Annotations on the Pentateuch, Psalms, Song of Songs, Biblical commentary 5 · Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI.
1 A repetition of the Law touching the feast of the Passeover, and of unleavened bread: 9 Of Weekes or Pentecost: 13 Of Boothes or Tabernacles. 16 Every male must appeare, and offer according to the gift of his hand, at these three feasts. 18 Of ordaining Iudges, & doing justice. 21 Groves and Pillars are forbidden.
OBserve the monethmonth of Abib, and keep the Passeover unto Iehovah thy God: for in the monethmonth of Abib Iehovah thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night. And thou shalt sacrifice the Passover unto Iehovah thy God, of the flocke and the herd, in the place which Iehovah shall chuse, to cause his name to dwell there. Thou shalt not eat with it any leavened bread; seven dayes shalt thou eat with it unleavened cakes, the bread of affliction: for thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt, in haste; that thou mayest remember the day of thy comming forth out of the land of Egypt, all the daies of thy life. And there shall not be seen with thee any old leven in all thy coast, seven daies; neither shall any thing of the flesh which thou shalt sacrifice in the evening, in the first day, remaine all night, untill the morning. Thou mayest not sacrifice the Passeover within any of thy gates, which Iehovah thy God giveth thee. But at the place which Iehovah thy God shall chuse, to cause his name to dwell, there thou shalt sacrifice the Passeover in the evening, about the going downe of the Sunne, at the season that thou camest forth out of Egypt. And thou shalt boile and eat, in the place which Iehovah thy God shall chuse: and thou shalt turne in the morning, and goe unto thy tents. Six daies thou shalt eat unleavened cakes, and in the seventh day shall be a solemne assembly unto Iehovah thy God; thou shalt not doe any worke.
Seven weeks shalt thou number unto thee, from beginning (to put) the sickle into the standing corne, thou shalt begin to number the seven weekes. And thou shalt observe the feast of Weekes unto Iehovah thy God, with a tribute of a voluntary offering of thine hand, which thou shalt give, according as Iehovah thy God hath blessed thee. And thou shalt rejoyce before Iehovah thy God; thou, and thy sonne, and thy daughter, and thy man-servant, and thy maid-servant, and the Levite which is within thy gates, and the stranger, and the fatherlesse, and the widow, which are in the midst of thee, in the place which Iehovah thy God shall chuse, to cause his name to dwell there. And thou shalt remember that thou wast a servant in Egypt, and thou shalt observe and doe these statutes.
Thou shalt observe unto thee the feast of Boothes seven daies, when thou hast gathered in of thy floore, and of thy wine-presse. And thou shalt rejoyce in thy feast; thou, and thy sonne, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maid-servant and the Levite, and the stranger, and the fatherlesse, and the widow, which are within thy gates. Seven daies shalt thou keepe a feast unto Iehovah thy God, in the place which Iehovah shall chuse, because Iehovah thy God shall blesse thee, in all thy revenue, and in all the worke of thine hands; and thou shalt be surely joyfull. Three times in a yeere shall every male of thee appeare before Iehovah thy God, in the place which he shall chuse, in the feast of unleavened cakes, and in the feast of Weekes, and in the …east of Boothes: and he shall not appeare before Iehovah emptie. Every man according to the gift of his hand, according to the blessing of Iehovah thy God, which hee hath given unto thee.
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IVDGES and Officers shalt thou give for thee, in all thy gates, which Iehovah thy God giveth unto thee through thy tribes; and they shall judge the people with judgement of justice. Thou shalt not wrest judgment, thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift, for a gift will blinde the eies of the wise, and will pervert the words of the just. Iustice justice shalt thou follow, that thou maist live, and inherit the land which Iehovah thy God giveth unto thee.
Thou shalt not plant thee a grove, any tree, neere unto the Altar of Iehovah thy God, which thou shalt make thee. Neither shalt thou set up a pillar, which Iehovah thy God hateth.
Annotations.
OBserve] Hebr. To observe; the indefinite put for the imperative, as is noted on Exod. 13. 3. Abib] which wee call March: the Greeke expoundeth it, the monethmonth of new fruits. See the notes on Exod. 13. 4. and keepe the Passeover] Hebr. and thou shalt doe (or make) that is, celebrate the feast of the Passeover, or sacrifice the Passeover; so named, because God passed over the houses of the Israelites, when hee slew the first-borne of Egypt: In memoriall whereof, this feast with the rites thereof, were commanded; see Exod 12. and the annotations there. It was a figure of Christ our Passeover, and of our redemption by him, whose feast wee are taught to keepe, 1 Cor. 5. 7, 8. by night] at mid-night the Angell of God slew the first-borne in Egypt, then rose they up, and began to take their journey, though they went not out of Egypt till the day following: see Exod. 12. 29, 30, 41, 42.
Vers. 2. sacrifice] or, kill; slay: so Christ our Passeover is sacrificed for us, 1 Cor. 5. 7. and by the preaching of Christ crucified, and shewing of his death, wee now keepe this feast, Gal. 3. 1. 1 Cor. 11. 26. the flocke] of sheepe, or goats; see Exod. 12. 5. the herd] of Bulls, or Bullocks. This differeth from the Passeover of the Lambe, which wa… precisely commanded to be a young sheepe or goat of the first yeere, one for a company, to bee …ate… all of it, the same night, with bitter herbs, &c. Exod. 12. But this was an addition to the former, and was of sheepe or bullocks, so many as men would voluntarily bring for the feast; called therefore by the Iewes Chagigah, that is, the feastoffering; as the other was called Pas…hs. An example hereof we have in 2 Chron. 35. 7, 8, &c. where many thousands of Lambes, Kids, and Bullocks were in Iosiahs time by him and his Nobles given for the Passeover. Of this the Hebrews say; When they offer the Passeover in the first (monethmonth) they offer it with Peace-offerings in the 14 day, of the herd, or of the flocke, great or small, males or females, with any sacrifices of peace: and this is called the Chagagah (or feast-offering) of the 14 (day.) And of this it is said (in Deut. 16. 2.) thou shalt sacrifice the Passeover to the Lord thy God, of the flocke and the herd. Maimony in Korban Pesach, c. 10. s. 12. to cause his name to dwell] which the Greeke expoundeth, his name to bee called upon there. The Chaldee thus, to cause his Majestie (or divine presence) to dwell there. So in v. 6. This was where the Tabernacle or Temple should bee placed; which in time was at Ierusalem, where Solomon builded the Lord an house, 1 Chron. 17. 12. that is, builded an house for his Name, 2 Sam. 7. 13. See also Deut. 12.
Vers. 3. Leavened bread] which signified corruption in heart, word, or deed; as hypocrisie, maliciousnesse, false doctrine, or any other wickednesse, or wicked persons: see Luk. 12. 1. Matt. 16. 6, 12. 1 Cor. 5. 7, 8. 13. and the annotations on Ex. 12. 15. seven daies] after the Paschal Lambe, Levit. 23. 5.—8. see the notes on Exod. 12. 15. bread of affliction] or, bread of povertie: so called, because it was a memoriall of their affliction in Egypt, and of their hasty comming out from thence before their bread had time to be leavened, Exod. 12. 34. 39. Hereupon the Israelites used, after the eating of the Paschall Lambe, to breake a cake of unleavened bread, and the father of the family gave every man a peece, and said, This is the bread of affliction which our fathers did eat in the land of Egypt, &c. as is shewed at large in the notes on Exod. 12. 8. That bread Christ consecrated to bee a memoriall to us of his afflictions and death for our sakes, whereby his body was broken for us, 1 Cor. 11. 24, 25, 26. in haste] this word implieth a trembling, and an hasty flight for feare of danger, Deut. 20. 3. 2 Sam. 4. 4. 2 King. 7. 15. See the notes on Exod. 12. 11.
Vers. 4. seene with thee] or, seene (appeare) unto thee. Leaven might not be eaten, nor so much as left within their dwellings, but carefully sought out and put away before the feast began. The manner of doing it, and meaning thereof, is shewed on Exod. 12. 15. 19. thy coast] or, thy border; the Greeke saith, thy coasts. Leaven might no way bee reserved for any use till after the Passeover, but was purged out the day before, and abolished, either burnt, or otherwise made away, as is noted on Exod. 12. 15. of the flesh] the Greeke translateth plurally, of the fleshes, to imply the other sacrifices of the feast, as well as the Paschall Lambe; whereof whatsoever was left till morning, was to bee burnt as a polluted thing, Exod. 12. 10. The Hebrewes explaine this Law thus: The feastoffering (Chagigah) of the fourteenth (day) is at (mens) liberty (to offer) but not bound. And it is eaten for two dayes and one night, like all the sacrifices of Peace-offerings, (Lev. 7. 15, 16, 17.) And it is unlawfull to leave of the flesh of the Chagigah of the 14. day, unto the third day; as it is said (in Deut. 16. 4.) neither shall (any thing) of the flesh, which thou shalt sacrifice in the evening, in the first day, remaine all night untill the morning. By word of mouth wee have learned, that this is a prohibition for leaving the flesh of the Chagigah of the fourteenth day, unto the sixteenth day; as it is said, unto the morning, till the morning of the second day. Maimony in Korb. Pesach, ch. 10. s. 13: Of this was that practise of the Iewes, in Ioh. 18. 28. they went not into the Iudgement hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the Passeover; meaning the Chagigah (or Feast-offering) of the Passeover; for the Paschall Lambe was eaten the night before, Marke 14. 12, &c.
Vers. 5. not sacrifice] or, not kill. thy gates] that is, as both the Greeke and Chaldee expound it, thy cities. This was a perpetuall Law for the Pasche, as the Hebrewes declare, from this Law, thus; They kill not the Passeover but in the Court, as the rest of the holy things: yea, in the time when the high places were permitted, they sacrificed not the Passeover in a private high place: & who so offereth the Passeover in a private high place, is beaten. For it is said (in Deut. 16. 5.) Thou maist not sacrifice the Passeover in any of thy gates: we have beene taught, that this is a prohibition to kill it in a private high place, although it be in the time when high places are permitted. Maimony in Korban Pesach, ch. 1. s. 3.
Vers. 6. about the going downe of the Sunne] that is, in the afternoone, before Sunne setting; for at Sunne setting the day ended. For the time of killing, see the notes on Exod. 12. 6.
Vers. 7. shall boile] or, seeth: so the Hebrew word properly signifieth; and so both the Greeke and Chaldee doe translate it, though the Greeke addeth another word, thou shalt boile, and rost, and eat. Therefore this cannot be meant of the Paschal Lambe, which might not be boiled, but rosted only, Exod. 12. 8, 9. but is spoken of the Chagigah (or Feast-offering) forementioned, which might be boiled if they would: and so they practised in Iosiahs Passeover; they rosted the Passeover (that is, the Lambe) with fire, but the holy offerings they boiled in pots and in cauldrons, &c. 2. Chr. 35. 13, &c. unto thy tents] that is, as the Greeke and Chaldee explaine it, unto thy houses, or dwellings. See the notes on Num. 24. 5.
Vers. 8. solemne assembly] called in Hebrew Gnatser…th, of retaining the people, or of restraining them from worke: in Greeke, Exodion, the Out-going of the feast: in Chaldee, an Assembly, or Congregation. See Lev. 23. 36. any worke] to wit, any servile worke, as is expressed in Levit. 23. 8. Num. 28. 25. but worke about dressing meat or drinke might be done on the feast dayes, but not on the Sabbath: see the notes on Lev. 23. 3, 7.
Vers. 9. Seven weekes] or, Seven sevens, to wit, of daies. The Greeke addeth, Seven intire weekes. See Lev. 23. 15. where they are called seven Sabbaths. into the standing corne] that is, from the sixteenth day of Nisan (or March,) at which time the Magistrates of Israel sent messengers to reape the sheafe, the first-fruits of Barley harvest, to wave it before the Lord: from which day precisely, they were to number these seven weekes, untill Pentecost, which was the fiftieth day, as is shewed more largely in the Annotations on Levit. 23. 10. 15, 16.
Vers. 10. shalt observe] Hebr. doe or make, to wit, holy: see the notes on Exod. 34. 22. So after in vers. 13. of weekes] so called, because it was seven weekes after the bringing of the sheafe at the Passeover: and it was fifty dayes, whereupon it is called in Greeke Pentecost, Acts 2. 1. See Lev. 23. 15, 16. a tribute of a voluntary offering] or, a contributiō of voluntarinesse, that is, a voluntary contribution of thine hand, which the Greek translateth, as thine hand is able. The Hebrew Missah (which is onelyonly found in this place) is a contribution, (as Mas is often used for a tribute:) or it is a sufficiency, or enough: as in Deut. 15. 8. enough for his want, is by the Chaldee there expounded Missath, the word which the Chaldee useth also here. Wherefore this contribution here spoken of, is neither the sacrifice appointed for the feast day, in Num. 28. 27.—31. nor the two loaves and sacrifices with them, commanded in Lev. 23. 17.—20. for these were not voluntary offerings, but bounden duties which might not be omitted. But over and beside thē, God here appointeth men to bring unto him voluntarily, what they could and would.
Vers. 11. shalt rejoyce] this they were bound to doe, and it was one of the three things required of the Israelites at every solemne feast: see the notes on Ex. 23. 15. and after here on v. 14. his name] in Chaldee, his Divine presence, or Majestie.
Vers. 12. and thou shalt] and, may here imply the reason, therefore thou shalt observe. For they came out of Egypt to keepe a feast to the Lord in the wildernesse, Exod. 5. 1, 3. which they kept at mount Sinai, where the Law was given at this time of Pentecost, or of Weekes, Exod. 19. 1. 11. and 24. 5.—11. In memoriall whereof this day was kept holy every yeere. And when they were come into Canaan, they brought two loaves of the first-fruits of their wheat harvest, with many sacrifices unto them adjoyned, Lev. 23. 17.—20. which increased the solemnity. Last of all, the Law of Christ was given by the Spirit in fiery tongues, to his Apostles, on this festivall day, Act. 2.
Vers. 13. Boothes] or Tabernacles, made with the boughes of trees, Lev. 23. 34, 40. See the Annotations there. of thy floore, and of thy winepresse] that is, thy fruits, the corne which is threshed in the floore, and the wine pressed out of the fat: therfore it is called the feast of ingathering, in the going out of the yeere; when thou gatherest in thy labours out of the field, Exod. 23. 16.
Ver. 14. rejoyce in thy feast] this is meant both of inward joy for the mercies of God, past, present, & to come by Christ; and of outward manifestation of their joy, by sacrifices of thanksgiving unto God, and holy banquetting with the poore, and ministers of the Lord, as after he commandeth.
Verse 15. keepe a feast] by offering of sacrifices, in thankfulnesse to God for his blessings upon them and their land. surely joyfull] or, onelyonly joyfull; with spirituall mirth serving the Lord. So the Apostle saith, Rejoyce in the Lord alwaies; againe I say rejoyce, Phil. 4. 4.
Vers. 16. Three times] the times before and after mentioned; the Passeover, or vnleavened cakes; the Feast of Weekes, or Pentecost; and the Feast of Boothes, or Tabernacles: see Exod. 23. 14.—17. and 34. 22, 23. Of the speciall sacrifices of these Feasts, see Levit. 23. and Numb. 28. and 29. chapt. he shall not appeare] that is, no man of Israel: the Greeke saith as before, thou shalt not appeare: in Exod. 23. 15. it was said, they shall not appeare before me, emptie. Thus here are three things required, appearing, keeping a feast, vers. 15. and rejoycing, vers. 14. every of which implied a sacrifice, as is noted on Exod. 23. 15.
Vers. 17. according to the gift of his hand] that is, Let every man appeare with a gift (or oblation) as he is willing, and his hand can give: which the Greeke explaineth, Every one according to the ability of your hands.
Here beginneth the 48. section foreign of the Law: See Genes. 6. 9. and 28. 10.
Vers. 18. Iudges and Officers] in Chaldee, Iudges and Avengers. These were to judge causes, and to execute the judgements: the Officers are called in Hebrew Shotrim, in Greeke Grammateis, and Grammatoeisagogeis, that is, Scribes, and as Hierom calleth them in Latine, Masters. Their worke was to speake and proclaime unto the people what they ought to doe, Deut. 20. 5.—9. Ios. 1. 10, 11. and 3. 2, 3. and as the Hebrewes generally hold, to see good orders kept, lawes executed, malefactors punished, and the like. Therefore they carried rods and weapons, to execute justice, as Praetors, and Lictors in the ancient Romane Common-wealth, and as Sheriffes and Constables in England. There were both Iudges and Officers of all tribes, and of the Levites, 1 Chron. 23. 4. The Officers (Shotrim) had staves and whips; and they stood before the Iudges, and went about in the streets, and into shops, for to looke to right weights and measures, and to smite all that did wrong: and all that they did, was by the mouth (or commandement) of the Iudges. And in whomsoever they saw any foule matter, they brought him to the Iudgement. Hall, where he was judged according to his wickednesse. Maimony in Sanhedrin, cha. 1. sect. 1. shalt thou give] that is, shalt make, or constitute, as the Greeke translateth. The manner of making them, is shewed in Deut. 1. 13, 15. and what manner of persons were to be chosen, is declared on Exod. 18. 21. thy gates] the Greeke and Chaldee expound it, thy cities. But according to the bignesse of every citie, so they appointed in Israel Courts of judgement: the Hebrewes reckon three; 1 The great Court in the Sanctuary, called the great Synedrion, where they set seventy (Iudges) and one, as in Numb. 11. 16. &c. where seventy were added unto Moses. 2 The Court of three and twenty, of which (they say) there were two about the Temple, the one at the Court-doore of the Sanctuary, and the other at the doore of the mountaine of the Temple. And in every citie of Israel, wherein were 120. men, or moe, the lesser Synedrion (of 23.) sate in the gate of the citie. 3 A citie wherein there were not 120. men, they set therein three Iudges; for there is no Court of lesse than three, as Maimony sheweth in Sanhedrin, ch. 1. sect. 3, 4. giveth unto thee] so within their owne Land Israel had this charge, but not without the same, as when they were dispersed into other nations. Wee are not bound (say they) to constitute Iudgement H…lls (or Courts,) in every countrey, and in everie citie, but in the land of Israel onelyonly, &c. as it is said, in all thy gates, which the Lord thy God giveth unto thee. Maimony in Sanhedrin, chap. 1. sect. 2. judgement of justice] that is, as the Greeke translateth it, just judgement; which is, when there is an equall and indifferent course of proceeding, when the truth of the cause is discerned, and when judgment passeth according to the Law, Psal. 82. and 58. 2, 3. So Christ saith, Iudge not according to the appearance, but judge just judgement, Ioh. 7. 24. The Hebrewes say, that the justice of judgement is, an equality towards both parties, in every matter: that they let not the one speake so much as he seeth needfull, and say to the other, Be briefe in your speech: and that they shew not a friendly countenance to the one, and speake gently to him; and frowne upon the other, and speake roughly unto him. That the one doe not sit, and the other stand; but both of them stand, or if the Iudges please, that they both sit; and that the one sit not on high, and the other below; but one besides another. It is unlawfull for the Iudge to heare the words of one of the parties before his fellow be come, or out of the presence of his fellow: and so the one partie is to be admonished that he relate not his cause to the Iudge, before his fellow the other party be come, &c. Maim. in Sanhedrin, ch. 21.
Vers. 19. not wrest judgement] not decline (or pervert, turne aside) judgement, not give wrong judgement for any cause, as did Samuels sonnes, who turned aside after lucre, and tooke bribes, and wrested (or perverted) judgement, 1 Sam. 8. 3. See Deut. 24. 17. respect persons] or, acknowledge faces, that is, be partiall, respecting one more than another: see Lev. 19. 15. Deut. 1. 17. Prov. 24. 23. take a gift] or, a bribe: this is repeated from Exod. 23. 8. see the Annotations there.
Vers. 20. Iustice justice] that is, all manner justice, and nothing but justice, exactly, carefully and continually shalt thou follow: the Greeke translateth, Iustly that which is just shalt thou follow. The doubling of the word, is for more vehemency: see Deut. 2. 27. and when a word is trebled, it is most vehement, as in Ezek. 21. 27. Esay 6. 3.
Vers. 21. not plant thee] or, not plant unto thee, or for thy selfe: see the like phrase in Exod. 20. 4. a grove] called in Hebrew Asherah, of Felicity or happinesse, a blessed grove: such the heathens used for the service of their gods, as is noted on Exod. 34. 13. but the Lord would not have such neere his altar, in his service: notwithstanding the Israelites corrupted themselves herewith sundry times, as Iudg. 3. 7. and 6. 25. 1 King. 14. 23. and 16. 33. 2 King. 21. 3. 7. and there were prophets of the groves, 1 King. 18. 19. For this sin God threatned to root up Israel out of the good land, which he gave to their fathers, 1 King. 14. 15. The Hebrewes say, He that planteth a tree neere unto the Altar, or in any (part) of the Court-yard, whether it be barren tree, or tree that beareth food, although he doe it for to adorne the Sanctuary, and beautifie it, he is to be beaten, Deut. 16. 21. Because this was the manner of Idolaters, they planted trees by the altars side, that the people might assemble there. Maimony treat. of Idolatrie, ch. 6. s. 9.
Vers. 22. set thee up a pillar] or, set up for thy selfe a statue, or standing image: whereof see the annotations on Lev. 26. 1.