Numbers 14 commentary

Those who do not trust God, continually vex themselves. The sorrow of the world worketh death. The Israelites murmured against Moses and Aaron, and in them reproached the Lord. They look back with causeless discontent. See the madness of unbridled passions, which makes men prodigal of what nature accounts most dear, life itself. They wish rather to die criminals under God's justice, than to live conquerors in his favour. At last they resolve, that, instead of going forward to Canaan, they would go back to Egypt. Those who walk not in God's counsels, seek their own ruin. Could they expect that God's cloud would lead them, or his manna attend them? Suppose the difficulties of conquering Canaan were as they imagined, those of returning to Egypt were much greater. We complain of our place and lot, and we would change; but is there any place or condition in this world, that has not something in it to make us uneasy, if we are disposed to be so? The way to better our condition, is to get our spirits in a better frame. See the folly of turning from the ways of God. But men run on the certain fatal consequences of a sinful course.

Moses and Aaron were astonished to see a people throw away their own mercies. Caleb and Joshua assured the people of the goodness of the land. They made nothing of the difficulties in the way of their gaining it. If men were convinced of the desirableness of the gains of religion, they would not stick at the services of it. Though the Canaanites dwell in walled cities, their defence was departed from them. The other spies took notice of their strength, but these of their wickedness. No people can be safe, when they have provoked God to leave them. Though Israel dwell in tents, they are fortified. While we have the presence of God with us, we need not fear the most powerful force against us. Sinners are ruined by their own rebellion. But those who, like Caleb and Joshua, faithfully expose themselves for God, are sure to be taken under his special protection, and shall be hid from the rage of men, either under heaven or in heaven. (Nu 14:11-19)

Moses made humble intercession for Israel. Herein he was a type of Christ, who prayed for those that despitefully used him. The pardon of a nation's sin, is the turning away the nation's punishment; and for that Moses is here so earnest. Moses argued that, consistently with God's character, in his abundant mercies, he could forgive them.

The Lord granted the prayer of Moses so far as not at once to destroy the congregation. But disbelief of the promise forbids the benefit. Those who despise the pleasant land shall be shut out of it. The promise of God should be fulfilled to their children. They wished to die in the wilderness; God made their sin their ruin, took them at their word, and their carcases fell in the wilderness. They were made to groan under the burden of their own sin, which was too heavy for them to bear. Ye shall know my breach of promise, both the causes of it, that it is procured by your sin, for God never leaves any till they first leave him; and the consequences of it, that will produce your ruin. But your little ones, now under twenty years old, which ye, in your unbelief, said should be a prey, them will I bring in. God will let them know that he can put a difference between the guilty and the innocent, and cut them off without touching their children. Thus God would not utterly take away his loving kindness.

Here is the sudden death of the ten evil spies. They sinned in bringing a slander upon the land of promise. Those greatly provoke God, who misrepresent religion, raise dislike in men's minds toward it, or give opportunity to those to do so, who seek occasion. Justly are murmurers made mourners. If they had mourned for the sin, when they were faithfully reproved, the sentence had been prevented; but as they mourned for the judgment only, it did them no service. There is in hell such mourning as this; but tears will not quench the flames, nor cool the tongue.

Some of the Israelites were now earnest to go forward toward Canaan. But it came too late. If men would but be as earnest for heaven while their day of grace lasts, as they will be when it is over, how well would it be for them! That which has been duty in its season, when mistimed, may be turned into sin. Those who are out of the way of their duty, are not under God's protection, and go at their peril. God bade them go, and they would not; he forbade them, and they would go. Thus is the carnal mind enmity against God. They had distrusted God's strength; they now presume upon their own without his. And the expedition fails accordingly; now the sentence began to be executed, that their carcases should fall in the wilderness. That affair can never end well, which begins with sin. The way to obtain peace with our friends, and success against our enemies, is, to have God, as our Friend, and to keep in his love. Let us take warning from the fate of Israel, lest we perish after the same example of unbelief. Let us go forth, depending on God's mercy, power, promise, and truth; he will be with us, and bring our souls to everlasting rest.

1. And all the congregation lifted up their voice. Here we see how easily, by means of a few incentives, sedition is excited in a great multitude; for the people, unless governed by the counsel of others, is like the sea, exposed to many tempests; and the corruption of human nature produces this amongst innumerable other evils, that lies and impostures prevail over truth. There was, indeed, some pretext for the error of the people, in that they saw ten most choice leaders of their tribes dissuading them from entering the land, and only two advising them to proceed. But that credulity, to which they were too much inclined, is without excuse, because it arose from incredulity; for, if the dignity and reputation of ten men availed so much with them, that they were thus easy of belief, ought they not much rather to have given credit to the word of God, who had promised them the land four hundred years before? For when they cried out beneath the oppressive tyranny of the Egyptians, the memory of the promise given to their fathers was not effaced, since the holy Jacob had carefully provided for its transmission. They had recently heard and embraced its confirmation, and in this confidence had come forth from Egypt. We see, then, that they had already been induced by their own supineness and depravity to recoil from entering the land, because they had thrown aside their confidence in God, so that they might seem to have deliberately laid hold of the opportunity. Still the evil counselors gave an impulse to them, when they were falling of their accord, and east them down headlong.

They begin with weeping, which at length bursts out into rage. The cause of their weeping is the fear of death, because they think that they are being carried away to slaughter; and whence does this arise, except because the promised aid of God is of no account with them? Thus it appears how greatly opposed to faith is cowardice, when, on the occurrence of danger, we look only to ourselves. But:. whilst the beginning of infidelity is to be withheld by fear from obedience to God, so another worse evil presently follows, when men obstinately resist God, and, because they are unwilling to submit themselves to His word, enter into altercation with Him. This was the case with the Israelites, who, being overwhelmed with grief, at length are stirred up by its impetuosity against Moses and Aaron. And this is wont too often to occur, that impatience bursts forth from the anguish into which our unbelief has brought us. The desire for death, which they conceive, arises from ingratitude and contempt of God’s blessing. They wished that they had died either in Egypt or in the wilderness; why, then, had they just before humbly beseeched Moses to propitiate God?

With regard to the words, the old interpreter, By the old interpreter, C. does not here mean, as he generally does, the V., which accords with his own view, “in hac vasta solitudine utinam pereamus;” on these words Corn. a Lapide says; “Ita haec legunt et conjungunt, Hebr., Chald., Septuaginta, et Latina Romana. Tollenda ergo est negatio non, et distinctio quam habent Biblia Plantiniana.” taking the particle לו, which is optative, for the negative (לא, lo,) improperly translates the passage, as if their death in the desert would have been more bitter than in Egypt; whereas they only deplore that they would be exposed to death if they should enter the land of Canaan, as follows in the next verse.

3. And wherefore has the Lord brought us into this land? The pride, and even the madness of their impiety here more fully betrays itself, when they accuse God of deception and cruelty, as if tie were betraying them to the Canaanitish nations, and leading them forth to slaughter; for they conclude that they ought not to obey His command, because He would destroy them, and not only so, but that He would at the same time give their wives and children to be a prey. We see how mad is unbelief, when it gives way to itself, since these wretched people do not hesitate to prefer charges against God, and to repay His kindnesses by calling Him their betrayer. But what was the cause of this blasphemous audacity, “D’une audace tant diabolique;” of such diabolical audacity. — Fr. except that they hear they would have to do with powerful enemies? as if they had not experienced the might of God to be such, that nothing which they might encounter was to be feared whilst He was on their side! At the same time, they also accuse God of weakness, as if He were less powerful than the nations of Canaan. At length their monstrous blindness and senselessness comes to its climax, when they consult as to their return, and, rejecting Moses, set themselves about choosing a leader, who may again deliver them up to Pharaoh. Were they so quickly forgetful how wretched their condition there had been? It was for no fault of theirs, but whilst they were peaceful and harmless guests, that the Egyptians had so cruelly afflicted them, since they were hated by Pharaoh on no other account but because he could not endure their multitude; what, then, was he likely to do, when, for their sakes, he had undergone so many calamities; what humanity, again, was to be expected from that nation which had conspired for their destruction already, when it had suffered no injury from them? Surely there was no house among them which would not long to avenge its first-born! Yet they desire to give themselves up to the will of a most bitter enemy, who, without any cause for ill-will, had proceeded to all sorts of extremities against them. Hence we plainly see that unbelievers are not only blinded by the just vengeance of God, but carried away by a spirit of infatuation, so as to inflict upon themselves the greatest evils.

5. Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces. It is doubtful whether they so humbled themselves towards the people, as to he prostrate before them, or whether it was in prayer that they fell with their faces on the earth; the latter, however, seems more likely to me, as if, by thus turning themselves to God, they reproved the stupidity of the people,. And, in fact, in such a case of obduracy, nothing remained except to call upon God, yet in such sort that the prayer should be made in the sight of all, in order to influence their minds. Otherwise they might have sought some place of retirement; but by this pitiful spectacle they endeavored to recall the people to their right senses. This, indeed, is beyond dispute, that they sought for nothing on their own account, but were only anxious for the welfare of the people; since, if the people had gone back, they would have been at liberty to sojourn in the land of Canaan, or elsewhere. Yet still they were not merely concerned with regard to the people, but the interruption of God’s grace troubled them most, with which the Covenant made with Abraham would also have been buried. In a word, this was justly felt by them to be the same as if they had seen both the glory of God and the salvation of the human race altogether brought to naught. Wherefore they must needs have been more than senseless who were unmoved by this sad sight, especially when Moses, whom God had exalted by so many privileges above all other mortals, was lying prostrate on the earth for their sake.

6. And Joshua, the son of Nun, and Caleb. The magnanimity of Joshua is here specified, whereas, before, only Caleb had been praised. But Moses says that they both rent their clothes in token of their excessive sorrow, and even of their abhorrence. For, as is well known, this, amongst the Orientals, was a solemn ceremony in extreme grief, or when they would express their abomination of some crime. Hypocrites have improperly imitated this custom, either when they made a pretence of sorrow, or desired to deceive the simple. But it is plain that Caleb and Joshua were moved to rend their garments by solemn feelings, nay, by the fervor of their indignation; whilst, at the same time, they seek to reclaim the people from their madness. And, first, they commend the fertility of the land; and then base their hope of obtaining it on the favor or good pleasure of God. Some take the conditional particle אם, im, for the causal particle, and translate it, “For because God loves us, therefore He will bring us in;” but this I do not approve of, and it is manifestly foreign to the true meaning; for, since the Israelites had in a manner rejected so great a benefit, they were surely unworthy through unbelief of being still pursued by His favor. The condition is, therefore, introduced as if doubtingly, not in order to diminish their hopes, as though it were a mark of uncertainty, but simply that the people should be convinced of their impiety, and repent; as if they had said, If only we afford room for the continuance of God’s favor towards us, be ye of good courage. And this they state more clearly soon afterwards, in reproving the stubbornness of the people, where they say, “Only (or but) rebel not ye;” in which words they admonish them that they shut up all the ways whereby God might still pursue the course of His work; Addition in Fr., “Quand on ne se soumet point a luy;” when they do not submit themselves to Him. and that there is no other obstacle to these wretched people except their own unbelief, which does not permit them to obey God. In this way, then, they assert that God’s power is sufficient to perform what He had promised; and then exhort the people to conciliate His favor, from whence they had fallen through their own fault. The particle אך, ac, is used emphatically, as though Joshua and Caleb had said that there was no fear of danger, except because the people’s minds were set on bringing evil upon themselves. Finally, in their reliance upon God’s aid, they exult like conquerors; “They will be bread for us,” they say, i.e., we shall devour them without any trouble. And the reason is subjoined, because, if God stands by the Israelites, their enemies will be destitute of all defense. Justly, then, and for the best of reasons they conclude, that although our enemies would otherwise be formidable, they are not to be feared, if only God, apart from whom there is no strength, be favorable unto us.

The Repetition of the same Narrative

Deuteronomy 1

Deuteronomy 1:26-33

26. Notwithstanding ye would not go up, but rebelled against the commandment of the Lord your God:

26. Et tamen noluistis ascendere, sed rebellastis verbo Jehovae Dei vestri.

27. And ye murmured in your tents, and said, Because the Lord hated us, he hath brought us forth out of the land of Egypt, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us.

27. Et murmurastis in tabernaculis vestris dicentes, Propterea quod odio habebat nos Jehova, eduxit nos e terra AEgypti, ut traderet nos in manum Emorrhaei, ut perderet nos.

28. Whither shall we go up? our brethren have discouraged our heart, saying, The people is greater and taller than we; the cities are great, and walled up to heaven: and, moreover, we have seen the sons of the Anakims there.

28. Quo nos ascendimus? fratres nostri dissolverunt cor nostrum, dicendo, Populus iste major et procerior nobis est, urbes magnae et munitae usque ad coelum: et etiam filios gigantum vidimus ibi.

29. Then I said unto you, Dread not, neither be afraid of them.

29. Tunc dixi vobis, Ne pavearis neque timeatis ab eis:

30. The Lord your God, which goeth before you, he shall fight for you, according to all that he did for you in Egypt before your eyes;

30. Jehova Deus vester qui praecedit vos, ipse pugnabit pro vobis, prorsus ut fecit vobiscum in AEgypto in oculis vestris.

31. And in the wilderness, where thou hast seen how that the Lord thy God bare thee, as a man doth bear his son, in all the way that ye went, until ye came into this place.

31. Et in ipso deserto vidistis quod portaverit Jehova Deus tuus, quemadmodum portare solet homo filium suum, et hoc per totam viam per quam ambulastis, donec veneritis ad locum istum.

32. Yet in this thing ye did not believe the Lord your God,

32. Atqui ea in re non credidistis Jehovae Deo vestro,

33. Who went in the way before you, to search you out a place to pitch your tents in, in fire by night, to show you by what way ye should go, and in a cloud by day.

33. Qui praecedebat vos per viam ad explorandum vobis locum in quo castra figeretis, per ignem in nocte, ut ostenderet vobis viam per quam ambularetis, et per nubem in die.

10. But all the congregation bade stone them. When these wicked men began by murmuring against God, and openly casting censure upon Him, no wonder that they should also rage against His servants; for, when we endeavor to subdue pride, it generally begets cruelty; and so also, when iniquity is reproved, it always ends at last in fury. Caleb and Joshua did not constrain them by force of arms, neither did they menace them; but only persuaded them to trust in God’s promise, and not to hesitate to advance into the land of Canaan; yet, because in their obstinacy the people had determined not to believe God, they champ the bit, as it were, upon being chastised, and desire to stone their reprovers. How great was the impetuosity of their wrath is manifest from this, that God does not attempt to appease their fury, nor to restrain them by threats, or by His authority, but openly displays His power from heaven, and miraculously protects His servants by the manifestation of His glory, as if He were rescuing them from wild beasts. There is, indeed, no express mention made of the cloud, but we may infer that the sign to which they were accustomed, was given not merely to terrify them, but also to cast them prostrate, so that they might be deprived of their power to inflict injury, and might desist even against their wills. For the majesty of God, although it truly humbles believers only, yet sometimes subdues the reprobate and the lost, or renders them astounded in all their ferocity.

11. And the Lord said unto Moses. God remonstrates with respect to their indomitable obstinacy, because they had just now hesitated not petulantly to despise and reject Him with the most atrocious insults, and notwithstanding all the clearest manifestations of His power. For I know not whether the sense which some give be suitable, when they translate the verb נאף, naatz, “to provoke.” A.V., “How long will this people provoke, me?” V. “Usquequo detrahet mihi populus iste?” Ainsworth says, “provoke me, or despite, blaspheme, contemptuously provoke me. So the Apostle expoundeth this word blaspheme, in Romans 2:24, from Isaiah 52:5; and it implieth also a contempt or despising, Proverbs 1:30; 15:5; Isaiah 5:24.” Jerome comes nearer to the genuine sense, How long will they detract me? But let us be contented with the genuine intention of God, which He confirms by the succeeding antithesis, where He complains that He is disparaged, because they do not take into consideration the many miracles whereby He had abundantly testified His power and loving-kindness; and thus He proves their contempt, because they deliberately refuse credit to the many signs of which the accumulation at least ought to have subdued or corrected their stubbornness.

The denunciation of their final punishment follows, together with a statement of the atrocity of their crime; for the particle “How long” indicates its long continuance, as well as the enduring patience of God. He had, indeed, punished others severely, but only for example’s sake, in order that the name of their race should remain undestroyed, whereas he now declares that He will deal with them as. with persons in a desperate condition, who cease not to make a mock of His patience. Hence we are taught, that, although God is placable in His nature, still the hope of pardon is deservedly cut off from unbelievers, who are so obdurate as that tie produces no effect upon them by His hand, or by His countenance, or His word. he then briefly adverts to the use of the signs, viz., that their object was, that the knowledge or experience of them should awaken hopes of success.

If the apparent contradiction offends any one, that God should declare the people to be cast off, when it was already decreed that tie would pardon them, a reply may be sought from elsewhere in three words; for God does not here speak of His secret and incomprehensible counsel, but only of the actual circumstances, showing what the people had deserved, and how horrible was the vengeance which impended, “Et quelle punition luy seroit apprestee, si Dieu se vouloit venger d’une revolte si detestable;” and what punishment would be prepared for them, if God chose to take vengeance on so detestable a revolt. — Fr. in respect to their wicked and detestable revolt, since it was not His design to keep Moses back from earnest prayer, but to put the sincerity of his piety and the fervency of his zeal to the proof. And, in fact, he does not contravene the prohibition, except upon the previous exhibition of some spark of faith. See Exodus 32.

13. Then the Egyptians shall hear it. Moses here, according to his custom, stands “in the breach” of the wall, as it is said in Psalm 106:23, to sustain and avert the anger of God, which else would burst forth, since through his intercession it came to pass that the fire was speedily extinguished, and the people were not consumed. In order to support his request., he only objects that God’s holy namo would be the sport of the wicked, if the people should perish altogether I have endeavored to reduce to their proper meaning the words which translators variously render. First, he says, “The Egyptians shall hear, whereas it is a thing sufficiently notorious, and testified by miracles, that this people was rescued from among them by thy might. The same report will also obtain currency among; the nations of Canaan, who have already heard that thou: art the protector of this people, and have undertaken the charge of governing them. If, therefore, they should altogether perish, all the nations which have heard of thy fame will east the blame on thee, and will think that thy power is broken down in the midst of its course, so that thou could not carry through to the end the work thou hadst undertaken.” The substance amounts to this, that because God had manifested by clear and evident signs that He was the deliverer of this people, He would be exposed to the reproach of the wicked, unless He should preserve in safety those whom He had once redeemed. For nothing else would occur to the minds of the heathen nations, except that God was unable to maintain His blessing, however desirous He might be to do so. And assuredly this is no ordinary effect of God’s goodness, so to connect the glory of His name with our salvation, that whatever is adverse to us brings with it reproach upon Him, because the mouth of the wicked will be open to blaspheme. And this will in fact turn to our advantage, if on our part, without dissimulation, and in zealous sincerity, we beseech God to uphold His own glory in saving us; for many boldly plead the name of God in their own behalf, although they are unaffected by any real care or love for it. Moreover, because the more illustrious God’s exercise of His power has been, the more insolently are the ungodly disposed to blaspheme, if it has appeared to fail; we must always entreat of Him that He should not desert the work of His hands which He has begun in us. To this effect are the words, “They have heard that thou art seen face to face;” for, if the people’s safety were not maintained, the failure would have been imputed to none but God, who had put. forth the power of His hand to preserve them. In fine, since their astonishing exodus had been a testimony of God’s favor, so, if he had suffered the people to perish in the desert, all would have considered it a sign of His weakness, inasmuch as it was not probable that He should not accomplish what tie desired, unless He were unable to do so.

17. And now, I beseech thee, let the power of my Lord be great. He derives another ground of confidence from the vision, in which God had more clearly manifested His nature, from whence it appears how much he had profited by it, and what earnest and anxious attention he had paid to it. Hence, however, we derive a general piece of instruction, that there is nothing more efficacious in our prayers than to set His own word before God, and then to found our supplications upon His promises, as if He dictated to us out of His own mouth what we were to ask. Since, then, God had manifested Himself to Moses in that memorable declaration, which we have already considered, he was able to derive from thence a sure directory for prayer; for nothing can be more sure than His own word, on which if our prayers are based, there is no reason to fear that they will be ineffectual, or that their results should disappoint us, since He who has spoken will prove Himself to be true. And, in fact, this is the reason why He speaks, viz., to afford us the grounds for addressing Him, for else we must needs be dumb.

Since I have expounded the 18th verse elsewhere, See Exodus 34:6, 7. Vol. 3, pp. 386-388. let my readers refer to that place.

19. Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people. In order to encourage his hope of pardon, he first sets before himself the greatness of God’s mercy, and then the past instances by which it had been proved that God was inclined to forgiveness. And, indeed, the mercy of God continually invites us to seek reconciliation whenever we have sinned; and, though iniquities heaped upon iniquities, and the very enormity of our sins, might justly make us afraid, still the abundance of His grace, of which mention is here made, must needs occur to us, so as to swallow up all dread of His wrath. David, also, betaking himself to this refuge, affords us an example how all alarm is to be overcome. (Psalm 51:1) But, since the bare and abstract recognition of God’s goodness is often insufficient for us, Moses applies another stay in the shape of experience: Pardon, (he says,) as thou hast so often done before. For, since the goodness of God is unwearied and inexhaustible, the oftener we have experienced it, the more ought we to be encouraged to implore it; not that we may sink into the licentious indulgence of sin, but lest despair should overwhelm us, when we are lying under the condemnation of God, and our own conscience smites and torments us. In a word, let us regard this as a most effective mode of importunity, when we beseech God by the benefits which we have already experienced, that He will never cease to be gracious.

20. And the Lord said, I have pardoned, according to thy word. God signifies that tie pardons for His servant Moses’ sake, and makes, as it were, a present to him of those whom He had already devoted to destruction. Hence we gather how much the entreaties of the pious avail with God: as He is said, in Psalm 145:19, to “fulfil the desire of them that fear him.” He would, indeed, have done of His own accord what He granted to Moses; but, in order that we may be more earnest in prayer, the use and advantage of prayers is commended, when God declares that He will not only comply with our requests, but even obey them.

But how is it consistent for Him to declare that He had spared those, upon whom He had determined to inflict the most extreme punishment, and whom He deprived of their promised inheritance? I reply that the pardon in question was not granted to the individuals, but to their race and name. For the opinion of some is unnatural, who think that they were released from the penalty of eternal death, and thence that God was propitiated towards them, because He was contented with their temporal punishment. I do not doubt, then, but that Moses was so far heard, as that the seed of Abraham should not be destroyed, and the covenant of God should not fail For He so dispensed the pardon as to preserve their posterity uninjured, whilst He inflicted on the unbelievers themselves the reward of their rebellion. Thus the conditions of the pardon were of no advantage to the impious rebels, though they opened a way for the faithful fulfillment of His promise.

21. But as truly as I live, all the earth. It is, indeed, plain that God here swears by His life and glory: the meaning is only ambiguous in this respect, that some translate it in the past tense, that the earth had been filled with His glory, which had already been displayed in so many miracles. And this seems to accord well with what follows, “Those, who have seen my glory — shall not see the land;” still the future tense suits the context better, viz., that God should call to witness His glory, which He will hereafter assert. Moses feared lest the destruction of the people should be turned into a reproach and contumely against God; God now declares with an oath that He would so vindicate His glory, as that those, who were guilty of so great a crime, should not escape punishment. He proclaims that those should not see the land, who had shut their eyes against the miracles, of which they had been spectators and eye-witnesses, and in their blindness had endeavored to set them at naught. For, inasmuch as they had not been taught to fear God by so many signs, they were worse than unworthy of beholding the land, the possession of which ought to have been assured to them by those very signs, if God’s truth had not been utterly rejected by their ingratitude.

God complains that He had been “tempted” by them “ten times;” because they had not ceased constantly to provoke Him by their frowardness; for it is no fixed or definite number, which is intended, but God would merely indicate that they had done so without measure or end. We have elsewhere See ante, vol. 1, p. 421, on Deuteronomy 6:16. shown what it is to tempt God, viz., to subject His power to the narrow rule of our own senses, and to prescribe to Him the mode in which He is to act, according to our own desires: so as to defer to Him no further than our carnal reason dictates. The source and cause of this tempting of God is subjoined, i.e., when men refuse to listen to His voice; since nothing but obedience, which is the mistress of humility, can restrain our insolence.

24. But my servant Caleb. By synecdoche Caleb alone is now excepted, although Joshua was a partaker of the same grace, as he had been also a sharer in his courageous conduct; but Caleb is especially distinguished, because he had, as it were, uplifted the banner, and had stood forth first to encourage Joshua, The sum of his praise is that he “fulfilled A.V., “Followed me fully.” “Hebr., he fulfilled after me: so in Deuteronomy 1:36, and Joshua 14:8.” — Ainsworth. “Implevit, subaudi, verbum meum, vel voluntatem meam.” — S.M. to go after God.” The word “will,” which some understand, is superfluous, since the expression is complete without any addition. God, therefore, commends Caleb’s perseverance in obeying; because he not only promptly exhorted the others, but also proceeded boldly and unhesitatingly, without being deterred by any obstacles. God, however, magnifies his perseverance, because he looked to Him alone in his noble conflict with so great a multitude. For it is an extraordinary case for a person to stand firm, and to hold a straight course in the midst of violent and tempestuous disturbances, when all the world is, as it were, convulsed. Although the word רוח, ruach, “This other spirit was the spirit of faith, which the Law cannot give, (Galatians 3:2) — the spirit of adoption of sons, not of bondage to fear again, Romans 8:14, 15. By the guidance of this spirit, Caleb constantly followed the Lord, and obtained the promised inheritance.” — Ainsworth. is sometimes used for the disposition of the mind, yet I have no doubt but that Moses signifies, by metonymy, that Caleb was thus influenced by divine inspiration.

25. Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites. Some thus resolve these words; “Although the Amalekites dwell in the valley;” and others thus: “Since the Amalekites abide in the valleys to lay ambuscades.” Others think that their object is to inspire terror, lest the Israelites should remain too long in the enemy’s country, since they would be daily exposed to fresh attacks. I am, however, rather of opinion that they are spoken in reproach. For they had already arrived at the borders of the inhabited land, so that their enemies might be put to the rout at once: whereas God commands them to retire, and thus expels them from the land, which they had actually reached. Still I do not deny that He sets before them the necessity of the case, and thus enforces their obedience; as if He had said, that nothing now remained but to retreat, and again to throw themselves into the desert.

26. And the Lord spoke unto Moses. “The Lord spoke therefore to Moses,” etc. — Lat. I have translated the copula by the word itaque (therefore,) to indicate the connection with what precedes: for Moses does not here recount anything new, but, by way of explanation, repeats a point of great importance, viz., that they, who had refused to enter the land, would be deprived of its possession. He begins with the passionate interrogation: “Pathetica interrogatio.” — Lat. “Or, Dieu use d’un proeme vehement a la facon d’un homme passione;” now, God uses a vehement exordium, after the fashion of an angry man. — Fr. “How long shall this troublesome dregs of a people be borne with, who never cease to murmur against me?” And God says that He “had heard” their turbulent cries; in order that they might more certainly perceive that their pride was intolerable, since God Himself was weary of it, although He is long-suffering and slow to anger. It is in bitter irony that He says He will deal with them in accordance with their own resolution and desire. Nothing, indeed, was further from their intention than to wander in the wilderness, but, since they had held back from entering the land, God says that He will gratify them in a very different sense, viz., that they shall never enjoy the sight of that land, which they had despised. By His oath, He expresses His extreme wrath, as also it is said in Psalm 95:11,

“Unto whom I swore in my wrath, that they shall not enter into my rest.” “Si introibunt in requiem meam.” — Lat. See Margin A.V., and Hebrews 4:3, 5.

It was necessary that their stolidity should be thus aroused, lest, when God was so greatly provoked, they should still continue self-satisfied, according to their went. He aggravates their punishment by another circumstance, i.e., that, they were to be deprived of the inheritance which He had sworn to give to Abraham; for the lifting up of the hand See ver. 30, Margin A.V.Item, vol. 1, p. 131, on Exodus 6:8. (as I have said elsewhere) was a form of oath; just as if God were called down from heaven by the outstretched hand to be witness and judge: and, although this does not indeed literally apply to God, still we know that He commonly transfers to Himself the things that belong to men. Moreover, this was a most severe reproof, that they by their wickedness and self-will should nullify a promise, which God had ratified by an oath, in so far, at least, as its fulfillment affected themselves: for He points out immediately afterwards that, although they had rejected the proffered blessing, he would still be true; and would bestow on their little ones that which they had refused for themselves. It is thus that God tempers His judgments against those hypocrites, who falsely profess to honor His name, so as to preserve a seed for the propagation of His Church: nor is He ever so severe towards the reprobate, as to fail in sustaining His mercy towards His elect. Nay, He here declares that Hie will be gracious towards their children, as a means of inflicting punishment on the fathers. It was an indirect accusation of God, when they lamented over their children, as if they were to be carried away as “a prey;” whereas, God promises that they shall be the possessors of the land, in order to reprove this wicked blasphemy.

33. And your children shall wander in the wilderness. Lat., “shall be shepherds.” Margin A.V., “or feed.” He here pronounces that their children shall be in some measure partakers of their punishment, inasmuch as they shall wander in the desert until the time prescribed: for by the word shepherds, He means sojourners, “Il entend qu’ils seront errans comme estrangers, ayant tousiours un pied leve, et nul arrest;” he means that they shall wander as strangers, having one foot always lifted, and without any stay. — Fr. who have no certain or settled residence. To this effect is the similitude in the song of Hezekiah:

“My lodging is departed as a shepherd’s tent.” A.V., “Mine age is departed, etc.” A. Barnes’s translation pretty nearly agrees with that of C., which he defends in the following note: “The word דורי, which is here used, means properly the revolving period, or circle of human life. The parallelism seems to demand, however, that it should be used in the sense of dwelling, or habitation, so as to correspond with the “shepherd’s tent.” Accordingly, Lowth and Noyes render it habitation. So also do Gesenius and Rosenmuller. The Arabic word has this signification; and the Hebrew verb דור, also means to dwell, to remain, as in Chaldee.” C.’s Latin is here hospitium; in his Commentary on Isaiah, habitatio.

(Isaiah 38:12.)

In short, He declares that they shall be wandering and unsettled, and lead a life, like shepherds conducting their flocks from place to place.

He calls the wicked rebellions, whereby they had corrupted themselves, metaphorically “whoredoms;” for, from the time that God had espoused them to Himself, their true chastity would have been to embrace His grace in sincere faith, and at the same time to devote themselves to His service; but by rejecting tits pure worship, they had broken their sacred marriage-vow like gadding harlots.

This example teaches us how God visits the iniquities of the fathers on their children, and yet chastises no one undeservedly; since the descendants here referred to, “Ayant porte la paste au four (comme on dit) pour le peche de leurs peres;” having carried the dough to the oven (as they say) for the sin of their fathers. — Fr. although atoning for the fault of others, were still by no means innocent themselves. But in the judgments of God there is always a deep abyss, into which if you fear to be plunged, adore that which it is not lawful to question. Nevertheless, there is no doubt but that thus also God provided for the welfare of those, towards whom He appeared to show some marks of severity. For He waited not only until they had grown up, but also, as was advantageous to themselves, until they had attained the strength of manhood, and until a new generation had sprung up. He assigns a second reason why He postponed the fulfillment of His promise for forty years, viz., that tie might repay the ill-spent days by as many years. Having, then, spoken of their children, He again returns to the actual criminals themselves, who were to be consumed in all that long period of time, as if by a lingering disease. The noun תנואת, tenuoth, which I have rendered vanity, A.V., “My breach of promise. Margin, Or, altering of my purpose.” Fr., “Mensonge.” is derived from the verb נוא, nu, which signifies to render ineffectual. Translators, however, extract from it various meanings. Some thus construe it: Ye shall know whether I am false, or whether my word shall be vain. Others, rendering it prohibition, depart more widely from the sense. But, in my judgment, it is an ironical concession, whereby God reproves their detestable pride, which had no other object than to accuse God of falsehood, and to charge Him calumniously with failing to fulfil His words. Unless, “Sinon qu’on aimast mieux prendre ce mot en temps passif, Vous cognoistrez men aneantissement: pource que le peuple s’estoit efforce d’abolir Dieu;” unless it be preferred to take this word in a passive sense, You shall know my annihilation; because the people had striven to annihilate God. — Fr. perhaps, it should be preferred to take it passively; because the people had endeavored to annihilate, as it were, God himself. But still I rather adopt this sense, that they should perceive by certain and experimental proof, whether God’s promises were frivolous or vain. Moreover, we must bear in mind the admonition of the Prophet, to which I have referred, (Psalm 95:11,) and which the Apostle adapts to our present use, (Hebrews 4:6,) viz., that a better rest is now offered to us, from which we are to fear lest our unbelief should withhold us. For it is not sufficient for us that God’s hand should once have been extended to us, unless we allow ourselves to be directed by it, until our earthly wanderings are concluded, and it conducts us into our heavenly rest.

36. And the men, which Moses sent to search the land. I do not at all approve of the view which some take, that this is recorded by anticipation; for there is no question but that Moses recounts the special punishment which was inflicted by God upon the perfidious spies. He had previously treated of the general punishment of the whole people; when he now relates that the ten men were smitten by the plague, he intimates that God would begin with them, so as to manifest by this conspicuous and notable example how grossly He was offended by their very disgraceful contempt of His grace. Their sudden and unnatural death was, therefore, a kind of presage to all the others of the punishment which awaited them. For in the first place, the expression, “the plague,” is emphatic, as much as to say that they should not die in the ordinary course of nature. Again, by “the sight of God,” It will be seen that C.’s own translation is, “coram Deo;” but the V. renders the words, “in conspectu Domini.” he means something else than as if he had said, “before God;” for God was not merely a beholder of their destruction, but in a strange and unusual manner He executed His awful judgment, as if He had publicly ascended the tribunal. And this appeared more clearly by His prolonging the life of Caleb and Joshua, who were the only survivors of that generation until the end of the time prescribed. It is true, indeed, that the verbs A.V. concludes the denunciation of the Almighty at ver. 35. C. continues it to the end of ver. 38; and hence arose the necessity for changing the tenses. Vatablus and the Geneva version agree with C.; Dathe with A.V. are in the past tense; but, since there is an evident πρόληψις, I have not hesitated to change the tense, which is a sufficiently common idiom of the language; and thus the connection of the address is better preserved.

Deuteronomy 1

Deuteronomy 1:34-36, 39, 40

34. And the Lord heard the voice of your words, and was wroth, and aware, saying,

34. Audivit autem Jehova vocem verborum vestrorum, iratusque est, ac juravit, dicendo:

35. Surely there shall not one of these men of this evil generation see that good land, which I aware to give unto your fathers,

35. Non videbit quisquam ex hominibus illis de generatione mala hac terram bonam quam juravi me daturum patribus vestris;

36. Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, he shall see it; and to him will I give the land that he hath trodden upon, and to his children, because he hath wholly followed the Lord.

36. Praeter Caleb filium Jephuneh: ipse enim videbit eam, eique dabo terram quam calcavit, et filiis ejus, eo quod adimplevit ire post Jehovam.

39. Moreover, your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, and your children, which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil, they shall go in thither, and unto them will I give it, and they shall possess it.

39. Etiam parvuli vestri, de quibus dixistis, In praedam erunt, ac filii vestri, qui non norunt hodie bonum nec malum, ipsi intrabunt illuc, illisque dabo eam, et ipsi possidebunt eam.

40. But as for you, turn you, and take your journey into the wilderness, by the way of the Red sea.

40. Vos autem conversi proficiscimini in desertum per viam maris Suph.

39. And Moses told all these sayings. It was, indeed, a just cause for mourning, when they heard that God, whose longsuffering they had so wantonly abused, would hereafter be inexorable. Yet here we have set before our eyes that “sorrow of the world which worketh death,” as Paul says, (2 Corinthians 7:10,) when the wicked, as they weep and complain, cease not to murmur against God; nay, when they gnaw the bit with greater obstinacy, and thus, like savage and untamable beasts, rush forward to their destruction in blind desperation. The temporal punishment could not, indeed, be redeemed by any tears; but, if there had been the disposition to repent, their only remedy would have been voluntarily to submit themselves, and calmly to undergo whatever chastisement God might be pleased to inflict. First of all, however, they proudly struggle to shake off the punishment awarded to them, and whilst they pretended penitence, increasingly kick against God. There is no doubt but that it was under the pretence of submission that they prepared themselves on the morrow to advance; but wherefore was this, except that they may overturn God’s inviolable decree! Nevertheless, they sought, as if against His. will, to make a way for themselves, though He forbade. “Behold us, (they said,) we are ready;” but it was too late; for the opportunity had fled. For, as the Prophet exhorts us to “seek the Lord while he may be found,” (Isaiah 4:6,) so also we ought to follow Him when He calls us. But of what avail was this unseasonable alacrity of the people? When God wishes them to retire into the desert, they affect a desire to obey Him by advancing further; and still would have their confession of sin accepted as a sufficient satisfaction.

41. And Moses said, Wherefore do ye now transgress? He rejects this feigned penitence, whereby the sinner tries all sorts of shifts, “En laquelle les pecheurs tournent a l’entour du pot;” whereby sinners twist round the pot. — Fr. so as not to submit himself to God. “If thou wilt return, O Israel, return unto me,” saith the Lord by Jeremiah, (Jeremiah 4:1.) The first thing, therefore, which we must consider is, what God requires of us; so that it may plainly appear that we truly submit ourselves to His power.

In order to restrain their temerity, Moses reminds them that they will seek in vain for success, when they depart from God’s command. And this is a very useful piece of instruction, that His grace will never be wanting to us, if we simply obey His word; but when, in contempt and neglect of His precepts, we are carried away by our own feelings, the event will never be prosperous. If any should object that the wretched people had no other remedy, I have already stated, that they ought to have been contented with this consolation, viz., that banishment from the land of Canaan was not disinheritance from the hope of eternal life. Nay, if they had humbled themselves before God, they might expect that their punishment would have been a profitable help to them. By their misdirected activity they double the evil. After having pointed out their danger, Moses again impresses upon them that God is not with them, because they had deserted Him: and that His blessing was withheld, because they had refused to follow Him at the proper time.

44. But they presumed to go up unto the hill-top. It was not, indeed, their intention deliberately to array themselves against God, but rather did they endeavor to appease Him by this means of propitiation. Nor was their self-deceit devoid of a colorable pretext, inasmuch as they were ready cheerfully to welcome death, so as to offer their lives in sacrifice, and thus to compensate for their previous hesitation and inertness. It is thus that the zeal of the wicked is fervent, when it ought to be still; whereas, when God commands, coldness and apathy possess their minds, so that they are no more aroused by His voice, than as if they were stones. In a word, when it ought to be quiet, unbelief is always active, prompt, and bold; but when God would have it advance, it is timid, slow, and dead.

In conclusion, Moses adds, that their foolish enterprise was punished; for they were not merely routed and put to flight by their enemies, but utterly destroyed. “Sed etiam contriti.” — Lat. “Discomfited them.” — A.V. The Geneva version renders the word “consumed.” — Hebr. ויכתום, from כחת, which Taylor renders, “contundere, conterere. To beat, to crush, to knock, and mash all to pieces.” Hence we gather, that their audacity failed them in the trial, and was deficient in true courage. At the same time he recounts another sign of their senselessness, in that they left behind the ark of God, as well as Moses, and rushed forward, like doomed persons, to be slaughtered. Hence it appears that unbelievers, when carried away by the blind impulse of their zeal, are as much destitute of reason and discretion as if they deliberately conspired for their own destruction.

Deuteronomy 1

Deuteronomy 1:41-46

41. Then ye answered and said unto me, We have sinned against the Lord, we will go up and fight, according to all that the Lord our God commanded us. And when ye had girded on every man his weapons of war, ye were ready to go up into the hill.

41. Et respondistis et dixistis ad me, Peccavimus Jehovae: nos ascendemus et pugnabimus omnino sicut prancepit nobis Jehova Deus noster. Et accinxistis vos singuli armis suis bellicis, et parastis ascendere in montem.

42. And the Lord said unto me, Say unto them, Go not up, neither right; for I am not among you; lest ye be smitten before your enemies.

42. Dixit autem mihi Jehova, Dic eis, Ne ascendatis, neque pugnetis: quia non sum in medio vestri, et ne percutiamini coram inimicis vestris.

43. So I spoke unto you; and ye would not hear, but rebelled against the commandment of the Lord, and went presumptuously up into the hill.

43. Loquutus sum haec apud vos sed non audistis, ac rebelles fuistis ori Jehovae, et temere egistis ut ascenderetis in montem.

44. And the Amorites, which dwelt in that mountain, came out against you, and chased you, as bees do, and destroyed you in Seir, even unto Hormah.

44. Itaque egressus est Amorrhaeus qui habitabat in monte in occursum vestri, et vos persequuti sunt, quemadmodum facere solent apes, et contriverunt vos in Seir usque Horma.

45. And ye returned, and wept before the Lord; but the Lord would not hearken to your voice, nor give ear unto you.

45. Et reversi flevistis coram Jehova: sed non exaudivit Jehova vocem vestram, nec auscultavit vobis.

46. So ye abode in Kadesh many days, according unto the days that ye abode there,

46. Et mansistis in Cades diebus multis, secundum numerum dierum quibus mansistis.

CHAPTER 14

Nu 14:1-45. The People Murmur at the Spies' Report.

1. all the congregation lifted up their voice and cried--Not literally all, for there were some exceptions.

2-4. Would God that we had died in Egypt--Such insolence to their generous leaders, and such base ingratitude to God, show the deep degradation of the Israelites, and the absolute necessity of the decree that debarred that generation from entering the promised land [Nu 14:29-35]. They were punished by their wishes being granted to die in that wilderness [He 3:17; Jude 5]. A leader to reconduct them to Egypt is spoken of (Ne 9:17) as actually nominated. The sinfulness and insane folly of their conduct are almost incredible. Their conduct, however, is paralleled by too many among us, who shrink from the smallest difficulties and rather remain slaves to sin than resolutely try to surmount the obstacles that lie in their way to the Canaan above.

5. Moses and Aaron fell on their faces--as humble and earnest suppliants--either to the people, entreating them to desist from so perverse a design; or rather, to God, as the usual and only refuge from the violence of that tumultuous and stiff-necked rabble--a hopeful means of softening and impressing their hearts.

6. Joshua ... and Caleb, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes--The two honest spies testified their grief and horror, in the strongest manner, at the mutiny against Moses and the blasphemy against God; while at the same time they endeavored, by a truthful statement, to persuade the people of the ease with which they might obtain possession of so desirable a country, provided they did not, by their rebellion and ingratitude, provoke God to abandon them.

8. a land flowing with milk and honey--a general expression, descriptive of a rich and fertile country. The two articles specified were among the principal products of the Holy Land.

9. their defence is departed--Hebrew, "their shadow." The Sultan of Turkey and the Shah of Persia are called "the shadow of God," "the refuge of the world." So that the meaning of the clause, "their defence is departed from them," is, that the favor of God was now lost to those whose iniquities were full (Ge 15:16), and transferred to the Israelites.

10. the glory of the Lord appeared--It was seasonably manifested on this great emergency to rescue His ambassadors from their perilous situation.

12. the Lord said, ... I will smite them with the pestilence--not a final decree, but a threatening, suspended, as appeared from the issue, on the intercession of Moses and the repentance of Israel.

17. let the power of my Lord be great--be magnified.

21. all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord--This promise, in its full acceptation, remains to be verified by the eventual and universal prevalence of Christianity in the world. But the terms were used restrictively in respect to the occasion, to the report which would spread over all the land of the "terrible things in righteousness" [Psa 65:5] which God would do in the infliction of the doom described, to which that rebellious race was now consigned.

22. ten times--very frequently.

24. my servant Caleb--Joshua was also excepted, but he is not named because he was no longer in the ranks of the people, being a constant attendant on Moses.

because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully--Under the influence of God's Spirit, Caleb was a man of bold, generous, heroic courage, above worldly anxieties and fears.

25. (Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwelt in the valley)--that is, on the other side of the Idumean mountain, at whose base they were then encamped. Those nomad tribes had at that time occupied it with a determination to oppose the further progress of the Hebrew people. Hence God gave the command that they seek a safe and timely retreat into the desert, to escape the pursuit of those resolute enemies, to whom, with their wives and children, they would fall a helpless prey because they had forfeited the presence and protection of God. This verse forms an important part of the narrative and should be freed from the parenthetical form which our English translators have given it.

30. save Caleb ... and Joshua--These are specially mentioned, as honorable exceptions to the rest of the scouts, and also as the future leaders of the people. But it appears that some of the old generation did not join in the mutinous murmuring, including in that number the whole order of the priests (Jos 14:1).

34. ye shall know my breach of promise--that is, in consequence of your violation of the covenant betwixt you and Me, by breaking the terms of it, it shall be null and void on My part, as I shall withhold the blessings I promised in that covenant to confer on you on condition of your obedience.

36-38. those men that did bring up the evil report upon the land, died by the plague before the Lord--Ten of the spies struck dead on the spot--either by the pestilence or some other judgment. This great and appalling mortality clearly betokened the hand of the Lord.

40-45. they rose up early in the morning, and gat them up into the top of the mountain--Notwithstanding the tidings that Moses communicated and which diffused a general feeling of melancholy and grief throughout the camp, the impression was of very brief continuance. They rushed from one extreme of rashness and perversity to another, and the obstinacy of their rebellious spirit was evinced by their active preparations to ascend the hill, notwithstanding the divine warning they had received not to undertake that enterprise.

for we have sinned--that is, realizing our sin, we now repent of it, and are eager to do as Caleb and Joshua exhorted us--or, as some render it, though we have sinned, we trust God will yet give us the land of promise. The entreaties of their prudent and pious leader, who represented to them that their enemies, scaling the other side of the valley, would post themselves on the top of the hill before them, were disregarded. How strangely perverse the conduct of the Israelites, who, shortly before, were afraid that, though their Almighty King was with them, they could not get possession of the land; and yet now they act still more foolishly in supposing that, though God were not with them, they could expel the inhabitants by their unaided efforts. The consequences were such as might have been anticipated. The Amalekites and Canaanites, who had been lying in ambuscade expecting their movement, rushed down upon them from the heights and became the instruments of punishing their guilty rebellion.

Cried; and - wept that night - In almost every case this people gave deplorable evidence of the degraded state of their minds. With scarcely any mental firmness, and with almost no religion, they could bear no reverses, and were ever at their wit's end. They were headstrong, presumptuous, pusillanimous, indecisive, and fickle. And because they were such, therefore the power and wisdom of God appeared the more conspicuously in the whole of their history.

Let us make a captain - Here was a formal renunciation of the authority of Moses, and flat rebellion against God. And it seems from Neh 9:17 that they had actually appointed another leader, under whose direction they were about to return to Egypt. How astonishing is this! Their lives were made bitter, because of the rigor with which they were made to serve in the land of Egypt; and yet they are willing, yea eager, to get back into the same circumstances again! Great evils, when once some time past, affect the mind less than present ills, though much inferior. They had partly forgot their Egyptian bondage, and now smart under a little discouragement, having totally lost sight of their high calling, and of the power and goodness of God.

And Joshua, etc. - See on Num 13:33 (note).

Their defense - צלם tsillam, their shadow, a metaphor highly expressive of protection and support in the sultry eastern countries. The protection of God is so called; see Psa 91:1; Psa 121:5; see also Isa 51:16; Isa 49:2; Isa 30:2.

The Arabs and Persians have the same word to express the same thing. nemayeed zulli doulet mamdood bad. "May the shadow of thy prosperity be extended!" nemayced zulli doulet ber mufareki khayr khwahen mamdood bad. "May the shadow of thy prosperity be spread over the heads of thy well-wishers!"

They have also the following elegant distich: -

Sayahat kem mubad az seri ma

Bast Allah zullikem abeda. "May thy protection never be removed from my head!

May God extend thy shadow eternally!"

Here the Arabic zull answers exactly to the Hebrew צל tsel, both signifying that which overspreads or overshadows. See the note on Num 14:14.

The glory of the Lord appeared - This timely appearance of the Divine glory prevented these faithful servants of God from being stoned to death by this base and treacherous multitude. "Every man is immortal till his work is done," while in simplicity of heart he is following his God.

That thy cloud standeth over them - This cloud, the symbol of the Divine glory, and proof of the Divine presence, appears to have assumed three different forms for three important purposes.

1. It appeared by day in the form of a pillar of a sufficient height to be seen by all the camp, and thus went before them to point out their way in the desert. Exo 40:38.

2. It appeared by night as a pillar of fire to give them light while travelling by night, which they probably sometimes did; (see Num 9:21); or to illuminate their tents in their encampment; Exo 13:21, Exo 13:22.

3. It stood at certain times above the whole congregation, overshadowing them from the scorching rays of the sun; and probably at other times condensed the vapours, and precipitated rain or dew for the refreshment of the people. He spread a cloud for their covering; and fire to give light in the night; Psa 105:39. It was probably from this circumstance that the shadow of the Lord was used to signify the Divine protection, not only by the Jews, but also by other Asiatic nations. See the note on Num 14:9, and see particularly the note on Exo 13:21 (note).

The Lord is longsuffering - See the note on Exo 34:6.

Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people - From Num 14:13 to Num 14:19 inclusive we have the words of Moses's intercession; they need no explanation, they are full of simplicity and energy; his arguments with God (for be did reason and argue with his Maker) are pointed, cogent, and respectful; and while they show a heart full of humanity, they evidence the deepest concern for the glory of God. The argumentum ad hominem is here used in the most unexceptionable manner, and with the fullest effect.

I have pardoned - That is, They shall not be cut off as they deserve, because thou hast interceded for their lives.

All the earth shall be filled, etc. - כל הארץ kol haarets, all This land, i. e., the land of Canaan which was only fulfilled to the letter when the preaching of Christ and his apostles was heard through all the cities and villages of Judea. It does not appear that the whole of the terraqueous globe is meant by this expression in any of the places where it occurs connected with this promise of the diffusion of the Divine light. See Psa 72:19; Isa 40:5; Hab 2:14.

But my servant Caleb, etc. - Caleb had another spirit - not only a bold, generous, courageous, noble, and heroic spirit; but the Spirit and influence of the God of heaven thus raised him above human inquietudes and earthly fears, therefore be followed God fully; וימלא אחרי vaimalle acharai, literally, he filled after me: God showed him the way he was to take, and the line of conduct he was to pursue, and he filled up this line, and in all things followed the will of his Maker. He therefore shall see the promised land, and his seed shall possess it. A dastardly spirit in the things of God is a heavy curse. How many are retarded in their course, and fall short of the blessings of the Gospel, through magnifying the number and strength of their adversaries, their own weakness and the difficulties of the way, with which we may connect their distrust of the power, faithfulness, and goodness of God! And how many are prevented from receiving the higher degrees of salvation by foolishly attributing insurmountable power, either to their inward corruptions or outward enemies! Only such men as Joshua and Caleb, who take God at his word, and who know that against his wisdom no cunning can stand, and against his might no strength can prevail, are likely to follow God fully, and receive the heights, lengths, breadths, and depths of the salvation of God.

After the number of the days - The spies were forty days in searching the land, and the people who rebelled on their evil report are condemned to wander forty years in the wilderness! Now let them make them a captain and go back to Egypt if they can. God had so hedged them about with his power and providence that they could neither go back to Egypt nor get forward to the promised land! God has provided innumerable spiritual blessings for mankind, but in the pursuit of earthly good they lose them, and often lose the others also! If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the fruit of the land, but not otherwise; unless for your farther punishment God give you your portion in this life, and ye get none in the life to come. From so great a curse may God save thee, thou money-loving, honor-hunting, pleasure-taking, thoughtless, godless man!

And ye shall know my breach of promise - This is certainly a most harsh expression; and most learned men agree that the words את תנואתי eth tenuathi should be translated my vengeance, which is the rendering of the Septuagint, Vulgate, Coptic, and Anglo-Saxon, and which is followed by almost all our ancient English translations. The meaning however appears to be this: As God had promised to bring them into the good land, provided they kept his statutes, ordinances, etc., and they had now broken their engagements, he was no longer held by his covenant; and therefore, by excluding them from the promised land, he showed them at once his annulling of the covenant which they had broken, and his vengeance because they had broken it.

Those men that did bring up the evil report died - Thus ten of the twelve that searched out the land were struck dead, by the justice of God, on the spot! Caleb, of the tribe of Judah, and Joshua, of the tribe of Ephraim, alone escaped, because they had followed God fully. Let preachers of God's word take heed how they straiten the way of salvation, or render, by unjust description, that way perplexed and difficult which God has made plain and easy.

We - will go up unto the place, etc. - They found themselves on the very borders of the land, and they heard God say they should not enter it, but should be consumed by a forty years' wandering in the wilderness; notwithstanding, they are determined to render vain this purpose of God, probably supposing that the temporary sorrow they felt for their late rebellion would be accepted as a sufficient atonement for their crimes. They accordingly went up, and were cut down by their enemies; and why? God went not with them. How vain is the counsel of man against the wisdom of God! Nature, poor, fallen human nature, is ever running into extremes. This miserable people, a short time ago, thought that though they had Omnipotence with them they could not conquer and possess the land! Now they imagine that though God himself go not with them, yet they shall be sufficient to drive out the inhabitants, and take possession of their country! Man is ever supposing he can either do all things or do nothing; he is therefore sometimes presumptuous, and at other times in despair. Who but an apostle, or one under the influence of the same Spirit, can say, I can do All Things Through Christ who strengtheneth me?

Against Moses and Aaron - As the instruments and occasions of their present calamity. That we had died in this wilderness - It was not long before they had their desire, and did die in the wilderness.

The Lord - From instruments they rise higher, and strike at God the cause and author of their journey: by which we see the prodigious growth and progress of sin when it is not resisted. A prey - To the Canaanites whose land we were made to believe we should possess.

A captain - Instead of Moses, one who will be more faithful to our interest than he. Into Egypt - Stupendous madness! Whence should they have protection against the hazards, and provision against all the wants of the wilderness? Could they expect either God's cloud to cover and guide them, or Manna from heaven to feed them? Who could conduct them over the Red - sea? Or, if they went another way, who should defend them against those nations whose borders they were to pass? What entertainment could they expect from the Egyptians, whom they had deserted and brought to so much ruin?

Fell on their faces - As humble and earnest suppliants to God, the only refuge to which Moses resorted in all such straits, and who alone was able to govern this stiff - necked people. Before all the assembly - That they might awake to apprehend their sin and danger, when they saw Moses at his prayers, whom God never failed to defend, even with the destruction of his enemies.

Rent their clothes - To testify their hearty grief for the peoples blasphemy against God and sedition against Moses, and that dreadful judgment which they easily foresaw this must bring upon the congregation.

Delight in us - If by our rebellion and ingratitude we do not provoke God to leave and forsake us.

Bread - We shall destroy them as easily as we eat our bread. Their defence - Their conduct and courage, and especially God, who was pleased to afford them his protection 'till their iniquities were full, is utterly departed from them, and hath given them up as a prey to us. With us - By his special grace and almighty power, to save us from them and all our enemies. Only rebel not against the Lord - Nothing can ruin sinners but their own rebellion. If God leaves them, 'tis because they drive him from them, and they die, because they will die.

Appeared - Now in the extremity of danger to rescue his faithful servants, and to stop the rage of the people. In the tabernacle - Upon or above the tabernacle, where the cloud usually resided, in which the glory of God appeared now in a more illustrious manner. When they reflected upon God, his glory appeared not, to silence their blasphemies: but when they threatened Caleb and Joshua, they touched the apple of his eye, and his glory appeared immediately. They who faithfully expose themselves for God, are sure of his special provision.

I will smite them - This was not an absolute determination, but a commination, like that of Nineveh's destruction, with a condition implied, except there be speedy repentance, or powerful intercession.

Not able - His power was quite spent in bringing them out of Egypt, and could not finish the work he had begun and had sworn to do.

Be great - That is appear to be great, discover its greatness: namely, the power of his grace and mercy, or the greatness of his mercy, in pardoning this and their other sins: for to this the following words manifestly restrain it, where the pardon of their sins is the only instance of this power both described in God's titles, Nu 14:18, and prayed for by Moses Nu 14:19, and granted by God in answer to him, 14:20. Nor is it strange that the pardon of sin, especially such great sins, is spoken of as an act of power in God, because undoubtedly it is an act of omnipotent and infinite goodness.

Visiting the iniquity - These words may seem to be improperly mentioned, as being a powerful argument to move God to destroy this wicked people, and not to pardon them. It may be answered, that Moses useth these words together with the rest, because he would not sever what God had put together. But the truer answer seems to be, that these words are to be translated otherwise, And in destroying he will not utterly destroy, though he visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation.

I have pardoned - So far as not utterly to destroy them.

With the glory of the Lord - With the report of the glorious and righteous acts of God in punishing this rebellious people.

My glory - That is, my glorious appearances in the cloud, and in the tabernacle. Ten times - That is, many times. A certain number for an uncertain.

Caleb - Joshua is not named, because he was not now among the people, but a constant attendant upon Moses, nor was he to be reckoned as one of them, any more than Moses and Aaron were, because he was to be their chief commander. He had another spirit - Was a man of another temper, faithful and courageous, not acted by that evil spirit of cowardice, unbelief, disobedience, which ruled in his brethren but by the spirit of God. Fully - Universally and constantly, through difficulties and dangers, which made his partners halt. Whereinto he went - In general, Canaan, and particularly Hebron, and the adjacent parts, Jos 14:9.

In the valley - Beyond the mountain, at the foot whereof they now were, Num 14:40. And this clause is added, either As an aggravation of Israel's misery and punishment, that being now ready to enter and take possession of the land, they are forced to go back into the wilderness or As an argument to oblige them more willingly to obey the following command of returning into the wilderness, because their enemies were very near them, and severed from them only by that Idumean mountain, and, if they did not speedily depart, their enemies would fall upon them, and so the evil which before they causelessly feared would come upon them; they, their wives and their children, would become a prey to the Amalekites and Canaanites, because God would not assist nor defend them. By the way of the Red - sea - That leadeth to the Red - sea, and to Egypt, the place whither you desire to return.

As ye have spoken - When you wickedly wished you might die in the wilderness.

You - Your nation; for God did not swear to do so to these particular persons.

Your carcases - See with what contempt they are spoken of, now they had by their sin made themselves vile! The mighty men of valour were but carcases, now the Spirit of the Lord was departed from them! It was very probably upon this occasion, that Moses wrote the ninetieth psalm.

Forty years - So long as to make up the time of your dwelling in the wilderness forty years; one whole year and part of another were past before this sin or judgment. Your whoredoms - The punishment of your whoredoms, of your apostacy from, and perfidiousness against your Lord, who was your husband, and had married you to himself.

Each day for a year - So there should have been forty years to come, but God was pleased mercifully to accept of the time past as a part of that time. Ye shall know my breach of promise - That as you have first broken the covenant between you and me, by breaking the conditions of it, so I will make it void on my part, by denying you the blessings promised in that covenant. So you shall see, that the breach of promise wherewith you charged me, lies at your door, and was forced from me by your perfidiousness.

By the plague - Either by the pestilence, or by some other sudden and extraordinary judgment, sent from the cloud in which God dwelt, and from whence he spake to Moses, and wherein his glory at this time appeared before all the people, Nu 14:10, who therefore were all, and these spies among the rest, before the Lord.

But Joshua and Caleb lived still - Death never misses his mark, nor takes any by oversight who are designed for life, tho' in the midst of those that are to die.

And the people mourned greatly - But it was now too late. There was now no place for repentance. Such mourning as this there is in hell; but the tears will not quench the flames.

Gat them up - Designed or prepared themselves to go up.

The Canaanites - Largely so called, but strictly the Amorites. Hormah - A place so called afterwards, Nu 21:3, from the slaughter or destruction of the lsraelites at this time.

1 AND all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cryed, and the people wept that night.

Except Caleb and Ioshua and some few others. A Synecdochical expression, the whole for the greatest part.

2 And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses, and against Aaron , and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt, or would God that we had died in this wilderness .

As the instruments and occasions of their present calamity.

It was not long before they had their desire and did die in the wilderness.

Marginal references: See v. 28, 29.

3 And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives, and our children should be a prey ? were it not better for us to return into Egypt?

From the instruments they rise higher and strike at God the chief cause and author of their journey: by which we see the prodigious growth and progress of sin when it is not resisted.

To the Canaanites whose land we were made to believe we should possess.

4 And they said one to another, Let us make a captain , and let us return into Egypt .

Instead of Moses, one who will be more faithful to our interest than he.

This was but a purpose or a desire, and yet it is imputed to them as if they had done it, Nehem. 9. 16, 17. they appointed a captain, &c. even as Abrahams purpose to offer up Isaac is reckoned for the deed, Heb. 11. 17.

g Stupendious madness! whence should they have protection against the many hazards, and provision against all the wants of the wilderness? could they expect eit[illegible: 1+ letters]er Gods cloud to cover and guide them, or Manna from heaven to feed them? who should conduct them over the Red Sea? or, if they went another way, who should defend them against those nations by whose borders they were to pass? what entertainment could they expect from the Egyptians, whom they had deserted and brought to so much ruine?

5 Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.

As humble and earnest suppliants, either, to the people, to intreat them to desist from their wicked and pernicious enterprize: or rather, to God, by comparing this with Numb. 16. 4. and 20. 6. the onely re[illegible: 1+ letters]uge to which Moses resorted in all such straits, and who alone was able to still and govern this tumultuous and stiff-necked people.

That they might be awakened to apprehend their sin and danger, when they saw Mos[illegible: 1+ letters]s at his prayers, whom God never used to deny and never failed to defend even with the destruction of his enemies.

6 And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes .

To testifie their hearty grief for t[illegible: 1+ letters]e peoples blasphemy against God and sedition against Moses, and that dreadful judgment which they easily foresaw this must bring upon the [illegible: 1 word] and people of God.

8 If the LORD delight in us , then he will bring us into this land, and give it us, a land which floweth with milk and honey.

If by our rebellion and ingratitude we do not provoke God to loath and forsake us.

9 Onely rebel ye not against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land, for they are bread for us : their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us : fear them not.

We shall destroy them as easily as we do our bread or common food. Compare Numbers 24. 8. Psal. 14. 4.

(i. e.) Their counsel, conduct, and courage, and especially, God, who was pleased to afford them his protection till their iniquities were full, Gen. 15. 16. is utterly departed from them and hath given them up as a prey to us.

By his special grace and almighty power to save us from them and from all our enemies.

Marginal references: Heb. shadow.

10 But all the congregation bade stone them with stones: and the glory of the LORD appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation, before all the children of Israel.

Now in extremity of danger to rescue his faithful servants, and to stop the rage of the people.

(i. e.) Upon or above the tabernacle, where the cloud usually resided, in which the glory of God did appear upon occasion, and now in a more illustrious manner, as the state of things required

12 I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them , and will make of thee a greater nation and mightier than they.

This was not an absolute determination, as the event shewed, but onely a commination, like that of Ninevehs destruction within 40 days, with a condition implyed, except there be speedy repentance, or powerful intercession.

Marginal references: Exod. 32. 1[illegible: 1+ letters],

13 And Moses said unto LORD, Then the Egyptians shall hear it (for thou broughtest up this people in thy might from among them .)

(i. e.) In case thou dost utterly destroy them.

Whereby thou didst get great honour to thy self, which now thou wilt certainly lose.

Marginal references: Exod. 32. 12. Deut. 32. 27.

14 And they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land : for they have heard that thou, LORD, art among this people, that thou, LORD, art seen face to face, and that thy cloud standeth over them, and that thou goest before them, by day time in a pillar of a cloud, and in a pillan of fire by night.

For there was much entercouse between these two nations.

Marginal references: Exod. 15. 14. Josh. 2. 9. and 5. 1.; Exod. 13. 21.

15 Now if thou shalt kill all this people, as one man , then the nations which have heard the fame of thee will speak, saying,

(i. e.) Altogether or to a man, and suddenly as it were by one blow as if all had but one neck.

16 Because the LORD was not able to bring this people into the land which he sware unto them , therefore he hath slain them in the wilderness.

His power was quite spent in bringing them out of Egypt, and could not finish the work he had begun and had sworn to do.

Marginal references: Deut. 9. 28▪

17 And now, I beseech thee, let the power of my LORD be great , according as thou hast spoken, saying,

(i. e.) Appear to be great, discover its greatness. A real verb put for a declarative, or the thing for the manifestation of the thing. And this may be understood either 1. of Gods power in preserving the people and carrying them on into Canaan, which sence may seem to be favoured by the foregoing verse, where the Egyptians deny that God had power to do so. And according to that sence he addes the following words, not as an explication of this power, but [illegible: 1 word] an argument to move him to shew forth his power f[illegible: 1+ letters]r his people notwithstanding their [illegible: 1 word], according [illegible: 1+ letters]s, or rather [illegible: 1 word] (as the Hebrew word is oft rendred) he had spoken sa[illegible: 1+ letters]ing, &c. and so he should maintain the honour and the truth of his own name or of those titles which he had ascribed to himself. Or 2. the power of his grace and mercy, or the greatness of his mercy, as he calls it, ver. 19. in pardoning of this and their other sins: for to this the following words manifestly restrain it, according as thou hast spoken, &c. where the pardon of their sins is the onely instance of▪ this power both described in God titles, ver. 18. and prayed for by Moses, ver. 19. pardon, I beseech thee, &c. and granted by God in answer to him, ver. 20. I have pardoned, &c. Nor is it strange that the pardon of sin, especially of such great sins, be spoken of as an act of power in God, because undoubtedly it is an act of omnipotent, and infinite goodness; whence desparing sinners sometimes cry out that, their sins are greater than God can pardon, as some translate Cains words, Gen. 4. 13. And since power is applied to Gods wrath in punishing sin, Rom. 9. 22. why may it not as well be attributed to Gods mercy in forgiving it? Especially if it be considered that even in men revenge is an act of impotency, and consequently it must needs be an act of power to conquer their passions and inclinations to revenge and to pardon those enemies whom they could destroy.

18 The LORD is long-suffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation .

These words may seem to be very improperly mentioned, as being a powerful argument to move God to destroy this wicked people, and not to pardon then. It may be answered, that Moses useth these words together with the rest partly because he would not sever what God had put together, and partly to shew that he did not desire a full and absolute pardon, but was willing that God should execute his vengeance upon the principal authours of this rebellion, and leave some character of his displeasure upon all the people, as God did, but onely that God would not disinherit them, ver. 12. nor kill all the people as one man, ver. 15. nor destroy them both root and branch, because he had promised not to extend his wrath against them in punishing their sins beyond the third and fourth generation. But the truer answer seems to be, that these words are to be translated otherwise and in destroying he will not utterly destroy, though he visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation. Of which see the notes on Exod. 34. 7. where all this verse is explained.

Marginal references: Exod. 34. 6. Psal. 103. 8.; Exod. 20. 5. and 34. 7.

19 Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people, according unto the greatness of thy mercy, and as thou hast forgiven this people from Egypt, even until now .

After many and great provocations: shew thy self still to be the same sin-pardoning God.

Marginal references: Or, hitherto.

20 And the LORD said, I have pardoned, according to thy word .

So far, as not utterly to destroy them, as I threatned ver. 12. and thou didst fear and beg the prevention of it, ver. 15.

21 But truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD .

(i. e.) With the report of the glorious and righteous acts of God in punishing this rebellious people in manner following. That this is the true sence, appears both from the particle of opposition, and the solemn introduction of them, But truly as I live, and from the following verses, because all these men, &c. which come in without any note of opposition, and have a manifest relation to and connexion with this verse.

Marginal references: Psal. 72. 19.

22 Because all those men which have seen my glory , and my miracles which I did in Egypt, and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times , and have not hearkened to my voice.

(i. e.) My glorious appearances in the cloud, and in the Tabernacle.

(i. e.) Many times. A certain number for an uncertain, as Gen. 31. 7. Levit. 26. 8. Iob 19. 3. Though some reckon ten times precisely wherein they did eminently provoke God.

24 But my servant Caleb , because he had another spirit with him , and hath followed me fully , him will I bring into the land, whereinto he went , and his seed shall possess it .

Ioshua is not here named, because he was not now among the people, but a constant attendant upon Moses, nor was he to be reckoned as one of them, any more than Moses and Aaron were, because he was to be their chief commander.

(i. e.) Was a man of another temper, and carriage, faithful and couragious, not acted by that evil spirit of cowardize, unbelief, unthankfulness, disobedience; which ruled in his brethren, but by the spirit of God.

(i. e.) Universally and constantly, in and through difficulties and dangers, which made his partners halt.

In general Canaan, and particularly Hebron and the adjacent parts, Ios. 14. 9.

Or, shall expell it, i. e. its inhabitants, the land being oft put for the people of it. Compare Ios. 8. 7. and 14. 12.

Marginal references: Josh. 14. 6, 8, 9.

25 (Now the Amalekites, and the Canaanites dwelt in the valley ) to morrow turn ye, and get ye into the wilderness, by the way of the Red-sea

Beyond the mountain at the foot whereof they now were, ver. 40. And this clause is added, either 1. as an aggravation of Israels misery and punishment, that being now ready to enter and take possession of the land they are forced to go back into the wilderness: or, 2. as an argument to oblige them more willingly to obey the following command of returning into the wilderness, because their enemies were very near them, and severed from them onely by that Idum[illegible: 1+ letters]an mountain, and, if they did not speedily depart, their enemies would hear of them and fall upon them, and so the evil which before they causelesly feared would come upon them, they, their wives and their children would become a prey to the Amalekites and Canaanites; because God had forsaken them and would not assist nor defend them. The verse may be rendred thus, And or But, for the present, the Amalekite, and the Canaanite dwell in the valley: therefore (which particle is here understood, as it is in other places) to morrow turn ye, &c. Though some knit these words to the former, and read the place thus, Caleb—and his seed shall possess it, to wit, the land near Hebron, and also, the land of the Amalekites and of the Canaanites that dwell in the valley. Quest. But how are the Canaanites. said to dwell in the valley, here, when they dwelt in the hill, ver. 45. and by the sea-coasts, Numb. 21. 1? Ans. 1. Part of them dwelt in one place, and part in other places. 2. The word, Canaanite, may here be understood more generally of all the inhabitants of Canaan.

(i. e.) That leadeth to the Red-sea, and to Egypt, the place whither you desired to return, ver. 3, 4.

27 How long shall I bear with this evil congregation which murmure against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmure against me▪

Or, pardon, as ver. 19, 20. or spare: which words are necessarily and easily understood. It is a short and imperfect speech, which is frequent in case of anger, as Exod. 32. 32. Psal. 6. 3. and 90. 13.

28 Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the LORD, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you :

When you wickedly wished you might have died in the wilderness, ver. 2.

I will bring your imprecations upon your heads.

Marginal references: chap. [illegible: 1 word] ▪ and 32. [illegible: 1 word] Deut. 1. [illegible: 1 word]; See Ve[illegible: 1+ letters] ▪

30 Doubtless ye shall not come into the land concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.

(i. e.) Your Nation, for God did not swear to do so to these particular persons.

Marginal references: Heb. [illegible: 1 word] my hand.

33 And your children shall wander in the wilderness fourty years , and bear your whoredoms untill your carcases be wasted in the wilderness.

Like sheep feeding in the deserts: or, shall be shepherds, i. e. shall live like the shepherds of Arabia, in tents and removing from place to place, having no certain dwelling.

(i. e.) So long as to make up the time of your dwelling in the wilderness forty years, as appears from Numb. 33. 8. D[illegible: 1+ letters]t. 1. 3. and 2. 14. Compare Amos 5. 25. It is manifest, that one whole year and part of another were past before this sin or judgment.

(i. e.) The punishment of your whoredomes, to wit, of your Apostacy from and perfidiousness against your Lord, who was your husband and had married you to himself. See Ier. 3. 14. Whence Idolatry is called whoredom.

Marginal references: Or, [illegible: 1 word].

34 After the number of the dayes in which ye searched the land, even fourty dayes (each day for a year ) shall ye bear your iniquities, even fourty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise .

So there should have been 40 years to come, but God was pleased mercifully to accept of the time past as a part of that time.

That as you have first broken the covenant between you and me by breaking the terms or conditions of it, so I will make it void on my part, by denying you the blessings promised in that covenant and to be given to you in case of your obedience. So you shall see that the breach of promise wherewith you charged me, ver. 3. lies at your door and was forced from me by your perfidiousness. Or, my breach, either passively, i. e. your breaking off from me, as such pronouns are oft used, as Gen. 50. 4. Isa. 53. 11. and 56. 7. or actively, i. e. my breaking of or departing from you, and stopping the current of my blessings towards you: you shall feel by experience, how sad your condition is when I withdraw my grace and favour from you.

Marginal references: chap. 13. 25.; Psal. 95. 10. Ezek. 4. 6.; Or, altering of my [illegible: 1 word].

37 Even those men that did bring up the evil report upon the land, died by the plague before the LORD .

Either by the pestilence, threatned ver. 12. or by some other sudden and extraordinary judgment.

(i. e.) Sent from the cloud in which God dwelt and from whence he spake to Moses, and wherein his glory at this time appeared before all the people, ver. 10. who therefore were all, and these spies among the rest, before the Lord.

Marginal references: 1 Cor. 10. 10. Heb. 3. 17. Jude 5.

40 And they rose up early in the morning, and gat them up into the top of the mountain, saying, Lo, we be here, and will go up unto the place which the LORD hath promised: for we have sinned.

(i. e.) Designed or attempted or prepared themselves to go up: for that they were not yet actually gone up plainly appears from ver. 42. 44. and from Deut. 1. 41. Things designed or indeavoured in Scripture-phrase are oft said to be done. See on Gen. 37. 21, 22. Exod. 8. 18.

Marginal references: Deut. 1. 41.

41 And Moses said, Wherefore now do ye transgress the commandment of the LORD ? but it shall not prosper.

Either that command, Go not up, &c. which, though in this place mentioned after, yet may seem to have gone before their transgression, by comparing this place with Deut. 1. 42, 43. or that command above ver. 25. turn ye and get ye into the wilderness, &c. which was a course directly contrary to that which they took.

44 But they presumed to go up unto the hill top: nevertheless the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and Moses departed not out of the camp.

Guilty both of rashness and rebellion, thus running from one extreme to another.

45 Then the Amalekite came down, and the Canaanite which dwelt in that hill, and smote them, and discomfited them, even unto Hormah .

Largely so called, but strictly the Amorite, as appears from Deut. 1. 44.

So they were a part and branch of those that dwelt in the valley ver. 25. Or, sat, i. e. placed themselves, lay in ambush, expecting your coming.

A place so called afterwards, Numb. 21. 3. from the great slaughter or destruction of the Israelites at this time.

Marginal references: Deut. 1. 44.; chap. 21. [illegible: 1+ letters].

Num 14:1-4

Uproar among the People. - Num 14:1-4. This appalling description of Canaan had so depressing an influence upon the whole congregation (cf. Deu 1:28 : they “made their heart melt,” i.e., threw them into utter despair), that they raised a loud cry, and wept in the night in consequence. The whole nation murmured against Moses and Aaron their two leaders, saying “Would that we had died in Egypt or in this wilderness! Why will Jehovah bring us into this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should become a prey (be made slaves by the enemy; cf. Deu 1:27-28)? Let us rather return into Egypt! We will appoint a captain, they said one to another, and go back to Egypt.”

Num 14:5-10

At this murmuring, which was growing into open rebellion, Moses and Aaron fell upon their faces before the whole of the assembled congregation, namely, to pour out their distress before the Lord, and move Him to interpose; that is to say, after they had made an unsuccessful attempt, as we may supply from Deu 1:29-31, to cheer up the people, by pointing them to the help they had thus far received from God. “In such distress, nothing remained but to pour out their desires before God; offering their prayer in public, however, and in the sight of all the people, in the hope of turning their minds” (Calvin). Joshua and Caleb, who had gone with the others to explore the land, also rent their clothes, as a sign of their deep distress at the rebellious attitude of the people (see at Lev 10:6), and tried to convince them of the goodness and glory of the land they had travelled through, and to incite them to trust in the Lord. “If Jehovah take pleasure in us,”; they said, “He will bring us into this land. Only rebel not ye against Jehovah, neither fear ye that people of the land; for they are our food;” i.e., we can and shall swallow them up, or easily destroy them (cf. Num 22:4; Num 24:8; Deu 7:16; Psa 14:4). “Their shadow is departed from them, and Jehovah is with us: fear them not!” “Their shadow” is the shelter and protection of God (cf. Ps 91; Psa 121:5). The shadow, which defends from the burning heat of the sun, was a very natural figure in the sultry East, to describe defence from injury, a refuge from danger and destruction (Isa 30:2). The protection of God had departed from the Canaanites, because God had determined to destroy them when the measure of their iniquity was full (Gen 15:16; cf. Exo 34:24; Lev 18:25; Lev 20:23). But the excited people resolved to stone them, when Jehovah interposed with His judgment, and His glory appeared in the tabernacle to all the Israelites; that is to say, the majesty of God flashed out before the eyes of the people in a light which suddenly burst forth from the tabernacle (see at Exo 16:10).

Num 14:11-19

Intercession of Moses. - Num 14:11, Num 14:12. Jehovah resented the conduct of the people as base contempt of His deity, and as utter mistrust of Him, notwithstanding all the signs which He had wrought in the midst of the nation; and declared that He would smite the rebellious people with pestilence, and destroy them, and make of Moses a greater and still mightier people. This was just what He had done before, when the rebellion took place at Sinai (Exo 32:10). But Moses, as a servant who was faithful over the whole house of God, and therefore sought not his own honour, but the honour of his God alone, stood in the breach on this occasion also (Psa 106:23), with a similar intercessory prayer to that which he had presented at Horeb, except that on this occasion he pleaded the honour of God among the heathen, and the glorious revelation of the divine nature with which he had been favoured at Sinai, as a motive for sparing the rebellious nation (Num 14:13-19; cf. Exo 32:11-13, and Exo 34:6-7). The first he expressed in these words (Num 14:13.): “Not only have the Egyptians heard that Thou hast brought out this people from among them with Thy might; they have also told it to the inhabitants of this land. They(the Egyptians and the other nations) have heard that Thou, Jehovah, art in the midst of this people; that Thou, Jehovah, appearest eye to eye, and Thy cloud stands over them, and Thou goest before them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. Now, if Thou shouldst slay this people as one man, the nations which have heard the tidings of Thee would say, Because Jehovah was not able to bring this people into the land which He sware to them, He has slain them in the desert.” In that case God would be regarded by the heathen as powerless, and His honour would be impaired (cf. Deu 32:27; Jos 7:9). It was for the sake of His own honour that God, at a later time, did not allow the Israelites to perish in exile (cf. Isa 48:9, Isa 48:11; Isa 52:5; Eze 36:22-23). - ואמרוּ...ושׁמעוּ (Num 14:13, Num 14:14), et audierunt et dixerunt; ו - ו = et - et, both - and. The inhabitants of this land (Num 14:13) were not merely the Arabians, but, according to Exo 15:14., the tribes dwelling in and round Arabia, the Philistines, Edomites, Moabites, and Canaanites, to whom the tidings had been brought of the miracles of God in Egypt and at the Dead Sea. שׁמעוּ, in Num 14:14, can neither stand for שׁמעוּ כּי (dixerunt) se audivisse, nor for שׁמעוּ אשׁר, qui audierunt. They are neither of them grammatically admissible, as the relative pronoun cannot be readily omitted in prose; and neither of them would give a really suitable meaning. It is rather a rhetorical resumption of the שׁמעוּ in Num 14:13, and the subject of the verb is not only “the Egyptians,” but also “the inhabitants of this land” who held communication with the Egyptians, or “the nations” who had heard the report of Jehovah (Num 14:15), i.e., all that God had hitherto done for and among the Israelites in Egypt, and on the journey through the desert. “Eye to eye:” i.e., Thou hast appeared to them in the closest proximity. On the pillar of cloud and fire, see at Exo 13:21-22. “As one man,” equivalent to “with a stroke” (Jdg 6:16). - In Num 14:17, Num 14:18, Moses adduces a second argument, viz., the word in which God Himself had revealed His inmost being to him at Sinai (Exo 34:6-7). The words, “Let the power be great,” equivalent to “show Thyself great in power,” are not to be connected with what precedes, but with what follows; viz., “show Thyself mighty by verifying Thy word, 'Jehovah, long-suffering and great in mercy,' etc.; forgive, I beseech Thee, this people according to the greatness of Thy mercy, and as Thou hast forgiven this people from Egypt even until now.” נשׁא (Num 14:19) = עון נשׁא (Num 14:18).

Num 14:20-23

In answer to this importunate prayer, the Lord promised forgiveness, namely, the preservation of the nation, but not the remission of the well-merited punishment. At the rebellion at Sinai, He had postponed the punishment “till the day of His visitation” (Exo 32:34). And that day had now arrived, as the people had carried their continued rebellion against the Lord to the furthest extreme, even to an open declaration of their intention to depose Moses, and return to Egypt under another leader, and thus had filled up the measure of their sins. “Nevertheless,” added the Lord (Num 14:21, Num 14:22), “as truly as I live, and the glory of Jehovah will fill the whole earth, all the men who have seen My glory and My miracles...shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers.” The clause, “all the earth,” etc., forms an apposition to “as I live.” Jehovah proves Himself to be living, by the fact that His glory fills the whole earth. But this was to take place, not, as Knobel, who mistakes the true connection of the different clauses, erroneously supposes, by the destruction of the whole of that generation, which would be talked of by all the world, but rather by the fact that, notwithstanding the sin and opposition of these men, He would still carry out His work of salvation to a glorious victory. The כּי in Num 14:22 introduces the substance of the oath, as in Isa 49:18; 1Sa 14:39; 1Sa 20:3; and according to the ordinary form of an oath, אם in Num 14:23 signifies “not.” - “They have tempted Me now ten times.” Ten is used as the number of completeness and full measure; and this answered to the actual fact, if we follow the Rabbins, and add to the murmuring (1) at the Red Sea, Exo 14:11-12; (2) at Marah, Exo 15:23; (3) in the wilderness of Sin, Exo 16:2; (4) at Rephidim, Exo 17:1; (5) at Horeb, Ex 32; (6) at Tabeerah, Num 11:1; (7) at the graves of lust, Num 11:4.; and (8) here again at Kadesh, the twofold rebellion of certain individuals against the commandments of God at the giving of the manna (Exo 16:20 and Exo 16:27). The despisers of God should none of them see the promised land.

Num 14:24

But because there was another spirit in Caleb, - i.e., not the unbelieving, despairing, yet proud and rebellious spirit of the great mass of the people, but the spirit of obedience and believing trust, so that “he followed Jehovah fully” (lit., “fulfilled to walk behind Jehovah”), followed Him with unwavering fidelity, - God would bring him into the land into which he had gone, and his seed should possess it. (אחרי מלּא here, and at Num 32:11-12; Deu 1:36; Jos 14:8-9; 1Ki 11:6, is a constructio praegnans for אחרי ללכת מלּא; cf. 2Ch 34:31.) According to the context, the reference is not to Hebron particularly, but to Canaan generally, which God had sworn unto the fathers (Num 14:23, and Deu 1:36, comp. with Deu 1:35); although, when the land was divided, Caleb received Hebron for his possession, because, according to his own statement in Jos 14:6., Moses had sworn that he would give it to him. But this is not mentioned here; just as Joshua also is not mentioned in this place, as he is at Num 14:30 and Num 14:38, but Caleb only, who opposed the exaggerated accounts of the other spies at the very first, and endeavoured to quiet the excitement of the people by declaring that they were well able to overcome the Canaanites (Num 13:30). This first revelation of God to Moses is restricted to the main fact; the particulars are given afterwards in the sentence of God, as intended for communication to the people (Num 14:26-38).

Num 14:25

The divine reply to the intercession of Moses terminated with a command to the people to turn on the morrow, and go to the wilderness to the Red Sea, as the Amalekites and Canaanites dwelt in the valley. “The Amalekites,” etc.: this clause furnishes the reason for the command which follows. On the Amalekites, see at Gen 36:12, and Exo 17:8. The term Canaanites is a general epithet applied to all the inhabitants of Canaan, instead of the Amorites mentioned in Deu 1:44, who held the southern mountains of Canaan. “The valley” is no doubt the broad Wady Murreh (see at Num 13:21), including a portion of the Negeb, in which the Amalekites led a nomad life, whilst the Canaanites really dwelt upon the mountains (Num 14:45), close up to the Wady Murreh.

Num 14:26

Sentence upon the Murmuring Congregation. - After the Lord had thus declared to Moses in general terms His resolution to punish the incorrigible people, and not suffer them to come to Canaan, He proceeded to tell him what announcement he was to make to the people.

Num 14:27

This announcement commences in a tone of anger, with an aposiopesis, “How long this evil congregation” (sc., “shall I forgive it,” the simplest plan being to supply אשּׂא, as Rosenmüller suggests, from Num 14:18), “that they murmur against Me?”

Num 14:28-31

Jehovah swore that it should happen to the murmurers as they had spoken. Their corpses should fall in the desert, even all who had been numbered, from twenty years old and upwards: they should not see the land into which Jehovah had lifted up His hand (see at Exo 6:8) to lead them, with the sole exception of Caleb and Joshua. But their children, who, as they said, would be a prey (Num 14:3), them Jehovah would bring, and they should learn to know the land which the others had despised.

Num 14:32-33

“As for you, your carcases will fall in this wilderness. But your sons will be pasturing (i.e., will lead a restless shepherd life) in the desert forty years, and bear your whoredom (i.e., endure the consequences of your faithless apostasy; see Exo 34:16), until your corpses are finished in the desert,” i.e., till you have all passed away.

Num 14:34

“After the number of the forty days that he have searched the land, shall ye bear your iniquity, (reckoning) a day for a year, and know My turning away from you,” or תּנוּאה, abalienatio, from נוא (Num 32:7).

Num 14:35

As surely as Jehovah had spoken this, would He do it to that evil congregation, to those who had allied themselves against Him (נועד, to bind themselves together, to conspire; Num 16:11; Num 27:3). There is no ground whatever for questioning the correctness of the statement, that the spies had travelled through Canaan for forty days, or regarding this as a so-called round number - that is to say, as unhistorical. And if this number is firmly established, there is also no ground for disputing the forty years’ sojourn of the people in the wilderness, although the period during which the rebellious generation, consisting of those who were numbered at Sinai, died out, was actually thirty-eight years, reaching from the autumn of the second year after their departure from Egypt to the middle of the fortieth year of their wanderings, and terminating with the fresh numbering (ch. 26) that was undertaken after the death of Aaron, and took place on the first of the fifth month of the fortieth year (Num 20:23., compared with Num 33:38). Instead of these thirty-eight years, the forty years of the sojourn in the desert are placed in connection with the forty days of the spies, because the people had frequently fallen away from God, and been punished in consequence, even during the year and a half before their rejection; and in this respect the year and a half could be combined with the thirty-eight years which followed into one continuous period, during which they bore their iniquity, to set distinctly before the minds of the disobedient people the contrast between that peaceful dwelling in the promised land which they had forfeited, and the restless wandering in the desert, which had been imposed upon them as a punishment, and to impress upon them the causal connection between sin and suffering. “Every year that passed, and was deducted from the forty years of punishment, was a new and solemn exhortation to repent, as it called to mind the occasion of their rejection” (Kurtz). When Knobel observes, on the other hand, that “it is utterly improbable that all who came out of Egypt (that is to say, all who were twenty years old and upward when they came out) should have fallen in the desert, with the exception of two, and that there should have been no men found among the Israelites when they entered Canaan who were more than sixty years of age,” the express statement, that on the second numbering there was not a man among those that were numbered who had been included in the numbering at Sinai, except Joshua and Caleb (Num 26:64.), is amply sufficient to overthrow this “improbability” as an unfounded fancy. Nor is this statement rendered at all questionable by the fact, that “Aaron’s son Eleazar, who entered Canaan with Joshua” (Jos 14:1, etc.), was most likely more than twenty years old at the time of his consecration at Sinai, as the Levites were not qualified for service till their thirtieth or twenty-fifth year. For, in the first place, the regulation concerning the Levites’ age of service is not to be applied without reserve to the priests also, so that we could infer from this that the sons of Aaron must have been at least twenty-five or thirty years old when they were consecrated; and besides this, the priests do not enter into the question at all, for the tribe of Levi was excepted from the numbering in ch. 1, and therefore Aaron’s sons were not included among the persons numbered, who were sentenced to die in the wilderness. Still less does it follow from Jos 24:7 and Jdg 2:7, where it is stated that, after the conquest of Canaan, there were many still alive who had been eye-witnesses of the wonders of God in Egypt, that they must have been more than twenty years old when they came out of Egypt; for youths from ten to nineteen years of age would certainly have been able to remember such miracles as these, even after the lapse of forty or fifty years.

Num 14:36-38

But for the purpose of giving to the whole congregation a practical proof of the solemnity of the divine threatening of punishment, the spies who had induced the congregation to revolt, through their evil report concerning the inhabitants of Canaan, were smitten by a “stroke before Jehovah,” i.e., by a sudden death, which proceeded in a visible manner from Jehovah Himself, whilst Joshua and Caleb remained alive.

Num 14:39-45 (cf. Deu 1:41-44). The announcement of the sentence plunged the people into deep mourning. But instead of bending penitentially under the judgment of God, they resolved to atone for their error, by preparing the next morning to go to the top of the mountain and press forward into Canaan. And they would not even suffer themselves to be dissuaded from their enterprise by the entreaties of Moses, who denounced it as a transgression of the word of God which could not succeed, and predicted their overthrow before their enemies, but went presumptuously (לעלות יעפּלוּ) up without the ark of the covenant and without Moses, who did not depart out of the midst of the camp, and were smitten by the Amalekites and Canaanites, who drove them back as far as Hormah. Whereas at first they had refused to enter upon the conflict with the Canaanites, through their unbelief in the might of the promise of God, now, through unbelief in the severity of the judgment of God, they resolved to engage in this conflict by their own power, and without the help of God, and to cancel the old sin of unbelieving despair through the new sin of presumptuous self-confidence, - an attempt which could never succeed, but was sure to plunge deeper and deeper into misery. Where “the top (or height) of the mountain” to which the Israelites advanced was, cannot be precisely determined, as we have no minute information concerning the nature of the ground in the neighbourhood of Kadesh. No doubt the allusion is to some plateau on the northern border of the valley mentioned in Num 14:25, viz., the Wady Murreh, which formed the southernmost spur of the mountains of the Amorites, from which the Canaanites and Amalekites came against them, and drove them back. In Deu 1:44, Moses mentions the Amorites instead of the Amalekites and Canaanites, using the name in a broader sense for all the Canaanites, and contenting himself with naming the leading foes with whom the Amalekites who wandered about in the Negeb had allied themselves, as Bedouins thirsting for booty. These tribes came down (Num 14:45) from the height of the mountain to the lower plateau or saddle, which the Israelites had ascended, and smote them and יכּתוּם (from כּתת, with the reduplication of the second radical anticipated in the first: see Ewald, §193, c.), “discomfited them, as far as Hormah,” or as Moses expressed it in Deu 1:44, They “chased you, as bees do” (which pursue with great ferocity any one who attacks or disturbs them), “and destroyed you in Seir, even unto Hormah.” There is not sufficient ground for altering “in Seir” into “from Seir,” as the lxx, Syriac, and Vulgate have done. But בּשׂעיר might signify “into Seir, as far as Hormah.” As the Edomites had extended their territory at that time across the Arabah towards the west, and taken possession of a portion of the mountainous country which bounded the desert of Paran towards the north (see at Num 34:3), the Israelites, when driven back by them, might easily be chased into the territory of the Edomites. Hormah (i.e., the ban-place) is used here proleptically (see at Num 21:3). Occurrences During the Thirty-Seven Years of Wandering in the Wilderness - Numbers 15-19

After the unhappy issue of the attempt to penetrate into Canaan, in opposition to the will of God and the advice of Moses, the Israelites remained “many days” in Kadesh, as the Lord did not hearken to their lamentations concerning the defeat which they had suffered at the hands of the Canaanites and Amalekites. Then they turned, and took their journey, as the Lord had commanded (Num 14:25), into the wilderness, in the direction towards the Red Sea (Deu 1:45; Deu 2:1); and in the first month of the fortieth year they came again into the desert of Zin, to Kadesh (Num 20:1). All that we know respecting this journeying from Kadesh into the wilderness in the direction towards the Red Sea, and up to the time of their return to the desert of Zin, is limited to a number of names of places of encampment given in the list of journeying stages in Num 33:19-30, out of which, as the situation of the majority of them is altogether unknown, or at all events has not yet been determined, no connected account of the journeys of Israel during this interval of thirty-seven years can possibly be drawn. The most important event related in connection with this period is the rebellion of the company of Korah against Moses and Aaron, and the re-establishment of the Aaronic priesthood and confirmation of their rights, which this occasioned (chs. 16-18). This rebellion probably occurred in the first portion of the period in question. In addition to this there are only a few laws recorded, which were issued during this long time of punishment, and furnished a practical proof of the continuance of the covenant which the Lord had made with the nation of Israel at Sinai. There was nothing more to record in connection with these thirty-seven years, which formed the second stage in the guidance of Israel through the desert. For, as Baumgarten has well observed, “the fighting men of Israel had fallen under the judgment of Jehovah, and the sacred history, therefore, was no longer concerned with them; whilst the youth, in whom the life and hope of Israel were preserved, had as yet no history at all.” Consequently we have no reason to complain, as Ewald does (Gesch. ii. pp. 241, 242), that “the great interval of forty years remains a perfect void;” and still less occasion to dispose of the gap, as this scholar has done, by supposing that the last historian left out a great deal from the history of the forty years’ wanderings. The supposed “void” was completely filled up by the gradual dying out of the generation which had been rejected by God.

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

1 And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. 2 And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness! 3 And wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt? 4 And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.

Here we see what mischief the evil spies made by their unfair representation. We may suppose that these twelve that were impanelled to enquire concerning Canaan had talked it over among themselves before they brought in their report in public; and Caleb and Joshua, it is likely, had done their utmost to bring the rest over to be of their mind, and if they would but have agreed that Caleb, according to his pose, should have spoken for them all, as their foreman, all had been well; but the evil spies, it should seem, wilfully designed to raise this mutiny, purely in opposition to Moses and Aaron, though they could not propose any advantage to themselves by it, unless they hoped to be captains and commanders of the retreat into Egypt they were now meditating. But what came of it? Here in these verses we find those whom they studied to humour put into a vexation, and, before the end of the chapter, brought to ruin. Observe,

I. How the people fretted themselves: They lifted up their voices and cried (v. 1); giving credit to the report of the spies rather than to the word of God, and imagining their condition desperate, they laid the reins on the neck of their passions, and could keep no manner of temper. Like foolish froward children, they fall a crying, yet know not what they cry for. It would have been time enough to cry out when the enemy had beaten up their quarters, and they had seen the sons of Anak at the gate of their camp; but those that cried when nothing hurt them deserved to have something given them to cry for. And, as if all had been already gone, they sat down and wept that night. Note, Unbelief, or distrust of God, is a sin that is its own punishment. Those that do not trust God are continually vexing themselves. The world's mourners are more than God's, and the sorrow of the world worketh death.

II. How they flew in the face of their governors—murmured against Moses and Aaron, and in them reproached the Lord, v. 2, 3. The congregation of elders began the discontent (v. 1), but the contagion soon spread through the whole camp, for the children of Israel murmured. Jealousies and discontents spread like wildfire among the unthinking multitude, who are easily taught to despise dominions, and to speak evil of dignities. 1. They look back with a causeless discontent. They wish that they had died in Egypt with the first-born that were slain there, or in the wilderness with those that lately died of the plague for lusting. See the prodigious madness of unbridled passions, which make men prodigal even of that which nature accounts most dear, life itself. Never were so many months spent so pleasantly as these which they had spent since they came out of Egypt, loaded with honours, compassed with favours, and continually entertained with something or other that was surprising; and yet, as if all these things had not made it worth their while to live, they wished they had died in Egypt. And such a light opinion they had of God's tremendous judgments executed on their neighbours for their sin that they wished they had shared with them in their plagues, rather than run the hazard of making a descent upon Canaan. They wish rather to die criminals under God's justice than live conquerors in his favour. Some read it, O that we had died in Egypt, or in the wilderness! O that we might die! They wish to die, for fear of dying; and have not sense enough to reason as the poor lepers, when rather than die upon the spot they ventured into an enemy's camp, If they kill us, we shall but die, 2 Kings vii. 4. How base were the spirits of these degenerate Israelites, who, rather than die (if it come to the worst) like soldiers on the bed of honour, with their swords in their hands, desire to die like rotten sheep in the wilderness. 2. They look forward with a groundless despair, taking it for granted (v. 3) that if they went on they must fall by the sword, and pretend to lay the cause of their fear upon the great care they had for their wives and children, who, they conclude, will be a prey to the Canaanites. And here is a most wicked blasphemous reflection upon God himself, as if he had brought them hither on purpose that they might fall by the sword, and that their wives and children, those poor innocents, should be a prey. Thus do they, in effect, charge that God who is love itself with the worst of malice, and eternal Truth with the basest hypocrisy, suggesting that all the kind things he had said to them, and done for them, hitherto, were intended only to decoy them into a snare, and to cover a secret design carried on all along to ruin them. Daring impudence! But what will not that tongue speak against heaven that is set on fire of hell? The devil keeps up his interest in the hearts of men by insinuating to them ill thoughts of God, as if he desired the death of sinners, and delighted in the hardships and sufferings of his own servants, whereas he knows his thoughts to us-ward (whether we know them so or no) to be thoughts of good, and not of evil, Jer. xxix. 11.

III. How they came at last to this desperate resolve, that, instead of going forward to Canaan, they would go back again to Egypt. The motion is first made by way of query only (v. 3): Were it not better for us to return into Egypt? But the ferment being high, and the spirits of the people being disposed to entertain any thing that was perverse, it soon ripened to a resolution, without a debate (v. 4): Let us make a captain and return to Egypt; and it is lamented long after (Neh. ix. 17) that in their rebellion they appointed a captain to return to their bondage; for they knew Moses would not be their captain in this retreat. Now, 1. It was the greatest folly in the world to wish themselves in Egypt, or to think that if they were there it would be better with them than it was. If they durst not go forward to Canaan, yet better be as they were than go back to Egypt. What did they want? What had they to complain of? They had plenty, and peace, and rest, were under a good government, had good company, had the tokens of God's presence with them, and enough to make them easy even in the wilderness, if they had but hearts to be content. But whither were they thus eager to go to better themselves? To Egypt! Had they so soon forgotten the sore bondage they were in there? Would they be again under the tyranny of their taskmasters, and at the drudgery of making brick? And, after all the plagues which Egypt had suffered for their sakes, could they expect any better treatment there than they had formerly, and not rather much worse? In how little time (not a year and a half) have they forgotten all the sighs of their bondage, and all the songs of their deliverance! Like brute-beasts, they mind only what is present, and their memories, with the other powers of reason, are sacrificed to their passions. See Ps. cvi. 7. We find it threatened (Deut. xxviii. 68), as the completing of their misery, that they should be brought into Egypt again, and yet this is what they here wish for. Sinners are enemies to themselves; and those that walk not in God's counsels consult their own mischief and ruin. 2. It was a most senseless ridiculous thing to talk of returning thither through the wilderness. Could they expect that God's cloud would lead them or his manna attend them? And, if they did not, the thousands of Israel must unavoidably be lost and perish in the wilderness. Suppose the difficulties of conquering Canaan were as great as they imagined, those of returning to Egypt were much greater. In this let us see, (1.) The folly of discontent and impatience under the crosses of our outward condition. We are uneasy at that which is, complain of our place and lot, and we would shift; but is there any place or condition in this world that has not something in it to make us uneasy if we are disposed to be so? The way to better our condition is to get our spirits into a better frame; and instead of asking, "Were it not better to go to Egypt?" ask, "Were it not better to be content, and make the best of that which is?" (2.) The folly of apostasy from the ways of God. Heaven is the Canaan set before us, a land flowing with milk and honey; those that bring up ever so ill a report of it cannot but say that it is indeed a good land, only it is hard to get to it. Strict and serious godliness is looked upon as an impracticable thing, and this deters many who began well from going on; rather than undergo the imaginary hardships of a religious life, they run themselves upon the certain fatal consequences of a sinful course; and so they transcribe the folly of Israel, who, when they were within a step of Canaan, would make a captain, and return to Egypt.

The Expostulation of Joshua and Caleb. (b. c. 1490.)

5 Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel. 6 And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes: 7 And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land. 8 If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. 9 Only rebel not ye against the Lord , neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the Lord is with us: fear them not. 10 But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And the glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel.

The friends of Israel here interpose to save them if possible from ruining themselves, but in vain. The physicians of their state would have healed them, but they would not be healed; their watchmen gave them warning, but they would not take warning, and so their blood is upon their own heads.

I. The best endeavours were used to still the tumult, and, if now at last they would have understood the things that belonged to their peace, all the following mischief would have been prevented.

1. Moses and Aaron did their part, v. 5. Though it was against them that they murmured (v. 2), yet they bravely overlooked the affront and injury done them, and approved themselves faithful friends to those who were outrageous enemies to them. The clamour and noise of the people were so great that Moses and Aaron could not be heard; should they order any of their servants to proclaim silence, the angry multitude would perhaps be the more clamorous; and therefore, to gain audience in the sight of all the assembly, they fell on their faces, thus expressing, (1.) Their humble prayers to God to still the noise of this sea, the noise of its waves, even the tumult of the people. (2.) The great trouble and concern of their own spirits. They fell down as men astonished and even thunder-struck, amazed to see a people throw away their own mercies: to see those so ill-humoured who were so well taught. And, (3.) Their great earnestness with the people to cease their murmurings; they hoped to work upon them by this humble posture, and to prevail with them not to persist in their rebellion; Moses and Aaron beseech them, as though by them God himself did beseech them, to be reconciled unto God. What they said to the people Moses relates in the repetition of this story. Deut. i. 29, 30, Be not afraid; the Lord your God shall fight for you. Note, Those that are zealous friends to precious souls will stoop to any thing for their salvation. Moses and Aaron, notwithstanding the posts of honour they are in, prostrate themselves to the people to beg of them not to ruin themselves.

2. Caleb and Joshua did their part: they rent their clothes in a holy indignation at the sin of the people, and a holy dread of the wrath of God, which they saw ready to break out against them. It was the greater trouble to these good men because the tumult was occasioned by those spies with whom they had been joined in commission; and therefore they thought themselves obliged to do what they could to still the storm which their fellows had raised. No reasoning could be more pertinent and pathetic than theirs was (v. 7-9), and they spoke as with authority.

(1.) They assured them of the goodness of the land they had surveyed, and that it was really worth venturing for, and not a land that ate up the inhabitants, as the evil spies had represented it. It is an exceedingly good land (v. 7); it is very, very good, so the word is; so that they had no reason to despise this pleasant land. Note, If men were but thoroughly convinced of the desirableness of the gains of religion, they would not stick at the services of it.

(2.) They made nothing of the difficulties that seemed to lie in the way of their gaining the possession of it: "Fear not the people of the land, v. 9. Whatever formidable ideas have been given you of them, the lion is not so fierce as he is painted. They are bread for us," that is, "they are set before us rather to be fed upon than to be fought with, so easily, so pleasantly, and with so much advantage to ourselves shall we master them." Pharaoh is said to have been given them for meat (Ps. lxxiv. 14), and the Canaanites will be so, too. They show that, whatever was suggested to the contrary, the advantage was clear on Israel's side. For, [1.] Though the Canaanites dwell in walled cities, they are naked: Their defence has departed from them; that common providence which preserves the rights of nations has abandoned them, and will be no shelter nor protection to them. The other spies took notice of their strength, but these of their wickedness, and thence inferred that God had forsaken them, and therefore their defence had departed. No people can be safe when they have provoked God to leave them. [2.] Though Israel dwell in tents they are fortified: The Lord is with us, and his name is a strong tower; fear them not. Note, While we have the presence of God with us, we need not fear the most powerful force against us.

(3.) They showed them plainly that all the danger they were in was from their own discontents, and that they would succeed against all their enemies if they did not make God their enemy. On this point alone the cause would turn (v. 8): "If the Lord delight in us, as certainly he does, and will if we do not provoke him, he will bring us into this good land; we shall without fail get it in possession by his favour, and the light of his countenance (Ps. xliv. 3), if we do not forfeit his favour and by our own follies turn away our own mercies." It has come to this issue (v. 9): Only rebel not you against the Lord. Note, Nothing can ruin sinners but their own rebellion. If God leave them, it is because they drive him from them; and they die because they will die. None are excluded the heavenly Canaan but those that exclude themselves. And, now, could the case have been made more plain? could it have been urged more closely? But what was the effect?

II. It was all to no purpose; they were deaf to this fair reasoning; nay, they were exasperated by it, and grew more outrageous: All the congregation bade stone them with stones, v. 10. The rulers of the congregation, and the great men (so bishop Patrick), ordered the common people to fall upon them, and knock their brains out. Their case was sad indeed when their leaders thus caused them to err. Note, It is common for those whose hearts are fully set in them to do evil to rage at those who give them good counsel. Those who hate to be reformed hate those that would reform them, and count them their enemies because they tell them the truth. Thus early did Israel begin to misuse the prophets, and stone those that were sent to them, and it was this that filled the measure of their sin, Matt. xxiii. 37. Stone them with stones! Why, what evil have they done? No crime can be laid to their charge; but the truth is these two witnesses tormented those that were obstinate in their infidelity, Rev. xi. 10. Caleb and Joshua had but just said, The Lord is with us; fear them not (v. 9): and, if Israel will not apply those encouraging words to their own fears, those that uttered them know how to encourage themselves with them against this enraged multitude that spoke of stoning them, as David in a like cause, 1 Sam. xxx. 6. Those that cannot prevail to edify others with their counsels and comforts should endeavour at least to edify themselves. Caleb and Joshua knew they appeared for God and his glory, and therefore doubted not but God would appear for them and their safety. And they were not disappointed, for immediately the glory of the Lord appeared, to the terror and confusion of those that were for stoning the servants of God. When they reflected upon God (v. 3), his glory appeared not to silence their blasphemies; but, when they threatened Caleb and Joshua, they touched the apple of his eye, and his glory appeared immediately. Note, Those who faithfully expose themselves for God are sure to be taken under his special protection, and shall be hidden from the rage of men, either under heaven or in heaven.

The Intercession of Moses. (b. c. 1490.)

11 And the Lord said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have showed among them? 12 I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of thee a greater nation and mightier than they. 13 And Moses said unto the Lord , Then the Egyptians shall hear it, (for thou broughtest up this people in thy might from among them;) 14 And they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land: for they have heard that thou Lord art among this people, that thou Lord art seen face to face, and that thy cloud standeth over them, and that thou goest before them, by day time in a pillar of a cloud, and in a pillar of fire by night. 15 Now if thou shalt kill all this people as one man, then the nations which have heard the fame of thee will speak, saying, 16 Because the Lord was not able to bring this people into the land which he sware unto them, therefore he hath slain them in the wilderness. 17 And now, I beseech thee, let the power of my Lord be great, according as thou hast spoken, saying, 18 The Lord is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation. 19 Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of thy mercy, and as thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.

Here is, I. The righteous sentence which God gave against Israel for their murmuring and unbelief, which, though afterwards mitigated, showed what was the desert of their sin and the demand of injured justice, and what would have been done if Moses had not interposed. When the glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle we may suppose that Moses took it for a call to him immediately to come and attend there, as before the tabernacle was erected he went up to the mount in a similar case, Exod. xxxii. 30. Thus, while the people were studying to disgrace him, God publicly put honour upon him, as the man of his counsel. Now here we are told what God said to him there.

1. He showed him the great evil of the people's sin, v. 11. What passed between God and Israel went through the hands of Moses: when they were displeased with God they told Moses of it (v. 2); when God was displeased with them he told Moses, too, revealing his secret to his servant the prophet, Amos iii. 7. Two things God justly complains of to Moses:—(1.) Their sin. They provoke me, or (as the word signifies) they reject, reproach, despise me, for they will not believe me. This was the bitter root which bore the gall and wormwood. It was their unbelief that made this a day of provocation in the wilderness, Heb. iii. 8. Note, Distrust of God, of his power and promise, is itself a very great provocation, and at the bottom of many other provocations. Unbelief is a great sin (1 John v. 10), and a root sin, Heb. iii. 12. (2.) Their continuance in it: How long will they do so? Note, The God of heaven keeps an account how long sinners persist in their provocations; and the longer they persist the more he is displeased. The aggravations of their sin were, [1.] Their relation to God: This people, a peculiar people, a professing people. The nearer any are to God in name and profession, the more he is provoked by their sins, especially their unbelief. [2.] The experience they had had of God's power and goodness, in all the signs which he had shown among them, by which, one would think, he had effectually obliged them to trust him and follow him. The more God has done for us the greater is the provocation if we distrust him.

2. He showed him the sentence which justice passed upon them for it, v. 12. "What remains now but that I should make a full end of them? It will soon be done. I will smite them with the pestilence, not leave a man of them alive, but wholly blot out their name and race, and so disinherit them, and be no more troubled with them. Ah, I will ease me of my adversaries. They wish to die; and let them die, and neither root nor branch be left of them. Such rebellious children deserve to be disinherited." And if it be asked, "What will become of God's covenant with Abraham then?" here is an answer, "I shall be preserved in the family of Moses: I will make of thee a greater nation." Thus, (1.) God would try Moses, whether he still continued that affection for Israel which he formerly expressed upon a like occasion, in preferring their interests before the advancement of his own family; and it is proved that Moses was still of the same public spirit, and could not bear the thought of raising his own name upon the ruin of the name of Israel. (2.) God would teach us that he will not be a loser by the ruin of sinners. If Adam and Eve had been cut off and disinherited, he could have made another Adam and another Eve, and have glorified his mercy in them, as here he could have glorified his mercy in Moses, though Israel had been ruined.

II. The humble intercession Moses made for them. Their sin had made a fatal breach in the wall of their defence, at which destruction would certainly have entered if Moses had not seasonably stepped in and made it good. Here he was a type of Christ, who interceded for his persecutors, and prayed for those that despitefully used him, leaving us an example to his own rule, Matt. v. 44.

1. The prayer of his petition is, in one word, Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people (v. 19), that is, "Do not bring upon them the ruin they deserve." This was Christ's prayer for those that crucified him, Father forgive them. The pardon of a national sin, as such, consists in the turning away of the national punishment; and that is it for which Moses is here so earnest.

2. The pleas are many, and strongly urged.

(1.) He insists most upon the plea that is taken from the glory of God, v. 13-16. With this he begins, and somewhat abruptly, taking occasion from that dreadful word, I will disinherit them. Lord (says he), then the Egyptians shall hear it. God's honour lay nearer to his heart than any interests of his own. Observe how he orders this cause before God. He pleads, [1.] That the eyes both of Egypt and Canaan were upon them, and great expectations were raised concerning them. They could not but have heard that thou, Lord, art among this people, v. 14. The neighbouring countries rang of it, how much this people were the particular care of heaven, so as never any people under the sun were. [2.] That if they should be cut off great notice would be taken of it. "The Egyptians will hear it (v. 13), for they have their spies among us, and they will tell it to the inhabitants of the land" (v. 14); for there was great correspondence between Egypt and Canaan, although not by the way of this wilderness. "If this people that have made so great a noise be all consumed, if their mighty pretensions come to nothing, and their light go out in a snuff, it will be told with pleasure in Gath, and published in the streets of Askelon; and what construction will the heathen put upon it? It will be impossible to make them understand it as an act of God's justice, and as such redounding to God's honour; brutish men know not this (Ps. xcii. 6): but they will impute it to the failing of God's power, and so turn it to his reproach, v. 16. They will say, He slew them in the wilderness because he was not able to bring them to Canaan, his arm being shortened, and his stock of miracles being spent. Now, Lord, let not one attribute be glorified at the expense of another; rather let mercy rejoice against judgment than that almighty power should be impeached." Note, The best pleas in prayer are those that are taken from God's honour; for they agree with the first petition of the Lord's Prayer, Hallowed be thy name. Do not disgrace the throne of thy glory. God pleads it with himself (Deut. xxxii. 27), I feareth the wrath of the enemy; and we should use it as an argument with ourselves to walk so in every thing as to give no occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, 1 Tim. vi. 1.

(2.) He pleads God's proclamation of his name at Horeb (v. 17, 18): Let the power of the Lord be great. Power is here put for pardoning mercy; it is his power over his own anger. If he should destroy them, God's power would be questioned; if he should continue and complete their salvation, notwithstanding the difficulties that arose, not only from the strength of their enemies, but from their own provocations, this would greatly magnify the divine power: what cannot he do who could make so weak a people conquerors and such an unworthy people favourites? The more danger there is of others reproaching God's power the more desirous we should be to see it glorified. To enforce this petition, he refers to the word which God had spoken: The Lord is long-suffering and of great mercy. God's goodness had there been spoken of as his glory; God gloried in it, Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7. Now here he prays that upon this occasion he would glorify it. Note, We must take our encouragement in prayer from the word of God, upon which he has caused us to hope, Ps. cxix. 49. "Lord, be and do according as thou hast spoken; for hast thou spoken, and wilt thou not make it good?" Three things God had solemnly made a declaration of, which Moses here fastens upon, and improves for the enforcing of his petition:—[1.] The goodness of God's nature in general, that he is long-suffering, or slow to anger, and of great mercy; not soon provoked, but tender and compassionate towards offenders. [2.] His readiness in particular to pardon sin: Forgiving iniquity and transgression, sins of all sorts. [3.] His unwillingness to proceed to extremity, even when he does punish. For in this sense the following words may be read: That will by no means make quite desolate, in visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children. God had indeed said in the second commandment that he would thus visit, but here he promises not to make a full end of families, churches, and nations, at once; and so it is very applicable to this occasion, for Moses cannot beg that God would not at all punish this sin (it would be too great an encouragement to rebellion if he should set no mark of his displeasure upon it), but that he would not kill all this people as one man, v. 15. He does not ask that they may not be corrected, but that they may not be disinherited. And this proclamation of God's name was the more apposite to his purpose because it was made upon occasion of the pardoning of their sin in making the golden calf. This sin which they had now fallen into was bad enough, but it was not idolatry.

(3.) He pleads past experience: As thou hast forgiven this people from Egypt, v. 19. This seemed to make against him. Why should those be forgiven any more who, after they had been so often forgiven, revolted yet more and more, and seemed hardened and encouraged in their rebellion by the lenity and patience of their God, and the frequent pardons they had obtained? Among men it would have been thought impolitic to take notice of such a circumstance in a request of this nature, as it might operate to the prejudice of the petitioner: but, as in other things so in pardoning sin, God's thoughts and ways are infinitely above ours, Isa. lv. 9. Moses looks upon it as a good plea, Lord, forgive, as thou hast forgiven. It will be no more a reproach to thy justice, nor any less the praise of thy mercy, to forgive now, than it has been formerly. Therefore the sons of Jacob are not consumed, because they have to do with a God that changes not, Mal. iii. 6.

God's Answer to Moses; The Israelites Threatened. (b. c. 1490.)

20 And the Lord said, I have pardoned according to thy word: 21 But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord . 22 Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice; 23 Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it: 24 But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it. 25 (Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwelt in the valley.) To morrow turn you, and get you into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea. 26 And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 27 How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me. 28 Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the Lord , as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you: 29 Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me, 30 Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun. 31 But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised. 32 But as for you, your carcases, they shall fall in this wilderness. 33 And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness. 34 After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise. 35 I the Lord have said, I will surely do it unto all this evil congregation, that are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.

We have here God's answer to the prayer of Moses, which sings both of mercy and judgment. It is given privately to Moses (v. 20-25), and then directed to be made public to the people, v. 26-35. The frequent repetitions of the same things in it speak these resolves to be unalterable. Let us see the particulars.

I. The extremity of the sentence is receded from (v. 20): "I have pardoned, so as not to cut them all off at once, and disinherit them." See the power of prayer, and the delight God takes in putting an honour upon it. He designed a pardon, but Moses shall have the praise of obtaining it by prayer: it shall be done according to thy word; thus, as a prince, he has power with God, and prevails. See what countenance and encouragement God gives to our intercessions for others, that we may be public-spirited in prayer. Here is a whole nation rescued from ruin by the effectual fervent prayer of one righteous man. See how ready God is to forgive sin, and how easy to be entreated: Pardon, says Moses (v. 19); I have pardoned, says God, v. 20. David found him thus swift to show mercy, Ps. xxxii. 5. He deals not with us after our sins, Ps. ciii. 10.

II. The glorifying of God's name is, in the general, resolved upon, v. 21. It is said, it is sworn, All the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord. Moses in his prayer had shown a great concern for the glory of God. "Let me alone," says God, "to secure that effectually, and to advance it, by this dispensation." All the world shall see how God hates sin even in his own people, and will reckon for it, and yet how gracious and merciful he is, and how slow to anger. Thus when our Saviour prayed, Father, glorify thy name, he was immediately answered, I have glorified it, and will glorify it yet again, John xii. 28. Note, Those that sincerely seek God's glory may be sure of what they seek. God having turned this prayer for the glorifying of himself into a promise, we may turn it into praise, in concert with the angels, Isa. vi. 3, The earth is full of his glory.

III. The sin of this people which provoked God to proceed against them is here aggravated, v. 22, 27. It is not made worse than really it was, but is shown to be exceedingly sinful. It was an evil congregation, each bad, but altogether in congregation, very bad. 1. They tempted God—tempted his power, whether he could help them in their straits—his goodness, whether he would—and his faithfulness, whether his promise would be performed. They tempted his justice, whether he would resent their provocations and punish them or no. They dared him, and in effect challenged him, as God does the idols (Isa. xli. 23), to do good, or do evil. 2. They murmured against him. This is much insisted on, v. 27. As they questioned what he would do, so they quarrelled with him for every thing he did or had done, continually fretting and finding fault. It does not appear that they murmured at any of the laws or ordinances that God gave them (though they proved a heavy yoke), but they murmured at the conduct they were under, and the provision made for them. Note, It is much easier to bring ourselves to the external services of religion, and observe all the formalities of devotion, than to live a life of dependence upon, and submission to, the divine Providence in the course of our conversation. 3. They did this after they had seen God's miracles in Egypt and in the wilderness, v. 2. They would not believe their own eyes, which were witnesses for God that he was in the midst of them of a truth. 4. They had repeated the provocations ten times, that is, very often: the Jewish writers reckon this exactly the tenth time that the body of the congregation had provoked God. First, at the Red Sea, Exod. xiv. 11. In Marah, Exod. xv. 23, 24. In the wilderness of Sin, Exod. xvi. 2. At Rephidim, Exod. xvii. 1, 2. The golden calf, Exod. xxxii. Then at Taberah. Then at Kibroth-Hattaavah, ch. xi. And so this was the tenth. Note, God keeps an account how often we repeat our provocations, and will sooner or later set them in order before us. 5. They had not hearkened to his voice, though he had again and again admonished them of their sin.

IV. The sentence passed upon them for this sin. 1. That they should not see the promised land (v. 23), nor come into it, v. 30. He swore in his wrath that they should not enter into his rest, Ps. xcv. 11. Note, Disbelief of the promise is a forfeiture of the benefit of it. Those that despise the pleasant land shall be shut out of it. The promise of God should be fulfilled to their posterity, but not to them. 2. That they should immediately turn back into the wilderness, v. 25. Their next remove should be a retreat. They must face about, and instead of going forward to Canaan, on the very borders of which they now were, they must withdraw towards the Red Sea again. To-morrow turn you; that is, "Very shortly you shall be brought back to that vast howling wilderness which you are so weary of. And it is time to shift for your own safety, for the Amalekites lie in wait in the valley, ready to attack you if you march forward." Of them they had been distrustfully afraid (ch. xiii. 29), and now with them God justly frightened them. The fear of the wicked shall come upon him. 3. That all those who had now grown up to men's estate should die in the wilderness, not all at once, but by degrees. They wished that they might die in the wilderness, and God said Amen to their passionate wish, and made their sin their ruin, snared them in the words of their mouth, and caused their own tongue to fall upon them, took them at their word, and determined that their carcases should fall in the wilderness, v. 28, 29, and again, v. 32, 35. See with what contempt they are spoken of, now that they had by their sin made themselves vile; the mighty men of valour were but carcases, when the Spirit of the Lord had departed from them. They were all as dead men. Their fathers had such a value for Canaan that they desired to have their dead bodies carried thither to be buried, in token of their dependence upon God's promise that they should have that land for a possession: but these, having despised that good land and disbelieved the promise of it, shall not have the honour to be buried in it, but shall have their graves in the wilderness. 4. That in pursuance of this sentence they should wander to and fro in the wilderness, like travellers that have lost themselves, for forty years; that is, so long as to make it full forty years from their coming out of Egypt to their entrance into Canaan, v. 33, 34. Thus long they were kept wandering, (1.) To answer the number of the days in which the spies were searching the land. They were content to wait forty days for the testimony of men, because they could not take God's word; and therefore justly are they kept forty years waiting for the performance of God's promise. (2.) That hereby they might be brought to repentance, and find mercy with God in the other world, whatever became of them in this. Now they had time to bethink themselves, and to consider their ways; and the inconveniences of the wilderness would help to humble them and prove them, and show them what was in their heart, Deut. viii. 2. Thus long they bore their iniquities, feeling the weight of God's wrath in the punishment. They were made to groan under the burden of their own sin that brought it upon them, which was too heavy for them to bear. (3.) That they might sensibly feel what a dangerous thing it is for God's covenant-people to break with him: "You shall know my breach of promise, both the causes of it, that it is procured by your sin" (for God never leaves any till they first leave him), "and the consequences of it, that it will produce your ruin; you are quite undone when you are thrown out of covenant." (4.) That a new generation might in this time be raised up, which could not be done all of a sudden. And the children, being brought up under the tokens of God's displeasure against their fathers, and so bearing their whoredoms (that is, the punishment of their sins, especially their idolatry about the golden calf, which God now remembered against them), might take warning not to tread in the steps of their fathers' disobedience. And their wandering so long in the wilderness would make Canaan at last the more welcome to them. It should seem that upon occasion of this sentence Moses penned the ninetieth Psalm, which is very apposite to the present state of Israel, and wherein they are taught to pray that since this sentence could not be reversed it might be sanctified, and they might learn to apply their hearts unto wisdom.

V. The mercy that was mixed with this severe sentence.

1. Mercy to Caleb and Joshua, that though they should wander with the rest in the wilderness, yet they, and only they of all that were now above twenty years old, should survive the years of banishment, and live to enter Canaan. Caleb only is spoken of (v. 24), and a particular mark of honour put upon him, both, (1.) In the character given of him: he had another spirit, different from the rest of the spies, an after-spirit, which furnished him with second thoughts, and he followed the Lord fully, kept close to his duty, and went through with it, though deserted and threatened; and, (2.) In the recompence promised to him: Him will I bring in due time into the land whereinto he went. Note, [1.] It ought to be the great care and endeavour of every one of us to follow the Lord fully. We must, in a course of obedience to God's will and of service to his honour, follow him universally, without dividing,—uprightly, without dissembling,—cheerfully, without disputing,—and constantly, without declining; and this is following him fully. [2.] Those that would follow God fully must have another spirit, another from the spirit of the world, and another from what their own spirit has been. They must have the spirit of Caleb. [3.] Those that follow God fully in times of general apostasy God will own and honour by singular preservations in times of general calamity. The heavenly Canaan shall be the everlasting inheritance of those that follow the Lord fully. When Caleb is again mentioned (v. 30) Joshua stands with him, compassed with the same favours and crowned with the same honours, having stood with him in the same services.

2. Mercy to the children even of these rebels. They should have a seed preserved, and Canaan secured to that seed: Your little ones, now under twenty years old, which you, in your unbelief, said should be a prey, them will I bring in, v. 31. They had invidiously charged God with a design to ruin their children, v. 3. But God will let them know that he can put a difference between the guilty and the innocent, and cut them off without touching their children. Thus the promise made to Abraham, though it seemed to fail for a time, was kept from failing for evermore; and, though God chastened their transgressions with a rod, yet his loving kindness he would not utterly take away.

Death of the Evil Spies. (b. c. 1490.)

36 And the men, which Moses sent to search the land, who returned, and made all the congregation to murmur against him, by bringing up a slander upon the land, 37 Even those men that did bring up the evil report upon the land, died by the plague before the Lord . 38 But Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of the men that went to search the land, lived still. 39 And Moses told these sayings unto all the children of Israel: and the people mourned greatly. 40 And they rose up early in the morning, and gat them up into the top of the mountain, saying, Lo, we be here, and will go up unto the place which the Lord hath promised: for we have sinned. 41 And Moses said, Wherefore now do ye transgress the commandment of the Lord ? but it shall not prosper. 42 Go not up, for the Lord is not among you; that ye be not smitten before your enemies. 43 For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and ye shall fall by the sword: because ye are turned away from the Lord , therefore the Lord will not be with you. 44 But they presumed to go up unto the hill top: nevertheless the ark of the covenant of the Lord , and Moses, departed not out of the camp. 45 Then the Amalekites came down, and the Canaanites which dwelt in that hill, and smote them, and discomfited them, even unto Hormah.

Here is, I. The sudden death of the ten evil spies. While the sentence was passing upon the people, before it was published, they died of the plague before the Lord, v. 36, 37. Now,

1. God hereby showed his particular displeasure against those who sinned and made Israel to sin. (1.) They sinned themselves, in bringing up a slander upon the land of promise. Note, Those greatly provoke God who misrepresent religion, cast reproach upon it, and raise prejudices in men's minds against it, or give occasion to those to do so who seek occasion. Those that represent the service of God as mean and despicable, melancholy and uncomfortable, hard and impracticable, needless and unprofitable, bring up an evil report upon the good land, pervert the right ways of the Lord, and in effect give him the lie. (2.) They made Israel to sin. They designedly made all the congregation murmur against God. Note, Ring-leaders in sin may expect to fall under particular marks of the wrath of God, who will severely reckon for the blood of souls, which is thus spilt.

2. God hereby showed what he could have done with the whole congregation, and gave an earnest of the execution of the sentence now passed upon them. He that thus cut off one of a tribe could have cut off their whole tribes suddenly, and would do it gradually. Note, The remarkable deaths of notorious sinners are earnests of the final perdition of ungodly men, 2 Pet. ii. 5, 6. Thus the wrath of God is revealed, that sinners may hear and fear.

II. The special preservation of Caleb and Joshua: They lived still, v. 38. It is probable that all the twelve spies stood together, for the eyes of all Israel were now upon them; and therefore it is taken notice of as very remarkable, and which could not but be affecting to the whole congregation, that when the ten evil spies fell down dead of the plague, a malignant infectious distemper, yet these two that stood among them lived, and were well. God hereby confirmed their testimony, and put those to confusion that spoke of stoning them. He likewise gave them an assurance of their continued preservation in the wilderness, when thousands should fall on their right hand and on their left, Ps. xci. 7. Death never misses his mark, nor takes any by oversight that were designed for life, though in the midst of those that were to die.

III. The publication of the sentence to all the people, v. 36. He told them all what the decree was which had gone forth concerning them, and which could not be reversed, that they must all die in the wilderness, and Canaan must be reserved for the next generation. It was a very great disappointment, we may well think, to Moses himself, who longed to be in Canaan, as well as to all the people; yet he acquiesced, but they wept and mourned greatly. The assurance which Moses had of God's being glorified by this sentence gave him satisfaction, while the consciousness of their own guilt, and their having procured it to themselves, gave them the greatest vexation. They wept for nothing (v. 1), and now they have cause given them to weep; so justly are murmurers made mourners. If they had mourned for the sin when they were faithfully reproved for it (v. 9), the sentence would have been prevented; but now that they mourned for the judgment only their grief came too late, and did them no service; they found no place for repentance, though they sought it carefully with tears, Heb. xii. 17. Such mourning as this there is in hell, but the tears will not quench the flames, no, nor cool the tongue.

IV. The foolish fruitless attempts of some of the Israelites to enter Canaan, notwithstanding the sentence.

1. They were now eager to go forward towards Canaan, v. 40. They were up early, mustered all their force, got together in a body, and begged of Moses to lead them on against the enemy, and now there is no more talk among them of making a captain to return into Egypt. They confess their fault: We have sinned; they profess reformation: Lo, we be here, and will go up. They now desire the land which they had despised, and put a confidence in the promise which they had distrusted. Thus when God judges he will overcome, and, first or last, will convince sinners of the evil of all their ungodly deeds, and hard speeches, and force them to recall their own words. But, though God was glorified by this recantation of theirs, they were not benefited by it, because it came too late. The decree had gone forth, the consumption was determined; they did not seek the Lord while he might be found, and now he would not be found. O, if men would but be as earnest for heaven while their day of grace lasts as they will be when it is over, would be as solicitous to provide themselves with oil while the bridegroom tarries as they will be when the bridegroom comes, how well were it for them!

2. Moses utterly disallows their motion, and forbids the expedition they were meditating: Go not up, v. 41-43. (1.) He gives them warning of the sin; it is transgressing the commandment of the Lord, who had expressly ordered them, when they did move, to move back towards the Red Sea. Note, That which has been duty, in its season, when it comes to be mistimed may be turned into sin. It is true the command he refers to was in the nature of a punishment, but he that has not obeyed the law is obliged to submit to the penalty, for the Lord is our Judge as well as Lawgiver. (2.) He gives them this warning of the danger: "It shall not prosper, never expect it." Note, It is folly to promise ourselves success in that which we undertake contrary to the mind of God. "The Canaanites are before you to attack you, and the Lord is not among you to protect you and fight for you, and therefore look to yourselves that you be not smitten before your enemies." Those that are out of the way of their duty are from under God's protection, and go at their peril. It is dangerous going where we cannot expect God should go along with us. Nay, he plainly foresees and foretells their defeat: You shall fall by the sword of the Amalekites and Canaanites (who were to have fallen by their sword); Because you are turned away from the Lord, from following the guidance of his precept and promise, therefore the Lord will not be with you. Note, God will certainly leave those that leave him; and those that are left of him lie exposed to all misery.

3. They venture notwithstanding. Never was people so perverse and so desperately resolved in every thing to walk contrary to God. God bade them go, and they would not; he forbade them, and they would. Thus is the carnal mind enmity to God: They presumed to go up unto the hill-top, v. 44. Here, (1.) They struggled against the sentence of divine justice, and would press on in defiance of it. (2.) They slighted the tokens of God's presence, for they would go though they left Moses and the ark of the covenant behind them. They had distrusted God's strength, and now they presume upon their own without his.

4. The expedition speeds accordingly, v. 45. The enemy had posted themselves upon the top of the hill, to make good that pass against the invaders, and, being informed by their scouts of their approach, sallied out upon them, and defeated them, and it is probable that many of the Israelites were killed. Now the sentence began to be executed that their carcases should fall in the wilderness. Note, That affair can never end well that begins with sin. The way to obtain peace with our friends, and success against our enemies, is to make God our friend, and keep ourselves in his love. The Jews, like these their ancestors, when they had rejected Christ's righteousness, attempted to establish their own, and it sped as this.

CHAP. XIIII.

ANd all the congregation lifted up, and gave their voice, and the people wept that night. And all the sons of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and all the congregation said unto them; Oh that wee had died in the land of Egypt, o[illegible: 1 letter] in this wildernesse, oh that wee might die. And wherefore doth Iehovah bring us unto this land, to fall by the sword? our wives and our little-ones shall be for a prey: were it not better for us to returne into Egypt? And they said, every man unto his brother: Let us make a captaine, and let us returne into Egypt. And Moses and Aaron fell on their faces, before all the assembly of the congregation of the sonnes of Israel. And Ioshua the sonne of Nun, and Caleb the sonne of Iephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes. And they said unto all the congregation of the sonnes of Israel, saying; The land which wee passed thorow to search it, is an exceeding good land. If Iehovah delight in us, then hee will bring us into this land, and will give it unto us, a land which floweth with milke and honey. Onely rebell not yee against Iehovah; and you, feare not the people of the land, for they are bread for us: their shadow is departed from them, and Iehovah is with us, feare them not.

But all the congregatiō said, to stone them with stones: and the glory of Iehovah appeared in the Tent of the Congregation, before all the sons of Israel. And Iehovah said unto Moses; How long will this people provoke me? and how long will they not beleeve in me, for all the signes which I have done amongst them? I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of thee a nation greater and mightier than they. And Moses said unto Iehovah; Then the Egyptians shall heare it, for thou broughtest up this people, in thy might, from among them. And they will say to the inhabitants of this land, for they have heard, that thou Iehovah art among this people, that thou Iehovah art seene eye to eye, and that thy cloud standeth over them, and in a pillar of a cloud thou goest before them by day, and in a pillar of fire by night. Now if thou shalt kill this people as one man, then the nations will say, which have heard the fame of thee, saying; Because Iehovah was not able to bring this people into the land, which he sware unto them, therefore he hath slaine them in the wildernesse. And now, I beseech thee, let the power of the Lord bee great, according as thou hast spoken, saying;

Iehovah is long suffering, & much in mercie, forgiving iniquitie, and trespasse: and clearing will not cleare (the guilty;) visiting the iniquitie of the fathers upon the sonnes, unto the third, and unto the fourth generation. Pardon I beseech thee, the iniquitie of this people, according unto the greatnesse of thy mercie, and as thou hast forgiven this people from Egypt, even untill now. And Iehovah said, I have pardoned, according to thy word. But assuredly, as I live, a[illegible: 2 letters] the earth shall bee filled with the glory of Iehovah. For all the men which have seene my glory, and my signes, which I did in Egypt, and in the wildernesse, & have tempted me these ten times, and have not [illegible: 1 letter]earkned to my voice; If they shall see the land, which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me, see it. But my servant Caleb, because there was another spirit in him, and hee followed me fully; even him will I bring into the land, whereinto he went, & his seed shall possesse it. (Now the Amalekite, and the Canaanite, dwelt in the valley:) to morrow, turne yee, and journey you into the wildernesse by the way of the red sea.

And Iehovah spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying; How long (shall I pardon) this evill congregation, which murmure against me? I have heard the murmurings of the sonnes of Israel, which they murmure against me. Say unto them, A[illegible: 1 letter] I live, assuredly saith Iehovah, if I doe not so unto you, as ye have spoken in mine eares. Your carkasses shall fall in this wildernesse; and all that were mustered of you, according to your whole number, from twentie yeares old and upward, which have murmured against mee.

If you shall come into the land, concerning which I lifted up my hand, to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the sonne of Iephunneh, and Ioshua the son of Nun. And your little-ones, which yee said should be for a prey, even them will I bring in, and they shall know the land, which yee have despised.

But as for you, your carkasses shall fall in this wildernesse. And your children shall feed in the wildernesse fortie yeares, and shall beare your whoredomes, untill your carkasses be consumed in the wildernesse. After the number of the dayes in which yee searched the land, fortie dayes; a day for a yeare, a day for a yeare, yee shall beare your iniquities, fortie yeares; and yee shall know my breach (of promise.) I Iehovah have spoken, If I doe not this unto all this evill congregation, that are gathered together against me; in this wildernesse they shall bee consumed, and there they shall die. And the men which Moses had sent to search the land, and which returned, and made all the congregation to murmure against him, by bringing up an evill report upon the land: Even the men died that did bring up the evill report of the land, by the plague, before Iehovah. But Ioshua the sonne of Nun, and Caleb the sonne of Iephunneh, lived, of those men that went to search the land. And Moses spake these words unto all the sonnes of Israel, and the people mourned greatly. And they rose up early in the morning, and went up unto the top of the mountaine, saying; Loe we be here, and will goe up unto the place, which Iehovah hath said, for we have sinned. And Moses said, Wherefore now doe you transgresse the mouth of Iehovah? But it shall not prosper.

Goe not up, for Iehovah is not among you, that yee be not smitten, before your enemies.

For the Amalekite and the Canaanite is there before you, and yee shall fall by the sword, for because yee are turned from after Iehovah, and Iehovah will not be with you.

But they loftily presumed to goe up to the top of the mountaine: but the Arke of the covenant of Iehovah, and Moses, departed not from within the campe. And the Amalekite came downe, and the Canaanite, which dwelt in that mountaine; and smote them, and discomfited them, even unto Hormah.

Anno[illegible: 1 letter]ations. LIfted up] to wit, their voice, as after followeth, and as is expressed in Gen. 21. 16. she lifted up [illegible: 2 words], and wept. Or, all the congregation tooke [illegible: 1 letter]p, that is, received, to wit, the evill report which the spies gave of the land, Num. 13. 32. So the phrase is used, in Exod. 23. 1. Thou shalt not take up a vaine report. This latter, the Greeke version favoureth. gave their voice] that is, cried out. This manner of speech is used to signifie any loud voice, noise or crie, or any creature, or of God him-selfe; as in Psal. 18. 14. the Most high gave his voice; in Ier. [illegible: 1 letter]2. 15. the Lions gave their voice, in Psal. 104. 12. the fowles give the voice; in Psal. 77. 18. the skies gave a voice; in Habak. 3. 10. the deepe gave his voice; and in 2 Chron. 24. 9. men are said to give a voice, when they made a proclamation thorow Iudah and Ierusalem. So this people here openly rebelled, and uttered their evill hearts without feare, or shame. that night] Hebr. in or through that night; which the Greeke explaineth, that whole night. Verse 2. and against Aaron] which were the Lords ministers, therefore their murmuring was not against them onely, but against the LORD, as Moses told them, in Exod. 16. 2. 8. and as after appeareth in vers. 3. Oh that we might die] or, (Would God) that we were dead: they are words of unbeleefe and despaire, and of great unthankfulnesse: compare Exod. 16. 3. Psal. 106. 24, 25. The Greeke translateth, If we were dead: which is a forme of wishing, both in the Greeke and Hebrew tongues, as in 1 Chron. 4. 10. If thou wilt blesse me; that is, Oh that thou wouldest blesse me; so in Luke 12. 49. If it were (for, Oh that it were) already kindled; and so the Syriak version there explaineth it. Vers. 3. to fall] i. that we should fall, that is, die by the sword? Here they murmure against God himselfe through unbeleefe; as David saith, They contemptuously refused the land of desire, (the pleasant land;) they beleeved not his word, but murmured in their tents; they heard not the voice of Iehovah, Psal. 106. 24. 25. were it not better] or, were it not good? The Greeke changeth the phrase thus, Now therefore it is better for us to turne backe into Egypt. So, are they not written, 2 King. 20. 20. is explained thus, Behold they are writen, 2 Chron. 32. 32. Verse 4. Let us make a captaine] Hebr. Let us give a head: where by give, is meant make or appoint, as the Chaldee expoundeth it; and by head they meane a captaine or chiefe governour, as in Num. 25. 4. 1 Chron. 4. 42. and 12. 20. and as the Greeke here explaineth it. Targum Ionathan paraphraseth thus; Let us appoint a King over us for head. Of this their sinne the scripture saith, They dealt proudly, and hardned their necks, and hearkned not to Gods commandements; and refused to heare, and were not mindfull of the wonders that he had done among them: but hardned their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captaine (or made a head) to returne to their bondage, Nehem. 9. 16, 17. So their evill words and purpose, is counted unto them as the deed done. Sol. Iarchi openeth their words thus, Let us appoint a King over us; and he saith, the Rabbines have expounded this, as meaning idolatry. The same is also noted by R. Menachē, who further likeneth this sin, to theirs that builded the tower of Babylon, Gen. 11. So their sinne was against God, who is exalted as head above all, 1 Chron. 29. 11. Verse 5. fell on their faces] as much affected with the murmuring of the people: and they fell downe, either to pray unto God for them, as in Numb. 16. 22. or to intreat them, not to proceed in their rebellion, as it followeth, before all the assembly. And elswhere it appeareth, that Moses spake to encourage the people, saying, Dread not, neither be afraid of them: Iehovah your God, who goeth before you, he will fight for you, &c. Deut. 1. 29. 30. Verse 6. that searched the land] as appeareth in Num. 13. 7. 9. 17. rent their clothes] in signe of sorrow, for the peoples rebellion and blasphemie; for they said, the Lord had brought them out of Egypt, because he hated them, &c. neither did they beleeve the Lord their God, for all that Moses spake unto them, Deut. 1. 27.—32. Of rending garments in sorrow, see Gen. 37. 29. Lev. 10. 6. in the annotations. Vers. 9. Onely] or, But rebell not yee; which the Greeke interpreteth, But be not yee apostates (or revolters) from the Lord: the Chaldee, But rebell not yee against the word of the LORD. are bread for us] or, shall be our bread, our food; that is, we shall devoure and consume them. The Chaldee expoundeth it, They are delivered into our hand. So Balaam prophesied of Israel, Hee shall eat up the nations, his enemies, Num. 24. 8. And in Psal. 79. 7. He hath eaten up Iakob, that is, consumed: and in Psal. 14. 4. They eat my people, as they eat bread. Also in Deut. 7. 16. Thou shalt eat (that is, consume) all the people. their shadow] that is, God, their defence, covert, protection; which the Chaldee expoundeth their strength; so in Esai. 30. 2. the strength of Pharaoh, and the shadow of Egypt, doe explaine one another: and shadow is used often for defence; as, the shadow of the Almighty, Psal. 91. 1. and, Iehovah thy shadow, Psal. 121. 5. and God saith, I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, Esai. 51. 16. and 49. 2. Iehovah is with us] the Chaldee explaineth it, the Word of the LORD is for our help. Vers. 10. said, to stone them] that is, spake one to another, that they should stone Iosua and Caleb. An example of notorious obstinacie and outrage; and at another time, they had almost done the like unto Moses, Exod. 17. 4. So after this, Ierusalem stoned the Prophets, which spake the things pertaining to her peace, Mat. 23. 37. appeared in the Tent] the Greeke explaineth it, appeared in the cloud over the Tent of the Testimonie. This is confirmed by the like apparition, in Num. 16. 42. and Sol. Iarchi here saith, The cloud descended there. It was an extraordinary appearance, to restraine the peoples furie, and to help his faithfull witnesses. Vers. 11. provoke me] or, despite, blaspheme, contemptuously provoke me. So the Apostle expoundeth this word, blaspheme, in Rom. 2. 24. from Esai. 52. 5. and it implieth also a contempt or despising, Prov. 1. 30. and 15. 5. Esai. 5. 24. not beleeve in me] in Greeke, not beleeve me; which the Chaldee explaineth, not beleeve in my word. This unbeleefe is noted as a chiefe cause of their rebellion, and so of their destruction after in the wildernesse, Deut. 1. 32. Heb. 3. 18, 19. for all the signes] though many signes and wonders had beene shewed, yet they beleeved not: so of their posteritie it is said, Though (Iesus) had done so many signes before them, yet they beleeved not in him, Ioh. 12. 37. among them] Hebr. in the midds thereof, to wit, of the people. Vers. 12. smite them] Hebr. smite him, that is, the people, spoken of as one man: see vers. 15. pestilence] in Greeke and Chaldee, death: see the notes on Exod. 5. 3. disinherit them] deprive them of the land promised unto their fathers: the Greeke and Chaldee translate, destroy them. make of thee] Hebr. make thee, to a nation: the like speech God used, when they had made the golden calfe, Exod. 32. 10. The Greeke here addeth, I will make thee and thy fathers house, &c. Vers. 14. they will say] that which after followeth in vers. 16. to the inhabitants] or, with the inhabitants, meaning the Canaanites; so both the one and the other people, will take occasion to blaspheme. The Hebrew word which usually signifieth unto, is sometime used for with; as in 1 Sam. 23. 23. Ezr. 2. 63. thou Iehovah art] the Chaldee expoundeth it, that thy divine presence (or Majestie) abideth among this people. art seene] or, hast beene seene eye to eye; that is, visibly, apparantly, plainly; according to the like phrase, in Num. 12. 8. mouth to mouth; and in Exod. 33. 11. and Deut. 5. 4. face to face. The Chaldee here explaineth it thus, that with their eyes they have seene the Majestie of thy glory; and by Targum Ionathan, this is referred to the giving of the law upon mount Sinai. standeth over them] as protecting them from evill; which in Targum Ionathan is explained, that they should not bee hurt with heat or with raine. Compare Exod. 13. 21, 22. Num. 9. 17, &c. Vers. 15. as one man] that is, all of them together, and suddenly. the fame of thee] the hearsay or report of thee; which the Greeke translateth, thy name; the Chaldee, the fame of thy might. Vers. 16. was not able] elswhere Moses sheweth, that hee had respect unto two things, by which Gods name and glory might be impeached among the Gentiles; because he could not, or because hee would not, but hated his people, Deut. 9. 28. Exod. 32. 12. And this is the first argument of Moses supplication, that Gods name might not bee blasphemed among the heathens. Vers. 17. the power of the Lord] or, the might, as in vers. 13. that is, as the Greeke explaineth it, the power of thee ô Lord. Lord is here in Hebrew Adonai, which the Chaldee expresseth by the letters for Iehovah, and it signifieth My stayes, or sustainers: see the notes on Gen. 15. 2. be great] that is, be shewed to be great; the Greeke translateth it, be exalted. Vers. 18. long suffering] Hebr. long of anger; that is, long ere he be angrie. Here Moses mentioneth that Name of God, which was proclaimed at mount Sinai, when the people had formerly sinned in making the golden calfe, Exod. 34. 5, 6, 7. in mercie] the Greek addeth, & true; from Ex. 34. 6. forgiving] or, as the Greeke translateth, taking away. iniquitie] in Greeke, iniquities, and unrighteousnesses, and sins; the Chaldee also addeth the word sinnes, as was in Exod. 34 7. This is the second reason of Moses request, from the nature and covenant of God. the guiltie] this word is supplied also in the Greeke version. The Chaldee paraphraseth, being mercifull unto them that turne to his Law, but not clearing them that turne not. visiting] that is, punishing; in Greeke, recompensing; see Exod. 20. 5. upon the sonnes] or children; in Chaldee, upon the rebellious sonnes. the third] in Chaldee, [illegible: 1 word] the third generation, and unto the fourth generation. Thus Moses requested not an absolute pardon for all; but that God would in wrath remember mercie, though in Iustice he punished the chiefe transgressors. Verse 19. even untill now] or, hitherto; as for example, when they sinned in making the calfe, Exod. 32. (besides other times,) at which time God destroyed them not as they deserved, but some of them onely perished. Verse 20. I have pardoned] or, I doe pardon, as the Greeke explaineth it, in the time present. Howbeit Chazkuni understandeth it of the time past, that God should say, he had pardoned them once, when they made the calfe; but now he would not pardon them, but execute vengeance. The former sense seemeth best, with the limitation following, according to thy word, viz. that he would not destroy them all as one man, at once with the pestilence, having respect to the glory of his Name. For which cause, he spared them at other times also, both before and after, as he sheweth by the Prophets, Ezek. 10. 8, 9. 13, 14, 21, 22, &c. Psal. 106. 7, 8. And hereupon the people after confessed, Tho[illegible: 1 letter] art a God of pardons, gracious, and mercifull, long s[illegible: 1 letter]ffering, and of great kindnesse, and forsookest the[illegible: 1 letter] [illegible: 1 word], Neh. 9. 17. Verse 21. as I live] Hebr. and assuredly I live; and all the earth shall be filled: which is a forme of [illegible: 1 letter]a[illegible: 1 letter]h, often used of the Lord, Ezek. 18. 3. and 20. 33. and 5. 11. Whereupon it is said, And thou shalt sweare Iehovah liveth, &c. Ier. 4. 2. and where hee saith in the Prophet, I have sworne by my selfe, Esai. 45. 25. the Apostle expresseth it with these words, I live, saith the Lord, Rom. 14. 11. And the signe of an oa[illegible: 1 letter]h, was the lifting up of the hand; so both of them are joyned in Deut. 32. 40. I lift up my hand to [illegible: 1 word] and say, I live for ever: Wherefore the oath [illegible: 1 word] God here sware, is signified by the lifting up of his hand, in Psal. 106. 26. and Ezek. 20. 15. [illegible: 1 span]lled with the glorie] that is, all peoples of the earth shall see and acknowledge the powerfull and just administration of the Lord, unto his glorie and honour. Compare Esai. 6. 3. and Psal. 72. 19. where Christs kingdome is prophesied of, with whose glory all the earth is full. Verse 22. my glorie] under this, all Gods glorious works are comprehended; as powers are used for powerfull workes, Matth. 7. 22. and 11. 20. 1. Cor. 12. 10. 2 Cor. 12. 12. signes] that is, miracles, miraculous and significant workes. ten times] hereby may be meant no certaine number, but many times, as in Gen. 31. 7. Iob. 19. [illegible: 1 word]. so ten is for many, in Levit. 26. 26. It may also be taken properly; for now they had sinned ten times; First, at the red sea, Exod. 14. 11, 12. then in Marah, Exod. 15. 23, 24. againe in the wildernesse of Sin, Exod. 16. 2. then twice about Manna, Ex. 16. 20. 27, 28. after that at Rephidim, Exod. 17. 1, 2, 3. then by the Calfe at Horeb, Ex. 32. at Taberah, Num. 11. 1. and againe, at Kibroth Hattaavah, Num. 11. 4. and now the tenth time by their rebellion in Pharan. Verse 23. If they shall see] that is, as the Greeke translateth it, Surely they shall not see. This also is an oath, whereby God sweareth they shall not see, that is, not goe in to enioy the land, as is explained by David, in Psal. 95. 11. I sware in my anger, if they shall enter into my rest; which the Apostle openeth thus; He sware that they should not enter into his rest, Hebr. 3. 18. So, If a signe be given, Marke 8. 12. is more plainly expounded, A signe shall not be given, Matth. 16. 4. which I sware unto] that is, which I sware to give unto your fathers, Deut. 1. 35. this was the land of Canaan, Gen. 12. 5. 7. called the holy land, Zach. 2. 12. the land of Iehovah, Hos. 9. 3. the land of Immanuel, that is, of Christ, Esai. 8. 8. for it was a figure of the heavenly inheritance to bee obtained by Christ, Hebr. 11. 9, 10. therefore the keeping of them out of this land, figured also the excluding of them and of all unbeleevers out of the kingdome of heaven, Heb. 3. 12—19. and 4. 1, 2, 3—11. Verse 24. spirit in him] or, with him; that is, he was guided by another spirit than the ten spies. The same is to be understood of Ioshua, as appeareth by Num. 32. 12. though not here mentioned. This other spirit, was the spirit of faith, which the Law cannot give, Gal. 3. 2. the spirit of adoption of sonnes, not of bondage to feare againe, Rom. 8. 14, 15. by the guidance of this spirit, Caleb constantly followed the Lord, & obtained the promised inheritance. he followed me fully] Hebr. he fulfilled after me: so in Deut. 1. 36. and Ios. 14. 8, 9. 14. By this manner of speech, is meant a full and constant following and obedience unto the end; the contrary whereof was in Solomon, of whom it is said, he fulfilled not after the LORD, as did David his father, 1 Kings 11. 6. and in this people of Israel now generally, of whom God saith, they fulfilled not after me, Num. 32. 11. The Greeke translateth it, he followed me; the Chaldee, he fulfilled (or accomplished) after my feare. Chazkuni expoundeth it, he hath accomplished the word after me; and compareth it with that phrase in 1 Kings 1. 14. I will come in after thee, and fulfill (that is, confirme) thy words. his seed] in Chaldee, his sonnes. shall possesse it] shall inherit it: thus both the Greeke & Chaldee do interpret it: or, shall cause to inherit it, that is, leave it to their posteritie for an inheritance; as it is written, It shall be thine inheritance, and thy childrens for ever, Ios. 14. 9. The word is also used in a cōtrary meaning, to disinherit, as before in v. 12. & so it may here be trāslated, shal disinherit it, that is, disinherit and drive out the inhabitants of it, and seize upon it, as in Ios. 8. 7. ye shall disinherit (or seise upon) the citie: and thus it agreeth with Calebs speech, If so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall disinherit them (or drive them out) as the LORD said, Ios. 14. 12. In this latter sense, Sol. Iarchi here expoundeth it, drive it out, that is, they shall drive out the Anakims and people that are therein. This promise Moses related unto Caleb, and in the name of the Lord, he sware unto him for the performance of it, Ios. 14. 9. Verse 25. Now] Hebr. And. dwelt] or, dwelleth, Heb. sitteth in the valley: after in vers. 45. they are said to dwell (or sit) in the mountaine; and sitting, as it is often put for dwelling, so sometime for lying in wait, as in Ios. 8. 9. which may be meant here. Chazkuni expoundeth this place thus; that as the spies were afraid of Amalek. (Num. 13. 29.) so with them the holy blessed (God) made them afraid. And wheras it is here said, in the vally and in v. 45. in that mountaine; he accordeth them thus, that the most of them sate in the valley, & some few of them in the mountaine, & those few warred against them; and therfore it is written, WHICH SATE IN THAT MOVNTAINE, to imply that there were of them which sate in another place; or it may be they dwelt in the vally, and when they heard that the sons of Israel came against them, they went up into the mountaine, and lay in wait for them there: and wee find that sitting sometime, meaneth lying in wait, as it is written (in Psal. 10. 8.) He sitteth in the waiting place of the villages. tomorrow turne yee] The people were now in Kadesh, from whence they sent the spies, Num. 13. 26. Deu. 1. 19. & after this their rebellion, and the slaughter following, they abode in Kadesh many dayes, and then turned and journeyed into the wildernesse, by the way of the red sea, Deut. 1. 46. and 2. 1. Chazkuni here saith, Tomorrow meaneth after this time; for loe they abode in Kadesh many dayes before they began to compasse mount Seir: and it is like that (phrase in Exod. 12. 34.) when thy son shall aske thee tomorrow. journey you] or, journey for you, which some understand, to mean, for your good, see Gen. 12. 1. the way of the red sea] that is, the way towards the red sea; see the notes on Exod. 13. 17. In this red Sea the people had been baptised, 1 Cor. 10. 1 2. Ex. 14. Baptisme was unto repentance, and with confession of sinnes, and into the death of Christ, Mat. 3. 6, 11. Rom. 6. 3. so this sending them backe into the wildernesse, towards the red sea, was to humble them by repentance, that through faith in Christ they might have entrance into the Kingdome of heaven; otherwise they should perish for ever, as their carkasses perished in this wildernesse. Verse 27. How long] to wit, shall I pardon, (as in v. 19. 20.) or, shall I beare with. An unperfect speech, such as men use in passion of mind, when through griefe they utter not all their words; as may be seene in Moses, Exod. 32. 32. Psal. 90. 13. in David, Psal. 6. 4. and sundry the like. which murmure] or, which cause (the people) to murmure, as in verse 36. Thus Sol. Iarchi expoundeth it, referring the congregation forementioned, to the ten spies; but the Greeke and Chaldee translate, which murmure; so in the sentence following. Verse 28. I live] it is an oath, as in v. 21. whereby the Lord sweareth in his anger, that they should not enter into his rest, Psal. 95. 11. Heb. 3. 18. Num. 32. 10, 11. assuredly saith] or, the faithfull saying; see Gen. 22. 16. if I doe not] that is, as the Greeke explaineth it, surely I will doe: see before, on v. 23. spoken in mine eares] in Chaldee, spoken before me: this hath reference to their words, in verse 2. where they wished they might die in the wildernes. V. 29. your carkasses] the Greek calleth thē Cola, that is, members, which word the Apostle also useth in Heb. 3. 17. for carkasses, or dead bodies. So in Levit. 26. 30. fall] that is, die, being destroyed of the destroyer, 1 Cor. 10. 10. mustered] numbred as able men for the war, Num. 1. This sentence was executed upon them, as is after shewed in Num. 26. 64, 65. Verse 30. I lifted up my hand] that is, sware, as the Chaldee expoundeth it, I sware by my word: see Deut. 32. 40. and the notes before on v. 21. and Gen. 14. 22. Verse 31. your little ones] your children vnder twentie yeares of age: see verse 3. shall know] in Greeke, shall inherit, rightly explaining the sense: for to know the land, is to enjoy the same. And so Moses relating this promise, saith, they shall possesse the land, Deut. 1. 39. Verse 32. But as for you, your carkasses] Hebr. And your carkasses, you: where the latter you, is for explanation, to exempt their children, you or yours onely. V. 33. shall feed] or, shall be feeding; so likewise the Greeke translateth it: by feed, meaning wander as sheepe for pasture in the wildernesse: the Chaldee of Onkelos expoundeth it, tary or abide; but Ionathan saith, wander; and Chazkuni explaineth it, feed as sheepe sometimes here and sometimes there, so your sons shall remove hither & thither, till their carkasses be consumed. Thus may we understand that in the Prophet, The LORD will feed them as a lambe in a large place, Hos. 4. 16. that is, will let them wander to destruction. So in other languages, wandring is used for feeding; as in Virgil. Bucol. eclog. 2. mille meae Siculis errant in montibus agn[illegible: 1 letter]. fortie yeares] implying the time past also, from their comming out of Egypt: for one whole yeare, and part of the second, were now past already, when God gave this sentence against them, Num. 10. 11. beare your whoredomes] that is, beare the punishment of your sins; as the Chaldee, for whoredomes, translateth sins; though this name whoredome, is commonly used for idolatrie, Ier. 3. 9. Ezek. 16. 15. 16, 17, &c. See Exod. 34. 15, 16. Lev. 17. 7. Verse 34. After] or, According to the number; in the Hebrew, In is used for As, or according to, as the Greeke translateth it: see the notes on Lev. 25. 15. a day for a yeare, a day for a yeare] that is, each day for a yeare, or a yeare for every day: so in Eze. 4. 6. where the Prophet in a figure bare the iniquitie of Israel so many dayes as they had sinned yeares. Hereupon in prophesies, dayes are put for yeares, Dan. 9. 24. &c. Rev. 11. 3. yee shall know my br[illegible: 2 letters]ch] to wit, of promise; or simply, my breaking off: that is, ye shall know and have experience by the punishment which you shall suffer, how great your sinne is in breaking promise, and disanulling your word and covenant with me, and in breaking off from me. Thus my breach may be understood, breach, or breaking with me; or from me; as, he that eateth my bread, Psal. 41. 10. is expounded, hee that eateth bread with me, Ioh. 13. 18. Or, my breach, that is, when I breake promise with you, or breake off from you, ye shall know how great evill is upon you. For when men forsake God, he also forsaketh them, and breaketh his covenant with them, that is, performeth not his promise, which is conditionall, if men continue in his faith, Deut. 31. 16, 17. Zac. 11. 10. Iude v. 5. Rom. 11. 22. The Greek translateth, ye shal know the wrath (or indignation) of mine anger: the Chaldee, ye shall know that yee have murmured against me. Sol. Iarchi expoundeth it, my breach, in that ye have broken (that is, turned away) your heart from (following) after me. This word is after used by Moses, in Num. 32. 23. Wherefore breake ye the heart, (that is, discourage ye) the sons of Israel from going, &c. & in Num. 30. 5. if her father breake (that is, disallow) her; disanul her promise. Verse 35. have spoken] the Chaldee explaineth it, have decreed by my word. If I doe not] that is, surely I will doe, as the Greeke expoundeth it: it is an oath, as before in vers. 23. This sentence decreed, seised upon them, that all this generation died in the Wildernesse, Num. 26. 64, 65. & upon this occasion, Moses made the 90. Psalme, wherein he bewaileth the shortnesse and miserie of mans life; being finished now in 70 or 80 yeares; and intreateth God for mercy. And of this and other the like punishments, the Apostle saith, they happened unto them for ensamples; and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come, 1 Cor. 10. 11. So we see that they could not enter in (to the rest of God) because of unbeleefe: let us studie therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall, after the same example of unbeleefe, Hebr. 3. 19. and 4. 11. Verse 36. the men] the ten spies. made to murmure] and murmured themselves; as the Hebrewes signifieth both their owne act, and that which they caused in others. So the Greeke translateth it, murmured against it, unto (or before) the congregation. against him] against Moses, as in v. 2. or, as the Greeke translateth, against it; for they murmured also against the land, Num. 13. 32. and 14. 3. evill report] or, defamation: in Greeke, evil words; in Chaldee, an evill name. The word evil, is expressed in the next verse: see the notes on Num. 13. 32. Ver. 37. the plague before Iehovah] that is, by an extraordinary plague from the hand of God: either the pestilence fore-threatned, v. 12. or some other d[illegible: 1 letter]ath. And before Iehovah, may mean sudden death there by the Sanctuarie, where the glory of Iehovah appeared, v. 10. as it is said of Vzza, there he died before God, 1 Chron. 13. 10. which another Prophet explaineth, there he died by the Arke of God, 2 [illegible: 1 word]. 6. 7. The Hebrewes, (as Sol. Iarchi and Targum Ionathan on this place,) report these mens death to have beene by an inflammation of their tongues, and wormes issuing out of them; as a just recompence, because with their tongues they had sinned. Ver. 38. lived] that is, remained alive, safe and in health. So the judge of all the earth did judgment, and would not slay the righteous with the wicked; as Gen. 18. 25. And they survived, not onely the other spies, but all the rebellious Israelites, and went in and possessed the land of promise, Ios. 14: [illegible: 1 letter]0. and 19. 49. This sheweth the small number of Gods Elect, though many be called to the profession of the faith. The Hebrew Doctors speaking of Ier. 3. 14. where it is written, I will take you one of a citie, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion, doe say, As of six hundred thousand Israelites, onely two entred into the land of promise, to wit, Ioshua and Caleb; so shall it also be in the dayes of Christ. Talmud in Sanhedrin, ch. 11. wherein they beare witnesse against themselves, that they fulfilled the in[illegible: 1 letter]asu[illegible: 1 letter]e of their fathers, in rebelling against Christ, and despising the Gospell of their salvation. Verse 40. and went vp] that is, girded their weapons of warre about them, and pressed forward of themselves to goe up, as Moses explaineth it, in Deut. 1. 41. For things which men endevour and are ready to doe, are said to be done by them, as Reuben delivered Ioseph out of his brethrens hand, when he endevoured by exhorting & perswading with them, that he might deliver him, Gen. 37. 21, 22. See also the annotations on Ex. 8. 18. will goe up] and fight, Deut. 1. 41. we have sinned] against Iehovah, Deut. 1. 41. Thus they shewed a kind of repentance and sorrow for their sin, which was not sincere, nor a godly sorrow; for they turned from one evill to another, and overthrew themselves. Verse 41. Moses said] being first commanded of the Lord, so to say, Deut. 1. 42. the mouth] that is, as the Greeke translateth, the word of the Lord: and the Chaldee addeth, against the decree of the word of the LORD. But it] or, for it, that is, the thing which ye doe, shall not prosper, that is, not have good successe: in Greeke, It shall not be prosperous unto you. R. Menachem referreth this word It. to Shecinah, the divine Majestie which would not prosper them; and compareth here with a like phrase in Ezek. 1. 13. it went up and downe among the living creatures. Verse 42. Iehovah is not among you] thus God bade him say, for I am not among you, Deu. 1. 42. The Chaldee expoundeth it, for Shecinah (the Majestie or presence) of the LORD is not among you. not smitten] in Chaldee, not broken; in Greeke, and ye shall fall before your enemies. V. 43. from after Iehovah] in Chaldee, from after the service of the LORD; which the Greeke translateth, disobeying (or not beleeving) the Lord Chazkuni explaineth it thus, Because the spies made you afraid of the Canaanite & Amalekite that abide there, ye are turned from after the LORD, and are afraid to go into the land, and you trust not in him: therfore he will not be with you, if you transgresse his mouth, to goe to sight, till after 40 yeares. Iehovah will not be with you] this the Chaldee expoundeth, the Word of the Lord will not be for your holpe. Verse 44. they loft[illegible: 1 letter]ly presumed.] or, tooke upon them by violence, with a loftie presumptuous minde: in the Chaldee, they dealt wickedly, or, turbulently. The originall word Aphal, (from which Ophel a Tower, or Fort is derived, 2 Chron. 33. 14.) signifieth lifting up, as in Abak. 2. 4. which the Apostle sheweth, to meane a drawing backe from God by unbeleese, Heb. 10. 38, 39. So here in this their presumptuous enterprise, their soules were lifted up in them, but withdrawen from God▪ And Moses explaineth this by two other words, yee pressed forward, Deut. 1. 41. and yee were presumptuous, Deut. 1. 43. The Hebrew Commentary Tanchuma, cōpareth it with another like word which signifieth darknesse, and explaineth it, they went darke (or obscure) for that they went without leau[illegible: 1 letter] from God: and Targum Ionathan, thus; they set forward in the darke, before day dawning▪ to which the old Latine version agreeth, translating it darkned. departed not] in Greeke, moved not. The Arkeremoved not, but at the removall of the cloud, Num. 9. 15, &c. which God not taking up, shewed thereby his dislike of their action. Moses obeying the Lord, would not accompany the presumptuous sinners: so they went without the Lord, and without the signes of his grace, or company of his ministers. Verse 45. The Canaanite] that is, the Amorite, Deut. 5. 44. which was of the posteritie of Canaan, Gen. 10. 15, 16. which dwelt] or, which sate, lay in wait. discomfited them] pursued them as Bees doe, and destroyed them, Deut. 1. 44. Because they rebelled against God, and vexed his holy Spirit, therefore hee was turned to be their enemie, he fought against them, Esai. 63. 10. unto Hormah] in Greeke Herme, the name of a place, so called of the event, signifying utter destruction, or Anathema: so after in Num. 21. 3. After this discomfiture, the Israelites returned and wept before the LORD: but hee would not heare their voice, nor give eare unto them; so they abode in Kadesh many dayes, Deut. 1. 45, 46. These things which happened unto them for types, 1 Cor. 10. 11. doe shew the nature of man, of his free-will, and workes without faith, that they procure nothing but wrath from God, and destruction unto men. And as Israel carried themselves under Moses, so did they under Christ: for the Lord Iesus himselfe, & Iohn the Baptist (as Ioshua and Caleb) faithfully testified the truth of Gods promise, and perswaded the people to enter into the Kingdome of God, Mat. 3. 1, 2, 3. and 4. 17. But the Priests, Scribes, and Pharisees (like the unfaithfull spies) discouraged the people, and would neither goe themselves into the kingdome of heaven, nor suffer thē that were entring, to goe in, Mat 23. 13. but pretended worldly feares, Iohn 11. 48. Yet after they would seeme to enter by force, going about to establish their owne righteousnesse, but not submitting themselves unto the righteousnesse of God, Rom. 10. 3. so they pleased not God, but filled up their sinnes alway, and wrath came upon them to the uttermost, 1 Thess. 2. 15, 16.