Westminster Annotations, Exodus · Chapter 23
CHAP. XXIII.
Vers. 1. NOt raise] Nor receive, as the Originall will also be are: the meaning is, thou shalt not indure the hearing of a false report, especially, if it be offered, to make thee either a false witnesse, or a corrupt judge: for as the receiver of stolne goods is partner with the the thiefe; so the willing hearer of a false report, is partner with the slanderer; and if a good name be better then great riches, Prov. 22. 1. a slanderous tongue is worse then pilf…ring fingers.
V. 2. a multitude] The greater number is usually the worse, and though (in respect of men) it may be more safe for many, then for a few to offend: yet in respect of God there is more danger to an offending multitude then to a few; for he will rather beare with a few then many wicked ones, Gen. 6. 12. & Chap. 19. 4.
V. 3. a poore man in his cause] Levit. 19. 15. In charity we must have respect to a poore mans necessitie: but in point of justice, neither the power of the rich, nor the penury of the poore, but his right onelyonly, vers. 6. must be regarded. See Psal. 72. 2.
V. 4. bring him home] If we be bound to doe good to our enemies beast, much more to our enemie himselfe, Mat. 5. 44.
V. 5. If thou see the asse] Deut. 22. 4.
under his burden] If God command to help up an enemies asse under his burden, will he suffer us to presse downe our brethren with heavy burdens, with oppressive impositions upon them? doth God care for asses? and is he carelesse what they beare who beare his Image? See 1 Cor. 9. 9.
helpe with him] Though they be at difference between themselves, they must both agree for a charitable aide to the oppressed creature.
V. 6. not wrest the judgement] Not strain nor strive against the evidence of truth, to condemne the poore in his just cause, or to acquit him in that which is unjust.
V. 7. Keep far from a false matter] It is not enough to be no plotter, no promoter of a false report, or no agent in it; but we must shew such a dislike of it, as to keepe aloofe from it, as if there were some danger of infection by coming neere unto it. See Prov. 4. vers. 14, 15.
V. 8. * Take no gift] * Deut. 16. 19.
the eies of the wise] (Heb. the seeing) For it raiseth the affections which (like a steame or mist about a candle) dimme the light of the understanding, and conscience.
V. 9. the heart of a stranger] Who when he is in a strange place, and destitute of friends, and (it may be) also of meanes, hath griefe enough of his owne, (as thou by experience knowest) and therefore thou must not adde oppression to his affliction, which (thine owne heart will tell thee) thou wouldest not have done unto thy selfe.
V. 10. sixe yeares] Levit. 25. 3.
V. 11. but the seventh yeare] That yeare was the remission of debts, Deut. 15. vers. 1. & 9. and the manumission, or freedome of Hebrew servants; and at the beginning of the Sabbaticall yeare, (which was the seventh yeare) was the Law to be read, in the feast of Tabernacles, Deut. 31. 10. and the Land was then to rest; whereof see the next Note. This Sabbaticall yeare began not with the monethmonth Nisan, or March, (whence the sacred yeare was accounted) because so they should lose the harvest of two yeares: but it began with the monethmonth Tizri, that is, September, from whence the civill yeare (after the manner of the Egyptians and other Nations) was accounted, so did they account their Jubile in the seventh monethmonth, Levit. 25. 9.
let it rest] Untilled, or unmanured, both for sowing, and reaping, which were forbidden that yeare, Levit. 25. 4. partly for sparing of the Land, that it might afterwards yeeld the better increase; but especially that what the land yeelded (of it selfe) might be for the exercise of their confidence in the divine providence, without their owne paines; and for provisions for a charitable supply, first to the poore, and after them to the beasts of the field; for the providence of God maketh provision for man and beast: yet the owner of the land or garden, might every day (which was not a festivall) take such things, and so much as was necessary for himselfe and his servants, Levit. 25. 6. so that nothing were hoarded up, whereby the provision for the poore might be diminished. If any feared he should be a loser by such a cessation, or resting of the land, or doubted how he should be provided for, if the earth were not exercised for the yearely increase; God passed his word for a supply in the sixth yeare, Levit. 25. v. 20, 21.
Olive yard] Or, Olive trees.
V. 12. * sixe dayes] * Chap. 20. 9. Deut. 5. 13. Luk. 13. 14.
V. 13. * the names of other gods] Not by way of liking, or approbation, for otherwise they were and might be named by way of historicall report, and of reproofe.
* Deut. 12. 3. Josh. 23. 7. Psal. 16. 4.
V. 14. * three times] * Deut. 16. 16.
V. 15. Thou shalt keepe the feast] Chap. 13. 3. & 34. 18.
of unleavened bread] That is, the Passeover, or Easter, in remembrance that the Angel passed over the dwellings of the Israelites, sparing them, when he shew the first-borne of the Egyptians, Deut. 16. 16. and the Israelites went out in hast, not staying the leasure of leavened bread.
in the time appointed] That is, the time when (in Egypt, and in the Land of Chanaan) the Barley harvest afforded full and ripe eares, for an oblation to the Lord.
emptie] Coming to the Tabernacle, or Temple, (at the Feast of Easter, Pentecost, and of Tabernacles) none must come without an oblation; partly for sacrifice to God, and partly for provision for the Levites: and thus it was a dutie laid downe by Law, yet for the particular oblation it was a free-will offering, Deut. 16. 10. wherein the offerer was free to make the proportion of his gift.
V. 16. the feast of harvest] Which is Pentecost, or Whitsontide; kept in remembrance, that the Law was given fiftie dayes after they departed from Egypt; but called the feast of harvest, because then was the Wheat harvest, and the ripening of other fruits.
* Deut. 16. 13. Levit. 23. 17.
the feast of ingathering] At the end of the yeare, that is, in September, when the fruits of the earth were generally reaped and gathered in: which sheweth that there was a double account of the yeare; the one for Civill affaires, which was in the monethmonth Tizri, or September: the other for sacred, (as for the festivals of the yeare) beginning with the monethmonth Nisan, containing part of March, and part of Aprill, Exod. 12. At this time was the feast of Tabernacles, Levit. 23. 34. keeping in minde the memoriall of their dwelling fourtie yeares under Boothes, Tents, or Tabernacles, in the wildernesse: the solemnitie of this feast held seven dayes, during which time, they were to rest in Boothes. See Levit. 23. 42.
V. 17. all thy males] From twenty yeares old to fiftie: or as some conceive to sixtie years of age.
V. 18. sacrifice] Or, feast.
V. 19. the first of the first fruits] (Chap. 34. 26. Deut. 14. 22. Exod. 22. 30.) were yearely separated from the rest of the yeares increase, the quantity whereof (by the tradition of the Jewes) was a part betweene the fourty, fiftie, and the sixtieth part, at the discretion of the offerer.
in the mothers milke] Either as affecting excessively the pleasing of the palate with too much curiositie, because usually flesh is boyled in water, and not in milke; or it may be the meat of a Kid so young, that it is (in respect of the late yeaning of it) rather moist like milke, then any firme or solid flesh; and so not wholesome as that which is of more age: or this may have reference to the Paschall sacrifice, (which was to be taken from the goats, as well as from the sheepe, Exod. 12. 5.)
V. 20. * an Angel] Which some hold was a created Angel, but this Angel of the Lord, was the Lord of Angels; for they are bound to worship him, Heb. 1. 6.
* Chap. 33. 2. Num. 20. 16.
V. 21. He will not pardon your transgressions] 2 King. 24. 4. If you persist in them, without repentance for them.
my Name is in him] (That is, he is of my nature being my naturall Sonne,) and with that nature he hath my Name Jehovah, Jer. 23. 6.
V. 22. * indeed] * Exod. 19. 5.
an enemie to thine] Gen. 12. 3. Num. 24. 9. Deut. 30. 7. Jer. 30. 20. This is the true holy league, made betwixt God and his people; which might make the wicked afraid to doe them hurt, since though they be weake, God must needs be too strong for all his and their enemies.
V. 24. * nor doe after their workes] * Levit. 18. 3. Deut. 12. 31.
quite breake downe] Deut. 7. 25. God commandeth his not onelyonly to forbeare to worship Idols, but to destroy them.
V. 25. thy bread and] Gen. 28. 20. That is, all things necessary for thy present life.
I will take all sicknesse] Chap. 15. 26.
V. 26. * There shall none cast their] This was a great means of the multiplication of Gods people, both in their persons, and in their herds and flocks, that God (by especiall favour) preserved them from abortive births, which in Man-kinde especially bring deadly perill to mother and childe, or both: thus their conceptions were brought unto an happy birth, and their labour neither in vaine, nor with such dangerous adventure, as accompanied the generation of other people. See Chap. 1. verse 22.
* Deut. 7. 14.
V. 27. my feare before thee] I will make them afraid at thy coming, and send mine Angel to destroy them: as Chap. 33. 2. Josh. 24. 12.
their backs] God makes men couragious, or cowardly, as pleaseth himselfe, and so giveth the successe of the battel to what side pleaseth him.
V. 28. and the Hittite] He nameth but three Nations here, understanding by them the rest fore-mentioned, vers. 23.
hornets] Not onelyonly enemies armed with weapons, as hornets with stings, (as some conceive) but hornets, according to the Hebrew, such as were usually called by that name; for with these God might plague them, as he did the Egyptians with the frogs and locusts; and thereby might destroy them: the accomplishment of this commination we may reade, Josh 24. 12.
V. 31. to the sea of the Philistines] The Mid-land sea.
from the desart] That is, of Arabia.
to the river] That is, Euphrates. By these particulars he pointeth at the extent of the promised Land severall wayes, which was bounded East-ward, by the Red Sea; Westward, by the Mediterranean or Mid-land Sea of the Countrey of the Philistines: Southward, by the desart of Paran, and Northward by the River Euphrates: of thisportion of Land in full extent the people (for their iniquities) were not possessed, except for a short time, under David and Solomon.
V. 32. Thou shalt make] Chap. 34. 15. Deut. 7. 2.
V. 33. * a snare] * Deut. 7. 16. Josh. 23. 13. Judg. 2, 3. By idolatry, to which the Canaanites were much addicted, the Israelites (if they lived among them) might be infected; therefore (for their securitie from it) the Idolaters must be driven out of the Land. So farre were they to be from having to doe with them, in any neere communion of cohabitation, much lesse of marriage.