Commentary on Deuteronomy, Commentary · Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI.Chapter XVI.
Verſe 1. OBſerve the Month of Abib.] Which God, Verſe 1 by a ſpecial order, made the beginning of their Year. See XII Exod. 2. XIII. 4. XXXIV. 18.
And keep the Paſſover unto the LORD thy God.] He now begins in this Chapter, to admoniſh them about their great Feaſts which they were to keep; whereby the whole Nation was preſerved in the Worſhip of one only God, which Moſesſtill purſues to preſs upon them.
For in the month of Abib the LORD thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt.] In memory of which the Feaſt of the Paſſover was ordained.
By night.] For then Pharaoh preſſed them to be gone when he ſaw his Firſt-born ſlain in the Night, XII Exod. 29, 30, 31. and then they immediately prepared themſelves for their Journey, and borrowed of the Egyptians Jewels of Gold and Silver, v. 35. Inſomuch that Moſes calls this, a Night much to be obſerved unto the LORD, and that Night of the LORD to be obſerved by all the Children of Iſrael in their Generations, (XII Exod. 42.) though it was Day-light before they began their March, as we read there, v. 22. So that Moſes bids them remember the day when they came out of Egypt, XIII Exod. 3. which comprehends both that which is properly called Day, and Night. Verſe 2
Ver. 2. Thou ſhalt therefore ſacrifice the Paſſover unto the LORD thy God.] The word Paſſover ſignifies here not only the Lamb (which was properly called Peſach or Paſſover) which was offered on the Fourteenth day at even; but all the Paſchal Sacrifices which followed after; as appears by the next words, of the flock and of the herd. Which Sacrifices were appointed for all the ſeven Days of unleavened Bread, XVIII Numb. 17, 18, 19, &c. See Bochartus in his Hierezoicon P. I. L. II. Cap. 50. where he ſhows at large that the word Paſſover is here a general word, comprehending the Particulars after-mentioned (p. 565, 566.) And thus tranſlates theſe words (which he juſtifies by many like inſtances) Thou ſhalt therefore ſacrifice the Paſſover unto the LORD thy God, viz. of the Flock and of the Herd. Which laſt words are added exegetically, to explain what that Paſſover was which they were to offer unto the LORD. Such Sacrifices as were offered in the Solemn Paſſover of Ezekiah, 2 Chron. XXX. 22. and of Joſiah, 2 Chron. XXXV. 7, 8, 9. where it is apparent, that the King and the Princes gave to the People, and to the Prieſts, Oxen as well as Sheep, lepeſachim, for the Paſſover-offerings. And thus it is uſed in the New Teſtament, XVIII John 28. where it is ſaid the Jews would not go into the Judgment-Hall, leſt they ſhould be defiled, but that they might eat the Paſſover; i. e. theſe Paſſover-Offerings, which were holy things, of which none might eat in their defilement.
In the place which the LORD ſhall chuſe to place his Name there.] At the Sanctuary, as hath been often ſaid, XII. 5, 11, &c. where all Sacrifices were to be offered.
Verſe 3 Ver. 3. Thou ſhalt eat no leavened bread with it.] That is, with the Paſſover before-mentioned. Which is a Demonſtration that all the Sacrifices of the Flock and of the Herd, ſpoken of in the foregoing Verſe, are comprehended under the Name of Paſſover. For with the Lamb they could not eat unleavened Bread ſeven days, it being to be eaten preſently in the Evening when it was offered: after which followed the ſeven days of unleavened Bread; which could not be eaten ſo long with the Paſſover, unleſs Paſſover ſignifie all the ſeven days Sacrifices.
Seven days thou ſhalt eat unleavened bread therewith.] See XII Exod. 15. XIII. 6, 7.
Even the bread of affliction.] So called, becauſe it was inſipid, and alſo heavy upon the Stomach, and not eaſily digeſted. whence it had the Name of Matzah, becauſe it was lumpiſh, and could not riſe as leavened Bread doth.
For thou cameſt forth out of the Land of Egypt in haſte.] Wanting time to put any leaven to their Dough, XII Exod. 34, 39.
That thou mayeſt remember the day when thou cameſt forth out of the Land of Egypt all the days of thy life.] That their Affliction there, and their ſpeedy Deliverance from thence, might never be forgotten. For their eating this Bread ſeven days together every year, one would think, could not but make great Impreſſions on their Mind: and the more to imprint the ſence of God's Mercy there, the Maſter of every Family, when he brake this Bread at the Paſchal Feaſt, and gave every one a piece of it, ſaid, This is the Bread of Affliction which your Fathers did eat in the Land of Egypt. So Maimonides and others tell us. See XII Exod. 17.
Ver. 4. And there ſhall no leavened bread be ſeen with Verſe 4 thee in all thy coasts ſeven days.] See XII Exod. 18, 19, 20. XIII. 3, 7.
Neither ſhall there any thing of the fleſh which thou ſacrificest the first day at even, remain all night until the morning.] This is a plain deſcription of the Paſchal Lamb, which was to be eaten in the Even wherein it was ſacrificed, (XII Exod. 10.) which he forbears here to call the Paſſover (tho' that name properly belong to it) becauſe he had called other Sacrifices by that name, (v. 2.) and would not have them confounded.
Verſe 5 Ver. 5. Thou mayest not ſacrifice the Paſſover within any of thy gates which the LORD thy God giveth thee.] Not at home, as they did when they firſt came out of Egypt; and that becauſe it was a Sacrifice: which were now required to be all offered at the Sanctuary, as was ſaid before, XII. 5, 11.
Verſe 6 Ver. 6. But at the place which the LORD thy God ſhall chuſe to place his Name in, there thou ſhalt ſacrifice the Paſſover.] From whence Maimonides infers, that even whilſt High-places were allowed, the Paſſover could not be killed any where, but at the Sanctuary. If any Man did offer it in a private High-place, he was beaten, as he ſaith in his Treatiſe concerning the Paſsover, Cap. I. Sect. 3.
At even, at the going down of the Sun.] Between the two Evenings; concerning which ſee XII Exod. 6. After the offering of the Evening Sacrifice, they began to kill the Paſſover, and continued this Sacrifice till Sun-ſet.
At the ſeaſon that thou cameſt forth out of Egypt.] Then they were preparing themſelves for their Journey, and had warning to be ready; and eat the Lamb with their Staves in their Hands, as Men going forth to travel, (XII Exod. 11.) though they did not actually go forth till the next Morning.
Verſe 7 Ver. 7. And thou ſhalt rost and eat it in the place which the LORD thy God ſhall chuſe.] See XII Exod. 8, 9.
And thou ſhalt turn in the morning, and go unto thy Tents.] Unto their own Habitations, which are called Tents, becauſe they had no other dwelling when theſe words were ſpoken. The only doubt is, whether he permits them to go home the next Morning after the Even before-mentioned; or the Morning after the whole Feaſt of unleavened Bread was over. It ſeems moſt reaſonable to expound it of the former; that if Mens occaſions called them home, they were not bound to ſtay any longer at the place where the Sanctuary was, but till they had eaten the Paſchal Lamb; after which they might return home if they pleaſed. So Bochartus; who from hence proves that the moſt Solemn Days of the Feaſt of unleavened Bread, were not obſerved like a Sabbath; becauſe Men might travel home upon the firſt Day of unleavened Bread, as the whole Nation travelled out of Egypt on this day, from Rameſes to Succoth. Yet pious People, who were able to bear ſo great a Charge, were wont, no doubt, to ſtay the whole ſeven Days before they returned home; becauſe the first and last Days of the Feaſt were great Solemnities. So they did in the Paſsover of Hezekiah and Joſiah, 2 Chron. XXX. 21. XXXV. 17. And there being ſpecial Sacrifices to be offered every day during this Feſtival, (as was before ſaid) Solomon ben Virgoe obſerves, that all the Country thereabouts brought their Oxen and their Sheep to be ſold at this time to thoſe who came from far: ſo that the Mountains round about Jeruſalem were covered with them, and not a bit of Graſs to be ſeen. He adds alſo, That whoſoever did not come up to this Feaſt, all his Goods were forfeited and converted to Sacred Uſes, Shebet Jehuda, p. 378.
Ver. 8. Six days thou ſhalt eat unleavened bread, and Verſe 8 on the ſeventh day ſhall be a ſolemn Aſſembly unto the LORD thy God.] This is to be underſtood as if he had ſaid, that after they had eaten unleavened Bread ſix days, they ſhould conclude the Solemnity upon the ſeventh day with a Solemn Aſſembly; or, as it is in the Hebrew, with a reſtraint: but ſtill continue alſo on this day to eat unleavened Bread. For this Feaſt was to laſt ſeven days; and in all the foregoing Books they are expreſly required to ear unleavened Bread ſeven days, XII Exod. 15. XXIII Levit. 6. XXVIII Numb. 17.
A Solemn Aſſembly.] Which the Hebrews call Atzereth: of the meaning of which ſee XXIII Lev. 36.
Thou ſhalt do no work therein.] That is, no Servile Work, as it is explained XXVIII Numb. 25. but they might dreſs their Meat; which the LXX. ſeems to mean by thoſe words, which they add, foreign, ſave only ſuch things as ſhall be done to preſerve life.
Verſe 9 Ver. 9. Seven weeks ſhalt thou number unto thee.] From the morrow after the Sabbath, when they brought the Sheaf of the Wave-offering; as it is explained in XXIII Levit. 15. See there.
Begin to number the ſeven weeks from ſuch time as thou beginneſt to put the ſickle to the Corn.] For they began to cut Barley at the Paſſover, as is manifeſt from hence; that Joſhua paſſed over Jordan to enter into Canaan, in the time of Harveſt, III Joſh. 15. and this was in the month of Niſan, when they kept the Paſſover, as appears from V Joſh. 10. Which Month could not be called Abib, or the Month of New Fruits, if ſome Corn was not then ripe, viz. Barley. This Joſephus confirms, Lib. III. Antiq. Cap. X. Which muſt be underſtood, as Hermannus Conringius obſerves (in his Treatiſe de Initio Anni Sabbatici, &c.) of that ſort of Barly which was ſown in Autumn (as it is this day in Friſia) which required a ſtronger Soil than that ſown in the Spring, and produced a much richer Crop. See Mr. Mede's Works, p. 355. who obſerves how very different their Climate was from ours.
Ver. 10. And thou ſhalt keep the feast of weeks unto Verſe 10 the LORD thy God.] The reaſon of this Name is given in the foregoing Verſe. And ſee XXXIV Exod. 22. It was called alſo the Feast of Harvest. See XXIII Exod. 16.
With a Tribute of a Free-will-offering of thine hand, which thou ſhalt give unto the LORD thy God, &c.] Beſides thoſe Offerings which are preſcribed XXIII Levit. 17, 18. XXVIII Numb. 27, &c. The quantity is not directed, but left to every Man's Piety. And whatſoever it was he brought, it was wholly given to God; and he that brought it had no ſhare in it: but God gave it to his Prieſts.
According as the LORD thy God hath bleſſed thee.] Though no quantity was preſcribed; yet God expected every Man ſhould offer proportionably to his Eſtate: and they who had a religious ſenſe of God's goodneſs in bleſſing their Labours, no doubt acknowledged it by a Liberal Tribute.
Ver. 11. And thou ſhalt rejoyce before the LORD thy Verſe 11 God, thou, and thy ſon, and thy daughter, and thy Man-ſervant, and thy Maid-ſervant, and the Levite that is within thy gates, &c.] This Feaſt was made of ſuch Offerings as are mentioned XII. 7, 17, 18, 19.
Ver. 12. And thou ſhalt remember that thou wast a Verſe 12 bondman in Egypt.] They are often put in mind of this, as an Argument to Charity; particularly towards their Servants. See XV. 15.
And thou ſhalt obſerve and do theſe Statutes.] There was a particular reaſon for keeping this Feaſt; becauſe it was in remembrance of God's giving them his Law from Mount Sinai; where he ſpake with them himſelf.
Ver. 13. Thou ſhalt obſerve the Feast of Tabernacles ſeven days, after that thou haſt gathered in thy Corn and Verſe 13 thy Wine.] This is the third great Feaſt, at which all their Males were bound to appear every year; as we read XXIII Exod. 16, 17. XXXIV. 22, 23. Of which he puts them in mind again, XXIII Levit. 34, 35, 36. and here v. 16.
Verſe 14 Ver. 14. And thou ſhalt rejoyce in thy Feast, thou, and thy ſon, and thy daughter, and thy Man-ſervant, and thy Maid-ſervant, &c.] There was the like Law at Athens, where King Cecrops ordained (as Macrobius tells us, Lib. I. Saturnal. Cap. X.) the Maſter of every Family ſhould after Harveſt, make a Feaſt for his Servants, and eat together with them, who had taken pains with him in tilling his Ground; Delectari enim Deum honore Servorum, contemplatu laboris, for God delighted in the honour done to Servants, in conſideration of their Labour. This, it's likely, he learnt from Moſes; for he reigned at Athens much about the ſame time that Iſrael came out of Egypt; and was the firſt, as Euſebius ſaith, who taught the Greeks to call God by the Name of foreign, (Lib. X. Proepar. Evangel.) which we may interpret the Living God. Though therein he ſeems to be a little miſtaken. For Pauſanias ſaith more than once (both in his Arcadia and his Attica) That foreign, He was the first that called Jupiter by the name of the Most High, or Supream. And the ſame we read in St. Cyril againſt Julian, Lib. I. See Joh. Meurſius de Regibus Athenienſium, Lib. I. Cap. IX.
Verſe 15 Ver. 15. Seven days ſhalt thou keep a Feaſt unto the LORD thy God, in the place which the LORD thy God ſhall chuſe.] In order to which, that it might be kept the more Solemnly, it is once more enjoyned, and all the Sacrifices that were to be offered in each of the ſeven days appointed in XXIX Numb. from v. 12. to v. 35. where he orders alſo the eighth day to be ſolemnly obſerved for a ſpecial reaſon. See there.
Becauſe the LORD thy God ſhall bleſs thee in all thy increaſe, and in all the works of thy hands.] Thankfulneſs to God for Bleſſings beſtowed, was the way to procure more.
Therefore thou ſhalt ſurely rejoyce.] In God the giver of all good things; whom the whole Nation, by the Inſtitution of this Feaſt, were incited to bleſs and praiſe for the Fruits of his Bounty to them. And Peace-offerings were ſacrificed on purpoſe for this end, XXVII. 7. From the repetition of this Command, Thou ſhalt rejoyce, the Jews infer, that though all Feſtivals were Times of Joy, yet the Feaſt of Tabernacles was to be celebrated with greater Joy than all the reſt. And accordingly Maimonides tells us the whole Feſtival was ſpent in Muſick, and Dancing, and Singing, Night and Day.
Ver. 16. Three times in the year ſhall all thy Males Verſe 16 appear before the LORD thy God in the place, &c.] This is ſo frequently enjoyned (See v. 13.) becauſe it was of the greateſt Conſequence, that they ſhould meet as often as they could conveniently, at one and the ſame place, to worſhip the Divine Majeſty; whereby the Notion of the Unity of God was preſerved among them.
And they ſhall not appear before the LORD empty.] This is alſo frequently repeated, where the Feaſts themſelves are enjoyned, XXIII Exod. 15. XXXIV. 20. And from theſe and the following words, That every man ſhould give as he was able, &c. came the pious Cuſtom in the beginning of our Religion, that the People when they came to the LORD's Table, offer'd Bread, and Wine, and Corn, and Oil, and ſuch like things, for the Support of God's Miniſters, and the Relief of the Poor, every one according to their Ability. Which was done in acknowledgment of God, as the Author of Life and of all good Things; for which they, in this manner, ſhewed their Gratitude to him. And the Prieſts, in the preſence of all the People, lifted them up, and gave God thanks, and beſeeched him to accept them: And out of theſe, in many places, they made their Agapae, or Feasts of Charity, for the Poor. Mention is made of theſe Oblations in the Canons aſcribed to the Apoſtles, Cap. 3, 4. which, though not made by them, yet contain a great many Apoſtolical Cuſtoms.
Verſe 17 Ver. 17. Every man ſhall give as he is able, according to the bleſſing of the LORD thy God, which he hath given thee.] It was but reaſonable, that the more bountiful God had been to them, the more liberally they ſhould offer a grateful Acknowledgment to him. For all the forenamed three Feaſts had relation to the Fruits of the Earth, which God had bleſſed them withal; as well as commemorated former great Benefits beſtowed on their Fore-fathers. The Paſſover being at the beginning of Barley Harveſt; Pentecoſt at the beginning of Wheat-Harveſt; and the Feast of Tabernacles, when they had gathered in all the Fruits of the Earth. At which Seaſons all Mankind were ever wont to be full of Joy, and to offer Sacrifices. So Ariſtotle tells us, Lib. VIII. ad Nicomachum, Cap. II. foreign, &c. The ancient Sacrifices and Conventions ſeem to have been after the gathering in of the Fruits of the Earth, as a First-fruits, at which time chiefly they reſted from their labours. And ſo Strabo likewiſe, Lib. X. Geograph. p. 467. It is common, both to Greeks and Barbarians, to offer their Sacrifices with a Feſtival intermiſſion of their Labours, &c. foreign, and ſo Nature taught them to do; that is, to thank God, with Rejoycing and Ceſſation from Labours. For which he gives this ſurpriſing Reaſon, foreign. For remiſſion of Labour abſtracts the Mind from Humane Affairs, and turns it towards God. This certainly was the ancient intention of all ſuch Feſtival Times, as the Heathen themſelves could diſcern.
Ver. 18. Judges and Officers ſhalt thou make thee.] Verſe 18 To ſee that theſe, and all other Laws were duly obſerved. Moſes de Cotzi upon theſe words, makes this difference between Schofetim and Schoterim, that the former (viz. Judges) were the Senators in the ſeveral Courts, who decided Cauſes: and the other (Officers) were no more than Miniſters attending the Court, to keep the People in order, with a Staff and a Whip; and to execute the Decrees and Orders of the Judges: whom they appointed not only in the Court, but in the Streets; looking after Weights and Meaſures in the Market, and correcting Offenders. Maimonides alſo makes them the ſame with our Apparitors, or thoſe who in the Roman Law are called Officiales, as Conſtantine L'Empereur obſerves, p. 362. upon Cornelius Bertram (who miſtook them for a ſort of Judges) and in the Digeſts Executores; and in the New Teſtament foreign, Exactors, XII Luke 58. Joſephus makes them to have been Publick Criers; and ſo we find them imployed XX. 8. I Joſh. 11. But then ſome of them at leaſt ſeem to have been an honourable ſort, like our Heralds, XXIII Joſh. 2. and all of them were Men of Authority, though but young Men (as Maimonides deſcribes them) who had not attained the Years and Knowledge of Doctors of the Law, and therefore unfit to be Judges. But the Jews place them next under their wiſe Men, or Doctors, and above their Scribes and Clerks, as Mr. Thorndike obſerves in his Review of the Rights of the Church, p. 94. But that they were certainly only under Officers, and not Judges, there is another Argument; which is, That Solomon upon this account commends the Ants, that they carefully do their buſineſs, though they have no Schoter ſet over them (VI Prov. 7.) no foreign or foreign, to force or affright them into it.
In all thy gates.] That is, in every City, as Mr. Selden obſerves out of the Jewiſh Writers, Lib. VII. de Jure Nat. & Gent. Cap. V. and more largely L. II. de Synedriis, Cap. V. Sect. 1. where he ſhows they interpret it, in all the Cities of Iſrael, both within the Land and without, where Iſrael had any Juriſdiction. Which is ſo true, that they had Conſiſtories whereſoever they were diſperſed, for the determining all Differences ariſing out of the Law, though not as to the power of Life and Death, which was ſeldom granted them by their Soveraigns. Thus, we learn from Philo, that there was ſuch a Conſiſtory at Alexandria; and the little Chronicle, called Seder Olam Zuta, tells us of the like in Babylonia. And after the deſtruction of the Temple, it is manifeſt, not only by the Jewiſh Writings, but by Epiphanius and others, that there continued a Conſiſtory at Tiberias for many Ages, &c. See Mr. Thorndike's Rights of the Church, p. 56, 57. and his Review of it, p. 56.
But though this be granted, yet theſe words, in all thy gates, may ſuggeſt alſo the part of the City where they kept their Court; which was in the Gate. For there, as I obſerved (XXXIV Gen. 24.) all Publick Buſineſs was tranſacted in the time of Abraham and Jacob, and continued ſo afterward. Inſomuch that the higheſt Court in Moſes his time, met at the Door of the Tabernacle, XI Numb. 24. the Gate among the Hebrews being the ſame with the Forum, as I obſerved, among the Romans. As we ſee by 1 Kings VII. 1. where Eliſha foretells at what low rates Proviſion ſhould be ſold on the morrow, in the gate of Samaria. Where it is evident there was a place ſo ſpacious, that Ahab aſſembled Four hundred Prophets there, before him and King Jehoſhaphat; who had no doubt, both of them, numerous Attendants, 2 Kings XXII. 10. And before this time, David, it is ſaid, upon the news of Abſolom's Death, went up to the Chamber over the Gate and wept; which we may well think was the Council Chamber, 2 Sam. XVIII. 33. And when Joab adviſed him to come down, and ſhow himſelf publickly, it is ſaid, he roſe and ſat in the Gate, and all the People came before him, XIX. 6. And therefore in theſe Gates, which were ſo large, there was ſome place, I make no queſtion, where there were Benches for the Judges.
Which the LORD thy God giveth thee throughout thy Tribes.] In the Cities of every Tribe, there was to be ſuch a Court erected, that People might have Juſtice eaſily and ſpeedily done them. And the Talmudiſts unanimouſly agree that the number of Judges was proportionable to the greatneſs of the City wherein they were placed, and of the Cauſes which they judged. Where there were leſs than an Hundred and twenty Families in any Town or City, there was ſeated the loweſt Court of all, conſiſting of three Judges, which tried only Actions of Debt, or Damages done by Man or Beaſt, or Defamation, &c. But in Cities, where there were above an Hundred and twenty Families, there was placed an higher Court, conſiſting of Three and twenty Judges, who tried Capital Cauſes. Joſephus indeed differs from the Talmudiſts about the number, for he ſaith they were but Seven. Both of them, it is likely, may ſay true, with reſpect to different times and places: for it cannot but be preſumed that both he and they underſtood the ſtate of their Country, in ſuch Publick Matters. But at the place where God choſe to ſettle his Sanctuary, unto which all the Country reſorted at certain times, there was the Supream Court of all, conſiſting, as the Talmudiſts ſay, of Seventy Perſons, beſides their Preſident; who judged all manner of Cauſes; and none but they could judge a falſe Prophet, or a City fall'n to Idolatry. All Appeals were made to them, but from them there was none, their Sentence being final. See Selden Lib. II. de Synedr. Cap. IV.
Such a Court, it is certain, there was in future Ages, whoſe number was according to that of the Seventy Elders choſen by God himſelf to aſſiſt Moſes in the Government, and indued with the Spirit of Judgment to qualifie them for that Office, XI Numb. 25. In Moſes his time they ſat at the Door of the Tabernacle, as I obſerved before: and afterward at Shiloh, or whereſoever the Sanctuary was. Though it may be doubted, whether after Moſes his death, and the death of the Elders, there was a Court conſiſting of ſo many Judges. Nay, it is highly probable that this Conſiſtory it ſelf was not conſtantly ſettled there, according to Law, till the time of Jehoſaphat: at leaſt, not the Inferior Conſiſtories before-mentioned, which were to be ſettled in every City. For if they were, what Reaſon can be given, why the Judges (V Judg. 10. X. 4. XII. 14.) and Samuel ſhould ride Circuit up and down the Country to miniſter Juſtice according to the Law, when the People might have had it every day in their ſeveral Cities? And for this Reaſon, it is likely, Jehoſaphat himſelf deſiring to put this Law in force, firſt ſent ſome great Men, who went about through all the Cities of Judah, 2 Chron. XVII. 8, 9. and then ſettled Judges according to this Law, throughout all the fenced Cities of Judah, City by City, as well as in Jeruſalem, 2 Chron. XIX. 5, 8. See Mr. Thorndike in his Rights of the Church in a Christian State, Chap. IV. p. 226. where he obſerves that Joſephus, in expreſs terms, rendring a Reaſon of the great Leudneſs, upon which the War againſt Benjamin followed, attributes it to this, that theſe Courts of Judgment were not eſtabliſhed according to this Law, Lib. V. Antiq. Cap. II. But though this, I think, be very evident, yet it is ſcarce credible that David, after he was ſet upon the Throne of God in Peace, did not take care to ſettle theſe Courts, as he did to regulate a great many other things. And indeed we find a plain intimation of it in 1 Chron. XXVI. 29. but ſucceeding Kings, it is probable, were negligent in keeping up this Conſtitution, till the time of Jehoſaphat; who exerciſed his Authority to inforce the exact practice of this Law.
And they ſhall judge the people with just judgment.] According to the Rules of this Law. The Judges, ſaith R. Solomon, were to judge the People; and the Officers, to conſtrain them to do as the Judges commanded.
Ver. 19. Thou ſhalt not wrest judgment.] See XXIII Exod. 6.
Thou ſhalt not reſpect perſons.] See XIX Levit. 15. Verſe 19 and I Deut. 17.
Neither take a gift; for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wiſe, and pervert the words of the righteous.] The very ſame is ſaid XXIII Exod. 8.
Verſe 20 Ver. 20. That which is altogether just ſhalt thou follow.] The words in the Hebrew are far more emphatical, (as they are in the Margin) juſtice, juſtice ſhalt thou follow. Mind nothing but the juſtice of the Cauſe: and do it to all Perſons equally.
That thou mayest live, and inherit the Land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.] Be happy, and continue long in the Land of Canaan. For nothing contributes more to the Eſtabliſhment of a Government, than the exact and impartial Adminiſtration of Juſtice.
Verſe 21 Ver. 21. Thou ſhalt not plant thee a Grove of any Trees, near unto the Altar of the LORD thy God, which thou ſhalt make thee.] It is evident from this, that his great aim is to keep them from Idolatry; which he ſtill purſues, as he hath done from the beginning of his Exhortation, in this Book. And their Hiſtory teaches us, that it was very needful to inculcate this ſo often; for notwithſtanding all that Moſes could ſay, they fell immediately after Joſhua's death, into the idolatrous Cuſtoms of Canaan; and could never be wholly purged from their Idolatry, till the Captivity of Babylon. And theſe words may be tranſlated, Thou ſhalt not plant thee a Grove, nor make any Wood (i. e. a wooden Image) near to the Altar of the LORD thy God. So the LXX. for the very word we tranſlate Grove, ſometimes imports the Idol in the Grove, as well as the Grove it ſelf. See 2 Kings XXIII. 6. and Selden de Diis Syris, Syntagma II. Cap. II. Certain it is, that nothing was more ancient in the Eaſt, than Altars with Groves of Trees about them; which made the place very ſhady and delightful in thoſe hot Countries. They are ſo often joyned in Scripture, that it would be tedious to number all the places, XXXI Exod. 13. XII Deut. 3. VI Judges 25, &c. Cadmus is thought by ſome to have brought this Cuſtom into Greece, out of the Eaſt. And they planted the Trees ſo thick, and they were ſo large and ſhady, as to make the place very dark and ſolemn; whereby a kind of Horror was ſtruck into thoſe, who went into them. And they became hereby the fitter for the Devil to play his Pranks there; and for the practiſe of thoſe obſcene and uncouth Rites whereby he was worſhipped. For the Gentile Cuſtom had made theſe places proper to the Infernal Gods; and anciently conſecrated them as Sepulchres or Temples for their Heroes. That the Iſraelites therefore might be preſerved from ſacrificing to the Dead, and from filthy Luſts, (by both which they afterwards polluted themſelves) they are forbidden to place a Grove near to God's Altar; nay, ſo much as any Tree, (as the words may be tranſlated) for the Heathen thought there was a ſacredneſs in Trees themſelves, which they dedicated to their gods, and honoured ſeveral ways. See XII. 2, 3. And therefore the Jews ſay they might not plant Trees in the Court of the Temple, or in the Mountain of the Houſe (as they call it) for the Ornament or Beauty of God's Houſe. And they give this reaſon for it, becauſe it was an idolatrous Rite to plant Trees near their Altars, that the People might there meet together. See Selden Lib. II. de Jure Nat. & Gent. Cap. VI. p. 186. and Dr. Spencer Lib. II. Cap. XVI. Sect. 1, 2. And more lately Ezekiel Spanhemius (in his moſt Learned Obſervations upon Callimachus) hath ſhown that they planted odoriferous Trees in ſome Groves, to make them more inviting. Whence the Grove dedicated to Pallas is called by that Poet foreign, though chat may ſignifie only a Grove conſecrated by many Sacrifices. And the vulgar Groves were planted with Pines, Fir-trees, Cypreſs, Laurel, Olives, Vines, and other lovely Trees; eſpecially Oaks, which grew to a great height: in which both Altars and Temples were erected. See in Hymn in Dianam verſ. 38. p. 156. and in Palladem, verſ. 61. p. 595. and in Cererem, verſ. 38, 39. p. 689. where he mentions the black Poplar as a Tree of which her Grove conſiſted; under the ſhade of which the Nymphs delighted to Dance at Noon. And thence theſe ſhady places, conſecrated to their gods, were called foreign, becauſe of their refreſhing Coolneſs, as he obſerves out of Athenaeus, ad v. 47. p. 695. And indeed nothing is plainer in the holy Scripture, than that theſe Groves related to Idolatry; for all pious Princes took them away, and bad ones planted them. See 1 Kings XVIII. 4. 2 Kings XXIII. 14. 2 Chron. XIV. 3. XV. 16. And they are frequently joyned with Statues and Images, both here, and VII. 5. XII. 3. 1 Kings XIV. 23, &c.
Verſe 22 Ver. 22. Neither ſhalt thou ſet thee up an Image.] The Hebrew word Matzebah is commonly tranſlated by the LXX. foreign, a Pillar: and ſo we tranſlate it in the Margin. For as it was unlawful to ſet up the Statue of a Man, or any other Creature; ſo it was as contrary to Religion to ſet up a Pillar, or an Altar, or any ſuch like Structure, for Publick Aſſemblies to be held about them; though they worſhipped there the true God. So Maimonides reports the ſence of their Doctors; A Statue or Pillar ſignifies any Work raiſed up, that Religious Aſſemblies may be made there, though they be for the Worſhip of the Divine Majeſty; for this is a practice among Idolaters. And ſo Pauſanias confeſſes (in Achaicis) that in the moſt ancient times, among all the Graecians, foreign, rude Stones had Divine Honours given them, inſtead of Statues or Images. See Selden Lib. II. de Jure Nat. & Gent. Cap. VI. in the beginning. And Maimonides of the Worſhip of the Planets, Cap. VI. Sect. 8, 9, 10. and Dionyſ. Voſſius his Annotations there.
Which the LORD thy God hateth.] Hence it ſufficiently appears, that this was an idolatrous practice: which is more odious to God than any thing elſe. And thus the Iſraelites we ſee underſtood it; being ready to take Arms againſt their Brethren on the other ſide Jordan, when they heard they had erected an Altar there (taking it to be ſuch a Structure as is here forbidden) but were appeaſed when they underſtood, that it was not intended for Worſhip, XXII Joſh. 18.