 span]d up to Ierusalem, or redeemed, and their price caried up, and eaten in Ierusalem, as the tithes. The grapes of vineyards of the fourth yeere, the Iudges ordained that they should be brought up to Ierusalem, a daies journey on every side, to decke the streetes of Ierusalem with the fruits; all other fruits might be redeemed, though (they grew) neere to the walles (of Ierusalem.) Who so had trees planted of the fourth yeere, in the yeere of release [which was every seventh yeere, Levit. 25. 4. 6.] when every mans hand was alike (free to g[illegible: 1 letter] ther them:) hee must set up a signe of clods of earth, whereby they might be knowne; that they might not bee eaten of, untill they were redeemed. And if it was within the yeeres of the uncircumcised-fruits, he made signes of potters clay, that they might be kept from (eating of) them; for the prohibition of uncircumcised fruits was weighty, for all use of them was forbidden. Maimony in Magnaser sheni, chap. 9. sect. 1. 2. 4. 7. and Thal [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 letter]ab. in Magnaser sheni, chap. 1. Vers. 25. ye shall eat] to weet, as other common [illegible: 1 letter]eates; freely without redeeming them. And hereupon is that phrase of making a vineyard com [illegible: 1 span], in Deuter. 20. 6. which was in the fift yeere from the plantation, when they were free to bee eaten. to adde] that is, that the tree may adde, or abundantly yeeld unto you, the revenue (or increase) thereof; whiles you obey these my commandements; for upon obedience, such blessings are promised, Levit. 26. 3. 4. So Targum Ionathan explaineth it, that they may adde unto you from heaven; i. by the blessing of God. By this Law of uncircumcised or uncleane fruits, God taught his people the [illegible: 1 span]gion of their sinnes, since first man did eat of the forbidden tree: for which the earth was cursed, Gen. 3. 17. and men have no right to eat of the increase thereof, (for to them that are defiled and vnbeleeving nothing is pure, Tit. 1. 15.) untill it be sanctified by the word of God and prayer, 1 Tim. 4. 5. So by the fourth yeeres fruits, which were holy to the Lord, he taught them sanctimonie and thankfulnesse; as by their first fruits, tithes, &c. which they gave unto the Lord, every yeere; hee taught them to honour him, with their substance, and with the first of all their increase, that so their [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 2 letters]ght be filled with plentie, and their presses burst-out with new wine; Prov. 3. 9. 10. Vers. 26. with the blood] that is, any flesh that is not fully dead, or whose blood is not orderly let out, and the flesh purged of the blood: as in 1 Sam. 14. 33. (where this phrase is used,) they said, Behold the people sin against the Lord, in that they eat with the blood: &c. See the annotations on Levit. 17. The Hebrewes understand hereby two things, Not to eat the flesh of holy things, before the blood be sprinkled (on the altar;) nor to eat of common beasts, untill their soule (their life) be gone out. Sol. Iarchi on Levit. 19. In Targum Ionathan it is thus explained; ye shall not eat of the flesh of any sacrifice, whiles the blood is in the basin, (unsprinkled.) But Maimony ([illegible: 1 letter]om. 2. in Shechitah chap. 1. sect. 2.) saith, It is unlawfull to eat of a slaine beast, so long as it trembleth: and hee that eateth thereof before the soule of it be gone out, transgresseth against a prohibition. And it is comprised in this generall rule, YE SHALL NOT EAT WITH THE BLOOD. Chazkuni also saith, With the blood, i. without slaying it; and so it is written (in 1 Sam. 14. 34.) and slay them here, and eat, and sin not against the Lord, in eating with the blood. The Greeke translateth, ye shall not eat upon the mountaines: (reading Harim, mountaines, for Hadam, the blood: mistaking [non-Latin text not transcribed] R. for [non-Latin text not transcribed] D. as they doe sundry other times;) meaning it against Idolatrie; which though the thing be true, as Ezekiel 18. 6. yet is it not the intendment of this place: and the Chaldee translateth it aright, with the blood. Some of the Hebrewes (as Baal hatturim on this place,) because in the next words is forbidden observing of fortunes and of times, &c. which were heathenish customes, thinke this also to be the like, and understand it of not eating upon or over blood of a man slaine; that they should not observe fortunes (or use inchantment) by eating after the manner of murderers, which eat bread over him that is slaine, that the avengers of blood may not execute vengeance on them. Chazkuni also citeth the like exposition: but the former, by comparing it with 1 Sam. 14. is the best. not observe fortunes] or, not conjecture by signes of good or evil-lucke; an heathenish practice, who marked signes for good or evill, as by seeing of beasts or birds which they counted lucky or unlucky; by the falling of a staffe out of their hands, by stumbling when they went out of doores, and many such like. So that which followeth, not observe times; is to count one day lucky, an other unlucky to take a journey in hand, or beginne any worke, and the like. Of these, see the annotations on Deut. 18. 10. 11. where Moses more fully layeth downe this Law, and mentioneth sundry other particulars of this kinde: calling Israel from all false prophets, soothsayers, sorcerers, unto Gods word and unto Christ alone, the Prophet whom he promiseth to raise up unto them. Vers. 27. not round] not compasse, that is, not cut ro[illegible: 1 span]d; which the Greeke translateth, yee shall not make a roundnesse of the haire of your head. This is likely to be a manner of the heathens, especially in their mourning, as these lawes, compared with Levit. 21. 5. seeme to implie. a corner] or, the corners, (the singular being put for the plurall,) which are the forehead, temples, and behinde the eares: these God would not have rounded or cut as with a dish, like an halfe globe, because idolaters used that fashion; as appeareth also by Ier. 9. 26. and 25. 23. & 49. 32. And the Arabians used so to poll their heads, as Herodotus in his Historie, b. 3. testifieth. The Hebrew canons say, None may shave the corners of their head, as the Idolaters have done, Levit. 19. 27. and he (that so doth) is guilty for every corner: therefore he that shaveth his two temples, though at once, is to be beaten twise. Maimony in treat of Idolatrie, chap. 12. sect. 1. marre] or, corrupt a corner of thy beard, that is, any of the corners thereof: which the Greeke translateth the sight (or fashion) of your beard. This Law is againe repeated for the Priests, Levit. 21. 5. where for marring, he useth the word shaving: and Maimony (in treat. of Idolatrie, chap. 12. sect. 7.) saith, It was the manner of Idolatrous Priests, to marre their beards, therefore the Law forbiddeth to marre the beard. And he maketh five corners, two on the upper lip, and three beneath; and for marring any one, he was to be beaten, and for marring all five, to be beaten as for five transgressions. But this is not (as hee saith) meant for trimming them with sizers, but for shaving them off onely, for it must be such cutting as is the marring (or corrupting) of them. Such shaving the heathens also used in signe of sorrow; as in Esa. 15. 2. it is said of Moab, on all their heads baldnesse, every beard cut-off. So in Ier. 48. 37. Vers. 28. not make] Hebr. not give in your flesh: which the Greeke translateth, not make in your body, cutting] or incision; in Greeke, incisions; in the Chaldee, hurt, or corruption: so in Leviticus 21. 5. Compare also Deut. 14. 1. Ier. 48. 37. for a soule] meaning for a dead soule or person, as Numb. 6. 6. and as in Targum Ionathan it is here explained; that is, in sorrow or mourning for a soule departed: which the Chaldee translateth for the dead; (as Moses himselfe explaineth it, in Deut. 14. 1.) but the Greeke keepeth the word soule. Among the Latines also Anima, the soule, was used for a dead bodie: as in Virgil Ae[illegible: 1 letter]eid. 3. Animamque sepulchro Co[illegible: 1 letter]din[illegible: 1 letter]us. Hereby God calleth them from the heathenish manners, and would have them not to sorrow, as others which have no hope, 1 Thes. 4. 13. for among the nations, when their friends died, they lamented, and cut themselves, and made themselves balde for them, Ier. 16. 6. By the Hebrew canons, He that did cut one gash for the dead. was to be beaten: and whether he were a Priest, or an (other) Israelite, if he cut one gash for five dead persons, or five for one dead person, he was to be beaten five times. Maimony treat. of Idolatrie, chap. 12. sect. 12. the print of a marke] or, the writing of an impression; which the Chaldee translateth, ingraven markes; the Greeke, letters printed (or marked.) The Hebrewes open it thus. The print of a marke spoken of in the Law, was when one did cut upon his flesh, and filled the cut p[illegible: 2 letters]ce with stibium, or with inke, or some other colour. And this was the custome of the heathens, that they marked themselves unto Idolatrie, &c. Maimony treat. of Idolatrie, chap. 12. sect. 11. From all these and other like heathenish rites, whereby they spared not, but unnaturally mangled their owne bodies, God would keepe his people, whose bodies should be the members of Christ, and the Temple of the holy Ghost, 1 Cor. 6. 15. 19. who therfore should beare in their bodie, no other then the markes of the Lord Iesus, Gal. 6. 17. See the notes on Deut. 14. 1. 2. Vers. 29. to be an where] or, to commit fornication. This word is used both for carnall whordome, and spirituall, which is idolatrie, as Ex. 34. 15. and to this latter the Chaldee seemeth to referre it, saying, Prophane not thy daughter to cause her to erre: whereby Idolatrie is usually meant. What an whore was in Israel, is noted on Levit. 21. 7. the land] that is, the people of the land, following her evill example. wickednesse] or, wicked thoughts: in Chaldee, counsell (or purpose) of sinnes: but Targum Ionathan expoundeth it whoredome. See the notes on Levit. 18. 17. Vers. 30. Sabbaths] in Chaldee, sabbath dayes; as before in verse 3. So after in Levit. 26. 2. reverence] or, feare my sanctuarie; unto which they were to come on the Sabbaths, Ezek. 46. 3. which Sanctuarie was now the Tabernacle, afterwards the Temple. This feare was for the presence of God therein: whereupon Iakob feared and said, How fearefull is this place? this is no other but the house of God, &c. Gen. 28. 16. 17. And Salomon saith, Take heed to thy foot; when thou goest into the house of God: Eccles. 5. 1. And in Targum Ionathan this Law is explained thus, yee shall goe to the house of my Sanctuarie infeare. From hence the Iewes had many rites, for comming into the Sanctuarie, and behaving themselves in it; which Maimony in tom. 3. in Beth habchirah (or treat. of the Temple) chap. 7. sheweth thus. It is commanded to reverence the Sanctuarie, Levit. 19. 30. and thou reverencest not the Sanctuarie it selfe, but him who commanded the reverence thereof. And what is this reverence of it? A man may not come into the mountaine of the house (of God) with his staffe, or with his shooes on his feete, or in his working-garment, or with dust on his feete, or with bags of money about him. And I need not speake, how it is unlawfull to spit in any part of the mountaine of the House; but he must wrap up his excrements in his handkerchiefe. And he may not make the mount of the house a thorow-fare, to goe in at one doore and out at another, to shorten his way: but must goe round about, and not come in there save for the thing that is commanded. And all that went in to the mount of the House, went in by the way of the right hand, and turned and went out by the way of the left: except hee unto whom some thing had befallen, for which he turned towards the left hand. Therefore they asked him, what is befallen thee, the thou turnest towards the left hand? (If he said) because I am a mourner: (they answered,) Hee that dwelleth in this House, comfort thee. (If he said) Because I have the Niddui [that is, the lesser excommunication] upon me: (they answered,) Hee that dwelleth in this House, give into thine heart, that thou maist hearken unto the words of thy neighbours. Whosoever had accomplished his service, and went his way; did not goe out with his backe to the Temple, but went backward by little and little, and went softly sidelong, till he was out of the courtyard; and so did the men that kept the watch, and their courses, and the Levites, &c. all this was for reverence of the Sanctuarie. And whosoever assembled into the Courtyard, went softly unto the place whither it was lawfull for him to come; and he was to consider that he stood before the Lord; as he hath said, Mine eyes and mine heart shall be there, all dayes, (2 Chron. 7. 16.) And he was to goe with dread, and with feare and trembling. And it was unlawfull for any man to sit in all the Courtyard: neither was there any seat in the Courtyard. s[illegible: 1 span] for the Kings of Davids house onely; as it is writt[illegible: 2 letters]. And King David went in, and sate before the [illegible: 1 word] (1 Sam. 7. 18.) And it is unlawfull for a man to make an house, after the fashion of the Temple, or a [illegible: 1 word] like the porch thereof, or a courtyard like the c[illegible: 3 letters]t thereof; or a Table like the Table there, or a C[illegible: 1 span]cke like the C[illegible: 1 span]lesticke thereof, &c. With these rites which were in Israel, wee may compare the [illegible: 1 word] of our Saviour, who for reverence of the Sanctuarie, drove out the merchants from thence, and the sheepe and the oxen, and poured out the changers money, and overthrew the Tables, and said, Make not my fathers house, an house of merchandize: Ioh. 2. 14. 15. 16. And he would not suffer that [illegible: 1 word] man should cary any vessell through the Temple: Mark. 11. 16. And for turning their backs towards the Sanctuarie, see Ezek. 46. 9. and 8. 16. But as the Sanctuarie of God, was chiefly a figure of the body of our Lord Iesus, Iohn 2. 19. 21. Hebrewes 9. 11. so this precept hath chiefest respect unto him, whom all ought to reverence, and to honour the Son, even as they honour the Father; Ioh. 5. 23. Who when hee bringeth in the first begotten into the world, he saith; And let all the Angels of God worship him: Heb. 1. 6. Vers. 31. Turne not unto them] the Chaldee saith, after them: and so the Greeke, ye shall not follow. So in Levit. 20. 6. Hereby is forbidden, consulting with or [illegible: 1 span]ing of them: as Deut. 18. 11. that have [illegible: 1 word] spirits] called in Hebrew Oboth, (of Ob which is a bottle, Iob 32. 19.) in Greeke Eggastri [illegible: 1 word], as speaking with an hollow voice out of the belly, or as out of a bottle: in Chaldee Biddin, Pit[illegible: 3 letters]s. These were spirits of divination, as Act. 16. 16. Or which, see the annotations on Deut. 18. 11. And O[illegible: 2 letters]th is here for Baale oboth, such as have familiar spirits; as is expressed in 1 Sam. 28. 7. So Spirits. are used for spirituall gifts, and men that have them; in 1 Cor. 14. 12. 32. 1 Ioh. 4. 1. wizarde] or cunning persons, so named of their knowledge which they pretended to have. These are joyned to the familiar spirits aforesaid, as like unto them in sinne; and both of them were to be killed by the Magistrate, Levit. 20. 27. See the notes on Deut. 18. 11. This precept is added next the former of reverencing Gods Sanctuarie, which figured Christ: even as in Deut. 18. when God calleth them [illegible: 2 letters]om all such familiar spirits, wizards, &c. he promiseth the Prophet (Christ) unto his people. So here Chazkuni observeth, ye shall reverence my S[illegible: 2 letters]ct[illegible: 2 letters]rie; therefore turne not to them that have familiar spirits, and to wizards; for what have you to doe with such: behold you have a Sanctuarie, wherein is V[illegible: 1 span] [illegible: 1 word] Thu[illegible: 1 span]im. Vers. 32. rise up] in signe of honour, 1 King. 2. 19. the [illegible: 1 letter]oary-head] that is, the man which hath an [illegible: 1 word]-head; or gray-hayres; which as it is the ho [illegible: 1 word] of old-men, Prov. 20. 29. so God would have such to be honoured. The Greeke translateth it, the [illegible: 1 word]-headed: the Chaldee, him that is skilfull in the L[illegible: 2 letters]. And so it is holden by the Hebrewes, that learned men are by this law to be reverenced, as the aged: and that when such came within foure [illegible: 1 word], the yongers were to rise up, and so soone as they were past, to sit downe againe. of the old-man] or, of the elder; which was a common name, for aged persons, and for Magistrates, usually called Elders, Deut. 22. 18. and 25. 7. both are to be honoured, the one for their age, the other for their office. But for their sins, the Lord threatned the contrary, Deut. 28. 50. which Ieremy saw fulfilled, and lamented that the faces of Elders were not honoured, Lam. 5. 12. By the Hebrewes account a man at sixtie yeeres, was Old; and at seventie, Hoarie, or gray-headed. The old man here, is in Targum Ionathan expounded the wise man. Vers. 33. a stranger] in Greeke, a proselyte: this Law is here repeated from Exod. 22. 21. see the annotations there. vexe him] in Greeke, afflict him: and Targum Ionathan addeth, with hard words. So it is explained by Sol. Iarchi, vexations of words, as, thou shalt not say unto him; yesterday thou wast an idolater, and now thou comest to learn the Law, which was given from the mouth of the Power (of God.) Vers. 34. as one homeborne] that is, as a naturall Israelite; for affection towards him, and not communion in the holy things of God: see the notes on Exod. 12. 48. 49. as thy selfe] the same which was commanded before touching the Israelites; verse 18. The Hebrewes write hereof thus: The love of the stranger, which commeth and gathereth him-selfe under the wings of the Divine-Majestie, is a twofold commandement, first because he is among our generall neighbours; and againe because he is a stranger: and the law saith, YE SHALL LOVE THE STRANGER. (Deut. 10. 19.) He hath commanded the love of the stranger, even as hee hath commanded the love of himselfe; for it is written, AND THOV SHALT LOVE THE LORD THY GOD, (Deut. 6. 5.) And the holy blessed God himselfe, loveth strangers, (Deut. 10. 18.) Maimony in Degnoth, c. 6. s. 4. Vers. 35. unrighteousnesse] or injurious-evill: see vers. 15. in mete yard] the Greeke translateth it in measures. The Hebrew Middah is properly such measure or dimension, as concerneth the greatnesse of things, or length of them, by the yard, elle, inch, rod, or the like: the next two concerne the multitude of things, by weight, as in skoles, or by measure, as in vessels. Hereof the Hebrewes say, Hee that weigheth to his neighbour, by lesser weights, then the people of that countrie are wont to doe; or meteth by a lesser mete-yard, then they are wont, transgresseth the Law in Levit. 19. 35. Although hee that meteth or weigheth lesse, is a theefe; yet he payeth not the double, [as in Exod. 22. 4.] but payeth him his measure or his weight. Neither is he beaten for this trespasse, because he is bound to make restitution. Who so hath in his house or in his shop a lesser meteyard or weight, transgresseth the Law, in Deut. 25. 13. 14. For though he himselfe doe not sell thereby, yet an other may co[illegible: 1 letter]e, who knoweth it not, and may measure by it. Whether he buy and sell with an Israelite, or with an Infidell, if hee mete or weigh by too little a weight, hee transgresseth, and is bound to restore. And so it is unlawfull to let an infidell erre in accompts; but he must exactly reckon with him: yea though hee be one that is subdued under thy hand; how much more then with others that are not subdued, Maimony treat. of Theft, chap. 7. Vers. 36. just stones] Hebr. stones of justice; which the Chaldee well explaineth true weights; and the Greeke, just weights. So stones are often used for weights, Deut. 25. 12. Prov. 11. 1. and 16. 11. and 20. 20. 23. where double and deceitfull weights, are shewed to bee an abhomination to the Lord. The reason of this name is, for that they used weights of stone, rather then of other things. They make no weights either of yron or of lead, or of other like metall, because they will canker and waxe too light. but they make them of the cleare stony-rocke, or of glasse, or the like. Maimony, treat. of Theft, chap. 8. sect. 4. Ephah] put for all measures, as the Greek and Chaldee here translate: though the Ephah was one certaine measure, like our Bushel; containing ten Omers: see the annotations on Exod. 16. 36. just Hin] Hebr. Hin of justice: the Hin was a measure of liquid things, (as the Ephah was for drie,) and it contained as much as seventie two hennes egges: see the notes on Exod. 30. 24. And under these two names, all other measures are comprehended, which God requireth to be just and true, condemning all falshood and deceit: as Ezek. 45. 10. 11. 12. Amos 8. 5. 8. In Israel, the Magistrates looked unto these, as in the Hebrew canons it is said, The Iudges are bound to appoint Officers in every citie, and in every shire, that they may goe about into shops, and look that their ballances and measures be just, and determine the stinted measure of them. And with whomsoever they finde any weight or measure too light or short, or ballances that goe awry; they have authoritie to smite him, and to mulct him, as the Iudges shall [illegible: 1 word] meet, &c. Maimony treat. of Thft, chap. 8. sect, 20. These ordinances, as they taught men justice in all their civill affaires, so especially in spirituall: that all things pertaining to religion, be faithfully and equally weighed in the ballance of the heart; by the measures and weights of the Lords sanctuarie: that is, by his lawes, and words of truth, contained in the holy Scriptures. Act. 17. 11. 1. Thes. 5. 21. 2. Tim. 3. 16, 17. compared with Hos. 12. 7. As also that all persons be tried and judged, according to their workes, by the word of God: Mat. 7. 1 2, 3. Ioh. 7. 24. compared with Iob 31. 6. Dan. 5. 27. Psal. 58. p. 3.