A Help for the Understanding of the Holy Scriptures, Numbers · Chapter 15
CHAP. XV.
Verſ. 1. ANd the Lord ſpake unto Moſes, ſaying, Speak unto the children of Iſrael, &c.]
In this chapter the Lord enlargeth and explaineth ſome laws formerly delivered. And it is moſt likely that this was delivered in the order as here it is ſet down, within ſome ſhort time after their departure back from Kadeſh toward the red ſea, and that purpo…ely to chear up the people with hope of Gods reconciliation, that he had not utterly caſt them off, but would again ſmell the ſweet ſavour of a ſacrifice from them, and perform the promiſes made to them: to which end alſo there is a particul…r mention made that they ſhould obſerve theſe directions given them when they c…me into the land of Canaan.
Verſ. 2. When ye be come into the land of your habitations, which I give unto you, &c.]
This law is to ſhew what meat-offerings and drink-offerings were alwayes to be offered together with their ſacrifices, whereof part was burnt upon the altar, as acceſſories and appurtenances thereto belonging; for the underſtanding whereof we muſt note, that whereas there are two ſorts of theſe offerings by fire, mentioned verſ. 3. that were to have theſe acceſſory meat-offerings and drink-offerings, to wit, a burnt-offering or a ſacrifice, by ſacrifice there is meant onelyonly the ſacrifice of peace-offerings, as in many other places beſides. And indeed unleſſe it be i… the ſinn…-offering that was offered at the cleanſing of the Leper, Levit. 14. 10. we do not any where reade that there was any meat-offerings appointed for ſinne-offerings, b…t onelyonly for burnt-offerings and peace-offerings (whence we ſee that theſe two onelyonly are mentioned i… this place) the reaſon whereof, I conceive, was this, becauſe the end of the ſinne-offering▪ which was to make atonement for the humbled ſinner, and the end of the meat-offering, which was to teſtifie the joy and gladneſſe of their thankfull hearts, did not ſo well agree; and it would not therefore be ſo proper to joyn them together: and ſecondly, that there are ſeverall quantities of meat and drink-offerings here appointed: as firſt, for a lamb or kid, verſ. 4, 5. or ſecondly, for a ramme, ver. 6, 7. or for a bullock, ver. 8, 9, 10. for according as the ſacrifice was greater o… leſſe ſo muſt alſo the meat and drink-offering be more or leſſe, ſo there might be a proportion betwixt them. Now concerning the meaſure of an hin, and other things obſervable concerning theſe meat-offerings, ſee what is noted before upon Exod. …9. 41, &c.
Verſ. 15. As ye are ſo ſhall the ſtranger be before the Lord.]
That is, God will make no difference betwixt you and the ſtrangers that have embraced the ſame religion with you: his ſacrifices and yours ſhall be alike acceptable to God; and therefore as there is no difference in the Lords acceptation, ſo neither in the manner of their offering them. In civil things there was not one Law both for Iſraelite and ſtranger, but before the Lord▪ that is, when they came into Gods preſence to perform the duties of Gods worſhip, as the Iſraelites were, ſo were the ſtrangers, that is, there was one Law for them both.
Verſ. 20. As ye do the heave-offering of the threſhing-floore, ſo ſhall ye heave it.]
That is, about the ſame quantity that ye offer of your firſt corn, ſhall ye offer of you… dough, and both ſhall be offered with the ſame ceremonies.
Verſ. 21. Of the first of your dough ye ſhall give unto the Lord an heave-offering in your generations.]
That is, to the prieſts, as the Lords receivers: for the firſt-fruits were their portion, Ezek. 44. 30. And the first of all the fruits of all things, and ev…ry oblation of all of every ſort of your oblations, ſhall be the prieſts, &c.
Verſ. 22. And if ye have erred, and not obſerved all th…ſe commandments, &c.]
There is a Law given concerning the expiation of a ſinne ignorantly committed by the whole congregation, Levit. 4. 13. But there is a manifeſt difference betwixt this and that: There the Law ſpeaks of doing that which ſhould not be done, here, of not doing all which ſhould be done; there the ſacrifice which the congregation ſhould bring is onelyonly a bullock for a ſinne-offering, here they are willed to bring a bullock for a burnt-offering, and a kid of the goats for a ſinne-offering▪ And the ground of this difference I conceive is this, becauſe that Law concerned ſinnes of doing evil forbidden, this onelyonly concerns the ſinne of neglecting thoſe ceremoniall duties commanded by the Law, which may be the more readily yielded if we conſider the occaſion of inſerting this Law in this place. Having ſpoken of the firſt-fruits, of the firſt of their dough, he immediately added this Law, to ſhew what ſhould be done in caſe any of thoſe things concerning the externall worſhip of God, either firſt-fruits or any other thing that ought to be brought to the prieſts and to the tabernacle, were om…tted either by the congregation or particular perſons.
Verſ. 25. And the priests ſhall make an atonement for all the congregation of the children of Iſrael, &c.]
Or, for every congregation; whereby may be implyed the ſeverall tribes, cities, towns and ſynagogues.
Verſ. 30. But the ſoul that doth ought preſumptuouſly, &c.]
This Law for the cutting off, that is, the putting to death, of thoſe that do ought preſumptuouſly, muſt be underſtood onelyonly of the ſame offences for which the foregoing ſacrifi…cs were appointed when they were ignorantly committed, to wit, of offences committed againſt the worſhip enjoyned by the ceremoniall Law, as it is noted before upon verſ. 22. In theſe things the ſoul, that is, the man, that did ought preſumptuouſly, that is, not of ignorance, inadvertencie or infirmity, but willfully and boldly, purpoſely and openly, as in an adviſed contempt of Gods Law, and of thoſe duties of his publick worſhip in the Law of God enjoyned, he was to be cut off, and that becauſe he did thereby reproch the Lord, this being all one as if he ſhould fay that God was not to be regarded, or that his judgements were not worthy his fear.
Verſ. 32. And while the children of Iſrael were in the wilderneſſe, they found a man that gathered ſticks upon the Sabbath day, &c.]
At what time in their wandring through the wilderneſſe this happened, which is here related, it is not expreſſed. But I conceive it is inſerted as an inſtance or example how the foregoing Law was put in execution, concerning thoſe that did preſumptuouſly tranſgreſſe and refuſe to conform themſelves to the Law in the outward duties of Gods worſhip and ſervice, ſo that his puniſhment was for the willfull contempt of that Law.
Verſ. 34. And they put him in ward, becauſe it was not declared what ſhould be done to him.]
That the Sabbath-breaker was to die, they knew, ſee Exod. 31. 14. and 35. 2. but by what death he ſhould die, or whether this gathering of ſticks made him obnoxious to that ſentence, that they were not fully reſolved in: Evident it ſeems it was that he had done it preſumptuouſly, yet it was doubtfull whether this fact were within the compaſſe of that Law or no. And therefore Moſes inquires, not willing to take away his life without certain direction from the mouth of God.
Verſ. 38. Speak unto the children of Iſrael, and bid them that they make them fringes, &c.]
The main end of theſe fringes was to put them in mind of the commandments of God, as it is afterwards expreſſed, ver. 29. that every time they looked upon their garments, and ſaw thoſe fringes, they might by the help of this memoriall remember that they were Gods peculiar people, conſecrated to his ſervice, and bound to his Laws, and therefore might not walk, as others, after their own wayes: and therefore it was that the Phariſees, to the end they might ſeem religious above others, did make the fringes on their garments ſo very broad, Mat. 23. 5. They enlarge, ſaith our Saviour, the border of their garments, or, the fringes of their garments, for ſo the originall word may well be tranſlated. Yea, and our Saviour himſelf did conform himſelf to this Law, as appears, Luke 8. 44. where it is ſaid, that the woman that had the iſſue of bloud touched the border, or, the fringe, of his garment.
And that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue.]
This heavencoloured ribband taught them the heavenly affection they ſhould have to all the Law, and how holy their converſation ſhould be.
Verſ. 39. And it ſhall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, &c.]
That is, this is the end of making theſe fringes, that ye may look upon them and remember all the commandments of the Lord, and do them, that is, that the ſight of this fringe may put you in mind to keep them, and that ye ſeek not after your own heart, and your own eyes, after which you uſe to go a whoring, that is, that ye may not find out any ſuperſtitious in ventions of your own deviſing in my worſhip (which who ſo doth goes a whoring from God) but may content your ſelves with that which is preſcribed by the Law. So that this was more particularly the end of theſe fringes, that they might be reſtrained from their own devices in the worſhip of God, and kept to the direction of his Law.