Annotations on the Pentateuch, Psalms, Song of Songs, Biblical commentary 2 · Chapter 30
CHAP. XXX
… God commandeth to make the Altar of incense, 6, which should bee set before the veile by the Arke; …, on which the Priest should burne incense every morning 1. 10, and once in the yeere make atonement upon the … of it. 1…. When Israel should be numbred. every … must give halfe a shekell of money, for the ransome of his soule, that hee dyed not. 17, Acommandement to make the brazen Laver, with the foot thereof and to p…water therein for the Priests to wash their hands and feet daily. 22. How to make the holy Anointing oile▪ 26, and what thing… should be anointed with it. 32, Other men may not use it, or make the … 34. The composition and making of the Incense, 36▪ and use thereof. 37, Men may not make the like, for themselves.
ANd thou shalt make an altar, an incense altar of incense, of Shittim wood shalt thou make it. A cubit … the length thereof, and a cubit the bre… thereof; fouresqure shall it be, and two … the height thereof▪ the hornes thereof shall be of the same. And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, the roofe thereof, and the walls thereof round-about, and the hornes thereof: and thou shalt make unto it a crowne of gold round about. And two rings of gold shalt thou make to it, under the crowne of it; by the two ribbes thereof, upon the two sides of it shalt thou make them: and they shall be for places for the barres to beare it withall. And thou shalt make the …rres of Shittim wood, and shalt overlay them with gold. And thou shalt put it before the veile, which is by the Arke of the Testimony, before the Coveringmercy-seat which is over the Testimony, where I will meet with thee. And Aaron shall burne thereon incense of sweet-spices every morning when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burne it. And when Aaron causeth the lampes to ascend, betweene the two evenings he shall burne it: a continuall incense before Iehovah, throughout your generations. Ye shall not offer thereon strange incense or burnt-offring, or meat-offring: and drinke-offring, yee shall not poure out thereon. And Aaron shall make-atonement upon the hornes of it, once in the yeere: with the blood of the sinne-offring of atonements, once in the yeere, shall hee make atonement upon it throughout your generations; it is holyes, unto Iehovah.
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And I…hovah spake unto Moses, saying, When thou takest the Sum of the Sonnes of Israel, by those that are to bee numbred of them; then shall they give every man the ransome of his soule unto Iehovah, when thou numbrest them: that there be no plague amongst them, when thou numbrest them. This they shall give, every one that passeth among them that are numbred; halfe a shekell, by the shekell of the Sanctuary: the shekell is twenty gerahs; an halfe shekell shall be an heave-offring to Iehovah. Every one that passeth among them that are numbred, from twenty yeeres old, and above: hee shall give the heave-offring of Iehovah. The rich shall not give-more, and the poore shall not give-lesse, then halfe a shekell: in giving the heave-offring of Iehovah, to make atonement for your soules. And thou shalt take the silver of the atonements, of the sons of Israel, and shalt give it, for the service of the Tent of the congregation: and it shall be for a memoriall for the Sonnes of Israel before Iehovah; to make atonement for your soules. And Iehovah spake unto Moses, saying; Thou shalt also make a Layer of brasse, and his foot of brasse, to wash: and thou shalt put it betweene the Tent of the congregation, and the altar; and thou shalt put water there in. And Aarō & his sons shal wash therefrom their hands and their feet. When they goe into the Tent of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they dye not: or when they come-neere to the altar, to minister, to burn the Fire-offring, unto Iehovah. And they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they dye not: and it …ill be unto them, a statute for ever; to him and to his feed throughout their generations.
And Iehovah spake unto Moses, saying; Thou also, take unto thee, the chiefe of spices; of pure Myrrh five hundred (shekels;) and of sweet Cinamon the halfe thereof, two hundred and fifty: and of sweet Calamus, two hundred and fifty. And of Cassia, five hundred, by the shekell of the Sanctuary: and of oyle olive an Hin. And thou shalt make it an oyle of holy anointing; a compound-ointment compounded, after the worke of the Apothecary: it shall be an oyle of holy anointing. And thou shalt anoint therewith, the Tent of the congregation: and the Arke of the Testimony: And the Table, and all the vessels thereof; and the Candlestick, and the vessels thereof: and the Altar of Intense: And the altar of burnt-offring, and all the vessels thereof: and the Laver, and the foot thereof. And thou shalt sanctifie them, and they shall bee holy of holies: whatsoever toucheth them, shall be holy. And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sonnes: and sanctifie them, to minister-in-the-priest-office unto me. And thou shalt speake unto the Sonnes of Israel, saying: This shall be an oyle of holy anointing unto me, throughout your generations. VponUpon mans flesh it shall not be poured: and after the composition of it, yee shall not …ke like it: holinesse it is, holinesse shall it be unto you. Any man that shall compoundan-ointment like it, or that shall put thereof upon a stranger; he shall even bee cut-off, from his peoples.
And Iehovah said unto Moses; Take unto thee sweet-spices, Stacte, and Onycha, and Galbanum, sweet-spices, and pure frankincense: there shall be one alone with another alone. And thou shalt make it an incense, a confection, the worke of the Apothecary: salted, pure, holy. And thou shalt beat of it, pounding-…-small; and shalt put of it before the Testimony, in the Tent of the congregation, where I will meet with thee; holy of Holies shall it be unto you. And the incense which thou shalt make, after the composition of it, ye shall not make to your selves: it shall be holinesse unto thee, for Iehovah. Any man, that shall make like unto it, to smell thereto, shall even be cut-off, from his peoples.
Annotations.
AN incense altar of incense] or, a perfumatorie (a perfuming place) of perfume: where odours were burned daily, and resolved into fume or smoke. In the making, it is called onelyonly an altar of incense, Exod. 37. 25. and so the Greeke translateth it here. But because an Altar, in Hebrew Mizbeach, hath the name of slaine-sacrifices, which were offred thereon; and upon this, there was no such service: therefore it is called for distinction sake, Miktar, a Perfumatory, or Incense altar. The Chaldee expoundeth it, Thou shalt make an Altar, to offer upon it incense of sweet-spices. Shittim] Greeke, incorruptible wood: see Exod. 25. 5.
Vers. 2. hornes] sharpe high places in the foure corners: see the notes on Exodus 27. 1. 2. &c.
Vers. 3. gold] whereupon it was called the golden altar; Num. 4. 11. Revel. 8. 3. as the other covered with brasse, was the brazen altar, Exodus 38. 30. Of the matter underneath, it is sometime called the altar of wood; as in Ezek. 41. 22. where the measures of it (prophesied to bee under the Gospell) are larger then these under the Law. For this was but one cubit long, that two: this two cubits high, that three. Because the service of God, by Christs comming, should bee inlarged, from East to West, Gods name should be great among the gentiles; and in every place, incense should be offred unto his name, Mal. 1. 11. and the Spirit of grace, and of supplications, should be in larger measure poured out upon the Church, Zach. 12. 10. roofe] by the roofe and wals, are meant the top and sides: a similitude taken from an house. The Greek translateth, hearth, and walls. a crowne] The like was made about the Arke, Exodus 25. 11. and about the Table, Exodus 25. 24. To these the Hebrewes apply the three crownes (as they call them) of Israel: the Crowne of the Law, that is, the Arke, the Crowne of the Priesthood, that is, the golden Altar; and the Crowne of the Kingdome, that is, the Table. R. Elias, in Preface to Sepher Reshith chocmah, page 2.
Vers. 4. places] Hebrew, houses: so Exodus 25. 27. By the barres in these, the golden Altar was caried, when the host and tabernacle removed, Num. 4. 5. 11. 25.
Vers. 6. …t with thee] to answer by oracle, as before, Exod. 29. 42. The Greeke translateth, I will be knowne unto thee there; the Chaldee saith, I will prepare my word for thee there. This golden Altar figured out Christ in respect of his mediation with God for his Church: by whom, and in whose name, we offer up praises and prayers unto God, …. 3. 15. Ioh. 16. 23. 24. which prayers … unto incense, Psalm. 14…. …. There… … the foure hornes of the golden Altar, a … heard, Revel. 9. 13. as answering to the … Gods people in Christ.
…] or, cense, perfume, (of-sweet … …, that is, sweet odoriferous in… compounded of sundry things, as after … …. Therefore the Greeke translateth it, … every morning] Hebrew, in … in the morning. dresseth] or, trim…, Hebrew maketh well. As the Lamps signified the light of Gods Word, and incense, prayers: so the doing of these both at one time, signified our joyning of prayers with our exercises in the Word… Acts 6. 4.
Vers. 8. to ascend] that is, to burne; see Exodus 27. 20. The order of burning incense as the Hebrew Doctors have recorded, was: that one went and gathered the ashes from off the Altar, into a golden vessell; another brought a vessell full of incense, another brought a censer with fire, and put coales on the Altar; and he whose office it was to burne the incense, (when the other, having bowed themselves downe, were gone out,) strowed the incense on the fire; when he was bidden so to doe by the governour. At which time, all the people went out of the Temple from betweene the porch and the Altar (in Solomons Temple.) And every day they burned the weight of an hundred … of incense, fifty at morning, and fifty at evening, [Those 100 denarios were a pound amongst them, and weighed fifty shekels of the Sanctuary, every shekell being in weight 320 Barley cornes]. And when the priest had burned the incense, he bowed him downe, and went his way … Maimony, treat of the Daily service, Chap. 3. so that Zachary, as his lot fell, burned incense in the Temple, the whole multitude of the people were without at prayer, while the incense was burning Luk. 1. 9. 10. By this service, God taught then that the faithfull prayers of his people, are sweet as incense, and acceptable unto him; whiles our priest Christ Iesus, doth by his mediation, put … the prayers of all Saints, Psalm. 141. …. 3. 4. Heb. 8. 1. 2. and 9. 24. Rom. 8. 34. For the Priests in the Law, served unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, Heb. 8. 5. …] Hebrew, incense of continuation, that is which continually every day should be offred. So wee are willed to pray without ceasing, …. and Christ our High Priest, ever liveth, to make intercession for us, Hebrewes 7. 25. and ….
… … incense] in Greeke, other incense: the… received from other persons, or made of oth… composition, then is after commanded, … 34. 35. 36.) The Chaldee translateth it, …. The Hebrew Doctors explaine, If they put honey amongst it, it was all …] if there wanted any one of the sweet spices thereof, he was in danger of death, for loe it … if hee burned other in… or burned upon it incense like this, which was voluntarily brought by any private person, or by many, &c. Maimony, treat of the Implements of the Sanctuary, Chap. 2. Sect. 8. 11. It figured the prayers of the Saints, which must be according to the will of God, by his Spirit, and in faith: not after the tradition of man, or will of the flesh, 1 Ioh. 5. 14. Rom. 8. 26. Matth. 21. 22. and 15. 9. Luke 11. 1. 2. &c.
Vers. 10. once] or, one time, which was the tenth day of the seventh monethmonth, the day of Reconciliation, as Levit. 16. 18. 29. 30. See the annotations there. of the Sinne offring] the Greeke translateth, of the purgation of sinnes: which phrase Paul useth, saying of Christ, that he made a purgation of our sinnes, that is, cleansed us from them, Heb. 1. 3. of atonements] that is, whereby reconciliation was made. Which being a figure of the blood of Christ, reconciling us to God, Heb. 2. 17. signified that the imperfections and sinnes which cleave even to the best prayers of the Saints are to be pardoned and purified by that blood and death. holy of holies] that is, a most holy thing: Hebr. holinesse of holinesses.
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Here beginneth the 21 Section of the Law, see Gen. 6. 9.
Vers. 12. summe] or compt: in Hebrew head: because the summe is as the head of the number, Therfore the Gr. here interpreteth it computation, and the Chaldee, Compt or Number. So in Numb. 1. 2. by those that are to be numbred] the Greeke saith, in (or by) their visitation; the Chaldee, by their Numbers. of his soule] that is, of his life, which he should now lose, when he was particularly visited and looked unto of God; if hee redeemed not himselfe with money. By this God taught his people to judge themselves for their sinnes, that they might not be judged of him, Ezek. 20. 43. and 36. 31. 1 Cor. 11. 31. And this redeeming of their soules with money, taught them faith in Christ, who was to redeeme his people, not with gold and silver, but with his owne precious blood, 1 Pet. 1. 18. 19. no plague] for their sinnes, if they were not redeemed. When David numbred the people, the Lord sent a pestilence among them, to the death of 70 thousand men, 2 Sam. 24. 9. 15. For plague here, the Greeke translateth fall or ruine, the Chaldee, death.
Vers. 13. of the Sanctuary] which was twice so much as the common shekell. See the notes on Gen. 20. 16. twenty gerahs] as if we should say, twenty pence: this summe is also expressed in Levit. 27. 25. Numb. 3. 47. and 18. 16. Ezek. 45. 12. A Gerah (which the Hebrew Doctors name also Megnah) weighed sixteen barley cornes: twenty gerahs made the shekel of the Sanctuary, which was 320 barley cornes weight of pure, silver, as Maimony affirmeth, in treat. of Ualuations, &c. ch. 1. S. 4.
Vers. 14. old] Hebr. son of twenty yeeres, that is, going in his twentieth yeere. See Gen. 5. 32. At this age they were also numbred in Num. 1. 3. and 26. 2. and what the number of men, and sum of mony was now at the first count, see in Exod. 38. 25. 26
Vers. 15. give lesse] … … God hereby taught an equality of all men before him in respect of their sinnes, and of their redemption from sinne, by Christ; through whom we have all obtained a likeprecious faith unto salvation, 2 Pet. 1. … So there was an equality in the distribution of Mann…, Exod. 16. 18. The Hebrewes say, Because with these halfe shekels they bought the daily sacrifices every yeere he would have that the hands of all of them should be equall, in the offrings of the congregation. … Menachem, on … 30…. sol. 116.
Vers. 16. service] which is after mentioned in Exod. 38. 25. The Hebrew Doctors have taught this to be a perpetuall ordinance, that every man of Israel …mmanded to give halfe a shekell every yeere: yea though he be a poore man that liveth on almes, hee is bound to begge it of others, or to sell his clothes from his backe, and give halfe a shekel of silver, as it is written (Exodus 30. 15.) The rich shall not give more, and the poore shall not givelesse: and he must not give it some to day and some to morrow, but all of it at once. All are bound to give this halfe shekel, Priests, Levites, Israelites, Proselytes, and servants that are free; but not women, bond men, or children: yet if they will give, they receive it of them, but not of Infidels. This payment is not used but before the Temple, and in the time when the Temple standeth, they give the shekels both within the land of Israel, and without the same: but while the Temple is desolate, they pay▪ them not, though they dwell within the land. On the first day of Adar (that is which we call February) they make proclamation, that every man may be ready to pay his halfe shekel; and on the 25 of the same monethmonth, they sit in the Temple to receive the same. That which is gathered in other provinces, is sent unto the Temple: there in one of the Chambers, it is land up in coffers. With this money, and other of like nature, they provided the daily sacrifices, and offrings for the congregation, salt for the sacrifices, wood, incense, shew bread, the red Cow, &c. Maimonie in treat. of the shekels, Chap. 1. Sect. 1. 7. 8. 9. and Chap. 2. Sect. 4. and Chap. 4. Sect. 1. Howbeit, some doe thinke this commandement was but for the present building of the Sanctuary; and not to be a yeerly tribute. Compare 2 Chron. 24. 5. 6. and Neh. 10. 32 where the people charged themselves yeerly with the third part of a shekel, for the service of the house of God. Of that, the Hebrewes say, it was over and beside the halfe shekel (here spoken of) for the necessity of the things there mentioned. Aben Ezra on Neh. 10.
Vers. 18. Laver,] in Hebrew Cijor, which word sometime is used for a Cauldron. 1 Sam. 2. 16. but commonly a washing vessell, in. Greeke Louter▪ that is, a Laver. When the priests and people were multiplied, Solomon in his Temple made ten Lavers to wash the sacrifices, and one other great vessell, called a Sea, for the priests to wash in, 1 King. 7. 38. 23, 26. 2 Chron. 4. 2. 6. This in the Tabernacle, was made of the brazen looking glasses of the women which assembled at the doore of the Tent, Exod. 38. …. From these; the holy Ghost mentioneth in the Church of Christ, mystically, a sea of glasse like Chrystall before the throne, Rev. 4. 6. and againe, a … sea mingled with fire, Rev. 15. 2. foot] or …se, (as the Greeke tr… it;) which was to uphold and stablish the …a…r. This foot is expressed usually, so … as the L…er it selfe is mentioned, Exod. … and …5. 12. and 39. 39: and 40. 1… Levit. 8. 11. put mater] This (as the Hebrews doe record) was to be done every day, in the morning, for that the water of the Laver, by continuing all the night, became unlawfull for to wash with. And any water might serve to sanctifie with, whether it were living (that is, spring or running) water, or lake water: onelyonly so as it had not changed the colour, but were like water meet for to wash in. Maimony, treat. of …tance into the Sanctuary. Chap. 5. Sect. 12. 14.
Vers. 19. therefrom] or, thereat, or, thereof: to wit, in the water that is taken out of the Lav…, into some vessell of the Sanctuarie. For wash the Chaldee translateth sanctifie. Touching this, the Hebrew Doctors say, It is commanded, to sanctifie in the water of the Laver, & if one sanctifie (that is, wash) in any of the vessels of ministery; it is lawfull; but not in any profane vessell. If he sanctifie in a vessell of ministery without (the Court,) or in a profane vessell within, and so performe his service, it is unlawfull. And they sanctifie not within the Laver; or with the ministring vessell, but from the same, as it is written, (Exod. 30. 19.) They shall wash THEREFROM: howbeit, if one sanctifie within it, and serve, he is not polluted. He that washeth his hands and his feet, in a place of waters, though it be in a Well; this is no sanctification at all, untill hee wash in a vessell. And they may sanctifie in any of the vessels of the Sanctuary, &c. Maimony, treat. of Entrance into the Sanctuary, Chap. 5. Sect. 10. 11. feet] because they served alwayes with bare hands, and bare feet in the Sanctuary. Of this also they write; The Priest needeth not sanctifie himselfe betweene every severall service that he …; but bee sanctifieth once in the morning, and so serveth and goeth all that day, and all that night. Provided, that he goe not out of the Sanctuary, nor sleepe, nor make water, nor remove his mind from one businesse to another. For if he doe any one of these foure, he must sanctifie again. This was a generall rule in the Sanctuary, no man … into the Court to serve, although he were cleane, un… he was washed. And who so covered his … (that is, did his easement, as Iudg. 3. 24.) was bound to wash; and who so made-water, was bound to sanctifie bands and feet: If hee sanctified them to day, he must again sanctifie them to morrow yea though he slept not all the night; for, by continuing all night, his hands became disallowable (for service.) If he sanctified them in the night, and burried the fat all night long, yet must …ee againe sanctifie them in the day, for the service of the day. When he sanctifieth, he layeth his right hand on his right foot, and his left hand on his left foot and boweth himselfe and sanctifieth. And he doth not sanctifie sitting, because it is as a service; and no service is dont but standing; as it is written, (in Deut. 18. 5.) TO STAND TO MINISTER; and who so serveth sitting, is prof…e, and his service not allowable, &c. Maimony ibidem, Sect. 3. 4. 5. 8. 16. 17. and Thalm… Bab. intreat. Z…bachim, Chap. 2.
Vers. … dye not] by the hand of God, as … Aarons sonnes, in Levit. 10. 1. 2. So Maimony (in the foresaid place, Sect. 1.) saith; The Priest that serveth, and sanctifieth not his hands and his feet in the morning, is in danger of death by the hands of the (God of) heaven: as it is written, They shall wash with water, that they die not, and his service is unlawfull, whether …e …the high Priest, or an inferiour. This rite did teach them and us, faith in Christ, in whose blood we are washed from our sinnes, and made Kings and Priests unto God. Revel. 1. 5. 6. also sanctification, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the holy Ghost, Tit. 3. 5. that we being sprinkled in our hearts from an evill conscience, and washed in our bodies with pure water, may draw neere with a true heart, in assurance of faith, Heb. 10. 22. and washing our hands in innocencie, may compasse the Altar of the Lord, Psal. 26. 6. to burne the fire offring] which the Greeke explaineth, to offer the Burnt-offrings; and the Chaldee more generally, to offer oblations before the Lord.
Vers. 21. wash] in the Chaldee, sanctifie. to his seed] the posteritie of Aaron; the Chaldee expounds it, his sonnes.
Vers. 23. chiefe] or head spices, that is, the principall and most excellent: so in Ezek. 27. 22. Song 4. 14. pure myrrh] in Greeke choise myrrh, Hebrew, myrrh of freedome; that is, free, pure, naturall as it floweth. Myrrh (so named of the Hebrew Mor,) is a sweet gumme or moisture, that issueth out of the myrrh tree, and none is preferred before it; as Plinie sheweth in his hist. booke 12. chap. 15. The graces of Christ and of his Church, are often resembled by this myrrh, Song 1. 13. and 3. 6. and 4. 14. and 5. 1. 5. 13. Psal. 45. 9. shekels] this word is added by the Greeke, and the Chaldee in Thargum Ierusalemy, and in the verse following it is here expressed. sweet] or, aromaticall cinamon, which commeth of the Hebrew name Kinnemon, and is the barke of a tree, used for sweet odours: and signified spirituall grace, Prov. 7. 17. Song 4. 14. halfe thereof] that is, halfe the fore-said quantity, (as followeth) 250. shekels weight. But the Hebrew Doctors understand it otherwise, and say there was of this 500. shekels, as of the former; and this which the Law saith, Cinamon the halfe thereof 250. is because they weighed it at two times, 250, at each time: saith Maimony, in treat. of the Implements of the Sanctuarie, chap. 1. Sect. 2. Calamus] or Cane, according to the Hebrew name …, for Calamus is after the Greeke name. It is a kinde of sweet reed, bought and brought out of farre Countries; as appeareth by Ieremie 6. 20. Esay. 43. 24.
Verse 24. Cassia] or Costus, another sweet cane, called in Hebrew Kiddah, mentioned onelyonly here, and in Ezek. 27. 19. an Hin] whereof see Exod. 29. …0. Maimony, in the fore-named treatise, chap. 2. Sect. 2. saith, the Hin was twelve logs; (of which measure, see Levit. 14. 10.) and every log, foure qu…ants. Others, more fully thus: a quadrant (or quarter) containeth is much as an egge and a halfe. A …ineth foure quadrants, that is, sixe egges. A Kab containeth foure logs, that 24. egges. A Hin, twelve legs, that is, 72. egges. A Seah (or Pecke, wherof see Gen. 18. 6.) contained sixe Kabs, that is, 24. logs, two Hins, or 144. egges. An Epha was three Seahs, 18. Kabs, sixe Hins, 72. logs, or 432. egges. R. Alphes, in treat. of the Passeover, chap. 5.
Vers. 25. make it] The manner is recorded to be thus; Every of those foure spices, was pounded severally: then mixed altogether, and steeped in waier pure and sweet, till all the strength of them was gone out into the water; then they put unto the water, an Hin of oile olive; and boyled all on the fire, till the water was consumed, and the oile left in the vessell for use afterward. Maimony, treat. of the Implements of the Sanctuary, chap. 1. Sect. 3. compound-ointment] or, sweet-consection. Apothecarie] or, compounder of ointments. Such in the ages following, were of the Priests Sonnes, 1 Chron. 9. 30. holy anointing] Hebrew, unction of holinesse] or as the Greek translateth it, an holy chrisme.
Vers. 26. anoint therewith the Tent] or, the Tabernacle, with all things about the same; which was performed in Exod. 40. and Lev. 8. 10. &c. These sweet odours, signified the joyfull graces of Gods Spirit, and the anointing with this oile, the pouring out of the holy Spirit upon Christ, his Church and ministers, Acts 10. 38. Esay 61. 1. Psal. 45. 8. 2 Cor. 1. 21. 22. Song 3. 6. Psal. 133. 2. As it is written, Ye have an ointment from him that is holy, and kn…w all things; and the Anointing that ye have received of him, dwelleth in you, and yee need not that any man teach you, but as the same Anointing teacheth you of all things, &c. 1 Ioh. 2. 20. 27.
Vers. 29. whatsoever] or, whosoever: so the Greek saith, every-one that toucheth them, shall be sanctified.
Vers. 32. poured] in Greeke, anointed. not make] the Greeke addeth, not make unto your selves. holinesse shall it be unto you] …e Greeke translateth, holy it is▪ and a sanctification (or sanctified thing) shall it be unto you. Therefore it might not be used unto common …ffaires: God hereby teaching the holy and reverend use of his graces, and sanctified ordinances; which must not bee communicated with the unregenerate and sensuall, which having not the Spirit, doe turne the grace of God into lasciviousnesse, Matth. 7. 6. 1 Ioh. 2. 19. 20. Iude verse 4. 19. 1 Cor. 2. 6. 14.
V. 33. like it] Of this point the Heb. doe record; He that maketh anointing oile, according to the work, & according to the weight of this, without adding or diminishing: if he do it presumptuously, is guilty of cutting off; if ignorantly, he is to bring the sacrifice appointed for it. He that shall anoint any with the anointing oile presumptisously, is guilty of cutting-off; if ignorantly, he is to bring a sacrifice, whether he anoint himselfe, or another man. Maimony, treat. of the Implements of the Sanctuary, chap. 1. Sect. 4. 5. a stranger] whosoever was not Priest, or King. Maimony (in the foresaid place) saith, They anointed none herewith in the generations following, but the high Priests, and him that was anointed for the warre, (Deut. 20. 1. 2.) and the Kings of Davids house onelyonly. Though he be a Priest, and Sonne of a Priest, yet they doe anoint him, Lev. 6. 22. But they anoint not the King that is Sonne of the King, because the kingdome is the Kings inheritance for ever, Deut. 17. 20. But if there be a sedition, they doe anoint him, for to cease the sedition, and to make knowne unto all, who is the right King. Euen as Solomon was anointed, for the sedition of Adonias, 1 King. 1. and I…ash, because of Athaliah, 2 King. 11. and Ioachaz, because of his brother Iehojakim, 2 King. 23. 30. And whereas Eliseus anointed Iehu, 2 King. 9. hee did not anoint him with the anointing oile, but with the oile of Balsam; at our wise men have said.
Vers. 34. Stacte] so called in Greeke, the Hebrew name is Nataph; both of them signifie Dropping: and this Stacte is a fatnesse or gumme that droppeth from the Myr…h tree, very sweet and precious, as Dioscorides sheweth, lib. 1. chap. 62. The Ierusalemy Thargum calleth it Ketaph, that is, Rosin: and so Maimony, in treat. of the Implements of the Sanctuary, chap. 2. Sect. 4. saith, Nataph is the Rosin tree, out of which baulme (or balsam) issueth. Onycha] this also is the Greeke name, and it signifieth a nayle, or hoofe; to which the Chaldee name Tuphra doth accord: and the Arabick adfar tajab, In Larine it is called Ungula aromatica, or Vng…is odoratus, or Blatta Byzanti…: of which Dioscorides in his 2 booke, cap. 7. saith, it is the cover of a shelfish, like the purple; and it is found in the spikenards lakes of India, and doth give a swee… odour, for that the shelfishes there doe feed upon spikenard. The best is brought from the red sea, white, and fat. Some out of Babylon, which is blackish; both are burnt for sweet savour. The Hebrew name is Shecheleth, and is not found in Scripture, but in this one place: of it Maimony also (in the foresaid place) saith, it is a naile (or shell) which men use to put in perfumes. Galbanum] or Styrax: in Hebrew Ch…lbenah, in Greek Chalbance. It hath the originall name of fatnesse: and Galbanum is the gumme or liquor of a plant like fenell, growing in Syria, of a strong savour; that when it is burned, the smell of it driveth away serpants; &c. as Dioscorides sheweth, in his 3. booke, cap. 79: and Pli…ie in his 12. booke, chap. 26▪ The Hebrew Doctors say also, that Chelbenah is like blacke honey, of a strong smell, and is the rosin (or gumme) of trees, in the cities of Greece. In Arabicke it is called Miha. Maim…ny in the Impl…ments of the Sanctuarie, chap. 2. Sect. 4. sweet spices] this word some referre to the three before mentioned: the Greeke version referreth it onelyonly to the Galbanum aforesaid, saying Galbanum of sweet smell, as to distinguish it from the common Galbanum, which is of strong savour. Others understand them of those sweet spices spoken of in verse 23. and some, of the leaves of Spikenard; which for excellencie are called by this name. The Hebrewes say, by their traditions, that howsoever foure odours are onelyonly named here, yet there were eleven spoken of to Moses on mount Sinai; Thalmud Bab. tract. Cher. thoth, chap. 1. in Gemara. The same doth Maimony affirme, and nameth them, Stacte, and Onycha, and Galbanum, and Frankincense; of every of these (saith he) there was 70. pound weight. (Their pound weighed 50. shekels of the Sanctuarie, and every shekell 320. graines of barley.) And Myrrh…, and Cassia, and Spikenard, and Saffron, of every of these 16. p…nd. Of …ostus twelve pound. Of Cinamen, nine pound; and of sweet barke (or Casia ligne…, in Arabicke, Cashsh…r …alicha,) three pound. The weight of all was 368. pound. Every day they burned a pound of this confection, upon the golden altar, 365. pound in the yeere, according to the daies of the Sunne, and the three pound that were over, they did beat (and prepare) in the even of Reconciliation day, &c. Maimony, treat. of the Implements of the Sanctuarie, chap. 2. Sect. 2. 3. Howbeit the Scripture mentioneth but foure species for the perfume, as there were foure for the holy oile: and the Greeke interpretation, may well stand. This rite of burning sweet odours, the Gentiles also used in the service of their gods; Alb. Tibull, lib. 2. saith, Vrantur pia thura focis, urantur odores, &c. alone] every species beaten severall by it selfe, and after that mixed, as Maimony sheweth in the foresaid place, Sect. 5. The Chaldee translateth it, weight with weight, and the Greeke, equall to equall, meaning that there should be an equall weight o… quantitie of all these fore-named.
Vers. 35. shalt make it] Moses made it now … first: after in Israel, there was made every yeere, the quantitie fore-mentioned; Maimony …idem, chap. …. Sect. 1. an incense] or, a perfume, this signified our prayers; as it is written, they had golden cups full of incense (or perfumes) which are the prayers of the Saints, Revel. 5. …. salted] the Chaldee paraphrase, and Thargum Ierusalemy, translate it mixed, tempered: and the Greeke version favoreth this exposition. But it may be understood properly, for, from the Law in Lev. 2. 13, WITH ALL THINE OFFRINGS▪ SHALT THOV OFFER SALT, the Hebrewes teach, that there was not any thing offred on the Altar, without salt, except the wine of the drinke offrings, and the blood, and the wood: Maimony, treat. of things forbidden to be offred on the Altar, chap. 5. Sect. 11. And of this hee saith, they added to the incense, the fourth part of a Kab of salt: [that is, the quantity of sixe egges:] Maimony, treat. of the Implements of the Sanctuarie, chap. 1, Sect. 3. Our Saviour saith, Every sacrifice shall be salted with salt, and, Have salt in your selves, Mark. 9. 49. 50. If our speech must be alway with grace, se… soned with salt, as the Apostle teacheth, Colos. 4. 6. how much more should our incense, our prayers unto God, be therewith seasoned? holy] Hebrew holinesse: which the Greeke translateth a holy worke. For it signified the holy mediation of Christ, with the praiers of the Saints; as is before noted, on verse 8.
Vers. 36. of it] of these, saith the Greeke, That is, some of this confection, (as it was daily to be used,) was first to be beaten small. Which may signifie unto us, exactnesse in the particularities of things to be prayed for; & how afflictions, and contrition of heart are furtherances in this worke, Act. 4. 24▪ 30. Ioh. 17. Luk. 17. 1. 2. 7. Psal. 51. 19. where I will meet with thee] the Greeke expounds it, whence I will be knowne unto thee; the Chaldee where I will appoint (or prepare) my Word unto thee.
Vers. 38. to smell thereto] This Law accordeth with the former of the oile, verse 33. the Hebrew Doctors explaine it thus: He that maketh a perfu… ▪ according to these weights, for to smell thereto; although he doe not s…ell, is guilty of cutting-off, for the very making, if he doe it presumptuously. If ignorantly, he is to bring the offring appointed: and this, although hee …ake not the whole quantitie, but a halfe, or a third part thereof: forasmuch as he hath made it according to these weights, he is guilty of being cut-off. If hee smell thereto, and made it not; hee is guilty of cutting-off, but his doome is like all theirs that use (or make profit of) any of the sanctified things; (to wit, unlawfully,) M…imony, in treat. of the holy Implements, chap. 2. Sect. 9. 10. be cut off] the Chaldee expoundeth it, be destroied: the Greeke saith, the soule of that man shall perish from his people. God, by this judgment, would keepe men from profaning and abusing the holy exercise of praier, and doctrine of Christs mediation, when the abuse even of the shadow hereof, brought destruction upon the offenders.