Matthew Poole and continuators on Deuteronomy 12

2 Ye shall utterly destroy all the places wherein the nations, which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains , and upon the hills, and under every green tree .

Temples, Chappels▪ altars▪ grov[illegible: 1+ letters] ▪ [illegible: 1+ letters] appears from [illegible: 1+ letters]her Scriptures.

Which the [illegible: 1 word] used to imploy for their Idolatry. See Isa. 5[illegible: 1+ letters]. 5. [illegible: 1+ letters]. E[illegible: 1+ letters]. [illegible: 1 word] ▪ 1[illegible: 1+ letters]. [illegible: 1 word]. [illegible: 1+ letters]. 13.

A[illegible: 1+ letters] the [illegible: 1 word] consecrated [illegible: 1 word] ▪ to [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word], so they worshipped these under them.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1+ letters]ap. [illegible: 1+ letters]. 5.; Or, [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word].

3 And ye shall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars , and burn their groves with fire, and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of them e out of that place.

Upon which their images were [illegible: 1 word]. [illegible: 1 word]. [illegible: 1+ letters].) All the memorials of them, and the very names given to the places from the Idols.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 span].; Heb. [illegible: 1 word] down.

4 Ye shall not do so unto the LORD your God.

(i. e.) Not worship him in several places▪ mountains, grov[illegible: 1+ letters], &c. which sence i[illegible: 1+ letters] evident from the following opposition.

5 But unto the place which the LORD your God shall chuse out of all your tribes, to put his Name there , even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come.

(i. e.) To set up his worship [illegible: 1 word] ▪ or which he shall call by his name, as his house, or dwel[illegible: 1+ letters]-place▪ [illegible: 1 word] ▪ to wit, where the Ark should [illegible: 1 word], the Ta[illegible: 1+ letters]rnacle▪ or Temple. Which was first [illegible: 1 word], Ios. 18. 1. next and [illegible: 1+ letters]pecially [illegible: 1 word].

Marginal references: 1 King 8. 29. 2 Chron. 7. 12.

6 And thither ye shall bring your burnt-offerings, and your sacrifices , and your tithes h, and heave-offerings of your hand, and your vows, and your free-will-offerings , and the firstlings of your herds, and of your flocks .

Which were wisely appropriated to th[illegible: 1+ letters] one and publick place, partly for the security of the true religion, and for the prevention of Idolatry and superstition, which otherwise might more easily have crept in: and partly to signify that their sacrifices were not accepted for their own worth, but by Gods gracious appointment and for the sake of Gods altar by which they were sanctified, and for the sake of Christ▪ whom the Altar did manifestly represent. Of which see below on [illegible: 1 word]. 17.

(i. e.) Your first-fruits, to [illegible: 1 word], of the earth, as of corn and wine and oyl and other fruits, as plainl[illegible: 1+ letters] appears by comparing this place with Deut. 18. 4. and 26. 2. where these are commanded to be brought thither, and seeing here is an exact and particular enumeration of all such things▪ and these cannot be put under any of the other branches▪ these must needs be intended here, the rather, because the other kind of first-fruits, to wit, of the [illegible: 1 word] and [illegible: 1 word] ▪ are here expressely mentioned. And these are called here [illegible: 1 word], because the offerer was [illegible: 1+ letters]irst to take these into his own hands, and to heave them before the lord (as other [illegible: 1 word] tell u[illegible: 1+ letters]) and then to give them to the [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1+ letters] [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word]. 1[illegible: 1+ letters]. [illegible: 1+ letters]. [illegible: 1+ letters]. and 26. 4.

[illegible: 1 span] you please [illegible: 1+ letters]o [illegible: 1+ letters]ow and offer, but not the place where you shall offer them.

Either 1. the holy [illegible: 1 word] or first-born, as appears by Numb. 18 where they are commanded to be brought to this one place here designed, and to be offered upon Gods [illegible: 1 word], [illegible: 1 word]. 17. It is objected by some, that those were given to the pries[illegible: 1+ letters] ▪ Numb. 18. 18. but these were to be eaten by the people here [illegible: 1 word]. 7. But that the next verse doth not say, but onely in general, [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1+ letters]all ye [illegible: 1 word], to wit, such of the offerings mentioned [illegible: 1 word]. 6. as they were allowed to eat, but not such as were the Priests peculiar, for these they might not eat, nor all there expressed, for it is evident they might not eat any of the burnt-offerings, not some parts of the other sacrifices, which are here mentioned Or 2. the second births, which were the peoples first-born, or the first which they could eat of, which they were to eat before the Lord by way of acknowledgement of his favour in giving them to them and all their succeeding births. See more on ver. 17.

Marginal references: L[illegible: 1+ letters]. 17. 3.

7 And there ye shall eat before the LORD your God, and ye shall rejoyce in all that ye put your hand unto , ye and your housholds, wherein the LORD thy God hath blessed thee.

Not in the most holy place, wherein onely the Priests might eat, Numb. 18. 10. but more generally in places allowed to the people for this end, in the holy city.

To wit, your part of the things mentioned ver. 6.

(i. e.) In the place of Gods presence, where Gods Sanctuary shall be.

Either to bestow your pains and labour upon it: or, to take and use or enjoy it. The sence is, You thus doing shall be blessed and enabled to rejoyce or to take comfort in all your labours and enjoyments, which otherwise would be accursed to you. We have the same phrase below ver. 18. and Deut. 15. 10.

8 Ye shall not do after all the things that we do here this day, every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes .

Where the inconveniency of the place and the uncertainty of our abode in and removal from several places would not permit exact order in sacrifices and feasts and ceremonies, which therefore God was pleased then to dispense, but, saith he, he will not do so there.

Not that universal liberty was given to all persons to worship whom and how they listed, but that in many things their unsettled condition gave every one opportunity to do so, if he thought good.

11 Then there shall be a place which the LORD your God shall chuse to cause his Name to dwell there, thither shall ye bring all that I command you: your burnt-offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the heave-offering of your hand, and all your choice vows , which ye vow unto the LORD.

(i. e.) His Majesty and glory, his worship and service, his special and gracious presence, and the tokens of it.

Heb. the choice of your vows, i. e. your select or chosen vows, so called, because things offered for vows were to be perfect, whereas superfluous or defective creatures were accepted in free-will offering, as appears from Levit. 22. 21, 22, 23.

Marginal references: 1 King. 8. 29. Psal. 78. 68.; Heb. the choice of your vows.

12 And ye shall rejoyce before the LORD your God, ye, and your sons, and your daughters , and your men-servants, and your maid-servants, and the Levite that is within your gates, forasmuch as he hath no part nor inheritance with you.

Hence it appears, that though the males onely were obliged to appear before God in their solemn feasts, Exod. 23. 17. yet the women also were permitted to come, as they did. See Iudg. 21. 19, 21. 1 Sam. 1. 3, 7, 21, 22, 23.

Marginal references: chap. 10. 9.

13 Take heed to thy self, that thou offer not thy burnt▪offerings in every place that thou seest :

Nor the other things mentioned above, this one and most eminent kind being put for all the rest, as is usual: for being all expressed before, it was needless to repeat them again.

To wit, with complacency and approbation, which thou thinkest very fit and proper for such a work, as one might possibly judge of some high-places or groves or gardens.

15 Notwithstanding thou mayest kill and eat flesh in all thy gates , whatsoever thy soul lusteth after , according to the blessing of the LORD thy God, which he hath given thee : the unclean and the clean may eat thereof , as of the roe-buck, and as of the hart.

To wit, for thy common use and food.

(i. e.) Thy cities or dwellings.

What you shall desire either for quantity or quality, provided always you observe the laws given you elsewhere about avoiding excess and uncleanness in the things you eat.

According to thy quality and estate: whereby he manifestly condemns those who profusely and riotously spend other mens money and live at a rate which their consciences know to be much above their ability: which certainly is an ungodly and unrighteous, though too common, practise.

Who is forbidden to eat of holy meats, Levit. 7. 20.

To wit, of any sort of creatures, even of those sorts which are offered to God in sacrifices, which are as free to your use, as the ro-buck, and the hart, which were not accepted in sacrifice, Lev. 22. 19. yet were clean beasts, Deut. 14. 5. and therefore here is a tacit exception of unclean beasts.

Marginal references: Verse 2[illegible: 1+ letters].

17 Thou mayest not eat within thy gates the tithe of thy corn, or of thy wine, or of thy oil , or the firstlings▪ of thy herds, or of thy flock , nor any of thy vows which thou vowest, nor thy free-will-offerings, or heave-offering of thine hand.

Either 1. thou, O Levite: or rather 2. thou O Israelit[illegible: 1+ letters], whom he distinguisheth from the Levite ver. 18. accordingly as the following particulars agree to the one or to the other of you.

(i. e.) In your private habitations, here opposed to the place of Gods worship, ver. 18.

Here seems to be a great difficulty, not yet sufficiently observed nor cleared by Interpreters. There were divers kinds of tithes. 1. The tithes given to the Levites out of all, of which Numb. 18. 21, 24. Deut. 14. 22. Neh. 10. 37. 2. The tithe of those tithes, which were to be given by the Levites to the Priests, of which Numb. 18. 26, 28. Neh. 10. 38. 3. The third years tithe, of which Deut. 14. 28. To which some adde another tithe, which they call the second tithe, which they say was taken after the Levites tithe was laid by. Now each of these hath its difficulty. It seems this place cannot be understood 1. Of the Levites tithe, partly because it might seem a great and wholly superfluous trouble to carry all their tithes up to Ierusalem, and to carry them back to their several habitations for their use; partly because those were holy to the Lord, Lev. 27. 30. and not to be eaten by the people, ver. 31. whereas these belonged principally to the people, the Levites being onely taken in as accessories to eat with them, as it is here ver. 18. and partly because those might be eaten in every place, as is expresly affirmed, Numb. 18. 31. Nor 2. of the tithe of the tithe, which was the Priests, and neither Levites nor others might eat of it, except they were of or in the Priests houshold. Nor 3. of the third years tithe, because that was to be eaten within their gates, Deut. 14. 28, 29. as this was not. I do therefore humbly conceive, that this is meant of the second tithe, spoken of Deut. 14. 22. and that this was the very same tithe with that third years tithe, with this onely difference, that in the third year they were to eat them, together with the Levites within their gates, Deut. 14. 28, 29. but in the two first years they were to eat them, together with the Levites also, in the place of Gods worship, as it is prescribed here and Deut. 14. 23. And that it is one and the same tithe which is spoken of Deut. 14. 22. and ver. 28. seems more than probable both because they are called by the same name all the tithe of their increase, and because that ver. 28. manifestly looks back to that ver. 22. and because otherwise every third year the Israelites were to pay three several tithes one after another, which Scripture no where affirms, and it seems to make the peoples burdens and the Levites provisions too great. For the objection taken from Deut. 26. 12, 13. it shall be considered in its place. And the reason of that difference of place, and why the same tithes were eaten for two years together in Ierusalem, and the third year in their own gates, seems to be this, that in the two first years there was a more special regard had to the Levites, who were very much conversant in Ierusalem, where these tithes were then eaten, and in the third year there is a respect had to the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, who are mentioned as ioynt-sharers with the Levites in this third years tithe, whose occasions and obligations of coming to Ierusalem were not so many nor strong as those of the Levites, and therefore they were to be found generally within their gates▪ where these were to be eaten. And whereas the objection made before against the chargeable and useless carrying of the▪ first tithes to Ierusalem might be applyed here, it is answered there, and it is provided, that when they lived at a great distance from Ierusalem they might turn it into money and bestow it there, Deut. 14. 24▪ 25, 26. which both confirms the objection as to the first tithe, for which no such provision was made, and answers it as to this, where such a remedy is expressed. And whereas it may be pleaded on the behalf of the first or the Levitical tithe, that those tithes were brought to Ierusalem, and that there were store-houses or chambers in the Temple appointed for the receiving of the tithes, 2 Chro. 31. 5, 6, 11, 12. Neh. 10. 37, 33. and 12. 44. it may be answered, that those chambers, being onely 38 in number and each of them, except two, but 6 cubits broad and 12 cubits long, were altogether uncapable of all those tithes, and seem principally, if not solely appointed for the Priests tithes, and not for all them neither, but onely for so much of them as might serve for the use and necessity of those Priests and Levites too that were in the actual ministration.

As the tithes now mentioned were not the Levitical, but second, tithes, as hath been discoursed, so these firstlings do not seem to be the first firstlings, which being appropriated to the Levites were not to be eaten by any of the people, except those of or in the Levites families, but the second firstlings, which were the first which the owner could dispose of, and which, in conformity to the second tithes, he is required to set apart for this use.

Marginal references: Heb. [illegible: 1 word] See chap. 1[illegible: 1+ letters]. [illegible: 1+ letters].

19 Take heed to thy self , that thou forsake not the Levite, as long as thou livest upon the earth.

Lest a worldly mind and self-love make thee rob the Levites of their dues, as afterwards the ungodly Iews did. See Mal. 3. 8.

Marginal references: chap. 14. 27.; Heb. all thy [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] thy [illegible: 1 word].

20 When the LORD thy God shall enlarge thy border , as he hath promised thee, and thou shalt say, I will eat flesh; (because thy soul longeth to eat flesh) thou mayest eat flesh, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after.

Which will make it inconvenient and impossible to do what now thou dost and because of the narrow bounds of thy camp canst conveniently do, to wit, to bring all the cattel thou usest to the Tabernacle, which it seems probable they did to prevent their eating of blood. Compare Levit. 17. 3. 1 Sam. 14. 34.

Marginal references: Gen. 28. 14. [illegible: 1 word]. 19. 8.

21 If the place which the LORD thy God hath chosen to put his name there, be too far from thee , then thou shalt kill of thy herd, and of thy flock, which the LORD hath given thee, as I have commanded thee , and thou shalt eat in thy gates whatsoever thy soul lusteth after.

In which case being obliged to carry their sacrifices to the place of worship, that the blood might be there poured forth, &c. they might think themselves obliged, for the same reason to carry their other cattel thither to be killed. They are therefore released from all such obligations, and left at liberty to kill them at home, whether they lived nearer to that place or further from it, onely the latter is here mentioned as being the matter of the scruple, and as containing the former in it.

In such manner as the blood may be poured forth, as above ver. 16. and below ver. 24.

22 Even as the ro-buck and the hart is eaten, so thou shalt eat them: the unclean and the clean shall eat of them alike .

As common or unhallowed food, though they be of the same kind with the sacrifices, which are offered to God.

Because there was no holiness in such meat for which the unclean might be excluded from it.

Marginal references: Verse 15.

23 Onely be sure that thou eat not the blood: for the blood is the life and thou mayest not eat the life with the flesh.

Of which see on Gen. 9. 4. Lev. 17. 11. The animal life depends upon the blood.

Marginal references: Verse 16.; [illegible: 1 word]. bestrong.; [illegible: 1 word]. soul.; [illegible: 1 word]. soul.

26 Onely thy holy things which thou hast, and thy vows thou shalt take, and go unto the place which the LORD shall chuse.

Mentioned before ver. 6. 12, 17. which thou hast consecrated to God.

27 And thou shalt offer thy burnt-offerings, the flesh and the blood, upon the altar of the LORD thy God, and the blood of thy sacrifices shall be poured out upon the altar of the LORD thy God, and thou shalt eat the flesh .

Excepting what shall be burned to Gods honour and given to the Priest according to his appointment.

Marginal references: Lev. 1. 5, 9, 13.

29 When the LORD thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them , and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land:

Of which phrase see Deut. 9. 1. and 11. 23.

Marginal references: Heb. inheritest or possessest them.

30 Take heed to thy self, that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee, and that thou inquire not after their gods , saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.

Drawn into their sin and ruine.

(i. e.) By following the example they left, when their persons are destroyed.

Through curiosity to know their Gods and the manner of the worship, lest thy vain and foolish mind be seduced by its speciousness or newness.

Marginal references: Heb. after them.

31 Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD which he hateth, have they done unto their gods: for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods.

Either 1. Not offer him that indignity and injury to worship other Gods together with him. Or rather 2. Not worship him in such manner as they worshipped their Gods, to wit, by offering thy children to him, as they did to their gods, as it here follows, or by thy own devises or superstitions, as is implied ver. 32.

Marginal references: Heb. [illegible: 1 word] of the; Lev. 18. 21. and 20. 2. chap. 18. 10. Jer. 32. 35.