Westminster Annotations, Numbers · Argument
THE ARGUMENT.
FOr the Title most in use among all Authours except the Hebrews, viz. Numbers, it is given it from the many numbrings reported in it; the first whereof is most memorable, wherein the people in the second monethmonth of the second yeare of their departure out of Egypt are reckoned to sixe hundred thousand three thousand five hundred and fiftie, besides the Levites, who are not comprehended in that account, Chap. 1. vers. 46▪ 47. To this number are added many more, viz. a second kinde of numbring of the offerings of the Princes; a third of the Ministers of the Tabernacle; a fourth of the searchers that were sent to discover the Land of Canaan; a fifth of the Rebels, Korah and his company; a sixth of the fornicatours ioyned to Baal-Peor; a seventh of those that were new borne in the wildernesse, the old stock being consumed before the possession of the Land of Canaan; and an eighth of the Cities of refuge: This for the Title.
And for the Contents of the Booke, it is partly Historicall, partly Doctrinall; for the Historicall, besides the record of these numberings, we have the storie of the peoples travels, their troubles, their murmurings and rebellions, their punishments, their straits and enlargements, dangers and deliverances, their combats and conquests, and the most notable things they did or suffered by the space of thirty nine yeares, wherein they rather wandered, then regularly iourneyed in the Desert; their sinnes casting them backe from the borders of the Land of Canaan, when they were neere the possession of it. In this Story the order of time is not noted, save for that which belongeth to the second yeare of the peoples iourneying from Egypt, towards the Land of Promise, and endeth at the eleventh monethmonth of the fourtieth yeare, for with that beginneth the Story of the Booke of Deuteronomie, as is evident by comparing of Numb. 1. 1. with Deut. 1. 3. For the story of the time betwixt these termes there is little or no mention of any Chronologicall note, though there be many remarkable occurrences delivered, as Chap. 16, 17, 18, 19. The Doctrinall part containeth additions and explanations of sundry Lawes, some morall, more iudiciall, but most of all ceremoniall, given by God for the sanctification and preparation of the people for the Land of Canaan, especially for their observation when they were possessed of it: Some observe many parallell references of the New Testament to this Booke, which are not unworthy of a serious consideration; as
Numb. Chap. 6. vers. 18.
The Nazarite shall shave his head.
Num. 7. 12. & 10. 14. as well as Ruth 4. 20. or 1 Chron. 2. 10.
Nahshon the sonne of Amminadab.
Numb. 8. 16.
In stead of such as open every wombe, in stead of the first-borne of all the children of Israel, have I taken them unto me.
Numb. 9. 12. as well as Exod. 12. 46.
Nor breake any bone of it.
Numb. 9. 21, 22.
Whether it was by day or by night that the cloud was taken up, they journied, &c.
Numb. 11. 1.
The fire of the Lord burnt among them.
Numb. 12. 7.
My servant Moses is not so, who is faithfull in all mine house.
Numb. 14. 37.
Those men that did bring up an evill report upon the land, died by the plague before the Lord.
Numb. 15. 38.
Bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments.
Numb. 21. 6.
The Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, &c.
Numb. 21. 9.
And Moses made a serpent of brasse, and put it upon a pole.
Act. 18. 18.
Paul having shorne his head, for he had a vow.
Matth. 1. 4.
Amminadab begat Naasson.
Luk. 2. 23.
Every male that openeth the wombe, shall be holy to the Lord.
Joh. 19. 33.
They brake not Jesus legges.
1 Cor. 10. 1.
All our fathers were under the cloud.
1 Cor. 10. 10.
As some of them murmured, and were destroyed of the destroye….
Heb. 3. 2.
Moses was faithfull in all his house.
Heb. 3. 17.
But with whom was he grieved fourtie yeares? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carkases fell in the wildernesse?
Matth. 23. 5.
They make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments.
1 Cor. 10. 9.
And were destroyed of serpents.
Joh. 3. 14.
As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wildernesse, even so must the Sonne of man be lifted up.
Numb. Chap. 22. & 23.
The History of Balaam.
Numb. 25. 1.
The people began to commit whoredome with the daughters of Moah.
Numb. 26. 64.
Among these there was not a man of them whom Moses and Aaron the Priest numbred, when they numbred the children of Israel in the wildernesse of Sinai.
Numb. 28. 9.
On the Sabbath day two lambes of the first yeare, &c.
2. Pet. 2. 15, 16.
Following the way of Balaam the sonne of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousnesse: But was rebuked of his iniquitie, the dumbe asse speaking with a mans voyce, &c.
Jude, vers. 11.
They have gone greedily after the way of Balaam for reward.
1 Cor. 10. 8.
Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, &c.
1 Cor. 10. 5.
With many of them God was not well pleased, for they were overthrowne in the wildernesse.
Jude, vers. 5.
The Lord Jesus saved the people that came out of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that beleeved not.
Matth. 12. 5.
Have ye not read in the Law, how that on the Sabbath dayes the Priests in the Temple profane the Sabbath, and are blamelesse?
To conclude, the Booke measured by the age of the world beginneth, as some reckon, with the yeare, 2455. and endeth with the yeare 2494. as others more probably compute, it beginneth with the yeare 2544. and endeth with the yeare 2583.