Matthew Poole and continuators on Numbers 14

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

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

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

As the instruments and occasions of their present calamity.

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

Marginal references: See v. 28, 29.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Marginal references: Heb. shadow.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

For there was much entercouse between these two nations.

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

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

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

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

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

Marginal references: Deut. 9. 28▪

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Marginal references: Or, hitherto.

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

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

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

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

Marginal references: Psal. 72. 19.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I will bring your imprecations upon your heads.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Marginal references: Deut. 1. 41.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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