Westminster Annotations, Numbers · Chapter 28 – Chapter 30
CHAP. XXVIII.
Vers. 2. MY offering] Many of the ordinances for Gods solemn service had been intermitted many yeers in the wildernesse, which now are repeated; both because the generation of men to whom they were first given, were now dead, and because now, being ready to enter into the land of Canaan, they were upon neerer apprehension of the possession of Gods promise, to be the more carefull to keep his commandments.
my bread] Hee meaneth his sacrifices and oblations, because they served not onelyonly for his honour, but for the sustenance of his servants, whereof bread is the chief, and the Shew-bread the chief bread.
V. 3. This is the offering] In the twenty third of Levit. the feasts were prescribed, but not the sacrifices belonging to them; here the sacrifices are particularly appointed.
two lambs] Whereof see Exod. 29. 48. &c.
V. 5. meat-offerings] Which was an accessory sacrifice to the burnt-offering; see Numb. 15. 4.
V. 6. in mount Sinai] Untill they came thither (which was 38 yeares after their departure out of Egypt) they offered no such sacrifices; and (as some say) none at all. Of this daily sacrifice, see Levit. 9. 16.
V. 7. strong wine] the word Shechar here used, whence cometh the word Sicera, usually taken for strong drinke, as distinguishing from wine, but here it is taken for wine, for no strong drink, but wine was used in Oblations.
V. 9. On the sabbath day] In the morning of the Sabbath were offered three Lambs; two for the Sabbath, and one for the daily sacrifice.
V. 10. beside the continuall] Sacrifice was to be offered unto God day by day, both morning and evening, vers. 3. but on the Sabbath more was to be done, and nothing of the weekely devotion to be left undone.
V. 11. beginning of] The new moones are not numbred among the feasts, Lev. 23. for some reason which is not revealed; yet they are sufficiently authorised by this Text, and by Numb. 10. 10. and they were observed for gratefull remembrance of Gods government of the world, as the Sabbath is a remembrance of the worlds creation.
V. 13. A severall tenth deale] a tenth of a tenth, as some render the words, and expound them to be an Omer the tenth part of an Ephah, which Ephah is the tenth part of another measure called in Hebrew Cor.
V. 14. drink-offering] That is, the offering of wine, which yet was not to be drunke, but powred out upon the sacrifice.
V. 15. sinne-offering] That is, for the sinne of the people in generall.
V. 17. in the fifteenth day] Which was the day of eating the Lambe; for it was killed on the fourteenth day betweene two evenings: see Exod. 12. 6. and with the latter evening began the fifteenth day, when it was to be eaten at night, without reservation of any part of it untill the morning.
V. 23. in the morning] The like proportion is to be understood for the evening, though it be not expressed, because it is not to be doubted, but it was to be answerable to the morning; but of the morning there might be doubt, because in the morning divers other sacrifices were to be offered.
V. 24. continuall burnt-offering] That is, besides the daily sacrifice.
V. 26. of the first-fruits] That is, all the feast of Pentecost, when cakes or loaves made of the first ripe fruits were offered.
after your weekes] Counting seven weekes, or fifty dayes from the Passeover to Whitsuntide, as Levit. 23. 15. which was called the feast of weekes, Exod. 34. 22. because it was to be so many weekes after the Passeover.
V. 27. yee shall offer] The same sacrifices are appointed for the feast of Pentecost which were offered at the Passeover. See vers. 19.
V. 31. without blemish] Whatsoever was offered to God must bee of the best; the beasts without blemish; the flour fine, and not course, sweet and not musty; the drink not sowre, nor the oyle with dreggs: all betokening the purity and perfection of him of whom they were types, to wit, Jesus Christ our propitiatory Sacrifice, and Saviour, and beseeming the excellencie of him to whom they were offered; see Mal. 1. 8. 14.
CHAP. XXIX.
Vers. 1. SEventh monethmonth] The monethmonth Tizri, which containeth part of September, and part of October.
blowing the trumpets] The first day of the monethmonth forementioned; for it was the new moon; so the Hebrewes account their monethmonth, (making the first day of the new moone the first day of the monethmonth) and in the new moone the trumpet was to be blowne Numb. 10. 10. Psal. 81. 3. especially in this monethmonth, wherein (besides this feast) was the feast of expiation, and the feast of Tabernacles, at which the people were assembled by the sound of the trumpet; and this feast of trumpets was instituted, and so called in memoriall of the giving of the Law at mount Sinai, with the shrill and dreadfull sound of a trumpet, Exod. 19. 19. See Annot. on Levit. 23. vers. 24.
V. 6. his meat-offering] His in the masculine gender, because the offering was a male without blemish.
V. 7. afflict your souls] This is on the feast of expiation; whereof see Levit. 23. 27.
V. 11. continuall burnt-offering] That is, offered every morning and every evening.
V. 12. fifteenth day] That is, the feast of Tabernacles celebrated the fifteenth day of the monethmonth Tizri: see vers. 1. and Annot. on Levit. 23. 34.
V. 13. thirteene] The number of the beasts are increased because of the solemnitie of the feast, being a memoriall of their safe protection those 40 yeers in the desert, and because the yeerly increase being come in, they had both the more cause, and the more store for the exercise of religious liberality. Deut. 16. 13, 15.
V. 17. second day] Of the feast of Tabernacles.
V. 18. after the manner] That is according to the ceremonies appointed thereunto; so also vers. 21. 24, 27.
V. 32. on the seventh day seven bullocks] From thirteen young bullocks, vers. 12. every day one abated untill the seventh; seven must then be offered, and no fewer, besides other oblations offered in a constant and certaine number.
CHAP. XXX.
Vers. 2. VOw a vow] Of the conditions of a lawfull vow, see Annot, on Gen. 28. 20.
V. 3. in her fathers house] So in his house, as to be under his government, & not disposed of in marriage; and what is said of a young maid, is to be understood of a boy under age at his fathers disposall; and as fathers, so mothers when the father is dead, and when both are dead, other governours to whom children in their minority are committed, are by the reason of the Law comprehended in it.
V. 4. hold his peace] Silence in this case implieth a consent: see vers. 14.
V. 5. shall forgive her] So vers. 8. 12. which sheweth that the Lord is indulgent to well disposed persons, though there be a mixture of inconsideration, or errour, with their good meaning.
V. 10. husbands house] That is, while her husband was a live.
V. 13. Oath] To afflict her soule by abstinence and fasting, which though it be particularly mentioned, oathes concerning other matters are in like manner ratified or disannulled under the generall termes, vers. 5, 8, 10, 12.
V. 14. from day to day] He should allow or disallow the same day he first heareth them, vers. 8. as the latter end of the verse sheweth; but if he held his peace from day to day, he more and more confirmed and established them.
V. 15. beare her iniquitie] That is, the guilt which would have been imputed to her, if she had of her own accord transgressed by her breach of vow (for any good or lawfull thing) shall be imputed unto him, who (without just cause) hindered the performance thereof; especially if he did not disallow it the same day it was made, but some dayes after: See vers. 5. This sheweth that if the parents will not permit the performance of the vow, being in their owne power to hinder it, they who have vowed being under their power must submit to their pleasure; but if it be of a thing within the power of them who thus vow, and they can performe it privately without offence to their Governours, they must performe it.
V. 16. her fathers house] See Annot. on vers. 3.