Annotations on the Pentateuch, Psalms, Song of Songs, Biblical commentary 2 · Chapter 19
CHAP. XIX.
1, The people come to Sinai. 3, God calleth Moses up into the …ount; and by him propoundeth unto Israel the keeping of his covenant. 8, The peoples answer, that they would doe all, is returned to the Lord. 10, The people are sanctified against the third day. 12, The mountaine is bounded and must not be touched. 16, The fearefull presence of God upon the mount: 19, whereat Moses is afraid. 21, The people and priests are againe charged, not to breake their bounds, upon paine of death.
IN the third MonethMonth, after the going forth of the sonnes of Israel, out of the land of Egypt; in the same day came they into the wildernesse of Sinai. For they had journied from Rephidim, and were come to the wildernesse of Sinai, and encamped in the wildernesse: and there Israel camped before the mountaine. And Moses went up unto God: and Iehovah called unto him out of the mountaine, saying; Thus shalt thou say to the house of Iakob, and tell the sonnes of Israel. You have seene what I did unto the Egyptians: and I have borne you upon Eagles wings, and brought you unto my selfe. And now, if hearkning ye will hearken unto my voice, and keepe my covenant, then yee shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all peoples; for all the earth is mine. And you shall be unto me a kingdome of priests, and an holy nation: These are the words which thou shalt speake unto the sonnes of Israel. And Moses came, and called for the Elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which Iehovah commanded him. And all the people answered together and said; All that Iehovah hath spoken wee will doe: And Moses returned the words of the people unto Iehovah. And Iehovah said unto Moses, Loe I come unto thee in the thicke cloud; that the people may heare, when I speake with thee, and may beleeve in thee also for ever: And Moses told the words of the people unto Iehovah. And Iehovah said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctifie them to day & to morrow: and let them wash their clothes. And let them be ready against the third day: for in the third day Iehovah will come downe, in the eyes of all the people upon mount Sinai. And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying; Take heed to your selves, that yee goe not up into the mountaine, or touch the border of it: all that toucheth the mountaine shall die the death. There shall not a hand touch it, but hee shall be stoned with stones, or shot through with a shot: whether it bee beast or man, it shall not live: when the sound of the trumpet is drawne long, they shall goe up into the mountaine. And Moses went downe from the mountaine unto the people: and hee sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes. And hee sayd unto the people; Be ye ready against the third day: come not yee nigh unto a Wife. And it was in the third day, when it was morning, that there was voices, and lightnings, and a heavy cloud upon the mountaine; and the voice of the trumpet exceeding strong: and all the people that was in the Campe trembled. And Moses brought forth the people out of the Campe, to meet with God: and they stood at the nether part of the mountaine. And mount Sinai was all of it on a smoke, because that Iehovah descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace; and all the mruntaine trembled exceedingly. And the voice of the trumpet was giong and waxing strong exceedingly: Moses spake; and God answered him by a voice. And Iehovah descended upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mountaine: and Iehovah called for Moses unto the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. And Iehovah said unto Moses; Goe downe, testifie unto the people; lest they breake thorow unto Iehovah, to see, and many of them fall. And the priests also, which come neere unto Iehovah, let them sanctifie themselves; lest Iehovah breake forth upon them. And Moses said unto Iehovah; The people cannot come up unto mount Sinai: for thou hast testified unto us saying; Set bounds about the mountaine and sanctifie it. And Iehovah said unto him, Goe downe, and come up thou & Aaron with thee: but the priests and the people, let not them breake through to come up unto Iehovah, lest he breake forth upon them. And Moses went downe unto the people, and said it unto them.
Annotations.
MOnethMonth] or, new moone; which was the first day of every monethmonth among the Hebrews: therefore here followeth in the same day, to signifie not the MonethMonth onelyonly, but the first day thereof to be meant. Or (as some thinke) the same day meaneth the third day, as it was the third monethmonth, and this was 430. yeeres after the promise made unto Abraham: but the covenant of the Law now given, could not disanull the covenant (of grace) that was confirmed afore of God, in respect of Christ, Gal. 3. 17. Sines] in Greeke, the Holy Ghost writeth it Sina: which is a mountaine in Arabia, situate in the wildernesse, called thereupon, the wildernesse of mount Sina. Gal. 4. 25. Acts 7. 30.
Vers. 3. unto God] the Greeke saith, unto the mountaine of God: the Chaldee, into the presence of the word of the Lord: this was Christ, who is called the Angel, Act. 7. 38. the Angel of Gods Face, (or presence) Esay 63. 9. It seemeth that the cloud by which God conducted them, now rested upon that mount. See Numb. 9. 17. &c.
Vers. 4. you] or your selves have seene, &c. This speech was to prepare them to receive Gods covenant now to be made: and the like was spoken at the renewing of the covenant, Deut. 29. 2. &c. Eagles wings] to cary you out of your place of bondage, openly, safely, speedily; as the Eagle doth her yong ones, from their sluggish nest. This similitude is more explained in Deut. 32. 11. And as the Church of Israel here, fled from the dragon Pharaoh, (as he is called in Ezek. 29. 3.) so the Christian Church fled from the Serpent, (or Dragon) into the wildernesse, with two wings of a great Eagle, Rev. 12. 14. The Greeke and Chaldee here translate, as upon Eagles wings. unto my selfe,] to serve me at this mount, (as was promised in Exod. 3. 12) and for ever: so the Chaldee explaineth it, to my service; and Thargum Ierusalemy saith, to the doctrine of my Law.
Vers. 5. my voice] the voice of my Word, saith Thargum Ierusalemy. a peculiar treasure] or jewell. The Hebrew Segullah, signifieth ones own proper good, which he loveth and keepeth in store for himselfe, and for speciall use, 1 Chron. 29. 3. Eceles. 2. 8. Here it is applyed to Gods Church, and translated in Greeke a peculiar people, which phrase Paul followeth, in Tit. 2. 14. but Peter expresseth it by another word, a people for peculiar possession, 1 Pet. 2. 9. as the Greek version is in Mal. 3. 17. The Chaldee translateth it, beloved: so doe other Hebrews, saying, Segullah, signifieth that they should be beloved before him, as a desirable treasure, which a king delivereth not into the hand of any of his officers, but keepeth it himselfe. And such is the case of Israel, of whom it is said, (in Deut. 32. 9.) For the Lords portion is his people &c. R. Menachem on Exo. 19. This grace (which the Apostles shew we have obtained by Christ) is sundry times mentioned to the praise of God, Deut. 7. 6. and 14. 2. and 26. 18. For Iah hath chosen Iakob unto himselfe: Israel for his peculiar treasure, Psal. 135 4. the earth] with the plenty thereof is mine, yet my delight is in you, to love you, and to chuse you and your seed above all peoples; So Moses openeth this speech, in Deut. 10. 14. 15. and other Prophets; as, Thou Israel art my servant; Iakob, whom I have chosen; the seed of Abraham my friend. Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chiefe men thereof, and said unto thee; Thou art my servant, &c. Esay 41. 8. 9.
Vers. 6. a kingdome of priests,] which the Apostle (following the Greeke version) calleth a kingly priesthood, 1 Pet. 2. 9. The Chaldee saith ye shall be before mee, kings, priests, and an holy people. Such Christ hath made us, unto God his father, Rev. 1. 6. Kings, to reigne on the earth, Rev. 5. 10. and priests Mosser up spirituall sacrifices, 1 Pet. 2. 5. Rom. 12. 1.
Vers. 7. Elders] by them to communicate these thing, with the people: see Exod. 3. 16. laid] or proposed; Hebrew put.
Vers. 8. together] with one accord, as the Greeke …laineth it; and elsewhere Moses saith, with one … Exod. 24. …. The people not yet knowing the unpossibilitie of the law, which is weak through the flesh, Rom. 8. 3. make promise of more than they were able to performe. After, when the law … ▪ they fea…e and flee away, Exod. … 1…. 1… ▪ And it …, but either men not understanding the … ▪ … presume of their … strength, or understanding it, doe despaire, …e the grace of God in Christ doe sustaine … Rom. 7, 9, 10, 24. 25. … …. in the thicke cloud▪ Hebrew in the thicknesse of the cloud: which the Greeke explaineth, the pillar of the cloud: the Ierusalemy Thargum expoundeth it, my Word shall bee revealed unto thee in the thicke cloud, in thee] see Exodus 14. 31. This confidence in Moses the Iewes alwaies retained, and said they were Moses disciples, they knew that God spake with Moses, Iohn 9. 28. 29. They write of him thus: Moses our Master, Israel beleevod not in him because of the signes which he did: for hee that beleeveth because of signes, there is in his heart a suspicion that the signe may possibly bee done by inchantment or sorcerie. But all the signes which Moses did in the wildernesse, hee did them upon necessity, &c. we needed food; hee brought us downe Manna. They were a thirst; hee clave the rocke for them. The congregation of Korah rebelled against him; the earth swallowed them: and so all other signes. But wherefore beleeved we in him? For that standing at mount Sinai, which our owne eyes did see and not a stranger; and our eares did heare and not another; the fire, and the thunders, and the lightnings, and he went neere into the thicke darknesse, and a voice spake unto him and we heard it; Moses, Moses, goe say unto them thus and thus. And so it is said, face to face the Lord spake with you, (Deut. 5. 4.) &c. This standing at mount Sinai, it selfe alone was an evident confirmation of his prophesie, that it was truth, and without all suspicion in it; as it is written, Lo I come unto thee in the thicke cloud, that the people may heare when I speake with thee, and may beleeve in thee for ever, (Exodus 19. 9.) So that before this thing, they beleeved not in him, with such a beleefe as continueth for ever; but with a beleefe that had [doubtfull] conceits and thoughts after it. Maimony in Misn. in Iesudei hatorah, ch. 8. S. 1.
Vers. 10. sanctifie them] that is, bid them, and looke that they doe sanctifie, and holily prepare themselves, that they may be humbled at my feet, to receive my words; as Deut. 33. 3. This was by cleansing themselves from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit, 2 Cor. 7. 1. inwardly by faith, Act. 15. 9. outwardly by washing their garments, (whereof see Gen. 35. 2.) and their bodies, as appeareth by other places that shew the sanctifying of the priests and people, Levit, 8. 6. and 15. 5. 6. 8. 13. 16. 18. 21. 22. &c. and abstaining from their wives, as after followeth here, verse. 15. Which things figured our sanctification and cleansing by Christ Iesus, with the washing of water, by the Word, even the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the holy Ghost. Ephes. 5 26. Tit. 3. 5. From this precept the Hebrew Doctors gather their doctrine and practice, for baptizing all whom they admit unto their Church and covenant: as Maimony sheweth in Asurei Biah, ch. 13. and is more fully set downe in the annotations on Gen. 17. 12.
V. 11. the third day] which is thought to be the day that after was called Pentecost, the 50. day after the Passeover; then was a yeerly feast, Exo. 23. 16. Lev. 23. 15. 16. &c. Act. 20. 16. On this day the fiery law was now given on mount Sina: on this day the fiery tongues were after given for preaching the Gospell in Ierusalem, Acts 2. 1. 2. &c. And many mysteries are of the third day, in the Scriptures: see the notes on Gen. 22. 4.
Vers. 13. touch it] or, touch him; that is, the man or beast that shall touch the mountaine, shall be so execrable unto you, as yee shall not touch it with hand, but stone it, or shoot it through. These ordinances were outward, concerning the mount that might be touched; terrible, that the people could unbeare that which was commanded; and shewed the nature and use of the law, contrary to the Gospell on mount Sion, as Paul explaineth it, Heb. 12. 18. 20. 22. &c. with a shot] with arrow (or dart,) as the Apostle in Greek openeth the Hebrew phrase shooting, shot through, Heb. 12. 20. the sound of the trumpet] or, the sounding trumpet: called in Hebrew Iobel, translated in Greeke, voices and trumpets; but the Apostle seemeth to expresse it by the sound (or eccho) of the trumpet, Hebr. 12. 19. the Chaldee turneth it the trumpet. Every 50. yeare was of the sounding of trumpets called Iobel (the Iubilee,) Levit. 25. 10. see the annotations there, and Ios. 6. 4. 5. is drawne long] or, draweth (that is, continueth) the sound: and so there be an end of the trumpets sounding. shall goe up] that is, as the Chaldee paraphraseth, when the trumpet shall be withdrawne, they shall have leave to goe up: and as the Gr. translateth, when the voyces, & the trumpets, & the cloud, are departed from the mountaine, they shal goe up. So that whiles the signes of Gods Majestie were on the mount, the people were forbidden to approach: but when they were ceased, the people might goe up as to any other common mount; wheras untill that time the mountaine was sanctified, verse 23.
Vers. 15. unto a wife] or to a woman; that is, any of you unto his wife, to lie with her; as the Ierusalemy Thargum expoundeth it, the ministerie of the bed. A like speech passed betweene Achimelech the priest and David, about eating of the holy bread, 1 Sam. 21. 4. 5. This was for the more humiliation and preparing of the people: as Paul teacheth that man & wife may abstaine with consent for a time, that they may give themselves to fasting and prayer, 1 Cor. 7. 5. It seemeth also by the Law in Levit. 15. 18. that there was a figurative uneleannesse by all such copulation: see the annotations on that place.
Vers. 16. voyces] that is, thunders; see Exod. 9. 23. heavy] that is, very thicke cloud, the Greeke translateth, darkesome clouds. These were signes of Gods glorious presence, and of his judgements against the breakers of his Law: the Prophets use the like words to signifie his Majestie, Psal. 18. 9. 10. 12. 14. and 97. 2. 4. And these things were now done by the ministery of Angels, Act. 7. 53. Gal. 3. 19. for God came, with ten thousands of saints, Deut. 33. 2. trumpet] shewing the nature of the Law, to manifest Gods will, mens transgressions, and to warne them of the wrath deserved, Esay 58. 1. Ezek. 33. 3. Rom. 3. 20. and 4. 15. trembled] or was afraid. The spirit of bondage which was in the people, caused them to feare, Rom. …. 15. for they were not perfect in the love of God, 1 Iohn 4. 18.
Vers. 17. to meet with God] as the Chaldee paraphraseth, with the Word of the Lord. Thus Moses as a Mediatour stood betweene the Lord and the people; because they were afraid, Deut. 5. 5. Gal. 3. 19. at the nether part] without the bounds that Moses had limited, vers. 12. They flood here (as the Hebrews write) after the order that Moses mentioneth (in Deut. 29. 10. 11.) when after 40. yeeres he renewed the covenant; First there were the firstborne (the priests, Exod. 19. 22.) which came neare unto the Lord: after them the Heads of the Tribes, the Rulers: after them the Elders: then the officers: after them all the men of Israel: then the little ones: after them the women: and then the strangers. Aben Ezra on Exod. 19.
Vers. 18. on a smoke] With clouds and smoke, God often manifested his glorious presence to his people, Exod. 40. 34. 35. 2 Chro. 5. 14. and 6. 1. and 7. 1. 2. Esay 6. 4. Rev. 15. 8. there was the hiding of his power, Hab. 3. 4. descended] God who filleth heaven and earth, Ier. 23. 24. is said to descend or come downe to certaine places, when hee there manifesteth his glory: and it is spoken of him after the manner of men. See the notes on Gen. 6. 6. and 11. 5. in fire] for Gods Word is like to fire, Ier. 23. 29. and his law was firie, Deut. 33. 2. as hee himselfe is a consuming fire, Deutro. 4. 24. Thargum Ierusalemy explaineth it thus, because the glorie of the Majestie of the Lord was revealed upon it, in a flame of fire. The mountaine burnt with fire unto the midst of heaven, with darknesse, clouds, and thicke darknesse, Deut. 4. 11. all the mount] the mountaines saw the Lord, and trembled, Hab. 3. 10. they leaped like rammes, Psal. 114. 4. the earth quaked, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God; even Sinai it selfe, at the presence of God, the God of Israel, Psal. 68. 6. Iudg. 5. 5. The Greek translateth, all the people was astonied.
Vers. 19. going and waxing strong] that is, continually proceeding and increasing in londnesse and strength more and more. See a like phrase in Gen. 8. 3. Moses spake] so fearfull was the sight, that Moses said, I am sore afraid and tremble, Heb. 12. 21. by a voyce] by a more gentle meane than the thunder, or loud shrilling trumpet: that Moses might be confirmed and not affrighted. (So Daniel being daunted with a vision, was strengthned by the Angels words, Dan. 10. 8. 16. 17. 19.) And this voyce was heard of the people; as is likely by that promise unto Moses, in verse 9. It signified also, that onelyonly the Lords voyce takes away the terrors of the Law: for by Moses the Law was given, but by Christ (who answered the Law and fulfilled it,) commeth grace and truth, Ioh. 1. 17.
Vers. 21. testifie unto] or, charge (contest) the people. Paul used to contest (or charge) before God and his Angels, 1 Tim. 5. 21. 2 Tim. 2. 14. and 4. 1. lest they breake] or, that they breake not through, to wit, the bounds set them. to see] as Moses did at the first, till he was stayed of God, Exodus 3. 3. Curiositie is forbidden, that men might walke by faith, not by sight, 2 Cor. 5. 7. and learne humility, Rom. 12. 3. The Greeke here translateth, Lest they draw neare unto God, to consider; (or to behold) and Luke useth the word in that sense, in Stephens speech of: Moses, Act. 7. 31. fall] that is, be killed of the Lord, verse 12. as 50. thousand and 70 men of Berhshemeth were slaine for looking into the Arke of God, 1 Sam. 6. 19. So falling is used for staine, in Gen. 14. 10. 1 Cor. 10. 8.
Vers 22. which come neare] that is, as the Chaldee explaineth, which come neare to minister before the Lord. These priests are after called yong men of the sonnes of Israel, Exodus 24. 5. and were the first borne of the people whom God had sanctified to him-selfe, Exodus 13. 2. in whose place hee afterward tooke the tribe of Levi, Numb. 8. 14. 15. 17. 18. sanctifie themselves] that is, prepare, wash, and keepe themselves from being defiled with sinne, by touching the mount, as vers. 24. 12. breake forth] which the Chaldee expoundeth, bee strong, (that is, very angry) but it implieth death also, when God breaketh forth as the breach of waters upon men to destroy them; as 2 Sam. 5. 20. and 6. 6. 7. 8.
Vers. 23. cannot] or, shall not be able to come up, by reason of the former charge and limitation. It seemeth therefore that Moses thought it needlesse to speake so often and instantly to the people: but God urgeth it againe, verse 24. so restraining the curiositie of the people; and shewing the end of the Law, to be rather to exclude men from God, (by reason of their sinnes,) than to justifie or give them life, as doth the Gospell; for it was the ministration of death, 2 Cor. 3. 7. Gal. 3. 10. 11. 19. 21. 22. 23. 24. Mount Sina, is in bondage with her children, Gal. 4. 25.
Vers. 24. breake through] the Greeke here translateth, let them not violently presse to come up: but that which the Law suffereth not, the Gospell admitteth, Mat. 11. 12. Luke 16. 16. Heb. 12. 18. 22. 23. 24.