Annotations on the Pentateuch, Psalms, Song of Songs, Biblical commentary 2 · Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII.
1, God commandeth to sanctifie all the Firstborne, unto him: 3, to remember the day of their going out of Egypt: 5, to keepe the feast of Vnlevened bread, in Canaan: 8, to shew their sonnes the cause thereof: 12, to set apart for the Lord, the firstlings of beasts. 16, Phylacteries, for a signe of Gods former mercies. 17, The way by which God led Israel in the wildernesse: 19, The carying of Iosephs bones with them. 20, Israel campeth in Etham. 21, God guideth them by a pillar of a cloud, and pillar of fire.
AND Iehovah spake unto Moses, saying, Sanctifie unto me every first-borne, that which openeth every wombe, among the sonnes of Israel of man and of beast; it is mine. And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, from the house of servants; for by strength of hand Iehovah brought you out from hence: & no levened bread shall bee eaten. This day you come out, in the monethmonth of Abib. And it shall be, when Iehovah shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanite, and the Chethite, and the Amorite, and the Evite, and the Iebusite, wch he sware unto thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milke and honey: that thou shalt serve this service, in this monethmonth. Seven daies thou shalt eat unlevened cakes: & in the seventh day shall be a feast to Iehovah. Vnlevened cakes shall bee eaten seven daies; and no levened bread shall bee seene with thee, and no old leven shall bee seene with thee, in all thy border. And thou shalt shew thy sonne in that day, saying; because of that which Iehovah did unto mee when I came out from Egypt. And it shall bee to thee for a signe upon thy hand, & for a memoriall betweene thine eyes, that Iehovahs Law may be in thy mouth; for with a strong hand hath Iehovah brought thee out from Egypt. And thou shalt keepe this statute in his season, from yeere to yeere. And it shal be, when Iehovah shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanite, ashe sware unto thee, and unto thy fathers, and shall give it thee: That thou shalt cause all that openeth the wombe, to passe unto Iehovah: and all that openeth (the wombe) of the yong of a beast, which thou shalt have, the males shall bee Iehovahs. And all that openeth (the wombe) of an asse, thou shalt redeeme with a lambe; and if thou wilt not redeeme it, then thou shalt breake the necke of it: and all the first-borne of man, amongst thy sons, shalt thou redeeme. And it shall be, when thy son shall aske thee to morrow, saying, What is this? that thou shalt say unto him; By strength of hand Iehovah brought us out from Egypt from the house of servants. And it was, when Pharaoh was hard, to send us away, that Iehovah slew every first-borne in the land of Egypt, from the first-borne of man, even to the first-borne of beast; therefore I sacrifice to Iehovah all that openeth the wombe, the males; and every first borne of my sonnes I redeeme. And it shall bee for a signe upon thy hand, and for phylacteries betweene thine eyes; for by strength of hand Iehovah brought us out from Egypt.
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And it was, when Pharaoh had sent away the people, that God led them not the way of the land of the Philistines, though that was neere; for God said, lest the people repent, when they see warre, and they returne to Egypt. But God led the people about, by the way of the wildernesse of the red sea; and the sons of Israel went up harnessed, out of the land of Egypt. And Moses tooke the bones of Ioseph with him; for he had swearing sworne the sons of Israel, saying; God will visiting visit you, and yee shall cary up my bones from hence with you. And they journeyed from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wildernesse. And Iehovah went before them by day, in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; & by night, in a pillar of fire, to give them light, for to … by day and night. He tooke not away … pill… of the cloud by day, and the pillar of … by night, before the people.
Annotations.
SAnctifie] or, Hallow, Consecrate; that is, put apart unto holy use for me and my service. The men and uncleane beasts were to be redemed with money, which was given to the Lords Priests: the cleane beasts were to bee killed in sacrifice to the Lord, Numb. 18. 15. 16. 17. Moses is commanded here, to teach this unto Israel. Afterwards the Levites were taken for all the first-born Israelites, and imployed in the service of the Lord, Numb. 3. 6. 12. that which openeth] so the holy Ghost translateth it in Greeke, Luk. 2. 23. but the Hebrew phrase is, the opening (or emission) of every wombe (or matrice) meaning the first birth of man or beast; and so the Chaldee, in v. 13. expoundeth it, the first-borne; and in Exod. 34. 19. 20. the Greeke translateth it, first-borne, (or firstling.) This law signified, that Gods people (which are a congregation of first-borne, Heb. 12. 23. Exod. 4. 22. being redeemed from death by the blood of Christ) should both themselves and theirs be consecrated to the service of the Lord, Rom. 6. 13. 19. 22. and 12. 1▪ even as he is their God, and sanctifieth them to himselfe from the wombe, Psal. 22. 11. Esay. 46. 3. Ier. 1. 5. Gal. 1. 15.
V. 3. Remember] The Heb. Zacor, here & in Exo. 20. 8. and Ios. 1. 13. are properly indefinites, signifying To remember; but used for Imparatives, as Halok, To go, 2 Sam. 24. 12. is explained, Lok, Go thou, in 1 Chro. 21. 10. To eat and to drink, Esay 22. 13. is expounded, Letus eat and drinke, 1 Cor. 15. 32. and in Gr. Chairein, To rejoice, for Rejoyce thou, 2 Ioh. 1. 10. But there be of the Hebrewes that say, the word Zacor is indefinite, because we are bound for ever to remēber this matter: R Elias in Sepher reshith choc…ah, treat. of Holinesse, ch. 6. This remembrance here commanded, was not onelyonly to keepe in minde for themselves, but to mention and speake of it to others; as after Moses saith in ver. 8. Thou shalt shew thy sonne, &c. The Hebrew canons say; It is commanded by the Law, to tell of the tentations and marvellous workes which were done to our fathers in Egypt; upon the fifteenth day of Nisan (that is, March) as it is written (in Exod. 13. 3.) Remember this day &c. and (in vers. 8.) Thou shalt shew thy sonne, &c. And although he have no sonne, though they bee great wise men, they are bound to tell of the going out of Egypt: and who so maketh a long speech of the things that fell out and came to passe, it is commendable in him. Maimony in Misneh, treat. of Leven, ch. 7. S. 1. servants] the Greeke and Chaldee expound it servitude, or bondage. strength of hand] the Greek expoundeth it, strong hand: and so Moses him-selfe speaketh in vers. 9. This manner of deliverance, figured also our redemption by Christ; who being stronger than (Satan) the strong man armed, overcame him, and tooke from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divided his spoiles, Luk. 11. 21. 22. levened] of this, see Exod. 12. 8. 15. It figured our sanctification, in abstaining from all corruption in doctrine and conversation, Matt. 16. 12. 1 Cor. 5. 8.
Vers. 4. Abib,] which the Greeke translateth New fruits: the word signifieth, a greene eare (or …) of corne, Exod. 9. 31. and because in those Countries corne was …ared and began to bee ripe in this monethmonth, (as witnesseth Philo, in his third booke of Moses life) it was called therefore Abib; some of the Greekes name it the monethmonth of floures, as Mac…rius Egypt. in Hom. 47. It was part of March, and part of April, as we now call the moneths: see also Exod. 12. 2.
Vers. 5. Canaanite] that is, as the Greeke translateth, Canaanites and Chethites, &c. see Gen. 10. 16. 18. Iebusite] the Greeke version addeth, Gergesites and Pherezites; to make up the number of seven, which is here understood, as in Deut. 7. 1. serve] that is, observe, as Exod. 12. 25. or (as the Greek translateth) doe this service; which after followeth.
Vers. 6. Seven] or, a seven (a weeke) of daies: figuring our whole life: see Exod. 12. 15. a feast] which among other duties, was kept with an holy convocation, Levit. 23. 8.
Vers. 8. shew thy sonne] It is commanded that wee shew our sonnes, though they aske not: according to the knowledge of the sonne, must his father teach him, saith Maimony in treat. of Leven, ch. 7. S. 2. because] or, for this which Iehovah did unto me: understand, This is done; or, This feast we keepe, for, or because of that. Such want of words is oft in the Scripture, as in 2 Sam. 23. 8. against 800. meaning, hee lift up his speare against 800. as the words are supplyed in 1 Chron. 11. 11. So before in Exod. 4. 5. The Hebrew Doctors understand it mystically, saying, what is that which the Scripture saith, For this? It is like This is my God, Exod. 15. 2. as if he should say; for his names sake, and for his glorie, did he unto us, and brought us out of Egypt; and not for our righteousnesse. R. Menachem, on Exod. 13.
Vers. 9. a signe] or, a token: so in vers. 16. but in Deut. 6. 8. and 11. 18. it is said, Thou shalt binde thē for a signe upon thy hand, and they shall be for Phylacteries betweene thine eyes: and thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and upon thy gates. a memoriall] or, a monument. This is an explication of that word Totaphoth, the Phylacteries mentioned after in the 16. vers. The manner of keeping these lawes among the Iewes, was; They wrote foure sections of the law upon parchments, namely these, Sanctifie unto me every first-borne, &c. Exod. 13. 2. to the end of verse 10. And it shall bee when Iehovah shall bring thee into the land, &c. Exo. 13. 11. to the end of verse 16. Heare ô Israel, Iehovah our God, Iehovah is one, &c. Deut. 6. 4. to the end of verse 9. And it shall be, if hearkening ye shall hearken unto my commandements, &c. Deut. 11. 13. to the end of verse 21. These foure sections (containing in all 30 verses) written on parchments, folden up, covered with lether, they tyed to the forehead, & to the hand. Those that were for the head, they wrote on foure parchments, and rolled them up every one severally, and put them in foure places which were joyned together in one skin, or peece of lether. For the hand, they wrote the same 4. sections of the law, in 4 columes upon one parchment, and rolled it up from the end to the beginning. These all were written exactly according to Moses copy, not a letter more or lesse, otherwise the phylacteries were not lawfull to be worne. They were also artificially sowen up in the lether, and tied with strings upon the head, from the crowne forward; and upon the left hand or arme, above the elbow, on the inside, that they might be towards the heart: (as Deut. 6. 6▪) Howbeit the Sadduces used to weare them upon the forehead (or brow) and upon the palme of the hand (as Maimony observeth in Tephillin, chap. 4. S. 3. They used these phylacteries religiously, alwaies blessing God for the commanding of these things, when they put them on, which they used to doe by day onelyonly, not by night; and upon the working daies, not on Sabbaths or feast daies, because (say they) it is written, It shall be to the for a signe, whereas the Sabbath it selfe was a signe. And though they might weare them all the day, (so it were not in an uncleane place) yet specially they put them on when they went to read the Law, or to pray, (whereupon they call them in their tongue, Tephillin, that is, Oratories, or Prayer ornaments:) and abused them to great superstition, teaching, …hat all the while a man had the phylacteries upon his head and arme, hee was meeke and fearing God, and not drawne away by laughter or vaine meditation, nor conceived any evill thoughts, but turned his heart to the words of truth and justice. These and many other particulars about them, are largely set downe by Maimony in his treat. Tephillin: and the like rites they had for their post writings, (from the Law in Deut. 6. 9.) and for their fringes, (from the Law in Numb. 15. 38.) And our Saviour blameth the Pharisees hypocrisie, in wearing their phylactaries broad, and their fringes long; Matt. 23. 5. And how well they thought of themselves for these things, appeareth by the saying of the Chald▪ paraphrast, upon Song 8. 3. The congregation of Israel said, I am chosen above all peoples, because I binde phylacteries to my left hand, and to my head, &c. But God hereby taught them diligently to regard, and dutifully to prosesse and practise his Lawes, having them written and laid up in their heart and soule, Deut. 6. 6. and 11. 18. Prov. 3. 3. 21. and 7. 2. 3. With this wee may compare that in Rev. 14. 1. of those holy ones that had Christs Fathers name written in their foreheads, as a signe of the profession of Gods Law: (for that which in the Gospell is called his Name, Matt. 12. 21. in the Prophets is called his Law, Esay 42. 4.) So againe, Antichrist exacteth the obedience of his precepts, as by a marke upon mens right hands, or on their fore-heads. Rev. 13. 16.
Vers. 10. from yeere,] Hebr. from dayes to dayes: but dayes often signifieth a full yeere, as is shewed on Gen. 4. 3. The Chaldee translateth, from time to time: The Greeke keepeth the Hebrew phrase: wherefore dayes are prophetically used for yeeres, in the Greeke of the New Testament, Rev. 11. 3.
Vers. 12. to passe] namely either through the fire; as this phrase is explained in Deut. 18. 10. 2 King. 16. 3. and implyeth, in Ezek. 20. 26. Levit. 18. 21. and, the law for the firstlings, sheweth in Numbers 18, 17, and here in vers. 15. it is expounded Sacrifice. Or, thou shalt cause to passe, namely, under the rod, as in Levit. 27. 30. and so consecrate, or, (as the Greeke translateth) put apart unto the Lord: and so make it pass from under thy power, and all, &c.] Hebr. and every opening: which the Greeke translateth, all that openeth the wombe: see verse 2. And this is meant of cleane beasts, as the exception of the asse, and of mankind, in the verse following sheweth: therefore and, in Hebrew is by way of explanation of the former speech, for even, or that is, as is noted on Gen. 13. 15. of the young] the increase; or, as the Greeke translateth it, of the herds: for this word is spoken of kine, as flocks is applyed to sheepe, Deut. 28. 4. 18. 51. but the Chaldee here expoundeth it youngling. shall be Iehovahs] or, thou shalt make passe (shalt sacrifice) to Iehovah; the Chaldee saith, thou shalt sanctifie before the Lord.
Vers. 13. an asse] so in Exod. 34. 20. but in Num. 18. 15. it is said, of an uncleane beast: so that by the asse here, may be implyed all other uncleane beasts, not meet for sacrifice. Howbeit some of the Iew Doctors understand the uncleane beast there, to meane the asse onelyonly; as Maimony in Misneh, treat. of First fruits, chap. 12. S. 3. and R. Solomon Iarchi, upon this text. a lambe] or kid, as the word implyeth both, Exod. 12. 3. And this the Iewes take strictly, of a living lambe onelyonly, saying, it may not be redeemed with a calfe, or with a wild beast, nor with a lambe that is killed, &c. Maimony treat of First fruits, chap. 12. S. 8. This lambe was to be given to the Lord, that is, to his Priest, Num. 18. 8. 15. and then the owner of the asse might use it for his own service; which otherwise he might not doe, Deut. 15. 19. breake the necke] or, cut off the necke, as the word is translated in Deut. 21. 4. and Esay 66. 3 where it is spoken of a dog. The Ierusalemy paraphrast here expoundeth it, kill it. redeeme] for five shekels of money, Num. 18. 16. And (by the Hebrew Doctors) the father when hee redeemed his sonne, was to blesse God who gave this commandement, and preserved his sonnes life. And if the father transgressed, and redeemed not his son; he was when he came to age to redeeme himselfe, Maimony, treat. of First fruits, chap. 11. S. 2. 5. See the annotations on Num. 18. Hereby was figured the redemption of Gods elect, (the Church of the first-borne which are written in heaven, Heb. 12. 23.) from the second death: for in respect of the first death, no man can give any ransome to God, Psal. 49. 8. 9. Heb. 9. 27.
Vers. 14. to morrow] that is, in time to come: see the notes on Gen. 30. 33. The Greeke translateth, hereafter: elsewhere the Greeke keepeth the Hebrew phrase, as in Deut. 6. 20. Ios. 4. 6. 21. us out] the things done to the fathers, are to be remembred as if they were done to the children: so the Prophets explaine things, as Psalm 66. 6. they passed through the river on foot, there did we rejoyce in him: and Hos. 12. 4. he found him in Bethel, and there be stroke with us. So the Hebrew Canons say, Thorowout all generations, a man is bound to shew himselfe, as if it were he himselfe that came now out from the bondage of Egypt, as it is written, AND HE BROVGHT VSUS OVT, &c. and for this cause the holy blessed (GOD) hath commanded in the Law, AND THO… SHALT REMEMBER THAT THOV WAST A SERVANT, (Deut. 15. 5.) as if he should say, As they, so thou thy selfe wast a servant, and camest out free, and wast redeemed, Maimony, treat. of Leven, chap. 7. S. 6. The Apostle speaking of the things that befell Israel, saith, these things were our examples, 1 Cor. 10. 6. and the Rabbines have a common saying, Whatsoever happened to the fathers, is a signe nuto the children. R. Menachem on Gen. 12.
Verse 15. was hard to send us] that is, was stubborn, refusing to send us away. Or, hardned himselfe, against sending us away, so that hee would not let vsus goe. The Hebrew word which commonly signifieth to, is sometime used for from, as is noted on Gen. 36. 6. and so here Pharaoh hardned his heart, from sending; that is, he would not send. In 2 Chr. 11. 4. it is said, they returned from going: whereas in 1 King. 12. 24. it is written, they returned to goe. Compare, both for phrase and matter, that in Iob 9. 4. who hath hardned himselfe against (God) and hath prospered? the males] or, being males: and this the Iewes understand of males simply: for if it be a female, or both male and female, they hold it free from this service; not holy at all. Maimony treat. of the First borne, chap. 2. S. 5.
Verse 16. phylacteries] or, frontlets: in Hebrew Totaphoth, typicall monuments: called in verse 9. 4 memoriall: the Greeke translateth them, an unmoveable monument: the Hebrew Doctors usually call them Tephillin, prayer monuments, because they used to binde them upon them when they prayed; as is noted on verse 9. The Syriacke in Matt. 23. 5 keepeth that name, but the Euangelist in Greeke nameth them phylacteries, of conserving or keeping the memoriall of Gods Law: whom wee follow in this translation. So in Deut. 6. 8. and 11. 18. See the annotations there.
foreign Here beginneth the 16 Section of the Law: see Gen. 6. 9. and 28. 10.
Vers. 17. the way of] that is, towards the land: so in Num. 14. 25. the way of the red sea, is towards it. Or, by the way; as in the verse here following. see warre] that is, be warred against by the Philistines, who would deny them passage: for they had before this killed some of the Israelites, whiles they dwelt in Egypt, in the dayes of Ephraim son of Ioseph; as is mentioned in 1 Chron. 7. 21, 22, 23. Thus God provided for his peoples infirmity, lest at the first they should bee discouraged; and would not suffer them to be tempted above that they were able, 1 Cor. 10. 13. So in his Law, he ordained that no fearfull or faint-hearted should goe to warre, Deuteron. 20. 8. See also the notes on Genesis 11. 31.
Vers. 18. went up] it is the usuall phrase in the Scripture, to call the journeying from Egypt to Canaan (which was northward) a going up, as here, and in Gen. 13. 1. and 44. 17. and often. On the contrary, from Canaan into Egypt, they are said to goe d…e, Gen. 12. 10. and 26. 2. Deut. 10. 22. Act. 7. 15. and usually. harnessed,] or marshalled by five in a ranke: the word in Hebrew hath the name of five, either of the harnesse girded under the fift ribbe, (as the Chaldee translateth it girded,) or, of marching five in a row. The Greeke version saith, in the fift generation: but not well; for Israell went out in the fourth generation, as God foretold, Gen. 15. 16. and this word is elsewhere used for armed, or harnessed; as Ios. 1. 14. and 4. 12. Iudg. 7. 11. Thus God led out his people with an high hand, Exodus 14. 8. and trained them for future warres, to conquer Canaan. See Numb. 1. 3. and 14. 3. 9. &c.
Vers. 19. swearing sworne,] or, as the Greeke hath it, sworne with an oath, that is, straitly and earnestly adjured. Of this, see Gen. 50. 25.
Vers. 20. Succoth] the place of Boothes: see Exod. 12. 37. Etham] in Greeke, Othom. Of this and their other journeyes, see Numb. 33. 6. &c. the edge] or the end; that is, which Etham was in the end (or edge) of the wildernesse, Numb. 33. 6. The Greeke translateth, by the wildernesse.
Vers. 21. Iehovah] called in Exodus 14. 19. the Angell of God; meaning Christ whom the Israelites tempted in the wildernesse, 1 Cor. 10. 9. he is named Iehovah our justice, Ierem. 23. 6. went before them] that is, as the Greeke expoundeth it, guided them. pillar] which in Hebrew is named of standing up, or stabilitie: and is by similitude here applyed to the cloud and fire, that stood over the host of Israel, (as elsewhere smoake arising is called a pillar, Iudg. 20. 40. and pillars of smoake, Ioel 2. 30. are by the Apostle called vapour of smoake, Act. 2. 19.) In Psalm. 105. 39. this cloud is said to bee spread for a covering; so that it shadowed them from the heat of the Sunne: and in it they were baptised, 1 Corinth. 10. 2. and as there was occasion it removed, sometime before, sometime behind them, Exodus 14. 19. and in it God sometime appeared and spake, Deut. 31. 15. Psal. 99. 7. but the ordinary use of it, was to lead and to cover them, Numb. 9. 17. 18. And it figured Christ his guidance and protection of his Church, travelling through this world, unto his heavenly rest; as it is said, The Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Sion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud, and smoake by day, and the shinning of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a covering, &c. Esay 4. 5. 6. of fire] the same dark cloud, which shadowed them by day, was also fire, and gave them light by night, Exodus 14. 19. 20. 24. So Christ baptised the Israelites in the cloud, with the Holy Ghost and with fire, 1 Cor. 10. 2. Matt. 3. 11. Esay 4. 2. 4. 5. Therefore Israel in faith, did betake themselves under the shadow of Gods Majestie in this cloud; and Moses sanctified the action by prayer, Numb. 9. 17. 18. 19. 23. and 10. 34. 36. 1 Cor. 10. 1.