5 And he was king in Jeshurun, when the heads of the people and the tribes of Israel were gathered together.

61 Let Reuben live, and not die; and let not his men be few.

7 And this is the blessing of Judah and he said, Hear, LORD, the voice of Judah, and bring him unto his people: let his hands be sufficient for him; and be thou a help to him from his enemies.

b

a

8 And of Levi he said, Let thy Thummim and thy Urim, be with thy holy one, whom thou didst prove at Massah, and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah:

x Gen. 36. 31. Judg. 9. 2. & 17. 6.-y Ch. 32. 15.-z Gen. 49. 8-a Psа. 146. 5. b Exod. 23. 30.-c Exod. 17. 7. Numb. 20. 13. Ch. 8. 2, 3, 16. Psa. 81. 7.- Gen. 29. 32. 1 Chron. 17. 17. Job 37. 21-e Exod. 32. 26-28.- See Jer. 18. 18. Mal. 2. 5, 6. g Or, Let them teach, &c.

verse, was written by mistake for the following word, no morashah, inheritance; and when the scribe found he had inserted a wrong word, he added the proper one, and did not erase the first. The word Moses, he thinks, should therefore be left out of the text, as it is improbable that he should here introduce his own name; and that if the word be allowed to be legitimate, then the word king must apply to him, and not to GOD, which would be most absurd. See Kennicott's first Dissertation, p. 422, &c. Verse 6. Let Reuben live, and not die] Though his life and his blessings have been forfeited by his transgressions with his father's concubine, see Gen. xlix. 3. and 4. and in his rebellion with Korah, Numb. xvi. 1, &c. let him not become extinct as a tribe in Israel. "It is very usual," says Mr. Ainsworth, "in the Scripture, to set down things of importance and earnestness, by affirmation of the one part, and denial of the other. Isai. xxxviii. 1. Thou shalt die, and not live. Numb. iv. 14. That they may live, and not die. Psal. cxviii. 17. I shall not die, but live. Gen. xliii. 8. That we may live, and not die. Jer. xx. 14. Cursed be the day-let not that day be blessed. 1 John ii. 4. He is a liar, and the truth is not in him. Ib. ver. 17. is truth, and no lie. John i. 20. He confessed, and denied not. 1 Sam. i. 11. Remember me, and not forget thy handmaid. Deut. ix. 7. Remember, forget not. Deut. xxxii. 7. O foolish people, and unwise.-In all these places it is evident that there is a peculiar emphasis in this form of expression, as if he had said, Let him not only not dic, but let him live in great and increasing peace and prosperity.”—Do not only not forget me, but keep me continually in remembrance. He denied not, but confessed FULLY and PARTICULARLY. Ofoolish people, silly and stupid-and unwise, destitute of all true wisdom.

And let not his men be feir] It is possible that this clause belongs to Simeon. In the Alexandrian copy of the Septuagint, the clause stands thus: xai Evμewv 15 w modus ev apopo, and let SIMEON be very numerous, but none of the other versions insert the word. As the negative particle is not in the Hebrew, but is supplied in our translation, and the word Simeon is found in one of the most ancient, and most authentic copies of the Septuagint version; and as Simeon is nowhere else mentioned here, if not implied in this place, probably the clause anciently stood, Let Reuben live, and not die; but let the men of Simeon be few. That this tribe was small, when compared with the rest, and with what it once was, is evident enough from the first census, taken after they came out of Egypt, and that in the plains of Moab, nearly forty years after. In the first, Simeon was 59,300; in the last 22,200, a decrease of 37,100 men!

Verse 7. And this is the blessing of Judah] Though the word blessing is not in the text, yet it may be implied from ver. 1.; but probably the words, he spake, are those which should be supplied; And this he spake of Judah, Lord, hear the voice of Judah, that is, says the Targum, receive his prayer when he goes out to battle, and let him be brought back in safety to his own people: let his hands be sufficient for him, let him have a sufficiency of warriors always to support the tribe, and vindicate its rights: and let his enemies never be able to prevail against him! Three things are expressed here: 1. That the tribe of Judah, conscious of its weakness, shall depend on the Most High, and make prayer and supplication to him. 2. That God will hear such prayer; and, 3. That his hands shall be increased, and that he shall prevail over his enemies. This blessing has a striking affinity with that which this tribe received from Jacob, Gen. xlix. 9. and both may refer to our blessed Lord, who sprang from this tribe, as is noticed on the above passage: who has conquered our deadly foes by his death, and whose praying posterity ever prevailed through his might.

10 They shall teach Jacob thy judgments, and Israel thy law: they shall put incense before thee, and whole burnt-sacrifice upon thine altar.

1

m

11 Bless, LORD, his substance, and accept the work of his hands! smite through the loins of them that rise against him, and of them that hate him, that they rise not again.

12 ¶ And of Benjamin he said, The beloved

h Lev. 10. 11. Ch. 17. 9-11. & 24. 8. Ezek. 44. 23, 24. Mal. 2. 7.-i Or, Let them put incense-k Exod. 30. 7, 8. Numb. 16. 40. 1 Sam. 2. 2-1 Heb. at thy now. m Lev. 1. 9, 13, 17. Ps. 51. 19. Ezek. 43. 27.-n 2 Sam. 24. 23. Psa 20. 3. Ezek. 23 40, 41. & 43. 27.

Verse 8. Of Levi he said] Concerning the Urim and Thummim, see Exod. xxviii. 30.

The holy one] Aaron primarily, who was anointed the high-priest of God; and whose office was the most holy that man could be invested with. Therefore Aaron was called God's holy one, and the more especially so, as he was the type of the MOST HOLY and blessed Jesus, from whom the Urim, all light and wisdom, and Thummim, all excellence, completion, and perfection, are derived.

Whom thou didst prove, &c.] God contended with Aaron as well as with Moses, at the waters of Meribah; and excluded him from the promised land, because he did not sanctify the Lord before the people.

From the words of St. Paul, 1 Cor. x. 8-12. it is evident, that these words, at least in a secondary sense, belong to Christ. He is the Holy One, who was tempted by them at Massah, who suffered their manners in the wilderness, who slew 23,000 of the most incorrigible transgressors; and who brought them into the promised land by his deputy Joshua, whose name and that of Jesus, have the same signification.

Verse 9. Who said unto his father, &c.] There are several difficulties in this and the following verses. Some think they are spoken of the tribe of Levi-others of all the tribes-others of the Messiah, &c. but several of the interpretations founded on these suppositions, are too recondite, and should not be resorted to, till a plain literal sense is made out. I suppose the whole to be primarily spoken of Aaron and the tribe of Levi. Let us examine the words in this way-Who said unto his father-the law had strictly enjoined, that if the father, mother, brether, or child, of the high-priest should die, he must not mourn for them, but act as if they were not his kindred: see Levit. xxi. 11, 12. Neither must Aaron mourn for his sons Nadab and Abihu, &c. though not only their death, but the circumstances of it, were the most afflicting that could possibly affect a parent's heart. Besides, the high priest was forbidden, on pain of death, to go out from the door of the tabernacle, Lev. x. 2-7. for God would have them more to regard their function (as good Mr. Ainsworth observes) and duty in his service, than any natural affection whatsoever. And herein Christ was figured, who when he was told that his mother and brethren stood without, and wished to speak with him, said, Who is my mother, and who are my brethren ?-whosoever shall do the will of my Father who is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother, Matt. xii. 46-50. It is likely also that Moses may refer here to the fact of the Levites, according to the command of Moses, killing every man his brother, friend, neighbour, and even son, who had sinned in worshipping the golden calf, Exod. xxxii. 26. and in this way the Chaldee paraphrast understands the words.

Verse 10. They shall teach Jacob, &c.] This was the office of the Levites, to teach (by their significant service, and typical ceremonies,) the way of righteousness and truth to the children of Israel. And of their faithfulness in this respect, God bears testimony by the prophet, My covenant was with him of life and peace, Mal. ii. 5. And, The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips; he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity: ver. 6. These words are a sufficient comment on the words of the text.

Verse 11. Bless, Lord, his substance] The blessing of God to the tribe of Levi was peculiarly necessary, because they had no inheritance among the children of Israel, and lived more immediately than others, upon the providence of God. Yet, as they lived by the offerings of the people, and the tithes, the increase of their substance necessarily implie the increase of the people at large: the more fruitful th land was, the more abundant would the tithes of the Le

f

think, that it is a general term for the advantages derived from navigation and commerce.

Verse 20. Blessed be he that enlargeth Gad] As deliverance out of distress is termed enlarging, see Psal. iv. 1. this may refer to God's deliverance of the tribe of Gad out of that distress mentioned Gen. xlix. 19. and to the enlargement obtained through the means of Jephtha, Judg. xi. 33. and probably, also, to the victories obtained by Gad and Reuben over the Hagarenes, 1 Chron. v. 18-20. He dwelleth as a lion] Probably the epithet of lion or lion-like, was applied to this tribe from their fierce and warlike disposition. And on this supposition, 1 Chron. xii. 8. will appear to be a sufficient comment. And of the Gadites there were men of might, men of war for the battle, that could handle shield and buckler, whose faces were LIKE THE FACES OF LIONS, and were as swift as the roes upon the mountains.—Tearing the arm or shoulder, with the crown of the head, seems simply to mean, that no force should be able to prevail over them, or stand against them-as the arm or shoulder, signifies dominion, and the crown of the head, sovereign princes.

Verse 21. He provided the first part] That is, he chose for himself a very excellent portion, viz. the land of Sihon and Og, in which this tribe had requested to be settled, by the lawgiver, viz. Moses, from whom they requested this portion; Num. xxxii. 1-5.

He came with the heads of the people] Notwithstanding this portion fell unto them on the east side of Jordan, yet they proceeded with the heads of the people, the chiefs of the other tribes.

To execute the justice of the Lord] To extirpate the old inhabitants of the country, according to the decree and purpose of the Lord. See on Numb. xxxii.

Verse 22. Dan is a lion's whelp; he shall leap from Bashan] The Jewish interpreters observe, that Bashan was a place much frequented by lions, who issued thence into all parts to look for prey. By this, probably, Moses intended to point out the strength and prowess of this tribe; that it should extend its territories, and live a sort of predatory life.-It appears from Josh. xix. 47. that the portion originally assigned to this tribe, was not sufficient for them; hence we find them going out in war against Leshem and taking it, adding it to their territories, and calling it by the name of the tribe. Jacob, in his prophetic blessing of this tribe, represents it under the notion of a serpent in the path, Gen. xlix. 17. The character there, and that given here, constitute the complete warrior, stratagem and courage. See the note on Gen. xlix. 17.

Verse 23. O Naphtali, satisfied with favour] Though this may refer to the very great fertility of the country that fell to this tribe, yet certainly something more is intended. Scarcely any of the tribes was more particularly favoured by the wondrous mercy and kindness of God, than this and the tribe of Zebulun. The light of the glorious Gospel of Christ shone brightly here, Matt. iv. 13, 15, 16. Christ's chief residence was at Capernaum in this tribe, Matt. ix. 1. Mark ii. 1. and this city, through Christ's constant residence, and the mighty miracles he wrought in it, is represented as being exalted unto heaven, Matt. xi. 23. And it is generally allowed that the apostles were principally of the tribe of Naphtali, who were to possess the west and the south, to dispense the Gospel through all the other tribes. The word yam, which we here translate west, literally signifies the sea; and probably refers to the sea of Genesareth, which was in this tribe. Verse 24. Let Asher be blessed with children] Let him have a numerous posterity, continually increasing, Let him be acceptable to his brethren] May he be in perfect union and harmony with the other tribes. Let him dip his foot in oil.] Let him have a fertile soil, and an abundance of all the conveniences and comforts of life.

Verse 25. Thy shoes shall be iron and brass] Some suppose this may refer to the iron and copper mines in their territory; but it is more likely that it relates to their

satisfied with favour, and full with the blessing of the LORD! 1 possess thou the west and the south.

24 T And of Asher he said, Let Asher be blessed with children; let him be acceptable to his brethren, and let him dip his foot in oil. 25 Thy shoes shall be P iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be.

26 T There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help; and in his excellency on the sky.

49. 20-n See Job 29. 6.-o Or, Under thy shoes shall be iron.-p Ch. 8.9-q Exod. 13 11. Psa. 86. 8. Jer. 10. 6.-r Ch. 32. 15- Psa. 61. 4, 33, 35. & 105. 1. Heb. 3 8.

warlike disposition, as we know that greares, boots, shoes, &c. of iron, brass, and tin, were used by ancient warriors. Goliah had greaves of brass on his legs, 1 Sam. xvii. 6. and the brazen-booted Greeks, xadkokvпpides Axaii, is one of the epithets given by Homer to his heroes; see Iliad. H. ver. 41.

And as thy days, so shall thy strength be.] If we take this clause as it appears here, we have at once an easy sense; and the saying, I have no doubt, has comforted the souls of multitudes. The meaning is obvious: "Whatever thy trials or difficulties may be, I shall always give thee grace to support thee under, and bring thee through them.' The original is only two words, the latter of which has been translated in a great variety of ways, 2 ukeyameyca dabeca. Of the first term there can be no doubt, it literally means and as thy days; the second word, 27 deba, occurs nowhere else in the Hebrew bible: the Septuagint have rendered it by exes, strength, and most of the Versions have followed them, but others have rendered it affliction, old age, fame, weakness, &c. &c. It would be almost endless to follow interpreters through their conjectures concerning its meaning. It is allowed among learned men, that where a word occurs not as a verb in the Hebrew Bible, its root may he legiti mately sought in the Arabic. He who controverts this position knows little of the ground on which he stands. In this language the root is found: daba, signifies he rested, was quiet. This gives a very good sense, and a very appropriate one; for as the borders of this tribe lay on the vicinity of the Phoenicians, it was naturally to be expected that they should be constantly exposed to irrup tions, pillage, &c. but God, to give them confulence in his protection, says, according to thy days, all circumstances and vicissitudes, so shall thy rest be;" while faithful to thy God, no evil shall touch thee; thy days shall increase, and thy quiet be lengthened out. This is an unfailing promise of God, I will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed upon me, because he trusteth in me; therefore trust in the Lord for ever, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength, Isaiah xxvi. 4. Some derive it from dubi, he abounded in riches; the interpretation then would be, As thy days increase, so shall thy riches. This makes a very good sense also. See Rosenmuller.

Moses having now finished what God gave him to prediet concerning the twelve tribes, and what he was led in the fulness of his heart to pray for in their behalf, addresses all the tribes collectively under the names Jeshurun and Israel; and in an ode of astonishing energy and elegance, describes this wondrous people, and their still more wonderful privileges. The reader will observe, that though the latter part of this chapter appears in the form of prose in our Bibles, yet it is written in hemistichs, or short metrical lines, in the original, which is the form in which all the Hebrew poetry is written; and as in other cases, so in this, it would contribute much to the easy understanding of the author's meaning, were the translation produced in lines corresponding to those of the original.

Verse 26. There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun] We have already seen the literal meaning of Jeshurun, chap. xxxii. 15. but besides its literal meaning, it seems to be used as an expression of particular affection; hence Calmet understands it as a diminutive of the word Israe We know that TEKVOI, sons, in the mouth of St. John, sig nifies much less than TEKvia, which, properly translated, would be beloved children, a term which at once shows the helplessness of the offspring, and the tender affection of the parent. So Jeshurun may he understood here: and hence the Septuagint seem to have apprehended the full force of the word by translating it rov nyarqueror, the beloved one, the object of God's especial delight.

Israel's God, and God's Israel, have no fellows. What were all the gods of the nations, even supposing they were real beings, in comparison of the Almighty! And what nation under heaven could be compared to the Israel

V

28 Israel then shall dwell in safety alone; the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew.

X

a

29 y Happy art thou, O Israel! who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee: and thou shalt tread upon their high places.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

Moses goes up Mount Nebo, to the top of Piegah, and God shows him the whole extent of the Land, which he promises to give to the descendants of Abraham, 1-4. There Moses died, and was so privately buried by the Lord, that his sepulchre was never discovered, 5, 6. His age and strength of constitution, 7. The people weep

Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that is over against Jericho. And the LORD showed him all the land of Gilead, unto Dan.

h

2 And all Naphtali, and the land of Ephraim, and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah, i unto the utmost sea.

3 And the south, and the plain of the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, unto Zoar. 4 And the LORD said unto him, This is the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying, I will give it unto thy seed: "I have caused thee to see it, with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither.

n

5 So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD.

6 And he buried him in a valley in the land of

bearken to him, as the Lord commanded them, 9. The character of Moses as a prophet, and as a worker of the most extraordinary miracles, both in the sight

of the Egyptians, and the people of Israel: conclusion of the Pentateuch, 10-12. An Exo. Ist. 40.- Adar.

t Psa. 90. 1.- Ch. 9. 3-5.-v Numb. 23 9. Jer. 23. 6. & 33. 16.-w Ch. 8. 7, 8. x Gen. 27. 23. Ch. 11. 11-y Pa. 144. 15-2 2 Sam. 7. 23-a Ps. 115. 9, 10-6 2 Sam 32 45. Psa. 19. 44. & 3. & 81. 15. Or, shall be subdued. Ch. 32. 13. e Numb. 27. 12 & 33. 47. Ch. 22 49.- Or, the hill-g Chap. 3. 27. 2 Mac. 2. 4.

Everlasting arms] As the arm is the emblem of power, and of power in a state of exertion, the words here state, that an unlimited, and unconquerable power shall be eternally exerted in the defence of God's Church, and in the behalf of all those who trust in him.

Thrust out the enemy] He will expel all the ancient inhabitants, and put thee in possession of their land.

Verse 28. Israel then shall dwell-alone] This people shall not be incorporated with any other people under heaven. A prophecy which continues to be fulfilled to the very letter. Every attempt to unite them with any other people has proved absolutely ineffectual.

The fountain of Jacob] His offspring shall possess a most fertile land-such was Palestine.

Verse 29. Happy art thou, &c.] ashrey, O the happiness of Israel! it is ineffable-inconceivable-because they are a people saved by the Lord-have such a salvation as it becomes the infinite perfections of God to bestow: He is their help, their never-failing strength, and the shield of that help: he defends their defence-saves them, and preserves them in a state of salvation.

Sword of thine excellency!] Or, whose sword, his all conquering WORD, is thine excellency, in its promises, threatenings, precepts, &c. &c. St. Paul, in his exhortation to the Christians at Ephesus, uses the same metaphor, Take unto you the SWORD of the SPIRIT, which is the WORD of GOD.

Thine enemies shall be found liars] Who said thou shouldst never be able to gain possession of this good land; for thou shalt tread on, subdue, their high places, even their best fortified cities.

The blessings contained in this chapter belong also to the spiritual Israel of God, who, according to the divine promise, shall have a complete victory over all their spiritual foes; shall have all their inward enemies, the whole of the carnal mind, destroyed; for the blood of Jesus Christ, applied by the energy of the eternal Spirit, shall not only blot out all their sin, but purify their hearts from all unrighteousness: and thus being delivered from their enemies, they shall love God with all their heart, and serve him in righteousness and true holiness without fear before him, all the days of their life. There are many circumstances and expressions in this ode similar to several in the prophetical blessing pronounced by Jacob on his twelve sons, Gen. xlix. for the subject is the same in both chapters; the reader is therefore requested to compare the two places, and to consider the notes on each, as they have some tendency to cast light on each other. Both these chapters constitute a part of those Scriptures which, according to St. Paul, Rom. xv. were written for our learn

h Genesis 14. 14. Chap. 14. 24-k Judg. 1. 16. & 3. 13. 2 Chron. 28. 15.-1 Gen. 12. 7. & 13. 15.& 15. 18. & 26. 3. & 23. 13.--m Ch. 3. 27. & 32. 52-n Ch. 32. 50. Josh. 1. 1,2. o See Jule 9.-p Ch. 21. 2-q See Gen. 27. 1. & 41. 10. Josh. 14. 10, 11.-r Heb. moisture. Heb. fed.

ing: and, as to instruct the reader, and make him wise unto salvation, was the gracious design of God; we should particularly beg of him "that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of his holy word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life which he has given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ." Collect for the second Sunday in Advent.

NOTES ON CHAPTER XXXIV.

Verse 1. And Moses went out] This chapter could not have been written by Moses. A man certainly cannot give an account of his own death and burial. We may therefore consider Moses' words ending with the conclusion of the preceding chapter, as what follows could not possibly have been written by himself. To suppose that he anticipated these circumstances, or that they were shown to him by an especial revelation, is departing far from propriety and necessity: and involving the subject in absurdity: for God gives no prophetic intimations but such as are absolutely necessary to be made, but there is no necessity here, for the Spirit which inspired the writer of the following book, would naturally communicate the matter that concludes this. I believe, therefore, that Deut. xxxiv. should constitute the first chapter of the book of Joshua.

On this subject, the following note from an intelligent Jew, cannot be unacceptable to the reader.

"Most commentators are of opinion, that Ezra was the author of the last chapter of Deuteronomy: some think it was Joshua, and others the seventy elders, immediately after the death of Moses; adding, that the book of Deuteronomy originally ended with the prophetic blessing upon the twelve tribes; Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people, saved of the Lord, &c. and, what now makes the last chapter of Deuteronomy, was formerly the first of Joshua, but was removed from thence, and joined to the former by way of supplement. This opinion will not appear unnatural, if it be considered that sections and other divisions, as well as points and pauses, were invented long since these books were written; for in those early ages, several books were connected together, and followed each other on the same roll. The beginning of one book might therefore be easily transferred to the end of another, and in process of time, be considered as its real conclusion, as in the case of Deuteronomy, especially as this supplemental chapter contains an account of the last transactions and death of the great author of the Pentateuch."-Alexander's Heb. and Eng. Pentateuch.

This seems to be a perfectly correct view of the subject. This chapter forms a very proper commencement to the book of Joshua, for of this last chapter of Deuteronomy, the first chapter of Joshua is an evident continuation. It the subject be viewed in this light, it will remove every appearance of absurdity and contradiction, with which, on the common mode of interpretation, it stands sadly encumbered.

Verse 5. So Moses died-according to the word of the Lord.] by âl pi yehovah, at the mouth of Jeho vah; i. e. by the especial command and authority of the Lord; but it is possible, that what is here said, refers only to the sentence of his exclusion from the Promised Land, when he offended at the waters of Meribah.

Verse 6. He (God) buried him] It is probable that the

1 See Gen. 50. 3, 10. Numb. 20. 29. Ecclus. 38. 16, 17.--u Isai. 11. 2. Dan. 6. 3. v Numb. 27. 18, 23-w See Ch. 18. 15-19.

reason why Moses was buried thus privately, was, lest the Israelites, prone to idolatry, should pay him divine honours. And God would not have the body of his faithful servant abused in this way. Almost all the gods of antiquity were deified men-great lawgivers, eminent statesmen, or victorious generals.-See the account of the life of Moses at the end of this chapter.

Verse 7. His eye was not dim] Even at the advanced age of a hundred and twenty, nor his natural force abated: he was a young man even in old age, notwithstanding the unparalleled hardships he had gone through.-See the account of his life at the end of this chapter. Verse 9. Laid his hands upon him] See on Numb. xxvii. 19, 23.

Verse 10. There arose not a prophet, &c.] Among all the succeeding prophets, none was found so eminent in all respects, nor so highly privileged as Moses-with him God spake face to face-admitted him to the closest familiarity and greatest friendship with himself. Now all this continued true till the advent of Jesus Christ, of whom Moses said, "A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you from among your brethren like unto me"-but how great was this person when compared with Moses! Moses desired to see God's glory-this sight he could not bear he saw his back parts-probably meaning God's design relative to the latter days; but Jesus, the almighty Saviour, in whom dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, who lay in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared God to man. Wondrous system of legal ordinances that pointed out and typified all these things! and more wonderful system of Gospel salvation, which is the body, soul, life, energy, and full accomplishment of all that was written in the LAW, in the PROPHETS, and in the PSALMS, concerning the sufferings and death of Jesus, and the redemption of a ruined world, "by his agony and bloody sweat, by his cross and passion, by his death and burial, by his glorious resurrection and ascension, and by the coming of the Holy Ghost!" Thus ends the PENTATEUCH, Commonly called the Law of MOSES: a work every way worthy of God its author, and only less than the NEW COVENANT, the Law and Gospel of our Lord and Saviour JESUS Christ. Now to the ever-blessed and glorious TRINITY, FATHER, WORD, and SPIRIT, the infinite and eternal ONE, from whom alone wisdom, truth, and goodness can proceed, be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

For a general view of the character of Moses, and of the importance of the Pentateuch, see the concluding observations on the next and following pages.

MASORETIC NOTES ON DEUTERONOMY. The number of verses in ELLEH HADEBARIM, Deuteronomy, is 955; the symbol of which is van, in which word Isadde stands for 900, nun for 50, and cheth for 5. The middle verse is the tenth of chap. xvii. And thou shalt observe to do all that they command thee. Its Pareshioth, or larger sections, are 11, the symbol of which is an chag; Psal. cxviii. 27. SACRIFICE with cords to the horns of the altar. word cheth stands for 8, and gimel for 3.

numericalBind the In which

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON We have now passed through the Pentateuch, and have endeavoured carefully to mark its important contents. Its antiquity sets it at the head of all writings in the world; and the various subjects it embraces, make it of the utmost consequence to every civilized part of the earth. Its Philosophy, jurisprudence, history, geography, and chronology, entitle it to the respect of the whole human race; while its system of theology and religion demonstrably prove it to be a revelation from GOD. But on these topics, as many observations have already been made as the nature of a commentary, professing to study brevity, can possibly admit.

Of Moses, the writer of the Pentateuch, considered as a historian and philosopher, a good deal has been said in the course of the notes on the book of GENESIS; and especially at the conclusion of the fiftieth chapter: to which the reader is particularly referred.

whom the LORD knew

11 In all the signs and the wonders which the LORD sent him to do in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh, and to all his servants, and to all his land. 12 And in all that mighty hand, and in all the great terror which Moses showed in the sight of all Israel.

x Exod. 33. 11. Numb 12 6, 8. Ch. 5. 4.--y Ch. 4. 34. & 7. 19. P. 78. 13-53 z Exod. 3. 19. & 32 11. Deut. 4. 34. & 5. 15. & 6. 21. & 7. 8, 19

Its Sedarim, or smaller sections, are 27, the symbolical sign of which is r yagid; Prov. xii. 17. He that speaketh truth, SHOWETH FORTH righteousness. In which word the two yods stand for 20, daleth for 4, and › gimel, for 3.

Its Perakim, or modern chapters, are 34, the symbol of which is a lebab: Psal. cxi. 1. I will praise the Lord with my whole HEART. In which word the two betha stand for 4, and the lamed for 30.

The number of open sections is 34; of its close sections 124; total 158; the symbol of which is nr yenachilam, 148, and 2 cab-od, 10. 1 Sam. ii. 8. To make them to INHERIT the throne of his GLORY. The numerical letters of the word n yenachilam, 148, with od, 10, taken from cabod, make 158, the total of its open and close sections.

The number of verses in the whole Pentateuch is 5845, the memorial symbol of which is non hachammah, Isai. xxx. 26. Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of THE SUN. In which word the letters taken in their proper order, make the sum 5845

The middle verse of the Law is, Levit. viii. 8. and he put the breastplate upon him, and he put in the breastplate the URIM and the THUMMIM.

The number of OPEN sections in the whole Law is 290, the symbol of which is " peri; Cant. iv. 16. Let my be loved come into his garden, and eat his precious FRUITS.

The number of its CLOSE sections is 379, the symbol of which occurs in the word nyawa bishebuah; Numb. xxx. 10. Or bound her soul with a bond BY AN OATH.

Total number of all the open and close sections, 669, the memorial symbol of which is on lo techsar; Deut. viii. 9. Tuou SHALT NOT LACK any thing in it.

SECTIONS of the book of Deuteronomy, carried on from Numbers, which ends with the FORTY-THIRD. The FORTY-FOURTH, called

debarim, begins Deut.

i. 1. and ends chap. iii. 22. The FORTY-FIFTH, called n vaethchanen, begins chap. iii. 23. and ends chap. vii. 11. The FORTY-SIXTH, called 2py êkeb, begins chap. vii. 12. and ends chap. xi. 25.

26. and ends chap. xvi. 17. The FORTY-SEVENTH, called ¬ rech, begins chap. xi.

xvi. 18. and ends chap. xxi. 9. The FORTY-EIGHTH, called D shophetim, begins chap.

The FORTY-NINTH, called Non tetse, begins chap. xxi. 10. and ends chap. xxv. 19.

The FIFTIETII, called man tabo, begins chap. xxvi. 1. and ends chap. xxix. 8. : nitsabim, begins chap.

The FIFTY-FIRST, called xxix. 9. and ends chap. xxx. 20.

The FIFTY-SECOND, called "rayelec, begins chap. xxxi. 1. and ends chap. xxxi. 30. The FIFTY-THIRD, called Nn hazinu, begins chap. xxxii. 1. and ends chap. xxxii. 51.

The FIFTY-FOURTH, called an nan vezot haberacah, begins chap. xxxiii. Í. and ends chap. xxxiv. 12.

THE FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES.

Of Moses, as a legislator, volumes might be written, and the subject not be exhausted. What is called the law of Moses, is more properly the Law of God: and

Torat Jehovah, the Law of Jehovah, is the grand title of the Pentateuch. Such a definition of this term as comports with the nature, structure and design of the Pentateuch, has already been given in the note on Exod. xii. 49. to which the reader is requested to refer. Could we conceive Moses to have been the author of this system, we must consider him more than mortal:-no wisdom of man has ever yet been able to invent such a code of laws

This merit however has been disputed, and his laws severely criticised, by certain persons whose interest it was to prove religion to be a cheat, because they had none themselves; and whose case must be hopeless, could it be proved to be true. To some, whose mental taste and feelings are strangely perverted, every thing in heathenism