A. M. 2514. B. C. 1490. CHAP. XXVII. Laws concerning rows, 1, 2 Of males and females from twenty to sixty years of ND the LORD spake unto Moses, 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When a man shall make a singular vow, the persons shall be for the LORD, by thy estimation. 3 And thy estimation shall be of the male from twenty years old even unto sixty years old, even thy estimation shall be fifty shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary. 4 And if it be a female, then thy estimation shall be thirty shekels. 5 And if it be from five years old even unto twenty years old, then thy estimation shall be of the male twenty shekels, and for the female ten shekels. 6 And if it be from a month old even unto five years old, then thy estimation shall be of the male five shekels of silver, and for the female, thy estimation shall be three shekels of silver. 7 And if it be from sixty years old and above; if it be a male, then thy estimation shall be fifteen shekels, and for the female ten shekels. 8 But if he be poorer than thy estimation, then he shall present himself before the priest, and Numb. 6.2 See Judges 11. 30, 31, 39. 1 Sam. 1. 11, 28. Gen. 28. 20-22. Deut. 23. 21-23- Numb. 18. 16.-g Exod 30. 13-h James 1. 8. and so awfully reprobated! O Britain! be not high-minded, but fear! Behold here the goodness and severity of God! NOTES ON CHAPTER XXVII. Verse 2. When a man shall make a singular vow] The verse is short and obscure, and may be translated thus-A man who shall have separated a vow, according to thy estimation, of souls unto the Lord-which may be paraphrased thus. He who shall have vowed, or consecrated a soul, i. e. a living creature, whether man or beast, if he wish to redeem what he has thus vowed, or consecrated, he shall ransom or redeem it, according to the priest's estimation: for the priest shall judge of the properties, qualifications, and age of the person or beast, and the circumstances of the person who has vowed it, and shall regulate the value accordingly; and the money shall be put into his hands, for the service of the sanctuary. A vow, says Mr. Ainsworth, is a religious promise made unto the Lord, and for the most part with prayer, and paid with thanksgiving, Numb. xxi. 2, 3. Psal. Ixvi. 13, 14. Vows were either of abstinence, such as are spoken of Numb. xxx, and the vow of the Nazarite, Numb. vi. or they were to give something to the Lord, as sacrifices, Lev. vii. 16. or the value of persons, beasts, houses, or lands, concerning which the law is here given. A man might vow or devote himself, his children, (ver. 5. 6.) his domestics, his cattle, his goods, &c. And in this chapter rules are laid down for the redemption of all these things. But if after consecrating these things, he refused to redeem them, then they became the Lord's property for ever. The persons continued all their lives devoted to the service of the sanctuary; the goods were sold for the profit of the temple or the priests; the animals, if clean, were offered in sacrifice; if not proper for sacrifice, were sold, and the price devoted to sacred uses. This is a general view of the different laws relative to vows, mentioned in this chapter. Verse 3. From twenty years old, even unto sixty-fifty shekels] A man from twenty to sixty years of age, if consecrated to the Lord by a vow, might be redeemed for fifty shekels, which at 3s. each, amounted to 71. 10s. sterling. Verse 4. And if it be a female] The woman, at the same age, vowed unto the Lord, might be redeemed for thirty shekels, 41, 108. sterling, a little more than one half of the value of the man; for this obvious reason, that a woman, if employed, could not be of so much use in the service of the sanctuary as the man; and therefore of much less value. Verse 5. From five years old] The boy that was vowed, the priest shall value him; according to his abil- 9 And if it be a beast, whereof men bring 10 He shall not alter it, nor change it, a good 11 And if it be any unclean beast, of which 12 And the priest shall value it whether it be good or bad: as thou valuest it, who art the priest, so shall it be. 13 But if he will at all redeem it, then he shall add a fifth part thereof unto thy estimation. 14 And when a man shall sanctify his house to be holy unto the LORD, then the priest shall estimate it, whether it be good or bad: as the priest shall estimate it, so shall it stand. 151 And if he that sanctified it will redeem his house, then he shall add the fifth part of the money of thy estimation unto it, and it shall be his. 16 And if a man shall sanctify unto the LORD some part of a field of his possession, then thy estimation shall be according to the seed thereof: a homer of barley seed shall be valued at fifty shekels of silver. 17 If he sanctify his field from the year of jubilee, according to thy estimation it shall stand. 18 But if he sanctify his field after the jubilee, then the priest shall reckon unto him the money according to the years that remain, even unto the year of the jubilee, and it shall be abated from thy estimation. m Or, the land of a homer, &c.-n Ch. 25. 15, 16. Heb. According to thy estimation, O priest, &c.-k Ver. 15, 19-1 Ver. 13. might be redeemed for twenty shekels, 31. sterling; the girl, for ten shekels, just one half, 11. 10s. Verse 6. A month old] The male child, five shekels, 15s. the female, three shekels, 9s. Being both in comparative infancy, they were nearly of an equal value. None were vowed under a month old: the first-born being always considered as the Lord's property, could not be vowed, see ver. 26. Verse 7. Sixty years old] The old man and the old woman being nearly past labour, were nearly of an equal value: hence the one was estimated at fifteen shekels, 21. 5s. the other at ten shekels, 1. 10s. This was about the Verse 10. He shall not alter it, or change it, a good same ratio of the children, ver. 5. and for the same reason. for a bad, &c.] Whatever was consecrated to God by a vow, or purpose of heart, was considered from that moment as the Lord's property; to change which, was impiety, to withhold it, sacrilege. Reader, hast thou ever dedicated thyself, or any part of thy property, to the service of thy Maker? If so, hast thou paid thy vows? Or hast thou altered thy purpose, or changed thy offering? Has he received from thy hands a bad for a good? Wert thou not vowed and consecrated to God in thy baptism? Are his vows still upon thee? Hast thou "renounced the devil and all his works, the pomps and vanities of this wicked world, and all the sinful lusts of the flesh?" Dost thou feel thyself bound "to keep God's holy will and commandments, and walk in the same all the days of thy life?" Was not this thy baptismal covenant? And hast thou renounced IT? Take heed! God is not mocked: that which thou sowest thou shalt also reap. If thou rob Verse 11. Any unclean beast] See on ver. 2. God of thy heart, he will deprive thee of his heaven. Verse 13. Shall add a fifth part] This was probably intended to prevent rash vows, and covetous redemptions. The priest alone was to value the thing; and to whatever his valuation was, a fifth part must be added by him who wished to redeem the consecrated thing. Thus, if the priest valued it at forty shekels, if the former owner redeemed it, he was obliged to give fifty. Verse 14. Shall sanctify his house] The yearly rent of which, when thus consecrated, went towards the repairs of the tabernacle; which was the house of the Lord. Verse 16. Some part of a field] Though the preceding words are not in the text, yet it is generally allowed they should be supplied here, as it was not lawful for a man to vow his whole estate, and thus make his family beggars, in 373 order to enrich the Lord's sanctuary; this, God would not 19 And if he that sanctified the field, will in any wise redeem it, then he shall add the fifth part of the money of thy estimation unto it, and it shall be assured unto him. 20 And if he will not redeem the field, or if he have sold the field to another man, it shall not be redeemed any more. 21 But the field, P when it goeth out in the jubilee, shall be holy unto the LORD, as a field devoted; the possession thereof shall be the priest's. r | 27 And if it be of an unclean beast, then he shall redeem it according to thine estimation, and shall add a fifth part of it thereto: or if it be not redeemed, then it shall be sold according to thy estimation. 28 Notwithstanding no devoted thing, that a man shall devote unto the LORD, of all that he hath, both of man and beast, and of the field of his possession, shall be sold or redeemed: every devoted thing is most holy unto the LORD. 29 None devoted, which shall be devoted of to death. 22 And if a man sanctify unto the LORD amen, shall be redeemed; but shall surely be put field which he hath bought, which is not of the fields of his possession; 23 Then the priest shall reckon unto him the worth of thy estimation, even unto the year of the jubilee: and he shall give thine estimation in that day, as a holy thing unto the LORD. u 24 In the year of the jubilee the field shall return unto him of whom it was bought, even to him to whom the possession of the land did belong. 25 And all thy estimations shall be according to the shekel of the sanctuary: twenty gerahs shall be the shekel. W 26 Only the firstling of the beasts, which should be the LORD's firstling, no man shall sanctify it; whether it be ox, or sheep: it is the LORD'S. o Ver. 13.-p Ch. 25. 10, 23, 31.-q Ver. 2-r Namb. 18. 14. Ezek. 44. 29. Ch. 25. 10, 25-t Ver. 28.-u Ch. 25. 28.- Exod. 30. 13. Numb. 3. 47. & 18. 16 Ezek. 45. 12-w Heb. first-born, &c.-x Exod. 13. 2, 12. & 22. 30. Numb. 18. 17, permit. The rabbins teach, that the land or field, whether good or bad, was valued at fifty shekels, for all the years of the jubilee, provided the field was large enough to sow a homer of barley. Then chomer was different from they ômar-the latter held about three quarts; the former, seventy-five gallons three pints; see the note on Exod. xvi. 16. Some suppose that the land was rated not at fifly shekels, for the whole of the years of the jubilee, for this would be but about 3s. per annum; but, that it was rated according to its produce, fifty shekels for every homer of barley it produced. Verse 21. As a field devoted] It is on cherem, a thing so devoted to God, as never more to be capable of being redeemed. See on ver. 29. Verse 25. Shekel of the sanctuary] A standard shekel; the standard being kept in the sanctuary to try and regulate all the weights in the land by.-See Gen. xx. 16. xxiii. 15. Verse 28. No devoted thing-shall be sold or redeemed] This is the cherem, which always meant an absolute unredeemable grant to God. Verse 29. Which shall be devoted of men] Every man who is devoted, shall surely be put to death; or, as some understand it, be the Lord's property, or be employed in his service till death. The law mentioned in these two verses, has been appealed to by the enemies of divine revelation, as a proof, that under the Mosaic dispensation, human sacrifices were offered to God, but this can never be conceded. Had there been such a law, it certainly would have been more explicitly revealed, and not left in the compass of a few words only, where the meaning is very difficult to be ascertained; and the words themselves differently translated by most interpreters. That there were persons devoted to destruction, under the Mosaic dispensation, is sufficiently evident: for the whole Canaanitish nations were thus devoted by the Supreme Being himself; because the cup of their iniquity was full-but that they were not sacrificed to God, the whole history sufficiently declares. Houbigant understands the passage as speaking of these alone; and says, Non alios licebat anathemate voveri, quam Chananæos, quos jusserat Deus ad internecionem deleri. "It was not lawful to devote any persons to death but the Canaanites, whom God had commanded to be entirely extirpated." This is perfectly correct; but he might have added, that it was because they were the most impure idolaters, and because the cup of their iniquity was full. These God commanded to be put to death; and who can doubt his right to do so, who is the maker of man, and the fountain of justice? But what has this to do with human sacrifices? Just nothing. No more than the execution of an ordinary criminal, or a traitor, in the common course of justice, has to do with a sacrifice to God. In the destruction of such idolaters, no religious formality whatever was observed; nor any thing that could give the transaction even the most distant sem 30 And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD's: it is holy unto the LORD. 31 And if a man will at all redeem ought of his tithes, he shall add thereto the fifth part thereof. 32 And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the LORD. 33 He shall not search whether it be good or bad, neither shall he change it: and if he change it at all, then both it and the change thereof shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed. 34 These are the commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses for the children of Israel in mount Sinai. Dent. 15. 19-y Ver. 11, 12, 13-2 Ver. A. Josh. 6. 17, 18, 19-a Numb. 2. 2, 3. b Gen. 28. 22. Numb. 18. 21, 24. 2 Chron. 31, 5, 6, 12 Neh 13. 12 Mal. 3. 8, 10. c Ver. 13.-d See Jer. 33. 13. Ezek. 20. 37. Mic. 7. 14.-e Ver. 10-f Ch. 25. 46. blance of a sacrifice. In this way, Jericho was commanded to be destroyed, Josh. vi. 17. and the Amalekites, Deut. xxv. 19. 1 Sam. xv. 3. But in all these cases the people commanded to be destroyed, were such sinners as God's justice did not think proper to spare longer. And has not every system of law the same power? And do we not concede such power to the civil magistrate, for the welfare of the state? God, who is the sovereign Arbiter of life and death, acts here in his juridical and legislative capacity; but these are victims to justice-not religious sacrifices. It may be necessary just farther to note, that two kinds of vows are mentioned in this chapter: 1st. The neder, (see on ch. vii.) which comprehends all those things which, when once devoted, might be redeemed at a certain price, according to the valuation of the priest. 2dly. The On cherem, those things vowed to God, of which there remained no power of redemption; they were most holy; i. e. so absolutely devoted to God, that they could neither be changed, alienated, nor redeemed: probably because no mental reservation had been made, as in the above case, may be supposed. On this ground, the word was afterward applied to the most solemn and awful kind of ercommunication-meaning a person so entirely devoted to the stroke of vindictive justice, as never to be capable of receiving pardon; and hence the word may be well applied in this sense to the Canaanites, the cup of whose iniquity was full, and who were consigned, without reprieve, to final extermination. Verse 30. All the tithe of the land] This God claims as his own; and it is spoken of here as being a point perfectly settled, and concerning which there was neither doubt nor difficulty. See my view of this subject, Gen. xxviii. after verse 22. to which I do not see the necessity of adding any thing. Verse 32. Whatsoever passeth under the rod] The signification of this verse is well given by the rabbins: "When a man was to give the tithe of his sheep or calves to God, he was to shut up the whole flock in one fold, in which there was one narrow door capable of letting out one at a time. The owner, about to give the tenth to the Lord, stood by the door with a rod in his hand, the end of which was dipped in vermilion, or red ochre. The mothers of those lambs or calves stood without: the door being opened, the young ones ran out to join themselves to their dams; and as they passed out, the owner stood with his rod over them, and counted, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, &c. and when the tenth came, he touched it with the coloured rod, by which it was distinguished to be the tithe-calf, sheep, &c. and whether poor or lean, perfect or blemished, that was received as the legitimate tithe." It seems to be in reference to this custom, that the prophet Ezekiel, speaking to Israel, says, I will cause you to pass under the rod, and will bring you into the bond of the covenant :-you shall be once more claimed as the Lord's property, and be in all things devoted to his service, being marked or ascertained by especial providences and manifestations of his kindness, to be his peculiar people. Verse 34. These are the commandments] This conclusion is very similar to that at the end of the preceding chapter. I have already supposed that this chapter should have followed the 25th, and that the 26th originally terminated the book. Mr. Ainsworth, the whole of whose writings are animated with the spirit of piety, concludes this book with the following excellent remarks. "The tithes in Israel being thus sanctified by the commandment of God, to his honour, the maintenance of his ministers, and the relief of the poor, it taught them, and it teaches us, to honour the Lord with our substance, Prov. iii. 9. acknowledging him to be the Author of all our increase and store, Deut. viii. 13-18. Hos. ii. 8. To honour his MINISTERS, and to communicate unto them in all good things, 1 Tim. v. 17, 18. Galat. vi. 6. that they who sow unto us spiritual things, should reap our carnal things, 1 Cor. ix. 11. And to give ALMS of such things as we have, that all things may be clean unto us, Luke xi. 41. Yea, even to sell that we have, and give alms; to provide ourselves bags that wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that fadeth not, Luke xii. 33."-They who forget their Maker, his ministers, and the poor, are never likely to hear that blessed word in the great day; "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you-for I was hungry, and ye gave me meat, thirsty, and ye gave me drink, naked, and ye clothed me, sick, and in prison, and ye came unto me.' READER, thou hast now gone through the whole of this most interesting book; a book, whose subject is too little regarded by Christians in general. Here thou mayest discover the rigid requisitions of divine justice; the sinfulness of sin; the exceeding breadth of the commandment; and the end of all human perfection. And now what thinkest thou of that word? "Whatsoever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law," Rom. iii. 19. But who are under the law, the condemning power of the pure, rigid, moral law of God? Not the Jews only, but every soul of man: all to whom it is sent, and who acknowledge it as a divine revelation, and have not been redeemed from the guilt of sin by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ: for cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law to do them." By this law then is the knowledge, but not the cure of sin. Hear then what God saith unto thee; 'If, therefore, perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron. For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law, Heb. vii. 11, 12. Now of the things which we have spoken, this is the sum: We have such a High Priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the majesty in the heavens; a Minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle which the Lord pitched, and not man. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins, Ibib. x. 4. But Christ being come a High Priest of good things to come,-neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. And for this cause, he is the Mediator of the new testament, that by means of death,-they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. And without shedding of blood is no remission. So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation." Heb. ix. 11, 12—15—22— 28. We see then, that Christ was the END of the law for righteousness, (for justification) to every one that believeth. Unto him, therefore, who hath loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Rev. i. 5, 6. SECTIONS in the Book of Leviticus, carried on from Exodus, which ends with the TWENTY-THIRD. The TWENTY-FOURTH, called ¬p" vayikra, begins chap. i. 6. and ends chap. vi. 7. The TWENTY-FIFTH, called v tsav, begins chap. vi. 8. and ends chap. viii. 36. The TWENTY-SIXTH, called row shemini, begins chap. ix. 1. and ends chap. xi. 47. The TWENTY-SEVENTH, called yn tazriâ, begins chap. xii. 1. and ends chap. xiii. 59. The TWENTY-EIGHTн, called y mitsorâ, begins chap. xiv. 1. and ends chap. xv. 33. The TWENTY-NINTH, called л acharey mot, begins chap. xvi. 1. and ends chap. xviii. 30. The THIRTIETH, called op kedoshim, begins chap. xix. 1. and ends chap. xx. 27. The THIRTY-FIRST, called D emor, begins chap. xxi. 1. and ends chap. xxiv. 23. The THIRTY-SECOND, called behar Sinai, begins chap. xxv. 1. and ends chap. xxvi. 2. The THIRTY-THIRD, called pra bechukotai, begins chap. xxvi. 3. and ends chap. xxvii. 34. These sections, as was observed on Exodus, have their technical names from some remarkable word, either in the first or second verse of their commencement. MASORETIC Notes on LEVITICUS. The number of verses in Vayikra, i. e. Leviticus, is 859. The symbol of which is . Pe final stands for 800, nun for 50, and teth for 9. The middle verse is the 11th of chap. xv. And he that toucheth the flesh, &c. Its pareshoth, or larger sections are 10, the memorial symbol of which is taken from Gen. xxx. 11. 2 wa ba gad, a troop cometh; in which beth 2 stands for 2, aleph & for 1, gimel for 3, and daleth for 4. Its sedarim, or Masoretic sections, are 23. The symbol of which is taken from Psal. i. 2. m yehegeh. In thy law shall he MEDITATE day and night. Its perakim, or modern chapters, are 27. The memorial sign of which is ve-cheych, Gen. xxvi. 3. AND I WILL BE with thee, and will bless thee. The number of its open divisions is 52: of its close divisions, 46: total 98. The memorial sign of which is s tsach, Cant. v. 10. My beloved is WHITE and ruddy. In this word, tsaddi s stands for 90, and cheth for 8. VERSES, 859. WORDS, 11,802. LETTERS, computed to be 44,989. See the concluding note on GENESIS. END OF THE NOTES ON LEVITICUS. PREFACE TO THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. Taccount of the numbering and marshalling the Israelites in their journey through the wilderness to gu HIS, which is the fourth book in order, of the Pentateuch, has been called NUMBERS, from its containing an mised land. Its ENGLISH name is derived from the title it bears in the VULGATE Latin, Numeri, which is a literal translation of the Greek word A9, its title in the SEPTUAGINT; and from both, our SAXON ancestors called it Level, numeration: "because in this the children of Israel were numbered," ron pam pe Irnahela beann pæɲon on pæne zetealde. This title, however, does not properly apply to more than the three first chapters, and the xxvi. The book, like the preceding, takes its name among the HEBREWS, from a distinguishing word in the commencement. It is frequently called 2 VA-VEDABBER, and he spoke, from its initial word: but in most Hebrew Bibles its running title is BEMIDBAR, in the wilderness, which is the fifth word in the first verse. The contents of the book of Numbers are briefly the following. On the first day of the first month of the second year after the departure from Egypt, the tabernacle being erected, and it and the priests consecrated, Moses is commanded to make a census or enumeration of the people, the Levites excepted, who were appointed to watch over, guard, pitch, and carry the tabernacle and its holy furniture-Chap. i. To form the vast mass of people into a regular camp, each tribe by itself, under its own captain, or chief, known by his proper standard, and occupying an assigned place in reference to the tabernacle.-Chap. ii. Moses is commanded to separate the Levites to the service of the tabernacle, whom God chooses to take, instead of the first-born of every family, which he claimed as his own. When these were selected in their families, &c. the sum amounted to 22,273.-Chap. iii. All this tribe is appointed to serve the tabernacle in a variety of offices, each person from the age of thirty till fifty, after which he was excused from farther service.-Chap. iv. When these points were settled, God commands them to purify the camp by the expulsion of every unclean person, and establishes the trial of the suspected adulteress by the waters of jealousy.-Chap. v. He next institutes the laws relative to Nazarites; and lays down the form according to which the people shall be blessed.-Chap. vi. Then follows a particular account of the offerings made to the tabernacle, by the princes or chiefs of the twelve tribes, and the amount of these offerings.-Chap. vii. When this work was finished the Levites were consecrated to their respective services, and the duration of the service of each ascertained.-Chap. viii. The passover is commanded to be kept, and the first one is celebrated in the wilderness on the 14th of the first month, of the second year after their departure from Egypt.-Chap. ix. Moses is commanded to make two silver trumpets: he is informed of their use-in what order the different tribes shall march; with the ceremonies at fixing and removing the tabernacle, and the departure of the people from the wilderness of Sinai on the 20th day of the second month of the second year of their Exodus from Egypt.-Chap. x. The people murmuring, the fire of the Lord consumes many of them; it ceases on the intercession of Moses; they murmur again-quails are sent, and they are smitten with a great plague.-Chap. xi. Miriam and her brother Aaron rise up seditiously against Moses, having conceived some dislike against his Cushite wife; and supposing that he had assumed too great an authority over the people; at this sedition the Lord is displeased, and smites Miriam with the leprosy.-Chap. xii. Twelve spies are sent to examine the promised land; they pass through the whole, return at the end of forty days, and, by bringing an evil report, dishearten the people.-Chap. xiii. In consequence of this, the whole congregation meditate a return to Egypt.-God is displeased, and pronounces that all of them, from twenty years old and upward, shall die in the wilderness.-They repent-attack the Amalekites contrary to the commandment of God, and are discomfitted.-Chap. xiv. A number of ordinances and directions are given, relative to the manner of conducting the worship of God in the promised land-different laws are repeated, and a sabbath-breaker stoned to death.-Chap. xv. Korah, Dathan, Abiram, and their associates form an insurrection against Moses-they are swallowed up by an earthquake the congregation murmur, and 14,700 of them are cut off.-Chap. xvi. As a proof that God had called Aaron and his family to the priesthood: his rod, or staff, buds, and miraculously brings forth blossoms and fruit, and is commanded to be laid up before the testimony.-Chap. xvii. The charges of the priests and Levites, and the portions they were to have of the Lord's offerings for their support in the work.-Chap. xviii. The ordinances of the red heifer;-the water of purification, and its uses.-Chap. xix. The death of Miriam-the waters of Meribah-the Lord tells Moses, that because he did not sanctify him in the eyes of the congregation, he shall not bring the people into the promised land. The king of Edom refuses the Israelites a passage through his territories-Aaron is stripped of his sacerdotal vestments on Mount Hor, and they are put on Eleazar, his son, who is to be high priest in his stead. Aaron dies, and the people mourn for him thirty days.-Chap. xx. Arad, one of the Canaanitish kings, attacks Israel, and he and his people are utterly destroyed-the people murmur for lack of bread and water-fiery serpents are sent among them, they repent-are healed by looking at a brazen serpent-they journey and come to Beer, where they find water-Sihon, king of the Amorites, attacks them, and is defeated-so is likewise Og, king of Bashan, and the people possess the lands of both.-Chap. xxi. Balak, king of Moab, sends for Balaam to curse Israel; he departs, is opposed by an angel, and reproved by his ass, whom God, for the purpose, miraculously endued with the gift of speech. He comes to Balak, king of Moab, and shows him that Jehovah had limited his power.-Chap. xxii. Balak offers sacrifices, and Balaam, under the influence of God, prophecies good concerning Israel.-Chap. xxiii. Continuing to foretell the prosperity of Israel, and the destruction of their enemies, the king of Moab dismisses Balaam in great wrath.-Chap. xxiv. The Israelites, seduced by the women of Moab and Midian, commit fornication and idolatry-the chiefs are hanged bold act of Phinehas.-Chap. xxv. A second census, or enumeration of the people, takes place, and the amount is 601,730, among whom not one of those of the first census was now found, except Joshua and Caleb.-Chap. xxvi. From the case of the daughters of Zelophehad, a law is made to enable daughters to inherit. Moses ascends mount Abarim, sees the promised land, and constitutes Joshua his successor.-Chap. xxvii. A repetition of the laws relative to burnt-offerings, the sabbath, the passover, first-fruits, &c.-Chap. xxviii. The three solemnities of the seventh month are commanded to be held on the first, tenth, and fourteenth days of the month.-Chap. xxix. Several laws and ordinances concerning vows of different kinds, made by various persons: when they should be confirmed, and in what cases annulled.-Chap. xxx. Twelve thousand Israelites go against the people of Midian, and slay them, their five kings, and Balaam their prophet; and the Israelites take immense booty in persons, cattle, gold, silver, and precious stones, of which they make a great offering to the Lord, because in this contest they lost not one man.-Chap. xxxi. The children of Reuben and Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, request to receive for their inheritance, the territories of Sihon and Og on the east side of Jordan; their desire is granted on the condition of their going over armed with their brethren, to assist them in conquering the land.-Chap. xxxii. A circumstantial account of the forty-two journeys of the Israelites from their departure from Rameses, till their arrival at Jordan. They are commanded to expel all the ancient inhabitants.-Chap. xxxiii. The borders of the land are described, and the persons appointed by God, who should assist Joshua in dividing the land among the nine tribes and half.-Chap. xxxiv. Forty-eight cities are to be assigned to the Levites out of the twelve tribes, for their goods and for their cattle; and out of these, they were to appoint six cities of refuge, for the person who had unawares slain his neighbour: to one of which cities the manslayer was to escape, and tarry there till the death of the high priest.-Chap. xxxv. A law established that the daughters to whom the paternal inheritance descends, shall not marry out of their own tribes, lest their inheritance should become alienated and lost, by being blended with those of other tribes, chap. xxxvi.— See the case of Zelophehad's daughters.-Chap. xxvii. In this book, which comprehends the history of between thirty-eight and thirty-nine years, we have, in one word, a distinct account of the several stages of the Israelites' journey in the wilderness, the various occurrences on the way; their trials, rebellions, punishments, deliverances, conquests, &c. with several laws and ordinances, not mentioned in the preceding books; together with a repetition and explanation of some others which had been previously delivered. The whole forming a most interesting history of the justice, mercy, and providence of God. VOL. 1.-48 377 |