Commentary on Exodus, Commentary · Chapter 24
CHAP. XXIV.
Verſe 1. AND he ſaid unto Moſes.] When God had delivered the fore-going Laws unto Moſes in the Mount, where he was with him (XX. 21.) after he had ſpoken the X. Commandments; he bad him go down (as we read hear he did, v. 3.) and ſet them before the People, XXI. 1. And when he had engaged them in a Covenant to obſerve theſe Laws (v. 7. of this Chapter) then to come up to him again; and bring Aaron, and the reſt that are here mentioned, with him.
Come up.] To receive further Orders from the Divine Majeſty; together with the two Tables of Stone.
Ʋnto the LORD.] To the Mount, where the Glory of the LORD appeared; and from whence he had ſpoken the Ten words.
Thou, and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, &c.] But not all to the ſame nearneſs unto the Divine Majeſty; as appears by the following Verſe.
And ſeventy of the Elders of Iſrael.] This ſeems to intimate that there were more than LXX. called Elders: But theſe were the Chief, being perhaps the Heads of thoſe Families which came into Egypt; which were juſt Seventy. See XVIII. 12. For he doth not direct Moſes how to chuſe them (as Corn. Bertram obſerves, L. de Repub. Jud. c. 5.) but ſpeaks as if they were well known and diſtinguiſhed from other Perſons, by the rank they held among them. And therefore called v. 11. the Nobles, or as the Latines ſpeak, Magnates, ſeu Optimates, the great Men, of the best quality in Iſrael. The reaſon of their being thus called up to God, was to be Witneſſes of Moſes's aſcending up to the place where the Divine Majeſty appeared; and that they alſo might have ſome ſight of it, v. 10.
And worſhip ye afar off.] All of them, before they came to the Mount, were, at a good diſtance from it, to fall down proſtrate before God, that they might be poſſeſſed with ſuch an holy Reverence to him, as not to preſume to approach nearer than they were ordered.
Ver. 2. And Moſes alone ſhall come near the LORD.] Unto the very top of the Mount, where the Glory of the LORD abode, v. 16, 17, 18. unto which none was admitted but himſelf. Who now came nearer than he had done before, (XX. 21.) for he went into the midst of the Cloud, v. 18.
But they ſhall not come nigh.] Unto that part of the Mount, whether he went; but keep in a lower ſtation.
Neither ſhall the people go up with him.] But ſtay at the bottom of the Mount, (as they did before the giving the X. Commandments, XIX. 17.) below the place where the Elders were. So I think Maimonides rightly underſtands this place, in his More Nevoch. P. II. c. 32. where ſpeaking of the ſeveral degrees of Prophecy, or Familiarity with God, he obſerves that Moſes was here placed in the Supreme degree, (he alone being allowed to come near the LORD) below him was Aaron placed; and below him Nadab and Abihu; and below them the LXX. Elders; and beneath them, the reſt of the People. Which is the meaning of that ſaying of their Wiſe men, Moſes is a wall by himſelf, and Aaron a wall by himſelf: that is, they were in ſeparate Apartments, at this glorious Appearance of God.
Ver. 3. And Moſes came.] From the Mount, where he had received the Precepts mentioned in the three foregoing Chapters.
And told the People all the words of the LORD, and all the Judgments.] Some underſtand here by the words of the LORD, the Ten Commandments, called the Ten Words, XXXVIII. 18. But theſe words the People heard ſpoken by God himſelf; and not by the report of Moſes. Therefore I take theſe words to ſigniſie rather what he had ſpoken in the latter part of the foregoing Chapter, from the 20th Verſe to the end. And then by all the Judgments, he means thoſe Laws which he had received for their good Government in the XXI, XXII Chapters, and the former part of the XXIII.
And all the people anſwered with one voice, and ſaid.] In all likelyhood Moſes had told the Elders what God had ſaid to him; and they went and told it to the People, who gave the following Anſwer to them. For thus it was before XIX. 6, 7.
All the words that the LORD hath ſaid, will we do.] They had conſented before in general, to do whatſoever God required of them; having him for their King and Governour (XIX. 6, 7, 8.) but now they conſent in particular, after God had declared what he would have them do (in the XX Chapter) and Moſes had alſo reported the reſt of the Judgments delivered in the XXI, XXII, XXIII Chapters.
Ver. 4. And Moſes wrote all the words of the LORD.] Both the Ten Commandments, and all the reſt of the Judgments delivered in the foregoing Chapters. God indeed wrote the Ten Commandments himſelf: but for the preſent Moſes made a Record of them, that the People might not only hear, but read what they had to do.
And roſe up early in the morning.] The next morning, it is likely, after he had received thoſe Judgments, and delivered them to the People, and wrote them in a Book; which was upon the ſeventh day of Sivan, as I obſerved XX. 21. That is, on the ſixth of our June, as Jac. Capellus reckons. Therefore on the eighth of Sivan he built the Altar, &c. as it here follows.
And builded an Altar under the hill.] At the foot of the Hill, where the People were allowed to ſtand. This Altar was to repreſent God; to whom Sacrifices were offered upon it.
And twelve Pillars, according to the twelve Tribes of Iſrael.] This was to repreſent all the People. The Gentiles abuſing ſuch Pillars to Idolatrous uſes, the erecting of them is afterward forbidden in the Law. But before the building of the Tabernacle, Moſes here erects them, as Jacob had piouſly done in former times, XXXV Gen. 14. See Selden L. II. de Jure N. & G. c. 6. p. 185.
Ver. 5. And he ſent young men of the Children of Iſrael.] Theſe are ſaid by the Hebrews, to be the Firstborn, as Onkelos here expreſly tranſlates it, He ſent the First-born: and the Paraphraſe aſcribed to Ʋzielides follows him; adding this reaſon, Becauſe the Aaronical Priests were not yet conſecrated. The Arabick and Perſian Verſions ſay the ſame, as Mr. Selden hath obſerved, L. I. de Succeſſion. ad Pontif. c. 1. and moſt Interpreters have been of the ſame mind. But I have often obſerved before (particularly XIX. 22.) that I can ſee no proof of this, that they only officiated as Prieſts: every Man anciently, in his own Family, having a right to offer Sacrifice, till the Law of Moſes reſtrained it to the Family of Aaron. Therefore I take theſe young men to have been the choiceſt Perſons among them, whether First-born or others, who had been appointed to Miniſter unto God. For Joſhua, who is called here (v. 13.) Moſes his Miniſter, is in XI Numb. 28. called his young man. Such were fitteſt for all Service; eſpecially for that of Sacrificing to God. For which they anciently choſe the ſtrongeſt and propereſt Perſons, as we ſee in the Greek ſtory of Jaſon (which our Learned Dr. Spencer obſerves, p. 140.) whoſe Sacrifices were led to the Altar by the young men of his Company, i. e. Men of greateſt ſtrength and beauty, L. I. Argonaut. And this ſo far remained, after the Prieſthood was conſined to the Family of Aaron, that no Man was permitted to officiate at the Altar, after he was Fifty years of Age; that is, when he was paſt his beſt, (as we ſpeak) the flower and ſtrength of his Age, VIII Numb. 25. Fortunatus Scacchus conjectures that there were XII. of theſe young Men, one of each Tribe, who offered in the Name of their Brethren, Myrothec. Sacr. Elaeochriſm, p. 2. c. 59.
Which offered Burnt-offerings, and ſacrificed Peace-offerings of Oxen unto the LORD.] Though Oxen are only mentioned, yet there were other Creatures Sacrificed, as appears from IX Hebr. 19, 20. And in following times, Peace-offerings might be either of Calves, or Lambs, or Goats, as we ſind in III Lev. and ſo might Burnt-offerings alſo; ſee I Lev. 2, 10. Our Learned Primate Ʋſher thinks alſo there were Expiatory Sacrifices offered together with theſe Burnt-offerings and Peace-offerings, and that in the firſt place; ad A. M. 2513. menſ. 3.
Ver. 6. And Moſes took half the blood, and put it in baſons.] It may be a queſtion, whether he ſpake of the Blood of all the Sacrifices, or only of the Expiatory (if there were any) or of the Burnt-offerings, or Peace-offerings. But which way ſoever that be determined, this half of the Blood, it is certain, was reſerved to be ſprinkled on the People, v. 8.
Concerning the word Agganot, which we tranſlate Baſons, the Learned Reader may conſult Bochartus in his Hierozoic. P. I. p. 549.
And half of the Blood he ſprinkled on the Altar.] The Altar repreſenting God, (as was ſaid before v. 4.) this Blood ſprinkled upon it, ſignified that he for his part engaged to be faithful in the Covenant, he now made with them, and they with him; by performing all the Promiſes he had newly made them by Moſes in the latter end of the foregoing Chapter; eſpecially, thoſe four great Promiſes, of Plenty, Health, numerous Off-ſpring, and Long-life, v. 25, 26. together with the driving out the People of Canaan from before them, v. 27, &c.
Ver. 7. And he took the Book.] Some have made it a difficulty to find, what Book this was; and have been pleaſed to fancy that ſome Book which Moſes wrote is loſt. When this plainly refers to what is ſaid v. 4. where we read that Moſes wrote all the words of the LORD, that is, the Commandments and Judgments mentioned in the four foregoing Chapters. Which though they made no great Volume, yet might be called a Book in their Language: for even the Bill of Divorcement, which they gave their Wives (and was very ſhort) is called by this Name of Sepher, a Book, XXIV Deut. 1.
Of the Covenant.] That they might remember upon what terms he would beſtow upon them the fore-named Bleſſings, he engages them in a Solemn Covenant to obſerve the Commandments and Judgments contained in this Book.
Ver. 8. And Moſes took the blood.] That half of it which was in the Baſons, v. 6.
And ſprinkled it on the people.] As he had ſprinkled one half on the Altar, in token God was a Party in the Covenant: ſo he ſprinkled the other half on the XII. Pillars, which repreſented the Children of Iſrael, in token that they were the other Party engaged in the ſame Covenant. Thus our fore-named Primate, and ſeveral others underſtand it: and it carries ſome ſhow of probability in it. Yet I cannot think it unlikely, that it was ſprinkled upon the LXX. Elders, by whom the People conſented; if not upon all the People, who ſtood next to the Altar, and are here expreſly mentioned. The Apoſtle to the Hebrews IX. 19. ſaith he ſprinkled the Book, as well as the People: which is not here mentioned, but ſuppoſed. For when he went to ſprinkle the Blood, we muſt conceive he laid down the Book, that he might be at more liberty for this other action: And perhaps he laid it on one of the Pillars, where it was ſprinkled, as they were, together with the People whom they repreſented.
And ſaid, Behold the Blood of the Covenant, which the LORD hath made with you concerning all theſe words.] Look upon your ſelves as obliged by this Blood, to obſerve all the Commands which I have delivered to you, in the words you have heard. For there were two ways of making Covenants anciently; both which were here uſed. The first was, after a Sacrifice had been offered, to ſprinkle the Blood of it upon both Parties, who were to be Confederates: which was done here v. 6, 8. And ſecondly, the Confederates thereupon proceeded to eat together ſome part of the Sacrifice; which follows v. 11. where we find the Elders of Iſrael (who repreſented the People) did eat and drink in the Preſence of God.
Ver. 9. Then went up Moſes, and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and LXX. of the Elders of Iſrael.] Theſe things being done, they went up into the Mount, as they were ordered, v. 1. i. e. they went up to that part of the Mount, where Aaron and his Sons, and the Elders were appointed to come; but no further.
Ver. 10. And they ſaw the God of Iſrael.] When Moſes is commanded to come near unto the LORD, (v. 2.) Maimonides acknowledges it may be underſtood of his local approach to the place, where the Light, or Glory of God then appeared, More Nevoch. P. I. c. 18. And therefore it is ſomething ſtrange, that he expounds the Elders ſeeing God, of their apprehenſion of him by their Underſtanding; and not rather of their beholding ſome glimpſe of that viſible Majeſty, which was on the Top of the Mount. For that, I doubt not, is the meaning, as appears by what follows. And ſo the Chaldee expounds it, They ſaw the Glory of the God of Iſrael; ſurrounded, we may well ſuppoſe, with an heavenly Hoſt of Angels, attending upon the SCHECHINAH, or Divine Majeſty, as it was alſo called.
And there was under his feet.] This hath made ſome conceive, that this viſible Glory appeared in the form of a Man, with his Back towards them, ſtanding upon a ſhining Pavement. But this is contrary to IV Deut. 15. For though that be ſpoken of another time and place, viz. the Giving of the Law, which all the People heard, but ſaw no Similitude; yet if the Elders had afterward ſeen a Similitude, it would have ſpoiled Moſes his Argument, they being the Repreſentatives of the People. This glorious Light therefore, far ſurpaſſing all other, had no form, nor could be deſcribed by any Art: and conſequently by its feet, is meant only the lower part of it; which reſted, as it were, upon a moſt glorious Pavement. And thus the Divine Majeſty is ſaid to have had a Foot-ſtool, (which was the cover of the Ark) though it had no Human ſhape.
As it were a paved work of Saphire ſtone.] The glorious Majeſty of God was repreſented as having under it, a Pavement ſutable to it ſelf, very bright and ſhineing. For there is a ſort of Saphire, called foreign, ſpotted with little points, or pricks of Gold, which ſhine like Stars interſperſed in the Body of it. See Salmaſius in Solinum, p. 131, 203. Such was this Pavement, as we may gather from the following words.
And as it were the body of Heaven in its clearneſs.] As clear as the pureſt and ſereneſt Sky, when it is all ſpangled with Stars. All which ſignifies, as I take it, that the Glory of the LORD appeared far above the Glory of the Sun, in its greateſt brightneſs, upon a Pavement ſparkling like the Stars in the Heaven, when it is moſt clear. The LXX. inſtead of the words, ſaw the God of Iſrael, have ſaw foreign the place of the God of Iſrael. As if they ſaw a Throne, upon which there was a viſible Majeſty, beyond all deſcription. And if this be admitted, then this Throne may well be ſaid to have feet, ſtanding upon ſuch a glorious Pavement. And ſo they tranſlate it in the next Verſe, where this is repeated.
Ver. 11. And upon the Nobles of the Children of Iſrael.] i. e. The Elders before-mentioned, v. 1, 9. called here Atzilim, to ſignifie that they were the prime and choiceſt Perſons among the Iſraelites. For Atzal ſigniſies to ſeparate; and conſequently atzilim imports Men diſtinguiſhed from others, either by their Birth, Office or ſome excellent qualities.
He laid not his hand.] Did not hurt them. Whereas it was the common Opinion, That they who ſaw God (though it was by one of his Angels) ſhould preſently die. The ſplendour of that glorious Light was ſo dazling, that it was a ſingular favour it did not put out their Eyes, as the Light wherein St. Paul ſaw our Saviour, did his. We are told, v. 17. The ſight of the Glory of the LORD was like devouring fire. Which might put them in fear perhaps, they had been ſcorched by it, when it flaſht out upon them; but they found not the leaſt hurt by it. Thus Jonathan ſaith in his Paraphraſe upon the XXXII Chapter, that when Moſes delayed to come down from the Mount, the People fancied him to be burnt up by the fire, which ſhone from the Preſence of God, which there appeared.
This ſight of God which he vouchſafed to the Elders, was in all likelyhood, to convince them that he was among them, and had ſpoken to them, and ſent them the Precepts before-mentioned by the hand of Moſes.
Alſo they ſaw God, and did eat and drink.] After they had ſeen God, they were ſo far from receiving any harm, that they feaſted with him upon the Reliques of the Peace-offerings, with great Joy and Gladneſs. Or we may ſuppoſe, that the Glory of the LORD ſhone upon them, as they ſat down to eat and drink, in token of their full conſent to the Covenant now made, (for ſo the cuſtom was of making Covenants, XXIV Gen. 30. XXXI. 54.) and that notwithſtanding they continued to finiſh their Feaſt, not being diſpirited (as good Men were ſometimes afterwards, with glorious Viſions, X Dan. 8, 16, 17.) but rather ſtrengthen'd and made more vigorous.
The word for ſaw in this Verſe, is different from that in the former; importing, I ſuppoſe, that this Appearance of God to them laſted ſome time.
Ver. 12. And the LORD ſaid unto Moſes.] He called to him, perhaps, with an audible voice, from the place where they ſaw his Glory; that they might know how familiar he was with God, and might more readily receive whatſoever Commands he brought from him.
Come up to me into the Mount.] To the top of the Mount, where the Glory of the LORD was, v. 17. For hitherto Moſes had gone no further than the reſt; but was with them when they did eat and drink before the LORD.
And be there.] Stay with me there, v. 18.
And I will give thee Tables of ſtone.] Not only the Jews, but Epiphanius alſo fancies theſe Tables were made of Saphire, from what was ſaid v. 10. But the words ſignifie plainly enough that they were of Stone.
And a Law and Commandments which I have written.] From this place the Jews endeavour to eſtabliſh their unwritten or oral Law, i. e. their Traditions; which, they ſay, were now delivered, together with the Tables of Stone. So Maimonides in his Preface to Jad Chazeka; All the Precepts which were given to Moſes on Mount Sinai, were given with their Explications; according to what is ſaid, I will give the Tables of Stone, and a Law, and Commandments: where by the Law is meant the written Law, and the Commandments denote the Explication of it, which we call the Oral Law. Thus he, and others of them, directly againſt the Text it ſelf, which ſaith expreſly, both of the Law and the Commandments here mentioned, that they were written. See Selden L. II. de Synedr. c. 16. Therefore by Law and Commandments, we are to underſtand nothing elſe, but the Law contained in the X. Commandments.
That thou mayest teach them.] Inſtruct the People to obſerve them, as the moſt ſacred of all other Precepts; being written, as well as ſpoken, by God himſelf, who taught Men, by this Example, how to preſerve their Laws. For Ariſtotle ſaith in his Problems, that in old time, Men being ignorant how to write, foreign, were wont to ſing their Laws, that they might not be forgotten. It being the invention of the Corybantes, foreign (as Theopompus ſpeaks) to ſet up Pillars, and ingrave their Laws upon them. Which Solon at laſt wrote on wooden Tables, called foreign and foreign, which were laid up in the Temple of the Mother of the Gods, v. Sam. Petitum Praefat. in Leg. Atticas.
Ver. 13: And Moſes roſe up.] From among the Elders; with whom he was before.
And his Minister Joſhua.] Who attended him further than the Elders; but not into the place where he went. For God intending him to be Moſes his Succeſſor, ſeems to admit him unto a nearer Familiarity, than any one elſe beſides Moſes.
And Moſes went up into the Mount of God.] The place where the Divine Glory appeared. But Joſhua ſtaid for him, in ſome lower part of the Mountain, expecting his return. For he did not go up to the top of the Mount, as appears from the XXXII Chapter; where Moſes his deſcent from thence being mentioned, Joſhua is not named till it be ſaid, that Moſes was come down from the Mount, v. 15, 17. He went with him therefore till he entred into the Cloud, and then he ſtaid, as it were, at the door waiting for his return.
Ver. 14. And he ſaid unto the Elders.] Before he left them, he gave them this order.
Tarry ye here for us.] Not in the place where they had ſeen God, and did eat and drink with him; whether the People might not come: but rather in the Camp, or ſome place near it, whether the People might, upon occaſion, reſort to them. Unto which place Moſes ſeems to have walkt with them from the Mount, before he returned to go up into it: or, at leaſt, pointed them unto it with his ſinger, that they might there wait for him.
Ʋntil we come again to you.] He could not tell how long God would detain him; and therefore commands them to govern the People till his return to them.
And behold, Aaron and Hur are with you.] Who ſeem to have been of greateſt Authority, next to himſelf; and were with him in the Mount, when the Iſraelites fought with Amalek, Chap. XVII.
If any man have any matters to do, let him come unto them.] In all Cauſes, which were too hard for the Elders to determine, he directs them to go to Aaron and Hur, as they were wont to do to him. By this it appears, that theſe LXX. Elders, were ſome of the Judges appointed by the advice of Jethro, (XVIII. 22.) which he continued to follow, and orders them to obſerve in his abſence.
Ver. 15. And Moſes went up into the Mount.] Having ſaid this, he and Joſhua left them; and he went into the higher part of the Mount.
And a Cloud covered the Mount.] That part of it where he was: ſo that the People, and Joſhua alſo, loſt the ſight of him.
Ver. 16. And the Glory of the LORD abode upon Mount Sinai.] That viſible Majeſty, which ſhone in extraordinary ſplendour, was ſetled, for the preſent, upon the top of this Mount.
And the Cloud covered it.] i. e. Covered the Glory of the LORD, not the Mount; as Aben Ezra obſerves. For the Cloud was not the Glory of the LORD, but incompaſſed and covered it: ſo that for ſix days nothing but the Cloud appeared to the Iſraelites: till on the ſeventh day, the Cloud was rent (as I take it) or opened; and the Glory of the LORD appeared like flaming fire.
Six days.] Thus long it was hidden in a Cloud, ſo that Moſes himſelf could not ſee it, but remained wrapt up in darkneſs; which might have aſtoniſhed him, if he had not been ſupported by the Divine Power, and a comfortable ſenſe of God, who had often appeared to him, and converſed familiarly with him.
And the ſeventh day he called unto Moſes.] The ſecond time (for he had called to him before, to come up to him, v. 12.) commanding him to approach into his glorious Preſence.
Out of the midst of the Cloud.] Where the Divine Glory was, and now broke out and appeared, I ſuppoſe, unto Moſes. Some think the ſeventh day might be the Sabbath, upon which God choſe to appear to him.
Ver. 17. And the ſight of the Glory of the LORD was like devouring fire, on the top of the Mount, in the Eyes of the Children of Iſrael.] It broke out of the Cloud, after ſix days, ſo that the People ſaw it, like flaming fire. To which the Pſalmist ſeems to allude, XCVII Pſal. 2, 3. Clouds and darkneſs are round about him, and fire goeth before him, &c. Thus the Glory of the LORD is deſcribed in other places, as within a Cloud, and ſometimes breaking out of it, XL Exod. 35. where the Cloud is ſaid to be upon the Tabernacle, and the Glory of the LORD to fill it within; which v. 38. is deſcribed like fire. See alſo XVI Numb. 42. And thus at its firſt appearing, there was a Pillar of a Cloud, and of Fire led them, XIII. 21. And it ſometimes appearing in an amazing brightneſs, beyond that of the Sun; and ſometimes being wrapt up in as thick a Cloud: God is likewiſe ſaid, both to dwell in Light, and in thick Darkneſs, 1 Kings VIII. 12.
Ver. 18. And Moſes went into the midſt of the Cloud.] From whence the LORD had called to him, v. 16. Therefore he broke through the thick Cloud, into the very Prefence of God, which was in a ſecret part of the Cloud, called the midst of it.
And gat him up into the Mount.] To the top of it, where the Glory of the LORD appeared to him, in the midſt of the Cloud; the External Parts of which and the Fire only being ſeen by the People.
And Moſes was in the Mount forty days, and forty nights.] That he might receive the two Tables of Stone, and the Gift of Prophecy (as Elmacinus an Arabian Chriſtian adds) with Directions for the making the Tabernacle, and all things belonging to it, and the Service to be performed there, by the Prieſt, apparelled according to Divine Preſcription, &c. which follow in the enſuing Chapters: where Moſes relates what orders God gave him about every thing relating to his Divine Service. And it need not ſeem ſtrange, as Clemens Alexandrinus excellently ſpeaks (L. I. Stromat. p. 351.) that Moſes received his Laws from God; when the Greeks pretend the ſame of their Minos: only they ſay he went into Jupiter's Cave, and was nine years there in learning the Laws which he gave him; when Moſes was but XL. days in the Mount, where God viſibly appeared. They believed alſo that Lycurgus received his Laws from Apollo: and Zaleucus (as Plato, Ariſtotle, and divers others, whom he mentions, ſay) received his from Minerva. All this was firmly believed among them, who in not acknowledging the Divinity of Moſes his Miniſtration, were very ingrateful; for his was the Archetype, as he ſpeaks, or Pattern of what was pretended in their Stories.
Forty days and forty nights.] It may be a queſtion, whether the ſix days, that he remained in the Cloud, before the LORD called him higher, be included in theſe XL. days; or were only preparatory to his nearer acceſs to God. They may well be both: for it is not ſaid, he was in the midst of the Cloud forty days and forty nights; but that he was ſo long in the Mount. Part of which time was ſpent in the dark Cloud; and the reſt in the bright Preſence of God, in the midſt of the Cloud: And in all that ſpace, he did neither eat nor drink, XXXIV. 28. IX Deut. 9.
God could, if he had pleaſed, have revealed to him all his Mind, in a leſs time: But the method of the Divine Wiſdom is to do all things gradually. For inſtance, the Subſtance of a Child in the Womb (ſaith the Author of Schalſch. Hakkabalah) is not perfected in leſs time than XL. Weeks, in all which time it receives no Meat nor Drink (at the Mouth we muſt underſtand him) and ſo many days did the Divine Power work in Moſes to form him into a new Eſſence, (as his words are) and give him a full Comprehenſion, of all that God communicated to him. And all this time he neither did eat nor drink; for theſe actions (ſay that Jew) prejudice the Underſtanding; which God intended to exalt by depreſſing the Bodily Faculties and Powers. Which for want of Meat and Drink were brought down very low, that the Underſtanding might be raiſed and lifted up. And thus we find in after times, that Daniel chaſtened his Body, for three whole Weeks together, the better to diſpoſe him for heavenly Viſion, X. 2, 3, 12.
This aſcent of Moſes from the Cloudy part of the Mount, to the fiery top of it, was upon the XIVth of Sivan: and we may ſuppoſe, as Jacobus Capellus doth, that the Cloud accompanied him, as he went up, to defend him from the circumambient flame.