A Help for the Understanding of the Holy Scriptures, Exodus · Chapter 19
CHAP. XIX.
Verſ. 1. IN the third monethmonth, when the children of Iſrael were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the ſame day came they into the wilderneſſe of Sinai.]
That is, the very day of the newmoon, which was the firſt day of every monethmonth among the Hebrews; ſo that they came into the wilderneſſe of Sinai, about five and fourty or ſix and fourty dayes after they came out of Egypt: for they came out of Egypt on the fifteenth day of the firſt monethmonth; from whence if w… count fourteen dayes remaining of the firſt monethmonth (for their moneths were according to the courſe of the moon) and the whole nine and twenty dayes of the ſecond monethmonth, the firſt day of the third monethmonth when they came before mount Sinai, was the foure and fourtieth day after they came out of Egypt; ſix dayes after which the Law was given, wh…reon afterward was kept the feaſt of Pentecoſt, that was fifty dayes after the Paſſeover.
Verſ. 4. And I bare you on eagles wings, &c.]
This is meant of the whole courſe of Gods providence over them, from their deliverance out of Egypt unto this time, and implyes how ſpeedily, ſafely, and with what tender affections and care he had brought them thither, carrying them over all difficulties out of the reach of danger, in a manner, as if they had been carryed through the aire.
Verſ. 6. And ye ſhall be unto me a kingdome of priests, and an holy nation.]
That is, a nation whom God hath by a ſpeciall priviledge ſeparated from others, and conſecrated to himſelf.
Verſ. 9. Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud.]
That is, I will now out of hand meet with thee upon the mount Sinai, in a thick cloud: for this is not meant of that cloud which went before the Iſraelites, to ſhevv them their vvay in their travails through the vvilderneſſe, and out of vvhichwhich God did uſually ſpeak to Moſes vvhen it reſted upon the Tabernacle; but of that cloud mentioned aftervvard, verſ. 16. vvherein God ſpake …o Moſes upon the mount; And it came to paſſe on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders, and lightnings, and a thick cl…ud upon the mount.
Verſ. 10. Let them waſh their clothes.]
Hereby vvas ſignified hovv carefull Gods people ſhould be to clenſe themſelves from all filthineſſe of the fleſh and ſpirit, eſpecially vvhen they come into Gods preſence.
Verſ. 11. And be ready againſt the third day, &c.]
Which vvas fifty dayes after the paſſeover, at vvhichwhich time the feaſt was aftervvard kept, uſually called Pentecoſt, the day vvhereon the fiery lavv vvas given, and the day vvhereon the fiery tongues vvere aftervvards given for preaching the Goſpel. This therefore vvas not the third day of the monethmonth (for then it could not have been the fiftieth day after the paſſeover that the Lavv vvas given; and ſome dayes after their coming to Sina… on the firſt day of the monethmonth, verſ. 1. had been ſpent in that which hath been hitherto related concerning Moſes his going betwixt God and the people) but the third day after God gave Moſes this charge concerning his preparing and ſanctifying the people.
Verſ. 12. And thou ſhalt ſet bounds unto the people round about, &c.]
This was commanded, firſt, to ſtrike their hearts with the greater reverence of God; ſecondly, to bridle the curioſity of man in ſearching into Gods ſecrets, and to teach them to be content with the bounds which he hath ſet them; thirdly, to provide for their weakneſſe, who would elſe have been ſlain with the glory of his preſenc…. See chap. 20. 19. Let not God ſpeak with us lest we dye.
Verſ. 13. There ſhall not a hand touch it, but he ſhall ſurely be ſtoned, or ſhot through, whether it be beast or man, &c.]
Or touch him, that is, the man or beaſt that ſhall touch the mountain: for that concerning the beaſt was enjoyned, to teach men the more carefully to avoid it: And the reaſon of this command was, firſt, leſt apprehending the offenders they tranſgreſſe themſelves in touching the mountain, whence thoſe two ſorts of death were appointed, of ſtoning, if they were near hand, of ſtriking them through with darts, if further off; ſecondly, to teach them how execrable the offender ſhould be unto them: as a thing that would defile them, they muſt not touch it, but ſtone it, or ſtrike it through.
When the trumpet ſoundeth long, they ſhall come up to the mount.]
By the miniſtry of Angels there was a trumpet ſounded: when this trumpet ſounded long, that is, with a long protracted ſound (as trumpeters uſe to do when they are about to make an end) then they were appointed to come up to the mount, that is, to the bottome of the mount, ſo farre as their limits and marks extended, but not beyond. See ver. 16, 17. It came to paſſe on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders, &c. and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud, ſo that all the people that was in the camp trembled. And Moſes brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they ſtood at the nether part of the mount.
Verſ. 15. Be ready againſt the third day, Come not at your wives.]
Implying that they were to lay by all worldly cares and carnall affections, that they might be wholly intent to the hearing of the Law. See 1. Cor. 7. 5. Defraud you not one the other, except it be with conſent for a time, that ye may give your ſelves to faſting and prayer.
Verſ. 16. There were thunders, and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, &c.]
Yea, together with thunder and lightnings, the earthquake, and ſound of the trumpet, there fell alſo great ſhowers of rain, as David hath expreſſed it, Pſal. 68. 8. The earth ſhook, the heavens alſo dropped at the preſence of God. Now all this terrour was to ſignifie and ſet forth the nature of the Law, whoſe work it is to ſhew the judgement prepared for ſinners, and ſo to terrifie and amaze.
Verſ. 19. And when the voyce of the trumpet ſounded long, and waxed lowder and lowder, Moſes ſpake, and God anſwered him by a voyce.]
That is, they talked together. What it was that Moſes ſaid, it is a weakneſſe to enquire, ſince it is not expreſſed: We are onelyonly hereby taught how that promiſe was accompliſhed, ver. 9. that the people ſhould heare the Lord ſpeaking to Moſes in a diſtinct and audible voyce: yet withall probable it is that now that was done whereof the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Hebr. 12. 21. So terrible was the ſight, that Moſes ſaid, I exceedingly fear and quake, and that the Lord hereupon cheared him up, and ſpake comfortably to him.
Verſ. 22. And let the prieſts alſo which come near unto the Lord ſanctifie themſelves, &c.]
By the Prieſts here doubtleſſe were meant the firſt-born of every family, to whom the prerogative of the prieſthood belonged, and who hitherto were imployed in offering ſacrifices, till by Gods appointment the prieſthood was afterwards ſettled in the tribe of Levi. Now the charge that is here given Moſes particularly concerning them, is not meant of that which before was enjoyed all the people, ver. 10. that they might be prepared in a holy manner to preſent themſelves before the Lord, which doubtleſſe the prieſts did then obſerve no leſſe then the reſt of the people; but of a peculiar watching over themſelves, to keep themſelves clean from all pollutions, and particularly from being defiled with ſinne by touching the mount, which happely they might have been the bolder to do in regard of their prieſthood, if there had not been a ſpeciall charge given to them.
Verſ. 23. And Moſes ſaid unto the Lord, The people cannot come up to mount Sinai, &c.]
Thus Moſes replyed, not by way of contradicting what God had ſaid, and to make known that this charge which God now gave him was needleſſe; but by way of further enquiry concerning Gods will: for hearing that charge again repeated, Moſes began to bethink himſelf whether he had not omitted ſomething of that which was before given him in charge, & ſo in an humble manner profeſſeth how carefully, to his beſt knowledge, he had done what God had commanded for the reſtraining of the people from touching the mount, covertly intimating hereby his deſire to be further informed, if he had hitherto omitted any thing which ought to have been done.
Verſ. 24. And the Lord ſaid unto him, Away, get thee down, &c.]
Notwithſtanding Moſes former anſwer, the Lord again bids him haſte away down, adding the reaſons, to wit, 1. that he might fetch Aaron thither to him; 2. that he might again renew his charge to the people, that they ſhould not come near the mount, and eſpecially to the prieſts, leſt they ſhould preſume too farre in regard of their priviledge.