Matthew Poole and continuators on Numbers 5

2 Command the children of Israel, that they put out of the camp every leper, and every one that hath [illegible: 1+ letters]n issue , and whosoever is defiled by the dead .

In which the people dwel[illegible: 1+ letters], as afterward cut of the cities and towns, that they might not converse with others and infect them.

To wit, of genital seed in men, or of blood in women in their seasons.

(i. e.) By the touch of the dead. See Levit. 21. 1. Numb. 6. 6.

Marginal references: Lev. 13. 3, 46.; Lev. 15. 2.; chap. 9. 6, 10. and 19. 11. and 31. 19.

3 Both male and female shall ye put out, without the camp shall ye put them, that they defile not their camps , in the midst whereof I dwell .

By which caution God would intimate the possibility and danger of mens being made guilty by other mens sins, and the necessary duty of avoiding intimate converse with wicked men.

By my special and gracious presence, and therefore the permission of such impurities is the greater injury and provocation to me, as being done in my sight, and reflecting dishonour upon my Name.

6 Speak unto the children of Israel, when a man or a woman shall commit any sin that men commit , to do a trespass against the LORD , and that person be guilty :

Heb. any sins of men, i. e. either 1. of common infirmity, or such sins as men commit through humane frailty, for if this were done knowingly and willingly, a greater punishment was appointed. See Lev. 6. 5, 6. Or rather 2. sins against men, or belonging to men, to wit, deceits or wrongs, whereby other men are injured, of which he manifestly speaks, as appears from ver. 7, 8. so this is a Genitive case of the object, as Mat. 12. 31. blasphemy of the spirit, (for so it is in the Greek) is blasphemy against the holy Ghost, as it is called Mark 3. 28. Luk. 12. 10. and power of all flesh, Ioh. 17. 2. is power [illegible: 1+ letters]ver all flesh, and power of spirit, Mat. 10. 1. is power over or against spirits, Luk. 9. 1. and prayer of God, Luk. 6. 12. is prayer directed unto God: and the spoil of the poor, Isa. 3. 14. is the spoil taken from the poor: and violence of the children of Iudah, Ioel 3. 19. is violence against them, as we translate it.

Which words may be added, either 1. to express a new sin, of prevaricating or dealing falsly with God, either by a false oath, which is a special injury to God, or by a lie or simple denial that he hath taken any thing of his neighbours, which also God takes as a sin especially concerning himself, who in such cases is the c[illegible: 1+ letters]ely judge of what is [illegible: 1 word] said or sworn. See Act. 5. 3, 4. Or 2. to aggravate the former sin and to shew that such injuries done to men are also sins against God who hath commanded justice to men as well as religion to himself. But the former is more probable, both because here is a ram of atonement to be offered to God for the special injury done to him, as well as satisfaction is to be made to the man whom he injured, and especially by comparing this with the parallel place, Levit. 6. 2, &c.

(i. e.) Shall be sensible of his guilt, or be convicted in his conscience of his sin, for otherwise this might seem a meer tautology, if it were onely meant of being really guilty of sin, which was expressed before in those words when one shall commit any sin, i. e. be guilty of any sin.

Marginal references: Lev. 6. 3.

7 Then they shall confess their sin which they have done, and he shall recompense his trespass with the principal thereof , and add unto it the fifth part thereof , and give it unto him against whom he hath trespassed.

They shall not continue in the denial of the fact, as such persons oft do, but shall give glory to God, and take shame to themselves by acknowledging their sin, with grief and remorse. See Lev. 5. 5. and 6. 4.

(i. e.) The thing he took away, or what is equivalent to it.

Which is added both as a compensation to the injured person for the want of his goods so long and for his trouble for the supposed utter loss of them, and as a penalty upon the injurious dealer to discourage others from such attempts. Qu. How doth this agree with that law Exod. 22. 1? Ans. That, law was made against notorious and obstinate thieves, who were legally convicted of their crime, and this against more modest thieves, whose necessities might induce them to steal, and whose consciences are affected with their sin.

Marginal references: Lev. 6. 5.

8 But if the man have no kinsman , to recompense the trespass unto, let the trespass be recompensed unto the LORD, even to the priest : beside the ram of the atonement, whereby an atonement shall be made for him.

Which might be the case commonly with Proselytes, if not with Israelites. This also supposeth the person injured to be dead or gone away into some unknown place, and the person injured to be known to the injurer,

Whom God appointed as his deputy to receive his dues and take them to his own use, that so he might more chearfully and intirely devote himself to the ministration of holy things. This is an additional explication to that law Lev. 6. 2. and for the sake thereof it seems here to be repeated.

Marginal references: Lev. 6. 6. and 7. 8.

9 And every offering of all the holy things of the children of Israel, which they bring unto the priests shall be his .

Heb. every heave-offering, the heave-offering being here taken largely so as to comprehend also the wave-offering, for both these were Aarons portion. See Exod. 29. 26, 27, 28.

To wit, to offer unto the Lord by his hands.

(i. e.) the Priests. See Levit. 6. 16.

Marginal references: Or, heave-offering.; Lev. 6. 18, 26. and 7. 6, 32. chap. 18. 8. Deut. 18. 3.

10 And every mans hallowed things shall be his: whatsoever any man giveth the priest, it shall be his.

Understand this not of the sacrifices, no not of such of them as were voluntary or vowed, as most understand it, because these were not the Priests peculiar, but a good part of them was offered to God, and the remainder was eaten by the offerer as well as by the Priest, as is manifest, but of such other things as were devoted to God and were such as could not be offered in sacrifice, as suppose a man consecrated an house or rent of it to the Lord, this was to be the Priests. And this restriction may be easily collected from the nature of the thing because he speaketh in this and the other branches here of such things as were appropriated to the Priests, as his portion, which none of the sacrifices were.

Marginal references: Lev. 10. 13.

12 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any mans wife go aside , and commit a trespass against him,

This law was given partly to deterre wives from adulterous practises, and partly to secure wives against the rage of their hard-hearted husbands who otherwise might upon meer suspitions destroy them, or at least put them away. Quest. Why was there not the same law for the trial of the husband, when the wife was jealous of him? Ans. This might be either 1. because the womans sin is greater, because there is not onely filthiness and falsness in it, which is also in the mans sin, but also peculiar unrighteousness in dishonouring his name and family, and transferring his estate to strangers and other mens children: or 2. because there was not like fear of inconveniencies to the husband from the jealousie of the wife who had not that authority and power and opportunity for the putting away or killing of the husband as the husband had over the wife. Or 3. because being the inferiour and the weaker sex and more subject to jealousies and groundless suspitions it was not thought expedient to trust them with such a power or priviledge.

From the way of religion and justice, or from her faith given to her husband, or to the by-paths of falshood and filthiness, and that either in truth or in appearance and in her husbands opinion.

13 And a man lie with her carnally, and it be hid from the eyes of her husband, and be kept close , and she be defiled, and there be no witness against her , neither she be taken with the manner.

She utterly denying it, Prov. 30. 20. and none being able and willing to discover it.

For if it was witnessed, she was to die for it, Lev. 20. 10. Deut. 22. 22.

14 And the spirit of jealousie come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she be defiled: or if the spirit of jealousie come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she be not defiled:

(i. e.) A strong opinion or suggestion or inward motion of that kind, whether from a good or evil spirit. Thus we read of the spirit of wisdom, Isa. 11. 2. of perverseness, Isa. 19. 14. of fornica[illegible: 1+ letters]ion, Hos. 4. 12. of fear, 2 Tim. 1. 7. of slumber, Rom. 11. 8.

15 Then shall the man bring his wife unto the priest, and he shall bring her offering for her, the tenth part of an Ephah of barley meal, he shall pour no oyl upon it, nor put frankincense thereon ; for it is an offering of jealousie, an offering of memorial, bringing iniquity to remembrance :

She persisting in her denial, and her husband requiring her submission to this way of tryal.

Which was partly because none were to appear before God empty, Exod. 23. 15. partly by way of solemn appeal to God, whom hereby she desired to judge between her and her husband, and partly by way of atonement to appease God, who had for her sins stirred up her husband against her and sent an evil spirit between them. See 1 Sam. 26. 19.

Both because it was a kind of sin-offering, from which these were excluded, Levit. 5. 11. and to testifie her sorrowful sence of the hand of God and of her husbands displeasure, and because she came thither as a delinquent or one suspected of delinquency and under an ill fame and unpleasing both to God and men, as one that wanted that grace and amiableness and joy which oyl signified, and that acceptance with God which frankincense designed, Psal. 141. 2.

Both to God before whom she appeared as a sinner, and to her own conscience, if she were guilty, and, if she were not guilty of this, yet it reminded her of her other sins, for which this might be a punishment.

16 And the priest shall bring her near and set her before the LORD .

(i. e.) The woman: But of her he speaks ver. 18. or it, i. e. the offering, which is last spoken of, so the feminine gender is put for the masculine or the neuter, of both which we have instances.

(i. e.) Before the Sanctuary where the Ark was.

17 And the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel , and of the dust that is in the floor of the tabernacle the priest shall take, and put it into the water :

Either water out of the holy la[illegible: 1+ letters]er, Exod. 30. 18. or rather the water of purification appointed for such kind of uses, Numb. 19. 9. This was used, that if she were guilty, she might be afraid to adde profaneness and the pollution of holy things to her other crime.

Either to signify that frailty and vileness of which she stood accused, or express her sorrowful and shameful condition, or because, after this use, it was to be broken in pieces, that the remembrance of it might be blotted out as far as was possible. Compare Lev. 6. 28. and 11. 33. and 15. 12.

An emblem of vileness and misery, as appears from Iob 2. 12. Psal. 22. 15. Lam. 3. 29. and the serpents food, Gen. 3. 14. very proper for her who had been seduced to folly by the serpents instigation.

Which made it holy dust and struck the greater terrour into the woman, if she were guilty.

To make it more unpleasant and bitter, which was suitable to one in that sorrowful state.

18 And the priest shall set the woman before the LORD , and uncover the womans head , and put the offering of memorial in her hands which is the jealousie-offering: and the priest shall have in his hand the bitter water that causeth the curse .

Before the Tabernacle with her face towards the Ark.

Partly that she might be made sensible how manifest she and all her ways were to God, and that she might be more visible to the congregation, that her shame might be greater if she were guilty; partly in token of her sorrow either for her sin, or at least for any cause of suspicion which she had given; partly as a sign that she was after a sort deprived of the help and protection of her husband, which the covering of the womans head signified, 1 Cor. 11. 5, 6, 7, 10. and that she was neither virgin nor loyal wife, for the heads of both these used to be covered.

That she her self might offer it, and therefore call God to be witness of her innocency.

So called either from the bitter rast which the dust gave it. or from the bitter effects of it upon her, if she were guilty. Compare Exod. 32. 20.

Not by any natural power, but by a supernatural efficacy ordained and wrought by God for her punishment, and for the terrour and caution of others.

19 And the priest shall charge her by an oath , and say unto the woman, If no man have lien with thee, and if thou hast not gone aside to uncleanness with another instead of thy husband, be thou free from this bitter water that causeth the curse.

To answer truly to his question, or to declare by oath whether she be guilty or no, and after such oath shall say as follows.

To wit, except thy husband, as is manifest from the whole context, or no other man, the word another being understood here, as it is thought to be also Gen. 14. 1. and 36. 6 Exod. 22. 20.

Or, with him, i. e. the man now mentioned. So it is an Ellipsis easily supplied out of the Text.

Marginal references: Or, being in the power of thy husband.; Heb. under thy husband.

21 Then the priest shall charge the woman with an Oath of cursing, and the priest shall say unto the woman, The LORD make thee a curse, and an oath among thy people when the LORD doth make thy thigh to rot and thy belly to swell .

(i. e.) A form of cursing or imprecatory oaths, that when they would curse a person, they may wish that they may be as cursed and miserable as thou wast upon this occasion. See the like phrase Isa. 65. 15. Ier. 29. 22. and compare Gen. 48. 20. Ruth. 4. 11, 12.

A modest signification of the genital parts, used both in Scripture, as Gen. 46. 26. Exod. 1. 5. and other authours, that the sin might be evident in the punishment.

Heb. to fall, i. e. to die or wast away, as the word is used 1 Chro[illegible: 1+ letters]. 21. 14. compared with 2 Sam. 24. 15.

Suddenly and violently till it burst, which the Iews note was frequent in this and like cases, as Exod. 32. 20. And it was a clear evidence of the truth of their religion.

Marginal references: Heb. to [illegible: 1+ letters]all.

22 And this water that causeth the curse shall go into thy bowels, to make thy belly to swell, and thy thigh to rot: and the woman shall say, Amen, amen .

(i. e.) So let it be if I be guilty. The word is doubled by her as an evidence of her innocency, and ardent desire that God would deal with her according to her desert.

23 And the priest shall write these curses in a book , and he shall blot them out with the bitter water .

Wherewith she cursed her self, to which peradventure her name was added.

(i. e.) In a scroll of parchment, which the Hebrews commonly call a book, as Deut. 24. 1. 2 Sam. 11. 14. Isa. 39. 1.

Or, rase or serape them out and cast them into the bitter water. Whereby it was signified, that if she was innocent, the curses should be blotted out and come to nothing, and, if she were guilty, she should find in her the effects of this water which she drunk, after the words of this curse had been scraped and put in.

24 And he shall cause the woman to drink the bitter water, that causeth the curse: and the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her, and become bitter.

To wit, after the jealousie-offering was offered, as is affirmed ver. 26.

26 And the priest shall take an handful of the offering, even the memorial thereof , and burn it upon the altar, and afterward shall cause the woman to drink the water.

Of which see Lev. 2. 2.

28 And if the woman be not defiled, but be clean, then she shall be free , and shall conceive seed .

To wit, from these bitter curses and miseries.

(i. e.) Shall bring forth children, as the Iews say, in case of her innocency, infallibly she did, yea though she was barren before: or shall be as capable of bearing children, as other women.

31 Then shall the man be guiltless from iniquity , and this woman shall bear her iniquity .

Which he should not have been, if he had either dissembled or indulged her in so great a wickedness and not endeavoured to bring her either to repentance or punishment: See Mat. 1. 19. or cherished suspitions in his breast, and thereupon proceeded to hate her or cast her off. Whereas now, whatsoever the consequent is, the husband shall not be blamed or censured either for bringing such curses and mischiefs upon her, or for defaming her, if she appear to be innocent.

(i. e) the punishment of her iniquity, whether she was false to her husband, or by any light and foolish carriage gave him occasion to suspect her to be so.