Westminster Annotations, Leviticus · Chapter 19
CHAP. XIX.
Vers. 3. HIs mother, and] The mother is named first, because children being most familiar with their mothers, are most apt to contemne them; and therefore to make them the more to reverence them, they are required to hearken to the words of their mother as to a law, Prov. 1. 8. but to the words of their father as to an instruction; the tie of obedience being for caution, made most strict, where disobedience was most like to breake out.
and keepe my Sabbaths] In the Decalogue or tenne Commandements, the Commandement of the Sabbath is set before the Commandement of honouring of Parents; because that of the Sabbath is a duty of the first Table, and the Commandement for obedience to parents is a dutie of the second Table; but here the order is first for obedience to parents, because they are charged with the observation of the Sabbath, both for themselves, and for their children, and servants, Exod. 20. vers. 10.
V. 4. molten gods] By which (by a figurative speech called Syneedoche) all sorts of Idols are forbidden; and it may be, the rather under this name, and notion, because of the golden Calfe which was a molten Image.
V. 6. the same day, and on the morrow] Of peace-offerings there are two sorts: the one is for impetration or obtainement of good, and for that there was no set time prescribed; for i… is said, ye shall offer it at your owne will, and that was to be eaten the same day it was offered, and on the morrow: the other was for thankesgiving, and that was to be eaten the same day: See Annot. on Chap. 7. vers. 13.
V. 12. neither—profane] Not use it as a common name, without reverence, whereby it may come into contempt.
V. 13. not abide] Because he that worketh for hire, is commonly so poore, that he hath not provision for a day before hand.
V. 14. not curse] Not speake evill of the deafe, nor of the absent, who is as a deafe man to that which is spoken out of his hearing, as a deafe man to what is spoken in his presence is as one that is absent.
V. 14. before the blinde] Though men neither hear what we say, nor see what we doe; the awe of Gods omniscience, and of our owne conscience, must binde us to our good-behaviour towards them, not onelyonly from open, but from secret injuries.
V. 15. person of the poore] That is, not so respect the poore in his povertie, as in pitie to him, to wrong the rich, or mighty; nor so feare or honour the mighty, as to comply with his oppression of the poore, against right and justice. See Exod. 23. vers. 3.
V. 16. stand against the bloud] By telling tales, which may inrage others to his ruine, Ezek. 22. 9. as by Doegs example is evident, 1 Sam. 22. 9. 18. Psal. 5. 2. 19. Or by consenting to the death of the innocent, or conspiring with the wicked to that purpose.
V. 17. in any wise rebuke] Hatred is forbidden, and rebuke prescribed as contrary to it, and this according to the dealing of God himselfe with his deare children, Prov. 3. 12. Heb. 12. 16. therefore rebukes must not be given in hatred, or wrath, but in love; and when they are lovingly tendered, they must be kindly entertained.
V. 18. as thy selfe] Which requireth a conformitie in qualitie, not a correspendence of equalitie, as Joh. 17. 21. the love to another must be like in kind, for sinceritie, without deceit, 1 Joh. 3. 18. and for efficacie, without defect; when we have opportunitie to doe others good, or to save them from hurt.
V. 19. divers kind] The reason of this was; that the order of nature, in the distinct kinds of creatures, might be preserved; and with this there was implied an instruction against mixtures of Religion; as the prohibition of mingling of seed of severall sorts, and the wearing of a Linsey-woolsey garment, in this verse, was a document or lesson of simplicitie, or sinceritie, against double-dealing. Object. But the Jewes had many Mules, which proceed from the mixture of an Horse and an Asse, and therefore it is like, they observed not this rule: Answ. There are, that doe affirme, that Mules, are male and female, and doe ingender in their own kind; but if they doe not, they might be stored with Mules, in Faires, and Markets, Ezek. 27. 14.
V. 20. because she was not free] Freedome was a great priviledge, as bondage a grievous pressure; but note that priviledges doe more oblige, and more strictly binde men to their good-behaviour; and binde them over to severer punishment, if they breake them; as unto death, if the woman were not bound, but free, Deut. 22. 23.
V. 23. as uncircumcised] As those Nations, which were uncircumcised; that is, legally uncleane.
three yeeres] Whether this was for a naturall reason, because the fruits of a new plantation were weake, and waterish; or for some mysticall cause, it is uncertaine: but certainly God had power, to make his allowance, or restraint of fruits, as well as of other creatures, Levit. 11. whereby the appetite was to be curbed, and the people enured to forbeare lawfull things, that they might be the further estranged from things unlawfull: and withall the fruits in the fourth yeare coming to more maturitie and perfection, were the fitter to be offered up unto God, who is alwayes worthy to be served with the best.
V. 24. all the fruit] Beside the first-fruits, which were given to the Priests, and the common Tithes given to the Levites, and the tithes of tithes which the Levites gave to the Priests; there were two sorts of tithes enjoyned the Jews: First, the yearely Tithes mentioned Deut. 12. 12. 17. & Chap. 14. 22. and of these there was an holy feast made at Jerusalem, Deut. 12. 14. at which the Levites, Orphans and Widows were to be, and their domesticks, and friends might be present; and among these Tithes were reckoned these fruits of the fourth yeare here mentioned. Secondly, those that were set apart every third yeare, as is prescribed, Deut. 14, 28. & Chap. 26. 12. and these were onelyonly to feast the Levites, and the poore widowes, and orphans, and needy strangers; and these were not eaten at Jerusalem (as the former) but by every one in his owne Citie, Deut. 14. 28.
V. 25. that it may yeeld unto you the increase] The way to be rich is to obey Gods command, though for the present it may seeme to tend to povertie; as to give a portion to seven, and also to eight, Eccles. 11. 2. that is, to many; though no more be to be expected of them, then by casting bread upon the waters, as in the precedent verse, to give plentifully, Luk. 16. 38. which in a way of charitie is not a casting away, but a sowing, which will be reaped in a plentifull increase as at the harvest, 2 Cor. 9. 6. to pay tithes freely, is more profitable for the giver, then for the receiver, Mal. 3. 10. to cease from traffique, or questuous commerce upon the Sabbath, though worldlings account the Sabbath a great interruption to their profit, and cry out of it, as if on that day the Sunne proceeded a slower pace then on others, Amos 8. 5. For to those that conscionably keepe that day, it is a day, not onelyonly of glory to God, but of benefit to themselves; and that not onelyonly spirituall to their soules, but also temporall in their estates; which, (if they religiously observe that day in the Sanctuary, and in their Families,) are like to prosper the better all the weeke after: so though the forbearing of the first three yeeres fruit seeme to be matter of damage, by Gods blessing upon their obedience, it shall turne to their advantage.
V. 26. nor observe] Superstitiously; as those do, who account some dayes lucky, some unlucky: see Annot. on Gen. 1. 14.
V. 27. not round the corners] The word round, in the Originall, signifies such a rounding as may be without cutting, a rounding in generall, which some take to be a compassing the head with a Garland, as was in use among them that celebrated the Feasts of Bacchus; and the word Corners, in the Originall, is in the Singular number; and being so, it may note some singular cutting of one corner of the head round, in the manner of a circle (as the Egyptians, it may be, had their crownes shaven, as now is in use with the Popish-priests) or else in the manner of an halfe-Moone. Or taking the Singular number for the Plurall, the prohibition may be meant, as some conceive, of crisping, or curling round the haire in some corners of the head; or cutting off the longest of the haire, to offer tuffs, or locks of it as a devoted oblation to Idols, as many heathens did, making the bare place round, with a superstitious conceit of a round figure as most pleasing to God, and most like God, whom some Philosophers defining, said, God is a Circle, whose Center is every where, and his Circumference no where: or of cutting the haire, as the Egyptian Priests did, who worshipped the Idols Anubis and Isis, shaving round their heads, and the haire of their eye-browes; or of cutting round the haire in mourning, to which may be applied, Isa. 15. 2. & Jer. 48. 37. which the Egyptians required even of their women, when their Idolized Oxe, called Apis, died. But hereby was not forbidden to them, much lesse to Christian men, to weare the haire in a moderate measure, betwixt shaving of the head, and nourishing the locks, Ezek. 44. 20. See 1 Cor. 11. 14.
V. 27. Of the beard] Because a decent growth of the beard, is a signe of manhood, and a remarkable difference of the male, from the female sexe: and this was forbidden to be done in that superstitious manner which heathens used, who consecrated to their gods not onelyonly their locks, but their beards also; especially the first doune of it. Plutarch. in Thesee, & Sueton. in Nerone. 1. 12.
V. 28. nor print any markes] That is, you shall not make or receive any impression upon your flesh, or skinne, as tokens of Idolatry, or superstition: See Deut. 14. 1. 1 King. 18. 2…. Jer. 16. 6.
V. 30. and reverence Sanctuary] Or, feare my Sanctuary. The Sabbath is not to be profaned, because it is Gods holy day; nor the Sanctuary, because it is the place of his especiall presence, Gen. 28. vers. 16, 17. & Eccles. 5. 1. Some of the Hebrewes expound it thus; that though every place where prayer was made, and the law taught, were to be reverenced, yet especially was Jerusalem, because the Sanctuary was there; whence they gather that a dead man ought not to abide there all night, nor the bones of a dead man to be carried through it. But through both Sabbath and Sanctuary were to be used with reverence, the Sabbath was first and chiefly to be regarded; for there was a Sabbath before the Sanctuary was made; and for the keeping of the Sabbath holy, there was, and is an expresse precept in the Decalogue, not so for the Sanctuary. 3. The holinesse of the Sanctuary is gone, and the Sanctuary it selfe; therefore now in every place God will accept of a sincere service, Joh. 4. 21, 23, 24. of every one, 1 Tim. 2. 8. It was therefore an absurd superstition in the one, and profanenesse in the other, when the Sanctuary, the place of worship was held in so great reverence by many of later times, that they would not come into it without demonstration, or ostentation of devotion, and reverence; especially in their approaches to the Altar, (as they Jewishly, or Popishly called the Lords Table) when they allowed carnall recreations on the Sabbath day, and those of that sort, whereof there is question at least, whether they were lawfull any day.
V. 32. rise up] In token of reverence. See Chap. 23. 15. Gen. 31. 35.
V. 34. as one borne among you] That is, if he be not of the Canaanites, who were to be destroyed; but a Proselyte; that is, a circumcised convert, professing the Religion of the Hebrewes.
V. 35. mete-yard] Or line, for the measuring of ground. The Hebrewes say, there was injustice in the mete-yard, when a man measured ground for one in faire weather, for another in foule; for in rainy weather it was longer, and in faire weather shorter: which may be true if the Line were of leather, or of such matter as the string of a Watch: but the ordinary lines, ropes, or cords of haire, or hempe, or flaxe, flagge more in dry weather, and so are longer then in wet.
in weight] Wherein, (as some of the Hebrewes say) not onelyonly he offended that used an unjust weight and ballance, but he also that had them at home, though he used them not; perhaps, because having them by him, he might sometimes be tempted to make ill use of them; at least it argued too little zeale against injustice in him who would keepe them neere him, when with detestation he should cast them from him, as the monuments, and inticements to Idolatry, Isa. 30, 22.
measure] There might be a two-fold unrighteousnesse in measure; the one when it was not of a just capacitie, the other when it was so filled with liquid things, by pouring them out with an high hand, that there was much froth in stead of substantiall liquor; which after a while would shrinke, and so the want of due measure would be manifest.
V. 36. Ephan, and a just Hin] Of the Ephah, see Exod. 16. 36. and of the Hin, see Exod. 29. 40.