Commentary on Deuteronomy, Commentary · Chapter 18
CHAP. XVIII.
Verſe 1. THE Prieſts, the Levites, and all the Verſe 1 Tribe of Levi.] Or, even the whole Tribe of Levi. See XVII. 9.
They ſhall have no inheritance with Iſrael] As had been ſaid XVIII Numb. 20. and here in this Book, X. 7. Which made it the more neceſſary Moſes ſhould remind the People of that maintenance God had appointed for them. Which unleſs it was duly given them, Religion could not be ſupported; and conſequently the Government (of which he had been ſpeaking) would be quite confounded.
They ſhall eat the Offerings of the LORD made by fire.] Not the Burnt-offerings, which were wholly Gods: but all other Offerings, of which a ſhare was appointed for the Prieſts the Sons of Aaron, XVIII Numb. 9, 10, 11, 18, 19.
And his inheritance.] That is, the Inheritance of the LORD, of whom he ſpoke before; who had reſerved certain Oblations to himſelf, and beſtowed them upon the Prieſts. They are mentioned XVIII Numb. 8, 9. and v. 12, 13, 14, 15. where he firſt ſpeaks of the Firſt-fruits, and the Firſt-born, which were all brought unto the LORD, and by him given to them. In like manner all the Tithes of the Land are ſaid to be an Heave-offering unto the LORD, v. 24. where he ſaith, I have given them to the Levites to inherit. So theſe two, The Offerings of the LORD made by fire, and his Inheritance, comprehend all that belonged to his Miniſters, whether Prieſts or Levites.
Verſe 2 Ver. 2. Therefore ſhall they have no inheritance among their brethren; the LORD is their inheritance, as he hath ſaid unto them.] The LORD had given them that part and portion of the Offerings, which were peculiarly his own: And therefore is ſaid to be their Inheritance, becauſe they enjoyed his inheritance, as theſe holy things are called in the foregoing words. See XVIII Numb. 20, 24. and XIII Joſh. 14, 33.
Verſe 3 Ver. 3. And this ſhall be the Prieſts due from the people.] Beſides thoſe things that God gave them, which peculiarly belonged to him.
From them that offer a Sacrifice.] Of Peace-offerings; which are ſometimes called ſimply a Sacrifice, (XVII Levit. 5, 8. XV Numb. 3.) in which the People had a conſiderable Intereſt.
Whether it be Ox, or Sheep.] Under Sheep are comprehended Goats alſo, as I have obſerved. See III Levit.
And they ſhall give unto the Priest the ſhoulder.] Together with the Breaſt; as we read VII Lev. 32, 33, 34.
And the two cheeks, and the maw.] Theſe were not given to the Prieſts before; but were now added to their Portion, being accounted the beſt part of the Beaſts. For as the Cheeks were the beſt part of the Head, and the Shoulder and Breaſt the beſt of the other Members of the Body; ſo the Maw was the principal part of the Entrails, as Maimonides obſerves, P. III. More Nevochim, Cap. XXXIX.
By the Maw is meant the Stomach: and, in Beaſts that chew the Cud, who have four Stomachs, that which is called by the Greeks foreign, viz. the loweſt of them. Which had this name, becauſe the digeſtion which is begun in the other, is here perfected and compleated. And it appears that this part of the Entrails, was accounted by the Ancients, a great dainty; as Bochartus proves out of Ariſtophanes, in his Hierozoicon, P. I. Lib. II. Cap. 45. p. 505.
Ver. 4. The firſt-fruits alſo of thy Corn, of thy Wine, Verſe 4 and of thy Oyl.] See XVIII Numb. 12. To which it may be uſeful to add this out of Maimonides, (who hath diſtinctly repreſented the order wherein all Oblations were made) that after the Fruits of the Earth were gathered, every Man was bound to bring a fiftieth part of them, as a Firſt-fruits, to the Prieſts, which was called Trumah gedolah, the great Oblation; of which Moſes ſpeaks in this place. And next of all he ſeparated a tenth part of the whole from the reſt, which was Maaſer Riſhon, the firſt Tithe; and given to the Levites, XVIII Numb. 24. Then out of what remained another tenth part was taken, called Maaſer Sheni, the ſecond Tithe; which was every third year given to the Poor, and in the two intermediate years, ſpent in Feaſting at the Houſe of God, XIV Deut. 28. So that, for inſtance, if a Man had preſſed out an Hundred and two Logs of Oyl, he ſent two of them as Firſt-fruits to the Prieſt; and then ten more, as Tythe, to the Levites; and deducted nine parts more out of the reſidue, for the Poor: by which it appears that One and twenty parts of an Hundred and two, that is, a fifth part of the whole, was ſeparated for pious and charitable uſes. See Schickard in his Jus Regium, Cap. IV. Theorem XV.
And the first of the fleece of thy Sheep ſhalt thou give him.] This is comprehended under Firſt-fruits; but never particularly mentioned before now. And tho' the quantity is not mentioned, yet the Jews have adventured to determine, that leſs than one Fleece in ſixty was not accepted. For ſo they ſay of all other Firſt-fruits, that a ſixtieth part of the whole was the leaſt that any Man gave; and he was accounted a covetous Man if he gave no more: they that were indifferently good, giving a fiftieth part; and liberal Perſons the fortieth. By this means the Prieſts were provided with Clothes, as by other Offerings with Food. And the Wooll alſo, as they call it, of Goats (which were ſhorn in theſe Countries) is comprehended under the Fleece of Sheep.
Verſe 5 Ver. 5. For the LORD thy God hath choſen him out of all thy Tribes, to ſtand to miniſter in the name of the LORD.] This was the Office of a Prieſt, to offer Sacrifices unto God, and to bleſs the People in his Name.
Him and his ſons for ever.] The Family of Aaron, of which he is principally ſpeaking. Who, when they were few in number, all miniſtred unto God: but afterward they took their Courſes of Attendance. And, as the Jews ſay, there were eight Courſes before Moſes died; four of the Family of Eleazar, and as many of Ithamar's: which in David's time were enlarged into Four and twenty Courſes. See Selden Lib. I. de Succeſſion. in Pontificat. Cap. I.
Ver. 6. And if a Levite.] By a Levite he ſeems here to mean a Prieſt. See v. 1. For they only could miniſter Verſe 6 unto God; and the Levites miniſtred unto them.
Come from any of thy Gates out of all Iſrael.] From any City, in any Tribe of Iſrael.
Where he ſojourned.] i. e. Leave the Country where he hath been wont to live.
And come with all the deſire of his mind, unto the place which the LORD ſhall chooſe.] With a ſincere Affection to devote himſelf to the perpetual Service of God at the Sanctuary; ſo that inſtead of coming in his Courſe, he would always wait there, and never ſtir from that place.
Ver. 7. Then he ſhall miniſter in the name of the LORD Verſe 7 his God.] Attend continually at the Altar, to do all the Service of the Sanctuary. The LXX. tranſlate it, He ſhall miniſter to the name of the LORD; i. e. to the Divine Majeſty, who dwells there.
As his brethren the Levites do.] As all thoſe do who live at that place.
Which ſtand there before the LORD.] To miniſter unto him. This was the caſe of Samuel.
Ver. 8. They ſhall have like portion to eat.] This Verſe 8 ſhows that he is ſpeaking of the Prieſts; for the Levites did not eat of the holy things, offered at the Altar. And the meaning is, that the reſt of the Prieſts who waited there, ſhould allow him the ſame Portion, which they themſelves had, in the Sacrifices.
Beſides that which cometh of the ſale of his patrimony.] Which was to remain proper to himſelf, and not be divided with other Prieſts at Jeruſalem (ſuppoſe) where he miniſtred. The Hebrew words are ſomething obſcure, being beſide his ſales by, or unto the fathers: That is, ſuch Poſſeſſions as their Fathers purchaſed, and left to them. For though the Prieſts had no ſhare in the Land of Canaan given them at the diviſion of it, yet they might purchaſe Houſes, and Goods, and Cattle; and ſometimes they purchaſed Fields, as we read Abiathar had Fields of his own at Anathoth, 1 Kings II. 26. and the Prophet Jeremiah, who was a Prieſt alſo, purchaſed a Field of his Uncle's Son in his own Town, XXXII Jer. 7, 8, &c.
But the Jews make a quite different conſtruction of theſe three Verſes, which they underſtand in this manner, That if any Levite (i. e. Prieſt, for they only miniſtred before God) came up out of the City where he commonly reſided, out of pure Devotion to attend at the three Solemn Feaſts, which were held at the place where the Sanctuary was (where they were bound to wait, only when their Courſe came; but at theſe Feaſts might all come and miniſter in the Sanctuary) his Brethren, whoſe Week it was then to attend, ſhould both admit him to miniſter before God with them; and alſo give him an equal Portion with themſelves, in the extraordinary Sacrifices which were then offered at thoſe Feſtivals. Except only thoſe which were peculiarly aſſigned to them, whoſe Week of waiting at the Altar it then was: who by the Ordinance of God delivered to Moſes and Aaron (who they ſuppoſe are here called the Fathers) were to have the right Shoulder of the Peace-offerings. See VII Levit. 33. where it is ſaid, He among the Sons of Aaron that offereth the Peace-offerings and the fat, ſhall have the right ſhoulder for his part: in which none other was to participate. But why this ſhould be called the Sales, I do not underſtand; unleſs we interpret it as Foſterus doth, Venditiones, i. e. res venditas à patribus, things ſold by the Fathers: That is, appropriated by them (to the particular Prieſt that offered the Sacrifice) as things ſold are to thoſe that buy them.
Ver. 9. When thou art come into the Land which the Verſe 9 LORD thy God giveth thee.] The Land of Canaan, which the LORD was about to beſtow upon them, according to his promiſe.
Thou ſhalt not learn to do after the abominations of thoſe Nations.] Now he returns to warn them again, not to fall into the Idolatry, and the Superſtitions of the Country, whither they were going. See XVIII Levit. 3.
Ver. 10. There ſhall not be found among you.] So Verſe 10 as to be tolerated.
Any one that maketh his ſon or his daughter to paſs through the fire.] This was the moſt abominable Idolatry practiſed in that Country, whither they were going; who conſecrated their Children in this manner to Moloch, or the Sun: of which I have ſaid ſufficient XVIII Levit. 21. Therefore I ſhall only add here, that this wicked Cuſtom ſeems to have flowed from this Country of the Phaenicians and Tyrians unto the Carthaginians. Who were guilty of the Impiety of Sacrificing their Children, as they did alſo here unto Moloch, XX Levit. 2, 3. Which ſpread it ſelf, in a manner, over all the World, as many have ſhown; particularly Joh. Geuſius in his Treatiſe de Victimis Humanis, Pars I. Cap. XI. and it was found among the Americans, when that new World was diſcovered: See alſo P. II. Cap. V.
Or that uſeth divination.] Of which there were many ſorts; and one was by raking into the bowels of their Sacrifices, particularly of Humane Sacrifices: by the obſervation of which they pretended to foretell things, as many Authors teſtifie. Yea, they offered little Children on purpoſe, that thereby they might make their Auguries, as the ſame Geuſius hath obſerved in that Book, Cap. XXI. Unto which perhaps there is a peculiar reſpect in this place: for I find moſt of the things here mentioned, joyned in other places with making their Children paſs through the fire; particularly 2 Kings XXI. 6. 2 Chron. XXXIII. 6. and the Prophet Ezekiel ſeems to intimate that hereby they divined, when he charges the Iſraelites with this crime, XX. 26, 31. For he adds, Shall I be enquired by you, O Houſe of Iſrael? Who have enquired, that is, by making your Children paſs through the fire.
But it muſt be confeſſed that the Hebrew words Koſem koſemim (which we tranſlate uſeth divination) are by many thought to have a peculiar reſpect unto ſuch, as uſed to divine by caſting or drawing of Lots. And the word, as our Learned Dr. Caſtell obſerves, is ſo uſed in the Arabian Language, for diſtribution of Lots. Which ſort of Divination was much in uſe among the Greeks and Romans; and had been ſo, it is very likely, in more ancient times among the Eaſtern Nations. For nothing is more known than the Sortes Praeneſtinae, and Pativinae among the Romans; and the Dodonaeae, and Dindymenae, and many others among the Greeks: Particularly that at Bura in Achaia, where there was a Cave in which was the Image of Hercules: before which, they who reſorted thither to enquire directions in any Caſe, or the ſucceſs of any Affair, uſed to fall down, and ſay their Prayers; and after that to throw four Dice upon the Table, and by the Letters or Marks upon which they fell, the divination was made; as Pauſanias deſcribes it in his Achaica. In other places they uſed them in a different manner; and the ancient Arabians divined by Arrows, as our famous Dr. Pocock hath ſhown in his Notes upon Gregor. Abul-farajus his Book concerning the Original and Manners of the Arabians, p. 327, 328, &c. Where he deſcribes the manner of it, and ſhows that it was performed before ſome Idol; and therefore was ſtrictly forbidden by Mahomet in his Alcoran, as a Diabolical Invention. In which he ſeems to have imitated Moſes, who may be thought here to forbid ſuch kind of Divination; which was in uſe among the Eaſtern People in the days of the Prophet Ezekiel, XXI. 21. where we find the ſame word Koſem; which that Learned Author thinks is illuſtrated by that Arabian Cuſtom.
It is to be noted alſo, that they uſed to divine by a dead man's skull, as our Dr. Windet hath obſerved out of the Sanhedrim Cap. VII. and Maimonides. Which Cuſtom the Greeks likewiſe followed; for Palladius relates how Macarius enquired foreign, at a dry Skull, &c. See Windet in his Book de Vita functorum ſtatu, Sect. I.
Several ſorts of ſuch kind of Perſons there were among the Edomites, Moabites, and other Nations near Judaea, who in the days of Jeremiah deceived the People with their Divinations, Prophecies, Dreams, Enchantments and Sorceries; as we learn from XXVII Jerem. 3, 9.
Or an obſerver of times, or an enchanter.] Of theſe I have ſaid enough upon XX Levit. 26.
Or a witch.] This word ſignifies worſe than any of the former, viz. one that doth Miſchief unto Men or Beaſts, by evil Arts. Concerning which ſee upon XXII Exod. 18. Unto which I ſhall here add, That the Jewiſh Nation have been extreamly addicted to Witchcraft, and ſome of their famous Rabbins have been ſuſpected of it. See J. Wagenſeil upon Sota, p. 529.
Verſe 11 Ver. 11. Or a charmer.] There are various Conjectures about the meaning of the Hebrew words chober chaber; which importing ſomething of ſociety, or conjunction, ſome tranſlate fortune-teller, who by the Conjunction of the Planets pretends to predict future things: others, one that hath Society with Evil Spirits, which is mentioned afterwards in another word. Job Ludolphus ſeems to me to have given the plaineſt account of the words, which he tranſlates congregans congregationem, gathering together a Company. For it was an ancient way of Enchantment, to bring various kinds of Beaſts into one place; which the Rabbins diſtinguiſh into the great Congregation, and the little Congregation. The great was when they aſſembled together a great Company of the larger ſort of Beaſts; and the leſs, when they gathered together as great a Company of the ſmaller, ſuch as Serpents, Scorpions, and the like. But we cannot be certain of this; though Telezius tells us, it is in uſe at this day in the Eaſtern Countries. For ſo he deſcribes the Election of the King of Gingir; that he ſtood compaſſed about with Lions, Tygers, Leopards, and Dragons, which by Magical Arts were gathered together as his Guard, and Courtiers. See Ludolphi Comment. in Hiſtor. Aethiop. Cap. XVI. Numb. CXVI.
But the common Interpretation which the Jews give of Chober chaber is, that he is one who uſes ſtrange words, which have no ſignification; but he pretends are powerful to charm a Serpent (for inſtance) that it ſhall not ſting, or to preſerve from any other harm. So Maimonides in Avoda Zara, Cap. XI. And to this ſort of Superſtition the World was ſo addicted, that this Precept of Moſes could not bring the Jews quite off from it; but when they threw away other Charms, they uſed the words of Scripture inſtead of them: Pretending, for inſtance, to cure Wounds by reading that Verſe in the Law, XV Exod. 26. I will put none of theſe Diſeaſes upon thee, &c. So we find they themſelves acknowledge in Sanhedrim, Cap. II. Sect. I. and Maimonides ſaith in the forenamed Treatiſe, this is forbidden by Moſes in this place, as much as any other kind of Charm; for the words of the Law are turned hereby to another uſe than God intended in them; which was not for healing the body, but curing the ſoul. And I ſee no reaſon why it ſhould not be thought as great a Crime to uſe the Schem Hamphoraſh (as they call the Name Jehovah) to ſuch purpoſes: and yet the Jews are ſo ſtupid as to imagine Moſes wrought all his Miracles by the virtue of it. Maimonides indeed was ſo ſober as to reject this common Conceit, condemning thoſe who think there was a power in the very Letters and pronunciation of the word, Lib. I. More Nevochim, Cap. LXII.
Or a conſulter with familiar ſpirits, or a wizzard.] Of theſe two ſee what I have noted XIX Levit. 31. and XX Levit. 6.
A necromancer.] In the Hebrew, one that ſeeks to, or enquires of the dead. It is not eaſie to tell wherein this differs from one that had a familiar Spirit, as we tranſlate it. For the Woman whom Saul conſulted, who had a Spirit, called Oboth, enquired alſo after this manner: their Spirit, it ſeems, teaching ſuch Perſons to call for the Dead to appear to them. But ſome perhaps had not ſuch a Spirit, who notwithſtanding conſulted the Dead, by going to their Graves in the Night, and there lying down, and muttering certain words with a low voice, that they might have Communion with them by Dreams, or by their appearing to them: Unto which the Prophet Iſaiah is thought to allude, VIII. 19. XXIX. 4. Maimonides in Avoda Zara, Cap. XI. Sect. XV. thus deſcribes a Necromancer; He is one, who having afflicted himſelf with Faſting, goes to the burying place, and there lyes down and falls aſleep; and then the Dead appear to him, and tell him what he deſires. Such are they alſo, who put on a certain kind of Garment, ſpeak fome uncouth words, and make a Fume; and then lye down alone, that the Dead, whom they deſire, may come to them, and diſcourſe with them in their ſleep. To the ſame purpoſe Aben-Ezra. To this the Gentiles were very prone; and it was thought ſo high an Attainment to come to this Knowledge, that Julian the Apoſtate, who was ambitious to be acquainted with all the Heathen Myſteries, ſecretly practiſed this foreign, in the moſt retired part of his Palace; cutting up the Bodies of Virgins and Boys, to bring up the dead to him; which was far more impious than what the Talmudiſts ſay (in the Title Beracoth) that ſuch kind of People were wont to burn the Secundine of a black Cat, when ſhe had firſt Kitlens, and beating it very ſmall, put ſome of the Powder upon their Eye, whereupon Daemons appeared to them. See Greg. Nazianz. in his Invectives againſt Julian, p. 91. and St. Chryſoſtom in his Oration upon S. Babylas. I ſhall only add, that this was not only privately practiſed among the Gentiles, but there were alſo publick places to which Men reſorted to conſult the Dead: Particularly at Theſprotis near to the River Acheron, where Herodotus, Lib. V. mentions a foreign. and Plutarch (to name no more) mentions another at Heraclea; which Pauſanias in his diſtreſs, went to conſult; as he relates in the Life of Cimon.
Ver. 12. For all that do theſe things are an abomination Verſe 12 to the LORD.] Becauſe they were invented by idolatrous People; if not by the Suggeſtions of evil Spirits.
And becauſe of theſe abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.] Expelled the Amorites, and other wicked Inhabitants of the Country, where they practiſed theſe Abominations: which, no doubt, had ſome relation to Idolatry, and therefore were forbidden to the Iſraelites.
Ver. 13. Thou ſhalt be perfect with the LORD thy Verſe 13 God.] This ſhows there was ſomething of Idolatrous Worſhip in all the forenamed Practices: which, if they followed, it was, in ſome degree, to forſake the LORD, on whom they were wholly to depend, and ſeek to him alone in the ways which he had preſcribed in his Laws. For this was to be perfect with the LORD; to have nothing to do with any other god, nor with the Rites and Ceremonies that were uſed in their Worſhip. And therefore the LXX. tranſlate this word ſometimes by foreign, (XXII Job 3.) as well as by foreign: for then they were perfect with God, when they kept his Worſhip ſimple and pure, without the mixture of any Forreign Religion. Which the whole Context ſhows to be the ſenſe, both in the words foregoing, and followng.
Ver. 14. For thoſe Nations which thou ſhalt poſſeſs, hearkned unto obſervers of times, and to diviners.] The ancient Heathen, as Strabo tells us, Lib. VI. had theſe Verſe 14 Diviners in ſuch eſteem, foreign, that they thought them worthy of the higheſt Authority. But God would not have his People ſo much as to conſult ſuch Perſons: for it appears by theſe words, that not only they who were Diviners (for inſtance) but they who hearkned to them, were odious to God. For that even the Art of Divination depended upon ſome Idolatrous Opinions and Practices, appears evidently even from the moſt refined Account we have of it, in ancient Authors. For Inſtance, Ammianus Marcellinus, who to acquit his Maſter Julian from the ſuſpicion of Sorcery, which ſome ſaid he uſed, to get the fore-knowledge of things future, makes it a principal point of Wiſdom, not unworthy ſuch a Prince who was a profeſſed Lover of all Sciences, to offer placatory Sacrifices to draw in the Spirit of all the Elements, to endue him with a Spirit of Divination. For ſo his words are in the beginning of his One and twentieth Book: The ſpirit of all the Elements being alway and every way invigorated with the fore-perceiving motion of the everlaſting (i. e. the heavenly) bodies, make us partakers of the gifts of divining: and the ſubſtantial Powers, ritu diverſo placatae, being rendred favourable by reſpective Rites (i. e. ſuch as were proper and ſutable to each of them) convey Praedictions to Mortality, as from ſo many perpetual Springs, or Fountains. Over which (Subſtantial Powers) the goddeſs Themis is ſaid to praeſide, &c. Which ſhows that Julian, who called Jupiter the moſt high god, the king of all, yet courted other inferiour powers, by ſuch rites, as he imagined would win their favour: which was rank Idolatry.
But as for thee, the LORD thy God hath not ſuffered thee ſo to do.] But abſolutely forbad it, XIX Lev. 31. XX. 6. where he warns them to have nothing to do with ſome of the Perſons here mentioned: and not only inſtructed them in the way to live happily, but eſtabliſhed an Oracle among them to be conſulted on all weighty occaſions; and governed them by Men, whom he had endued with his Spirit, XI Numb. 16, 17, 25. Therefore if any Iſraelite practiſed any of the things here forbidden, though he did not worſhip any Idol, he was ſcourged by the Sentence of the Court of Judgment. See Selden Lib. de Jure Nat. & Gent. Cap. VII.
Ver. 15. The LORD thy God will raiſe up unto thee a Verſe 15 Prophet.] Since the Jews, as all other Nations, were extreamly deſirous to know things to come, Moſes reveals unto them from God a thing future of the higheſt importance, viz. the Coming of CHRIST, and the greatneſs of his Authority: and in after times God revealed to them by degrees, the time of his Birth, his Death, Reſurrection, &c. The Jews indeed commonly take theſe words to be a promiſe of a conſtant Succeſſion of Prophets, that ſhould be among them, to preſerve them from going to ſuch Diviners as were famous among their Heathen Neighbours: and thus many Chriſtian Interpreters make out the connexion of theſe words with the foregoing. But though this may be allowed to be intimated, and this Promiſe be acknowledged to be partly verified in thoſe Prophets which God raiſed up from Age to Age after Moſes, for further knowledge of his Will (as the promiſe of a Saviour was in part verified in thoſe Judges and Kings by whom God delivered his People from their Enemies) yet it is very evident that he ſpeaks of a ſingle Prophet more eminent than all the reſt: and that theſe words, in their moſt literal ſenſe, cannot belong to any other Perſon, but the MESSIAH. So that albeit the continuance of Prophets among this People, was a means to prevent all occaſions of conſulting Sorcerers, or Witches; yet the chief ground upon which Moſes diſſwades them from ſuch practices, according to the literal connexion of theſe words with the foregoing, [the LORD thy God hath not ſuffered thee to do ſo] i. e. to hearken unto Obſervers of Times and Diviners, was the conſideration of their late mighty Deliverance by Moſes; the excellency of their preſent Law, which God had given them for their direction; and their expectation of a greater Law-giver in future times: when the firſt Covenant ſhould wax old, and Prophecy it ſelf for a long time fail; as it did before the Coming of this great Prophet, the LORD CHRIST. To this purpoſe Dr. Jackſon, in his Third Book upon the Creed, Chap. XXI. paragr. 19.
From the midst of thee, of thy brethren.] It was a great honour to them to have ſuch a Prophet, as is here ſpoken of, ariſe out of their Nation: but as he was after a peculiar ſort raiſed up by JEHOVAH, not meerly by the External Aſſiſtances or Impulſion of his Spirit, (to uſe the words of the ſame excellent Perſon, paragr. 9.) but by intrinſick aſſumption into the Unity of his Perſon: So likewiſe he was raiſed up in a ſtrict and proper ſenſe from the midst of them; being, as it were, extracted out of a pure Virgin, as the firſt Woman was out of the Man, by the Almighty's own immediate hand.
Like unto me.] This ſhows he ſpeaks of a ſingle Prophet, and not of a conſtant Succeſſion of Prophets; there being none of them like to Moſes: whom God himſelf diſtinguiſhed from them all, XII Numb. 6, 7, 8. And accordingly that Divine Writer, who added thoſe Verſes which are at the end of this Book, (concerning the Death of Moſes) teſtifies that there never roſe in Iſrael a Prophet like to Moſes. See XXXIV Deut. 10. It is commonly thought to be done by Ezra, who hath effectually confuted all the Conceits of R. Bechai, Aben-Ezra, Abarbinel, and other Jewiſh Doctors, who take either Joſhua or Jeremiah to have been this Prophet. If Joſhua, as ſome fancy, added theſe words, then he excluded himſelf from being the Perſon: nor did Joſhua act as a Prophet, but as a Judge, or Governour. And Jeremiah is acknowledged by Abarbinel himſelf to be inferiour to Iſaiah. For though in his Preface to his Commentary upon Jeremiah, he mentions Fourteen things wherein he was like unto Moſes, and ſaith he propheſied juſt Forty years, as Moſes did; yet in his Commentary upon the leſſer Prophets, he prefers Iſaiah before them all: and Cenſures the rudeneſs of Jeremiah's Language; in many things preferring Ezekiel to him. So little do theſe Doctors agree in their Interpretation of this Prophecy; which can belong to none of their Prophets which ſucceeded Moſes (who were all much inferiour to him) until He came, who perfectly reſembled him, but was much ſuperior to him. See v. 18. And thus the ancient Jews, underſtood this Prophecy: For though Maimonides only ſaith, the Meſſiah ſhould be indued with Wiſdom greater than Solomon's, and ſhould equal their Maſter Moſes;, yet thoſe before him proceeded a great deal further. This being a common ſaying among them, which Abarbinel himſelf remembers, in his Commentary upon the ſmall Prophets, He ſhall be exalted above Abraham; lifted up above Moſes; and higher than the Angels of the Miniſtry. Nor is the Cabbaliſtical obſervation, mentioned in Baal-Hatturim, to be quite neglected; which is, that this Verſe begins and ends with the Letter Nun, which is the numeral Letter for Fifty: importing that to the Prophet here promiſed ſhould be opened the fifty Gates of Knowledge; forty nine of which only were opened to Moſes. And that this Verſe alſo conſiſts of ten words; to ſignifie that they were to obey this Prophet no leſs than the ten Commandments. Which obſervation, it muſt be confeſſed, is weakly grounded, but contains a moſt illuſtrious Truth; and ſhows that they believed Moſes here ſpeaks of the Meſſiah.
Ʋnto him ſhall ye hearken.] As they had engaged themſelves to do; it will appear from the following words.
Verſe 16 Ver. 16. According to all that thou deſiredst of the LORD thy God in Horeb, in the day of the Aſſembly, ſaying, Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD, &c.] So we read XX Exod. 19. where they made this requeſt unto Moſes, ſaying, Speak, thou with us, and we will hear; but let not God ſpeak with us, lest we die.] In which words the whole Multitude bound themſelves ſolemnly, to hear the words of the LORD, being delivered not immediately from his own mouth, but by Moſes: as is more fully expreſſed in this Book, V Deut. 27, 28, 29. Where God highly commends this good Reſolution in them, as Moſes here obſerves again in the next Verſe.
Verſe 17 Ver. 17. And the LORD ſaid unto me, they have well ſpoken that which they have ſpoken.] He approved their deſire; and reſolved not to ſpeak to them any more, as he did from mount Sinai, with a voice out of the Fire and Cloud: but by Moſes himſelf while he lived; and afterward by one like to Moſes, as it here follows.
Ver. 18. I will raiſe them up a Prophet from among their brethren.] Theſe words ſeem to have been ſpoken to Moſes by God, when they deſired God would not ſpeak to them any more immediately by himſelf, but by a Mediator. Then God was pleaſed to promiſe them a great deal more than they deſired; which was to raiſe up another Prophet, like to Moſes; who ſhould acquaint them more fully with his Mind and Will, in as familiar a manner as Moſes did: without ſtriking any ſuch terror into them, as they were in at the giving of the Law; though the words of this Prophet came from the mouth of God himſelf. In which two things the Iſraelites excelled all other Nations (i. e. in that they had ſuch an excellent Law delivered by Moſes; which was to be bettered by an everlaſting Covenant, made by this Prince of the Prophets) In reſpect of both (as the ſame Dr. Jackson expreſſes it) the name of Southſayer or Sorcerer was not to be named in Iſrael; as they were in the Nations that knew not God, much leſs expected ſuch a Mediator. In whom the Spirit of Life ſhould dwell as plentifully, as Splendor doth in the Body of the Sun: from whoſe fulneſs, e're he viſibly appeared in the World, all other Prophets were illuminated. So that Moſes himſelf, and all the Prophets that followed him, were but as Meſſengers ſent from God, to ſolicit his People to preſerve their Allegiance free from all commerce or compact with familiar Spirits: until the Prince of Glory came in Perſon to viſit them, and dwell among them.
Like unto thee.] This is well explained by Euſebius, foreign, a ſecond Law-giver, as Moſes was. For in ſaying not ſimply he would raiſe them up a Prophet, but like unto thee, it muſt ſignifie, ſaith he, that this Prophet ſhould be a Law-giver, as well as Moſes: which none of the Prophets were, till our Saviour came. Neither Iſaiah, nor Jeremiah were the Makers of Laws, but only called upon them to obſerve the Law of Moſes. Whereas when the LORD Jeſus came, he gave Laws to all the World; and thoſe far ſuperiour to the Laws of Moſes. Who only ſaid, Thou ſhalt not commit Adultery: but our LORD ſaith, I ſay unto you, ye ſhall not lust: And inſtead of Thou ſhalt not kill; he ſaith, Be not angry with thy brother, &c. Whence it was, that they who heard him were aſtoniſhed at his Doctrine, and ſaid, that he ſpake not as the Scribes, who were expounders of the Law; but as one that had authority: that is, power to ordain and enact Laws, and not only to explain thoſe that were already written, Lib. I. Demonſtr. Evang. Cap. VII. & Lib. III. Cap. II. Lib. IX. p. 443, &c. See alſo what Joh. Wagenſeil hath ſaid upon theſe words, in his Annot. in Lipman. Carm. Memoriale. p. 548.
And will put my words in his mouth, and he ſhall ſpeak unto them all that I ſhall command him.] Reveal the whole Mind and Will of God, XII John 49, 50. For he was herein like to Moſes, (though far ſuperiour to him) that he was intimately acquainted with God's Counſels, being in the boſom of the Father, I John 18. And confirmed all that he ſaid to be from God, by Miracles, and Wonders, and Signs, far more mighty than thoſe of Moſes; and more in number than had been wrought by all the Prophets, from the beginning of the World. Particularly, he fed Multitudes with a little Food (which made the People cry out, This is of a truth that Prophet which ſhould come into the World, VI John 14.) but above all this, gave them that Bread from Heaven of which the Manna which Moſes gave them was but a ſhadow: as he took occaſion to ſhow the People, upon their admiration of that miraculous Feaſt he had made for them, with five Barley Loaves and two ſmall Fiſhes. For he himſelf was that Bread of Life, who nouriſhed Mens Souls with the Word of Eternal Life, which he had in himſelf: as he ſhowed by his Reſurrection from the Dead, which he himſelf predicted, and thereby proved himſelf the greateſt of all the Prophets. For though Moſes foretold his own death; yet neither he, nor any other Prophet whatſoever, but our Saviour, ſpake of his being raiſed up again. In which he may be thought to be like to Moſes; who was raiſed up by God to be a Saviour of his People out of that Ark, which without the ſpecial Providence of God, had been his Tomb. And unto this Reſurrection of Chriſt, doth the propriety of this phraſe, from the midst of thee agree: for this was done, as Dr. Jackson alſo well obſerves, in the midſt of Jeruſalem, the Metropolis of Judaea; not without expreſs notice given of it to the Rulers of the People. And ſuch a Confirmation it was, that he was the Prophet they ſhould all hear, that there could not be a greater; as all Strangers, both to their Religion and ours, muſt agree; and they themſelves cannot deny. For Nachmanides (relating in a Letter of his to the Rabbins at Marſeilles, how there was a Man in thoſe days, in the Southern Countries, who pretended to be the forerunner of the Meſſiah, unto whom great numbers, both of Jews and Arabs reſorted) tells us, that he being apprehended by the King of the Country, and askt what Miracle he ſhow'd to confirm his Commiſſion, he anſwered boldly, Cut of my Head, and I will come to life again. To which the King of the Arabs replied, There is no ſign greater than this; which if it come to paſs, both I and the whole World will believe thee. Whereupon his Head was cut off, and there was an end of all his pretences: though ſome of the Jews were ſo mad, as Maimonides there ſaith, that they ſtill expected his return to life. Thus R. Gedaliah reports in his Schalſhelet Hakkabalah.
Verſe 19 Ver. 19. And it ſhall come to paſs, that whoſoever will not hearken unto my words, which he ſhall ſpeak in my name.] This is the proper Character of a Prophet, to deliver in the Name of God, what he received from God. This did Moſes: but Christ moſt eminently, as I before obſerved from XII John 49, 50. where he ſaith, I have not ſpoken of my ſelf, but the Father which ſent me, he gave me a commandment, what I ſhould ſay, and what I ſhould ſpeak, &c. whatſoever therefore I ſpeak, even as the Father ſaid unto me, ſo I ſpeak. Which is a perfect Commentary upon theſe words of Moſes. Who here calls Chriſt a Prophet, not a Priest, or a King, (though he was to be both) becauſe he would not have the Jews miſtake, and expect to find in his Perſon the worldly Grandeur of a mighty Prince, or the high honour and ſplendor of Aaron; but have the greateſt regard to the heavenly Doctrine which he taught them, as he himſelf (he told them) was taught by the Father. For I proceeded forth, ſaith he, and came from God, neither came I of my ſelf, but he ſent me; and I do nothing of my ſelf, but as my Father hath taught me, I ſpeak theſe things, VIII John 28, 42. This was the higheſt honour of all, to ſpeak God's words (v. 47.) in the Name of God, V. 42.
I conclude this, with the remarkable words of the Midraſch upon Eccleſiaſtes, who thus expreſſes the ſenſe of this Prophecy, As was the firſt Redeemer, ſuch ſhall be the last Redeemer. Which plainly determine the Prophet here ſpoken of to be one ſingle Perſon; and he no other but the LORD Chriſt. See Huetius in his Demonſtr. Evang. Propoſ. VII. N. IX.
I will require it of him.] Severely puniſh him, ſo as to deſtroy him from among his People; as St. Peter interprets it, III Acts 23. And ſo this Phraſe is uſed IX Gen. 5. XLII. 22. And there was great reaſon for ſuch ſeverity, ſeeing they had ſo ſolemnly bound themſelves to hearken to this Prophet; when they deſired God not to ſpeak any more to them by himſelf, but by a Mediator; which God then promiſed, as I obſerved v. 18. A Mediator of a better Covenant, who ſhould ſecure them from ſuch dreadful Flames, as they then ſaw, if they would hearken to him, as they promiſed to do: otherwiſe, what could they expect, but a certain fearful looking for of Judgment, and fiery indignation, to devour the Adverſaries? For ſince he that deſpiſed Moſes his Law, died without mercy, under two or three Witneſſes; of how much ſorer puniſhment, ſuppoſe ye▪ ſhall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, in the open face of all the World, X Hebr. 27, 28, 29. Which is a full explication of theſe words, Whoſoever will not hearken unto my words which he ſhall ſpeak in my Name, I will require it of him. Or, as Onkelos tranſlates it, My WORD ſhall require it of him. Where Memra, WORD, can ſignifie nothing but a Divine Perſon, diſtinct from him who ſpeaks theſe words: even that very Perſon to whom the Apoſtle applies them.
Ver. 20. But the Prophet which ſhall preſume to ſpeak a word in my name, &c.] Theſe words plainly ſuggeſt to us, that Moſes intended in the foregoing Diſcourſe Verſe 20 to admoniſh the Iſraelites to hearken diligently to all ſuch Prophets as God ſhould at any time raiſe up to them: though it be moſt evident, if we examine the propriety of every Word, or Clauſe in the whole Context, they cannot be exactly fitted unto any Prophet but Chriſt. Unto whom the whole Diſcourſe is as fully accommodated, as a well made Garment to the Body that wears it. They are the words of the ſame excellent Perſon, ſo often mentioned, Dr. Jackson, Lib. III. on the Creed, Cap. XXI. Paragr. 1, 2.
Speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him, or that ſhall ſpeak in the name of other gods.] It was a manifeſt ſign a Man was a falſe Prophet, if he ſpake in the name of Baal, or any other god, but the God of Iſrael. Or, if he ſaid, ſuch a Star by its ſpiritual influence coming upon me, ſaid, Worſhip me after this manner, or thus call upon me, as Maimonides (who gives an account of the ſeveral ſorts of falſe Prophets) ſpeaks in his Preface to Seder Zeraim. But how ſhould they know a Man to be a falſe Prophet, when he ſpake to them in the Name of the LORD? For Men might pretend, as ſome did, that God had ſent them, and given them a Command, when he had not. To which he anſwers in the next Verſes.
Even that Prophet ſhall die.] He was to be ſtrangled, ſay the Jews, by the Sentence of the great Sanhedrim. For it is a Tradition of their Rabbins, ſaith the Gemara Babylonica upon that Title, that in the buſineſs of Prophecy there are three ſorts of Perſons, who are to be puniſhed by the judgment of Men: and three by the Sentence of Heaven. He that prophecied what he did not hear from God (an example of which we have in Zedekiah, 1 Kings XXII. 11.) or ſpake what was not ſaid to him, but to another (an example of which they make Hananiah, XXVIII Jer. 11.) or Prophecies in the name of an Idol, (ſuppoſe Baal) all theſe were to be put to Death by the Sentence of the Court of Judgment. But he that ſuppreſſed his Prophecy (like Jonah) or deſpiſed the words of a Prophet; or did not obſerve his own words, were to be puniſhed by the Hand of Heaven. See Selden Lib. III. de Synedr. Cap. VI. N. I.
Ver. 21. And if thou ſay in thine heart, how ſhall we Verſe 21 know the Word which the LORD hath not ſpoken?] Which was but a reaſonable queſtion; there being as great care neceſſary, not to hearken to falſhood, as to be attentive unto Truth. And this relates unto ſuch Prophets, as came to them in the Name of the LORD: For if a Man came in the name of any other god, there needed no other Mark to diſcover him to be an Impoſtor.
Ver. 22. When a Prophet ſpeaks in the Name of the Verſe 22 LORD.] Predicting ſome wonderful thing to come to paſs, as a Token he is ſent of God to deliver what he ſpeaks to the People.
If the thing follow not, nor come to paſs, that is the thing which the LORD hath not ſpoken.] For if the LORD had ſent him, he would have accompliſhed what he gave as a ſign of his Miſſion: which not coming to paſs, he was proved to be a falſe Prophet, who ſpake out of his own heart, and not the Word of the LORD. But here the Jews diſtinguiſh between a Prophet who predicts evil things, as Famine, or Peſtilence, &c. and one that predicts good things, as Rain (when there is great need of it) and fruitful years, &c. Though the Predictions of the former ſort did not come to paſs, he was not to be reputed preſently a falſe Prophet, becauſe God is very merciful, and often repented him of the evil: as he did in the Caſe of Nineveh. But in the latter Caſe, if any one of the good Things he foretold did not come to paſs, he was to be taken for a Deceiver: which they underſtand alſo of the very time and place, when and where he ſaid the things he predicted ſhould be fulfilled: and here they bring in the example of Hananiah, the Son of Azur, mentioned before XXVIII Jer. 11. And ſee v. 8, 9. of that Chapter. But this doth not give us the true difference: for both God's Promiſes and Threatnings many times depend upon a Condition, as appears from that famous place in the Prophet, XVIII Jerem. 7, 8, 9. So that the good Things a Prophet foretold might not come to paſs, and yet he might be a true Prophet; becauſe the People proved unworthy of them, and God did not abſolutely intend them. Therefore the true meaning ſeems to be, That if a Prophet foretold ſuch a Thing as the Power of Nature cannot produce, and gave it as a ſign God ſent him, who would juſtifie his Miſſion by doing that wonder; and the Thing did not come to paſs: he was to be lookt upon as not a Man of God. For example; when Moſes threw his Rod on the ground, and ſaid it ſhould become a Serpent; if it had not been turned into a Serpent, he had been convicted of Falſity. Or a Prophet ſaid Fire ſhould come down from Heaven, and conſume the Sacrifice which lay before him, which was the caſe of Elijah, if it had not come down, he would have been no more owned for a true Prophet, than the Prophets of Baal. And, as Maimonides well obſerves, if a Prophet's words were fulfilled in one, or more Things, he was not to be judged a true Prophet, unleſs every Thing he ſpake in the Name of God came to paſs. Which he proves from thoſe words concerning Samuel, 1 Sam. III. 19, 20. The LORD let none of his words fall to the ground: And all Iſrael knew that Samuel was eſtabliſhed to be a Prophet of the LORD.
The Jews alſo made this addition to the Rule forementioned of trying Prophets, as Mr. Selden obſerves, Lib. III. de Synedr. Cap. V. N. III. That whatſoever Prophet had the Teſtimony of another undoubted Prophet, was to be taken for a true Prophet. By which Rule they might have known the great Prophet, whom God promiſed to them in the foregoing Verſes. For John the Baptiſt, whom the whole Nation took for a Prophet, teſtified to them that JESUS was the Christ. And beſides all other undoubted Marks of his being ſent of God, his riſing from the Dead, which he himſelf foretold, was enough to ſatisfie all Men of the Truth of what he ſaid. For though every Prediction of what afterwards comes to paſs, will not neceſſarily prove a Man to be a true Prophet; yet the fulfilling of a great number of Things, (not one of which fails, as was ſaid before of Samuel) eſpecially of ſuch a Thing as this, which was impoſſible to be brought to paſs, but by an Almighty Power, is an uncontroulable Evidence of a Divine Miſſion.
R. Solomon, upon this Verſe, hath a Note which is worth our Obſervation, though it be not to the purpoſe of Moſes his words: A Prophet, ſaith he, that bids thee not obſerve ſome of the Precepts, is not to be heard, unleſs he be known to be a Man of eminent Vertue, and upright Life, as Elijah was, who bid them build an Altar on Mount Carmel, even when Sacrifices upon High-places were forbidden. But there was a neceſſity for it, that he might reſtore the true Worſhip of God in Iſrael. Which ſhould have made them hearken to our bleſſed Saviour, better than they did; he being ſo perfectly holy and pure, that he challenged any of them to charge him with Sin; eſpecially when he only laid aſide ſome of their vain Traditions; but conformed to all the Rites of Moſes. So that if, in concluſion, we ſhould grant that Moſes (in the 15th and 16th, &c. Verſes) ſpeaks of all the Prophets that ſhould ſucceed him (which it is certain he doth not principally intend) the Jews were impious in rejecting our Saviour, who came as a Prophet to them; and had all the Marks that a Prophet could have, of his being ſent from God.
But the Prophet hath ſpoken it preſumptuouſly.] For it was an act of high Preſumption, and arrogant Pride, for any Man to pretend a Commiſſion from God, when he had not ſent him. Which was done two ways, as the Jews interpret this: either when a Man ſpake in the Name of God, that which was falſe; or when he pretended that to have been ſpoken to him, which was revealed by God to another. (See XXII Jerem. 30.) Both theſe were impudent Impoſtors, and accordingly to be treated.
Thou ſhalt not be afraid of him.] Have no reverence or regard to him, though he be never ſo confident. Nor be afraid to lay hold of him, and endeavour to bring him before the Sanhedrim, to have their Sentence paſs upon him, (as the Jews underſtand it) though he have never ſo powerful an Intereſt to ſupport him, and preſerve him from puniſhment. Thus Maimonides in the forenamed Preface to Sever Zeraim; Thou ſhalt not be terrified, Chapter XIX.or averted from endeavouring to have him put to death, by his Religion, Goodneſs, or Knowledge: ſince in his proud brags, he hath ſpoken falſe things of God. For to be afraid of ſuch a Perſon, and of his Partakers, was to diſtruſt God, who is the Defender of thoſe that defend the Cauſe of Religion.