A Help for the Understanding of the Holy Scriptures, Numbers · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX.
Verſ. 1. ANd the Lord ſpake unto Moſes in the wilderneſſe of Sinai, &c.]
Being here to relate according to the order of the ſtory how the Paſſcover was kept by ſome few particular perſons on the fourteenth day of the ſecond monethmonth, he firſt begins with the rela…ion of Gods command for the keeping of it by the whole congregation at the appointed ſeaſon, which was omitted before, that ſo he might ſhew upon what occaſion the Paſſeover was kept by theſe particular perſons in this ſecond monethmonth.
Verſ. 2. Let the children of Iſrael alſo keep the Paſſeover at his appointed ſeaſon.]
This commandment concerning the Paſſeover is again enjoyned the ſecond year, becauſe by the firſt inſtitution they ſeem bound onelyonly to keep it in the land of Canaan, Exod. 12. 25. And it ſhall come to paſſe when ye be come to the land which the Lord will give you according as he hath promiſed, that ye ſhall keep this ſervic…. And indeed after this we find not that they kept any till they came into the land, Joſh. 5. and that becauſe they knew not how long they ſhould ſtay in a place, and when they ſhould remove. So that it ſeems they would not have kept this without ſpeciall warrant.
Verſ. 3. According to all the rites of it, and according to all the ceremonies thereof ſhall ye keep it.]
Here are to be excepted the ſpeciall rites which belonged onelyonly to the firſt Paſſeover in Egypt, as the ſprinkling of their poſts with bloud, the …ating of it ſtanding, &c. whereof ſee Exod, 12.
Verſ. 6. And there were certain men who were defiled by the dead body of a man, that they could not keep the Paſſeover that day, &c.]
If they meddled with holy things being legally unclean, by that law given ſince the firſt Paſſeover, Levit. 22. 3. they were to be cut off; if they did not keep the Paſſeover, they were alſo to be cut off, Exod. 12. 15. hence the ſtraits they were in.
Verſ. 7. Wherefore are we kept-back that we may not offer an offering of the Lord, &c.]
The Paſſeover is ſo called, as being commanded by the Lord, and kept unto his honour. See Exod. 12. 27.
Verſ. 10. If any man of you or of your posterity ſhall be unclean by reaſon of a dead body, &c.]
Upon the occaſion of theſe men that complained for being debarred from keeping the Paſſeover, becauſe at the uſuall time when they ſhould have kept it, on the fourteenth day of the firſt monethmonth, they were defiled by the dead body of a man, the Lord here eſtabliſhed this for a perpetuall law, that in caſe any perſon ſhould in time to come be defiled by a dead body at the ordinary time in the firſt monethmonth, when the reſt of the people kept the Paſſeover; or ſhould be then in a journey about neceſſary buſineſſe, ſo farre off that he could not come home againſt the fourteenth day of the firſt monethmonth, but was forced to be abſent a while longer, that in this caſe ſuch a perſon or perſons ſhould keep the Paſſeover on the fourteenth day of the ſecond monethmonth. And under theſe two particular caſes here expreſſed I conceive that all other neceſſary hinderances, whereby men were kept from celebrating the Paſſeover, are comprehended, as in caſe they were unclean by any other legall pollution beſides that of being defiled by a dead body, or were detained by ſickneſſe, &c. and that the rather becauſe in Hezekiahs time there was a Paſſeover kept on the fourteenth day of the ſecond monethmonth (by warrant it ſeems of this law) when yet they were other occaſions then theſe here mentioned that diſabled them for keeping it at the uſuall time.
Verſ. 17. And when the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, then after that the children of Iſrael journeyed.]
That is, when the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle it removed before the camp, and ſo whitherſoever that led them they followed it: for ſo it is expreſly ſaid, Exod. 13. 21. And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light to go by day and night.
Verſ. 19. And when the cloud tarried long upon the tabernacle many dayes, then the children of Iſrael kept the charge of the Lord.]
That is, they kept the charge of ſerving the Lord, whilſt the tabernacle was erected and the cloud tarried ſtill upon it; or they kept the charge of the Lord, to wit, the charge he had given them of ſtaying ſo long as the cloud reſted upon the tabernacle; and therefore the laſt clauſe is added by way of explaining the former, and journeyed not.