Numbers 33 commentary

This is a brief review of the travels of the children of Israel through the wilderness. It is a memorable history. In their travels towards Canaan they were continually on the remove. Such is our state in this world; we have here no continuing city, and all our removes in this world are but from one part a desert to another. They were led to and fro, forward and backward, yet were all the while under the direction of the pillar of cloud and fire. God led them about, yet led them the right way. The way God takes in bringing his people to himself is always the best way, though it does not always seem to us the nearest way. Former events are mentioned. Thus we ought to keep in mind the providences of God concerning us and families, us and our land, and the many instances of that Divine care which has led us, and fed us, and kept us all our days hitherto. Few periods of our lives can be thought upon, without reminding us of the Lord's goodness, and our own ingratitude and disobedience: his kindness leaves us without excuse for our sins. We could not wish to travel over again the stages we have passed, unless we could hope, by the grace of God, to shun the sins we then committed, and to embrace such opportunities of doing good as we have let slip. Soon will our wanderings end, and our eternal state be fixed beyond recall; how important then is the present moment! Happy are those whom the Lord now guides with his counsel, and will at length receive to his glory. To this happiness the gospel calls us. Behold now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation. Let sinners seize the opportunity, and flee for refuge to the hope set before them. Let us redeem our time, to glorify God and serve our generation; and he will carry us safely through all, to his eternal kingdom.

Now that they were to pass over Jordan, they were entering again into temptation to follow idols; and they are threatened that, if they spared either the idols or the idolaters, their sin would certainly be their punishment. They would foster vipers in their own bosoms. The remnant of the Canaanites, if they made any peace with them, though but for a time, would be pricks in their eyes, and thorns in their sides. We must expect trouble and affliction from whatever sin we indulge; that which we are willing should tempt us, will vex us. It was intended that the Canaanites should be put out of the land; but if the Israelites learned their wicked ways, they also would be put out. Let us hear this and fear. If we do not drive out sin, sin will drive us out. If we are not the death of our lusts, our lusts will be the death of our souls.

1. These are the journeys of the children of Israel. Moses had not previously enumerated all the stations in which the people had encamped, but scarcely more than those in which something memorable had occurred, especially after the passage of the Red Sea; because it was of great importance that the actual localities should be set, as it were, before their eyes, until they were not only rescued from impending death by God’s amazing power, but a way unto life was opened to them through death and the lowest deep. In fact, in one passage he has as good as told us that he omitted certain stations, where he records that the people “journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the Lord,” to Rephidim, (Exodus 17:1) here, however, he more accurately states every place at which they stopped, as if he were painting a picture of their journey of forty years. His object in this is, first, that the remembrance of their deliverance, and so many accompanying blessings, might be more deeply impressed upon them, since local descriptions have no little effect in giving certainty to history; and, secondly, that they might be reminded by the names of the places, how often and in how many ways they had provoked God’s anger against them; but especially that, now they were on the very threshold of the promised land, they might acknowledge that they had been kept back from it, and had been wandering by various tortuous routes, in consequence of their own depravity and stubbornness, until they had received the reward of their vile ingratitude. Whilst, at the same time, they might reflect that God had so tempered the severity of their punishment, that He still preserved and sustained the despisers of his grace, notwithstanding their iniquity and unworthiness; and also that He carried on to the children (of the transgressors) the covenant which He had made with Abraham.

It is not without reason that Moses premises that “these were the journeys of the children of Israel;” for, at the period when they came out of the land of Goshen, they were affected with no ordinary fear and anxiety, when they saw themselves buried, as it were, in the grave; for they were shut in on every side either by the sea or the defiles of two mountains, or by the army of Pharaoh. Having entered the desert, they had seven stations before they arrived at Mount Sinai, in which they must have perished a hundred times over by hunger and thirst, and a dearth of everything, unless God had marvellously succoured them. And although they might have completed their whole journey in so many days, even then their obstinate perversity began to subject them to delay. If the lack of bread and water beset them, they ought to have been more effectually stirred up by it to have recourse humbly to God. So little disposed, however, were they to that humility, which might have taught them to ask of God by prayer and supplication a remedy for their need, that they rather rebelled against Moses: and not only so, but they petulantly assailed God Himself with their impious taunts, as if He were a cruel executioner instead of their Redeemer. Hence, therefore, it came to pass that it was not before the fortieth day that they were at length brought to Mount Sinai. Scarcely had the Law been promulgated, and whilst the awful voice of God was still ringing in their ears, whereby He had bound them to Himself as His people, when, behold, suddenly a base, nay, a monstrous falling away into idolatry, whence it was not their own fault that, having rejected God’s grace, and as far as depended upon themselves having annulled the promise, they did not perisist miserably as they deserved. By this impediment they were again withheld from further progress. With the same obstinacy they constantly raged against God, and, though warned by many instances of punishment, never returned to a sound mind. The climax of their insane contumacy was, that when arrived at the borders of the promised land, they repudiated God’s kindness, and exhorted each other to return, as if God were adverse to them, and His inestimable deliverance, which ought to have been a perpetual obligation to obedience, were utterly distasteful to them. The stations, which then follow, express in a more, lively manner how, — like a ship which is driven away from its port by a tempest, and whirled round by various currents, — they were carried away from approaching the land, and wandered by circuitous courses: as if they deserved that God should thus lead them about in mockery. It will be well for us to keep our eyes on this design of Moses, in order that we may read the chapter with profit.

He calls the order of their marches journeys (profectiones,) in contradistinction to their stations: for they did not strike their camp unless the signal were given, i.e., when the cloud left the sanctuary, and moved to another spot, as if God stretched forth His hand from heaven to direct their way: and hence it was more clearly apparent, that they were retained in the desert by this power.

3 And they departed from Rameses. I do not approve of their opinion, who think that the name of this city is used for the whole land of Goshen: since it is not reasonable that they should have set forth at the same time from various distant and remote places. And this would still less accord with what presently follows, There seems to be an oversight here; he probably refers to ver. 1, “per exercitus suos.” that they went forth in orderly array; though it might not be the case that they all mustered together in the city, because it is hardly credible that so great a multitude could be received within its walls, but that by the order of Moses and Aaron, they were all assembled in the neighborhood of the city, so that they might be organized, lest in the confusion of their hurried march they should impede each other.

After having stated that they went out by “the high hand” of God, for the purpose of extolling still more His wonderful power, he adds that the Egyptians were witnesses and spectators of it: whence we conclude that they had at last yielded to God, “Qu’ils ont quitte le combat pour ne plus resister a Dieu; “that they had abandoned the contest so as to resist God no longer. — Fr. or were so thoroughly subdued, as not to dare to lift up a finger. Another circumstance is also added, viz., that the Egyptians were then burying all their first-born; by which words Moses does not mean to indicate that they forbore from hindering the departure of the Israelites, The Fr. omits the negative here, and states the meaning of Moses to be, that the Egyptians forbore to hinder the departure of the Israelites, not only because they were preoccupied by the burial of their dead, but also, etc. because they were occupied with another matter; but rather signifies that, although they were exasperated by grief at the loss of their sons, still they lay stupified, as it were, since the power of God had enfeebled them, so that they had lost the ability to offer resistance.

When Moses says, that God “executed judgments” upon the gods of the Egyptians, it is with the object of recommending the true faith, lest the children of Israel should ever turn aside to the superstitions of the Gentiles, which, at the time of the deliverance, they had found to be mere delusions. For not only were Pharaoh and his troops overthrown, but their gods also put to shame, when they pretended to be the protectors of their land: and thus were all their superstitions refuted and convicted of error and folly. It is a silly imagination, that all the idols of Egypt fell down of themselves, De Lyra’s gloss is: “Tunc enim idola. AEgypti corruerunt, et comminuta sunt.” Corn. a Lapide refers to his own note on Exodus 12:12, which is as follows: “Hence it appears, says Caietanus, that Apis or Serapis, and all the other images of gods in Egypt are thrown down, and dashed to atoms on the Passover night, either by an earthquake, or by thunderbolts, as St. Jerome, after the Hebrews, asserts, ‘Ad Fabiol. de 42 Mansion,’ at the beginning. Artabanus, an old historian, in Eusebius, lib. 9, ‘De praepar.’ cap. ult., tells us that this was the case; and Isaiah alludes to it, Isaiah 19:1. The Hebrews, moreover, have a tradition that the Egyptian idols, which were of stone, were then ground to powder; that those of wood were rotted or reduced to ashes, and those of metal melted and liquefied.” in order that the God of Israel might claim the glory of Deity for Himself alone. It is enough that God triumphed over the idols, when He effectively shewed that they had no power to aid their worshippers, and, at the same time, discovered the trickeries of the magicians. To this Isaiah appears to allude, when he says,

“Behold, the Lord shall come into Egypt, and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at His presence,” (Isaiah 19:1)

for he signifies that God will give such proofs of His power in Egypt, as shall demonstrate the vanity of all their errors, and overthrow all the superstitious fictions whereby the Israelites had been deceived.

8. And they departed from before Pi-hahiroth. He relates how the people marched forwards for three days; not so much in praise of their endurance, as in celebration of God’s wonderful power, who sustained so great a multitude without water. For we must bear in mind, what I have elsewhere shewn, that from the passage of the Red Sea to Marah there was no water found; whence the impiety of the people was the more detestable, since they there burst forth into rebellion on account of the bitter taste of the water. On the other side, the incomparable mercy of God shone forth, in that He condescended to refresh these churlish and provoking men in a pleasant and delightful station; for from their first encampment they were led on to Elim, where they found twelve fountains and seventy palm-trees. Moses passes briefly over the wilderness of Sin, as if nothing worthy of being recorded had occurred there; whereas the vile impiety of the people there betrayed itself, and the place was ennobled by a signal miracle, since the manna rained from heaven for the nourishment of the people, so that, the windows of heaven being opened, mortal man “did eat angels’ food.” He also briefly adverts to the want of water to drink at Rephidim: but he deemed it sufficient here to enumerate the stations, which might recall the various occurrences to the memory of the people. On the Graves of Concupiscence a memorial of God’s punishment was inscribed; but since he simply gives a list of other places, without any record of events, we may gather, as I have above stated, that he had no other design than to set before the eyes of the people the peregrination in which they had been engaged for forty years. He, however, cursorily mentions the death of Aaron; because his life had been prolonged, by God’s special blessing, for the good of the people, until the time approached when they were about to enter the promised land; since his authority was a useful and necessary restraint upon the ungovernable character of this headstrong people. At the same time the punishment inflicted upon the holy man should have reminded posterity that it was not without reason that their fathers had been so severely chastised, since they had not ceased to add sin to sin, when God had not spared even His own servant on account of a single transgression.

When he adds just afterwards, that the Canaanite then first heard of the coming the children of Israel, he indicates that God had put a veil over the eyes of their enemies, lest they should oppose them at an earlier period. For God so mitigated the severity of His judgment, that the exile of the Israelites was, at any rate, undisturbed, and free from outward molestation, as long as they had to wander in the desert.

39. And Aaron was an hundred and twenty and three years old. It is not without reason that the great age of Aaron is expressly stated, inasmuch as his life had been prolonged to an unusual period, for the good of the people. At the age of an hundred he had already exceeded the ordinary extent of life; whereas, by God’s extraordinary blessing, he survived until the people were about to pass into the promised land. Hence their ingratitude was the more base in not acknowledging this paternal care of God, since it was for their advantage that He preserved so long the minister of His grace.

Deuteronomy 10

Deuteronomy 10:6,7

6. And the children of Israel took their journey from Beeroth of the children of Jaakan to Mosera: there Aaron died, and there he was buried; and Eleazar his son ministered in the priest's office in his stead.

6. Filii autem Israel profecti sunt de Beeroth filiorem Jaacan in Moserah: illic mortus est Aharon, et illic sepultus est, functusque est sacerdotio Eleazar filius ejus pro eo.

7. From thence they journeyed unto Gudgodah; and from Gudgodah to Jotbath, a land of rivers of waters.

7. Inde profecti sunt in Gudgodah, et de Gudgodah in Jobath terram torrentium aquarum.

40. And king Arad the Canaanite. Although Moses gives no account of a battle, yet he briefly revives the recollection of the previous history; as much as to say, that in this part of their journey the Israelites at length met with their enemy, since they then began to fight with one of the nations of Canaan. In a word, the meaning is, that this was the beginning of their warfare, when the land which God had promised them as an inheritance was about to be occupied.

Numbers 21

Numbers 21:4-20

4. And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way.

4. Et profecti sunt de Hor monte per viam maris Suph, ut circuirent terram Edom: et angustiis affecta est anima populi in via.

5. And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.

5. Itaque loquutus est populus contra Deum et Mosen, Ut quid ascendere nos fecistis ex Aegypto, ut moreremur in deserto? Non est enim panis neque aqua. Et taedet animam nostram super pane levi (aut, vili.)

6. And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.

6. Misit igitur Jehova in populum serpentes urentes, qui momorderunt populum: ita ut morcretur populus multus ex Israele.

7. Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned; for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee: pray unto the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.

7. Tunc venit populus ad Mosen, et dixerunt, Peccavimus, quia loquuti sumus contra Jehovam et contra te: ora Jehovam ut auferat a nobis serpentes istos. Et oravit Moses pro populo.

8. And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.

8. Et dixit Jehova ad Mosen, Fac tibi urentem, et pone eum super vexillum: et erit, quicunque morsus fuerit, et aspexerit ilium, tunc vivet.

9. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole; and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.

9. Fecit ergo Moses serpentem aeneum, quem posuit supra vexillum: et fuit, quando momorderat serpens quenquam, aspiciebat ad serpentem aeneum, et vivebat.

10. And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in Oboth.

10. Et profecti sunt filii Israel, et castrametati sunt in Oboth.

11. And they journeyed from Oboth, and pitched at Ije-abarim, in the wilderness which is before Moab, toward the sun rising.

11. Profecti vero ex Oboth casstrametati sunt in Ije-abarim in deserto, quod erat in conspectu Moab ab ortu solis.

12. From thence they removed, and pitched in the valley of Zared.

12. Inde profecti castrametati sunt in valle Zered.

13. From thence they removed, and pitched on the other side of Arnon, which is in the wilderness that cometh out of the coasts of the Amorites: for Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites.

13. Profecti deinde illinc castrametati sunt citra Arnon, qum est in deserto, et portenditur a termino Emorrhaei. Arnon enim est terminus Moab inter Moab et Emorrhaeum.

14. Wherefore it is said in the book of the wars of the Lord, What he did in the Red sea, and in the brooks of Arnon.

14. Ideirco dicetur in narratione praeliorum Jehovae, Vaheb in Suphah, et torrentes ad Arnon.

15. And at the stream of the brooks that goeth down to the dwelling of Ar, and lieth upon the border of Moab,

15. Et decursum torrentium, qui pergit ut quiescat in Ar, et recumbit in termino Moab.

16. And from thence they went to Beer: that is the well whereof the Lord spake unto Moses, Gather the people together, and I will give them water.

16. Illinc in Beer. Is est puteus de quo dixerat Jehova ad Mosen, Congrega populum, et dabo illis aquam.

17. Then Israel sang this song, Spring up, O well; sing ye unto it:

17. Tunc cecinit Israel carmen hoc, Ascende Beer, canite ei.

18. The princes digged the well, the nobles of the people digged it, by the direction of the lawgiver, with their staves. And from the wilderness they went to Mattanah;

18. Puteus quem loderunt principes, loderunt eum principes populi cum legislatore baculis suis. Et e deserto in Mathanah.

19. And from Mattanah to Nahaliel; and from Nahaliel to Bamoth;

19. Et e Mathanah in Nahaliel: et de Nahaliel in Bamoth.

20. And from Bamoth in the valley, that is in the country of Moab, to the top of Pisgah, which looketh toward Jeshimon.

20. Et de Bamoth Hagaie, quae est in regione Moab, in vertice coilis, et respicit contra faciem deserti, (vel, Gessimon.)

50. And the Lord spake unto Moses. The end and design of God in willing that these nations should be expelled, I have elsewhere explained, See ante, vol. 2: p. 397, etc. viz, lest they should adulterate the pure worship of God by their admixtures, should corrupt the people by their bad examples, and thus be pollutions to the Holy Land. But Moses now refers to another point, for, when about to speak of the division of the land, he begins by saying that it must be emptied of its inhabitants, that its free and full enjoyment may remain for the children of Israel. We must remark the connection here, for else this passage would have been a supplement of the First Commandment, to which I have indeed appended the latter part of the verse: but, since God declares connectedly, “Ye shall dispossess the inhabitants of the land, and dwell therein, for I have given you the land to possess it,” it would have been absurd that one clause should be disjoined from the other.

54 And ye shall divide the land by lot. The mode of division is also stated, that each should possess what fell to him by lot; and this was the best plan, for the several tribes would never have allowed themselves to be sent here or there at the option of men: and even if the arrangement had been left to the voices of the judges, they would rather have quarreled with each other than determined what was right. But we must here take into consideration something deeper; viz., that by this method God gave certain proof that the children of Israel were the inheritors and masters of that land by His liberality and special blessing. And, in the first place, we must remember that, although men consider nothing more fortuitous than casting lots, still they are governed by God, as Solomon says. (Proverbs 16:33.) God, therefore, commanded the people to cast lots, reserving to Himself the judgment as to those to whom they should fall. For how came it to pass that Zebulun obtained his portion on the sea-shore, except because it had been thus predicted by the Patriarch Jacob? Why did a district productive of the best corn fall to the tribe of Asher, unless because it had been pronounced by the same lips, that

“Out of Asher his bread should be fat; and he should yield royal dainties”? (Genesis 49:20.)

By the same prophecy the tribe of Judah obtained an inheritance rich in vines, and abounding in the best of pastures. Thus the division of the land, by lot, clearly showed that God had not formerly promised that land to Abraham in vain; because the proclamation of the gift by the mouth of Jacob was actually confirmed. The pious old man had been expelled from hence by famine; he was but a sojourner in Egypt, and twice an exile, and yet he assigns their portions to his descendants in the most authoritative manner, just as the father of a family might divide his few acres of land among his heirs. Yet God finally sealed what then might have seemed ridiculous. Hence it appears that things which, in the feebleness of our senses, we imagine to move at the blind impulse of chance, are directed by God’s secret providence; and that His counsel always proceeds in such a regular course, that the end corresponds with the beginning. Again he recommends to them the law of proportion, so that, according to their numbers, a greater or a less allotment should be given to the several tribes. The allegory which some conceive to be indicated here, viz., that we obtain our heavenly inheritance by God’s gratuitous good pleasure, as if by lot, although at first sight plausible, is easily refuted. Hebron was a part of the inheritance, but Caleb obtained it without casting lots: and a still more decided exception appears in the case of the tribe of Reuben, Gad, and half Manasseh, who, by the consent of the rest, and not by lot, acquired by privilege, as it were, all the territory that had been won on the other side of Jordan. Let my readers, therefore, learn to abstain from such conceits, lest they should often be obliged to confess with shame, that they have caught at an empty shadow.

55 But if ye will not drive out. We have elsewhere seen why God’s wrath was so greatly aroused against those nations, that He desired them to be exterminated. Even in Abraham’s time gross indulgence of sin had begun to prevail there, as we gather from God’s word, when He said that “their iniquity was not yet full.” After they had abused the forbearance of God Himself for 400 years, who will deny that their destruction was the just and reasonable reward of their long obstinacy? Still, in cutting them off, God had regard to His elect people, in order that they might be separated from the heathen, and never turn aside to foreign superstitions. But the punishment which is here threatened the Israelites deserved twice over by their remissness, for they neither performed their duty in executing God’s vengeance, and, as far as in them lay, they detracted from His grace. He had conferred upon them no common honor, when He appointed them to be His ministers for executing His judgments. It was therefore base supineness in them to be remiss on this point. But again, He had given them the whole land; when, then, they contented themselves with part of it, and neglected the rest, their perverse ingratitude betrayed itself by their indifference. Besides, they had willfully entangled themselves in deadly nerds, by mixing with heathen nations, from whom they had been separated by God, lest they should imitate their habits, and corrupt religious ceremonies. God, therefore, threatens that these nations shall be as prickles to pierce their eyes, and thorns in their sides. That this was fulfilled, the Book of Judges affords the clearest and most ample testimony, although, even to the days of David, this punishment was constantly in course of infliction upon their eyes and sides. Thus, also, is their untamable headstrongness proved, since such a solemn admonition had no effect in causing “Pour les faire marcher vertueusement parmi leur vietoires, a punir les crimes dont ils estoyent juges;” to cause them to advance virtuously amidst their victories, in punishing the crimes of which they were the judges. — Fr. them to go forwards, no less in the open punishment of iniquity, than in a course of victory and success.

Numbers 34

Numbers 34:1-29

1. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

1. Et loquutus est Jehova ad Mosen, dicendo:

2. Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land of Canaan, (this is the land that shall fall unto you for an inheritance, even the land of Canaan, with the coasts thereof,)

2. Praecipe filiis Israel, et dices eis, Quum intraveritis terram Chenaan (ista est terra quae cadet vobis in haereditatem, terra Chenaan per terminos suos.)

3. Then your south quarter shall be from the wilderness of Zin, along by the coast of Edom, and your south border shall be the outmost coast of the salt sea eastward.

3. Erit vobis plaga meridiei a deserto Sin usque ad terminos Edom: erit inquam vobis terminus meridiei ab extremo maris salis ad orientem.

4. And your border shall turn from the south to the ascent of Akrabbim, and pass on to Zin: and the going forth thereof shall be from the south to Kadesh-barnea, and shall go on to Hazar-addar and pass on to Azmon.

4. Et circuibit vobis iste terminus a Maale Acrabim, et transibit usque ad Sin: et erunt egressus ejus a meridie in Cades-Barnea, atque illinc egredietur ad villam Addar, et transibit usque ad Asmon.

5. And the border shall fetch a compass from Azmon unto the river of Egypt, and the goings out of it shall be at the sea.

5. Praeterea circuibit terminus iste ab Asmon usque ad flumen Aegypti: et erunt illinc egressus ejus ad occidentum.

6. And as for the western border, ye shall even have the great sea for a border: this shall be your west border.

6. Terminum autem occidentalis erit vobis mare magnum, terminus, inquam, iste erit vobis terminus occidentalis.

7. And this shall be your north border: from the great sea ye shall point out for you mount Hor.

7. Iste vero erit vobis terminus aquilonaris, a mari magno describetis vobis Hor montem.

8. From mount Hor ye shall point out your border unto the entrance of Hamath; and the goings forth of the border shall be to Zedad.

8. Ab hoc monte describetis usque ad introitum Hamach: et erunt eggressus termini illius ad Sedad.

9. And the border shall go on to Ziphron, and the goings out of it shall be at Hazar-enan: this shall be your north border.

9. Et illinc egredietur terminus iste ad Ziphon, eruntque egressus ejus ad villam Enan: iste erit vobis terminus aquilonaris.

10. And ye shall point out your east border from Hazar-enan to Shepham.

10. Describetis praeterea vobis terminum ad orientem, a villa Enan usque ad Sepham.

11. And the coast shall go down from Shepham to Riblah, on the east of Ain; and the border shall descend, and shall reach unto the side of the sea of Chinnereth eastward.

11. Et destendet iste terminus a Sepham usque ad Riblah ab oriente Ain: et descendet terminus iste, provenietque ad latus maris Cinnereth ad orientem.

12. And the border shall go down to Jordan, and the goings out of it shall be at the salt sea: this shall be your land, with the coasts thereof round about.

12. Et descendet iste terminus ad Jordanem, erunt que egressus ejus ad mare salis: ista erit vobis terra per terminos suos, per circuitum.

13. And Moses commanded the children of Israel, saying, This is the land which ye shall inherit by lot, which the Lord commanded to give unto the nine tribes, and to the half-tribe.

13. Praecepit autem Moses filiis Israel, dicendo: Haec est terra quam possidebitis sorte, et quam princepit Jehova dare novem tribubus, et dimidiae tribui.

14. For the tribe of the children of Reuben, according to the house of their fathers, and the tribe of the children of Gad, according to the house of their fathers, have received their inheritance, and half the tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance:

14. Acceperunt enim tribus filiorum Rubenitarum per domos patrum suorum, et tribus filiorum Gaditarum per domos patrum suorum, et dimidia tribus Manasse: acceperunt inquam haereditatem suam:

15. The two tribes and the half-tribe have received their inheritance on this side Jordan near Jericho eastward, toward the sun-rising.

15. Duae tribus et dimidia acceperunt possessionem suam citra Jordanera Jericho ad orientem ad exortum solis.

16. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

16. Loquutus est praeterea Jehova ad Mosen, dicendo:

17. These are the names of the men which shall divide the land unto you; Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun.

17. Ista sunt nomina virorum qui possidendam vobis distribuent terram, Eleazar sacerdos, et Josue filius Nun.

18. And ye shall take one prince of every tribe, to divide the land by inheritance.

18. Et principes singulos de qualibet tribu capietis ad possidendam terram.

19. And the names of the men are these: Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb, the son of Jephunneh.

19. Ista sunt nomina virorun: de tribu Jehudah, Caleb filius Jephune.

20. And of the tribe of the children of Simeon, Shemuel the son of Ammihud.

20. Et de tribu filiorum Simeon, Samuel filius Ammihud.

21. Of the tribe of Benjamin, Elidad the son of Chislon.

21. Et de tribu Benjamin, Elidad filius Chislon.

22. And the prince of the tribe of the children of Dan, Bukki the son of Jogli.

22. Et de tribu filiorum Dan, princeps Bucci filius Jogli.

23. The prince of the children of Joseph, for the tribe of the children of Manasseh, Harmtel the son of Ephod.

23. De filiis Joseph, de tribu filiorum Manasse, princeps Huiel filius Ephod.

24. And the prince of the tribe of the children of Ephraim, Kemuel the son of Shiphtan.

24. Et de tribu filiorum Ephraim, princeps Cemuel illius Siphtan.

25. And the prince of the tribe of the children of Zebulun, Elizaphan the son of Parnach.

25. Et de tribu filiorum Zabulon, princeps Elisaphan filius Parvaeh.

26. And the prince of the tribe of the children of lssachar, Paltiel the son of Azzan.

26. Et de tribu filiorum Issachar, princeps Paltiel illius Azzam.

27. And the prince of the tribe of the children of Asher, Ahihud the son of Shelomi.

27. Et de tribu filiorum Aser, princeps Ahihud filius Selomi.

28. And the prince of the tribe of the children of Naphtali, Pedahel the son of Ammihud.

28. Et de tribu filiorum Nephthali, princeps Pedahel filius Ammihud.

29. These are they whom the Lord commanded to divide the inheritance unto the children of Israel in the land of Canaan.

29. Isti sunt quibus praecepit Jehova, Ut distribuerent haereditatem filiis Israel in terra Chenaan.

CHAPTER 33

Nu 33:1-15. Two and Forty Journeys of the Israelites--from Egypt to Sinai.

1. These are the journeys of the children of Israel--This chapter may be said to form the winding up of the history of the travels of the Israelites through the wilderness; for the three following chapters relate to matters connected with the occupation and division of the promised land. As several apparent discrepancies will be discovered on comparing the records here given of the journeyings from Sinai with the detailed accounts of the events narrated in the Book of Exodus and the occasional notices of places that are found in that of Deuteronomy, it is probable that this itinerary comprises a list of only the most important stations in their journeys--those where they formed prolonged encampments, and whence they dispersed their flocks and herds to pasture on the adjacent plains till the surrounding herbage was exhausted. The catalogue extends from their departure out of Egypt to their arrival on the plains of Moab.

went forth ... with their armies--that is, a vast multitude marshalled in separate companies, but regular order.

2. Moses wrote their goings out according to their journeys by the commandment of the Lord--The wisdom of this divine order is seen in the importance of the end to which it was subservient--namely, partly to establish the truth of the history, partly to preserve a memorial of God's marvellous interpositions on behalf of Israel, and partly to confirm their faith in the prospect of the difficult enterprise on which they were entering, the invasion of Canaan.

3. Rameses--generally identified with Heroopoils, now the modern Abu-Keisheid (see on Ex 12:37), which was probably the capital of Goshen, and, by direction of Moses, the place of general rendezvous previous to their departure.

4. upon their gods--used either according to Scripture phraseology to denote their rulers (the first-born of the king and his princes) or the idolatrous objects of Egyptian worship.

5. pitched in Succoth--that is, "booths"--a place of no note except as a temporary halting place, at Birketel-Hadji, the Pilgrim's Pool [Calmet].

6. Etham--edge, or border of all that part of Arabia-Petræa which lay contiguous to Egypt and was known by the general name of Shur.

7. Pi-hahiroth, Baal-zephon ... Migdol--(See on Ex 14:2).

8. Marah--thought to be Ain Howarah, both from its position and the time (three days) it would take them with their children and flocks to march from the water of Ayun Musa to that spot.

9. Elim--supposed to be Wady Ghurundel (see on Ex 15:27).

10. encamped by the Red Sea--The road from Wady Ghurundel leads into the interior, in consequence of a high continuous ridge which excludes all view of the sea. At the mouth of Wady-et-Tayibeh, after about three days' march, it opens again on a plain along the margin of the Red Sea. The minute accuracy of the Scripture narrative, in corresponding so exactly with the geographical features of this region, is remarkably shown in describing the Israelites as proceeding by the only practicable route that could be taken. This plain, where they encamped, was the Desert of Sin (see on Ex 16:1).

12-14. Dophkah ... Alush ... Rephidim--These three stations, in the great valleys of El Sheikh and Feiran, would be equivalent to four days' journey for such a host. Rephidim (Ex 17:6) was in Horeb, the burnt region--a generic name for a hot, mountainous country. [See on Ex 17:1.]

15. wilderness of Sinai--the Wady Er-Raheh.

Nu 33:16-56. From Sinai to Kadesh and Plains of Moab.

16-37. Kibroth-Hattaavah ("the graves of lust," see on Nu 11:34)--The route, on breaking up the encampment at Sinai, led down Wady Sheikh; then crossing Jebel-et-Tih, which intersected the peninsula, they descended into Wady Zalaka, pitching successively at two brief, though memorable, stations (De 9:22); then they encamped at Hazeroth ("unwalled villages"), supposed to be at Ain-Hadera (see on Nu 11:35). Kadesh, or Kadesh-barnea, is supposed to be the great valley of the Ghor, and the city Kadesh to have been situated on the border of this valley [Burckhardt; Robinson]. But as there are no less than eighteen stations inserted between Hazeroth and Kadesh, and only eleven days were spent in performing that journey (De 1:2), it is evident that the intermediate stations here recorded belong to another and totally different visit to Kadesh. The first was when they left Sinai in the second month (Nu 1:11; 13:20), and were in Kadesh in August (De 1:45), and "abode many days" in it. Then, murmuring at the report of the spies, they were commanded to return into the desert "by the way of the Red Sea." The arrival at Kadesh, mentioned in this catalogue, corresponds to the second sojourn at that place, being the first month, or April (Nu 20:1). Between the two visits there intervened a period of thirty-eight years, during which they wandered hither and thither through all the region of El-Tih ("wanderings"), often returning to the same spots as the pastoral necessities of their flocks required; and there is the strongest reason for believing that the stations named between Hazeroth (Nu 33:8) and Kadesh (Nu 33:36) belong to the long interval of wandering. No certainty has yet been attained in ascertaining the locale of many of these stations. There must have been more than are recorded; for it is probable that those only are noted where they remained some time, where the tabernacle was pitched, and where Moses and the elders encamped, the people being scattered for pasture in various directions. From Ezion-geber, for instance, which stood at the head of the gulf of Akaba, to Kadesh, could not be much less than the whole length of the great valley of the Ghor, a distance of not less than a hundred miles, whatever might be the exact situation of Kadesh; and, of course, there must have been several intervening stations, though none are mentioned. The incidents and stages of the rest of the journey to the plains of Moab are sufficiently explicit from the preceding chapters.

50-53. ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you--not, however, by expulsion, but extermination (De 7:1).

and destroy all their pictures--obelisks for idolatrous worship (see on Le 26:1).

and destroy all their molten images, and quite pluck down all their high places--by metonymy for all their groves and altars, and materials of worship on the tops of hills.

54. ye shall divide the land by lot--The particular locality of each tribe was to be determined in this manner while a line was to be used in measuring the proportion (Jos 18:10; Psa 16:5, 6).

55. But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you--No associations were to be formed with the inhabitants; otherwise, "if ye let remain, they will be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides"--that is, they would prove troublesome and dangerous neighbors, enticing to idolatry, and consequently depriving you of the divine favor and blessing. The neglect of the counsel against union with the idolatrous inhabitants became fatal to them. This earnest admonition given to the Israelites in their peculiar circumstances conveys a salutary lesson to us to allow no lurking habits of sin to remain in us. That spiritual enemy must be eradicated from our nature; otherwise it will be ruinous to our present peace and future salvation.

And Moses wrote their goings out according to their journeys - We may consider the whole book of Numbers as a diary, and indeed the first book of travels ever published. Dr. Shaw, Dr. Pococke, and several others, have endeavored to mark out the route of the Israelites, through this great, dreary, and trackless desert, and have ascertained many of the stages here described. Indeed there are sufficient evidences of this important journey still remaining, for the descriptions of many are so particular that the places are readily ascertained by them; but this is not the case with all. Israel was the Church of God in the wilderness, and its unsettled, wandering state under Moses may point out the unsettled state of religion under the law. Their being brought, after the death of Moses, into the promised rest by Joshua, may point out the establishment, fixedness, and certainty of that salvation provided by Jesus Christ, of whom Joshua, in name and conduct, was a remarkable type. Mr. Ainsworth imagines that the forty-two stations here enumerated, through which the Israelites were brought to the verge of the promised land, and afterwards taken over Jordan into the rest which God had promised, point out the forty-two generations from Abraham unto Christ, through whom the Savior of the world came, by whose blood we have an entrance into the holiest, and enjoy the inheritance among the saints in light. And Mr. Bromley, in his Way to the Sabbath of Rest, considers each name and place as descriptive of the spiritual state through which a soul passes in its way to the kingdom of God. But in cases of this kind fancy has much more to do than judgment.

From Rameses - This appears to have been the metropolis of the land of Goshen, and the place of rendezvous whence the whole Israelitish nation set out on their journey to the promised land; and is supposed to be the same as Cairo. See the notes on Exo 12:37.

Here Follow the Forty-Two Stations

Station 1.

And pitched in Succoth - This name signifies booths or tents, and probably refers to no town or village, but simply designates the place where they pitched their tents for the first time after their departure from Rameses.

Stat. 2.

Etham, which is in the edge of the wilderness - This place is not well known; Dr. Shaw supposes it to have been one mile from Cairo. Calmet thinks it is the city of Buthum mentioned by Herodotus, which he places in Arabia, on the frontiers of Egypt.

Stat. 3.

Pi-hahiroth - See on Exo 14:1 (note), and Exo 14:2 (note). Baal-zephon Calmet supposes to be the Clysma of the Greeks, and the Kolzum of the Arabians.

Stat. 4.

And went three days' journey in the wilderness of Etham - Called the wilderness of Shur, Exo 15:22.

And pitched in Marah - Dr. Shaw supposes this place to be at Sedur, over against the valley of Baideah, on the opposite side of the Red Sea.

Stat. 5.

And came unto Elim - A place on the skirts of the deserts of Sin, two leagues from Tor, and nearly thirty from Corondel, a large bay on the east side of the Red Sea. Dr. Shaw, when he visited this place, found but nine of the twelve wells mentioned in the text, and instead of 70 palm trees, he found upwards of 2,000. See on Exo 15:27 (note).

Stat. 6.

Encamped by the Red Sea - It is difficult to assign the place of this encampment, as the Israelites were now on their way to Mount Sinai, which lay considerably to the east of Elim, and consequently farther from the sea than the former station. It might be called by the Red Sea, as the Israelites had it, as the principal object, still in view. This station however is mentioned nowhere else. By the Red Sea we are not to understand a sea, the waters of which are red, or the sand red, or any thing else about or in it red; for nothing of this kind appears. It is called in Hebrew ים סוף yam suph, which signifies the weedy sea. The Septuagint rendered the original by θαλασσα εραθρα, and the Vulgate after it by mare rubrum, and the European versions followed these, and, in opposition to etymology and reason, translated it the Red Sea. See the note on Exo 10:19.

Stat. 7.

The wilderness of Sin - This lies between Elim and Mount Sinai. Dr. Shaw and his companions traversed these plains in nine hours.

Stat. 8.

Dophkah - This place is not mentioned in Exodus and its situation is not known.

Stat. 9.

Alush - Neither is this mentioned in Exodus and its situation is equally unknown.

Stat. 10.

Rephidim - Remarkable for the rebellion of the Israelites against Moses, because of the want of water, Exodus 17.

Stat. 11.

The wilderness of Sinai - Somewhere northward of Mount Sinai, on the straight road to the promised land, to which they now directed their course.

Stat. 12.

Kibroth-hattaavah - No city, village, etc., but a place in the open desert, which had its name from the plague that fell upon the Israelites, through their murmuring against God, and their inordinate desire of flesh. See on Numbers 11 (note). But it appears that the Israelites had traveled three days' journey in order to reach this place, Num 10:33, and commentators suppose there must have been other stations which are not laid down here, probably because the places were not remarkable.

Stat. 13.

Hazeroth - This place Dr. Shaw computes to have been about thirty miles distant from Mount Sinai.

Stat. 14.

Rithmah - This place lay somewhere in the wilderness of Paran, through which the Israelites were now passing. See Num 13:1, Num 13:3. The name signifies the juniper tree; and the place probably had its name from the great number of those trees growing in that district.

Stat. 15.

Rimmon-parez - Unknown.

Stat. 16.

Libnah - The situation of this place is uncertain. A city of this name is mentioned Jos 10:29, as situated between Kadesh-barnea and Gaza.

Stat. 17.

Bissah - A place mentioned nowhere else in the sacred writings. Its situation utterly uncertain.

Stat. 18.

Kehelathah - Utterly unknown; though some conjecture that it might have been the place called Keilah, 1Sam 23:1, etc., but this is unlikely.

Stat. 19.

Shapher - Where this mountain lay cannot be determined.

Stat. 20.

Haradah - Unknown, Calmet supposes that it may be the place called Bered, Gen 16:14, which was in the vicinity of Kadesh.

Stat. 21.

Makheloth - A name found nowhere else in Scripture.

Stat. 22.

Tahath - Unknown.

Stat. 23.

Tarah - Also unknown.

Stat. 24.

Mithcah - Calmet conjectures that this may be Mocha, a city in Arabia Petraea.

Stat. 25.

Hashmonah - Supposed by some to be the same as Azmon, Num 34:4.

Stat. 26.

Moseroth - Situation unknown. In Deu 10:6 it is said that the Israelites took their journey from Beeroth, the wells of the children of Jaakan, to Mosera, and there Aaron died. If so, Mosera, Moseroth, and Hor, must be different names of the same place; or Moseroth, or Mosera, must have been some town or village near Mount Hor, for there Aaron died. See Num 33:38.

Stat. 27.

Bene-jaakan - Unknown. The sons of Jaakan. See the preceding verse, Num 33:30 (note).

Stat. 28.

Hor-hagidgad - The hole or pit of Gidgad. Unknown. It was a place perhaps remarkable for some vast pit or cavern, from which it took its name.

Stat. 29.

Jotrathah - Situation unknown. It is said in Deu 10:7 to be a land of rivers of waters.

Stat. 30.

Ebronah - Nowhere else mentioned. Stat. 31.

Ezion-gaber - Dr. Shaw places this port on the western coast of the Elantic gulf of the Red Sea. It is now called Meenah el Dsahab, or the golden port, by the Arabs; because it was from this place that Solomon sent his ships for gold to Ophir, 1Kgs 9:26. He supposes it to be about sixty miles distant from Mount Sinai - Travels, p. 322, 4th. edition.

Stat. 32.

Zin, which is Kadesh - A place remarkable for the death of Miriam the prophetess, and bringing water out of the rock. As this place was on the borders of Edom, the Israelites, being denied permission to pass through their land, which lay on the direct road to the promised land, were obliged to turn to the right to Mount Hor, now called Accaba by the Arabs.

Stat. 33.

Hor - Famous for the death of Aaron. See on Numbers 20 (note). Perhaps Moseroth or Mosera, Num 33:30 (note), was a village near this mountain.

Stat. 34.

Zalmonah - Probably in the neighborhood of the land of Edom. As צלם tselem signifies an image, this place probably had its name from the brazen serpent set up by Moses. See Num 21:9 (note), etc. From the same root the word telesm, corruptly called talisman, which signifies a consecrated image, is derived.

Stat. 35.

Punon - A place in Idumea. Nowhere else mentioned.

Stat. 36.

Oboth - Mentioned before, Num 21:10.

Stat. 37.

Ije-abarim - The heaps of Abarim. See Num 21:11. Situation uncertain. It is called Iim in the following verse. As the word signifies heaps or protuberances, it probably means tumuil or small hills near some of the fords of Jordan.

Stat. 38.

Dibon-gad - Supposed to be the same as Dibon, Num 32:34, and to be situated on the brook Arnon.

Stat. 39.

Almon-diblathaim - Situation not known. It belonged to the Moabites in the time of the prophet Jeremiah. Jer 48:22.

Stat. 40.

Mountains of Abarim, before Nebo - The mountain on which Moses died. They came to this place after the overthrow of the Amorites. See Numbers 21.

Stat. 41.

The Plains of Moab - This was the scene of the transactions between Balaam and Balak; see Numbers 23, 24, 25.

Stat. 42.

From Beth-jesimoth even unto Abel-shittim - The former of these places fell to the Reubenites, Jos 13:15-20. The Israelites were now come to the edge of Jordan, over against Jericho, where they afterwards passed.

For further information on the subject of these different encampments, the reader is requested to refer to the extracts from Dr. Shaw at the end of the book of Exodus.

Ye shall - destroy all their pictures - משכיתם maskiyotham, from שחה sachah, to be like, or resemble, either pictures, carved work, or embroidery, as far as these things were employed to exhibit the abominations of idolatry. Molten images צלמי מסכתם tsalmey massechotham, metallic talismanical figures, made under certain constellations, and supposed in consequence to be possessed of some extraordinary influences and virtues.

Shall be pricks in your eyes - Under these metaphors, the continual mischief that should be done to them, both in soul and body, by these idolaters, is set forth in a very expressive manner. What can be more vexatious than a continual goading of each side, so that the attempt to avoid the one throws the body more forcibly on the other? And what can be more distressing than a continual pricking in the eye, harassing the mind, tormenting the body, and extinguishing the sight?

1. It has been usual among pious men to consider these Canaanites remaining in the land, as emblems of indwelling sin; and it must be granted that what those remaining Canaanites were to the people of Israel, who were disobedient to God, such is indwelling sin to all those who will not have the blood of the covenant to cleanse them from all unrighteousness. For a time, while conscience is tender, such persons feel themselves straitened in all their goings, hindered in all their religious services, and distressed beyond measure because of the law - the authority and power of sin, which they find warring in their members: by and by the eye of their mind becomes obscured by the constant piercings of sin, till at last, fatally persuaded that sin must dwell in them as long as they live, they accommodate their minds to their situation, their consciences cease to be tender, and they content themselves with expecting redemption where and when it has never been promised, viz., beyond the grave! On the subject of the journeyings of the Israelites, the following observations from old Mr. Ainsworth cannot fail to interest the reader.

2. "The Travels of Israel through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water, Deu 8:15, which was a land of deserts, and of pits, a land of drought, and of the shadow of death, a land that no man passed through, and where no man dwelt, Jer 2:6, signified the many troubles and afflictions through which we must enter into the kingdom of God, Act 14:22. The helps, comforts, and deliverances which God gave unto his people in their distresses, are examples of his love and mercy towards his followers; for he comforts them in all their tribulation, that as the sufferings of Christ abound in them, so their consolation also abounds in Christ, 2Cor 1:5. The punishments which God inflicted upon the disobedient, who perished in the wilderness for their sins, happened unto them for ensamples, and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come, 1Cor 10:1, 1Cor 10:11; Heb 3:17, Heb 3:18, Heb 3:19; Heb 4:1, Heb 4:2. By the names of their encamping places, and histories adjoined, it appears how Israel came sometimes into straits and troublesome ways, as at Pihahiroth, Exo 14:2, Exo 14:3, Exo 14:10, etc.; and at Zalmonah, Num 2:1, Num 2:4, etc.; sometimes into large and ample room, as at the plains of Moab; sometimes to places of hunger and thirst, as at Rephidim and Kadesh, Exodus 16, 17; Numbers 20; sometimes to places of refreshing, as at Elim and Beer, Exo 15:27; Num 21:16; sometimes where they had wars, as at Rephidim, Kadesh, Edrei, Exo 17:8; Num 21:1, Num 21:33; sometimes where they had rest, as at Mount Sinai: sometimes they went right forward, as from Sinai to Kadesh-barnea; sometimes they turned backward, as from Kadesh-barnea to the Red Sea: sometimes they came to mountains, as Sinai, Shapher, Hor-Gidgad; sometimes to valleys, as Tahath, etc.; sometimes to places of bitterness, as Marah; sometimes, of sweetness, as Mithcah.

3. "The Sins which they committed in the wilderness were many and great; as open Idolatry by the calf, at Horeb, Exodus 32, and with Baal-peor, Numbers 25. Unbelief, at Kadesh, Numbers 14; and afterwards Presumptuous Boldness in the same place; Murmuring against God sundry times, with tempting of Christ, (as the apostle speaks, 1 Corinthians 15). Contention and Rebellion against their governors often; lusting for flesh to fill their appetites, and loathing manna, the heavenly food; Whoredom with the daughters of Moab, and many other provocations; so that this complaint is after made of them, How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert! Psa 78:40. All sorts of persons sinned against God; the multitude of people very often; the mixed multitude of strangers among them, Numbers 11. The princes, as the ten spies, Dathan, Abiram, etc. The Levites, as Korah and his company; Miriam the prophetess, Numbers 12; Aaron the priest with her, besides his sin at Horeb, Exodus 32; and at the water of Meribah, Numbers 20. Moses also himself at the same place, for which he was excluded from the land of Canaan.

4. "The Punishments laid on them by the Lord for their disobedience were many. They died by the sword of the enemy, as of the Amalekites, Exodus 17, and of the Canaanites, Num 14:45; and some by the sword of their brethren, Exodus 32. Some were burned with fire, Numbers 11, 16; some died with surfeit, Numbers 11; some were swallowed up alive in the earth, Numbers 16; some were killed with serpents, Numbers 21; many died of the pestilence, Num 16:46, and Num 5:25; and generally all that generation which were first mustered, after their coming out of Egypt, perished, Num 26:64, Num 26:65. God consumed their days in vanity, and their years in terror, Psa 78:33.

5. "Nevertheless, for his name's sake, he magnified his Mercies unto them and their posterity. He had divided the sea, and led them through on dry land, drowning their enemies, Exodus 14. He led them with a cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night, continually. He gave them manna from heaven daily. He clave the rock, and gave them water for their thirst. He fed them with quails, when they longed for flesh. He sweetened the bitter waters. He saved them from the sword of their enemies. He delivered them from the fiery serpents and scorpions. Their raiment waxed not old upon them, neither did their foot swell for forty years, Deu 8:4. He delivered them from the intended curse of Balaam, and turned it into a blessing, because he loved them, Numbers 22; Deu 23:5. He came down from Mount Sinai, and spake with them from heaven, and gave them right judgments and true laws, good statutes and commandments, and gave also his good Spirit to instruct them, Neh 9:13, Neh 9:20. In the times of his wrath he remembered mercy; his eye spared them from destroying them, neither did he make an end of them in the wilderness, Eze 20:17, Eze 20:22. He gave them kingdoms and nations, and they possessed the lands of their enemies; and he multiplied their children as the stars of heaven, and brought them into the land promised unto their forefathers. Neh 9:22, Neh 9:23. Now whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we, through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope, Rom 15:4." Let him that readeth understand."

And Moses wrote their goings out - When they set out, God ordered him to keep a journal of all the remarkable occurrences in the way, that it might be a satisfaction to himself and an instruction to others. It may be of use to Christians, to preserve an account of the providences of God concerning them, the constant series of mercies they have experienced, and especially those turns which have made some days of their lives more remarkable.

On their gods - Their false gods, namely those beasts which the brutish Egyptians worshipped as gods, which were killed with the rest, for the first - born both of men and beasts were then killed. Probably their images likewise were thrown down, as Dagon afterward before the ark.

By the Red - sea - By another part of that sea which they passed over.

Shittim - The place where the people sinned in the matter of Peor, is here called Abel - Shittim - Abel signifies mourning; and probably this place was so called, from the mourning of Israel for that sin, and the heavy punishment inflicted on the sinners.

Drive out - Not by banishing, but by destroying them. Pictures - Which seem to have been stones curiously engraven, and set up for worship. High Places - Chapels, altars, groves, or other means of worship there set up.

1 THese are the journeys of the children of Israel, which went forth out of the land of Egypt, with their armies , under the hand of Moses and Aaron.

(i. e.) In great number and exact order, as armies march, and they did, Exod. 12. 37, 38, and 13. 18.

2 And Moses wrote their goings out according to their journeys, by the commandment of the LORD : and these are their journeys, according to their goings out.

Who would have this done, partly to evince the truth of the history, partly to preserve the remembrance of Gods glorious and miraculous works both of judgment and mercy towards his people, and thereby to confirm their faith in their present difficult undertaking.

3 And they departed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month: on the morrow after the passover the children of Israel went out with an high hand, in the sight of all the Egyptians .

Whither they all repaired by Moses his order from all parts of the land.

See Exod. 14. 8. Numb. 15. 30.

Marginal references: Exod. 12. 37.; Exod. 14. 8.

4 (For the Egyptians buried all their first-born, which the LORD had smitten among them: upon their gods also the LORD executed judgment.)

Either 1. their princes and rulers, who are sometimes called gods in Scripture; and so this is added by way of amplification, God flew their first-born, not onely of the meaner sort, but even of their King and princes. Or 2. their falsegods, to wit, those beasts, which the brutish Egyptians worshipped as Gods, which were killed with the rest, for the first-born both of men and beasts were then killed, Exod. 13. 15. See more on Exod. 12. 12. and 18. 11.

Marginal references: Exod. 12. [illegible: 1 word] ▪; Exod. 12. [illegible: 1 word] ▪ & 18. 11. Isa. 21. 9. & 19. 1.

10 And they removed from Elim, and encamped by the Red-sea .

(i. e.) By another part of that Sea which they passed over.

18 And they departed from Hazeroth, and pitched in Rithmah .

A place in the wilderness of Paran, near Kadesh-barnea.

31 And they departed from Moseroth, and pitched in Bene-jaakan .

Called more [illegible: 1 word] meroth-bene-jaacan, Deut. 10. [illegible: 1+ letters].

32 And they removed from Bene-jaakan, and encamped at Hor-hagidgad .

Called Gudgodah, as Iotbathah is called Iotbath, Deut. 10. 7.

Marginal references: See Gen. 36. 27. Deut. 10. 6. 1 Chro. 1. 42.; Deut. 10. 7.

35 And they departed from Ebronah, and encamped at Ezion-gaber .

A place upon the Red-sea, as appears from 1 King. 9. 26. and 22. 48.

45 And they departed from Iim , and pitched in Dibon-gad .

Rather, Ijim i. e. the heaps, as the word signifies, even the heaps of Abarim, last mentioned, the Hebrew word is the same with Ije, ver. 44. onely there it is in the construed, and here in the absolute, form.

So called partly by way of distinction of this from another Dibon, in the portion of Reuben, Ios. 13. 17. and partly because it was rebuilt by the tribe of Gad.

Marginal references: chap. 21. 11.

47 And they removed from Almon-diblathaim, and pitched in the mountains of Abarim, before Nebo .

Of which see Numb. 27. 12. Deut. 32. 49, 50. and 34. 1.

49 And they pitched by Jordan from Beth-jesimoth, even unto Abel-Shittim , in the plains of Moab.

Called Sittim, Numb. 25. 1. and here Abel-sittim, for the grievous mourning which there was both for the hainous crimes committed and horrible judgments their inflicted.

Marginal references: Or, the plain of Shittim.; chap. 25. 1.

52 Then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their pictures , and destroy all their molten images , and quite pluck down all their high places .

Not by banishing, but by destroying, them, as it is explained, Deut. 7. 1, 2. and elsewhere.

Which seem to have been stones curiously ingraven and set up for worship. See Deut. 16. 22.

See Exod. 23. 24, 32. Deut. 7. 5.

(i. e.) by a Metonymy, the Chapp[illegible: 1+ letters] ▪ Altars, Groves, or other means of wor[illegible: 1+ letters]hip there set up▪ [illegible: 1+ letters]or [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1+ letters]ills themselves could not be destroyed by them. See on Deut. [illegible: 1+ letters]2. 2.

Marginal references: Deut. 7. 2. Josh. 11. 12.; Exod. 34. 13.

55 But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them, shall be pricks in your eyes t, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell.

s (i. e.) Both vexatious and pernicious, for the eye is a tender part, and a wound there is very mischievous.

Marginal references: Josh. 23. 13. Judg. 2. 3.

Num 33:1-15

The first and second verses form the heading: “These are the marches of the children of Israel, which they marched out,” i.e., the marches which they made from one place to another, on going out of Egypt. מסּע does not mean a station, but the breaking up of a camp, and then a train, or march (see at Exo 12:37, and Gen 13:3). לצבאתם (see Exo 7:4). בּיד, under the guidance, as in Num 4:28, and Exo 38:21. למסעיהם מוצאיהם, “their goings out (properly, their places of departure) according to their marches,” is really equivalent to the clause which follows: “their marches according to their places of departure.” The march of the people is not described by the stations, or places of encampment, but by the particular spots from which they set out. Hence the constant repetition of the word ויּסעוּ, “and they broke up.” In Num 33:3-5, the departure is described according to Exo 12:17, Exo 12:37-41. On the judgments of Jehovah upon the gods of Egypt, see at Exo 12:12. “With an high hand:” as in Exo 14:8. - The places of encampment from Succoth to the desert of Sinai (Num 33:5-15) agree with those in the historical account, except that the stations at the Red Sea (Num 33:10) and those at Dophkah and Alush (Num 33:13 and Num 33:14) are passed over there. For Raemses, see at Exo 12:37. Succoth and Etham (Exo 13:20). Pihahiroth (Exo 14:2). “The wilderness” (Num 33:8) is the desert of Shur, according to Exo 15:22. Marah, see Exo 15:23. Elim (Exo 15:27). For the Red Sea and the wilderness of Sin, see Exo 16:1. For Dophkah, Alush, and Rephidim, see Exo 17:1; and for the wilderness of Sinai, Exo 19:2.

Numbers 33:16-35

In vv. 16-36 there follow twenty-one names of places where the Israelites encamped from the time that they left the wilderness of Sinai till they encamped in the wilderness of Zin, i.e., Kadesh. The description of the latter as “the wilderness of Zin, which is Kadesh,” which agrees almost word for word with Num 20:1, and still more the agreement of the places mentioned in Num 33:37-49, as the encampments of Israel after leaving Kadesh till their arrival in the steppes of Moab, with the march of the people in the fortieth year as described in Num 20:22-22:1, put it beyond all doubt that the encampment in the wilderness of Zin, i.e., Kadesh (Num 33:36), is to be understood as referring to the second arrival in Kadesh after the expiration of the thirty-eight years of wandering in the desert to which the congregation had been condemned. Consequently the twenty-one names in vv. 16-36 contain not only the places of encampment at which the Israelites encamped in the second year of their march from Sinai to the desert of Paran at Kadesh, whence the spies were despatched into Canaan, but also those in which they encamped for a longer period during the thirty-eight years of punishment in the wilderness. This view is still further confirmed by the fact that the two first of the stations named after the departure from the wilderness of Sinai, viz., Kibroth-hattaavah and Hazeroth, agree with those named in the historical account in Num 11:34 and Num 11:35. Now if, according to Num 12:16, when the people left Hazeroth, they encamped in the desert of Paran, and despatched the spies thence out of the desert of Zin (Num 13:21), who returned to the congregation after forty days “into the desert of Paran to Kadesh” (Num 13:26), it is as natural as it well can be to seek for this place of encampment in the desert of Paran or Zin at Kadesh under the name of Rithmah, which follows Hazeroth in the present list (Num 33:18). This natural supposition reaches the highest degree of probability, from the fact that, in the historical account, the place of encampment, from which the sending out of the spies took place, is described in so indefinite a manner as the “desert of Paran,” since this name does not belong to a small desert, just capable of holding the camp of the Israelites, but embraces the whole of the large desert plateau which stretches from the central mountains of Horeb in the south to the mountains of the Amorites, which really form part of Canaan, and contains no less than 400 (? 10,000 English) square miles. In this desert the Israelites could only pitch their camp in one particular spot, which is called Rithmah in the list before us; whereas in the historical account the passage is described, according to what the Israelites performed and experienced in this encampment, as near to the southern border of Canaan, and is thus pointed out with sufficient clearness for the purpose of the historical account. To this we may add the coincidence of the name Rithmah with the Wady Abu Retemat, which is not very far to the south of Kadesh, “a wide plain with shrubs and retem,” i.e., broom (Robinson, i. p. 279), in the neighbourhood of which, and behind the chalk formation which bounds it towards the east, there is a copious spring of sweet water called Ain el Kudeirât. This spot was well adapted for a place of encampment for Israel, which was so numerous that it might easily stretch into the desert of Zin, and as far as Kadesh.

The seventeen places of encampment, therefore, that are mentioned in vv. 19-36 between Rithmah and Kadesh, are the places at which Israel set up in the desert, from their return from Kadesh into the “desert of the way to the Red Sea” (Num 14:25), till the reassembling of the whole congregation in the desert of Zin at Kadesh (Num 20:1).The different hypotheses for reducing the journey of the Israelites to a few years, have been refuted by Kurtz (iii. §41) in the most conclusive manner possible, and in some respects more elaborately than was actually necessary. Nevertheless Knobel has made a fresh attempt, in the interest of his fragmentary hypothesis, to explain the twenty-one places of encampment given in vv. 16-37 as twenty-one marches made by Israel from Sinai till their first arrival at Kadesh. As the whole distance from Sinai to Kadesh by the straight road through the desert consists of only an eleven days’ journey,Knobel endeavours to bring his twenty-one marches into harmony with this statement, by reckoning only five hours to each march, and postulating a few detours in addition, in which the people occupied about a hundred hours or more. The objection which might be raised to this, namely, that the Israelites made much longer marches than these on their way from Egypt to Sinai, he tries to set aside by supposing that the Israelites left their flocks behind them in Egypt, and procured fresh ones from the Bedouins at Sinai. But this assertion is so arbitrary and baseless an idea, that it is not worth while to waste a single word upon the subject (see Exo 12:38). The reduction of the places of encampment to simple marches is proved to be at variance with the text by the express statement in Num 10:33, that when the Israelites left the wilderness of Sinai they went a three days’ journey, until the cloud showed them a resting-place. For it is perfectly evydent from this, that the march from one place to another cannot be understood without further ground as being simply a day’s march of five hours.

Of all the seventeen places not a single one is known, or can be pointed out with certainty, except Eziongeber. Only the four mentioned in Num 33:30-33, Moseroth, Bene-Jaakan, Hor-hagidgad, and Jotbathah, are referred to again, viz., in Deu 10:6-7, where Moses refers to the divine protection enjoyed by the Israelites in their wandering in the desert, in these words: “And the children of Israel took their journey from Beeroth-bene-Jaakan to Mosera; there Aaron died, and there he was buried.... From thence they journeyed unto Gudgodah, and from Gudgodah to Jotbathah, a land of water-brooks.” Of the identity of the places mentioned in the two passages there can be no doubt whatever. Bene Jaakan is simply an abbreviation of Beeroth-bene-Jaakan, wells of the children of Jaakan. Now if the children of Jaakan were the same as the Horite family of Kanan mentioned in Gen 36:27, - and the reading יעקן for ועקן in 1Ch 1:42 seems to favour this-the wells of Jaakan would have to be sought for on the mountains that bound the Arabah on either the east or west.Gudgodah is only a slightly altered and abbreviated form of Hor-hagidgad, the cave of Gidgad or Gudgodah; and lastly, Moseroth is simply the plural form of Mosera. But notwithstanding the identity of these four places, the two passages relate to different journeys. Deu 10:6 and Deu 10:7 refers to the march in the fortieth year, when the Israelites went from Kadesh through the Wady Murreh into the Arabah to Mount Hor, and encamped in the Arabah first of all at the wells of the children, and then at Mosera, where Aaron died upon Mount Hor, which was in the neighbourhood, and whence they travelled still farther southwards to Gudgodah and Jotbathah. In the historical account in Num 20 and 21 the three places of encampment, Bene-Jaakan, Gudgodah, and Jotbathah, are not mentioned, because nothing worthy of note occurred there. Gudgodah was perhaps the place of encampment mentioned in Num 21:4, the name of which is not given, where the people were punished with fiery serpents; and Jotbathah is probably to be placed before Zalmonah (Num 33:41). The clause, “a land of water-brooks” (Deu 10:7), points to a spot in or near the southern part of the Arabah, where some wady, or valley with a stream flowing through it, opened into the Arabah from either the eastern or western mountains, and formed a green oasis through its copious supply of water in the midst of the arid steppe. But the Israelites had encamped at the very same places once before, namely, during their thirty-seven years of wandering, in which the people, after returning from Kadesh to the Red Sea through the centre of the great desert of et Tih, after wandering about for some time in the broad desert plateau, went through the Wady el Jerafeh into the Arabah as far as the eastern border of it on the slopes of Mount Hor, and there encamped at Mosera (Moseroth) somewhere near Ain et Taiyibeh (on Robinson's map), and then crossed over to Bene-Jaakan, which was probably on the western border of the Arabah, somewhere near Ain el Ghamr (Robinson), and then turning southwards passed along the Wady el Jeib by Hor-gidgad (Gudgodah), Jotbathah, and Abronah to Eziongeber on the Red Sea; for there can be no doubt whatever that the Eziongeber in Num 33:35, Num 33:36, and that in Deu 2:8, are one and the same town, viz., the well-known port at the northern extremity of the Elanitic Gulf, where the Israelites in the time of Solomon and Jehoshaphat built a fleet to sail to Ophir (1Ki 9:26; 1Ki 22:49). It was not far from Elath (i.e., Akaba), and is supposed to have been “the large and beautiful town of Asziun,” which formerly stood, according to Makrizi, near to Aila, where there were many dates, fields, and fruit-trees, though it has now long since entirely disappeared.

Consequently the Israelites passed twice through a portion of the Arabah in a southerly direction towards the Red Sea, the second time from Wady Murreh by Mount Hor, to go round the land of Edom, not quite to the head of the gulf, but only to the Wady el Ithm, through which they crossed to the eastern side of Edomitis; the first time during the thirty-seven years of wandering from Wady el Jerafeh to Moseroth and Bene Jaakan, and thence to Eziongeber.

Num 33:36

“And they removed from Eziongeber, and encamped in the desert of Zin, that is Kadesh:” the return to Kadesh towards the end of the thirty-ninth year is referred to here. The fact that no places of encampment are given between Eziongeber and Kadesh, is not to be attributed to the “plan of the author, to avoid mentioning the same places of encampment a second time,” for any such plan is a mere conjecture; but it may be simply and perfectly explained from the fact, that on this return route-which the whole of the people, with their wives, children, and flocks, could accomplish without any very great exertion in ten or fourteen days, as the distance from Aila to Kadesh through the desert of Paran is only about a forty hours’ journey upon camels, and Robinson travelled from Akabah to the Wady Retemath, near Kadesh, in four days and a half-no formal camp was pitched at all, probably because the time of penal wandering came to an end at Eziongeber, and the time had arrived when the congregation was to assemble again at Kadesh, and set out thence upon its journey to Canaan. - Hence the eleven names given in Num 33:19-30, between Rithmah and Moseroth, can only refer to those stations at which the congregation pitched their camp for a longer or shorter period during the thirty-seven years of punishment, on their slow return from Kadesh to the Red Sea, and previous to their entering the Arabah and encamping at Moseroth.

This number of stations, which is very small for thirty-seven years (only seventeen from Rithmah or Kadesh to Eziongeber), is a sufficient proof that the congregation of Israel was not constantly wandering about during the whole of that time, but may have remained in many of the places of encampment, probably those which furnished an abundant supply of water and pasturage, not only for weeks and months, but even for years, the people scattering themselves in all directions round about the place where the tabernacle was set up, and making use of such means of support as the desert afforded, and assembling together again when this was all gone, for the purpose of travelling farther and seeking somewhere else a suitable spot for a fresh encampment. Moreover, the words of Deu 1:46, “ye abode in Kadesh many days,” when compared with Num 2:1, “then we turned, and took our journey into the wilderness of the way to the Red Sea,” show most distinctly, that after the sentence passed upon the people in Kadesh (Num 14), they did not begin to travel back at once, but remained for a considerable time in Kadesh before going southwards into the desert.

With regard to the direction which they took, all that can be said, so long as none of the places of encampment mentioned in Num 33:19-29 are discovered, is that they made their way by a very circuitous route, and with many a wide detour, to Eziongeber, on the Red Sea.We agree so far, therefore, with the vie adopted by Fries, and followed by Kurtz (History of Old Covenant, iii. 306-7) and Schultz (Deut. pp. 153-4), that we regard the stations given in vv. 19-35, between Rithmah and Eziongeber, as referring to the journeys of Israel, after its condemnation in Kadesh, during the thirty-seven years of its wandering about in the desert. But we do not regard the view which these writers have formed of the marches themselves as being well founded, or in accordance with the text, - namely, that the people of Israel did not really come a second time in full procession from the south to Kadesh, but that they had never left Kadesh entirely, inasmuch as then the nation was rejected in Kadesh, the people divided themselves into larger and smaller groups, and that portion which was estranged from Moses, or rather from the Lord, remained in Kadesh even after the rest were scattered about; so that, in a certain sense, Kadesh formed the standing encampment and meeting-place of the congregation even during the thirty-seven years. According to this view, the removals and encampments mentioned in vv. 9-36 do not describe the marches of the whole nation, but are to be understood as the circuit made by the headquarters during the thirty-seven years, with Moses at the head and the sanctuary in the midst (Kurtz), or else as showing “that Moses and Aaron, with the sanctuary and the tribe of Levi, altered their resting-place, say from year to year, thus securing to every part of the nation in turn the nearness of the sanctuary, in accordance with the signals appointed by God (Num 10:11-12), and thus passed over the space between Kadesh and Eziongeber within the first eighteen years, and then, by a similar change of place, gradually drew near to Kadesh during the remaining eighteen or nineteen years, and at length in the last year summoned the whole nation (all the congregation) to assemble together at this meeting-place.” Now we cannot admit that in this view “we find all the different and scattered statements of the Pentateuch explained and rendered intelligible.” In the first place, it does not do justice even to the list of stations; for if the constantly repeated expression, “and they (the children of Israel, Num 33:1) removed...and encamped,” denotes the removal and encamping of the whole congregation in vv. 3-18 and Num 33:37-49, it is certainly at variance with the text to explain the same words in vv. 19-36 as signifying the removal and encamping of the headquarters only, or of Moses, with Aaron and the Levites, and the tabernacle. Again, in all the laws that were given and the events that are described as occurring between the first halt of the congregation in Kadesh (Num 13 and 14) and their return thither at the commencement of the fortieth year (Num 20), the presence of the whole congregation is taken for granted. The sacrificial laws in Num 15, which Moses was to address to the children of Israel (Num 15:1), were given to “the whole congregation” (cf. Num 33:24, Num 33:25, Num 33:26). The man who gathered wood on the Sabbath was taken out of the camp and stoned by “all the congregation” (Num 15:36). “All the congregation” took part in the rebellion of the company of Korah (Num 16:19; Num 17:6, Num 18:8.). It is true this occurrence is supposed by Kurtz to have taken place “during the halt in Kadesh,” but the reasons given are by no means conclusive (p. 105). Besides, if we assign everything that is related in Num 15-19 to the time when the whole congregation abode in Kadesh, this deprives the hypothesis of its chief support in Deu 1:46, “and ye abode in Kadesh a long time, according to the days that he abode.” For in that case the long abode in Kadesh would include the period of the laws and incidents recorded in Num 15-19, and yet, after all, “the whole congregation” went away. In no case, in fact, can the words be understood as signifying that a portion of the nation remained there during the thirty-seven years. Nor can this be inferred in any way from the fact that their departure is not expressly mentioned; for, at all events, the statement in Num 20:1, “and the children of Israel, the whole congregation, came into the desert of Zin,” presupposes that they had gone away. And the “inconceivable idea, that in the last year of their wanderings, when it was their express intention to cross the Jordan and enter Canaan from the east, they should have gone up from Eziongeber to the southern boundary of Canaan, which they had left thirty-seven years before, merely to come back again to the neighbourhood of Eziongeber, after failing in their negotiations with the king of Edom, which they might have carried on from some place much farther south, and to take the road from that point to the country on the east of the Jordan after all” (Fries), loses all the surprising character which it apparently has, if we only give up the assumption upon which it is founded, but which has no support whatever in the biblical history, viz., that during the thirty-seven years of their wandering in the desert, Moses was acquainted with the fact that the Israelites were to enter Canaan from the east, or at any rate that he had formed this plan for some time. If, on the contrary, when the Lord rejected the murmuring nation (Num 14:26), He decided nothing with reference to the way by which the generation that would grow up in the desert was to enter Canaan, - and it was not till after the return to Kadesh that Moses was informed by God that they were to advance into Canaan from the east and not from the south, - it was perfectly natural that when the time of punishment had expired, the Israelites should assemble in Kadesh again, and start from that point upon their journey onward.

Num 33:37-49

The places of encampment on the journey of the fortieth year from Kadesh to Mount Hor, and round Edom and Moab into the steppes of Moab, have been discussed at Num 20 and 21. On Mount Hor, and Aaron’s death there, see at Num 20:22. For the remark in Num 33:40 concerning the Canaanites of Arad, see at Num 21:1. On Zalmonah, Phunon, andOboth, see at Num 21:10; on Ijje Abarim, at Num 21:11; on Dibon Gad, Almon Diblathaim, and the mountains of Abarim, before Nebo, Num 21:16-20. On Arboth Moab, see Num 22:1.

INSTRUCTIONS CONCERNING THE CONQUEST AND DISTRIBUTION OF CANAAN. — CHAP. XXXIII. 60-CHAP. XXXVI. 13.

These instructions, with which the eyes of the Israelites were directed to the end of all their wandering, viz., the possession of the promised land, are arranged in two sections by longer introductory formulas (Num 33:50 and Num 35:1). The former contains the divine commands (a) with regard to the extermination of the Canaanites and their idolatry, and the division of the land among the tribes of Israel (Num 33:50-56); (b) concerning the boundaries of Canaan (Num 34:1-15); (c) concerning the men who were to divide the land (Num 34:16-29). The second contains commands (a) respecting the towns to be given up to the Levites (Num 35:1-8); (b) as to the setting apart of cities of refuge for unintentional manslayers, and the course to be adopted in relation to such manslayers (Num 35:9-34); and (c) a law concerning the marrying of heiresses within their own tribes (Num 36:1-13). - The careful dovetailing of all these legal regulations by separate introductory formulas, is a distinct proof that the section Num 33:50-56 is not to be regarded, as Baumgarten, Knobel, and others suppose, in accordance with the traditional division of the chapters, as an appendix or admonitory conclusion to the list of stations, but as the general legal foundation for the more minute instructions in Num 34-36.

Num 33:50-56

Command to Exterminate the Canaanites, and Divide their Land among the Families of Israel.

Encampments of the Israelites. (b. c. 1452.)

1 These are the journeys of the children of Israel, which went forth out of the land of Egypt with their armies under the hand of Moses and Aaron. 2 And Moses wrote their goings out according to their journeys by the commandment of the Lord : and these are their journeys according to their goings out. 3 And they departed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the morrow after the passover the children of Israel went out with an high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians. 4 For the Egyptians buried all their firstborn, which the Lord had smitten among them: upon their gods also the Lord executed judgments. 5 And the children of Israel removed from Rameses, and pitched in Succoth. 6 And they departed from Succoth, and pitched in Etham, which is in the edge of the wilderness. 7 And they removed from Etham, and turned again unto Pi-hahiroth, which is before Baal-zephon: and they pitched before Migdol. 8 And they departed from before Pi-hahiroth, and passed through the midst of the sea into the wilderness, and went three days' journey in the wilderness of Etham, and pitched in Marah. 9 And they removed from Marah, and came unto Elim: and in Elim were twelve fountains of water, and threescore and ten palm trees; and they pitched there. 10 And they removed from Elim, and encamped by the Red sea. 11 And they removed from the Red sea, and encamped in the wilderness of Sin. 12 And they took their journey out of the wilderness of Sin, and encamped in Dophkah. 13 And they departed from Dophkah, and encamped in Alush. 14 And they removed from Alush, and encamped at Rephidim, where was no water for the people to drink. 15 And they departed from Rephidim, and pitched in the wilderness of Sinai. 16 And they removed from the desert of Sinai, and pitched at Kibroth-hattaavah. 17 And they departed from Kibroth-hattaavah, and encamped at Hazeroth. 18 And they departed from Hazeroth, and pitched in Rithmah. 19 And they departed from Rithmah, and pitched at Rimmon-parez. 20 And they departed from Rimmon-parez, and pitched in Libnah. 21 And they removed from Libnah, and pitched at Rissah. 22 And they journeyed from Rissah, and pitched in Kehelathah. 23 And they went from Kehelathah, and pitched in mount Shapher. 24 And they removed from mount Shapher, and encamped in Haradah. 25 And they removed from Haradah, and pitched in Makheloth. 26 And they removed from Makheloth, and encamped at Tahath. 27 And they departed from Tahath, and pitched at Tarah. 28 And they removed from Tarah, and pitched in Mithcah. 29 And they went from Mithcah, and pitched in Hashmonah. 30 And they departed from Hashmonah, and encamped at Moseroth. 31 And they departed from Moseroth, and pitched in Bene-jaakan. 32 And they removed from Bene-jaakan, and encamped at Hor-hagidgad. 33 And they went from Hor-hagidgad, and pitched in Jotbathah. 34 And they removed from Jotbathah, and encamped at Ebronah. 35 And they departed from Ebronah, and encamped at Ezion-gaber. 36 And they removed from Ezion-gaber, and pitched in the wilderness of Zin, which is Kadesh. 37 And they removed from Kadesh, and pitched in mount Hor, in the edge of the land of Edom. 38 And Aaron the priest went up into mount Hor at the commandment of the Lord , and died there, in the fortieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the first day of the fifth month. 39 And Aaron was an hundred and twenty and three years old when he died in mount Hor. 40 And king Arad the Canaanite, which dwelt in the south in the land of Canaan, heard of the coming of the children of Israel. 41 And they departed from mount Hor, and pitched in Zalmonah. 42 And they departed from Zalmonah, and pitched in Punon. 43 And they departed from Punon, and pitched in Oboth. 44 And they departed from Oboth, and pitched in Ije-abarim, in the border of Moab. 45 And they departed from Iim, and pitched in Dibon-gad. 46 And they removed from Dibon-gad, and encamped in Almon-diblathaim. 47 And they removed from Almon-diblathaim, and pitched in the mountains of Abarim, before Nebo. 48 And they departed from the mountains of Abarim, and pitched in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho. 49 And they pitched by Jordan, from Beth-jesimoth even unto Abel-shittim in the plains of Moab.

This is a review and brief rehearsal of the travels of the children of Israel through the wilderness. It was a memorable history and well worthy to be thus abridged, and the abridgment thus preserved, to the honour of God that led them and for the encouragement of the generations that followed. Observe here,

I. How the account was kept: Moses wrote their goings out, v. 2. When they began this tedious march, God ordered him to keep a journal or diary, and to insert in it all the remarkable occurrences of their way, that it might be a satisfaction to himself in the review and an instruction to others when it should be published. It may be of good use to private Christians, but especially to those in public stations, to preserve in writing an account of the providences of God concerning them, the constant series of mercies they have experienced, especially those turns and changes which have made some days of their lives more remarkable. Our memories are deceitful and need this help, that we may remember all the way which the Lord our God has led us in this wilderness, Deut. viii. 2.

II. What the account itself was. It began with their departure out of Egypt, continued with their march through the wilderness, and ended in the plains of Moab, where they now lay encamped.

1. Some things are observed here concerning their departure out of Egypt, which they are reminded of upon all occasions, as a work of wonder never to be forgotten. (1.) That they went forth with their armies (v. 1), rank and file, as an army with banners. (2.) Under the hand of Moses and Aaron, their guides, overseers, and rulers, under God. (3.) With a high hand, because God's hand was high that wrought for them, and in the sight of all the Egyptians, v. 3. They did not steal away clandestinely (Isa. lii. 12), but in defiance of their enemies, to whom God had made them such a burdensome stone that they neither could, nor would, nor durst, oppose them. (4.) They went forth while the Egyptians were burying, or at least preparing to bury, their first-born, v. 4. They had a mind good enough, or rather bad enough, still to have detained the Israelites their prisoners, but God found them other work to do. They would have God's first-born buried alive, but God set them a burying their own first-born. (5.) To all the plagues of Egypt it is added here that on their gods also the Lord executed judgments. Their idols which they worshipped, it is probable, were broken down, as Dagon afterwards before the ark, so that they could not consult them about this great affair. To this perhaps there is reference, Isa. xix. 1, The idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence.

2. Concerning their travels towards Canaan. Observe, (1.) They were continually upon the remove. When they had pitched a little while in one place they departed from that to another. Such is our state in this world; we have here no continuing city. (2.) Most of their way lay through a wilderness, uninhabited, untracked, unfurnished even with the necessaries of human life, which magnifies the wisdom and power of God, by whose wonderful conduct and bounty the thousands of Israel not only subsisted for forty years in that desolate place, but came out at least as numerous and vigorous as they went in. At first they pitched in the edge of the wilderness (v. 6), but afterwards in the heart of it; by less difficulties God prepares his people for greater. We find them in the wilderness of Etham (v. 8), of Sin (v. 11), of Sinai, v. 15. Our removals in this world are but from one wilderness to another. (3.) They were led to and fro, forward and backward, as in a maze or labyrinth, and yet were all the while under the direction of the pillar of cloud and fire. He led them about (Deut. xxxii. 10), and yet led them the right way, Ps. cvii. 7. The way which God takes in bringing his people to himself is always the best way, though it does not always seem to us the nearest way. (4.) Some events are mentioned in this journal, as their want of water at Rephidim (v. 14), the death of Aaron (v. 38, 39), the insult of Arad (v. 40); and the very name of Kibroth-hattaavah—the graves of lusts (v. 16), has a story depending upon it. Thus we ought to keep in mind the providences of God concerning us and our families, us and our land, and the many instances of that divine care which has led us, and fed us, and kept us, all our days hitherto. Shittim, the place where the people sinned in the matter of Peor (ch. xxv. 1), is here called Abel-shittim. Abel signifies mourning (as Gen. l. 11), and probably this place was so called from the mourning of the good people of Israel on account of that sin and of God's wrath against them for it. It was so great a mourning that it gave a name to the place.

The Canaanites Doomed. (b. c. 1452.)

50 And the Lord spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying, 51 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye are passed over Jordan into the land of Canaan; 52 Then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their pictures, and destroy all their molten images, and quite pluck down all their high places: 53 And ye shall dispossess the inhabitants of the land, and dwell therein: for I have given you the land to possess it. 54 And ye shall divide the land by lot for an inheritance among your families: and to the more ye shall give the more inheritance, and to the fewer ye shall give the less inheritance: every man's inheritance shall be in the place where his lot falleth; according to the tribes of your fathers ye shall inherit. 55 But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell. 56 Moreover it shall come to pass, that I shall do unto you, as I thought to do unto them.

While the children of Israel were in the wilderness their total separation from all other people kept them out of the way of temptation to idolatry, and perhaps this was one thing intended by their long confinement in the wilderness, that thereby the idols of Egypt might be forgotten, and the people aired (as it were) and purified from that infection, and the generation that entered Canaan might be such as never knew those depths of Satan. But now that they were to pass over Jordan they were entering again into that temptation, and therefore, 1. They are here strictly charged utterly to destroy all remnants of idolatry. They must not only drive out the inhabitants of the land, that they may possess their country, but they must deface all their idolatrous pictures and images, and pull down all their high places, v. 52. They must not preserve any of them, no, not as monuments of antiquity to gratify the curious, nor as ornaments of their houses, nor toys for their children to play with, but they must destroy all, both in token of their abhorrence and detestation of idolatry and to prevent their being tempted to worship those images, and the false gods represented by them, or to worship the God of Israel by such images or representations. 2. They were assured that, if they did so, God would by degrees put them in full possession of the land of promise, v. 53, 54. If they would keep themselves pure from the idols of Canaan, God would enrich them with the wealth of Canaan. Learn not their way, and then fear not their power. 3. They were threatened that, if they spared either the idols or the idolaters, they should be beaten with their own rod and their sin would certainly be their punishment. (1.) They would foster snakes in their own bosoms, v. 55. The remnant of the Canaanites, if they made any league with them, though it were but a cessation of arms, would be pricks in their eyes and thorns in their sides, that is, they would be upon all occasions vexatious to them, insulting them, robbing them, and, to the utmost of their power, making mischief among them. We must expect trouble and affliction from that, whatever it is, which we sinfully indulge; that which we are willing should tempt us we shall find will vex us. (2.) The righteous God would turn that wheel upon the Israelites which was to have crushed the Canaanites: I shall do to you as I thought to do unto them, v. 56. It was intended that the Canaanites should be dispossessed; but if the Israelites fell in with them, and learned their way, they should be dispossessed, for God's displeasure would justly be greater against them than against the Canaanites themselves. Let us hear this, and fear. If we do not drive sin out, sin will drive us out; if we be not the death of our lusts, our lusts will be the death of our souls.

CHAP. XXXIII.

[non-Latin text not transcribed]

THese are the journies of the sonnes of Israel, which went forth out of the land of Egypt by their armies, by the hand of Moses and Aaron. And Moses wrote their goings out, according to their journies at the mouth of Iehovah: and these are their journies according to their goings out. And they journied from Rameses, in the first moneth, in the fifteenth day of the first moneth: on the morrow after the Passeover, the sons of Israel went out with an high hand, in the eyes of all the Egyptians. And the Egyptians buried those which Iehovah had smitten among them, every first-horne: upon their gods also Iehovah executed judgments. And the sons of Israel journied from Rameses, and encamped in Succoth. And they journied from Succoth, & encamped in Etham, which is in the edge of the wildernesse. And they journied from Etham, and turned againe unto Pi-hahiroth, which is before Baal-zephon, and they encamped before Migdol. And they journied from before Hiroth, and passed thorow the midst of the sea into the wildernesse, and went three dayes journie in the wildernesse of Etham, and encamped in Marah. And they journied from Marah and came unto Elim: and in Elim were twelve fountaines of water, and seventie Palme trees, and they encamped there. And they journied from Elim, and encamped by the red sea. And they journied from the red sea, and encamped in the wildernesse of Sin. And they journied from the wildernesse of Sin; and encamped in Dophkah. And they journied from Dophkah, and encamped in Alush. And they journied from Alush, and encamped in Rephidim; and there was no water there for the people to drinke. And they journied from Rephidim, and encamped in the wildernesse of Sinai. And they journied from the wildernesse of Sinai, and encamped in Kibroth hattavah. And they journied from Kibroth hattaavah, and encamped in Hazeroth. And they journied from Hazeroth, and encamped in Rithmah. And they journied from Rithmah, and encamped in Rimmon Parez. And they journied from Rimmon Parez, and encamped in Libnah. And they journied from Libnah, and encamped in Rissah. And they journied from Rissah, and encamped in Kehelathah. And they journied from Kehelathah, and encamped in mount Shapher. And they journied from mount Shapher, and encamped in Haradah. And they journied from Haradah, and encamped in Makheloth. And they journied from Makheloth, and encamped in Tahath. And they journied from Tahath, and encamped in Tarah. And they journied from Tarah, and encamped in Mithkah. And they journied from Mithkah, and encamped in Hashmonah. And they journied from Hashmonah, and encamped in Moseroth. And they journied from Moseroth, and encamped in Bene-Iaakan. And they journied from Bene-Iaakan, and encamped in Horhagidgad.

And they journied from Horhagidgad, and encamped in Iotbathah. And they journied from Iotbathah, and encamped in Ebronah. And they journied from Ebronah, and encamped in Ezion-gaber. And they journied from Ezion-gaber, and encamped in the wildernesse of Zin, which is Kadesh. And they journied from Kadesh, and encamped in mount Hor in the edge of the land of Edom. And Aaron the Priest went up into mount Hor at the mouth of Iehovah, and died there, in the fortieth yeare after the sonnes of Israel were come out from the land of Egypt, in the fift moneth, in the first day of the moneth. And Aaron was an hundred and twentie and three yeres old when he died in mount Hor. And the Canaanite the King of Arad, which dwelt in the South, in the land of Canaan, heard of the comming of the sonnes of Israel. And they journied from mount Hor, and encamped in Zalmonah. And they journied from Zalmonah, and encamped in Punon. And they journied from Punon, and encamped in Oboth. And they journied from Oboth, and encamped in Ije-Abarim, in the border of Moab. And they journied from Ijim, and encamped in Dibon G▪ And they journied from Dibon Gad, and encamped in Almon Diblathaim.

And they journied from Almon-Diblathaim, and encamped in the mountaines of Abarim before Nebo. And they journied from the mountaines of Abarim, and encamped in the plaines of Moab, by Iordan neere Iericho. And they encamped by Iordan, from Beth je[illegible: 1 letter]imoth even unto Abel Shittim, in the plaines of Moab.

And Iehovah spake unto. Moses in the plaines of Moab, by Iordan neere Iericho, saying; Speake unto the sonnes of Israel, and say unto them; When yee are passed over Iordan into the land of Canaan, Then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their pictures, and all their molten. Images yee shall destroy, and quite plucke downe all their high places. And ye shall dispossesse the land and dwell therein: for unto you have I given the land to possesse it. And ye shall divide the land by lot for an inheritance among your families: to the many ye shall give them the more inheritance; and to the few, thou shalt give them the lesse inheritance; wheresoever the lot shal come forth for him, his shall it be, according to the tribes of your fathers ye shall inherit. But if yee will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall be that those which ye let remaine of them, shall be pricks in your eies, and thornes in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein yee dwell. And it shall be that I will doe unto you as I thought to doe unto them.

Annotations. [non-Latin text not transcribed] Here beginneth the 43 Lecture of the Law, called the journies: see Gen. 6. 9. THe journies] or the removings, to wit, from place to place, which was a signe of their unsetled estate, as not being yet come unto their rest, Deut. 12. 9. Figuring the unstaiednesse of the Church under Moses law otherwise than under the Gospell of Christ, where we which have beleeved doe enter into rest, Heb. 4. 3. Of which unmoveable state it is prophesied, Looke upon Zion the citie of our solemnities: thine eyes shall see Ierusalem a quiet habitation, a Tabernacle that shall not be taken downe, not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken, Esay 33. 20. The complement hereof is shewed by the Apostle, saying, that this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made; that those things which cannot be shaken may remaine: and, that we receive a kingdome which cannot be moved, Hebr. 12. 27, 28. And as here Moses reckoneth fortie two journies from Egypt to the river Iordan, over which Iosua led them into Canaan: so the Apostle (in Matth. 1.) reckoneth 42 generations from Abraham unto Christ, by whom we have entrance into the kingdome of God. with their armies] or, by their armies, being about six hundred thousand men, beside little ones, and much mixed people with them, Exod. 12. 37, 38. They are called also the Lords armies, Exod. 7. 4. and 12. 41. by the hand] under the guidance or conduct. This Asaph mentioneth to the praise of God; Thou didst lead thy people like a flocke, by the hand of Moses and Aa[illegible: 1 span] Psal. 77. 21. Vers. 2. according to their journies] or, [illegible: 1 word] their journies (or removings) as the Greeke translateth, and their journies (or stations.) the mo[illegible: 1 letter]th] that is, the word, or commandement of Ieho [illegible: 1 word]. This may be understood either of his commandement to write these journies here, or of their journyings; as it is said, At the mouth of Iehovah the sonnes of Israel journied, and at the mouth of Iehovah they encamped, Num. 9. 18. 20. Vers. 3. from Rameses] a citie in the land of Egypt, Gen. 47. 11. See also Exod. 12. 37. the first moneth] called Abib, and Nisan, Exod. 13. 4. Nehem. 2. 1. answering to that which we call March. Why it was the first moneth, is shewed on Exod. 12. 2. the Passe-over] whereof see Exod. 12. with an high hand] in Chaldee, with an uncovered head: meaning openly, boldly, powerfully: see Exod. 14. 8. Vers. 4. had smitten] that is, as the Chaldee expoundeth it, had killed; and the Greeke, all the dead which the Lord had smitten: see Exod. 12. 29. their gods] in Chaldee, their idols. Some understand it of the beasts which the Egyptians worshipped. judgements] in Greeke, did (or executed) vengeance: see Exod. 12. 12. and 18. 11. Vers. 5. Succoth] by interpretation, Boothes: see Exod. 12. 37. Vers. 6. Etham which is in the edge] in Greeke, Bouthan, which is a part of the wildernesse: see Exod. 13. 20. Vers. 7. Pi-hahiroth] or, as the Greeke and Chaldee translate, the mouth of Hiroth: for in the next verse, the place is called onely Hiroth: which seeme to be mountaines betweene which was a narrow passage, called figuratively a mouth. It was by the red sea, and there the Egyptians overtooke the Israelites, Exod. 14. 2. 9. Vers. 8. the sea] the red sea, the waters whereof God divided, & led his people thorow it; but the Egyptians following them, were drowned, Exod. 14. 21, 22, 23, &c. three dayes journie] Hebr. three dayes way. Etham] called the wildernesse of Sh[illegible: 1 letter]r. Exod. 15. 22. Marah] that is, bitternesse, as the Greeke here interpreteth it: so called of the bitter waters which the people could not drinke, therefore they murmured: but God sweetned the waters with a tree, Exod. 15. 23, &c. Vers. 9. plame trees] or Date trees: see Exod. 15. [illegible: 1 word], there] there by the waters, Exod. 15. 27. So God refreshed his pe[illegible: 1 letter]ple with water, in the dry and barren wildernesse. Vers. 10. by the red sea] of this resting place there hath beene no mention before. Vers. 11. of Sin] a wildernesse which adjoyned unto Sin, a citie of Egypt so called, Ezek. 30. 15, 16. Hither they came a just moneth after their departure from Rameses, vers. 3. namely in the fifteenth day of the second moneth: in this wildernesse they murmured for want of food, and God gave them Quailes, and rained Manna from heaven, Exod. 16. 1, 2, &c. Vers. 12. Dephkah] in Greeke, Raphakah: putting R for D, through likenesse of the letters in Hebrew: see the notes on Gen. 4. 18. Of this place there is no mention in Exodus. Vers. 13. Alush] in Greeke, Ailous: Neither is this station named before, but Moses intimated them, when he said, the Israelites journied from the wildernesse of Sin, after their journies, Exod. 17. 1. Vers. 14. Rephidim] in Greeke, Rephidein. no water] therefore the people contended with Moses, and almost stoned him: God gave them water out of the Rocke in Horeb; and the place was called Massah, and Meribah, that is, Tentation, and contention. Here also at Rephidim, the Amalekites fought against Israel, and were overcome, Ex. 17. V. 15. wildernesse of Sinai] the wildernesse of mount Sinai, Act. 7. 30. Thither they came in the beginning of the third moneth, Exod. 19. 1. There God gave them his Lawes, Statutes and Iudgements, Exod. 20. and 21, &c. There they sinned and made the golden Calfe, Exod. 32. Afterward they made the Tabernacle, Exod. 36, &c. Out of it God speaking, taught them how they should serve him with sacrifices, &c. Lev. 1, &c. He numbred and ordered the twelve tribes, both for their encamping about the Tabernacle, and for their journyings with it towards Canaan, Num. 1, &c. And in this place they abode, till the twentieth day of the second moneth of the second yeare after their comming out of Egypt, Num. 10. 11, 12. Vers. 16. Kibroth hattaavah] that is, the graves of lust, where the people lusted for flesh, died whiles the flesh was betweene their teeth, and were buried there, Num. 11. 14,—34. Vers. 17. Hazeroth] In this place Marie with Aaron murmured against Moses, and she was smitten with leprosie, Num. 12. Vers. 18. Rithmah] a place in the wildernesse of Pharan, Num. 13. 1. It hath the name of Iuniper, which either grew there, or (as some of the Hebrewes thinke) because the evill tongues of the Spies which were sent from thence to view the land, (Num. 13. 3.) and brought up an cvill report thereof, were like the coales of Iuniper, (as in Psal. 120. 3, 4.) and kindled a rebellion among the people, Num. 14. Vers. 19. Rimmon Parez] in Greeke, Rhembon Phares: by interpretation, the Pomegranate (or the lifting up) of the breach. This place is not named before: Chazkuni thinketh they came hither after God had bidden thē turne backe into the wildernesse, by the way of the red sea, Num. 14. 25. So it might have the name of the breach or slaughter which the Amalekites and Canaanites made among the Israelites for their presumption, Num. 14. 44, 45. as Perez Vzza, in 1 Chron. 13. 11. and Baal Perazim, in 1 Chron. 14. 11. were places so named of the death of Vzza, and slaughter of the Philistines. Vers. 20. Libnah] in Greeke, Lembona: some thinke it to be that which is called Laban, in Deut. 1. 1. Vers. 21. Rissah] in Greeke, Ressan: it is not elsewhere mentioned. Vers. 22. Kehelathah] in Greeke, Makelath: it signifieth Assembling. Vers. 23. mount Shapher] in Hebrew, Har Shapher; by interpretation, Faire mount: in Greeke, Arsaphath. Vers. 24. Haradah] or Charadah; in Greeke, Charadath: it signifieth Trembling. Vers. 25. Makheloth] in Greeke, Makedoth: it is interpreted Assemblies, or Congregations, and is thought of some to be so called of the mutinous assemblies of Korah, Dathan & Abiram, Num. 16. Vers. 26. Tahath] in Greeke, Kataath, signifiing Vnderneath, or below. Vers. 27. Tarah] or Therach; in Greeke, Tharath. Vers. 28. Mithkah] in Greeke, Matheka; by interpretation, sweet. Vers. 29. Hashmonah] in Greeke, Aselmona. Vers. 30. Moseroth] in Greeke, Masurouth; in English, Bonds. In Deut. 10. 6. it is called singularly Moserah. Vers. 31. Bene Iaakan] that is, the sons of Iaakan, called in Deut. 10. 6. Beeroth Bene Iaakan, that is, the Wels of the sons of Iaakan: though some thinke that was another place. Of one Iaakan, we reade in 1 Chron. 1. 42. Vers. 32. Horhagidgad] that is, the hole of Gidgad, called also Gudgod, in Deut. 10. 7. Vers. 33. Iotbathah] in Greeke, Etebatha: it was a land of rivers of waters, named also Iotbath, Deut. 10. 7. Vers. 34. Ebronah] or Gnabronah, not elsewhere mentioned. Vers. 35. Ezion-gaber] in Greeke, Gethsion-gaber, mentioned againe in Deut. 2. 8. It was by the red sea, where was a place for shipping in Edoms land, 1 Kings 9. 26. and 22. 48. Thus Israel had beene brought backe againe towards the red sea, as was commanded in Num. 14. 25. Deut. 2. 1. Vers. 36. Zin which is Kadesh] or, that is Kades, wch the Chaldee calleth Rekam. Hither they came in the first moneth of the 40 yeare of their travell: and here Marie the Prophetesse, the sister of Moses and Aaron, died. Here againe the people murmured for water, which was given them out of a Rocke. And at this Kadesh they sent unto Edom for leave to passe thorow his countrey, but were denied it, Num. 20. See the Annotations there. Vers. 37. in the edge] by the border of the land, Num. 20. 23. the Greeke translateth, neere the land of Edom. Vers. 38. at the mouth] that is, as the Chaldee explaineth it, at the word; in Greeke, by the commandement of the Lord. died there] being stript of his Priestly garments which were put upō Eleazar his son: and hee died there on mount Hor for his sin committed at the water of Meribah in Kadesh, Num: 20. 24, 26. &c. Vers. 40. King of Arad] of whom see Num. 21. 1. heard of the comming] and sought against Israel, and tooke some of them captives; but Israel by helpe from God vanquished him, Num. 21. 1, 2, 3. Vers. 41. from mount Hor] by the way of the red sea to compasse the land of Edom, Num. 21. 4. Zalmonah] in Greeke, Selmona; which seemeth to be so named of Zelem an Image, and to be meant of that place where the brazen serpent was set up, to heale those that were stung of fiery serpents, because they had murmured against God, Num. 21. 5, 6, &c. Vers. 42. Funon] or Phunon; in Greeke, Phinon; hereof there is no mention otherwhere. Vers. 43. Oboth] mentioned in Num. 21. 10. Vers. 44. Ije Abarim] that is, the heapes of Abarim; which Abarim were mountaines, vers. 47. In the verse following this place is called onely Ijem, that is, Heapes. Vers. 45. Dibon Gad] in Greeke, Daibon Gad, that is, Dibon of the Gadites: Dibon was the name of an high place and citie, wherof see Num. 21. 30. This Dibon was repaired and possessed by the sonnes of Gad, Num. 32. 34. and it is so named to distinguish it from another Dibon which was given to Reuben, Ios. 13. 15. 17. Vers. 46. Almon] or Gnalmon; in Greeke, Gelmon diblathaim: of wch Diblathaim, see Ier. 48. 22. Vers. 47. Before Nebo] the name of a mountain, where afterward Moses died, Deut. 32. 49, 50: and 34. 1. 5. Vers. 48. Iordan neere Iericho] that part of the river Iordan which is over against Iericho, called therefore in Hebrew Iarden of Iericho. Vers. 49. Beth Iesimoth] which place was allotted to the Reubenites, Ios. 13. 15. 20. mentioned also in Ezek. 25. 9. Abel Shittim] the Chaldee expoundeth it, the plaine of Shittim: it seemeth to have the name of the Shittim trees that grew there; as Abel Ceramim, is the plaine of the Uineyard, Iudg. 11. 33. The travels of Israel thorow that great and terrible wildernesse, wherein were fierie serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water, Deut. 8. 15. which was a land of desarts & of pits, a land of drought, and of the shadow of death, a land that no man passed thorow, and where no man dwelt, Ier. 2. 6. signified the many troubles and afflictions through which we must enter into the kingdome of God, Act. 14. 22. The helpes, comforts and deliverances which God gave unto his people in their distresses, are examples of his love and mercie towards his, who comforteth them in all their tribulation, that as the sufferings of Christ abound in them, so their consolation also aboundeth in Christ, 2 Cor. 1. 45. The punishmēts which God inflicted upon the disobedient, who perished in the wildernesse for their sins, hapned unto them for ensamples, and they are written for our admonitiō, upon whom the ends of the world are come, 1 Cor. 10. 1,—11. Heb. 3. 17, 18, 19. and 4. 1, 2. By the names of their encamping places, and histories adjoyned, it appeareth how Israel came sometimes into straits and troublesome wayes, as at Pi-hahiroth, Ex. 14. 2, 3. 10. &c. & at Zalmonah, Nū. 21. 4 &c. sometimes into large and ample roomth, as at the plaines of Moab: sometimes to places of hunger and thirst, as at Rephidim and Kadesh, Ex. 16 & 17. Num. 20. sometimes to places of refreshing, as at Elim, and Beer, Ex. 15. 27. Num. 21. 16. sometimes where they had warres, as at Rephidim, Kadesh, Edrehi, Exod. 17. 8. Num. 21. 1. 33. sometimes where they had rest, as at mount Sinai. Sometimes they went right forward, as from Sinai to Kadesh-barnea: sometimes they turned backward, as from Kadesh barnea to the red Sea. Sometimes they came to mountaines, as Sinai, Shepher, Hor, Gidgad: sometimes to vallies, as Tahath, &c. sometimes to places of bitternesse, as Marah: sometimes of sweetnesse, as Mithkah. The sinnes which they committed in the wildernesse, were many and great; as open idolatry by the Calfe at Horeb, Ex. 32. and with Baal-peor, Num. 25. unbeleese at Kadesh, Num. 14. and afterwards presumptuous boldnesse in the same place; murmurings against God sundry times, with tempting of Christ (as the Apostle speaketh, 1 Cor. 10.) Contention & rebellion against their governors often: lusting for flesh to fill their appetite, & soathing Manna the heavenly food: whoredome with the daughters of Moab, and sundry the like: that this complaint is after made of them, How oft did they provoke him in the wildernesse, and grieve him in the desart! Psal. 78. 40. All sorts of persons sinned against God; the multitude of people very often; the mixt multitude of strangers among them, Num. 11. The Princes, as the ten spies, Dathan, Abiram, &c. The Levites, as Korah and his company. Marie the Prophetesse, Num. 12. Aaron the Priest with her, besides his sin at Horeb, Ex. 32. and at the water of Meribah, Num. 20. Moses also him-selfe at the same place, for which he could not come into the land of Canaan. The punishments laid on them by the Lord for their disobedience were many. They died by the sword of the enemie, as of the Amalekites, Exod. 17. and of the Canaanites, Num. 14. 45. and some by the sword of their brethren, Exod. 32. Some were burnt with fire, Num. 11. and 16. some died with surfe[illegible: 1 letter], Num. 11. some were swallowed up alive into the earth, Num. 16. some were killed with serpents, Num. 21. many died of the pestilence, Num. 16. 46. and c. 5. 25. and generally all that generatiō wch were first mustered after their comming out of Egypt, perished, Num. 26. 64, 65. God consumed their dayes in vanitie, and their yeares in terrour, Psal. 78. 33. Neverthelesse for his names sake, he magnified his mercies unto them and their posteritie. He had divided the sea, and led them thorow on dry land, drowning their enemies, Exod. 14. He led them with a cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night continually. Hee gave them Manna from heaven daily. Hee clave the rocks, and gave them water for their thirst. Hee sed them with Quailes when they longed for flesh. He sweetned the bitter waters. He saved them from the sword of their enemies. He delivered them from the fiery serpents and scorpions. Their raiment waxed not old upon them, neither did their foot swell those 40 yeares, Deut. 8. 4. He delivered them from the curse of Balaam, and turned it into a blessing, because he loved them, Num. 22. Deut. 23. 5. He came downe upon mount Sinai, and spake with them from heaven, and gave them right judgements and true lawes, good statutes and commandements, and gave also his good spirit to instruct them, Nehem. 9. 13. 20. In the times of his wrath he remembred mercie; his eye spared them from destroying them, neither did he make an end of them in the wildernesse, Ezek. 20. 17. 22. He gave them Kingdomes and Nations, and they possessed the lands of their enemies; and hee multiplied their children as the starres of heaven, and brought them into the land promised unto their fathers, Nehem. 9. 22. 23. Now whatsoever things were written aforetime, were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope, Rom. 15. 4. Vers. 52. Ye shall drive out] or, ye shall dispossess[illegible: 1 letter], as in vers. 53. in Greeke, ye shall destroy. So Moses explaineth this law to be meant of their destruction, in Deut. 7. 1, 2. And they might not be suffered to dwell in the land, Exod. 23. 33. their pictures] or, their imagerie workes; which the Chaldee expoundeth, the house (or place) of their worship: see the Annotations on Lev. 26. 1. their molten image] Hebr. the images of their meltings, that is, which they have molten; under which name, graven images and all other idols are implied, as is shewed on Ex. 20. 4. This law is also repeated in Deut. 7. 5. and Deut. 12. quite plucke downe] or, destroy, abolish, letting nothing remaine; in Greeke, take away their pillars: see Lev. 26. 30. Vers. 53. dispossesse the land] or, disinherit, drive out (as in v. 52.) the land; that is, as the Greek translateth, destroy the inhabitants of the land: and so Moses explaineth it in v. 55. A like phrase is in Ios. 17. 17. they could not dispossesse (or drive out) the cities, meaning the inhabitants of those cities: so house is for the houshold, or men of the house, Gen. 45. 11. 18. It may also be translated, yee shall inherit the land; and so it agreeth with the words following. Vers. 54. by lot] as was commanded before in Num. 26. 55. ye shall give them the more inheritance] Hebr. yee shall multiply his inheritance: see this phrase in Num. 26. 54. for him] that is, for any one, or for every one. Vers. 55. shall be pricks] or shall be for pricks in your eyes, and for thornes in your sides: which Ioshua repeating, saith, scourges in your sides, and thornes in your eies, Ios. 23. 13. And the Prophet speaking of the enemies of Gods people, calleth them a pricking bryar unto the house of Israel, and a grieving thorne, Ezek. 28. 24. By these similitudes the hurt and mischiefe is signified, which such wicked people would doe unto the Church in soule and body, being a meane to draw them into sin, and to afflict them, as it is written, They destroyed not the Nations, concerning whom the LORD commanded them; but were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works, and served their idols which were a snare unto them, Psal. 106. 34, 35, 36. And the troubles which they brought upon Israel, are set forth in the booke of Iudges, in the historie of Iabin, Sisera, and other. So the Chaldee expoundeth these pricks and thornes, thus; They shall be companies taking up armes against you, and troupes causing you to fall. shall vex you in the land] and Iosua addeth, untill ye perish from off this good land, which Iehovah your God hath given you, Ios. 23. 13.