Numbers 11 commentary

Here is the people's sin; they complained. See the sinfulness of sin, which takes occasion from the commandment to be provoking. The weakness of the law discovered sin, but could not destroy it; checked, but could not conquer it. They complained. Those who are of a discontented spirit, will always find something to quarrel or fret about, though the circumstances of their outward condition be ever so favourable. The Lord heard it, though Moses did not. God knows the secret frettings and murmurings of the heart, though concealed from men. What he noticed, he was much displeased with, and he chastised them for this sin. The fire of their wrath against God burned in their minds; justly did the fire of God's wrath fasten on their bodies; but God's judgments came on them gradually, that they might take warning. It appeared that God delights not in punishing; when he begins, he is soon prevailed with to let it fall.

Man, having forsaken his proper rest, feels uneasy and wretched, though prosperous. They were weary of the provision God had made for them, although wholesome food and nourishing. It cost no money or care, and the labour of gathering it was very little indeed; yet they talked of Egypt's cheapness, and the fish they ate there freely; as if that cost them nothing, when they paid dearly for it with hard service! While they lived on manna, they seemed exempt from the curse sin has brought on man, that in the sweat of his face he should eat bread; yet they speak of it with scorn. Peevish, discontented minds will find fault with that which has no fault in it, but that it is too good for them. Those who might be happy, often make themselves miserable by discontent. They could not be satisfied unless they had flesh to eat. It is evidence of the dominion of the carnal mind, when we want to have the delights and satisfaction of sense. We should not indulge in any desire which we cannot in faith turn into prayer, as we cannot when we ask meat for our lust. What is lawful of itself becomes evil, when God does not allot it to us, yet we desire it.

The provocation was very great; yet Moses expressed himself otherwise than became him. He undervalued the honour God had put upon him. He magnified his own performances, while he had the Divine wisdom to direct him, and Almighty power to dispense rewards and punishments. He speaks distrustfully of the Divine grace. Had the work been much less he could not have gone through it in his own strength; but had it been much greater, through God strengthening him, he might have done it. Let us pray, Lord, lead us not into temptation.

Moses is to choose such as he knew to be elders, that is, wise and experienced men. God promises to qualify them. If they were not found fit for the employ, they should be made fit. Even the discontented people shall be gratified too, that every mouth may be stopped. See here, I. The vanity of all the delights of sense; they will cloy, but they will not satisfy. Spiritual pleasures alone will satisfy and last. As the world passes away, so do the lusts of it. 2. What brutish sins gluttony and drunkenness are! they make that to hurt the body which should be its health. Moses objects. Even true and great believers sometimes find it hard to trust God under the discouragements of second causes, and against hope to believe in hope. God here brings Moses to this point, The Lord God is Almighty; and puts the proof upon the issue, Thou shalt see whether my word shall come to pass or not. If he speaks, it is done.

We have here the fulfilment of God's word to Moses, that he should have help in the government of Israel. He gave of his Spirit to the seventy elders. They discoursed to the people of the things of God, so that all who heard them might say, that God was with them of a truth. Two of the elders, Eldad and Medad, went not out unto the tabernacle, as the rest, being sensible of their own weakness and unworthiness. But the Spirit of God found them in the camp, and there they exercised their gift of praying, preaching, and praising God; they spake as moved by the Holy Ghost. The Spirit of God is not confined to the tabernacle, but, like the wind, blows where He listeth. And they that humble themselves shall be exalted; and those who are most fit for government, are least ambitious of it. Joshua does not desire that they should be punished, but only restrained for the future. This motion he made out of zeal for what he thought to be the unity of the church. He would have them silenced, lest they should occasion a schism, or should rival Moses; but Moses was not afraid of any such effects from that Spirit which God had put upon them. Shall we reject those whom Christ has owned, or restrain any from doing good, because they are not in every thing of our mind? Moses wishes all the Lord's people were prophets, that he would put his Spirit upon all of them. Let the testimony of Moses be believed by those who desire to be in power; that government is a burden. It is a burden of care and trouble to those who make conscience of the duty of it; and to those who do not, it will prove a heavier burden in the day of account. Let the example of Moses be followed by those in power; let them not despise the advice and assistance of others, but desire it, and be thankful for it. If all the present number of the Lord's people were rendered prophets, or ministers, by the Spirit of Christ, though not all agreed in outward matters, there is work enough for all, in calling sinners to repentance, and faith in our Lord Jesus.

God performed his promise to the people, in giving them flesh. How much more diligent men are in collecting the meat that perishes, than in labouring for meat which endures to everlasting life! We are quick-sighted in the affairs of time; but stupidity blinds us as to the concerns of eternity. To pursue worldly advantages, we need no arguments; but when we are to secure the true riches, then we are all forgetfulness. Those who are under the power of a carnal mind, will have their lusts fulfilled, though it be to the certain damage and ruin of their precious souls. They paid dearly for their feasts. God often grants the desires of sinners in wrath, while he denies the desires of his own people in love. What we unduly desire, if we obtain it, we have reason to fear, will be some way or other a grief and cross to us. And what multitudes there are in all places, who shorten their lives by excess of one kind or other! Let us seek for those pleasures which satisfy, but never surfeit; and which will endure for evermore.

1. And when the people complained, it displeased the Lord. Lat., “And the people was, as it were, fainting (fatiscentes,) if, was displeasing in the ears of Jehovah.” Fr. “Apres il adveint que le peuple fut comme gens discouragez, (margin, despitez,) ce que despleut aux aureilles de l’Eternel;” afterwards it came to pass that the people were as persons discouraged (or fretted) which displeased the ears of God. The ambiguous signification of the participle מתאננים. Prof. Robertson and Simon agree in referring this participle Hithpahel to the root אנן he groaned heavily, rather than to און C., as usual, has given some of the Rabbinical expositions which he saw in S.M. תאנה occurs in Judges 14:4., where A.V. has occasion; תאנים in Ezekiel 24:12, where Simon’s Lexicon notices it as meaning wearinesses, placing this word under the root און. — W. causes the translators to twist this passage into a variety of meanings. Since the Hebrew root און, aven, is sometimes trouble and labor, sometimes fatigue, sometimes iniquity, sometimes falsehood, some translate it, “The people were, as it were, complaining or murmuring.” Others (though this seems to be more beside the mark) insert the adverb unjustly; as if Moses said, that their complaint was unjust, when they expostulated with God. Others render it, “being sick, (nauseantes,”) but this savors too much of affectation; others, “lying, or dealing treacherously.” Some derive it from the root תואנה, thonah, and thus explain it, “seeking occasion,” which I reject as far fetched. To me the word fainting (fatiscendi) seems to suit best; for they failed, as if broken down with weariness. It is probable that no other crime is alleged against them than that, abandoning the desire to proceed, they fell into supineness and inactivity, which was to turn their back upon God, and repudiate the promised inheritance. This sense will suit very well, and thus the proper meaning of the word will be retained. Thus, Ezekiel calls by the name תאנים, theunim, those fatigues, whereby men destroy and overwhelm themselves through undertaking too much work. Still, I do not deny that, when they lay in a state of despondency, they uttered words of reproach against God; especially since Moses says that this displeased the ears of God, and not His eyes; yet the origin of the evil was, as I have stated, that they fainted with weariness, so as to refuse to follow God any further.

And the Lord heard it. He more plainly declares that the people broke forth into open complaints; and it is probable that they even east reproaches upon God, as we infer from the heaviness of this punishment. Although some understand the word fire metaphorically for vengeance, it is more correct to take it simply according to the natural meaning of the word, i.e., that a part of the camp burnt with a conflagration sent from God. Still a question arises, what was that part or extremity of the camp which the fire seized upon? for some think that the punishment began with the leaders themselves, whose crime was the more atrocious. Others suppose that the fire raged among the common people, from the midst of whom the murmuring arose. But I rather conjecture, as in a matter of uncertainty, that God kindled the fire in some extreme part, so as to awaken their terror, in order that there might be room for pardon; since it is presently added, that tie was content with the punishment of a few. It must, however, be remarked, that because the people were conscious of their sin, the door was shut against their prayers. Hence it is, that they cry to Moses rather than to God; and we may infer that, being devoid of repentance and faith, they dreaded to look upon God. This is the reward of a bad conscience, to seek for rest in our disquietude, and still to fly from God, who alone can allay our trouble and alarm. From the fact that God is appeased at the intercession of Moses, we gather that temporal punishment is often remitted to the wicked, although they still remain exposed to the judgment of God. When he says that the fire of the Lord was sunk down, Lat., “fuisse demersum.” A.V. “quenched.” Margin, “Heb. sunk.” “שקע, Submergi; In profundum deprimi, comprimi, reprimi.” — Buxtorf. for this is the proper signification of the word שקע, shakang, he designates the way in which it was put out, and in which God’s mercy openly manifested itself; as also, on the other hand. it is called the fire of God, as having been plainly kindled by Him, lest any should suppose that it was an accidental conflagration. A name also was imposed on the place, which might be a memorial to posterity both of the crime and its punishment; for Tabera is a burning, or combustion.

4. And the mixed multitude that was among them. A new murmuring of the people is here recorded: for we gather from many circumstances that this relation is different from that which precedes: although, as evil begets evil, it is probable that after they had begun to be affected by the disease of impatience, they spitefully invented grounds for increased tedium and annoyance. Yet there was something monstrous in this madness, that, when they had just been so severely chastised, and part of’ the camp was even yet almost smoking, and when God was hardly appeased, they should have given way to the indulgence of lust, whereby they brought upon themselves a still more severe punishment. Unquestionably, when they again provoked God by their iniquity, the remains of the fire were still before their eyes; whence it appears how greatly they were blinded by their obstinate wickedness. He states, indeed, that the murmuring first began among the strangers, or mixed multitude, who had mingled themselves with the Israelites, as we have seen elsewhere; but he adds that the whole people also were led into imitation of their ungodly complainings. Hence we are taught, that the wicked and sinful should be avoided, lest they should corrupt us by their bad example; since the contagion of vice easily spreads. At the same time also, we are warned, that it does not at all avail to excuse us, that others are the instigators of our sin; since it by no means profited the Israelites, that they fell through the influence of others, inasmuch as it was their own lust; which carried them away. In the first place, therefore, we must beware that our corrupt desires do not tempt us, and we must put a restraint upon ourselves; and then that the profane despisers of God do not add fuel to the fire.

A question here occurs, whether it is sinful to long for flesh; for if so, all our appetites must. likewise be condemned. I answer, that God was not wroth because the desire of flesh affected the Israelites; but, first, their disobedience displeased Him, because they longed to eat; flesh, as it were, against His will, when He would have them content with the manna alone; and then their intemperance and violent passion. For this reason Moses says that they “lusted a lust,” See Margin A.V. indicating that they abandoned all self-control, so as to go beyond all bounds. In the third place, their ingratitude displeased Him, which is here adverted to, but openly condemned in the Psalm, where the Prophet reproves them, for that God “had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven,” so as to supply them with the “corn of heaven,” and the bread “of angels,” (Psalm 78:23-25;) and yet, even so they were not restrained from despising so excellent a benefit, and abandoning themselves to lawless intemperance. The rule of moderation, and of a sober and frugal life, which Paul prescribes, is well known; that we should

“know both how to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.” (Philippians 4:12.)

Well known, too, is his admonition, that we should

“make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.” (Romans 13:14.)

All improper longing is, therefore, to be repressed, so that we should desire nothing which is not lawful; and, secondly, that our appetites should not be excessive. Hence, when he refers elsewhere to this occurrence, (1 Corinthians 10:6,)he warns us to fear the judgment of God; “to the intent we should not lust after evil things,” thus distinguishing wild and uncontrolled appetites from such as are moderate and well regulated.

When they ask, “Who shall give us flesh to eat?” they seek to have it elsewhere than from God, who abundantly supplied them with food, though it was of a different kind. We see, then, that they rebelled with a brutal and blind impetuosity; for necessity was laid upon them by God, that they should eat nothing but manna; against this they struggled like fierce and stubborn beasts, as if they would make God the servant of their lust.

5. We remember the fish which we did eat in Egypt. By this comparison with the former mode of living, they depreciate the present grace of God: and yet they enumerate no delicacies, when they speak of leeks, and onions, and garlic. Some, therefore, thus explain it, When such great abundance and variety was commonly to be met with, how painful and grievous must it be to us to be deprived of greater delicacies! My own opinion is, that these lowly people, who had been used to live on humble fare, praised their accustomed food, as if they had been the greatest luxuries. Surely rustics and artisans value as much their pork and beef, their cheese and curds, their onions and cabbage, as most of the rich do their sumptuous fare. Scornfully, therefore, do the Israelites magnify things which, in themselves, are but of little value, in order the more to stimulate their depraved appetite, already sufficiently excited. Still there is no doubt but that those who had been accustomed to a diet of herbs and fish, would think themselves happy with that kind of food. Moreover, to make the matter more invidious, they say in general, that they ate gratis A. V., “freely.” Ainsworth, “for nought;” this (he adds) may be referred to the fish which they had for nought, without price, getting them out of the rivers freely; or for nought, that is, for very little, very cheap. It may also have reference to the former, We remember for nought, i.e., in vain; so the Hebrew Chinnam, and the Greek δωρεὰν, sometimes signifieth a thing done or spoken in vain, and without effect; as Proverbs 1:17; Ezekiel 6:10; Galatians 2:21.” Geneva Version, “for nought, i.e., for a small price, or good cheep.” of that, which cost them but little: although such a phrase is common in all languages. For even profane writers testify that all that sea-shore abounds with fish. Herod., 2:93, describes the abundance of the fish in Egypt, and their migrations for the deposition of their spawn: and states that the inhabitants of the marshes, some of them, “live on nothing but fish.” — Ibid. 92. The fisheries of the Nile also are very productive, and a part: of the wealth of Egypt: whilst the country is so well watered, that it produces abundance of vegetables and fruits. Raphelius has a striking note on this passage from Herod. “The herbs (onions and garlic) were ordinarily given to laborers in Egypt. Whence also this was the food of the Israelites, whose labors the Egyptians used, or rather abused, in making bricks. Herod. 2:125. “It is declared by certain Egyptian inscriptions on the Pyramid itself, how much was paid to the workmen, ἔς τε συρμαίην, καὶ κρόμμυα καὶ σκόροδα, for radishes, onions, and garlic.” — Raphel., in loco.

6. But now our soul is dried away. They complain that they are almost wasted away with famine and hunger, whilst they are abundantly supplied with manna; in the same way as they had just been loudly declaring that they had lived in Egypt for a very little money; as if they were affected by a great dearth of provisions, when, by the pure liberality of God, a kind of food was provided for them, more easy to prepare than any other, and so actually prepared without trouble or cost. But such is the malignity and ingratitude of men, that they count all God’s bounty for nothing, whilst they are brooding over their own importunate lusts. Many in their gluttony consume, and bring to naught whatever God bestows upon them: others, in their avarice, dry up the fountain of His liberality, which else would be inexhaustible. But these, in the midst of their abundance, say that they are dry, because insatiable cupidity inflames them, so that God’s blessing, however ample, cannot satisfy them. Thus the rain, washing the hard rock, wets it not within, neither tempers its dryness by its moisture. Since, therefore, a contempt of God’s blessings withers them all, like a hot blast, let us learn to assign them their due honor, that they may be supplied to us in sufficiency. Thus will be fulfilled in our ease:

“The righteous shall flourish like the palm-tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing.” (Psalm 92:12-14.)

For Scripture does not so often declare in vain that God satisfies the longing souls, and filleth the hungry with food. They complain that there is nothing before their eyes but manna: as if their loathing of this one excellent and abundant kind of food was actual famine.

7. And the manna was as coriander seed. Moses had already adverted to this in Exodus 16; See ante, vol. 1:275. but he now repeats it, in order more fully to condemn their perverse desire; for what could be more unseemly and intolerable than thus to eschew a food delightful both in appearance and taste v. For the same reason the Prophet, in Psalm 78, records that men were not satisfied with “angels’ food,” and “corn from heaven.” Here, instead of saying that it was white, he calls it the color of Bedola, A. V., “bdellium;” Hebrew בדלהbedolach,. “The bdellium of the sacred writer was in all probability the pearl, as the Arabic version has rendered it.” — Illustr. Comment. on Genesis 2:12 a precious stone, whether a pearl, or some other kind. Its very appearance, then, was calculated to give them pleasure; and, since without much labor, either by grinding or crushing it, they might make it into various sorts of food, and all of a sweet and pleasant taste;. the baser was their ingratitude in complaining, as if God treated them with but little liberality as to their food.

10. Then Moses heard the people weep. Wonderful indeed, and almost prodigious was the madness of the people, thus all of them to mourn as if reduced to the extremity of despair. What would they have done in actual famine? what if they had to gnaw bitter roots, almost without any juice in them? What if they had had to live on tasteless and unwholesome bread? We see, therefore, how by the indulgence of their depraved lusts men make themselves wretched in the very midst of prosperity. Let us, then, learn to bridle our excessive passions, that we may not bring upon ourselves troubles and inconveniences, and all sorts of painful feelings; for if the cause be duly weighed, when men afflict themselves with sorrow and lamentation, we shall generally find that, whereas the evil might be lightened by endurance, its pain is increased by preposterous imaginations. But here a gross instance of luxury is set before us, when, in their satiety, they weep as if long abstinence threatened them with death. It was an effect of holy and praiseworthy zeal, that this great perverseness should displease Moses; but he was not without error in carrying it to excess; for he unjustly expostulates with God, complaining that He had laid too heavy a burden upon him, when tie knew all the time that he was sustained by His power. His charge was indeed difficult and laborious; but in that he had experienced God’s wondrous aid, whenever he had groaned beneath his burden, there was no room for complaint; besides, since he had been dignified by a peculiar honor, it was ungrateful to brand with disgrace the good gift of God. He reputes it his greatest evil that the charge of governing the people had been intrusted to him; whereas all his senses ought rather to have been ravished with astonishment, that God had condescended to choose him to be the redeemer of His people, and the minister of His wondrous power. This, too, was very inconsiderate, to ask whether he had begotten or brought forth the people; as if his calling by God did not lay him sufficiently under obligation, or as if there were no other ties than those of nature. God, indeed, has inspired parents with such love towards their offspring, that they willingly undergo incredible troubles on their account; but Moses was bound by another kind of piety, for by God’s command he was father of the people. Wherefore he ought not to have only regarded nature, but the obligation of his office also.

13. Whence should I have flesh to give to all this people? Justly, indeed, does he accuse the people, and deny that he is possessed of flesh wherewith to satisfy so great a multitude; but he is wrong in expostulating with God, as if he were burdened beyond his strength; for, since God knew that he was unequal to so many difficulties, He supported him by the influence of His Spirit. But he sinned most grossly in the conclusion of his complaint, requesting God to kill him. In these words we see how far even the best of God’s servants may be carried, when they give too great indulgence to their passions. For it is the longing of despair to seek that we may be removed from the world, so that death may bring our troubles to an end. Since the impetuosity of his grief hurried away Moses God’s most chosen servant to this, what might not happen to us, if impatience should hold dominion over our hearts? Let us, then, learn to put a stop to this disease in good time.

16. And the Lord said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men. God complies with the request of Moses, by associating with him seventy companions, by whose care and assistance he may be relieved from some part of his labor; yet not without some signs of indignation, for, by taking from him some portion of His Spirit to distribute amongst the others, He inflicts upon him that mark of disgrace which he deserved. I know that some Thus, De Lyra; “It is not to be understood that anything was taken away from Moses and given to the others, but they were illuminated without any- diminution of the grace of Moses; thus, by the light of one candle others are lighted, without any diminution of its own light.” Ainsworth thus traces the gloss of De Lyra to its source: “Neither was Moses’ spirit hereby diminished; for as Sol. Jarchi says, ‘Moses in that hour was like unto the lamp that was left (burning) in the candlestick (in the Sanctuary) from which all the other lamps were lighted, yet the light thereof was not lessened any whit.’” So also St. Augustine, “We understand that God would signify nothing more than that they also would have assistance from the same Spirit of grace, as Moses had; that they also should have as much as God pleased, not that Moses would therefore have less. Quest. in Numbers 18. Edit. Bened., tom. 3. P. 1, p. 535. C., indeed, here, seems to have but few followers. The gloss in the Geneva version is; “I will distribute my Spirit among them, as I have done to thee;” and Attersoll says, “It it true he doth sometimes punish in this manner, sometimes by lessening, and sometimes by taking away, what he had formerly bestowed. Zechariah 11:17; Matthew 25:27. But we do not read or find that he dealt so with Moses, or that he was less fit for government than he was before,” etc. regard it differently, and think that nothing was taken away from Moses, but that the others were endued with new grace, such as Moses had been preeminent for possessing alone before. But, since the words expressly declare that God will make them partakers of that grace which He will take from Moses himself, I by no means admit the truth of this subtle exposition. The passage in Genesis 27:36 is quoted, in which it is said, “Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me?” but, when God expressly says, “I will separate A. V., “I will take;” or “will separate.” — Ainsworth. of the Spirit which is upon thee,” there can be no question but that a diminution is indicated. For, as long as Moses alone was appointed to rule the people, he was so supplied with the necessary gifts of the Spirit, as that his ability should not be inferior to the greatness of the labor. God now promises that the others shall be his companions in such sort, as that He divides His gifts among them all. I have no doubt, then, but that this division comprehends punishment in it; and from hence we may gather a useful piece of instruction, viz., that the greater the difficulty is which God imposes upon any one, the greater is the liberality with which He treats him, in order that he may be sufficient for his charge. Thus it is in His power to work with equal efficiency by one man, as by a hundred, or a thousand; for He has no need of a multitude (of agents,) but, as He pleases, He executes His works sometimes without the aid of men, sometimes by their hands. In sum, God indirectly reproves the gross ingratitude of Moses, whereby he depreciated that marvelous grace which had hitherto shone forth in him; and He declares that he shall not be hereafter so great as he was, in regard to the excellency he derived from the Spirit; inasmuch as he had in a manner thrown away the gifts of the Spirit, by refusing to bear the trouble imposed upon him. Our modesty, indeed, is praiseworthy, if through consciousness of our own weakness we recoil from arduous charges; but it is too absurd for us to withdraw ourselves under this pretext from our duty, and, despising the calling of God, to shake off the yoke.

The word Spirit is here, as frequently elsewhere, applied to the gifts themselves; as if He had said, I had deposited with thee gifts sufficing for the government of the people; but now, since thou refusest, I will distribute his due measure to each of the seventy, so that the grace of the Spirit, which dwelt in thee alone, shall be manifestly dispersed among many. It is now asked how Moses separated the seventy, whether according to his own judgment only, or by the election of the people. It is generally agreed that six were chosen from each tribe, and thus that they were seventy-two; but that for the sake of brevity two were omitted, as amongst the Romans, “Centumviri were judges chosen from the thirty-five tribes, three from each, so that properly there were 105, but they were always named by a round number, Centumviri. Eestus.” — Adam’s Rom. Antiq. they spoke of the Centumviri, although they were a hundred and five; for they appointed three for each of the thirty-five tribes. Since the opinion is probable, I leave it undecided; but at the same time I retain the conjecture which I have elsewhere made, See ante, on Exodus 24:1, vol. 3, p. 316. viz., that, since the race of Abraham had been increased in an incredible manner in two hundred and twenty years, lest so astonishing a miracle should ever be forgotten, the seventy were elected in accordance with the number of the fathers who had gone down into Egypt with Jacob. And, in fact, this seems to have been with them, as it were, a sacred number; as recalling to their memory that little band from which they had derived their origin. For, before the Law was promulgated, Moses was commanded to take with him seventy to accompany him to the mount, and to be eye-witnesses of God’s glory. Meanwhile, I do not deny that there were two more than the number seventy; but I only point out why God fixed upon this number, viz., to equalize the leaders and heads of the people with the family of Jacob, which was the source of their race and name. In truth, from the fact that, when Hoses went up into Mount Sinai to receive the Tables from the hand of God, he took with him seventy officers, we infer that the number of those who should excel in honor, was already fixed at this, although the charge of governing, which is here spoken of, was not yet committed to them. And it is probable that these same persons who had been appointed leaders, were called to this new and unwonted office, as the words themselves imply. It is indeed certain, that when the Jews returned from the Babylonish captivity, because they were not permitted to appoint a king, they followed the example here set them in the establishment of their Sanhedrim; only this honor was paid to the memory of David and their rings, that from their race they chose their seventy rulers in whom the supreme power was vested. And this form of government continued down to Herod, Josephus, Antiq., 14:9. Section 4. who abolished the whole council by which he had been condemned, and destroyed the lives of them all. Still, I think that he was not impelled to commit the massacre only out of vengeance, but also lest the dignity of the royal race should be an obstacle to his tyranny.

It must, however, be observed that, although God promises new grace to the seventy men, he would not have them taken indiscriminately from the people in general, but expressly commands them to be chosen from the order of the elders, and heads of the people, being such as were already possessed of authority, and had given proofs of their diligence and virtue. Thus, also, now-a-days, when he calls both the pastors of the Church and magistrates to their office, although He furnishes them with new gifts, still He would not have them raised to their honorable stations promiscuously as they may come first, but chooses rather with reference to their spiritual endowments, wherewith He distinguishes, and commends those whom He has destined to any exalted office. In short, He commands the most fitting to be chosen; but, after they have been elected, tie promises that He will add what is wanting. For this reason He commands that they should station themselves at the door of the tabernacle, that He may there display His grace. Although I think that two other reasons were likewise taken into consideration, viz., that they might know that the office was intrusted to them by God, and might always be mindful of the heavenly tribunal, before which they must be accountable: and also that they might be held in additional reverence by the very associations of the place, and that the people might submit to them as the ministers of God. Now, although God does not at present dwell in a visible tabernacle, yet are we reminded by this example that pastors and magistrates are not duly ordained, unless they are placed in the presence of God; nor rightly inaugurated in their offices, unless when they consecrate themselves to God Himself, and when His majesty, on the other hand, acquires their reverence. Cyprian “Wherefore a people which obeyeth the precepts of the Lord, and feareth God, ought to separate itself from a Prelate who is a sinner, nor mingle itself up with the sacrifices of a sacrilegious priest, especially since it has itself the power either of choosing worthy priests, or rejecting the unworthy. This, too, we see to be derived from divine authority, that a priest should be chosen in presence of the people, in sight of all, and be approved worthy and fit by public sentence and testimony; as in Numbers, the Lord commanded Moses, saying, Take Aaron thy brother, and Eleazar his son, and bring them up into the mount, before all the congregation: and strip Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son, and Aaron shall be gathered unto his people, and shall die there. (Numbers 20:25, 26.) God commands a priest to be appointed before all the congregation, that is, He instructs and shows us, that the ordinations of priests ought only to be solemnized with the knowledge of the people standing by, that so by their presence either the crimes of the wicked may be detected, or the merits of the good proclaimed, and so the ordination be right and lawful, as having been examined with the suffrage and judgment of all.” — Epistles of S. Cyprian. Oxford Transl. 1844, pp. 211, 212.

The above quotation is from a letter written in the names of Cyprian and thirty-six of his brethren, as a reply to inquiries made by the presbyter and people of Leon and Astorga, and the deacons and faithful people in Merida. Cyprian has not cited Numbers 11:16, in any of the works now acknowledged as his, though the argument thus drawn from Numbers 20:25, 28, would have been more reasonably collected from the text, to which Calvin has assumed that he referred. twists this passage further, but I know not whether on sufficiently firm grounds, to prove that bishops are not to be elected, except with the consent of the whole people.

18. And say thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves. This is another part of the answer, which is given respecting the matter in consideration, viz., that the people should prepare themselves to satiate their greediness. Although the word קדש If קדש may be said to signify to prepare, it can only be so rendered when the preparation is by sanctifying. — W. kadesh, signifies to prepare, yet its literal meaning seems to be most appropriate here; I have therefore retained the word sanctify, which is, however, here used ironically, for Moses does not exhort: them to purge themselves from all defilement’s, and piously and sincerely to receive the grace of God, but he chastises their profane and brutal gluttony. Others translate it simply, as if it were said, Whet your teeth, and make ready your bellies: but, in my judgment, there is a reproof implied, because they are polluted by a foul and wicked desire, so as to be incapable of receiving God’s paternal favor: for “ye shall eat flesh” follows, “because your weeping and complaining has reached the ears of God;” by which words he signifies that by their importunate cries they had provoked God’s anger, so that they should devour none but deadly food. And soon afterwards it is stated more clearly that by their insolence they had deserved to be destroyed by the bounty of God. For “a whole month,” he says, ye shall gormandize, “till it come out of your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you.” Thus he compares them to those guttlers who so overwhelm themselves with gluttony, that they are obliged soon afterwards to vomit what they have eaten too greedily, or who abominate the taste of their superfluous luxuries, as if they were something filthy. This is what is meant by to “come out,” or to be blown out, “at the nostrils.” זרא זרא (loathsomeness) is said by S. M. to be an irregular form of זרה; and he renders it dispersion, agreeably with the acknowledged meaning of the root זרה. This account of the word has the sanction of modern lexicographers. — W. tzara, which we have translated abomination, properly means dispersion; but Moses indicates by it that they shall vomit, or spit it out, like something unfit to be swallowed. If any should object that it is said in Psalm 78:30, “They were not yet estranged from their lust:” this is easily solved by understanding that their unrestrained gluttony is there rebuked, Que la le Sainct Esprit deteste leur gourmandise desbordee;” that there the Holy Spirit marks His detestation of their unbridled gluttony. — Fr. as if he called them guttlers (gurgites,) whom no abundance can suffice to satisfy. Therefore the Prophet says, that although they were bursting with excess, they were not satiated; but were so inflamed by their boundless voracity, that God’s vengeance could alone repress it. But the reason alleged for this is especially to be observed, “because they had rejected God, who was in the midst of them.” By these words, the excuse of error or inadvertency is barred; for if, for the purpose of proving their patience God had withdrawn His power, the terror which they conceived at His absence might, perhaps, have been excusable; but now, when they knew by sure experience that their means of subsistence were supplied by Him, they betray their deliberate wickedness by despising His present beneficence. For that God was in the midst of them is equivalent to His giving manifest tokens both of His infinite power and His paternal favor. These words show us that the more immediately God manifests His grace to us, the more inexcusable we are, if we disparage it when it is thus liberally offered to us. What follows might appear not to deserve severe reproof, viz., that they “wept before God;” but the enormity of the sin is specified directly afterwards, i.e. that they were vexed by their departure from Egypt: for this was not merely to repudiate the deliverance, which they had so greatly longed for, but to quarrel with God, because He had listened to their cry, and had condescended to redeem them from their wretched and lost estate.

21. And Moses said, The people among whom I am, are six hundred thousand. Although Moses’ object was right, yet he fell into unbelief, and thus stumbled at the very threshold. His pious solicitude indeed impelled him to doubt; because he feared that God’s holy name would be exposed to derision and contumely, if he should send away empty those to whom he had promised food. But it seemed to him incredible that so mighty a multitude should be sufficiently supplied with flesh. When he calls them “six hundred thousand,” he either does not calculate their numbers exactly, or indicates that some had died since their departure, when he had numbered the people. (Exodus 14.) Yet it is probable that he referred to the recent census, in which they were found to be 603,550, (Numbers 1:46;) but for the sake of brevity he put the sum in the gross, as he does elsewhere, omitting the 3550. (Exodus 12:37.) By speaking of foot-men, he means the men, and thus excepts the women and. children. Assuredly such a multitude might astonish him, or, at any rate, might inspire him with alarm, so that he should mistrust the promise. His doubt, however, was wrong in two respects; first, because he did not simply trust, as if he were not assured that God was true in all His words; and, secondly, because he improperly allowed his mind to measure God’s inestimable power by his own senses. Let us learn, therefore, that, as soon as God has spoken, we should embrace, without discussion, whatever has proceeded out of His mouth; and so likewise let us learn to humble ourselves, and our own minds, and at the same time to rise by faith above the world, and our natural reason; so that no absurdity, which the flesh may suggest to us, should prevent us from certainly concluding that whatever God has promised He will, by His might, perform. For it is a most incorrect calculation to bind down God’s doings to ordinary standards; as if His power were not more extensive than our minds can reach. We must, therefore, carefully take notice of the rebuke, whereby God so corrected Moses at once, that it ought to prevent and to cure all diseases of distrust in us. For the immensity of God’s hand convicts the folly of those who would subject it to their own imaginations and rules. For, even although God should not stretch forth His hand, He holds heaven and earth in its “hollow,” as it is said in Isaiah 40:12. What madness, then, is it to seek to grasp by our own senses, and, as it were, to imprison that hand which is greater than a hundred worlds! As soon, therefore, as distrust on the score of difficulties begins to take possession of our minds, let this conclusion be remembered, that the promises of God do not exceed the measure of His power to accomplish effectually whatever He has declared. This question, however, “Is the Lord’s hand waxed short?” may be explained in two ways: for the old interpreter That is, the V. “Numquid manus Domini invalida est?” has rendered it, “Is God’s hand weak?” But God seems to adduce the proof, whereby He had borne witness to His power, not only in the creation of heaven and earth, but also in so many recent miracles; as if to rebuke the ingratitude of Moses, who had profited so little by these most striking lessons: for Isaiah uses the same word in this sense, where he says: “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened.” (Isaiah 59:1.) Moses is unquestionably exalting the blessings received on former occasions, wherein the people had experienced the saving power of God. I have retained the future tense of the verb, In this C. follows the LXX Μὴ χεὶρ Κυρίου οὐκ ἐξαρκέσει; “Shall not the Lord’s hand suffice?” and most of the versions, according to Poole, in which it is rendered “abbreviabitur?” since it does not injure the sense. What is said amounts to this, Will God’s hand be weaker than usual, so as not to put forth its power already known?

24. And Moses went out and told the people the words. We here see how greatly Moses profited by his brief rebuke, for he now actively sets about what he was commanded. Doubt had given him a check, so that he stopped in the middle of his course; whereas he now testifies by the promptitude of his obedience that his distrust is overcome. For just as unbelief discourages men, so that they sink down into inactivity, so faith inspires both body and mind with rigor for the effectual discharge of their duties.

Although the narrative does not expressly state that he spoke to them respecting the flesh, it declares in general terms that he omitted nothing; and, indeed, it would have been very inappropriate to speak only of the Seventy Elders, when the origin of all the evil had been the craving for flesh. Briefly stating, then, that he had reported the commands of God to the people, he includes both parts of the matter, the second of which he then follows up. And, first, he says that the elders were called to the Tabernacle, that they might there be appointed rulers and officers. When be states that they were “set round about,” I do not interpret the words so precisely as to suppose that eighteen were ranged on each side, and, of the rest, half were placed before the court, and half behind the Tabernacle; but that they were so arranged, as to surround some part of the Tabernacle. Now, this was equivalent to their being set before God, so that they might hereafter exercise their office with more authority, as being sent by Him; and at the same time that they might devote themselves to God, and dedicate themselves to His service; and also, that being invested with the necessary endowments, they might bear the tokens of their calling. For this reason, it is soon afterwards added, that enough of the spirit of Moses was given them for the discharge of their official duties; for, although Moses by God’s command had chosen men of approved virtue and experience, yet He would have them prepared anew, in order that their call might be effectual. When they are said to have “prophesied,” this was a visible sign of the gift of the Spirit, which, nevertheless, had reference to a different object; for they were not appointed to be. prophets, though God would testify by this outward mark that they were new men, in order that the people might receive them with greater reverence. In my opinion, however, prophecy here is equivalent to a special faculty of discoursing magnificently of secret things or mysteries. We know that poets were called prophets by profane writers, Vates is a name commonly applied by classical writers to poets. “Quare sue jure noster ille Ennius sanctos appellat poetas, quod quasi deorum aliquo dono, atque munere commendati nobis videantur.” — Cicero pro Archia Poeta, 8. “De versibus, quos tibi a me scribi vis, deest mihi quidem opera, quae non modo tempus, sed etiam animum vacuum ab omni cura desiderat; sed abest etiam ἐνθουσιασμὸς” — Ibid. Epist. ad Quint. Frat 3:4. because poetry itself savors of inspiration (ἐνθουσιασμὸν); in the same way that extraordinary ability, Fr. “La grace de parler authentiquement de choses hautes;” the grace to speak authentically of high things. in which the afflatus of the Spirit shone forth, obtained the name of prophecy. Thus, the gift of prophecy in Saul was a kind of mark of royalty; so that he might not ascend the throne without credentials. (1 Samuel 10:10.) Thus, then, this Spirit of Prophecy was only accorded to these persons for a short time; since it was sufficient that they should be once marked out by God: for so I understand what Moses says afterwards, “and they added not.” “These words are commonly rendered, ‘and did not cease (to prophesy,)’ as in our public version; or ‘and did not add,’ as they are rendered by Ainsworth and Purver, neither of which renderings is to me intelligible. By adopting the Sam. reading with Houbigant, Dathe, and Rosenmiiller, and placing ולא יאספי at the head of ver. 26, the text will be rectified, and the sense clear: At non congregati sunt, sed remanserant in castris viri duo, quorum nomen unius Eldad, et nomen alterius Medad, tamen requievit super eos spiritus ille (nam ipsi ex conscriptis, atsi non egressi erant ad tentorium) et prophetabant in castris.” — Boothroyd in loco. Thus, Eldad and Medad will be the nominative case to the verb, and its meaning “were not assembled.” it is too forced an interpretation to refer it, as some do, to the past. I confess, indeed, that they were not previously prophets; but I have no doubt but that Moses here indicates that the gift was a temporary one: as we are also told in the case of Saul: for, as soon as this token of God’s grace had manifested itself in him, The Fr. applies this sentence to the elders, “ils ont cesse de prophetizer;” they ceased to prophesy. he ceased to prophesy. The meaning, therefore, is that their call was thus substantiated for a short period, so that this unusual circumstance should awaken the more admiration.

26. But there remained two of the men in the camp. It is not certain why they had not appeared amongst the others. I do not at all doubt but that they were called for by Moses; nor would they have been endued with the same grace of the Spirit as the others, if through idleness or contempt they had not come at the time appointed. We may, therefore, probably infer that they did not actually receive the invitation, because they could not be found; and hence it arose that God excused their ignorance. Still, however, it must be observed that they were kept back by the secret counsel of God, that His grace might be made known by this illustrious proof amongst the common people in general, when they were not all eye-witnesses of it: for the greater portion of them had not assembled at the Tabernacle. In order, therefore, that its fame might spread more widely, and might reach even to the most lowly, God chose that this new and extraordinary gift of His Spirit should be conspicuous in the midst of the camp, lest any of the dullest and grossest among them should pretend to be ignorant of it. In fact, it is plain that they were all aroused by the miracle; for the “young man,” who is spoken of, would not have run to bear the incredible news to Moses, unless struck by the novelty of the case.

28. And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses. It is obvious that this foolish and preposterous jealousy arose from a good source. Joshua saw that Moses was so preeminent above all others, as to be justly deemed, after God, the head of the people; he feared, therefore, lest, if any portion of his superiority should be withdrawn, the grace of God would be dispelled and lost. We know, too, that almost every change is injurious, and apt to give a shock to public affairs. In asserting, then, the rights of Moses, he desired, as far as he could, to consult the welfare of all; but the excess of his zeal had some alloy in it, in consequence of the immoderate affection and love which he bore to Moses; just as it often happens to ourselves, that although our desires have a right object, they still go astray into erroneous feelings. So, then, let us learn to revere the most illustrious servants of Christ, as that God alone should be supreme; and that He, who is far above all, should still maintain His pre-eminence. And this will be the case, if we hold fast to the principle, that although “there are diversities of gifts,” yet there is but one Spirit from whom they flow; and although there are “differences of administrations,” yet but one Lord who must be served, (1 Corinthians 12:4, 5;) which also Paul confirms elsewhere, where he teaches us that the gifts are so distributed as that no individual should have all, but each

“according to the measure of the gift of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:7.)

29. And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? This may be understood in two different ways. Some take it, as if Moses had said, It is no business of yours, if I have suffered any loss: and if anything is taken from me, it would be mine and not yours to grieve and grudge; but I think Moses spoke more simply, as if he had said, Behold, how differently I feel from you; for I, whose cause you suppose yourselves to be promoting, should desire that all were endowed with the spirit of prophecy. So was that foolish jealousy admirably rebuked, which would put a restraint upon God’s blessing, so greatly to be desired by every pious mind. At the same time, we fully perceive the gentleness and humility of Moses, whom no ambition, nor consideration of his personal dignity, prevents from willingly admitting the very lowliest into companionship with himself. If any should object that it is God’s pleasure, in order to enhance the excellency of the gift, that there should be but few prophets in the Church, and consequently that Moses inconsiderately sought for that, which is in repugnance to God’s counsel in this matter, the reply is easy, that, al — though the saints acquiesce in His ordinary dispensations, and are persuaded that the arrangement, which He makes, is the best, yet that it is an act of piety in them to desire to communicate with all others what is given to themselves, so as to be anxious rather to be last of all, than to begrudge perfection to their brethren. In sum, Moses declares that nothing would be more gratifying to him, than that God should diffuse the grace of the spirit of prophecy amongst the whole people, so that all should be partakers of it, from the least to the greatest.

30. And Moses gat him into the camp. Although, after the appointment of the Seventy, all betook themselves to their own stations and dwelling-places, yet there is no doubt but that they were all forewarned of the approaching miracle, so as to be universally attentive to the event, which is presently related. When it is said that it was “a wind of the Lord” which brought the quails, there was no other reason for this than that God might openly manifest that all things under heaven are subject to His dominion, and are ready to obey Him. He might, indeed, have created the quails at will (nutu,) just as He rained the manna from heaven; nor was it natural that by the force of the winds such an abundance of birds should be east, and heaped together in one place; but by using the aid of the wind He confirmed what is written in Psalm 104:3, 4, that “He maketh the winds his messengers A.V., “Who maketh his angels spirits.” See C.’s own translation and comment. — Cal. Soc. Edit., vol. 4:144, and 147. and they bear him on their wings;” because in their swiftness they rapidly bear His commandments from the east to the west. Now, although it is true in the abstract that the winds come from Him, so that they are only His breath, and that the air cannot be stirred in the slightest degree except at His will, still an extraordinary miracle is here specified, as before in the passage of the Red Sea. The Prophet in the Psalm goes further:

“He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven; and by his power he brought in the south wind,” (Psalm 78:26,)

in which words He signifies that the whole air was shaken, since the winds suddenly arose from different quarters, which covered the earth in all directions with an immense multitude of the birds.

When he says that the earth was filled “as it were a day’s journey,” I do not understand it as if the dead birds lay at so great a distance, but that they occupied such a space of ground in thick heaps, and, in fact, continuously. And this also we gather from the Psalm, where the Prophet says, that they fell “in the midst of their camp,” and were carried to their tents round about. (Psalm 78:28.) What is added, as to their being “two cubits high,” I do not interpret, as some do, So the V., “Volabantque in aere duobus cubitis altitudine super terram.” “Sol. Jarchi saith, They flew so high as a man’s heart, that he was not toiled in getting them, either by reaching high, or by stooping low.” — Ainsworth in loco. Kitto, Illustr. Com. in loco, prefers this view. that they did not fly above two cubits from the ground, so as to be more easily taken with the hand; but that there was such a mass of them, that every one might carry away as much as he would. For to this also do those magnificent descriptions in the Psalm relate, whereby the miracle is extolled:

“He rained flesh also upon them as dust, and leathered fowls, like as the sand of the sea.” (Psalm 78:27.)

But how “they spread them abroad — round about,” “We are disposed to conclude with Calmer (in his note on this place) that the Hebrews salted their quails before they dried them. We have here, then, the earliest indication of processes, the benefits resulting from which have become so diffused and familiar, that it costs an effort of recollection to recognize them as benefits. Yet many centuries have not elapsed since the Emperor Charles V. thought it became him to erect a statue to the man (G. Bukel) who found the secret of salting and barrelling herrings.” — Illustr. Com. in loco. is not very clear to me; unless, perhaps, they were placed in cages or coops, and daily taken out for food.

33. And while the flesh was yet between their teeth. Moses does not specify any particular day; but only that God did not wait till satiety had produced disgust, but inflicted the punishment in the midst of their greediness. We may, however, conjecture from what precedes, that time was given them to gorge themselves. From whence their insatiable voracity may be gathered, which prevailed for so many continuous days, and could not be appeased by any quantity of food. God, therefore, allowed them time abundantly sufficient for them to gorge themselves, unless their gluttony was prodigious: and yet punished their intemperance, while the meat was yet in their mouths. They were, then, suddenly surprised in the midst of their guttling; and hence it is said in the Psalm, (Psalm 78:30,) “they were not yet estranged from their lust;” just as any glutton might choke himself, by devouring more than his throat could hold. Nor is that at variance with their repletion, of which mention was lately made; for, however the belly may swell with the quantity of its contents, the furious lust of eating is never appeased. But, in order that their punishment might be more manifest, God inflicted it in the very act; nor could any better opportunity have been chosen.

34. And he called the name of that place Kibroth-hattaavah. It was requisite that some memorial of so great a sin should exist, that the sons might not imitate their fathers. Heretofore God had sustained them with a food both agreeable and wholesome: by longing for unlawful nourishment they were their own poisoners and murderers. Now, such ingratitude was deservedly to be detested by their posterity; and therefore the name was given to the place, not without the inspiration of the Spirit of God. So Paul reminds us, that in this narrative God’s judgment against corrupt and vicious lusts was portrayed, that we might ourselves learn not to lust. (1 Corinthians 10:6.) I have already briefly explained how far our appetites are to be restrained, and what intemperance, properly speaking, is.

Numbers 12

Numbers 12:1-16

1. And Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman.

1. Et loquuta est Maria et Aharon contra Mosen propter uxorem AEthiopissam quam acceperat: uxorem enim AEthiopissam acceperat.

2. And they said, Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the Lord heard it.

2. Et dixerunt, Nunquid solummodo per Mosen loquutus est Jehova? nonne etiam per nos loquutus est? Et audivit Jehova.

3. (Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.)

3. Vir autem ille Moses mansuetissimus fuit prae cunctis hominibus qui erant super faciem terrae.

4. And the Lord spoke suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, Come out ye three unto the tabernacle of the congregation. And they three cane out.

4. Ergo extemplo dixit Jehova ad Mosen, Aharon et Mariam, Egredimini vos tres ad tabernaculum conventionis. Et egressi sunt ipsi tres.

5. And the Lord came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam: and they both came forth.

5. Et descendit Jehova in columna nubis, et stetit ad ostium tabernaculi: vocavitque Aharon et Mariam, et egressi sunt ambo ipsi.

6. And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, f the Lord will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.

6. Quibus dixit, Audite nunc verba mea, Si fuerit propheta vobis, ego, Jehova in visione apparebo ei, in somnio loquar cum eo.

7. My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house.

7. Non sic servus meus Moses, qui in tota domo mea fidelis est.

8. With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?

8. Ore ad os loquor cum eo, atque in visione: non autem per aenigmata, neque (vel, sed) per similitudinem Jehovae aspiciet: quare ergo non timuistis loqui adversus servum meum Mosen?

9. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them; and he departed.

9. Exarsit ergo furor Jehovae in eos, et discessit.

10. And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous.

10. Nubesque recessit a tabernaculo: et ecce Maria erat leprosa sicut nix, respexitque Aharon Mariam, et ecce erat leprosa.

11. And Aaron said unto Moses, Alas! my Lord, I beseech thee, lay not the sin upon us, wherein we have done foolishly, and wherein we have sinned.

11. Tunc dixit Aharon ad Mosen, Quaeso domine mi, ne nunc nobis imputes peccatum: quia stulte egimus, et quia peccavimus.

12. Let her not be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he cometh out of his mother’s womb.

12. Ne, quaeso, sit quasi abortivus foetus, qui dum egreditur ex utero matris suae consumptus est dimidio suae carnis.

13. And Moses cried unto the Lord, saying, Heal her now, O God, I beseech thee.

13. Clamavit itaque Moses ad Jehovam, dicendo, Deus, quaeso, sana nunc illam:

14. And the Lord said unto Moses, If her father had but spit in her face, should she not be ashamed seven days? let her be shut out from the camp seven days, and after that let her be received in again.

14. Respondit Jehova ad Mosen, Quod si pater ejus spuendo spuisset in faciem ejus, nonne erubesceret septem diebus? Excludatur septem diebus extra castra, et deinde recipietur.

15. And Miriam was shut out from the camp seven days; and the people journeyed not till Miriam was brought in again.

15. Itaque reclusa est Maria extra castra septem diebus: neque populus progressus est, donec reciperetur Maria.

16. And afterward the people removed from Hazeroth, and pitched in the wilderness of Paran.

16. Postea autem profectus est populus de Haseroth, et castrametati sunt in deserto Paran.

CHAPTER 11

Nu 11:1-35. Manna Loathed.

1. When the people complained it displeased the Lord, &c.--Unaccustomed to the fatigues of travel and wandering into the depths of a desert, less mountainous but far more gloomy and desolate than that of Sinai, without any near prospect of the rich country that had been promised, they fell into a state of vehement discontent, which was vented at these irksome and fruitless journeyings. The displeasure of God was manifested against the ungrateful complainers by fire sent in an extraordinary manner. It is worthy of notice, however, that the discontent seems to have been confined to the extremities of the camp, where, in all likelihood, "the mixed multitude" [see on Ex 12:38] had their station. At the intercession of Moses, the appalling judgment ceased [Nu 11:2], and the name given to the place, "Taberah" (a burning), remained ever after a monument of national sin and punishment. (See on Nu 11:34).

4. the mixed multitude that was among them fell a lusting--These consisted of Egyptians. [See on Ex 12:38.] To dream of banquets and plenty of animal food in the desert becomes a disease of the imagination; and to this excitement of the appetite no people are more liable than the natives of Egypt. But the Israelites participated in the same feelings and expressed dissatisfaction with the manna on which they had hitherto been supported, in comparison with the vegetable luxuries with which they had been regaled in Egypt.

5. We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely--(See on Ex 7:17). The people of Egypt are accustomed to an almost exclusive diet of fish, either fresh or sun-dried, during the hot season in April and May--the very season when the Israelites were travelling in this desert. Lower Egypt, where were the brick-kilns in which they were employed, afforded great facilities for obtaining fish in the Mediterranean, the lakes, and the canals of the Nile.

cucumbers--The Egyptian species is smooth, of a cylindrical form, and about a foot in length. It is highly esteemed by the natives and when in season is liberally partaken of, being greatly mellowed by the influence of the sun.

melons--The watermelons are meant, which grow on the deep, loamy soil after the subsidence of the Nile; and as they afford a juicy and cooling fruit, all classes make use of them for food, drink, and medicine.

leeks--by some said to be a species of grass cresses, which is much relished as a kind of seasoning.

onions--the same as ours; but instead of being nauseous and affecting the eyes, they are sweet to the taste, good for the stomach, and form to a large extent the aliment of the laboring classes.

garlic--is now nearly if not altogether extinct in Egypt although it seems to have grown anciently in great abundance. The herbs now mentioned form a diet very grateful in warm countries where vegetables and other fruits of the season are much used. We can scarcely wonder that both the Egyptian hangers-on and the general body of the Israelites, incited by their clamors, complained bitterly of the want of the refreshing viands in their toilsome wanderings. But after all their experience of the bounty and care of God, their vehement longing for the luxuries of Egypt was an impeachment of the divine arrangements; and if it was the sin that beset them in the desert, it became them more strenuously to repress a rebellious spirit, as dishonoring to God and unbecoming their relation to Him as a chosen people.

6-9. But now ... there is nothing ... beside this manna--Daily familiarity had disgusted them with the sight and taste of the monotonous food; and, ungrateful for the heavenly gift, they longed for a change of fare. It may be noticed that the resemblance of the manna to coriander seed was not in the color, but in the size and figure; and from its comparison to bdellium, which is either a drop of white gum or a white pearl, we are enabled to form a better idea of it. Moreover, it is evident, from the process of baking into cakes, that it could not have been the natural manna of the Arabian desert, for that is too gummy or unctuous to admit of being ground into meal. In taste it is said to have been like "wafers made with honey" (Ex 16:31), and here to have the taste of fresh oil. The discrepancy in these statements is only apparent; for in the latter the manna is described in its raw state; in the former, after it was ground and baked. The minute description given here of its nature and use was designed to show the great sinfulness of the people, in being dissatisfied with such excellent food, furnished so plentifully and gratuitously.

10-15. Moses said unto the Lord, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant, &c.--It is impossible not to sympathize with his feelings although the tone and language of his remonstrances to God cannot be justified. He was in a most distressing situation--having a mighty multitude under his care, with no means of satisfying their clamorous demands. Their conduct shows how deeply they had been debased and demoralized by long oppression: while his reveals a state of mind agonized and almost overwhelmed by a sense of the undivided responsibilities of his office.

16-17. the Lord said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders--(Ex 3:16; 5:6; 24:9; 18:21, 24; Le 4:15). An order of seventy was to be created, either by a selection from the existing staff of elders or by the appointment of new ones, empowered to assist him by their collective wisdom and experience in the onerous cares of government. The Jewish writers say that this was the origin of the Sanhedrin, or supreme appellate court of their nation. But there is every reason to believe that it was only a temporary expedient, adopted to meet a trying exigency.

18-20. say thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves against to-morrow, and ye shall eat flesh--that is, "prepare yourselves," by repentance and submission, to receive to-morrow the flesh you clamor for. But it is evident that the tenor of the language implied a severe rebuke and that the blessing promised would prove a curse.

21-23. Moses said, The people, among whom I am, are six hundred thousand ... Shall the flocks and herds be slain for them, to suffice them?--The great leader, struck with a promise so astonishing as that of suddenly furnishing, in the midst of the desert, more than two millions of people with flesh for a whole month, betrayed an incredulous spirit, surprising in one who had witnessed so many stupendous miracles. But it is probable that it was only a feeling of the moment--at all events, the incredulous doubt was uttered only to himself--and not, as afterwards, publicly and to the scandal of the people. (See on Nu 20:10). It was, therefore, sharply reproved, but not punished.

24. Moses ... gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people, &c.--The tabernacle was chosen for the convocation, because, as it was there God manifested Himself, there His Spirit would be directly imparted--there the minds of the elders themselves would be inspired with reverential awe and their office invested with greater respect in the eyes of the people.

25. when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease--As those elders were constituted civil governors, their "prophesying" must be understood as meaning the performance of their civil and sacred duties by the help of those extraordinary endowments they had received; and by their not "ceasing" we understand, either that they continued to exercise their gifts uninterruptedly the first day (see 1Sa 19:24), or that these were permanent gifts, which qualified them in an eminent degree for discharging the duty of public magistrates.

26-29. But there remained two of the men in the camp--They did not repair with the rest to the tabernacle, either from modesty in shrinking from the assumption of a public office, or being prevented by some ceremonial defilement. They, however, received the gifts of the Spirit as well as their brethren. And when Moses was urged to forbid their prophesying, his answer displayed a noble disinterestedness as well as zeal for the glory of God akin to that of our Lord (Mr 9:39).

31-35. There went forth a wind from the Lord, and brought quails from the sea, &c.--These migratory birds (see on Ex 16:13) were on their journey from Egypt, when "the wind from the Lord," an east wind (Psa 78:26) forcing them to change their course, wafted them over the Red Sea to the camp of Israel.

let them fall a day's journey--If the journey of an individual is meant, this space might be thirty miles; if the inspired historian referred to the whole host, ten miles would be as far as they could march in one day in the sandy desert under a vertical sun. Assuming it to be twenty miles this immense cloud of quails (Psa 78:27) covered a space of forty miles in diameter. Others reduce it to sixteen. But it is doubtful whether the measurement be from the center or the extremities of the camp. It is evident, however, that the language describes the countless number of these quails.

as it were two cubits high--Some have supposed that they fell on the ground above each other to that height--a supposition which would leave a vast quantity useless as food to the Israelites, who were forbidden to eat any animal that died of itself or from which the blood was not poured out. Others think that, being exhausted with a long flight, they could not fly more than three feet above the earth, and so were easily felled or caught. A more recent explanation applies the phrase, "two cubits high," not to the accumulation of the mass, but to the size of the individual birds. Flocks of large red-legged cranes, three feet high, measuring seven feet from tip to tip, have been frequently seen on the western shores of the Gulf of Akaba, or eastern arm of the Red Sea [Stanley; Shubert].

And when the people complained - What the cause of this complaining was, we know not. The conjecture of St. Jerome is probable; they complained because of the length of the way. But surely no people had ever less cause for murmuring; they had God among them, and miracles of goodness were continually wrought in their behalf.

It displeased the Lord - For his extraordinary kindness was lost on such an ungrateful and rebellious people. And his anger was kindled - Divine justice was necessarily incensed against such inexcusable conduct.

And the fire of the Lord burnt among them - Either a supernatural fire was sent for this occasion, or the lightning was commissioned against them, or God smote them with one of those hot suffocating winds which are very common in those countries.

And consumed - in the uttermost parts of the camp - It pervaded the whole camp, from the center to the circumference, carrying death with it to all the murmurers; for we are not to suppose that it was confined to the uttermost parts of the camp, unless we could imagine that there were none culpable any where else. If this were the same with the case mentioned Num 11:4, then, as it is possible that the mixed multitude occupied the outermost parts of the camp, consequently the burning might have been confined to them.

The fire was quenched - Was sunk, or swallowed up, as in the margin. The plague, of whatever sort, ceased to act, and the people had respite.

The mixed multitude - האספסף hasaphsuph, the collected or gathered people. Such as came out of Egypt with the Israelites; and are mentioned Exo 12:38. This mongrel people, who had comparatively little of the knowledge of God, feeling the difficulties and fatigues of the journey, were the first to complain; and then we find the children of Israel joined them in their complainings, and made a common cause with these demi-infidels.

We remember, etc. - The choice aliments which those murmurers complained of having lost by their leaving Egypt, were the following: fish, cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic. A European may smile at such delicacies; but delicacies they were in that country. Their fish is excellent; their cucumbers and water melons highly salubrious and refreshing; and their onions, garlic, etc., exquisitely flavoured, differing as much from vegetables of the same species in these northern climes as a bad turnip does from a good apple. In short, this enumeration takes in almost all the commonly attainable delicacies in those countries.

The manna was as coriander seed - Probably this short description is added to show the iniquity of the people in murmuring, while they had so adequate a provision. But the baseness of their minds appears in every part of their conduct. About the bdellium of the ancients the learned are not agreed; and I shall not trouble the reader with conjectures. See the note on Gen 2:12. Concerning the manna, see the notes on Exodus 16 (note). Num 11:11-15. The complaint and remonstrance of Moses in these verses serve at once to show the deeply distressed state of his mind, and the degradation of the minds of the people. We have already seen that the slavery they had so long endured had served to debase their minds, and to render them incapable of every high and dignified sentiment, and of every generous act.

I will take of the spirit which is upon thee - From this place Origen and Theodoret take occasion to compare Moses to a lamp, at which seventy others were lighted, without losing any of its brightness. To convince Moses that God had sufficiently qualified him for the work which he had given him to do, he tells him that of the gifts and graces which he has given him he will qualify seventy persons to bear the charge with him. This was probably intended as a gracious reproof. Query. Did not Moses lose a measure of his gifts in this business? And is it not right that he whom God has called to and qualified for some particular office, should lose those gifts which he either undervalues or refuses to employ for God in the way appointed? Is there not much reason to believe that many cases have occurred where the spiritual endowments of particular persons have been taken away and given to others who made a better use of them? Hence the propriety of that exhortation, Rev 3:11 : Hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. The gracious God never called a man to perform a work without furnishing him with adequate strength; and to refuse to do it on the pretense of inability is little short of rebellion against God. This institution of the seventy persons to help Moses the rabbins consider as the origin of their grand council called the Sanhedrin. But we find that a council of seventy men, elders of Israel, had existed among the people a year before this time. See Exo 24:9 (note); see the advice given to Jethro to Moses, Exo 18:17 (note), etc., and the notes there.

Shall the flocks and the herds be slain - There is certainly a considerable measure of weakness and unbelief manifested in the complaints and questions of Moses on this occasion; but his conduct appears at the same time so very simple, honest, and affectionate, that we cannot but admire it, while we wonder that he had not stronger confidence in that God whose miracles he had so often witnessed in Egypt.

Is the Lord's hand waxed short? - Hast thou forgotten the miracles which I have already performed? or thinkest thou that my power is decreased? The power that is unlimited can never be diminished.

When the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied - By prophesying here we are to understand their performing those civil and sacred functions for which they were qualified; exhorting the people to quiet and peaceable submission, to trust and confidence in the goodness and providence of God, would make no small part of the duties of their new office. The ideal meaning of the word נבא naba is to pray, entreat, etc. The prophet is called נביא nabi, because he prays, supplicates, in reference to God; exhorts, entreats, in reference to man. See on Gen 20:7 (note).

Eldad and Medad do prophesy, etc. -

Eldad, they said, and Medad there,

Irregularly bold,

By Moses uncommission'd, dare

A separate meeting hold!

And still whom none but heaven will own.

Men whom the world decry,

Men authorized by God alone,

Presume to prophesy!

My lord Moses, forbid them -

How often have I blindly done

What zealous Joshua did,

Impatient to the rulers run,

And cried, "My lords, forbid!

Silence the schismatics, constrain

Their thoughts with ours t' agree,

And sacrifice the souls of men

To idol unity!"

Enviest thou for my sake? -

Moses, the minister of God,

Rebukes our partial love,

Who envy at the gifts bestow'd

On those we disapprove.

We do not our own spirit know,

Who wish to see suppress'd

The men that Jesu's spirit show,

The men whom God hath bless'd.

Would God that all the Lord's people were prophets -

Shall we the Spirit's course restrain,

Or quench the heavenly fire?

Let God his messengers ordain,

And whom he will inspire.

Blow as he list, the Spirit's choice

Of instruments we bless;

We will, if Christ be preached, rejoice,

And wish the word success.

Can all be prophets then? are all

Commission'd from above?

No; but whome'er the Lord shall call

We joyfully approve.

O that the Church might all receive

The spirit of prophecy,

And all in Christ accepted live,

And all in Jesus die!

Short Hymns on Select Passages of the Holy Scriptures, by Charles Wesley, M. A., and Presbyter of the Church of England. Bristol, 1762. 2 vols. 12mo.

These sentiments are the more particularly remarkable as they come from one who was sufficiently bigoted to what was called ecclesiastical orders and regularity.

A wind from the Lord - An extraordinary one, not the effect of a natural cause. And brought quails, a bird which in great companies visits Egypt about the time of the year, March or April, at which the circumstance marked here took place. Mr. Hasselquist, the friend and pupil of the famous Linnaeus, saw many of them about this time of the year, when he was in Egypt. See his Travels, p. 209.

Two cubits high upon the face of the earth - We may consider the quails as flying within two cubits of the ground; so that the Israelites could easily take as many of them as they wished, while flying within the reach of their hands or their clubs. The common notion is, that the quails were brought round about the camp, and fell there in such multitudes as to lie two feet thick upon the ground; but the Hebrew will not bear this version. The Vulgate has expressed the sense, Volabantque in aere duobus cubitis altitudine super terram. "And they flew in the air, two cubits high above the ground."

The people stood up, etc. - While these immense flocks were flying at this short distance from the ground, fatigued with the strong wind and the distance they had come, they were easily taken by the people; and as various flocks continued to succeed each other for two days and a night, enough for a month's provision might be collected in that time. If the quails had fallen about the tents, there was no need to have stood up two days and a night in gathering them; but if they were on the wing, as the text seems to suppose, it was necessary for them to use dispatch, and avail themselves of the passing of these birds whilst it continued. See Harmer, and see the note on Exo 16:13.

And they spread them all abroad - Maillet observes that birds of all kinds come to Egypt for refuge from the cold of a northern winter; and that the people catch them, pluck, and bury them in the burning sand for a few minutes, and thus prepare them for use. This is probably what is meant by spreading them all abroad round the camp. Some authors think that the word שלוים salvim, rendered quails in our translation, should be rendered locusts. There is no need of this conjecture; all difficulties are easily resolved without it. The reader is particularly referred to the note on Exo 16:13 (note).

The wrath of the Lord was kindled - In what way, and with what effects, we cannot precisely determine. Some heavy judgment fell upon those murmurers and complainers, but of what kind the sacred writer says nothing.

Kibroth-hattaavah - The graves of lust; and thus their scandalous crime was perpetuated by the name of the place.

1. St. Jude speaks of persons who were murmurers and complainers, walking after their own lusts, Jde 1:16, and seems to have this people particularly in view, whom the sacred text calls μεμψιμοιροι, complainers of their lot. They could never be satisfied; even God himself could not please them, because they were ever preferring their own wisdom to his. God will save us in his own way, or not at all; because that way, being the plan of infinite wisdom, it is impossible that we can be saved in any other. How often have we professed to pray, "Thy will be done!" And how seldom, very seldom, have our hearts and lips corresponded! How careful should we be in all our prayers to ask nothing but what is perfectly consistent with the will of God! Many times our prayers and desires are such that, were they answered, our ruin would be inevitable. "Thy will be done!" is the greatest of all prayers; and he who would pray safely and successfully, must at least have the spirit of these words in all his petitions. The Israelites asked flesh when they should not have asked for it; God yields to their murmuring, and the death of multitudes of these murmurers was the consequence! We hear of such punishments, and yet walk in the same way, presuming on God's mercy, while we continue to provoke his justice. Let us settle it in our minds as an indisputable truth, that God is better acquainted with our wants than we are ourselves; that he knows infinitely better what we need; and that he is ever more ready to hear than we are to pray, and is wont to give more than we can desire or deserve.

2. In no case has God at any time withheld from his meanest followers any of the spiritual or temporal mercies they needed. Were he to call us to travel through a wilderness, he would send us bread from heaven, or cause the wilderness to smile and blossom as the rose. How strange is it that we will neither believe that God has worked, or will work, unless we see him working!

Complained - Or, murmured, the occasion whereof seems to be their last three days journey in a vast howling wilderness, and thereupon the remembrance of their long abode in the wilderness, and the fear of many other tedious journeys, whereby they were like to be long delayed from coming to the land of milk and honey, which they thirsted after. The fire of the Lord - A fire sent from God in an extraordinary manner, possibly from the pillar of cloud and fire, or from heaven. The uttermost parts - Either because the sin began there among the mixed multitude, or in mercy to the people, whom he would rather awaken to repentance than destroy; and therefore he sent it into the skirts and not the midst of the camp.

The people - The murmurers, being penitent; or others for fear.

Taberah - This fire; as it was called Kibroth - hattaavah from another occasion, Nu 11:34,35, and Num 33:16. It is no new thing in scripture for persons and places to have two names. Both these names were imposed as monuments of the peoples sin and of God's just judgment.

Israel also - Whose special relation and obligation to God should have restrained them from such carriage. Flesh - This word is here taken generally so as to include fish, as the next words shew. They had indeed cattle which they brought out of Egypt, but these were reserved for breed to be carried into Canaan, and were so few that they would scarce have served them for a month.

Freely - Either without price, for fish was very plentiful, and fishing was there free, or with a very small price. And this is the more probable because the Egyptians might not taste of fish, nor of the leeks and onions, which they worshipped for Gods, and therefore the Israelites, might have them upon cheap terms.

Our soul - Either our life, as the soul signifies, Gen 9:5, or our body, which is often signified by the soul. Dried away - Is withered and pines away; which possibly might be true, through envy and discontent, and inordinate appetite.

As coriander - seed - Not for colour, for that is black, but for shape and figure. Bdellium - Is either the gum of a tree, of a white and bright colour, or rather a gem or precious stone, as the Hebrew doctors take it; and particularly a pearl wherewith the Manna manifestly agrees both in its colour, which is white, Exo 16:14, and in its figure which is round.

Fresh oil - Or, of the most excellent oil; or of cakes made with the best oil, the word cakes being easily supplied out of the foregoing member of the verse; or, which is not much differing, like wafers made with honey, as it is said Exo 16:31. The nature and use of Manna is here thus particularly described, to shew the greatness of their sin in despising such excellent food.

In the door of his tent - To note they were not ashamed of their sin.

Not found favour - Why didst thou not hear my prayer, when I desired thou wouldest excuse me, and commit the care of this unruly people to some other person.

Have I begotten them? - Are they my children, that I should be obliged to provide food and all things for their necessity and desire?

To bear - The burden of providing for and satisfying them. Alone - Others were only assistant to him in smaller matters; but the harder and greater affairs, such as this unquestionably was, were brought to Moses and determined by him alone.

My wretchedness - Heb. my evil, my torment, arising from the insuperable difficulty of my office and work of ruling this people, and from the dread of their utter extirpation, and the dishonour which thence will accrue to God and to religion, as if, not I only, but God also were an impostor.

To be elders - Whom thou by experience discernest to be elders not only in years, and name, but also in wisdom and authority with the people. And according to this constitution, the Sanhedrim, or great council of the Jews, which in after - ages sat at Jerusalem, and was the highest court of the judgment among them, consisted of seventy men.

I will come down - By my powerful presence and operation. I will put it on them - That is, I will give the same spirit to them which I have given to thee. But as the spirit was not conveyed to them from or through Moses, but immediately from God, so the spirit or its gifts were not by this means impaired in Moses. The spirit is here put for the gifts of the spirit, and particularly for the spirit of prophecy, whereby they were enabled, as Moses had been and still was, to discern hidden and future things, and resolve doubtful and difficult cases, which made them fit for government. It is observable, that God would not, and therefore men should not, call any persons to any office for which they were not sufficiently qualified.

Sanctify themselves - Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel, in the way of his judgments. Prepare yourselves by true repentance, that you may either obtain some mitigation of the plague, or, whilst your bodies are destroyed by the flesh you desire and eat, your souls may be saved from the wrath of God. Sanctifying is often used for preparing, as Jer 6:4 12:3. In the ears of the Lord - Not secretly in your closets, but openly and impudently in the doors of your tents, calling heaven and earth to witness.

At your nostrils - Which meat violently vomited up frequently doth. Thus God destroys them by granting their desires, and turns even their blessings into curses. Ye have despised the Lord - You have lightly esteemed his bounty and manifold blessings, you have slighted and distrusted his promises and providence after so long and large experience of it. Who is among you - Who is present and resident with you to observe all your carriage, and to punish your offences. This is added as a great aggravation of the crime, to sin in the presence of the judge. Why came we forth out of Egypt? - Why did God do us such an injury? Why did we so foolishly obey him in coming forth?

Six hundred thousand footmen - Fit for war, besides women and children. That Moses speaks this as distrusting God's word is evident; and that Moses was not remarkably punished for this as he was afterward for the same sin, Num 20:12, may be imputed to the different circumstances of this and that sin: this was the first offence of the kind, and therefore more easily passed by; that was after warning and against more light and experience. This seems to have been spoken secretly: that openly before the people; and therefore it was fit to be openly and severely punished to prevent the contagion of that example.

Moses went out - Out of the tabernacle, into which he entered to receive God's answers from the mercy - seat. The seventy men - They are called seventy from the stated number, though two of them were lacking, as the Apostles are called the twelve, Mt 26:20, when one of that number was absent. Round the tabernacle - Partly that the awe of God might be imprinted upon their hearts, that they might more seriously undertake and more faithfully manage their high employment, but principally, because that was the place where God manifested himself, and therefore there he would bestow his spirit upon them.

Rested on them - Not only moved them for a time, but took up his settled abode with them, because the use and end of this gift was perpetual. They prophesied - Discoursed of the word and works of God in a marvellous manner, as the prophets did. So this word is used, 1Sam 10:5,6 Joel 2: 28 1Cor 14:3. Yet were they not hereby constituted teachers, but civil magistrates, who together with the spirit of government, received also the spirit of prophesy, as a sign and seal both to themselves and to the people, that God had called them to that employment. They did not cease - Either for that day, they continued in that exercise all that day, and, it may be, all the night too, as it is said of Saul, 1Sam 19:24, or, afterwards also, to note that this was a continued gift conferred upon them to enable them the better to discharge their magistracy; which was more expedient for them than for the rulers of other people, because the Jews were under a theocracy or the government of God, and even their civil controversies were decided out of that word of God which the prophets expounded.

In the camp - Not going to the tabernacle, as the rest did, either not having seasonable notice to repair thither: or, being detained in the camp by sickness, or some urgent occasion, not without God's special providence, that so the miracle might be more evident. Were written - In a book or paper by Moses, who by God's direction nominated the fittest persons.

Told Moses - Fearing lest his authority should be diminished by their prophesying; and thereby taking authority to themselves without his consent.

One of his young men - Or, one of his choice ministers, which may be emphatically added, to note that even great and good men may mistake about the works of God. Forbid them - He feared either schism, or sedition, or that by their usurpation of authority, independently upon Moses, his power and esteem might be lessened.

Enviest thou for my sake - Art thou grieved because the gifts and graces of God are imparted to others besides me? Prophets - He saith prophets, not rulers, for that he knew was absurd and impossible. So we ought to be pleased, that God is glorified and good done, tho' to the lessening of our own honour.

Into the camp - Among the people, to exercise the gifts and authority now received.

A wind from the Lord - An extraordinary and miraculous wind both for its vehemency and for its effects. Quails - God gave them quails once before, Exo 16:13, but neither in the same quantity, nor with the same design and effect as now. From the sea - Principally from the Red - sea, and both sides of it where, by the reports of ancient Heathen writers, they were then in great numbers, and, no doubt, were wonderfully increased by God's special providence for this very occasion. Two cubits high - Not as if the quails did cover all the ground two cubits high for a day's journey on each side of the camp, for then there had been no place left where they could spread them all abroad round about the camp; but the meaning is, that the quails came and fell down round about the camp for a whole day's journey on each side of it, and that in all that space they lay here and there in great heaps, which were often two cubits high.

Stood up - Or rather rose up, which word is often used for beginning to do any business. All that night - Some at one time, and some at the other, and some, through greediness or diffidence, at both times. Ten homers - That is, ten ass loads: which if it seem incredible, you must consider, That the gatherers here were not all the people, which could not be without great inconveniences, but some on the behalf of all, while the rest were exercised about other necessary things. So the meaning is not, that every Israelite had so much for his share, but that every collector gathered so much for the family, or others by whom he was intrusted. That the people did not gather for their present use only, but for a good while to come, and being greedy and distrustful of God's goodness, it is not strange if they gathered much more than they needed. That the word, rendered homers, may signify heaps, as it doth, Exo 8:14 Jud 15:16 Hab 3:15, and ten, is often put for many, and so the sense is, that every one gathered several heaps. If yet the number seems incredible, it must be farther known, That Heathen and other authors affirm, in those eastern and southern countries quails are innumerable, so that in one part of Italy, within the compass of five miles, there were taken about an hundred thousand of them every day for a month together. And Atheneus relates, that in Egypt, a country prodigiously populous, they were in such plenty, that all those vast numbers of people could not consume them, but were forced to salt and keep them for future use. They spread them - That so they might dry, salt and preserve them for future use, according to what they had seen in Egypt.

Chewed - Heb. cut off, namely from their mouths. A very great plague - Probably the pestilence. But the sense is, before they had done eating their quails, which lasted for a month. Why did God so sorely punish the peoples murmuring for flesh here, when he spared them after the same sin, Exo 16:12. Because this was a far greater sin, and aggravated with worse circumstances; proceeding not from necessity, as that did, when as yet they had no food, but from mere wantonness, when they had Manna constantly given them; committed after large experience of God's care and kindness, after God had pardoned their former sins, and after God had in a solemn and terrible manner made known his laws to them.

Kibroth - hattaavah - Heb. the graves of lust, that is, of the men that lusted, as it here follows. And it notes that the plague did not seize upon all that eat of the quails, for then all had been destroyed, but only upon those who were inordinate both in the desire and use of them.

1 AND when the people complained , it displeased the LORD, and the LORD heard it, and his anger was kindled, and the fire of the LORD burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp .

Or, murmured, the occasion whereof seems to be their last three dayes journey in a vast howling wilderness, without any benefit, and thereupon the remembrance of their long abode in the wilderness and the prospect and fear of many other tedious and fruitless and dangerous journeys, whereby they were like to be long delayed from coming to that rest that land of milk and honey which God had promised them, and which they thirsted after.

(i. e.) A fire sent from God in an extraordinary manner, possibly from the pillar of cloud and fire, or from heaven, as 2 King. 1. 12.

Either because the sin began there among the mixt multitude, who probably had their place there, or amongst those who were feeble and weary with their last journey and therefore hindmost in the march: or in mercy to the people, whom he would rather awaken to repentance than utterly destroy, and therefore he sent it into the skirts not the heart and midst of the camp.

Marginal references: Or, were as it were complainers; Heb. it was evil in the [illegible: 1+ letters]ars of, &c.; Psal. 78. 21.

2 And the people cryed unto Moses : and when Moses prayed unto the LORD, the fire was quenched.

The murmurers being penitent, or others for fear.

Whom they knew to be very prevalent with God.

Marginal references: Heb. s[illegible: 1+ letters]k.

3 And he called the name of the place ‖ Taberah : because the fire of the LORD burnt among them.

From this fire, as it was called Kibroth-hattaavah from another occasion▪ ver. 34, 35. and Numb. 33. 16. As it is no new thing in Scripture for persons and places to have two names. Both these names were imposed as monuments of the peoples sin and of Gods just judgment. See Deut. 9. 7, 22, 24.

Marginal references: That is, a [illegible: 1+ letters]ing.

4 And the * mixt multitude that was among them, fell a lusting, and the children of Israel also wept again , and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat?

Consisting of Egyptians or other people, which being affected with Gods miraculous works in Egypt, and thereupon believing the promise of God to carry them to a land of milk and honey for their own advantage joyned themselves to the Israelites, Exod. 12. 38. and now finding themselves sadly disappointed they discover their evil minds.

Whose special relation and obligation to God should have restrained them from such carriages.

This word relates either to their former murmuring upon this occasion a twelve-moneth before, Exod. 16. 2. or rather to their complaining mentioned▪ ver. 1. to note the aggravation of their sin, that having just now sinned in the same kind and sorely smarted for their sin, and being but newly delivered from their fears and dangers caused thereby, they forthwith return to their vomit and murmur again, and that more passionately than before, expressing themselves in tears and bitter words.

This word is here taken generally so as to include fish, as the next words shew, and as it is used, 1 Cor. 15. 39. They had indeed flesh and cattel which they brought with them out of Egypt, but these were reserved for breed to be carried into Canaan, and were so few that they would scarce have served them for a moneth, as may be gathered from Numb. 11. 20, 21, 22.

Marginal references: Exod. 12. 38.; Heb. lusted a lust.; Heb. returned and wept.; 1 Cor. 10. 6. Psal. 78. 18. and 106. 14.

5 We remember the fish which we did eat in Egypt freely : the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick.

Either without price, for fish was very plentiful and fishing was there free, or with a very small price; for nothing is sometimes put for a little, as Ioh. 18. 20. Act. 27. 33. and none for few, as Ier. 8. 6. 1 Cor. 2. 8. And this is the more probable because the Egyptians might not tast of fish, nor of the leeks and onions, which they worshipped for Gods, and therefore the Israelites, who speak these words, might have them there upon cheaper termes.

Marginal references: Exod. 16. [illegible: 1+ letters].

6 But now our soul is dried away , there is nothing at all besides this Manna, before our eyes .

Either 1. our life, as the soul signifies, Gen. 9. 5. Psal. 33. 19. Iob 36. 14. or 2. our body, which is oft signified by the soul, as Psal. 16. 10. and 35. 12. and 105▪ 18. So Levit. 19. 28. and 21. 1. Numb. 5. 2.

Is withered and pines away, which possibly might be true through envy and discontent and inordinate appetite, as 2 Sam. 13. 4. Prov. 14. 30.

Heb. Our eyes see or look to nothing but this Manna. They speak as it the Manna were onely usefull to please their eyes, with its fine colour and shape, but not to satisfy their appetites or sustain their natures.

7 And the manna was as coriander-seed , and the colour thereof as the colour of bdellium .

Not for colour, for that is black, but for shape and figure.

Which is either 1. the gum of a tree, of a white and bright colour, or rather 2. a gem or precious stone, as the Hebrew doctours take it, and particularly a pea[illegible: 1+ letters]l, as some render it, wherewith the Manna doth manifestly agree both in its colour, which is white, Exod. 16. 14. and in its figure which is round. See more on Gen. 2. 12.

Marginal references: Exod. 16. 14, 31.; Heb. eye of it as the eye of.

8 And the people went about, and gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it: and the tast of it was as the tast of fresh oyl .

Or, of the most excellent oyl; or, of the flour of orl: or, as others, of cakes or past made with the best oyl, the word cakes being easily supplied out of the foregoing member of the verse: or, which is not much differing, like wasers made with honey, as it is said Exod. 16. 31. The nature and use of Manna is here thus particularly described to shew the greatness of their sin in despising such excellent food, as this was.

9 And when the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell upon it .

And then the dew fell again upon it and covered it, as we see Exod. 16. 13, 14. [illegible: 1+ letters]o the Manna lay hid as it were between two beds of dew. Hence the phrase of hidden Manna, Rev. 2. 17.

10 Then Moses heard the people weep throughout their families, every man in the door of his tent , and the anger of the LORD was kindled greatly, Moses also was displeased .

To note, that they were not ashamed of their sin.

Partly for their great unthankfulness, partly foreseeing the dreadful judgments coming upon them, and partly for his own burden expressed in the following verses.

Marginal references: Psal.

11 And Moses said unto the LORD, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight , that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me?

Why didst thou not hear my prayer, when I desired thou wouldest excuse me and commit the care and government of this unruly people to some other person. See Exod. 3. 11. and 4. 10.

12 Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them , that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom (as a nursing father beareth the sucking-child ) unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers?

Are they my children, that I should be obliged to provide food and all things for their necessity and desire?

Which expression shews the tender care and affection that governours by the command of God ought to have towards their people.

Marginal references: Or, born them. So Gr.

14 I am not able to bear all this people alone , because it is too heavy for me.

(i. e.) The burden of providing for and satisfying of them.

Obj. How was he alone, when there were others added to help him, Exod. 18. 21, 24? Ans. Those were onely assistant to him in civil causes and smaller matters, but the harder and greater affairs, such as this unquestionably was, were brought to Moses and determined by him alone, Exod. 18. 22.

15 And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight, and let me not see my wretchedness .

Heb. my evil, i. e. my intolerable anguish and torment, arising from the insuperable difficulty of my office and work of ruling this people, and from the dread of their utter extirpation which they will bring upon themselves, and the dishonour which thence will accrue to God and to religion, as if not I onely but God also were an impostour. Seeing is here put for feeling, as to see death, Psal. 89. 48. Luk. 2. 26. is to suffer it, and to see the salvation of God, Psal. 50. 23. & 91. 16. is to enjoy it.

Marginal references: See 1 King. 19. 4. Jon. 4. 3.

16 And the LORD said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel , whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them: and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee.

Of whom see Exod. 3. 16. and 5. 6. Levit. 4. 15. Deut. 16. 18.

Whom thou by experience discernest to be Elders not onely in years and name and place, but also in wisdom and gravity and authority with the people.

Marginal references: See Exod. 4. 29.

17 And I will come down , and talk with thee there, and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them , and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thy self alone.

Not by local motion, but by my powerful presence and operation. See Gen. 11. 5. and Exod. 34. 5.

(i. e.) I will give the same spirit to them which I have given to thee. But as the spirit was not conveyed to them from or through Moses, but immediately from God, so the spirit or its gifts were not by this means impaired in Moses. The spirit is here put for the gifts of the spirit as it is Num. 27. 18. Ioel 2. 28. Io[illegible: 1+ letters]. 7. 39. Act. 19. 2, 6. 1 Cor. 14. 12, 32. and particularly for the spirit of prophesy, v. 25. whereby they were enabled, as Moses had been and still was, to discern hidden and future things and resolve doubtful and difficult cases, which made them fit for government. It is observable, that God would not, and therefore men should not, call any persons to any office for which they were not sufficiently fit and qualified.

Marginal references: Neh. 9. 20.

18 And say thou unto the people, Sanctifie your selves against to morrow, and ye shall eat flesh: (for ye have wept in the ears of the LORD , saying, Who shall give us flesh to eat? for it was well with us in Egypt) therefore the LORD will give you flesh, and ye shall eat.

(i. e.) Prepare your selves, either to receive the miraculous blessings of God, the flesh you desire: or rather, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel, in the way of his judgments, and to receive the punishment which God will inflict upon you, for it is evident from ver. 20. that God answered them with a curse in stead of a blessing. Prepare your selves by true repentance, that you may either obtain some mitigation of the plague, or, whilest your bodies are destroyed by the flesh you desire and eat, ver. 33, 34. your souls may be saved from the wrath of God. Sanctifying is oft used for preparing, as Ier. 6. 4. and 12. 3. and 51. 28.

Not secretly in your closets, but openly and impudently in the doors of your tents, ver. 10. calling heaven and earth to witness your cries and complaints.

20 But even a whole month, untill it come out at your nostrils , and it be loathsome unto you , because ye have despised the LORD , which is among you , and have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt ?

Which meat loathed and violently vomited up frequently doth.

Being glutted with the abundance of it. Thus God destroyes them by granting their desires, and turnes even their blessings into curses: whilest he deals much more favourably with Moses, though he also fell into the same sin with the people, i. e. impatience and murmuring. But God will make a great difference between persons and persons, and between Moses his sins of infirmity and the peoples presumptuous and oft repeated provocations.

(i. e.) You have lightly esteemed his bounty and manifold blessings in Manna and other things, and have preserred the leeks, onions, &c. of Egypt before them all: you have sleighted and distrusted his promises and providence after so long and large experience of it.

Who is present and resident with you to observe all your carriages and to punish your offences. This is added as a great aggravation of the crime, to sin in the presence of the Judge.

Why did God do us such an injury? why did we so foolishly follow and obey him in coming forth?

Marginal references: Heb. [illegible: 1 word] dayes.

21 And Moses said, The people amongst whom I am, are six hundred thousand footmen , and thou hast said, I will give them flesh that they may eat a whole month.

Fit for war, Exod. 12. 37. besides women, children, &c. That Moses speaks this as doubting or distrusting Gods words is evident enough from ver. 22, 23. And that Moses was not remarkably punished for this as he was afterward for the same sin Numb. 20. next to Gods good pleasure may be imputed to the different circumstances of this and that sin: this was the first great offence of this kind, and therefore more easily passed by, that was after warning and against more light and experience. This seems to have been spoken secretly in Moses his breast: that openly and publickly before the people, and to their scandal, and therefore it was fit to be openly and severely punished to prevent the contagion of that example.

Marginal references: Exod. 3[illegible: 1+ letters]. [illegible: 1 word] chap. 1. 45.

22 Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them, to suffice them ? or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them to suffice them?

Will they be sufficient for them? or where shall they have more?

23 And the LORD said unto Moses, Is the LORDS hand waxed short ? thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee, or not.

(i. e.) Less able to work such great and glorious miracles as I have done.

Marginal references: Isa. 50. 2. and 59. 1.

24 And Moses went out and told the people the words of the LORD, and gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them round about the tabernacle .

Out of the tabernacle, into which he entred to receive Gods answers from the Mercy-seat, Numb. 7. 89.

Either they are called seventy from the stated number, though two of them were lacking, ver. 26. as the Apostles are called the twelve, Mat. 26. 20. when one of that number was absent: or, he is said to have gathered them, when he gave command to gather them.

Partly that the awe of God might be imprinted upon their hearts that they might more seriously undertake and more faithfully manage their high employment, partly to gain them the more authority and respect from the people, and principally, because that was the place where God manifested himself and gave his blessings, and therefore there he would bestow his spirit upon them.

25 And the LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders, and it came to pass, that when the spirit rested upon them , they prophesied , and did not cease .

(i. e.) Not onely moved them for a time, but took up his settled abode with them, because the use and end of this gift was not temporary but perpetual.

(i. e.) Discoursed of the word and works of God in a singular and marvellous manner, as the Prophets did. So this word is used 1 Sam. 10. 5, 6. Ioel 2. 28. Act. 2. 17. 1 Cor. 14. 3. Yet were they not hereby constituted Prophets or teachers, but civil Magistrates and Rulers, who together with the spirit of government, which is here sufficiently implied, received also the spirit of Prophecy, as a sign and seal both to themselves and to the people that God had called them to that employment and would be with them in it, as it was with Saul upon the same occasion, 1 Sam. 10. 10.

Either for that day, they continued in that exercise all that day, and, it may be, all the night too, as it is said of Saul, 1 Sam. 19. 24. or, afterwards also, to note that this was a continued gift conferred upon them to enable them the better to discharge their Magistracy; which was more expedient for them then for the Rulers of other people, because the Iews were under a Theocracy or the government of God, and even their civil controversies were decided out of that word of God which the Prophets expounded, and in their wilderness condition they had frequent occasions of seeking counsel from God, which was the work of Prophets, and they were to determine all things agreeably to the mind and will of God, which therefore they were obliged to study. Others translate the words, and they added not: so the sence is, They prophecyed onely this day for an assurance of vocation to and due qualification for their work, but afterwards they prophecyed no more, the gift of prophecy ceased in them, and onely the spirit of government rested upon them.

Marginal references: Gr. added, or [illegible: 1+ letters]ded no [illegible: 1 word].

26 But there remained two of the men in the camp , the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other, Medad: and the spirit rested upon them (and they were of them that were written , but went not out unto the tabernacle) and they prophesied in the camp.

Not going to the Tabernacle, as the rest did, either modestly declining that high employment from an humble sence of their own insufficiency, as Saul did, 1 Sam. 10. 22. or not having sufficient or seasonable notice to repair thither: or, being detained in the camp and in their dwellings whether by uncleanness, or sickness, or some urgent occasion, not without Gods special providence, that so the Miracle might be more evident, and their call and authority more unquestionable to all the people.

To wit in a book or paper by Moses, who by Gods direction nominated the fittest and worthiest persons.

27 And there ran a young man, and told Moses , and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesie in the camp.

Fearing least his authority should be diminished by their prophesying and thereby, as by the signal given at this time, taking authority to themselves without his knowledge and consent.

28 And Joshua the son of Nun the servant of Moses, one of his young men answered, and said, My lord Moses, forbid them .

Or, one of his choice ministers, a chosen or excellent person: which may be emphatically added, to note that even great and good men may mistake and mis-judge about the works of God. Or, from his youth, as the words will bear, and the Chaldee, Syr. &c. render it. So it may be added as a reason why Ioshua above others was concerned for Moses his honour and authority.

He seared either schisme, or sedition, or that by their usurpation of authority independently upon Moses and separately from him, his power and esteem might be lessened, as the next words shew.

Marginal references: See Luk. 9. 49.

29 And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake ? would God that all the LORDS people were prophets , and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them.

Art thou grieved because the gifts and graces of God are imparted to others besides me? Compare Ioh. 3. 26.

He saith Prophets, not rulers, for that he knew was absurd and impossible.

30 And Moses gat him into the camp , he and the elders of Israel.

Among the people, to exercise the gifts and authority now or formerly received.

31 And there went forth a wind from the LORD , and brought quails from the sea , and let them fall by the camp, as it were a days journey on this side, and as it were a dayes journey on the other side round about the camp, and as it were two cubits high upon the face of the earth .

(i. e.) An extraordinary and miracuious wind both for its vehemency and for its effects.

A delicious and very nourishing food, which, considering their greedy appetite, and the newness and plenty of it, disposed them to surfets and other distempers of body, and prepared the way for the following plague. God gave them quails once before Exod. 16. 13. but neither in the same quantity, nor with the same design and effect as now.

Principally from the Red sea, and both sides of it; where, by the report of antient heathen writers, they were then in great numbers, and, no doubt, were wonderfully increased by Gods special providence for this very occasion.

Not as if the quails did cover all the ground two cubits high for a days journey on each side of the camp, for then there had been no place left where they could spread them all abroad round about the camp, as it is said they did, ver. 32. but the meaning is, that the quails came and fell down round about the camp for a whole days journey on each side of it, and that in all that space they lay here and there in great heaps, which were oft-times two cubirs high.

Marginal references: Exod. 16. 1[illegible: 1+ letters]. Psal. 78. 26. and 105. 40.; Heb. as it were we[illegible: 1+ letters] the way of a [illegible: 1 word].

32 And the people stood up all that day, and all that night , and all the next day, and they gathered the quails: he that gathered least, gathered ten homers : and they spread them all abroad for themselves round about the camp.

Or rather rose up, which word is oft used for attempting or beginning to do any business.

Some at one time, and some at the other, and some, through greediness or diffidence, at both times.

(i. e.) Ten ass loads. Which if it seem incredible, you must consider, 1. that the gatherers here were not all the people, which could not be without great confusion and other inconveniencies, but some on the behalf of all, possibly one for each family, or the like, while the rest were exercised about other necessary things. So the meaning is not, that every Israelite had so much for his share, but that every collector gathered so much for the family or others by whom he was intrusted. 2. that the people did not gather for their present use onely, but for a good while to come as we shall see, and being greedy and distrustful of Gods goodness, it is not strange if they gathered much more than they needed. 3. that the word, rendred homers, may signify heaps, as it doth Exod. 8. 14. Iudg. 15. 16. Hab. 3. 15. and ten is oft put for many, and so the sence is, that every one gathered several heaps. If yet the number seems incredible, it must be further known. 4. that heathen and other authors affirm that in those eastern and southern countries quails are innumerable, so that in one part of Italy within the compass of five miles there were taken about an hundred thousand of them every day for a moneth together; and that sometimes they fly so thick over the sea, that being weary they fall into ships, sometimes in such numbers that they sink them with their weight, as Varro and Solinus affirm. And Athenaeus relates that in Egypt, a country prodigiou[illegible: 1+ letters]ly populous, as all agree, they were in such plenty, that all those vast numbers of people could not consume them but were forced to salt them and keep them for their future use. So that there is no need at all that God should create innumerable quails for this purpose: which yet if it were affirmed he did▪ Atheists and Anti-scripturists have no occasion of triumph, since they must either own the creation of the world, which is a far greater miracle, or ascribe the production of the world to a casual jumble of Atoms, which is more senceless and ridiculous than all the fables of the Poets.

That so they might dry them, and salt them, and preserve them for their future use, according to what they had seen and learned in Egypt.

33 And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed , the wrath of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD smote the people with a very great plague .

Heb. cut off, to wit, from their mout[illegible: 1+ letters], which is here understood, and expressed I[illegible: 1+ letters]t 1. 5. i. e. ere it was taken away, as the flocks are said to be [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] ▪ [illegible: 1 word]. [illegible: 1+ letters]. 1[illegible: 1+ letters]. when they are lost and perished. The sence is▪ before they had done eating their quails, which lasted for a moneth, as appears from ver. 20.

Whether it was lea[illegible: 1+ letters]ness sent into them. Psal. 106. 15. whereby the food was deprived of its nourishing power which it hath onely from Gods blessing▪ or [illegible: 1 word], [illegible: 1+ letters] punishment most suitable to their sin, and most likely to follow their intemperate desire and use of this food; or the pestilence, it is not much material: but a great and sore plague unquestionably it was. Quest. Why did God so sorely punish the peoples murmuring and complaining for lack of flesh here, when he spared them after the same sin, Exod. 16? Ans. Because this sin was a far greater sin than that and aggravated with worse circumstances; as proceeding not from necessity, as that did, when as yet they had no food, but from meer lust and wantonness, when they had Manna constantly given them; as committed after large experience of Gods care and kindness, after God had pardoned their former sins, and after God had in a solemn and terrible manner made known his laws and their duty to them.

Marginal references: Psal. [illegible: 1+ letters]8. 3[illegible: 1+ letters] ▪ 31.

34 And he called the name of that place Kibroth-hattaavah , because there they buried the people that lusted.

Heb. the graves of lust, i. e. of the men that lusted, as it here follows. The abstract for the concrete, which is frequent, as poverty, 2 King. 24. 14. pride, Psal. 36. 11. deceit, sins, Prov. 13. 6, &c. dreams, Ier. 27. 9. are put for men who are poor, or proud, or deceitful, or sinful, or dreamers. And it notes, that this plague did not sieze upon all that did eat of the quails, for then all had been destroyed, but onely upon those who were inordinate both in the desire and use of them.

Marginal references: That is, the graves of lust.

35 And the people journeyed from Kibrothhattaavah unto Hazeroth : and abode at Hazeroth.

Of which place see on Numb. 33. 17. and Deut. 1. 1.

Marginal references: Heb. they were in, &c.

Num 11:1-2

After a three days’ march the Israelites arrived at a resting-place; but the people began at once to be discontented with their situation.The arguments by which Knobel undertakes to prove, that in chs. 11 and 12 of the original work different foreign accounts respecting the first encampments after leaving Sinai have been woven together by the “Jehovist,” are founded upon misinterpretations and arbitrary assumptions and conclusions, such as the assertion that the tabernacle stood outside the camp (chs. Num 11:25; Num 12:5); that Miriam entered the tabernacle (Num 12:4-5); that the original work had already reported the arrival of Israel in Paran in Num 10:12; and that no reference is ever made to a camping-place called Tabeerah, and others of the same kind. For the proof, see the explanation of the verses referred to.The people were like those who complain in the ears of Jehovah of something bad; i.e., they behaved like persons who groan and murmur because of some misfortune that has happened to them. No special occasion is mentioned for the complaint. The words are expressive, no doubt, of the general dissatisfaction and discontent of the people at the difficulties and privations connected with the journey through the wilderness, to which they gave utterance so loudly, that their complaining reached the ears of Jehovah. At this His wrath burned, inasmuch as the complaint was directed against Him and His guidance, “so that fire of Jehovah burned against them, and ate at the end of the camp.” בּ בּער signifies here, not to burn a person (Job 1:16), but to burn against. “Fire of Jehovah:” a fire sent by Jehovah, but not proceeding directly from Him, or bursting forth from the cloud, as in Lev 10:2. Whether it was kindled through a flash of lightning, or in some other such way, cannot be more exactly determined. There is not sufficient ground for the supposition that the fire merely seized upon the bushes about the camp and the tents of the people, but not upon human beings (Ros., Knobel). All that is plainly taught in the words is, that the fire did not extend over the whole camp, but merely broke out at one end of it, and sank down again, i.e., was extinguished very quickly, at the intercession of Moses; so that in this judgment the Lord merely manifested His power to destroy the murmurers, that He might infuse into the whole nation a wholesome dread of His holy majesty.

Num 11:3

From this judgment the place where the fire had burned received the name of “Tabeerah,” i.e., burning, or place of burning. Now, as this spot is distinctly described as the end or outermost edge of the camp, this “place of burning” must not be regarded, as it is by Knobel and others, as a different station from the “graves of lust.” “Tabeerah was simply the local name give to a distant part of the whole camp, which received soon after the name of Kibroth-Hattaavah, on account of the greater judgment which the people brought upon themselves through their rebellion. This explains not only the omission of the name Tabeerah from the list of encampments in Num 33:16, but also the circumstance, that nothing is said about any removal from Tabeerah to Kibroth-Hattaavah, and that the account of the murmuring of the people, because of the want of those supplies of food to which they had been accustomed in Egypt, is attached, without anything further, to the preceding narrative. There is nothing very surprising either, in the fact that the people should have given utterance to their wish for the luxuries of Egypt, which they had been deprived of so long, immediately after this judgment of God, if we only understand the whole affair as taking place in exact accordance with the words of the texts, viz., that the unbelieving and discontented mass did not discern the chastising hand of God at all in the conflagration which broke out at the end of the camp, because it was not declared to be a punishment from God, and was not preceded by a previous announcement; and therefore that they gave utterance in loud murmurings to the discontent of their hearts respecting the want of flesh, without any regard to what had just befallen them.

Num 11:4-9

The first impulse to this came from the mob that had come out of Egypt along with the Israelites. “The mixed multitude:” see at Exo 12:38. They felt and expressed a longing for the better food which they had enjoyed in Egypt, and which was not to be had in the desert, and urged on the Israelites to cry out for flesh again, especially for the flesh and the savoury vegetables in which Egypt abounded. The words “they wept again” (שׁוּב used adverbially, as in Gen 26:18, etc.) point back to the former complaints of the people respecting the absence of flesh in the desert of Sin (Exo 16:2.), although there is nothing said about their weeping there. By the flesh which they missed, we are not to understand either the fish which they expressly mention in the following verse (as in Lev 11:11), or merely oxen, sheep, and goats; but the word בּשׂר signifies flesh generally, as being a better kind of food than the bread-like manna. It is true they possessed herds of cattle, but these would not have been sufficient to supply their wants, as cattle could not be bought for slaughtering, and it was necessary to spare what they had. The greedy people also longed for other flesh, and said, “We remember the fish which we ate in Egypt for nothing.” Even if fish could not be had for nothing in Egypt, according to the extravagant assertions of the murmurers, it is certain that it could be procured for such nominal prices that even the poorest of the people could eat it. The abundance of the fish in the Nile and the neighbouring waters is attested unanimously by both classical writers (e.g., Diod. Sic. i. 36, 52; Herod. ii. 93; Strabo, xvii. p. 829) and modern travellers (cf. Hengstenberg, Egypt, etc., p. 211 Eng. tr.). This also applies to the vegetables for which the Israelites longed in the desert. The קשּׁאים, or cucumbers, which are still called katteh or chate in the present day, are a species differing from the ordinary cucumbers in size and colour, and distinguished for softness and sweet flavour, and are described by Forskal (Flor. Aeg. p. 168), as fructus in Aegypto omnium vulgatissimus, totis plantatus agris. אבטּחים: water-melons, which are still called battieh in modern Egypt, and are both cultivated in immense quantities and sold so cheaply in the market, that the poor as well as the rich can enjoy their refreshing flesh and cooling juice (see Sonnini in Hengstenberg, ut sup. p. 212). חציר does not signify grass here, but, according to the ancient versions, chives, from their grass-like appearance; laudatissimus porrus in Aegypto (Plin. h. n. 19, 33). בּצלים: onions, which flourish better in Egypt than elsewhere, and have a mild and pleasant taste. According to Herod. ii. 125, they were the ordinary food of the workmen at the pyramids; and, according to Hasselquist, Sonnini, and others, they still form almost the only food of the poor, and are also a favourite dish with all classes, either roasted, or boiled as a vegetable, and eaten with animal food. שׁוּמים: garlic, which is still called tum, tom in the East (Seetzen, iii. p. 234), and is mentioned by Herodotus in connection with onions, as forming a leading article of food with the Egyptian workmen. Of all these things, which had been cheap as well as refreshing, not one was to be had in the desert. Hence the people complained still further, “and now our soul is dried away,” i.e., faint for want of strong and refreshing food, and wanting in fresh vital power (cf. Psa 22:16; Psa 102:5): “we have nothing (כּל אין, there is nothing in existence, equivalent to nothing to be had) except that our eye (falls) upon this manna,” i.e., we see nothing else before us but the manna, sc., which has no juice, and supplies no vital force. Greediness longs for juicy and savoury food, and in fact, as a rule, for change of food and stimulating flavour. “This is the perverted nature of man, which cannot continue in the quiet enjoyment of what is clean and unmixed, but, from its own inward discord, desires a stimulating admixture of what is sharp and sour” (Baumgarten). To point out this inward perversion on the part of the murmuring people, Moses once more described the nature, form, and taste of the manna, and its mode of preparation, as a pleasant food which God sent down to His people with the dew of heaven (see at Exo 16:14-15, and Exo 16:31). But this sweet bread of heaven wanted “the sharp and sour, which are required to give a stimulating flavour to the food of man, on account of his sinful, restless desires, and the incessant changes of his earthly life.” In this respect the manna resembled the spiritual food supplied by the word of God, of which the sinful heart of man may also speedily become weary, and turn to the more piquant productions of the spirit of the world.

Num 11:10

When Moses heard the people weep, “according to their families, every one before the door of his tent,” i.e., heard complaining in all the families in front of every tent, so that the weeping had become universal throughout the whole nation (cf. Zec 12:12.), and the wrath of the Lord burned on account of it, and the thing displeased Moses also, he brought his complaint to the Lord. The words “Moses also was displeased,” are introduced as a circumstantial clause, to explain the matter more clearly, and show the reason for the complaint which Moses poured out before the Lord, and do not refer exclusively either to the murmuring of the people or to the wrath of Jehovah, but to both together. This follows evidently from the position in which the clause stands between the two antecedent clauses in Num 11:10 and the apodosis in Num 11:11, and still more evidently from the complaint of Moses which follows. For “the whole attitude of Moses shows that his displeasure was excited not merely by the unrestrained rebellion of the people against Jehovah, but also by the unrestrained wrath of Jehovah against the nation” (Kurtz). But in what was the wrath of Jehovah manifested? It broke out against the people first of all when they had been satiated with flesh (Num 11:33). There is no mention of any earlier manifestation. Hence Moses can only have discovered a sign of the burning wrath of Jehovah in the fact that, although the discontent of the people burst forth in loud cries, God did not help, but withdrew with His help, and let the whole storm of the infuriated people burst upon him.

Num 11:11-14

In Moses’ complaint there is an unmistakeable discontent arising from the excessive burden of his office. “Why hast Thou done evil to Thy servant? and why have I not found favour in Thy sight, to lay upon me the burden of all this people?” The “burden of all this people” is the expression which he uses to denote “the care of governing the people, and providing everything for it” (C. a. Lap.). This burden, which God imposed upon him in connection with his office, appeared to him a bad and ungracious treatment on the part of God. This is the language of the discontent of despair, which differs from the murmuring of unbelief, in the fact that it is addressed to God, for the purpose of entreating help and deliverance from Him; whereas unbelief complains of the ways of God, but while complaining of its troubles, does not pray to the Lord its God. “Have I conceived all this people,” Moses continues, “or have I brought it forth, that Thou requirest me to carry it in my bosom, as a nursing father carries the suckling, into the promised land?” He does not intend by these words to throw off entirely all care for the people, but simply to plead with God that the duty of carrying and providing for Israel rests with Him, the Creator and Father of Israel (Exo 4:22; Isa 63:16). Moses, a weak man, was wanting in the omnipotent power which alone could satisfy the crying of the people for flesh. עלי יבכּוּ, “they weep unto me,” i.e., they come weeping to ask me to relieve their distress. “I am not able to carry this burden alone; it is too heavy for me.”

Num 11:15

“If Thou deal thus with me, then kill me quite (הרג inf. abs., expressive of the uninterrupted process of killing; see Ewald, §280, b.), if I have found favour in Thine eyes (i.e., if Thou wilt show me favour), and let me not see my misfortune.” “My misfortune:” i.e., the calamity to which I must eventually succumb.

Num 11:16-17

There was good ground for his complaint. The burden of the office laid upon the shoulders of Moses was really too heavy for one man; and even the discontent which broke out in the complaint was nothing more than an outpouring of zeal for the office assigned him by God, under the burden of which his strength would eventually break down, unless he received some support. He was not tired of the office, but would stake his life for it if God did not relieve him in some way, as office and life were really one in him. Jehovah therefore relieved him in the distress of which he complained, without blaming the words of His servant, which bordered on despair. “Gather unto Me,” He said to Moses (Num 11:16, Num 11:17), “seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest as elders and officers (shoterim, see Exo 5:6) of the people, and bring them unto the tabernacle, that they may place themselves there with thee. I will come down (see at Num 11:25) and speak with thee there, and will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them, that they may bear the burden of the people with thee.”

Num 11:18-20

Jehovah would also relieve the complaining of the people, and that in such a way that the murmurers should experience at the same time the holiness of His judgments. The people were to sanctify themselves for the next day, and were then to eat flesh (receive flesh to eat). התקדּשׁ (as in Exo 19:10), to prepare themselves by purifications for the revelation of the glory of God in the miraculous gift of flesh. Jehovah would give them flesh, so that they should eat it not one day, or two, or five, or ten, or twenty, but a whole month long (of “days,” as in Gen 29:14; Gen 41:1), “till it come out of your nostrils, and become loathsome unto you,” as a punishment for having despised Jehovah in the midst of them, in their contempt of the manna given by God, and for having shown their regret at leaving the land of Egypt in their longing for the provisions of that land.

Num 11:21-23

When Moses thereupon expressed his amazement at the promise of God to provide flesh for 600,000 men for a whole month long even to satiety, and said, “Shall flocks and herds be slain for them, to suffice them? or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them?” he was answered by the words, “Is the arm of Jehovah too short (i.e., does it not reach far enough; is it too weak and powerless)? Thou shalt see now whether My word shall come to pass unto thee or not.”

Num 11:24

After receiving from the Lord this reply to his complaint. Moses went out (sc., “of the tabernacle,” where he had laid his complaint before the Lord) into the camp; and having made known to the people the will of God, gathered together seventy men of the elders of the people, and directed them to station themselves around the tabernacle. “Around the tabernacle,” does not signify in this passage on all four sides, but in a semicircle around the front of the tabernacle; the verb is used in this sense in Num 21:4, when it is applied to the march round Edom.

Num 11:25

Jehovah then came down in the cloud, which soared on high above the tabernacle, and now came down to the door of it (Num 12:5; Exo 33:9; Deu 31:15). The statement in ch. Num 9:18., and Exo 40:37-38, that the cloud dwelt (שׁכן) above the dwelling of the tabernacle during the time of encampment, can be reconciled with this without any difficulty; since the only idea that we can form of this “dwelling upon it” is, that the cloud stood still, soaring in quietness above the tabernacle, without moving to and fro like a cloud driven by the wind. There is no such discrepancy, therefore, as Knobel finds in these statements. When Jehovah had come down, He spoke to Moses, sc., to explain to him and to the elders what was about to be done, and then laid upon the seventy elders of the Spirit which was upon him. We are not to understand this as implying, that the fulness of the Spirit possessed by Moses was diminished in consequence; still less to regard it, with Calvin, as signum indignationis, or nota ignominiae, which God intended to stamp upon him. For the Spirit of God is not something material, which is diminished by being divided, but resembles a flame of fire, which does not decrease in intensity, but increases rather by extension. As Theodoret observed, “Just as a person who kindles a thousand flames from one, does not lessen the first, whilst he communicates light to the others, so God did not diminish the grace imparted to Moses by the fact that He communicated of it to the seventy.” God did this to show to Moses, as well as to the whole nation, that the Spirit which Moses had received was perfectly sufficient for the performance of the duties of his office, and that no supernatural increase of that Spirit was needed, but simply a strengthening of the natural powers of Moses by the support of men who, when endowed with the power of the Spirit that was taken from him, would help him to bear the burden of his office. We have no description of the way in which this transference took place; it is therefore impossible to determine whether it was effected by a sign which would strike the outward senses, or passed altogether within the sphere of the Spirit’s life, in a manner which corresponded to the nature of the Spirit itself. In any case, however, it must have been effected in such a way, that Moses and the elders received a convincing proof of the reality of the affair. When the Spirit descended upon the elders, “they prophesied, and did not add;” i.e., they did not repeat the prophesyings any further. יספוּ ולא is rendered correctly by the lxx, καὶ οὐκ ἔτι προσέθεντο; the rendering supported by the Vulgate and Onkelos, nec ultro cessaverunt (“and ceased not”), is incorrect. התנבּא, “to prophesy,” is to be understood generally, and especially here, not as the foretelling of future things, but as speaking in an ecstatic and elevated state of mind, under the impulse and inspiration of the Spirit of God, just like the “speaking with tongues,” which frequently followed the gift of the Holy Ghost in the days of the apostles. But we are not to infer from the fact, that the prophesying was not repeated, that the Spirit therefore departed from them after this one extraordinary manifestation. This miraculous manifestation of the Spirit was intended simply to give to the whole nation the visible proof that God had endowed them with His Spirit, as helpers of Moses, and had given them the authority required for the exercise of their calling.

Num 11:26

But in order to prove to the whole congregation that the Spirit of the Lord was working there, the Spirit came not only upon the elders assembled round Moses, and in front of the tabernacle, but also upon two of the persons who had been chosen, viz., Eldad and Medad, who had remained behind in the camp, for some reason that is not reported, so that they also prophesied. “Them that were written,” conscripti, for “called,” because the calling of the elders generally took place in writing, from which we may see how thoroughly the Israelites had acquired the art of writing in Egypt.

Num 11:27-28

This phenomenon in the camp itself produced such excitement, that a boy (הנּער, with the article like הפּליט in Gen 14:13) reported the thing to Moses, whereupon Joshua requested Moses to prohibit the two from prophesying. Joshua felt himself warranted in doing this, because he had been Moses’ servant from his youth up (see at Exo 17:9), and in this capacity he regarded the prophesying of these men in the camp as detracting from the authority of his lord, since they had not received this gift from Moses, at least not through his mediation. Joshua was jealous for the honour of Moses, just as the disciples of Jesus, in Mar 9:38-39, were for the honour of their Lord; and he was reproved by Moses, as the latter afterwards were by Christ.

Num 11:29

Moses replied, “Art thou jealous for me? Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, that Jehovah would put His Spirit upon them!” As a true servant of God, who sought not his own glory, but the glory of his God, and the spread of His kingdom, Moses rejoiced in this manifestation of the Spirit of God in the midst of the nation, and desired that all might become partakers of this grace.

Num 11:30

Moses returned with the elders into the camp, sc., from the tabernacle, which stood upon an open space in the midst of the camp, at some distance from the tents of the Levites and the rest of the tribes of Israel, which were pitched around it, so that whoever wished to go to it, had first of all to go out of his tent.For the purpose of overthrowing the historical character of this marvellous event, the critics, from Vater to Knobel, have identified the appointment of the seventy elders to support Moses with the judicial institute established at Sinai by the advice of Jethro (Ex 18), and adduce the obvious differences between these two entirely different institutions as arguments for the supposed diversity of documents and legends. But what ground is there for identifying things so totally different from one another? The assertion ofKnobel, that in Deu 1:9-18, Moses “evidently” refers to both events (Ex 18 and Num 11), is unfounded and untrue. Or are the same official duties and rank assigned to the elders who were chosen as judges in Ex 18, as to the seventy elders who were called by God, and endowed with His Spirit, that they might help Moses to govern the people who had rebelled against him and against Jehovah on account of the want of flesh, and to restore and uphold the authority of Moses as the divinely chosen leader of Israel, which had been shaken thereby? Can the judges of a land be identified without reserve with the executive of the land? The mere fact, that this executive court was chosen, like the judges, from the whole body of elders, does not warrant us in identifying the two institutions. Nor does it follow from the fact, that at Sinai seventy of the elders of Israel ascended the mountain with Moses, Aaron, and his sons, and there saw God (Exo 24:9.), that the seventy persons chosen here were the same as the seventy mentioned there. The sameness of the numbers does not prove that the persons were the same, but simply that the number seventy was the most suitable, on account of its historical and symbolical significance, to form a representation of the whole body of the people. For a further refutation of this futile objection, see Ranke, Unterss. üb. d. Pent. II. pp. 183ff.

No account has been handed down of the further action of this committee of elders. It is impossible to determine, therefore, in what way they assisted Moses in bearing the burden of governing the people. All that can be regarded as following unquestionably from the purpose given here is, that they did not form a permanent body, which continued from the time of Moses to the Captivity, and after the Captivity was revived again in the Sanhedrim, as Talmudists, Rabbins, and many of the earlier theologians suppose (see Selden de Synedriis, l. i. c. 14, ii. c. 4; Jo. Marckii sylloge dissertatt. phil. theol. ad V. T. exercit. 12, pp. 343ff.). On the opposite side vid., Relandi Antiquitates, ss. ii. 7, 3; Carpz. apparat. pp. 573f., etc.

Num 11:31-32

As soon as Moses had returned with the elders into the camp, God fulfilled His second promise. “A wind arose from Jehovah, and brought quails (salvim, see Exo 16:13) over from the sea, and threw them over the camp about a day’s journey wide from here and there (i.e., on both sides), in the neighbourhood of the camp, and about two cubits above the surface.” The wind was a south-east wind (Psa 78:26), which blew from the Arabian Gulf and brought the quails - which fly northwards in the spring from the interior of Africa in very great numbers - from the sea to the Israelites. גּוּז, which only occurs here and in the Psalm of Moses (Psa 90:10), signifies to drive over, in Arabic and Syriac to pass over, not “to cut off,” as the Rabbins suppose: the wind cut off the quails from the sea. נטשׁ, to throw them scattered about (Exo 29:5; Exo 31:12; Exo 32:4). The idea is not that the wind caused the flock of quails to spread itself out as much as two days’ journey over the camp, and to fly about two cubits above the surface of the ground; so that, being exhausted with their flight across the sea, they fell partly into the hands of the Israelites and partly upon the ground, as Knobel follows the Vulgate (volabant in aëre duobus cubitis altitudine super terram) and many of the Rabbins in supposing: for המּחנה על נטשׁ does not mean to cause to fly or spread out over the camp, but to throw over or upon the camp. The words cannot therefore be understood in any other way than they are in Psa 78:27-28, viz., that the wind threw them about over the camp, so that they fell upon the ground a day’s journey on either side of it, and that in such numbers that they lay, of course not for the whole distance mentioned, but in places about the camp, as much as two cubits deep. It is only in this sense of the words, that the people could possibly gather quails the whole of that day, the whole night, and the whole of the next day, in such quantities that he who had gathered but little had collected ten homers. A homer, the largest measure of capacity among the Hebrews, which contained ten ephahs, held, according to the lower reckoning of Thenius, 10,143 Parisian inches, or about two bushels Dresden measure. By this enormous quantity, which so immensely surpassed the natural size of the flocks of quails, God purposed to show the people His power, to give them flesh not for one day or several days, but for a whole month, both to put to shame their unbelief, and also to punish their greediness. As they could not eat this quantity all at once, they spread them round the camp to dry in the sun, in the same manner in which the Egyptians are in the habit of drying fish (Herod. ii. 77).

Num 11:33

But while the flesh was still between their teeth, and before it was ground, i.e., masticated, the wrath of the Lord burned against them, and produced among the people a very great destruction. This catastrophe is not to be regarded as “the effect of the excessive quantity of quails that they had eaten, on account of the quails feeding upon things which are injurious to man, so that eating the flesh of quails produces convulsions and giddiness (for proofs, see Bochart, Hieroz. ii. pp. 657ff.),” as Knobel supposes, but as an extraordinary judgment inflicted by God upon the greedy people, by which a great multitude of people were suddenly swept away.

Num 11:34

From this judgment the place of encampment received the name Kibroth-hattaavah, i.e., graves of greediness, because there the people found their graves while giving vent to their greedy desires.

Num 11:35

From the graves of greediness the people removed to Hazeroth, and there they remained (היה as in Exo 24:12). The situation of these two places of encampment is altogether unknown. Hazeroth, it is true, has been regarded by many since Burckhardt (Syr. p. 808) as identical with the modern Hadhra (in Robinson's Pal. Ain el Hudhera), eighteen hours to the north-east of Sinai, partly because of the resemblance in the name, and partly because there are not only low palm-trees and bushes there, but also a spring, of which Robinson says (Pal. i. p. 223) that it is the only spring in the neighbourhood, and yields tolerably good water, though somewhat brackish, the whole year round. But Hadhra does not answer to the Hebrew חצר, to shut in, from which Hazeroth (enclosures) is derived; and there are springs in many other places in the desert of et Tih with both drinkable and brackish water. Moreover, the situation of this well does not point to Hadhra, which is only two days’ journey from Sinai, so that the Israelites might at any rate have pitched their tents by this well after their first journey of three days (Num 10:33), whereas they took three days to reach the graves of lust, and then marched from thence to Hazeroth. Consequently they would only have come to Hadhra on the supposition that they had been about to take the road to the sea, and intended to march along the coast to the Arabah, and so on through the Arabah to the Dead Sea (Robinson, p. 223); in which case, however, they would not have arrived at Kadesh. The conjecture that Kibroth-hattaavah is the same as Di-Sahab (Deu 1:1), the modern Dahab (Mersa Dahab, Minna el Dahab), to the east of Sinai, on the Elanitic Gulf, is still more untenable. For what end could be answered by such a circuitous route, which, instead of bringing the Israelites nearer to the end of their journey, would have taken them to Mecca rather than to Canaan? As the Israelites proceeded from Hazeroth to Kadesh in the desert of Paran (Num 13:3 and Num 13:26), they must have marched from Sinai to Canaan by the most direct route, through the midst of the great desert of et Tih, most probably by the desert road which leads from the Wady es Sheikh into the Wady ez-Zuranuk, which breaks through the southern border mountains of et Tih, and passes on through the Wady ez-Zalakah over el Ain to Bir-et-Themmed, and then due north past Jebel Araif to the Hebron road. By this route they could go from Horeb to Kadesh Barnea in eleven days (Deu 1:2), and it is here that we are to seek for the two stations in question. Hazeroth is probably to be found, as Fries and Kurtz suppose, in Bir-et-Themmed, and Kibroth-hattaavah in the neighbourhood of the southern border mountains of et Tih.

The Murmurings of the Israelites. (b. c. 1490.)

1 And when the people complained, it displeased the Lord : and the Lord heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the Lord burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp. 2 And the people cried unto Moses; and when Moses prayed unto the Lord , the fire was quenched. 3 And he called the name of the place Taberah: because the fire of the Lord burnt among them.

Here is, I. The people's sin. They complained, v. 1. They were, as it were, complainers. So it is in the margin. There were some secret grudgings and discontents among them, which as yet did not break out in an open mutiny. But how great a matter did this little fire kindle! They had received from God excellent laws and ordinances, and yet no sooner had they departed from the mount of the Lord than they began to quarrel with God himself. See in this, 1. The sinfulness of sin, which takes occasion from the commandment to be the more provoking. 2. The weakness of the law through the flesh, Rom. viii. 3. The law discovered sin, but could not destroy it; checked it, but could not conquer it. They complained. Interpreters enquire what they complained of; and truly, when they were furnished with so much matter for thanksgiving, one may justly wonder where they found any matter for complaint; it is probable that those who complained did not all agree in the cause. Some perhaps complained that they were removed from Mount Sinai, where they had been at rest so long, others that they did not remove sooner: some complained of the weather, others of the ways: some perhaps thought three days' journey was too long a march, others thought it not long enough, because it did not bring them into Canaan. When we consider how their camp was guided, guarded, graced, what good victuals they had and good company, and what care was taken of them in their marches that their feet should not swell nor their clothes wear (Deut. viii. 4), we may ask, "What could have been done more for a people to make them easy?" And yet they complained. Note, Those that are of a fretful discontented spirit will always find something or other to quarrel with, though the circumstances of their outward condition be ever so favourable.

II. God's just resentment of the affront given to him by this sin: The Lord heard it, though it does not appear that Moses did. Note, God is acquainted with the secret frettings and murmurings of the heart, though they are industriously concealed from men. What he took notice of his was much displeased with, and his anger was kindled. Note, Though God graciously gives us leave to complain to him when there is cause (Ps. cxlii. 2), yet he is justly provoked, and takes it very ill, if we complain of him when there is no cause: such conduct in our inferiors provokes us.

III. The judgment wherewith God chastised them for this sin: The fire of the Lord burnt among them, such flashes of fire from the cloud as had consumed Nadab and Abihu. The fire of their wrath against God burned in their minds (Ps. xxxix. 3), and justly does the fire of God's wrath fasten upon their bodies. We read of their murmurings several times, when they came first out of Egypt, Exod. xv., and xvi., and xvii.. But we do not read of any plagues inflicted on them for their murmurings, as there were now; for now they had had great experience of God's care of them, and therefore now to distrust him was so much the more inexcusable. Now a fire was kindled against Jacob (Ps. lxxviii. 21), but, to show how unwilling God was to contend with them, it fastened on those only that were in the uttermost parts of the camp. Thus God's judgments came upon them gradually, that they might take warning.

IV. Their cry to Moses, who was their tried intercessor, v. 2. When he slew them, then they sought him, and made their application to Moses to stand their friend. Note, 1. When we complain without cause, it is just with God to give us cause to complain. 2. Those that slight God's friends when they are in prosperity would be glad to make them their friends when they are in distress. Father Abraham, send Lazarus.

V. The prevalency of Moses's intercession for them: When Moses prayed unto the Lord (he was always ready to stand in the gap to turn away the wrath of God) God had respect to him and his offering, and the fire was quenched. By this it appears that God delights not in punishing, for, when he has begun his controversy, he is soon prevailed with to let it fall. Moses was one of those worthies who by faith quenched the violence of fire.

VI. A new name given hereupon to the place, to perpetuate the shame of a murmuring people and the honour of a righteous God; the place was called Taberah, a burning (v. 3), that others might hear, and fear, and take warning not to sin as they did, lest they should smart as they did, 1 Cor. x. 10.

4 And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? 5 We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick: 6 But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes. 7 And the manna was as coriander seed, and the colour thereof as the colour of bdellium. 8 And the people went about, and gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it: and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil. 9 And when the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell upon it. 10 Then Moses heard the people weep throughout their families, every man in the door of his tent: and the anger of the Lord was kindled greatly; Moses also was displeased. 11 And Moses said unto the Lord , Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me? 12 Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father beareth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers? 13 Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat. 14 I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me. 15 And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness.

These verses represent things sadly unhinged and out of order in Israel, both the people and the prince uneasy.

I. Here is the people fretting, and speaking against God himself (as it is interpreted, Ps. lxxviii. 19), notwithstanding his glorious appearances both to them and for them. Observe,

1. Who were the criminals. (1.) The mixed multitude began, they fell a lusting, v. 4. The rabble that came with them out of Egypt, expecting only the land of promise, but not a state of probation in the way to it. They were hangers on, who took hold of the skirts of the Jews, and would go with them only because they knew not how to live at home, and were disposed to seek their fortunes (as we say) abroad. These were the scabbed sheep that infected the flock, the leaven that leavened the whole lump. Note, A few factious, discontented, ill-natured people, may do a great deal of mischief in the best societies, if great care be not taken to discountenance them. Such as these are an untoward generation, from which it is our wisdom to save ourselves, Acts ii. 40. (2.) Even the children of Israel took the infection, as we are informed, v. 4. The holy seed joined themselves to the people of these abominations. The mixed multitude here spoken of were not numbered with the children of Israel, but were set aside as a people God made no account of; and yet the children of Israel, forgetting their own character and distinction, herded themselves with them and learned their way, as if the scum and outcasts of the camp were to be the privy-counsellors of it. The children of Israel, a people near to God and highly privileged, yet drawn into rebellion against him! O how little honour has God in the world, when even the people which he formed for himself, to show forth his praise, were so much a dishonour to him! Therefore let none think that their external professions and privileges will be their security either against Satan's temptations to sin or God's judgments for sin. See 1 Cor. x. 1, 2, 12.

2. What was the crime: they lusted and murmured. Though they had been lately corrected for this sin, and many of them overthrown for it, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and the smell of the fire was still in their nostrils, yet they returned to it. See Prov. xxvii. 22. (1.) They magnified the plenty and dainties they had had in Egypt (v. 5), as if God had done them a great deal of wrong in taking them thence. While they were in Egypt they sighed by reason of their burdens, for their lives were made bitter to them with hard bondage; and yet now they talk of Egypt as if they had all lived like princes there, when this serves as a colour for their present discontent. But with what face can they talk of eating fish in Egypt freely, or for nought, as if it cost them nothing, when they paid so dearly for it with their hard service? They remember the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick (precious stuff indeed to be fond of!), but they do not remember the brick-kilns and the task-masters, the voice of the oppressor and the smart of the whip. No, these are forgotten by these ungrateful people. (2.) They were sick of the good provision God had made for them, v. 6. It was bread from heaven, angels' food. To show how unreasonable their complaint was, it is here described, v. 7-9. It was good for food, and pleasant to the eye, every grain like an orient pearl; it was wholesome food and nourishing; it was not to be called dry bread, for it tasted like fresh oil; it was agreeable (the Jews say, Wisd. xvi. 20) to every man's palate, and tasted as he would have it; and, though it was still the same, yet, by the different ways of dressing it, it yielded them a grateful variety; it cost them no money, nor care, for it fell in the night, while they slept; and the labour of gathering it was not worth speaking of; they lived upon free quarter, and yet could talk of Egypt's cheapness and the fish they ate there freely. Nay, which was much more valuable than all this, the manna came from the immediate power and bounty of God, not from common providence, but from special favour. It was, as God's compassion, new every morning, always fresh, not as their food who live on shipboard. While they lived on manna, they seemed to be exempted from the curse which sin has brought on man, that in the sweat of his face should he eat bread. And yet they speak of manna with such scorn, as if it were not good enough to be meat for swine: Our soul is dried away. They speak as if God dealt hardly with them in allowing them no better food. At first they admired it (Exod. xvi. 15): What is this? "What a curious precious thing is this!" But now they despised it. Note, Peevish discontented minds will find fault with that which has no fault in it but that it is too good for them. It is very provoking to God to undervalue his favours, and to put a but upon our common mercies. Nothing but manna! Those that might be very happy often make themselves very miserable by their discontents. (3.) They could not be satisfied unless they had flesh to eat. They brought flocks and herds with them in great abundance out of Egypt; but either they were covetous, and could not find in their hearts to kill them, lest they should lessen their flocks (they must have flesh as cheap as they had bread, or they would not be pleased), or else they were curious, beef and mutton would not please them; they must have something more nice and delicate, like the fish they did eat in Egypt. Food would not serve; they must be feasted. They had feasted with God upon the peace-offerings which they had their share of; but it seems God did not keep a table good enough for them, they must have daintier bits than any that came to his altar. Note, It is an evidence of the dominion of the carnal mind when we are solicitous to have all the delights and satisfactions of sense wound up to the height of pleasurableness. Be not desirous of dainties, Prov. xxiii. 1-3. If God gives us food convenient, we ought to be thankful, though we do not eat the fat and drink the sweet. (4.) They distrusted the power and goodness of God as insufficient for their supply: Who will give us flesh to eat? taking it for granted that God could not. Thus this question is commented up on, Ps. lxxviii. 19, 20, Can he provide flesh also? though he had given them flesh with their bread once, when he saw fit (Exod. xvi. 13), and they might have expected that he would do it again, and in mercy, if, instead of murmuring, they had prayed. Note, It is an offence to God to let our desires go beyond our faith. (5.) They were eager and importunate in their desires; they lusted a lust, so the word is, lusted greatly and greedily, till they wept again for vexation. So childish were the children of Israel, and so humoursome, that they cried because they had not what they would have and when they would have it. They did not offer up this desire to God, but would rather be beholden to any one else than to him. We should not indulge ourselves in any desire which we cannot in faith turn into prayer, as we cannot when we ask meat for our lust, Ps. lxxviii. 18. For this sin the anger of the Lord was kindled greatly against them, which is written for our admonition, that we should not lust after evil things as they lusted, 1 Cor. x. 6. (6.) Flesh is good food, and may lawfully be eaten; yet they are said to lust after evil things. What is lawful of itself becomes evil to us when it is what God does not allot to us and yet we eagerly desire it.

II. Moses himself, though so meek and good a man, is uneasy upon this occasion: Moses also was displeased. Now, 1. It must be confessed that the provocation was very great. These murmurings of theirs reflected great dishonour upon God, and Moses laid to heart the reproaches cast on himself; they knew that he did his utmost for their good, and that he neither did nor could do any thing without a divine appointment; and yet to be thus continually teased and clamoured against by an unreasonable ungrateful people would break in upon the temper even of Moses himself. God considered this, and therefore we do not find that he chided him for his uneasiness. 2. Yet Moses expressed himself otherwise than became him upon this provocation, and came short of his duty both to God and Israel in these expostulations. (1.) He undervalues the honour God had put upon him, in making him the illustrious minister of his power and grace, in the deliverance and guidance of that peculiar people, which might have been sufficient to balance the burden. (2.) He complains too much of a sensible grievance, and lays too near his heart a little noise and fatigue. If he could not bear the toil of government, which was but running with the footman, how would he bear the terrors of war, which was contending with horses? He might easily have furnished himself with considerations enough to enable him to slight their clamours, and make nothing of them. (3.) He magnifies his own performances, that all the burden of the people lay upon him; whereas God himself did in effect ease him of all the burden. Moses needed not to be in care to provide quarters for them, or victuals; God did all. And, if any difficult case happened, he needed not to be in any perplexity, while he had the oracle to consult, and in it the divine wisdom to direct him, the divine authority to back him and bear him out, and almighty power itself to dispense rewards and punishments. (4.) He is not so sensible as he ought to be of the obligation he lay under, by virtue of the divine commission and command, to do the utmost he could for his people, when he suggests that because they were not the children of his body therefore he was not concerned to take a fatherly care of them, though God himself, who might employ him as he pleased, had appointed him to be a father to them. (5.) He takes too much to himself when he asks, Whence should I have flesh to give them (v. 13), as if he were the housekeeper, and not God. Moses gave them not the bread, John vi. 32. Nor was it expected that he should give them the flesh, but as an instrument in God's hand; and if he meant, "Whence should God have it for them?" he too much limited the power of the Holy One of Israel. (6.) He speaks distrustfully of the divine grace when he despairs of being able to bear all this people, v. 14. Had the work been much less, he could not have gone through it in his own strength; but had it been much greater, through God strengthening him, he might have done it. (7.) It was worst of all passionately to wish for death, and desire to be killed out of hand, because just at this time his life was made a little uneasy to him, v. 15. Is this Moses? Is this the meekest of all the men on the earth? The best have their infirmities, and fail sometimes in the exercise of that grace for which they are most eminent. But God graciously overlooked Moses's passion at this time, and therefore we must not be severe in our animadversions upon it, but pray, Lord, lead us not into temptation.

Assistance Provided for Moses. (b. c. 1490.)

16 And the Lord said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee. 17 And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone. 18 And say thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow, and ye shall eat flesh: for ye have wept in the ears of the Lord , saying, Who shall give us flesh to eat? for it was well with us in Egypt: therefore the Lord will give you flesh, and ye shall eat. 19 Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days; 20 But even a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you: because that ye have despised the Lord which is among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt? 21 And Moses said, The people, among whom I am, are six hundred thousand footmen; and thou hast said, I will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole month. 22 Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them, to suffice them? or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them? 23 And the Lord said unto Moses, Is the Lord 's hand waxed short? thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not.

We have here God's gracious answer to both the foregoing complaints, wherein his goodness takes occasion from man's badness to appear so much the more illustrious.

I. Provision is made for the redress of the grievances Moses complains of. If he find the weight of government lie too heavy upon him, though he was a little too passionate in his remonstrance, yet he shall be eased, not by being discarded from the government himself, as he justly might have been if God had been extreme to mark what he said amiss, but by having assistants appointed him, who should be, as the apostle speaks (1 Cor. xii. 28), helps, governments (that is, helps in government), not at all to lesson or eclipse his honour, but to make the work more easy to him, and to bear the burden of the people with him. And that this provision might be both agreeable and really serviceable,

1. Moses is directed to nominate the persons, v. 16. The people were too hot and heady and tumultuous to be entrusted with the election; Moses must please himself in the choice, that he may not afterwards complain. The number he is to choose is seventy men, according to the number of the souls that went down into Egypt. He must choose such as he knew to be elders, that is, wise and experienced men. Those that had acquitted themselves best, as rulers of thousands and hundreds (Exod. xviii. 25), purchase to themselves now this good degree. "Choose such as thou knowest to be elders indeed, and not in name only, officers that execute their office." We read of the same number of elders (Exod. xxiv. 1) that went up with Moses to Mount Sinai, but they were distinguished only for that occasion, these for a perpetuity; and, according to this constitution, the Sanhedrim, or great council of the Jews, which in after ages sat at Jerusalem, and was the highest court of judgment among them, consisted of seventy men. Our Saviour seems to have had an eye to it in the choice of seventy disciples, who were to be assistants to the apostles, Luke x.

2. God promises to qualify them. If they were not found fit for the employ, they should be made fit, else they might prove more a hindrance than a help to Moses, v. 17. Though Moses had talked too boldly with God, yet God does not therefore break off communion with him; he bears a great deal with us, and we must with one another: I will come down (said God) and talk with thee, when thou art more calm and composed; and I will take of the same spirit of wisdom, and piety, and courage, that is upon thee, and put it upon them. Not that Moses had the less of the Spirit for their sharing, nor that they were hereby made equal with him; Moses was still unequalled (Deut. xxxiv. 10), but they were clothed with a spirit of government proportionable to their place, and with a spirit of prophecy to prove their divine call to it, the government being a Theocracy. Note, (1.) Those whom God employs in any service he qualifies for it, and those that are not in some measure qualified cannot think themselves duly called. (2.) All good qualifications are from God; every perfect gift is from the Father of lights.

II. Even the humour of the discontented people shall be gratified too, that every mouth may be stopped. They are ordered to sanctify themselves (v. 18), that is, to put themselves into a posture to receive such a proof of God's power as should be a token both of mercy and judgment. Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel, Amos iv. 12.

1. God promises (shall I say?)—he threatens rather, that they shall have their fill of flesh, that for a month together they shall not only be fed, but feasted, with flesh, besides their daily manna; and, if they have not a better government of their appetites than now it appears they have they shall be surfeited with it (v. 19, 20): You shall eat till it come out at your nostrils, and become loathsome to you. See here, (1.) The vanity of all the delights of sense; they will cloy, but not satisfy: spiritual pleasures are the contrary. As the world passes away, so do the lusts of it, 1 John ii. 17. What was greedily coveted in a little time comes to be nauseated. (2.) What brutish sins (and worse than brutish) gluttony and drunkenness are; they put a force upon nature, and make that the sickness of the body which should be its health; they are sins that are their own punishments, and yet not the worst that attend them. (3.) What a righteous thing it is with God to make that loathsome to men which they have inordinately lusted after. God could make them despise flesh as much as they had despised manna.

2. Moses objects the improbability of making good this word, v. 21, 22. It is an objection like that which the disciples made, Mark viii. 4, Whence can a man satisfy these men? Some excuse Moses here, and construe what he says as only a modest enquiry which way the supply must be expected; but it savours too much of diffidence and distrust of God to be justified. He objects the number of the people, as if he that provided bread for them all could not, by the same unlimited power, provide flesh, too. He reckons it must be the flesh either of beasts or fishes, because they are the most bulky animals, little thinking that the flesh of birds, little birds, should serve the purpose. God sees not as man sees, but his thoughts are above ours. He objects the greediness of the people's desires in that word, to suffice them. Note, Even true and great believers sometimes find it hard to trust God under the discouragements of second causes, and against hope to believe in hope. Moses himself could scarcely forbear saying, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness? when this had become the common cry. No doubt this was his infirmity.

3. God gives a short but sufficient answer to the objection in that question, Has the Lord's hand waxed short? v. 23. If Moses had remembered the years of the right hand of the Most High, he would not have started all these difficulties; therefore God reminds him of them, intimating that this objection reflected upon the divine power, of which he himself had been so often, not only the witness, but the instrument. Had he forgotten what wonders the divine power had wrought for that people, when it inflicted the plagues of Egypt, divided the sea, broached the rock, and rained bread from heaven? Had that power abated? Was God weaker than he used to be? Or was he tired with what he had done? Whatever our unbelieving hearts may suggest to the contrary, it is certain, (1.) That God's hand is not short; his power cannot be restrained in the exerting of itself by any thing but his own will; with him nothing is impossible. That hand is not short which measures the waters, metes out the heavens (Isa. xl. 12), and grasps the winds, Prov. xxx. 4. (2.) That it has not waxed short. He is as strong as ever he was, fainteth not, neither is weary. And this is sufficient to silence all our distrusts when means fail us, Is any thing too hard for the Lord? God here brings Moses to this first principle, sets him back in his lesson, to learn the ancient name of God, The Lord God Almighty, and puts the proof upon the issue: Thou shalt see whether my word shall come to pass or not. This magnifies God's word above all his name, that his works never come short of it. If he speaks, it is done.

God Promises the People Flesh; The Case of Eldad and Medad. (b. c. 1490.)

24 And Moses went out, and told the people the words of the Lord , and gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them round about the tabernacle. 25 And the Lord came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease. 26 But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp. 27 And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp. 28 And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them. 29 And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the Lord 's people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them! 30 And Moses gat him into the camp, he and the elders of Israel.

We have here the performance of God's word to Moses, that he should have help in the government of Israel.

I. Here is the case of the seventy privy-counsellors in general. Moses, though a little disturbed by the tumult of the people, yet was thoroughly composed by the communion he had with God, and soon came to himself again. And according as the matter was concerted, 1. He did his part; he presented the seventy elders before the Lord, round the tabernacle (v. 24), that they might there stand ready to receive the grace of God, in the place where he manifested himself, and that the people also might be witnesses of their solemn call. Note, Those that expect favour from God must humbly offer themselves and their service to him. 2. God was not wanting to do his part. He gave of his Spirit to the seventy elders (v. 25), which enabled those whose capacities and education set them but on a level with their neighbours of a sudden to say and do that which was extraordinary, and which proved them to be actuated by divine inspiration: they prophesied, and did not cease all that day, and (some think) only that day. They discoursed to the people of the things of God, and perhaps commented upon the law they had lately received with admirable clearness, and fulness, and readiness, and aptness of expression, so that all who heard them might see and say that God was with them of a truth; see 1 Cor. xiv. 24, 25. Thus, long afterwards, Saul was marked for the government by the gift of prophecy, which came upon him for a day and a night, 1 Sam. x. 6, 11. When Moses was to fetch Israel out of Egypt, Aaron was appointed to be his prophet, Exod. vii. 1. But, now that God had called Aaron to other work, in his room Moses has seventy prophets to attend him. Note, Those are fittest to rule in God's Israel that are well acquainted with divine things and are apt to teach to edification.

II. Here is the particular case of two of them, Eldad and Medad, probably two brothers.

1. They were nominated by Moses to be assistants in the government, but they went not out unto the tabernacle as the rest did, v. 26. Calvin conjectures that the summons was sent them, but that it did not find them, they being somewhere out of the way; so that, though they were written, yet they were not called. Most think that they declined coming to the tabernacle out of an excess of modesty and humility; being sensible of their own weakness and unworthiness, they desired to be excused from coming into the government. Their principle was their praise, but their practice in not obeying orders was their fault.

2. The Spirit of God found them out in the camp, where they were hidden among the stuff, and there they prophesied, that is, they exercised their gift of praying, preaching, and praising God, in some private tent. Note, The Spirit of God is not tied to the tabernacle, but, like the wind, blows where he listeth, John iii. 8. Whither can we go from that Spirit? There was a special providence in it that these two should be absent, for thus it appeared that it was indeed a divine Spirit which the elders were actuated by, and that Moses gave them not that Spirit, but God himself. They modestly declined preferment, but God forced it upon them; nay, they have the honour of being named, which the rest have not: for those that humble themselves shall be exalted, and those are most fit for government who are least ambitious of it.

3. Information of this was given to Moses (v. 27): "Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp; there is a conventicle in such a tent, and Eldad and Medad are holding forth there, from under the inspection and presidency of Moses, and out of the communion of the rest of the elders." Whoever the person was that brought the tidings, he seems to have looked upon it as an irregularity.

4. Joshua moved to have them silenced: My lord Moses, forbid them, v. 28. It is probable that Joshua himself was one of the seventy, which made him the more jealous for the honour of their order. He takes it for granted that they were not under any necessitating impulse, for the spirit of the prophets is subject to the prophets, and therefore he would have them either not to prophesy at all or to come to the tabernacle and prophesy in concert with the rest. He does not desire that they should be punished for what they had done, but only restrained for the future. This motion he made from a good principle, not out of any personal dislike to Eldad and Medad, but out of an honest zeal for that which he apprehended to be the unity of the church, and concern for the honour of God and Moses.

5. Moses rejected the motion, and reproved him that made it (v. 29): "Enviest thou for my sake? Thou knowest not what manner of spirit thou art of." Though Joshua was Moses's particular friend and confidant, though he said this out of a respect to Moses, whose honour he was very loth to see lessened by the call of those elders, yet Moses reproves him, and in him all that show such a spirit. (1.) We must not secretly grieve at the gifts, graces, and usefulness of others. It was the fault of John's disciples that they envied Christ's honour because it shaded their master's, John iii. 26, &c. (2.) We must not be transported into heats against the weaknesses and infirmities of others. Granting that Eldad and Medad were guilty of an irregularity, yet Joshua was too quick and too warm upon them. Our zeal must always be tempered with the meekness of wisdom: the righteousness of God needs not the wrath of man, Jam. i. 20. (3.) We must not make even the best and most useful men heads of a party. Paul would not have his name made use of to patronise a faction, 1 Cor. i. 12, 13. (4.) We must not be forward to condemn and silence those that differ from us, as if they did not follow Christ because they do not follow him with us, Mark ix. 38. Shall we reject those whom Christ has owned, or restrain any from doing good because they are not in every thing of our mind? Moses was of another spirit; so far from silencing these two, and quenching the Spirit in them, he wished all the Lord's people were prophets, that is, that he would put his Spirit upon them. Not that he would have any set up for prophets that were not duly qualified, or that he expected that the Spirit of prophecy should be made thus common; but thus he expresses the love and esteem he had for all the Lord's people, the complacency he took in the gifts of others, and how far he was from being displeased at Eldad and Medad's prophesying from under his eye. Such an excellent spirit as this blessed Paul was of, rejoicing that Christ was preached, though it was by those who therein intended to add affliction to his bonds, Phil. i. 16. We ought to be pleased that God is served and glorified, and good done, though to the lessening of our credit and the credit of our way.

6. The elders, now newly ordained, immediately entered upon their administration (v. 30); when their call was sufficiently attested by their prophesying, they went with Moses to the camp, and applied themselves to business. Having received the gift, they ministered the same as good stewards. And now Moses was pleased that he had so many to share with him in his work and honour. And, (1.) Let the testimony of Moses be credited by those who desire to be in power, that government is a burden. It is a burden of care and trouble to those who make conscience of the duty of it; and to those who do not it will prove a heavier burden in the day of account, when they fall under the doom of the unprofitable servant that buried his talent. (2.) Let the example of Moses be imitated by those that are in power; let them not despise the advice and assistance of others, but desire it, and be thankful for it, not coveting to monopolize wisdom and power. In the multitude of counsellors there is safety.

The Quails. (b. c. 1490.)

31 And there went forth a wind from the Lord , and brought quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, as it were a day's journey on this side, and as it were a day's journey on the other side, round about the camp, and as it were two cubits high upon the face of the earth. 32 And the people stood up all that day, and all that night, and all the next day, and they gathered the quails: he that gathered least gathered ten homers: and they spread them all abroad for themselves round about the camp. 33 And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord smote the people with a very great plague. 34 And he called the name of that place Kibroth-hattaavah: because there they buried the people that lusted. 35 And the people journeyed from Kibroth-hattaavah unto Hazeroth; and abode at Hazeroth.

God, having performed his promise to Moses by giving him assessors in the government, thereby proving the power he has over the spirits of men by his Spirit, he here performs his promise to the people by giving them flesh, proving thereby his power over the inferior creatures and his dominion in the kingdom of nature. Observe, 1. How the people were gratified with flesh in abundance: A wind (a south-east wind, as appears, Ps. lxxviii. 26) brought quails, v. 31. It is uncertain what sort of animals they were; the psalmist calls them feathered fowl, or fowl of wing. The learned bishop Patrick inclines to agree with some modern writers, who think they were locusts, a delicious sort of food well known in those parts, the rather because they were brought with a wind, lay in heaps, and were dried in the sun for use. Whatever they were, they answered the intention, they served for a month's feast for Israel, such an indulgent Father was God to his froward family. Locusts, that had been a plague to fruitful Egypt, feeding upon the fruits, were a blessing to a barren wilderness, being themselves fed upon. 2. How greedy they were of this flesh that God sent them. They flew upon the spoil with an unsatiable appetite, not regarding what Moses had told them from God, that they would surfeit upon it, v. 32. Two days and a night they were at it, gathering flesh, till every master of a family had brought home ten homers (that is, ten ass-loads) at least. David longed for the water of the well of Bethlehem, but would not drink it when he had it, because it was obtained by venturing; much more reason these Israelites had to refuse this flesh, which was obtained by murmuring, and which, they might easily perceive, by what Moses said, was given them in anger; but those that are under the power of a carnal mind will have their lusts fulfilled, though it be to the certain damage and ruin of their precious souls. 3. How dearly they paid for their feasts, when it came into the reckoning: The Lord smote them with a very great plague (v. 33), some bodily disease, which probably was the effect of their surfeit, and was the death of many of them, and those, it is likely, the ringleaders in the mutiny. Note, God often grants the desires of his own people in love. He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul, Ps. xvi. 15. By all that was said to them they were not estranged from their lusts, and therefore, while the meat was in their mouths, the wrath of God came upon them, Ps. lxxviii. 30, 31. What we inordinately desire, if we obtain it (we have reason to fear), will be some way or other a grief and cross to us. God satiated them first, and then plagued them, (1.) To save the reputation of his own power, that it might not be said, "He would not have cut them off had he been able to supply them." And, (2.) To show us the meaning of the prosperity of sinners; it is their preparation for ruin, they are fed as an ox for the slaughter. Lastly, The remembrance of this is preserved in the name given to the place, v. 34. Moses called it Kibroth-hattaavah, the graves of lusters or of lust. And well it had been if these graves of Israel's lusters had proved the graves of Israel's lust: the warning was designed to be so, but it had not its due effect, for it follows (Ps. lxxviii. 32), For all this, they sinned still.

CHAP. XI.

ANd the people was when they were complainers, evill in the eares of Iehovah: and Iehovah heard, and his anger was kindled; and a fire of Iehovah burnt among them and consumed them in the utmost part of the campe. And the people cryed out unto Moses, and Moses prayed unto Iehovah, and the fire sunke downe. And he called the name of that place Taberah, because the fire of Iehovah burnt among them. And the mixt multitude that was among them lusted with lust, and the sonnes of Israel also returned and wept; and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? We remember the fish which we did eat in Egypt for nought: the cucumbers and the melons, and the leekes, and the onions, and the garlicke. But now our soule is dryed away, there is nothing at all, onely out eyes are unto the Manna. And the Manna was as Coriander seed, & the colour of it as the colour of Bdelium. The people went about and gathered it, and ground it in milles; or beat it in a morter; and baked it in pannes, and made cakes of it; and the taste of it was, as the taste of the best moisture of oyle. And when the dew fell downe upon the campe in the night, the Manna fell downe upon it. And Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families; every man in the doore of his tent; and the anger of Iehovah was kindled greatly, and in the eyes of Moses it was evill. And Moses said unto Iehovah; Wherefore hast thou done evill to thy servant? and wherefore have I not found grace in thine eyes, that thou layest the burden of all these people upon me? Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, Beare them in thy bosome, as a nursing father beareth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers? Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weepe vnto me, saying; Give us flesh that wee may eate. I am not able my selfe alone to beare all this people, for it is too heavie for me. And if thou doe thus unto me, kill me I pray thee, kill me, if I have found grace in thine eyes, and let mee not see mine evill.

And Iehovah said unto Moses; Gather unto me seventie men of the Elders of Israel, whom thou knowest, that they are the Elders of the people and the officers of them, and take them unto the Tent of the Congregation, that they may stand there with thee. And I will come downe and will speake with thee there, and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them, and they shall beare with thee the burden of the people, and thou shalt not beare it thy selfe alone. And say thou unto the people, sanctifie your selves against to morrow, and ye shall eat flesh; for you have wept in the eares of Iehovah, saying; Who shall give us flesh to eat? for it was well with us in Egypt; therefore Iehovah will give you flesh, and ye shall eat. Ye shall not eat one day, nor two dayes, nor five dayes, nor ten dayes, nor twentie dayes. Vntill a moneth of dayes, untill it come out at your nostrils, and it bee unto you loathsome, because that you have despised Iehovah who is among you, and have wept before him, saying; Wherefore now came we forth out of Egypt? And Moses said, The people amongst whom I am, are six hundred thousand footmen; and thou hast said, I will give them flesh, and they shall eat it a moneth of dayes. Shall the flocks and the herds be slaine for them to suffice them? or shall all the fishes of the Sea be gathered together for them to suffice them?

And Iehovah said unto Moses, Is Iehovahs hand waxed short? thou shalt see now, whether my word shall come to passe unto thee, or not. And Moses went out, and spake unto the people the words of Iehovah; and he gathered the seventie men of the Elders of the people, and made them stand round about the Tent. And Iehovah came downe in a cloud, and spake unto him, and tooke of the Spirit that was upon him; and gave it unto the seventie men the Elders; and it was when the Spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, & did not adde. And there remained two of the men in the campe; the name of the one was Eldad; and the name of the second, Medad; and the Spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were written, but went not out unto the Tent, and they prophesied in the campe.

And there ran a young man; and told Moses, and said; Eldad and Medad doe prophesie in the campe. And Ioshua the sonne of Nun, the minister of Moses, one of his choise young men, answered and said; My lord Moses, forbid thou them. And Moses said unto him; Enviest thou for me? but O who shall give that all the people of Iehovah were prophets; that Iehovah would give his spirit upon them. And Moses gathered him-selfe into the campe; he, and the Elders of Israel. And there went forth a winde from Iehovah, and brought Quailes from the sea, and let them fall by the campe, as it were a dayes journey on this side, and as it were a dayes journey on that side, round about the campe: and as it were two cubits above the face of the earth. And the people stood up all that day, and all the night, and all the next day; and they gathered the Quailes; he [illegible: 1 letter]hat gathered least, gathered ten homers: and spreading they spred them for themselves, round about the campe. The flesh was yet betweene their teeth; it was not yet cut off, when the anger of Iehovah was kindled against the people, and Iehovah smote the people with a very great plague. And hee called the name of that place Kibroth hattaavah, because there they buried the people that lusted. From Kibroth hattaavah, the people journeyed unto Hazeroth: and they were in Hazeroth.

Annotations. ANd the people] Hitherto in this booke, Gods grace to his people hath beene manifested in the ordering; directing, and governing of them in the Wildernesse, towards their promised inheritance: now followeth their unthankfulnesse, and unworthy carriage among so great blessings, by their many murmurings and rebellions; whereby both the disobedient nature of man, and the impossibilitie of the Law to bring men unto God, is declared. when they were complainers] or, as complainers; that is, even complainers, very murmurers; grudging, and shewing themselves discontented with their esta[illegible: 1 letter]e; and (as is likely) for their so long travell in that Wildernesse, three dayes journey before they came to a resting place, [illegible: 1 span] ▪ 10. 33. and thus Sol. larchi here expou[illegible: 1 span] ▪ So whereas they should have rejoyced in the [illegible: 1 word] now among them, they shewed themselves [illegible: 1 word] mourners, sorrowfull, and (as the Greeke [illegible: 1 span] teth) murmuring. Of such murmurers and complainers, the Apostle also speaketh, Iude verse [illegible: 1 word]. evill] this seemeth to have reference to the first, the people was evill, that is, wicked, and so [illegible: 1 word] pleasing the Lord: the Greeke referreth it to the latter, the people murmured evill things [illegible: 1 span] Lord. a fire of Iehovah] that is, as the Greeke expoundeth it, from the Lord, and the Chaldee, from before the Lord: though it may also meanes great and vehement fire. Their rebellions before the Law was given at Mount Sinai, God punished not, Exod. 14. 11—15. and 15. 24, 26. and 16. [illegible: 1 word]. [illegible: 1 word] ▪ 4 9, 20, 27, 28. and 17. 2—5, save onely when they made the molten Calfe at the mount, Exod. 32 27▪ 28. 35. But their sinnes committed after, hee punisheth severely, as here and after is to be [illegible: 1 word]: for, the Law worketh wrath, Rom. 4 15. And [illegible: 1 word] these things happened unto them for ensamples tous, 1 Cor. 10. 5—11. consumca] or, devoure[illegible: 1 letter] ▪ Hebr. did eat. The Greeke translateth, devoured a part [illegible: 1 word] the campe. In that the fire consumed in the [illegible: 1 word] part, it is probable that there the sinne began among them that were faint and weary with travell; as Deut. 25. 18. Verse 2. sunke downe] that is, went out, or, was quenched; in Greeke, ceased. Their seeking to the Lord in their afflictions, and his mercies towards them, are mentioned in Psal. 78. 34.—38. Vers. 3. he called] that is, Moses called: or, as the Geeeke translateth, the name of that [illegible: 1 word] was called: see the notes on Gen. 16. 14▪ [illegible: 1 word] ▪ rah] that is, Burning: which name was given [illegible: 1 word] imprint a memoriall of their sinne and [illegible: 1 span] judgements in their hearts, as Moses after [illegible: 1 word] tioneth them, in Deut. 9. 7. 22. 24. Vers. 4. the mixt-multitude] or, the ga[illegible: 1 span] multitude; so called in Hebrew of gatherin[illegible: 2 letters] ▪ [illegible: 1 word] Greeke and Chaldee, of mixture: and in the Ch[illegible: 1 span] dee said to be Ionathans, they are called, the [illegible: 1 span] gers that were gathered among them. These were that mixed-people that came up with Israel out of Egypt, mentioned in Exod. 12. 38. [illegible: 1 word] with lust] that is, lusted greatly and greedily. [illegible: 1 span] ned and wept] that is, againe wept, the Greeke [illegible: 1 word] ▪ they sate and wept. The Israelites that a [illegible: 1 word] before complained, were punished, and repented▪ now againe, by the example of the strangers among them, returne to their sinfull course. Ch[illegible: 1 span] here saith, After that (the sons of Israel) had murmured already themselves alone, (verse 1.) they turned and murmured with the mixed-multitude, and [illegible: 2 words] desire of flesh. So this was another m[illegible: 2 letters]inie, d[illegible: 1 letter]ffering from that forespoken of; though in time and [illegible: 1 word] n[illegible: 2 letters]re together▪ who shall give] a wish, meaning. O that some wo[illegible: 2 letters]d give us flesh: and a tentation, [illegible: 1 word] not beleeving that God could doe it. This their lusting is rehearsed, in Psal. 106. 14. and 78. 18, 19. 20. they tempted God in their heart, asking [illegible: 1 span] their soule (or lust:) and they spake against [illegible: 1 word] ▪ they said; Can God furnish a Table in the Wildernesse? Behold h[illegible: 1 span] smote the Rocke, and the waters g[illegible: 1 letter]shed out, and streames overflowed: can hee give [illegible: 1 letter]read also? or can be prepare flesh for his people? Verse 5. we remember] they stirred and inflamed their lust, with remembrance of their former Egyptian diet. for nought] this may be referred to the fish which they had for nought, without price, getting them out of the rivers freely; or, for nought, that is, for very little, very cheape; as nothing is used for very little, Act. 27. 33. Ioh. 18. 20. none, for very few, Ier. 8. 6. 1. Cor. 2. 8. It may also have reference to the former, wee remember for nought, that is, in vaine: so the Hebrew, Chinnam; and Greeke, Dorean, sometime signifieth a thing done or spoken in vaine and without effect; as Pro. 1. 17. Ezek. 6. 10. Gal. 2. 21. garlick] these grosse meats used to be eaten by the poorer sort in Egypt, and by the Israelites when they were slaves there, they now remember, (forgetting their slavery;) and preferre before the Manna which God gave them from heaven, which was both pleasant and wholesome. Of the things here spoken of, and other the like, the Hebrewes themselves say: Some meats are exceeding evill, and it is n[illegible: 1 letter]t meet that a man should ever eat of them, as great fishes that are salted and old, &c. and some meats are evill, but not so bad; therfore it is not meet for a man to eat of them, save a little and very seldome; and hee may not use to make them his meat, or to eat them with his meat continually, as great fishes, cheese, &c. and leekes, and onions, and garlicke, &c. these meats are naught, which a man should eat of but a very little, and in winter dayes; but in sommer not at all. Maim. in Misn. tom. 1. in Degnoth chap. 4. sect. 9. Verse 6. our soule is dryed] The soule is often put for the body, or whole man, and for the appetite or desire of meat, drinke, and other things: so here they complaine that they had no nourishment by the wheat of heaven (as Manna is called, Psal. 78. 24.) neither was their appetite satisfied: and hereupon it is said, they asked meat for their soule, Psal. 78. 18. to satisfie their fleshly lust. our eyes are] or, our eyes behold onely the Manna; that is, we see no other food; neither can we expect for any other, but depend upon Manna onely. For the eyes unto any, signifie hope and expectation, as Psal. 25. 15. and 141. 8. Manna was unto them both a corporall food, and a spirituall, figuring Christ himselfe, with his word and grace, Ioh. 6. 31, 32, 33. 1 Cor. 10. 3. So the loathing of Manna, and longing for the meats of Egypt, figured the rejecting of Christ and his graces, for to have nourishment and life by the workes and righteousnesse of men, Gal. 3. 3, 10. and 4. 9. Such mens eyes cannot see the Manna which is hid. Rev. 2. 17. Verse 7. Manna] in Hebrew, Man: the reason of this name, see in the notes on Exod. 16. 14. Chazkuni on that place saith, Man, in the Egyptian tongue, is as Mah, (that is, What) in the Hebrew tongue: and they asked one of another, Man, that is, what is this? Coriander] of it, see Exod. 16. 31. These are the words of Moses, convincing the peoples ingratitude, by the description of Manna, which they disdained. the colour] Hebr. the eye, that is, the colour, or appearance, as the Greeke and Chaldee explaine it: so eye is used for colour, &c. in Lev. 13. 55. Ezek. 1. 16. and 8. 2. and 10. 9. Bdelium] in Hebrew Bdolach, in Greeke, (and by Sol. Iarchies exposition) Crystall: which is white and transparent: so Manna is said to be white, Exod. 16. 31. Of Bdelium, see Gen. 2. 12. Verse 8. went about] or, went to and fro, to search, finde, espie, as in Ier. 5. 1. Amos 8. 12. Dan. 12. 4. therefore this word is applied sometime to the eie, as in 2 Chron. 16 9. It figured the labour and diligence that men should use to get the meat which endureth unto everlasting life, Iohn 6. 27. ground it] the grinding and beating of it, &c. figured also the afflictions of Christ, whereby he was prepared to be for us the bread of life, Iohn 6. 48—51. Heb. 2. 9, 10. 1 [illegible: 1 letter]et. 3. 18. But though the Manna was thus hard as wheat to be ground, yet it used to melt as it lay on the earth, with the heat of the Sunne, that they gathered it onely in the morning, Exod. 16. 21. baked] or, boyled, coqued; the word is sometime used for baking, as in 2 Sam. 13. 8. though usually it signifieth to [illegible: 1 word]. the best moisture oyle] fresh oyle, wch hath no ranke favour. The Hebrew Leshad, is the best o[illegible: 1 letter]ly moisture in mans body, Psal. 32. 4. so here it is the best sweet moisture of oyle, which is the uppermost part. It had also the taste of wafers with honey, Ex. 16. 31. And here the Greeke translateth it wafers of oyle, and the Chaldee, paste, (or cakes) with oyle. So it was both pleasnt and wholsome food, and the taste of oyle and honey figured the sweetnesse of grace, which we by faith perceive in Christ the true Manna, Psal. 119. 103. Song. 5. 16. [illegible: 1 word] Pet. 2. 3. Verse 9. [illegible: 1 letter]ell downe upon it] and upon the Manna fell dew againe, which when it was drawne up by the Sunne, then the Manna appeared, Exod. 16. 13, 14. so the Manna lay as it were hidden between two dewes. But after was manifested, and given them of God freely every day: a wheat which they sowed not, nor laboured for, but had for the taking up, a meat which they knew not, neither had their fathers knowne it: whereby they were taught, that man liveth not by bread onely, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord, Deut. 8. 3. Verse 10. throughout] or, by their families; so the sinne was generally spred among the people. in the doore] that is, openly; and sinned not in secret onely, but as it were proclaimed their iniquitie, and stirred up themselves, and one another, to follow their lusts. Verse 11. done evill to thy servant] that is, afflicted me: for evill when it commeth from God, meaneth trouble and affliction wherewith he chastiseth his servants, and exerciseth their faith and patience; as Ier. 18. 8. Esai. 45. 7. Amos 3. 6. that thou layest] Heb. for to lay, or to put: so it hath reference to the former part of the speech. See the notes on Gen. 6. 19. the burden] the weighty care and charge: so in Deut. 1. 12. The Greeke here translateth it anger; but after in vers. 17▪ violence, or assault. This sheweth the great charge that lieth upon governours: so Paul mentioneth the caere of all the Churches, which came upon him daily, 2 Cor. 11. 28. Verse 12. Have I conceived] so also the Greeke translateth it; but the Chaldee saith, Am I the father of all this people? are they my sonnes? begotten them] Hebr. begotten it; or, brought forth it; speaking of the people, as of one man, begotten, as by a father; or brought forth, as by a mother. So the Apostle applieth both similies to himselfe, saying to the Corinthians, Ye have not many fathers; for in Christ Iesus I have begotten you through the Gospell, 1 Cor. 4. 15. and to the Galathians, My children of whom I travell in birth againe, untill Christ be formed in you, Gal. 4. 19. In this complaint of Moses, the weaknesse of the Law is signified, wch begetteth no children to God, Rom. 7. 4. 5, &c. and 8. 3. but by the word of Truth, the Gospell, and by beleefe in Christ, we are borne of God, I am. 1. 18. 1 Pet. 1. 23—25. 1 Ioh. 5. 1. in thy bosome] that is, lovingly, tenderly, carefully: which Moses the Lawgiver could not doe as is done by Christ, of whom it is said, He shall feed his flocke like a shepheard, he shall gather his lambes with his arme, and be are them in his bosome, he shall gently lead those that are with young, Esai. 40. 11. a nursing father] This sheweth the love, mildnesse, gentlenesse wch should be in governours; and so it is said unto the Church, Kings shall be thy nursing fathers, &c. Esai. 49. 23. And the Apostle saith, Wee were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children: we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children, 1 Thes. 2. 7. 11. Accordingly the Hebrewes have this rule for all governours of the Church, It is unlawfull for a man to governe with statelinesse over the congregation, and with haughtinesse of spirit, but with meeknesse and feare. And every pastour that bringeth more terrour upon the congregation than is for the name of God, he shall be punished, and shall not see himselfe to have a learned wise son: as it is said, (in Iob 37. 24.) Men do therfore feare him; he respecteth not any that are wise of heart. And so it is not lawfull for him to governe them with contemptuous carriage; although they be the (common) people of the land: neither may he tread upon the heads of the holy people, although they be unlearned & base, they are the sons of Abraham, Isaacke and Iacob, and the armies of the Lord that brought them out of the land of Egypt by great might, and by strong hand; but he must be are the toyle of the Congregation, and their burden; as Moses our Master, of whom it is said, AS A NVRSING FATHER BE ARETH THE SVCKING CHILD, &c. Maimony in Misn. tom. 4. in Sanhedrin, ch. 25. sect. 1, 2. That wch Moses speaketh of a Nursing father, the Chaldee that goeth in the name of Ionathan, and Targum Ierusalemy, calleth Pedagoga, which word Paul useth, when he saith, the Law was our P[illegible: 1 letter]dagogue (or Schoolemaster) unto Christ, Gal. 3. 24. whose graces were figured by that land whither Moses now was to lead them; as is shewed in the annotations on Gen. 12. 5. Verse 13. flesh to give] By these complaints Moses sheweth his insufficiencie to governe this people, and to supply their wants: neither indeed could he bring them into the promised land, but died ere they came thither, Deut. 34. whereby the impossibility of the Law was signified, that it could not bring men unto God, or satisfie, or restraine the lusts that reigne in our members, though the Law it selfe is holy, Rom. 7. 5—12. But what the Law could not doe, in that it was weake through the flesh, God (hath done) sending his owne Sonne, Rom. 8. 3. who giveth us not flesh to satisfie our carnall lusts, but his owne flesh to be the food of our soules, which he hath given for the life of the world, and which who so eateth, hath eternall life, Ioh. 6. 51. 54. Verse 15. if thou doe thus] to leave the whole burden upon me still. Here the word thou, spoken to God, is of the foeminine gender, contrary to common rule of speech, At, for Attah: which some thinke doth intimate Moses trouble of mind, as if he could not perfectly utter his word[illegible: 1 letter] and the like is in Deut. 5. 27. where the people terrified with the Majestie of God when he gave his Law, said unto Moses, Speake thou (At) unto [illegible: 1 word] Sol. Iarchi here saith, The strength of Moses became feeble as a woman, when the holy blessed (God) shewed him the punishments that he would bring upon them (the people) for this he said before him, If thus, kill mee first. kill me] or, killing me: that is, kill me quite, and out of hand; the word is doubled, for more vehemency and speed. see mine evill] that is, my misery and affliction. By seeing evill, is meant the feeling or suffering of miserie; as to see death, is to dye, Luke 2. 26. Psal. 89. 49. and as on the contrary, to see the salvation of God, meaneth the fruition or enjoying thereof, Psal. 50. 23. and 91. 16. Compare with this, Elijahs speech, 1 Kings 19. 4. Verse 16. Gather unto me] in Chaldee, Gather before me; and Thargum Ionathan explaineth it, Gather in my name seventy worthy men. This is answerable to the number of the seventy soules of the house of Israel, which went downe into Egypt, Gen. 46. 27. Exod. 1. 5. Deut. 10. 22. and to the 70 Elders which went up unto the Lord at mount Sinai, Exod. 24. 1, 9. From hence the Hebrewes in their commonwealth, continued their chiefes: Senate in Ierusalem of 71 Elders, as here there were 70, and Moses the Prince. So they record in Talmud Bab. in Sanhedrin, ch. 1. and Maimony in Sanhedrin, c. 1. s. 3, 4, 5, explaineth it thus; there was in Israel, first a great court (or judgement hall) in th[illegible: 1 letter] Sanctuary, and that was called the great Synedrion, and their number was 71, as it is written, Gather to me 70 men, &c. and Moses was chiefe over them, as it is said, And let them stand there with thee. Numb. 11. 16. loe here are 71. The greatest in wisedome among them all, they set him for head over them, and he was called Nasi (the Prince) in every place, and hee stood in stead of Moses cur Master. And they placed the greatest among the 70, next [illegible: 1 word] the head, and he sate on his right hand, and was call[illegible: 1 span] Ab beth din (the father of the judgement hall) A[illegible: 1 span] the residue of the 70 sate before him, according [illegible: 1 word] their eares and according to their dignitie: wh[illegible: 1 letter]seever was in wisedome greater than his [illegible: 1 word] nearer unto the Prince on his left hand. And they sate as in the forme of an halfe circle round, so that the Prince, with the Father of the Court, might see them all. Moreover they set two Iudgement halls, each of 23. Iudges, the one at the doore of the Court (of the Sanctuary,) the other at the doore of the mountaine of the Temple. And in every citie of Israel wherein were 120. (fathers of families) or moe, they set a lesser Synedrion, which sate in the gate of the citie, as it is written, And establish judgement in the gate, (Amos 5. 15.) And their number was 23 Iudges, and the wisest among them was head of them; and the residue sate in a round like halfe a circle, that hee which was head might see them all. If it were a citie which had not 120 men in it, they set therein three Iudges, for there is no judgement hall of lesse than three, that there might be moe or fewer, if there hapned to be among them dissention in judgement. But every citie which had not in it two wise men, the one fit to teach the whole Law, and the other skilfull to heare, and skilfull to demand and make answer; they set no Synedrion therein, although it had in it two thousand Israelites, &c. the officers] in Greeke, the Scribes, and Targum Ionathan addeth, in Egypt: as if these were such as are mentioned in Exod. 5. 14. and of them Sol. Iarchi also understandeth it. What these Officers were after in the common-wealth of Israel, is noted on Deut. 16 18. Here it seemeth to be meant of such Elders and Officers as were well knowne and had approved themselves for wisedome and good carriage, for which they might with comfort be preferred to this high Senate: for they that have ministred well, (as the Apostle saith) purchase to themselves a good degree, 1 Tim. 3. 13. Afterwards in Israel about the choise of these chiefe Magistrates, it is thus recorded; Our wise men have said, that from the great Synedrion they sent into all the land of Israel, and made diligent inquirie; whomsoever they found to be wise, and afraid to sinne, and meeke, &c. they made him a judge in his citie. And from thence they preferred him to the gate of the mountaine of the house (of the Lord:) and from thence they promoted him to the gate of the Court (of the Sanctuary,) and from thence they advanced him to the great judgement hall. Maim. in Sanhedrin, chap. 2. sect. 8. stand there] or, present themselves there with thee. They were to stand before the Tabernacle, to present themselves unto God, and to receive authoritie from him; and with Moses, who was to be chiefe over them. The Hebrewes from this word with, gather a likenesse unto Moses, saying, They constitute none in the Synedrion but Priests, Levites and Israelites whose genealogie is knowne, &c. as it is said (in Num. 11. 16.) WITH THEE; which are like thee in wisedome, religion, and genealogie. Maim. in Sanhedrin, ch. 2 sect. 1. Vers. 17. I will come downe] to wit, in signe or apparition; as the Chaldee translateth, I will reveale my selfe; and Targum Ionathan addeth, I will reveale my selfe in the glory of my Majestie; this was in the cloud, vers. 25. I will take] or, will separate; in Chaldee, will increase of the spirit that is on thee; meaning, the gifts of the Spirit, as prophesie, vers. 25. and other meet for their charge: for there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit, 1 Cor. 12. 4. So spirits are named for spirituall gifts, 1 Cor. 14. 12. 32. and the Holy Ghost, for the gifts of the Holy Ghost, Ioh. 7. 39. Act. 19. 2. 6. Thus the spirit of Elijah rested on Elish[illegible: 1 letter], 2 King. 2. 15. when he had the same gifts and power of prophesie, miracles, &c. Neither was Moses spirit hereby diminished; for as Sol. Iarchi saith, Moses in that houre was like unto the Lamp that was left (burning) on the Candlesticks, (in the Sanctuary) from which all the other lamps were lighted, yet the light thereof was not lessened any whit. God shewed hereby, that none without gifts of his Spirit, are fit for office and government, Exo. 18. 21. Deut. 1. 13. Act. 6. 3. The Hebrewes have this rule, Any Synedrion, King, or Governour, that shall set up a Iudge for Israel, that is not fit, and is not wise in the wisdome of the Law, and meet to be a Iudge; although he be wholly amiable, and have in him other good things, yet he that setteth him up, transgresseth &c. Maim. in Sanhedrin, chap. 3. sect 8. V. 18. Sanctifie] in Chaldee, prepare your selves: so to sanctifie warre is to prepare therefore, Ier. 64. & 51. 28. It meaneth an holy prepara[illegible: 1 span]o receive the gifts that they desired. Sol Iarchi expoundeth it, Prepare yourselv[illegible: 1 letter]s for vengeance; and so he saith, (in ser. 12. 3.) Sanctifie (that is, prepare) them for the day of slaughter. The 20 verse sheweth that this may be implied. wept in the eares] in ver. 20. wept before the Lord; and so the Chaldee turneth it here. I[illegible: 1 letter] meaneth, that the Lord had seene and heard their complaint: for weeping is often joyned with lifting up the voyce, or crying out; as Ger. 27. 39. Iudg. 2. 4. and 21. 2. 1 Sam. 11. 4. and 24. 16. and 30. 4. Verse 20. Vntill a moneth of dayes] to wit, yee shall eat, as the Greeke expresseth. Meaning a whole moneth; as a yeare of dayes is an whole yeare, 2 Sam. 14 28. So in Gen. 29. 14. loathsome] Hebr. to loathsomnesse or alienation; which the Greek translateth, to choler; the Chaldee, to offence, that is, offensive, have despised] or, contemptuously refased, set at nought; which the Greeke translateth, disobeyed the Lord; the Chaldee, rejected the Word of the LORD. who is] the Chaldee saith, whose Majestie (or Divine presence) remaineth among you. Verse 22. to suffice them] so the Greeke and Chaldee expound the Hebrew Ma[illegible: 1 letter]sa, which usually signifieth to finde; but here is used for obtaining that which is sufficient: so in Ios. 17. 16. Iudg. 21. 14. Here Mose, sheweth that the thing promised was unpossible in mans judgement, both in respect of the multitude of men, and length of time: and therefore he mentioneth beasts and fishes which also are flesh, 1 Cor 15. 39 but speaketh not of fowles, as thinking least of all that they should be filled with them: yet God sufficed them with such, verse 31. So Philip said unto Christ, Two hundred[illegible: 1 span] worth of bread is not sufficient for (this multitude) that every one may have a little, Ioh. 6. 7, 9. Verse 23. hand waxed short] that is, power abated; the Greeke expoundeth it, Shall not the Lords hand be sufficient? the Chaldee thus, Shall the word of the Lord be hindered? Hand is often used for power, as being the instrument wherewith power is shewed, Deut. 32. 36. Ios. 4. 24. and 8. 20. shortnesse signifieth lessening; and is applied sometime to the Lords Spirit, as in Mic. 2. 7. is the spirit of Iehovah shortned? Sometime to his hand, as here, and in Esai. 59. 1. Behold Iehovahs hand is not shortned, that it cannot save: and in Esai. 50. 2. Is my hand shortned at all, that it cannot redeeme? or have I no power to deliver? where the latter sentence explaineth the former. Verse 25. they prophesied] this was a gift and effect of Gods Spirit upon them: and is elsewhere so explained; as, upon the handmaids in those dayes, I will powre out my spirit, Ioel 2. 29. that is, I will power out of my spirit, and they shall prophesie, Act. 2. 18. So in Act. 19. 2. 6. And when Saul was anointed to be King, the Spirit of God came upon him, and hee prophesied, 1 Sam. 10. 6, 10. Prophesying was not onely a foretelling of things to come, but sometime a declaring of the word of God unto the people; see Exod. 7. 1. Gen. 20. 7. And thus Paul saith, He that prophesieth, speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort, 1 Cor. 14. 3. Sometime it was a singing of praises unto God; as they that prophesied with Harps, with Psalteries and with Cymbals; to confesse and to praise the LORD, 1 Chron. 25. 1, 3. did not adde] that is, prophesied no more but that day, as God spake the ten commandements, and added not, that is, spake no moe, or after such a manner to the people, Deut. 52. 2. Thus the Greeke here translateth, and they added no more: and Sol. Iarchi saith, they did not adde, i. they prophesied not save that day onely; so it is expounded is Siphre. Howbeit the Chaldee translateth it, ceased not; in a contrary signification, which sometime is in the Hebrew words. But seeing the Chaldee so expoundeth that also in Deut. 5. 22. that the Lord ceased not, which seemeth to meane a continuance till all those ten words were finished; we may likewise understand him here to meane a continuance for that day; (as Saul in Naioth prophesied all that day and all that night, 1 Sam. 19. 24.) and not a continuance alwayes; for this seemeth to be a temporary gift and miracle for confirmation of their Office; as in 1 Sam. 10. 6, 11. Verse 26. Medad] in Greeke, Modad. the spirit] in Chaldee, the spirit of prophesie. that were written] by Moses in a booke; or in papers (as the Hebrews thinke) and so were appointed among the rest to come to the Tabernacle, verse 16. 24. but went not out] for what cause, the Scripture sheweth not: but by comparing this their fact with others, it is probable, that as Saul when hee should have beene made King, withdrew and hid himselfe among the stuffe, 1 Sam. 10. 22. so these two, unwilling to take the charge upon them, withdrew their shoulders, and came not to the Tabernacle: yet the Lord by his Spirit found them out: for whither shall men goe from his Spirit? or whither shall they flee from his presence? Psal. 139. 7. The Hebrewes have here their uncertaine conjectures: Sol. Iarchi saith, They were all written expresly by their names, and should have beene taken by Lots. For the count was made for the twelve tribes out of every tribe six, except two tribes, of which were but five. Moses tooke seventy two papers (or [illegible: 1 word] and on seventy of them he wrote AN ELDER, and on two, A PART: and he chose six out of every tribe, so there were seventy and two. Then he sa[illegible: 2 letters] unto them, take up your papers out of the basket. Who so tooke up with his hand (a paper on which was written) AN ELDER, he was sanctified (to that office:) but he in whose hand came up A PART; unto him he said, The Lord will not have thee. Verse 28. of his choise young men] in Greeke, his chosen one; the Chaldee saith, of his young men. The originall word signifieth also youth: whereupon some translate it, the minister of Moses, frō his youth: but this seemeth not fit; for Moses shepheards life in Midian, from which he came but a little before this, argueth the contrary. forbid thou them This he spake of envious zeale for his master Moses sake, (as the verse following sheweth;) that he would not have the use of the gift of prophesie common; or, because they obeyed not Moses to come out as he commanded. So the disciples forbade one that cast our devils in Christs name, because he followed not with them, Luk 9. 49, 50. Marke 9. 38. Targum Ionathan explaineth it, M. Lord Moses request mercy from before the Lord, and forbid them the spirit of Prophesie. Verse 29. Enviest thou] or, Hast thou en[illegible: 1 letter]isus zeale, or jealousie for my sake? which is a prohibition, Have it not: as, Thinke ye that I am come to give peace on earth? Luke 12. 51. that is, Thinke it not, Mat. 10. 34. but O who shall give] or, and O who, &c. this is an earnest wish, as would God, or the like: the word and, setteth forth the earnestnesse of his passion, as Act. 23. 3. Psal. 2. 6. his spirit] that is, the gifts of his spirit; as the Chaldee saith, his spirit of prophesie. So Paul wisheth that all the Church could prophesie, and saith, Follow after loue, and zealously desire spirituall gifts; but rather that ye may prophesie, 1 Cor. 14. 1. Verse 30. gathered] that is, gat himselfe, or, at the Greeke saith, departed. the Elders] who were authorised of God to be of the high Councell or Synedrion with Moses, and his assistants: and thus they differed from those inferiour Magistrates, which had beene appointed before by Iechroes advice, Exod. 18. 21, 25. And as then all hard causes were brought unto Moses, Exod. 18. 26. so after this, such causes were brought to the high court or Synedrion, first ordained here. This is shewed by the Hebrew Canons in Talmud Bab. Sanbedrin, c. 1. and Maimony in Sanbedrin, c. 5. thus: They set up no King, but by the mouth of the Senate of 71. (Elders:) neither make they any lesser Synedrion for every tribe and for every citie, but by the Senate of 71. Neither judge they a whole tribe revolted (to idolatry,) nor a false Prophet, nor the high Priest in judgement of life and death, but by the great Synedrion. But money-matters are judged by the Court of three Iudges. Likewise they make (or judge) no elder rebellious (Deut. 17.) nor any citie drawne [illegible: 1 word] to idolatrie (Deut. 13.) neither cause they the suspected woman to drinke the bitter waters (Nam. 5.) but in the great Synedrion. Neither doe they adde unto (or in Large) the Citie or the Courtyard, neither goe they forth to permitted warre, &c. [whereof see the notes on Deut. 20. 1.] but by the great Synedrion, as it is said, (in Exod. 18. 22.) every great matter they shall bring unto thee. Verse 31. a wind] God made an East wind to passe forth in heaven; and brought on a South wind by his strength, Psal. 78. 26. brought Quailes] such fowles as he had fed them with before, in Exod. 16. 13. them now God againe brought swiftly and as with violence; which the Chaldee translateth, made to flie. let them fall] or, spred them abroad; so this word is Englished in 1 Sam. 30. 16. two cubits] Sol. Iarchi saith, they flew so hie as against a mans heart, that he was not toyled in getting them, either by reaching hie, or by stooping low. Verse 32. ten homers] or, ten heaps, as the Chaldee translateth: for the Hebrew homer sometime signifieth an heape, as in Ex. 8. 4. sometime a kind of measure containing ten Ephahs or Bushels, Ez. 45. 11. the wch measure is called also a Cor. Eze. 45. 14. & so Targum Ierusalemy interpreteth it here. Thus also the Greek translateth it ten Cors; (for of the Hebrew Cor, the Greeke Coros, in Luk. 16. 7. & Latine Corus are derived.) And Chazkuni here explaineth it, ten homers; there are in an homer thirtie Seahs (or Pecks;) so ten homers containe three hundred Seahs: loe he that gathered least, had every day ten Seahs. Of the Seah or Pecke, see the notes on Gen. 18. 6. This abundance of fowles was miraculous, whereupon it is said, God rained flesh upon them as dust; and feathered fowles as the sand of the seas, Psal. 78. 27. And with these they filled their greedy lust; (seeding themselves without feare, as Iude verse 12.) though the Lord had threatned to punish them, verse 20. Verse 33. not yet cut off] to wit, from their mouth; that is, not taken from them, which the Greeke translateth, before it (that is, the flesh) failed. Thus the phrase is opened in Ioel 1. 5. the new wine is cut off from your mouth; that is, taken away from you. Or, by cutting, may be meant chewing. The Psalmist alleaging this, saith; They were not estranged from their desire; the meat was yet in their mouth, when the anger of God came up against them, &c. Psal. 78. 30, 31. And here Chazkuni observeth, how they were plagued of God, after that he had sufficed all of them with flesh; that men should not say, hee had not plagued them, but because he was not able to suffice them all with flesh. a very great plague] or, ve [illegible: 2 letters]ment great smiting: Abr. Ezra writeth that it was the pestilence: God gave-them their request, when they lusted for flesh; but sent leannesse into their soule, Psal. 106. 14, 15. The anger of God came up against them, and slew of the fat of them; and smote downe the choise young men of Israel, Psal. 78. 31. Verse 34. hee called] meaning, Moses called, and by the name of the place, left a memoriall of their sinne and punishment, for a warning to them after, Deut. 9. 22. and to us, that we should not lust after evill things as they lusted, 1 Cor. 10. 6. Or, as the Greeke translateth it, the name of the place was called; see verse 3. Kibroth hattaavah] that is, as the Greeke expoundeth it, Graves (or monuments) of lust. Where lust may be used for the men that lusted; as circumcision, in Rom. 2. 26. is for men circumcised; Pride, for the proud man, Ier. 50. 31, 32. Psal. 36. 12. and many the like. See the notes on Gen. 45. 7. Vers. 35. were in Hazeroth] or, Chatseroth, in Greeke, Aseiroth; here they were, that is, abode, or continued; (as Daniel was, that is, continued, Dan. 1. 21. and they were, that is, continued there, Ruth 1. 2.) The cause of which abode, was a new trouble which Moses sister and brother raised against him, Num. 12.