Commentary on Numbers, Book · Chapter 29
CHAP. XXIX.
Chapter XXIX Ver. 1. AND in the ſeventh Month.] Which was Verſe 1 anciently the firſt Month of the Year; but now the ſeventh, reckoning from that wherein the Paſſover was kept: which for a ſpecial reaſon was made the firſt. See X Exod. 2.
On the firſt day of the Month ye ſhall have an holy Convocation, ye ſhall do no ſervile work.] So it was ordained before in XXIII Lev. 24, 25.
It is a day of blowing of Trumpets unto you.] In that place of Leviticus it is called a memorial of blowing of Trumpets from Morning until Evening. Which the Jews fancy was to awaken them to Repentance, upon the great Day of Expiation, which followed on the tenth day of this Month. But it was manifeſtly intended quite contrary, to excite them unto Joy and Gladneſs. For Zichron teruah is a memorial of Jubilation, Triumph, and Shouting for Joy: the word teruah being never uſed in Scripture, but for a ſound, or ſhout of Gladneſs, as the Chaldee word Jabbaba, which is here uſed by the Paraphraſt, always ſignifies. And this agrees with their Notion, who think it was a ſpecial remembrance of the Creation of the World, at which the Angels rejoyced. Or, it might be ordained to ſtir up the People to a grateful remembrance of all God's Benefits the Year paſt. Whatſoever was the cauſe, certain it is, this ſeventh Month was very famous on this account, that more ſolemn days were to be kept in it, than in all the Year beſides. And upon that account, the People might be awakened, by this blowing of Trumpets, to obſerve them aright.
Verſe 2 Ver. 2. And ſhall offer a Burnt-offering for a ſweet ſavour unto the LORD.] Over and above all other Sacrifices, which were heretofore ordered upon this day; as appears from v. 6.
One Bullock, one Ram, and ſeven Lambs of the firſt year, without blemiſh.] This is leſs than was appointed upon the foregoing Feſtivals, XXVIII. 19, 27. becauſe thoſe very Sacrifices were alſo to be offered upon this day, on another account; as I ſhall obſerve on v. 6.
Verſe 3 Ver. 3. And their Meat-offering ſhall be of flour mingled with Oyl, three tenth deals for a Bullock, and two for a Ram.] This is the proportion appointed, by a general Rule, for all Sacrifices of this kind. See the XVth Chapter of this Book, v. 6, 9.
Ver. 4. And one tenth deal for one Lamb, &c.] So it is there appointed, v. 4.
Ver. 5. And one Kid of the Goats for a Sin-offering, to make an atonement for you.] As is appointed in the foregoing Feſtivals, XXVIII. 15, 22, 30.
Ver. 6. Beſide the Burnt-offering of the Morning, with Verſe 5 his Meat-offering.] It was appointed before, that in Verſe 6 the beginning of every Month there ſhould be a Burnt-offering offered of two Bullocks, &c. XXVIII. 11, 12. which was not to be omitted in the beginning of this Month: but theſe other Sacrifices added to the Offerings of every New Moon. Which made this a greater New Moon than any other; being the firſt Moon of the old Civil Year.
And the daily Burnt-offering and his Meat-offering, and their Drink-offering.] With which the Solemnity of the Day began: and then followed the proper Sacrifices belonging to it.
According to their manner.] Or, in the order which God appointed: which I obſerved before (on XXVIII. 11.) was this; That firſt the daily Burnt-Sacrifice was offered; then the Sacrifices appointed for the firſt day of every Month; and then thoſe appointed for this firſt day of the ſeventh Month.
For a ſweet ſavour, a Sacrifice made, by fire unto the LORD.] Which was acceptable to the Divine Majeſty, when performed according to his directions.
Ver. 7. And ye ſhall have on the tenth day of this Verſe 7 Month an holy Convocation.] This ſolemn Aſſembly is ordered twice before in the Book of Leviticus, XVI. 29. XXIII. 27. and here repeated perhaps, for the ſake of Eleazar and Joſhua, who were newly advanced to their ſeveral Offices, that they might take ſpecial Notice of it, and ſee it obſerved.
And ye ſhall afflict your Souls.] That was the ſpecial intention of it (as we read in both the forenamed places) that they might receive the benefit of the atonement on this day made.
Ye ſhall not do any work therein.] It was to be obſerved as ſtrictly as a Sabbath, XVI Lev. 31. XXIII. 32. Wherein they were to abſtain, not meerly from ſervile Work, but from all manner of Work whatſoever, XVI Lev. 29. XXIII. 28, 30.
Verſe 8 Ver. 8. And ye ſhall offer a Burnt-offering unto the LORD for a ſweet ſavour.] Endeavour to procure acceptance of the reſt of the Sacrifices of the Day, with this whole Burnt-offering, beſide the daily Sacrifice, as it follows v. 11.
One Bullock, one Ram, and ſeven Lambs of the first year, &c.] The ſame that were appointed on the foregoing Solemnity, v. 2. (except the monthly Offering, v. 6.) to which was added another Ram for a Burnt-offering, XVI Lev. 5. as a devout Acknowledgment that they owned him alone for their Soveraign LORD.
Verſe 9, 10. Ver. 9, 10, And their Meat-offering ſhall be of fine flour, &c.] The Meat-offering attending theſe Burnt-offerings, were to be in the ſame proportion as was before ordered, v. 3, 4.
Verſe 11 Ver. 11. One Kid of the Goats for a Sin-offering.] As was appointed in the foregoing Solemnity, v. 5.
Beſide the Sin-offering of Atonement.] Mentioned XVI Lev. 9, &c. whoſe Blood was carried by the High-Prieſt into the moſt holy place; which was done in no other Sacrifice but that, and the Bullock which was offered, as a Sin-offering for the Family of Aaron on the ſame day, XVI Lev. 14.
And the continual Burnt-offering, and the Meat-offering of it, and their Drink-offerings.] Theſe were no more to be omitted on the great Day of Atonement, than on any other day; but the Service of the day was to begin with the continual Burnt-offering; and then followed the Burnt-offerings, with the Meat and Drink-offerings belonging to them, and the Sin-offering here preſcribed; and then the Sacrifice of Atonement, and all that is ordered in the XVIth of Leviticus for the Expiation of the Sins of all the People of Iſrael. Which Sacrifice the preſent Jews now wanting, and yet being ſenſible of the neceſſity of ſome Satisfaction, but not believing in our bleſſed Saviour, who hath fully made it for all Mankind, they are in a lamentable plunge, and are put to moſt wretched ſhifts to deviſe ſomething to ſupply the place of the Sacrifice of Atonement, which was wont to be made for them. One is their own death: it being the continual Prayer of every one of them, upon their Death-bed, Let my death be the expiation for my ſins. Another is (which is ſo abſurd, that Leo Modina ſaith they do not uſe it now in Italy, nor in the Eaſtern Countries) the killing of a white Cock (if one can be got) by the Men, and a white Hen by the Women on the Eve of this Day, ſaying, Let this Cock be an exchange for me; let it come in my ſtead; let it be my Expiation; let it die, but I and all Iſrael live happily: as Buxtorf ſhows in his Synagog. Judaica, cap. 25. Which I ſhould not here mention, were it not to ſhow, that they have the very ſame Notion ſtill of a Sacrifice for Sin (even now that they can only make an imitation of it) which we have of the Sacrifice of Chriſt, who was put in our place, and offered himſelf to God in our ſtead: and that it ought to be pure and innocent, which is offered inſtead of a Sinner.
Ver. 12. And on the fifteenth day of the ſeventh Verſe 12 Month, ye ſhall have an holy Convocation, ye ſhall do no ſervile work.] See XXIII Lev. 35.
And ye ſhall keep a Feaſt unto the LORD ſeven days.] viz. The Feaſt of Tabernacles, XXIII Lev. 34. which was after the Harveſt and Vintage, XVI Deut. 13. and kept ſeven days with great Joy and gladneſs of Heart; but they were not bound to abſtain from ſervile work all this time, but only on the firſt day and on the ſeventh.
Verſe 13 Ver. 13. And ye ſhall offer a Burnt-offering, a Sacrifice made by fire, of a ſweet ſavour unto the LORD.] The ſame kind of Sacrifice which was preſcribed on the other Feſtivals, to be offered up wholly in honour of God. But here is a far larger proportion than in any other Solemnity.
Thirteen young Bullocks, two rams, and fourteen Lambs of the first year, &c.] On the other Feſtivals two Bullocks ſufficed, XXVIII. 11, 19, 27. and on the Feſtival in the beginning of this Month only one was appointed; but here are thirteen: and ſo they continued to be offered ſeven days ſucceſſively, with the decreaſe only of one Bullock every day; till on the ſeventh day only ſeven Bullocks were offered; which in all made LXX. Bullocks. The Rams alſo and the Lambs were in a double proportion to what was uſual, throughout the whole Feſtival. Which was a vaſt charge, but more eaſie at this time of the Year than any other, becauſe now their Barns were full, and their Wine-preſſes over-flowed; and their Hearts might well be ſuppoſed to be more enlarged then at other times, in thankfulneſs to God for his great Benefits. Yet this very groſs, troubleſome, and expenſive way of ſerving God, made the beſt Men among them groan, and long for the coming of Chriſt; in whoſe days, their own Doctors ſay, no Sacrifices ſhall remain, but thoſe of Thanſgiving, and Praiſe, and Prayer. With which they have been forced to be content for above Sixteen hundred years: and inſtead of theſe additional Sacrifices, unto the daily, have added peculiar Prayers (which they alſo call Muſaphim) unto the common Prayers they uſe every day. See Buxtorf concerning the Feaſt of the New Moon, in his Synagog. Jud. cap. 22.
Ver. 14, 15. Their Meat-offering ſhall be of fine flour, Verſe 14, 15. &c.] The ſame proportions which are ordered, by a general Rule, to every Sacrifice of a Bullock, and of a Ram, Chap. XV.
Ver. 16. And one Kid of the Goats for a Sin-offering, Verſe 16 beſide the continual Burnt-offering, &c.] There is no augmentation of the Sin-offering; but it is the ſame with that on other Feſtivals, v. 5. And all theſe Sacrifices, it appears by this, were to be added to the daily Sacrifice.
Ver. 17. And on the ſecond day ye ſhall offer twelve Verſe 17 young Bullocks, &c.] Here one Bullock leſs, than on the day before, is ordered to be offered; and ſo on every ſucceeding day there is ſtill a decreaſe of one Bullock: which is all the difference between the Offerings on the ſeven days of this Feaſt, upon every one of which there was the ſame number of Rams and Lambs, without any diminution. Which Moſes thought fit to ſet down diſtinctly from this verſe to the thirty fifth, that there might be no miſtake. But little need be noted upon them.
Ver. 18. According to their number after the manner.] Preſcribed v. 14, 15.
Ver. 35. On the eighth day ye ſhall have a ſolemn Aſſembly.] Verſe 18 There is a peculiar word here uſed, to denote Verſe 35 this to be a great day, as I noted upon XXIII Lev. 36. See there.
Ye ſhall do no ſervile work therein.] It was to be obſerved as the firſt day of the Feaſt of Tabernacles: both of them being called a Sabbath, 23 Lev. 39.
Verſe 36 Ver. 36. But ye ſhall offer a Burnt-offering, a Sacrifice made by fire, of ſweet ſavour unto the LORD.] Here is a peculiar Sacrifice appointed upon this day, in the ſame terms, as upon the firſt day of the Feaſt of Tabernacles, v. 13.
One Bullock, one Ram, ſeven Lambs of the firſt year, &c.] But though this was an extraordinary day, and a diſtinct Feſtival (as I ſhowed upon XXIII Lev. 39.) yet here are fewer Sacrifices preſcribed on this day, than upon any of the foregoing ſeven. For on every one of them two Rams were offered and fourteen Lambs; and here but half ſo many: And ſeven Bullocks were the feweſt that were offered upon any of thoſe days (and on the firſt day thirteen) but here only one. By which, God conſulted, perhaps, the weakneſs of Mankind, who naturally grew weary both of the Charge, and of the Labour of ſuch Services, when they are long continued. And therefore he made them every day leſs toilſom and expenſive; and put them in mind likewiſe, that the multitude of Sacrifices did not procure their acceptance with God; and that, in length of time, they would come to nothing, and be utterly aboliſhed, to eſtabliſh ſomething better in their room.
Ver. 37. Their Meat-offering, and their Drink-offerings, for the Bullock, for the Ram, and for the Lambs, and ſhall be according to their number, after the manner.] In ſuch proportions as God had before Verſe 37 ordained in the XVth Chapter of this Book, in the beginning of it; as I have often obſerved.
Ver. 38. And one Goat for a Sin-offering, beſide the Verſe 38 continual Burnt-offering, &c.] This is never omitted upon any Feſtival, XXVIII. 15, 22, 30. XXIX. 5, 11, 16, 19, &c. to put them in mind, that after all their Services they ſtood in need of forgiveneſs.
Ver. 39. Theſe things ſhall ye do (or offer) unto the Verſe 39 LORD in your ſet Feaſts.] All theſe Feaſts were fixed and ſtated at certain times; on which God was to be worſhipped after the manner here preſcribed, in theſe two Chapters. For all theſe Offerings (except one Sin-offering upon each ſet day) were wholly Burnt-offerings (as I have already obſerved) which may properly be ſaid to be done, that is, offered unto the LORD: neither People nor Prieſt having any ſhare in them.
Beſides your Vows and your Free-will-offerings, for your Burnt-offerings.] Beſides theſe, every Man might offer other Burnt-offerings; either in performance of a Vow, or freely out of his Affection to God. See XV. 3.
For your Meat-offerings, and for your Drink-offerings.] There were five ſeveral ſorts of Meat-offerings; which were left to every Man's free will, to bring as he pleaſed. See the ſecond Chapter of Leviticus, where they are deſcribed.
And for your Peace-offerings.] Theſe are deſcribed in the third Chapter of that Book. A great number of which, it is likely, Men offered voluntarily upon all the fore-mentioned Feſtivals. For otherwiſe, they would have had no means to feaſt with God at his Houſe, nor to entertain their Friends and Neighbours, as the cuſtom was at ſuch times of Publick Rejoyceing. Which they did upon that part of the Peace-offerings which was given them, after the Fat was offered to God, and the Wave-breaſt and Heave-ſhoulder given to the Prieſt, VII Lev. 15, &c. 34.
Verſe 40 Ver. 40. And Moſes told the Children of Iſrael, according to all that the LORD commanded Moſes.] He acquainted all the People (by the Heads of their Tribes perhaps, of whom we read in the beginning of the next Chapter) with all theſe Commands of God, which concerned his Worſhip and Service.