Matthew Poole and continuators on Numbers 15

2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land of your habitations, which I give unto you,

(i. e.) Will certainly give you, notwithstanding this great provocation and my unchangeable commination. And for their better assurance hereof he repeats and amplifies the laws of sacrifices, whereby thorough Christ he was or would be reconciled to them and theirs upon their repentance.

Marginal references: Lev. 23. 1[illegible: 1+ letters].

3 And will make an offering by fire unto the LORD, a burnt-offering, or a sacrifice in performing a vow, or in a free-will-offering, or in your solemn feasts, to make a sweet savour unto the LORD, of the herd or of the flock:

(i. e.) A peace-offering, as appears 1. because that word put by it self is oft so taken, as Exod. 18. 12. Levit. 17. 5, 8. and 23. 37. Deut. 12. 2[illegible: 1+ letters]. 2. because the offerings for sins and trespasses had no meat-offerings and drink-offerings attending upon them, excepting onely the case of the Lepers cleansing, Levit. 14. 10. 3. because this is explained by and called peace-offerings, ver. 8. 4. from the words here following, because peace-offerings were commonly offered either in performance of a vow, or freely, or by Gods command in their solemn feasts, all which are here expressed.

Marginal references: Lev. 17. 16. & 22. 21.; Heb. separating.; Lev. 13. 8, 12, 36. chap. 28. 16, 27. & 29. 2, 8, 13. Deut. 16. 10.; Exod. 29. 18.

4 Then shall he that offereth his offering unto the LORD, bring a meat-offering of a tenth-deal of flour, mingled with the fourth part of an hin of oil .

Or, tenth part, to wit, of an Ephah, i. e. an Omer, Exod 16. 36.

Wherein it seems to differ from such meat-offerings as were solitary, and not accessories to other sacrifices.

Marginal references: Lev. 2. 1.; Exod. 29. 40. Lev. 23. 13.

6 Or for a ram, thou shalt prepare for a meatoffering two tenth-deals of flour mingled with the third part of an hin of oyl.

Because this belonged to a better sacrifice than the former; and therefore in the next sacrifice of a bullock, there are three tenth deals. So the accessory sacrifice grows proportionably with the principal.

8 And when thou preparest a bullock for a burnt-offering, or for a sacrifice in performing a vow, or peace-offerings unto the LORD:

(i. e.) Or any other peace-offerings, to wit, such as were offered either freely or by command, which may be called peace-offerings or thank-offerings, by way of eminency, because such are offered purely by way of gratitude to God, and with single respect to his command and honour, whereas the peace-offerings made in performance of a vow were made and offered by way of contract and with design of getting some advantage by them.

Marginal references: Lev. [illegible: 1+ letters]. [illegible: 1 word] ▪

12 According to the number that ye shall prepare, so shall ye do to every one according to their number ▪

(i. e.) As many cattel as ye sacrifice, so many meat and drink-offerings ye shall offer.

14 And if a stranger sojourn with you, or whosoever be among you in your generations, and will offer an offering made by fire of a sweet savour unto the LORD: as ye do, so he shall do.

To wit, Proselyte: for such offerings were not accepted from others.

15 One ordinance shall be both for you of the congregation, and also for the stranger that sojourneth with you, an ordinance for ever in your generations: as ye are, so shall the stranger be before the LORD ▪

(i. e.) As to the worship of God: his sacrifices shall be offered in the same manner and accepted by God upon the same terms, as yours: which was a presage of the future calling of the Gentiles. And this is added by way of caution and distinction, to shew that strangers were not upon this pretence to partake of their civil priviledges.

Marginal references: exod. 12. 49. chap. 9. 14.

19 Then it shall be, that when ye eat of the bread of the land, ye shall offer up an heaveoffering unto the LORD .

(i. e.) When ye are about to eat it: for before they did eat it, they were to offer this offering to God.

(i. e.) The bread-corn, as that word is used, Iob 28. 5. Psal. 104. 14. Isa. 28. 28.

(i. e.) To the Priest of the Lord, as appears from Ezek. 44. 30.

20 Ye shall offer up a cake of the first of your dough for an heave-offering as ye do the heaveoffering of the threshing▪ floor , so shall ye heave it .

(i. e.) Of the corn in the threshing-floor, as Deut. 16. 13. when you▪ have gathered in your corn.

(i. e.) You shall offer this in the same proportion, to the same persons, i. e. the Priests, and with the same rites.

Marginal references: Lev. 2. 14. & 23. 10, 16.

22 And if ye have erred, and not observed all these commandments which the LORD hath spoken unto Moses;

To wit, those now spoken of, those which concern the outward worship and service of God, or the rites or ceremonies belonging to it. And herein principally this law may seem to differ from that Lev. 4. 13. which speaks of some positive miscarriage or doing that which ought not to have been done about the holy things of God, whereas this speaks onely of an omission of something which ought to have been done about holy ceremonies. But besides this, that law Levit. 4. 13. concerns the whole congregation of Israel as it is there expressed, but this concerns onely the congregation, or a congregation, as it is here expressed ver. 24. i. e. any particular congregation of Israelites, whether of a whole tribe meeting together by their representatives, or a lesser congregation, such as there were to be many in Canaan, and the words rendred, all the congregation, may be, and are by some here, rendred, every congregation. And by vertue of this law, as some suppose, the Israelites newly after their return from the captivity offered 12 bullocks, one for each tribe, Ezra 8. 35.

Marginal references: Lev. 4. 2.

24 Then it shall be, if ought be committed by ignorance, without the knowledge of the congregation, that all the congregation shall offer one young bullock for a burnt-offering , for a sweet savour unto the LORD, with his meat-offering, and his drink-offering, according to the manner, and one kid of the goats for a sin-offering.

In Lev. 4. the bullock is for a sin-offering, here it is for a burnt-offering, either because they are different laws, as hath been said; or, because here is added a new penalty, to breed the greater caution and diligence in the Israelites, who had given many instances, and now a fresh and eminent instance, of their heedlesness in observing the commands of God: and so, besides that bullock for a sin-offering, which he leaves to be gathered out of Levit. 4. 14. he now requires another bullock for a burnt-offering.

Marginal references: Heb▪ from the; Or, Ordi[illegible: 1+ letters]

30 But the soul that doth ought presumptuously , (whether he be born in the land, or a stranger) the same reproacheth the LORD ; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people.

Understand such things as ought not to be done, and things relating to the worship of God.

Heb. with an high or lifted up hand, i. e. knowingly, wilfully, boldly, resolvedly, deliberately, designedly. So this phrase is elsewhere used. See Exod. 14. 8. Lev. 26. 21. Numb. 33. 3. Iob 15. 26. Psal. 19. 13.

(i. e.) He sets God at defiance, and exposeth him to contempt, as if he were unworthy of any regard, and unable to punish transgressors.

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

31 Because he hath despised the word of the LORD, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off: his iniquity shall be upon him ▪

(i. e.) The punishment shall be confined to himself, and not fall upon the congregation, as it will do, if they neglect to cut him off.

32 And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks on the sabbath day .

This seems to be added as an example of a presumptuous sin: for as the law of the sabbath was plain and positive, so this transgression of it must needs be a known and wilful sin.

33 And they that found him gathering sticks, brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation .

(i. e.) To the Rulers of the congregation, who as they represented and governed the congregation are called by the name of the congregation.

34 And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done unto him .

(i. e.) Moses and Aaron, and the 70 Rulers last mentioned.

(i. e.) In what manner he was to be cut off, or by what kind of death he was to die, which therefore God here particularly determines: otherwise it was known in general that sabbathbreakers were to be put to death from Exod. 31. 14. and 35. 2.

Marginal references: Lev. 24. [illegible: 1 word] ▪

38 Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments , throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue f.

These were certain threds or ends of their garments, standing out a little further than the rest of their garments, left there for this use.

(i. e.) in the four borders or quarters, as it is Deut. 22. 12. Heb. wings, which is oft used for borders or ends, as Ruth 3. 9. 1 Sam. 15. 27. and 24. 5, &c.

(i. e.) Of their upper garment, or that wherewith they covered themselves, as is expressed Deut. 22. 12. This was practised by the Pharisees in Christs time, who are noted for making their borders larger than ordinary, Mat. 23. 5. and by Christ himself, as may be gathered from Luk. 8. 44.

To make it more obvious to the sight and consequently more serviceable to the use here mentioned. Or, of a purple colour, as the Iewish writers agree, whose opinion is the more considerable, because it was matter of constant practise among them.

Marginal references: Deut. 22. 12. Mat. 23. 5.; Heb. wings.

39 And it shall be unto you for a fringe , that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them: and that ye seek not after your own heart, and your own eyes , after which ye use to go a whoring :

It (i. e.) the ribband, shall be unto you, i. e. shall serve you for the fringe, to wit, to render it more visible and notorious by its certain and remarkable and distinct colour, whereas the fringe without this was of the same piece and colour with the garment and therefore less observable. Or, it, (i. e.) the ribband, shall be in your fringes, or, put to your fringes, fastened to them.

That by looking upon it you may remember, that your eye may affect your mind and heart.

Or, inquire not for other rules or ways of serving me than I have prescribed you.

(i. e.) Neither after the devices and inventions of your own minds or hearts, as Nadab and Abihu did when they offered strange fire, and as you now did when you pretended to serve and please me by going up the hill and towards Canaan without and against my command; nor after the examples or inventions of others which your eyes see, as you did when you were set upon worshipping a calf after the manner of Egypt.

(i. e.) To depart from me, and to prefer your o[illegible: 1+ letters]n fancies before my commands, and to live onely by present sight or sence, and not at all by faith in my promises.

41 I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the LORD your God .

Though I am justly displeased with you for your frequent and horrid rebellions, for which also I will keep you 40 years in the wilderness, yet I will not utterly cast you off, but will continue to be your God, to preserve and provide for you there, and after that time to bring you into Canaan.