15 And they shall not profane the holy things of the children of Israel, which they offer unto the LORD;

16 Or suffer them to bear the iniquity of trespass, when they eat their holy things: for I the LORD do sanctify them.

17 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 18 Speak unto Aaron, and to his sons, and unto all the children of Israel, and say unto them, • Whatsoever he be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers in Israel, that will offer his oblation for all his vows, and for all his free-willofferings, which they will offer unto the LORD for a burnt-offering;

19 Ye shall offer, at your own will, a male without blemish, of the beeves, of the sheep, or of the goats.

20 But whatsoever hath a blemish, that shall ye not offer: for it shall not be acceptable for you.

21 And whosoever offereth a sacrifice of peace-offerings unto the LORD to accomplish his vow, or a free-will-offering in beeves or sheep, it shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein.

22 Blind, or broken, or maimed, or having a wen, or scurvy, or scabbed, ye shall not offer these unto the LORD, nor make an offering by fire of them upon the altar, unto the LORD.

b

23 Either a bullock, or a lamb that hath any thing superfluous or lacking in his parts, that mayest thou offer for a free-will-offering; but for a vow it shall not be accepted.

24 Ye shall not offer unto the LORD that which is bruised, or crushed, or broken, or cut; neither shall ye make any offering thereof in your land.

p Numb 18 32-q Or, lade themselves with the iniquity of trespass in their eating. Ver. 9-8 Ch. 1. 2, 3, 10. Numb. 15. 14.-t Ch. 1. 3.-u Deut. 15. 21. & 17. 1. Mal. 1. 8, 14. Eph. 5. 27. Heb. 9. 14. 1 Pet. 1. 19.-v Ch. 3. 1, 6.-w Ch. 7. 16. Numb. 15. 3,8 Deut 23 21, 23. Psa. 61. 8. & 65. 1. Eccles. 5. 4, 5.-x Or, goats.-y Ver. 20. Mal. 1. 8.-2 Ch. 1. 9, 13. & 3 3, 5.-a Or, kid -b Ch. 21. 18.

Verse 14. Then he shall put the fifth part thereof unto it] The holy thing of which he has unknowingly eaten, shall be fairly valued, and to this value he shall add one fifth more, and give the whole to the priest.

Verse 20. Whatsoever hath a blemish] The same perfection is required in the sacrifice, that was required in the priest, see on ver. 2. and the notes on the preceding chapter, Verse 23. That hath any thing superfluous or lacking] The term y sarua, signifies any thing extended beyond the usual size: and the term p kalut, signifies any thing unusually contracted: and both mean any monstrosity, whether in redundance or defect. Such things, it seems, might be offered for a free-will-offering, because that was not prescribed by the law; God left it to a man's piety and gratitude to offer such additional gifts as he could-what the law required was indispensably necessary, because it pointed out the Gospel economy;-but he that made a row, to offer such a sacrifice as the law had not required, could of course bring an imperfect offering. Some contend that the last clause of this verse should be thus read: If thou offer it either for a free-will-offering, or for a row, it shall not be accepted. It was the opinion of the Jews, and it appears to be correct, that none of these imperfect animals was ever offered on the altar: but the made the free-will-offering of such things as person who had, sold the animal, and gave its price for the support of the sanctuary.

Verse 24. Bruised, or crushed, or broken, or cut] That is, no bullock or lamb that is injured in any of the above ways, shall be offered unto the Lord.

Verse 25. Their corruption is in them] viz. they are bruised, crushed, broken, &c.

Verse 27. When a bullock-is brought forth This is a most unfortunate, as well as absurd, translation. The creature called an or, is a bull castrated; surely then a bullock was never yet brought forth! the original word shor, signifies a bull, or bullock, or indeed any thing of the neat kind :-here, even common sense required that it should be translated calf. And did I not hold myself sacredly bound to print the text of the common version with scrupulous exactness, I should translate the former clause of this verse thus, and so enter it in the text. When a CALF, or a LAMB, or a KID is brought forth-instead of when a bullock, a sheep, or a goat is brought forth-the absurdity of which is glaring.

25 Neither from a stranger's hand shall ye offer the bread of your God, of any of these; because their corruption is in them, and blemishes be in them: they shall not be accepted for you.

26 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 27 When a bullock, or a sheep, or a goat, is brought forth, then it shall be seven days under the dam; and from the eighth day and thenceforth, it shall be accepted for an offering made by fire unto the LORD.

28 And whether it be cow or sewe, ye shall not kill it and her young both in one day. 29 And when ye will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving unto the LORD, offer it at your own will.

30 On the same day it shall be eaten up; ye shall leave none of it until the morrow: I am the LORD.

31 Therefore shall ye keep my commandments, and do them: I am the LORD.

32 Neither shall ye profane my holy name but "I will be hallowed among the children of Israel: I am the LORD which hallow you,

33 That brought you out of the land of
Egypt, to be your God: I am the LORD.
CHAPTER XXIII.
The feasts of the Lord, 1,2. The sabbath, 3. The passover and unleavened bread,

4-8. The feast of firet-fruits, 9-14. The feast of Pentecost, 15-21. Gleanings
to be left for the poor, 22 The feast of trumpets, 23-25. The great day of atone-
ment, 26-32 The feast of tabernacles, 33-44.

e Numb. 15. 15, 16.-d Ch. 21. 6, 17.-e Mal. 1. 14-f Exod. 22. 30.-g Or, shegoat-h Deut. 22. 6.-i Ch. 7. 12. Psa. 107. 22 & 116, 17. Amos 4. 5.-k Ch. 7. 15. I Ch. 19. 37. Numb. 15. 40. Deut. 4. 40.-m Ch. 18. 21.-n Ch. 10. 3. Matt. 6. 9. Luke 11. 2-0 Ch. 20 8-p Exod. 6. 7. Ch. 11. 45. & 19. 36. & 25. 38. Numb. 15. 41. q Ver. 4, 37, 44.-r Exod. 32. 5. 2 Kings 10. 20. Psa. 81. 3.

priety of this precept, it may be justly asserted, that the flesh of very young animals is comparatively innutritiveand that animal food is not sufficiently nourishing and wholesome, till the animal has arrived at a certain growth; or acquired the perfection of its nature. There is something brutish in eating the young of beast, or fowl, before the hair and hoofs are perfect in the one; and the feathers and claws in the other. Before this period, their flesh is not good for food.-See the note on chap. ix. 1.

Verse 28. Ye shall not kill it and her young-in one day] This precept was certainly intended to inculcate mercy and tenderness of heart; and so the Jews understood it. When it is necessary to take away the lives of innocent animals for the support of our own, we should do it in such a way as not to blunt our moral feelings; and deplore the necessity, while we feel and express gratitude to God for the permission to do it.

Verse 30. Leave none of it until the morrow] See the note on chap. vii. 18.

Verse 32. Neither shall ye profane my holy name] God's name is profaned or rendered common, when we treat his commands, as we often do those of our fellows, when they do not appear to have self-interest to recommend them. He therefore profanes God's holy name, who does not both implicitly believe, and conscientiously obey all his words, and all his precepts.

I will be hallowed among the children of Israel] The words children of Israel, beney Yishrael, which so frequently occur, should be translated either the descendants or posterity of Israel, or the people of Israel. The word children has a tendency to beget a false notion, especially in the minds of young people, and lead them to think, that children, in the proper sense of the word, i. e. little ones, are meant.

Verse 33. Brought you out of the land of Egypt] By such a series of miraculous interferences to be your Godto save you from all idolatry, false and superstitious worship, teach you the right way, lead and support you in it, and preserve you to my eternal kingdom and glory. God, infinite in his own perfections, has no need of his creatures; but they need him; and as a source of endless felicity, he opens himself to all his intelligent offspring.

NOTES ON CHAPTER XXIII. Verse 2. These are my feasts] The original word Seven days under the dam] In vindication of the pro- I moâd, is properly applied to any solemn anniversary, by

xxii. 29. Parched ears of corn and green ears, fried, still constitute a part, and not a disagreeable one, of the food of the Arabs, now resident in the Holy Land. See Hasselob-quist.

Verse 22. Neither shalt thou gather any gleaning] See the note on chap. xix. 9.

Verse 24. A memorial of blowing of trumpets] This is generally called the feast of trumpets: and as it took place on the first day of the seventh month, Tisri; which answers to September, which month was the commencement of what is called the civil year; the feast, probably, had no other design than to celebrate the commencement of that year, if, indeed, such a distinction obtained among the ancient Jews. See the note on Exod. xii. 2. Some think creation began at this time.

Verse 28. A day of atonement] See the note on chap. xvi. 3, &c. where this subject is largely explained. Verse 34. The feast of tubernacles] In this solemnity,

A. M. 2514. B. C. 1490.

CHAP. XXIV.

35 On the first day shall be a holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.

36 Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: on the eighth day shall be a holy convocation unto you; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD; it is a solemn assembly; and ye shall do no servile work therein.

37 These are the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD, a burnt-offering, and a meat-offering, a sacrifice, and drink-offerings, every thing upon his day:

38 Besides the sabbaths of the LORD, and besides your gifts, and besides all your vows, and besides all your free-will-offerings, which ye give unto the LORD.

39 Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath..

40 And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God, seven days.

41 And ye shall keep it a feast unto the LORD seven days in the year. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month.

42 d Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born, shall dwell in booths:

43 That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

44 And Moses declared unto the children of Israel the feasts of the LORD.

the debt of gratitude is all the debt we can pay, in it we
should be cheerful, fervent, and frequent. An ungrateful
heart is an unfeeling, unloving, unbelieving, and disobe-
dient heart. Reader, pray to God that he may deliver thee
from its influence and its curse.

NOTES ON CHAPTER XXIV.
Verse 2. Pure olive-oil] See every thing relative to
this ordinance explained in the notes on Exod. xxvii. 20, 21.
Verse 5. Bake twelve cakes] See the whole account of
the show-bread, in the notes on Exod. xxv. 30. and relative
to the table on which they stood, the golden candlestick
and silver trumpets carried in triumph to Rome; See the
note on Exod. xxv. 31.

Verse 10. The son of an Israelitish woman, whose
father was an Egyptian, &c.] This is a very obscure
account, and is encumbered with many difficulties. 1. It
seems strange that a person proceeding from such an ille-
gal mixture, should have been incorporated with the
Israelites. 2. What the cause of the strife between this
hinted at.-The rabbins, it is true, supply, in their way,
mongrel person and the Israelitish man was, is not even
this deficiency: they say he was the son of the Egyptian
whom Moses slew, and that attempting to pitch his tent
among those of the tribe of Dan, to which he belonged
by his mother's side, ver. 11. he was prevented by a per-
son of that tribe, as having no right to a station among
them who were true Israelites, both by father and mother.
In consequence of this, they say, he blasphemed the name
of the Lord. But, 3. The sacred text does not tell us
what name he blasphemed: it is simply said on nap
vayikkob et ha-shem: he pierced through, distinguished,
explained, or expressed the name. (See below, article
10.) As the Jews hold it impious to pronounce the name

Jehovah, they always put either Adonay, Lord,
or Dwn ha-shem, THE NAME, in the place of it: but in
this sense, ha-shem was never used, prior to the days of
rabbinical superstition; and therefore it cannot be put
here for the word Jehovah. 4. Blaspheming the name of
the Lord is mentioned in ver. 16. and there the proper
Hebrew term is used mm Shem Jehovah, and not the
rabbinical Dwn ha-shem, as in ver. 11. 5. Of all the
365
MSS. collated both by Kennicott and De Rossi not one,

"

CHAPTER XXV. The law concerning the sabbatical or seventh year, repeated, 1-7. The law relative of the Jubilee, every one to return unto his possessions, 13. None to oppress another

to the jubilee, or fiftieth year, and the hallowing of the fiftieth, 8-12 In the year in buying and selling, 14. Purchases to be rated from jubilee to jubilee, according to the number of years unexpired, 15-17. Promises to obedience, 18, 19. Promises relative to the sabbatical year, 20-22 No inheritance must be finally alienated, 23, 24. No advantage to be taken of a man's poverty in buying his land, 25-23. Ordinances relative to the selling of a house in a walled city, 29, 30; in a village, 31. Houses of the Levites may be redeemed at any time, 32, 33. The fields of the Levites, in the suburbs, must not be sold, 31. No usury to be taken from a poor brother, 35-33. If an Israelite he sold to an Israelite, he must not be obliged to serve as a slave, 39; but be as a hired serrent, or as a sojourner, till the year of jubilee, 40; when he and his family shall have liberty to depart, 41. Because God clauos all Izraelites as his servants, having redeemed them from bondage in

Egypt, 42, 43. The Israelites are permitted to have bond-men and bond-women of
the heathens, who being bought with their money, shall be considered as their pro-
perty, 44-46 If an Israelite, grown poor, be sold to a sojourner who has waxed
rich, he may be redeemed by one of his relatives, an uncle or uncle's son, 47-49.
In the interim between the jubilees, he may be redeemed; but if not redeemed, be
shall go free in the jubilee, 50-51. Obedience enforced by God's right over them
as his servants, 55.
An. Exod. Ir. 2
Abib or Nisan

Ain mount Sinal, saying,
ND the LORD spake unto Moses

2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land which I give you, then shall the land 1 keep i a sabbath unto the LORD.

h

3 Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit thereof:

4 But in the seventh year, shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath for the LORD: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard.

5 That which groweth of its own accord of thy harvest, thou shalt not reap, neither gather the grapes of thy vine undressed: for it is a year of rest unto the land.

h Heb. rest. Exod. 23. 10. See Ch. 26. 34, 35. 2 Chron. 36. 21.-k 2 Kings 19. 23-1 Heb. of thy separation.-m Heb. loud of sound.-n Ch. 23. 24, 77.

9 Then shalt thou cause the trumpet the jubilee to sound, on the tenth day of the seventh month, "in the day of atonement, shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land.

10 And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubilee unto you; P and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family.

11 A jubilee shall that fiftieth year be unto you: ye shall not sow, neither groweth of itself in it, nor gather the grapes in that which reap in it, of thy vine undressed.

12 For it is the jubilee; it shall be holy unto you: ye shall eat the increase thereof out of the field.

13 In the year of this jubilee ye shall return every man unto his possession.

o Isai. 61. 2 & 63. 4. Jer. 34. 8, 15, 17. Luke 4. 19.-p Ver. 13. Numb. 36. 4. q Ver. 5.-r Ver. 6, 7.-8 Ver. 10. Ch. 27. 24. Numb. 36. 4.

real jubilee.

of the Lord should be known. Moses, no doubt, had re- year, as is stated in ver. 8. and this prevented the sabbacourse to the tabernacle, and received the directions after- tical year, or seventh year of rest, from being confounded ward mentioned, from him who dwelt between the cheru- with the jubilee, which it must otherwise have been, had bim. In what way the answer of the Lord was commu- the celebration of this great solemnity taken place on the nicated we know not; (probably by Urim and Thum-fiftieth year; but it is most likely that the fiftieth was the mim) but it came in such a manner, as to preclude all doubt upon the subject. The man was declared to be guilty, and was sentenced to be stoned to death. And on this occasion, a law is made relative to blasphemy in general. However sinful the Jews might have been at this time, we have reason to believe that they did not take the name of the Lord in vain; and blasphemy was not known among them. But what shall we say of Christians, so called, whose mouths are full of cursing and bitterness? Were every blasphemer among us to be stoned to death, how many of the people would fall in every corner of the land! God is long-suffering: may this lead them to repentance! We have excellent laws against all profaneness; but alas for our country! they are not enforced; and he who attempts to put the laws in force against profane swearers, sabbath-breakers, &c. is considered a litigious man, and a disturber of the peace of society! Will not God visit for these things? This is not only contempt of God's holy word and commandments, but rebellion against the lacs.

Verse 11. A jubilee shall that fiftieth year be] The literal meaning of the word jubilee, a yobel, in Hebrew, and a yobil in the Samaritan, has not been well ascertained. Josephus and the rabbins have caused many to err: the former says the word signifies liberty; Expy I ONCEIVES TOURORE. Antiq. 1. 3. cap. 12. Edit. Haverc. vol. i. p. 184; but the word liberty signifies rather the intention of the institution, than the meaning of the Hebrew term. The rabbins say, it signifies a ram's horn, because the trumpets which were used in proclaiming this solemnity, were made out of rams' horns. This meaning is adopted in a few places in our translation, but none of the ancient versions acknowledge this sense of the term, the Chaldee excepted. Some derive it from 5 yabal, to bring, carry away, because the Israelites, at this time, carried away, the right of repossessing their inheritances which had been forfeited or alienated. The most natural derivation is from a hobil, to cause to bring back or recall, because estates, &c. which had been alienated, were then brought back to their primitive owners. This was a wise and excellent institution, but appears to have been little regarded by the Jews after the Babylonish captivity. Indeed it is not mentioned under the second temple, and the observance must have ceased among the Jews, when they were brought under a foreign yoke.

NOTES ON CHAPTER XXV. Verse 2. The land shall keep a sabbath] See this ordinance explained in the note on Exod. xxiii. 11. It may be asked here, if it required all the annual produce of the field to support the inhabitants, how could the people be nourished the seventh year, when no produce was received from the fields? To this it may be answered, that God sent his blessing in an especial manner on the sixth year, see verses 21, 22. and it brought forth fruit for three years. How astonishing and convincing was this miracle! Could there possibly be any deception here? NO! The miracle speaks for itself, proves the divine authenticity of the law, and takes every prop and stay from the system that wishes to convict the Mosaic ordinances of imposture. See Exod. xxiii. 11. It is evident from this, that the Mosaic law must have 2dly. To the general resurrection-"It is," says Mr. had a divine origin, as no man in his senses, without God's Parkhurst, "a lively prefiguration of the grand consumauthority, could have made such an ordinance as this; formation of time, which will be introduced, in like manner, the sixth year, from its promulgation, would have amply refuted his pretensions to a divine mission.

Verse 6. Thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years] This seems to state that the jubilee was to be celebrated on the forty-ninth year; but in ver. 10. and 11. it is said, Ye shall hallow the fiftieth year; and a jubilee shall this fiftieth year be. Probably in this verse, Moses either includes the preceding jubilee, and thus with the forty-ninth, makes up the number fifty; or he speaks of proclaming the jubilee on the 49th, and celebrating it on the 50th year, current. Some think it was celebrated on the forty-ninth

The jubilee seems to have been typical, 1st. of the great time of release, the Gospel dispensation, when all who believe in Christ Jesus, are redeemed from the bondage of sin-repossess the favour and image of God, the only inheritance of the human soul, having all debts cancelled, and the right of inheritance restored. To this the prophet seems to allude, see Isai. xxvi. 13. and particularly chap. lxi.

by the trump of God, 1 Cor. xv. 52. when the children and heirs of God shall be delivered from all their forfeitures and restored to the eternal inheritance allotted to them by their Father: and thenceforth rest from their labours, and be supported in life and happiness by what the field of God shall supply."

It is worthy of remark, that the jubilee was not proclaimed till the 10th day of the seventh month, on the very day when the great annual atonement was made for the sins of the people: and does not this prove that the great liberty, or redemption from thraldom, published under the