A Help for the Understanding of the Holy Scriptures, Numbers · Chapter 10
CHAP. X.
Verſ. 2. MAke thee two trumpets of ſilver, &c.]
Here at firſt were but two trumpets for Aarons two ſonnes Eleazar & Ithamar; but the number of the prieſts increaſing in Solomons time, there were an hundred and twenty prieſts ſounding with trumpets, 2. Chron. 5. 12. And theſe trumpets were ſignes of the miniſtry of the word, and the office of teaching, diſcharged by men called and fitted thereto: for as the uſe of theſe trumpets was firſt to aſſemble the congregation before the Lord in his Sanctuary; ſecondly, to give warning and direction for their marching toward the land of Canaan; thirdly, to incourage the people when they went forth to warre; fourthly, to be a ſigne of rejoycing at all their feſtivals and dayes of rejoycing: ſo the work of Gods miniſtry is, firſt, to perſwade the people to aſſemble themſelves before God, there to perform with fear and reverence the publick duties of his worſhip and ſervice, Joel 2. 15, 16. Blow the trumpet in Zion, ſanctifie a faſt, call a ſolemn aſſembly. Gather the people, ſanctifie the Congregation, aſſemble the Elders, gather the children and thoſe that ſuck the breasts, &c. ſecondly to give them warning and direction for all the duties of Chriſtianity, which being performed in faith and obedience to God are as ſo many ſeverall motions towards the heavenly Canaan; thirdly, to give them warning of danger approching, and to ſtirre them up to fight the Lords battels againſt Satan, Sinne, Antichriſt, &c. See Eſa. 58. 1. Cry aloud, ſpare not, lif… up thy voice like a trumpet, and ſhew my people their tranſgreſſion, and the houſe of Jacob their ſinnes; and fourthly, to encourage and comfort ſinners with the promiſes of the …oſpel, to quicken them with faith and readineſſe of mind to perform the duties of Gods worſhip, and with thankfull and glad hearts to praiſe God for all his mercies, and eſpecially for Chriſt. See Eſa. 27. 13. And it ſhall come to paſſe in that day that th… great trumpet ſhall be blown, and they ſhall come which were ready to periſh in the land of Aſſyria, and the outcaſts in the land of Egypt, and ſhall worſhip the Lord in the holy mount at Jeruſalem. Beſides, as the trumpets were not to give an uncertain ſound, but ſuch as the people might diſtinctly perceive what they were to do: ſo the miniſters muſt both pray and preach ſo that the people may underſtand them, 1. Cor. 14. 8, 9. For if the trumpet give an uncertain ſound, who ſhall prepare himſelf to the battel? So likewiſe you except you utter by the tongue words eaſie to be underſtood, how ſhall it be known what is ſpoken? for ye ſhall ſpeak into the air▪ Secondly, of ſilver theſe trumpe… muſt be made, which was the pureſt mettal and fitteſt for ſound, to ſignifie alſo the purity and zeal required in Gods miniſters, The tongue of the juſt is as choiſe ſilver, ſaith Solomon, Prov. 10. 20.
That thou mayeſt uſe them for the calling of the aſſembly, and for the journeying of the Camps.]
Thus they were taught to depend upon God for all their attempts both in peace and warre.
Verſ. 3. And when they ſhall blow with them, all the aſſembly ſhall aſſemble themſelves to thee, &c.]
That is, when they ſhall blow with both of them, as appears by the next verſe, And if they blow but with one trumpet, then the princes, which are heads of the thouſands of Iſrael ſhall gather themſelves unto thee.
Verſ. 6. They ſhall blow an alarm for their journeys.]
That is, not for theſe two quarters onelyonly before mentioned, but for the other alſo▪
Verſ. 8. And the ſonnes of Aaron the prieſt ſ…all blow with the trumpets.]
The prieſts are appointed to be the trumpeters, that ſo the people might entertain the ſound thereof as coming from God, and ſo aſſemble themſelves as into Go… preſence, and go forth both in their journeys and battels, as in obedience to Gods command, and in faith believing and expecting his direction and aſſiſtance.
Verſ. 9. And if ye go to warre in your land againſt the enemy that oppreſſeth you, then ye ſhall blow an alarm with the trumpets.]
So it is ſaid Numb. 31. 6. And Moſes ſent them to the warre a thouſand of every tribe, them and Phinehas the ſonne of Eleazar the prieſt to warre, with the holy inſtruments and trumpets to blow, in his hand; and 2. Chron. 13. 12. And behold God himſelf is with us for our Captain, and his prieſts with ſounding trumpets to cry alarm againſt yo….
And ye ſhall be remembred before the Lord your God, and ye ſhall be ſaved from your enemies.]
The ſounding of an alarm with theſe trumpets, when they were to go forth to warre againſt their enemies, was to the people a ſacred ſigne that God would aſſuredly take notice of their danger, and help them againſt their enemies; and in theſe words now there is a promiſe of grace annexed to theſe ſignes, to wit, that when they did rightly uſe theſe trumpets in faith and obedience to Gods commandments, the Lord would remember them, and give them victory over their enemies.
Verſ. 10. Alſo in the day of your gladneſſe, and in your ſolemn dayes, &c.]
Here is preſcribed the laſt uſe they were to make of theſe trumpets, to wit, that they were to blow with them over their burnt-offerings and over th… ſacrifices of their peace-offerings, upon all ſolemn feſtivall dayes: as firſt, when they kept any extraordinary day of rejoycing for any publick extraordinary merciemercy, which is called here the day of their gladneſſe, ſuch as was the day when the ark was carried into the temple, 2. Chron. 5. 12, 13. and when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord in the dayes of Ezra, Ezra 3. 10. and ſecondly, upon all their ſet feſtivalls appointed by the law, as the feaſt of unleavened bread, the feaſt of tabernacles, &c. called here their ſolemn dayes; and thirdly, on their new moons, in the beginning of every monethmonth, whence is that of the Pſalmiſt, Blow the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed on our ſolemn feaſt-day, Pſal. 81. 4. Now hereby was ſignified both their earneſt deſire that God would hear their prayers and accept of their ſacrifices and alſo the inward joy and gladneſſe of their hearts from their aſſurance that God in Chriſt would accept of them and their ſervice: for which cauſe alſo afterwards the Lord by David and other prophets ordained other inſtruments alſo whereon the Levites played, as pſalteries, harps, cymbals, &c. 1. Chron. 16. 5. David alſo and other holy men made pſalmes and ſongs, which ſome of the Levites ſung whilſt others played on the inſtruments, 1. Chron. 25. 6, &c. whence is that of the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 89. 15. Bleſſed is the people that know the joyfull ſound; they ſhall walk O Lord in the light of thy countenance; and therefore alſo it is ſaid in the cloſe of this verſe, that this blowing of theſe trumpets over their ſacrifices ſhould be to them for a memoriall before their God: for hereby is ſignified bot… th… if they performed this ſervice in faith of Gods merciemercy with joyfull and glad hearts, the Lord would then remember them and accept of their ſervice, and alſo that it ſhould be to them a ſacred ſigne to mind them and aſſure them that God would hear their prayers, and accept of their ſacrifices.
Verſ. 11. And it came to paſſe on the twentieth day of the ſecond monethmonth, &c.]
The Iſraelites came into the wilderneſſe of Sinai in the beginning of the third monethmonth of the firſt year, Exod. 19. 1. and now the cloud being taken up from off the tabernacle, and going into the forefront of their camp, they went out of the wilderneſſe on the twentieth day of the ſecond monethmonth in the ſecond year, about ſix dayes after thoſe men had kept the Paſſeover that being defiled by the dead could not keep it at the appointed ſeaſon, whereof Moſes ſpake before, chap. 9. 6, &c. So that hereby it is evident that they ſtayed in this wilderneſſe of Sinai a full year wanting nine or ten dayes: and though there be here onelyonly mention made of the taking up of the cloud, which was the ſigne that they were to be gone thence; yet withall God ſpake unto them to remove, Deut. 1. 6, 7, 8. The Lord our God ſpake unto us in Horeb, ſaying, Ye have dwelt long enough in this mount; turn you and take your journey and go into the land of the Amorites, &c. and thus both by word and ſigne God called them from Sinai, the place of bondage, by reaſon of the law there given, Gal. 4. 24, 25. unto the land of promiſe, which figured the ſtate of grace and freedome by Jeſus Chriſt.
Verſ. 12. And the children of Iſrael took their journeys out of the wilderneſſe of Sinai; and the cloud reſted in the wilderneſſe of Paran.]
To wit, in a place of this wilderneſſe which by occaſion of the following ſtory was called Kibrothhattaavah; and in this wilderneſſe they journeyed along time, and in ſeverall places of it pitched their tents; and therefore it is ſaid again, Numb. 12. 10. that they pitched in the wilderneſſe of Paran.
Verſ. 14. In the firſt place went the ſtandard of the c…mp of the children of Judah according to their armies.]
When they reſted any where they pitched their tents in foure quarters about the tabernacle, but removing they march in order one after another as is here expreſſed.
Verſ. 17. And the tabernacle was taken down.]
To wit, the prieſts having firſt with vails and clothes covered the ark, and other holy things, as was enjoyned, Numb. 4. 5. And when the camp ſetteth forward, Aaron ſhall come and his ſonn…s, and they ſhall take down the covering vail and cover the ark of the teſtimony with it. This taking down and ſetting up and removall of the tabernacle ſignified the inſtability of that legall figurative worſhip which Chriſt at his coming was to aboliſh, Heb. 12. 27, 28. And this word, yet once more, ſignifyeth the removing of thoſe things that are ſhaken, as of things that are made, that thoſe things which cannot be ſhaken may remain: Wherefore we receiving a kingdome which cannot b… moved, let us have grace, &c. and alſo the unſettled eſtate of the Church and all the members thereof in the wilderneſſe of this world. See 2. Cor. 5. 1, 4. For we know that if our earthly houſe of this tabernacle were diſſolved, we have a building of God, an houſe not made with hands, eternall in the heavens: for we that are in this tabernacle do groan being burdened, not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be ſwallowed up of life. See alſo 2. Pet 1. 14.
Verſ. 21. And the Kohathites ſet forward bearing the Sanctuary.]
That is, th… holy things of the tabernacle, but the ark went foremoſt, verſ. 37.
Verſ. 22. And the ſtandard of the camp of the children of Ephraim ſet forward according to their armies.]
So that the Sanctuary went immediately before them, unto which the Pſalmiſt ſeemeth to have reference, Pſal. 86. 3. Turn again, O God, and cauſe thy face to ſhine and we ſhall be ſaved.
Verſ. 25. And the camp of the children of Dan ſet forward, which was the rereward of all the camps, throughout their hoſts.]
Who had moſt ſouldiers next Judah, as we may ſee chap. 2. 31. Thus the Sanctuary had the middeſt, the moſt ſafe and honourable place: the greateſt camp went foremoſt, the next in greatneſſe went hindmoſt, to defend it againſt enemies before and behind. But the Lord himſelf was he that went before, and was the rereward behind, as the Prophet ſpeaks, Eſai. 52. 12. For the Lord will go before you, and the God of Iſrael will be your rereward.
Verſ. 29. And Moſes ſaid unto Hobab the ſonne of Raguel, the Midianite, Moſes father in law, &c.]
Some conceive that it is Raguel the Medianite, and not Hobab that is here called Moſes father in law, even the ſame that is elſewhere called Reüel Exod. 2. 18. and Jethro, Exod. 3. 1. and that Hobab, to whom Moſes now ſpake, being the ſonne of this Raguel or Jethro was the brother in law of Moſes, who ſtayed ſtill with Moſes at mount Sinai after their father Reguel or Jethro was returned home to his own countrey, Exod. 28. 27. But becauſe Hobab is elſewhere expreſſely called, according to our tranſlation, the father in law of Moſes, Judge 4. 11. it muſt needs be he alſo that is here alſo called Moſes father in law, even the ſame that is in Exodus called Jethro and Reüel, and that Raguel the Midianite was his father, as is noted before upon Exod. 3. 1. And if it be objected that Jethro the father in law of Moſes departed from him before, Exod. 18. 27. to this I anſwer, as before in the note upon that place, that though his going from Moſes be mentioned there, yet it was not till now that he left him, when both Moſes and the Iſraelites were to depart mount Sinai.
Verſ. 31. Leave us not, I pray thee, &c.]
That is, go not away from us, or if thou goeſt away return again, Though Moſes had lived fourty years about theſe parts, yet knowing the difficulties they were likely to meet with in their paſſage through the wilderneſſe, he much deſired the ſtay of Hobab with them, who knew the countrey farre better then himſelf, and might be a great help unto them, and therefore he preſſeth him again to ſtay with them, that he might be to them in ſtead of eyes, that is, that he might ſhew them how they might beſt advantage themſelves in diſpoſing their camp. And indeed though the…e was no need of his help to lead them and ſhew them which way they ſhould go, becauſe the pillar of the cloud and the ark went before them to lead them their way, yet many other wayes Hobab might be helpfull to them, as by telling them when they were to ſtay in any place, where they might have water for their camp, where there was moſt danger of being aſſayled by the neighbouring nations, and in many other particulars: whether Hobab yielded hereupon to ſtay with Moſes, it is not expreſſed; yet becauſe there is no mention made here of a ſecond denyall, it is generally conceived that he did ſtay. But becauſe it is expreſſely ſaid, Exod. 18. 27. that this Hobab or Jethro the father in law of Moſes was diſmiſſed by Moſes and returned again into his own land, it ſeems more probable that he did now return home to his countrey, as is there ſaid. But yet that he returned again, or at leaſt that ſome of his poſterity were deputed in his room to go along with the Iſraelites, is moſt manifeſt and clear, becauſe his poſterity dwelt afterwards amongſt the Iſraelites in the and of Canaan, as we may ſee, Judg. 1. 16. And the children of the Kenite Moſes father in law, went up out of the cit…e of palmtrees, &c. and again, Judges 4. 11. Heber the Kenite was of the children of Hobab the father in law of Moſes.
Verſ. 33. And they departed from the mount of the Lord three dayes journey.]
They travelled three dayes together without reſting (for becauſe the cloud ſtayed not they might not ſtay) which ſeems to have been the cauſe of their complaining, chap. 11. ver. 1.
And the ark af the covenant of the Lord went before them in three dayes journey, to ſearch out a reſting place for them.]
The Hebrew word ſignifieth went in their faces or ſight, which it might do, and yet be in the middeſt of the armies, carryed amongſt the other holy things by the ſonnes of Kohath, ver. 21. and ſo the moſt expound it, it went before them, that is, in their ſight as their guide; for when the cloud ſtayed, then the prieſts ſtayed with the ark, and upon the ſtay of the ark all the armies ſtayed. But I ſee no reaſon why we may not think the ark went before in the forefront of their armies, though the other holy things went in the midſt, as ver. 21. to wit, together with the cloud, and that to ſearch out a reſting place for them, a place convenient to pitch their tents where they might have water and paſture for their flocks, &c.