Commentary on Exodus, Commentary · Chapter 20
CHAP. XX.
Verſe 1. AND God ſpake all theſe words, ſaying.] After the Trumpet had ſummoned them all to attend, and ſounded a long time louder and louder, there came a Voice from the SCHECHINAH, or Divine Majeſty, out of the midſt of the Fire (as we read IV Deut. 12. V. 4, 22.) that is, of the Angelical Hoſt, which incircled him, and appeared like Flames of Fire. Which made the Apoſtle ſay, the Law was ordained by Angels (III Gal. 19.) who were then in attendance upon the Divine Majeſty, as his Retinue, when he ſpake all theſe words, that follow to the end of the ſeventeenth Verſe; which are called the Ten words, or Commandments, in XXXIV. 28. And he ſpake them with ſo great a Voice, V Deut. 22. that all the People, who were very numerous, plainly heard them: which was very wonderful.
This was upon the ſixth day of the third Month, called Sivan. See Selden L. III. de Jure N. & G. c. 11.
Ver. 2. I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the Land of Egypt, &c.] In this Preface to the Ten Commandments, he aſſerts his Right to give them Laws, not only in general, as he is the LORD of all, but by a peculiar Title he had to their Obedience; whom he had taken to himſelf, after a ſpecial manner, to be his People, by bringing them out of the Land of Egypt, and the Servitude under which they groaned there. This was a Benefit freſh in their Minds, and moſt apt to affect their Hearts: and therefore he doth not ſay (as the Author of Sepher Coſri obſerves, P. I. Sect. 27.) I am the LORD of Heaven and Earth; or, I am thy Creator; but, I am the LORD thy God, who have ſhown a particular favour and kindneſs to thee, by bringing thee out of the Land of Egypt, &c. When he became their King by a ſpecial Title, (as I obſerved III. 10.) and upon that account gave them theſe Laws, whereby they were to be governed: and gave them peculiarly to them (as the fore-named Author notes) who were tied to the Obſervance of them, by virtue of their Deliverance out of Egypt, and God's placing his Glory among them. Whereas, if they had been tied to them by virtue of their Creation, they would have belonged to all Nations, as much as unto them. Thus He. Maimonides will have theſe words, I am the LORD thy God, to ſignifie the Exiſtence of God; and the next, (v. 3.) his Ʋnity: which two are the great Foundations of Religion, More Nevoch. P. II. c. 33. And indeed the word JEHOVAH, or LORD, is generally thought to ſignifie, he who is of himſelf. And the next word ELOHIM (which is the moſt ancient Name of God in Scripture) Learned men of late derive from the Arabick word Alaha, (there being no root in Hebrew remaining from whence it can ſo regularly come) which ſignifies to worſhip, ſerve, and adore. Hottinger hath taken a great deal of pains, in his Hexaemeron, and elſewhere, to confirm this out of that, and out of the Ethiopick Language alſo. The Jews ſay indeed, that Elohim is the name of Judgment, as Jehovah is of Mercy; but Abarbinel confutes this, to eſtabliſh a Notion of his own, (viz. the Omnipotent Cauſe of all things) which others oppoſe, as much as he doth the former. And therefore moſt, I think, now reſt in the fore-named Notion, that it properly ſignifies him, who only is to be religiouſly worſhipped and adored; as it follows in the next words.
Ver. 3. Thou ſhalt have no other Gods.] That is, believe in one God; or, believe there is no other God but me, as Nachman interprets it; and conſequently worſhip no other God. This is the great Foundation (as the Hebrews ſpeak) of the Law: for whoſoever confeſſes any other God, he denies the whole Law. And they truly obſerve alſo, that this negative Precept includes the affirmative, viz. a Command to worſhip Him, the only God. As when Naaman ſaith, he would neither offer Burnt-offering, nor Sacrifice to any other God, but the LORD; it is plain he meant, that he would Sacrifice to him, 1 Kings V. 17. See Selden L. III. de Jure N. & G. c. 1.
Before me.] As they were not to forſake Him, and worſhip ſome other God; ſo not to worſhip any other God, together with Him, as many did, 2 Kings XVII. 33. For in his Preſence he could not indure any Competitor.
Ver. 4. Thou ſhalt not make unto thee any graven Image, &c.] The difference between Peſel, which we tranſlate graven Image, and Temunah, which we tranſlate Likeneſs, ſeems to be, that the former was a protuberant Image, or a Statue made of Wood, Stone, &c. and the other only a Picture drawn in colours upon a Wall, or Board, &c. Both which, ſome have thought, they were prohibited here ſo much as to make; whether it were the Image or Picture, of the Stars, or Birds, or Men, or Beaſts, or Fiſhes; for fear they ſhould be drawn to worſhip them. Thus it is certain Origen underſtood this Commandment, when he ſaid, there was not permitted to be ſo much as foreign, &c. a Picture-drawer, or a maker of Statues in their Commonwealth: to take away all occaſion of drawing Mens minds from the worſhip of God, L. IV. contra Celſ. p. 181. Clemens Alexandrinus was of the ſame Opinion, L. V. Stromat. and Tertullian, L. de Spectaculis, c. 23. Which they derived, in all probability from the Jews, who from the time of the Maccabees, to the Deſtruction of Jeruſalem, thought they were forbidden by this Law to make an Image or Figure of any Living Creature, eſpecially of a Man. This Harmannus Conringius hath plainly demonſtrated (in his Paradoxa de Nummis Ebraeorum, c. 5.) out of many places in Philo and in Joſephus. The latter of which tells us, L. XVIII. Archaeolog. c. 5. That all their Governours before Pilate, were wont to uſe Enſigns in Jeruſalem, without the Image of Caeſar in them, becauſe their Law forbad foreign, the making of Images. And when Vitellius was to lead the Roman Army through Judaea againſt the Arabians, with Images in their Enſigns, the People ran to meet him, beſeeching him to forbear it, foreign, for it was not conſonant to the Laws of their Country to ſee Images brought into it. But whether this was the ancient Expoſition of the Law before thoſe times, may be doubted. The Talmudiſts think it was unlawful to make any Figures of Celeſtial Bodies, either prominent or plain, though it were for Ornaments ſake: but as for Animals, they might make prominent Statues of them, except only of Men; the Images of whom they might draw on a plain; See Selden L. I. de Jure Nat. & Gent. c. 6, 7, 8. Which diſtinctions moſt look upon as ungrounded; and the common Opinion is, That Moſes did not forbid the very making of an Image; but, that they ſhould not make them, to ſet up in the place of Divine Worſhip.
Ver. 5. Thou ſhalt not bow down thy ſelf to them, nor ſerve them.] If they ſaw an Image (as they muſt needs do in other Countries, though we ſuppoſe they had none among themſelves) he requires them not to uſe any geſture, or to do any thing that might ſignifie Reverence or Honour given to them. Such were proſtrating themſelves before them, bowing their bodies, kiſſing their hands; much leſs to offer Sacrifice, or burn Incenſe, &c. to them. Here ſeems to be a plain gradation in this Commandment; three things being here forbidden, if we take the firſt part of it to ſignifie that they might not ſo much as make a graven Image, or any likeneſs of any thing, for fear they ſhould be tempted to Idolatry. But though this may be ſuppoſed to have been a ſin, yet not ſo great as the next, to bow down to them; which was a degree of Honour, too high to be paid unto any Image. But was not the higheſt of all; which was to ſerve them, by offering Sacrifice, burning Incenſe, making Vows to them; or ſwearing by them; or conſecrating Temples to them; or lighting Candles before them.
For I the LORD thy God am a jealous God.] This reaſon ſhows that this Commandment is different from the firſt, and not a part of it. For worſhipping of Images is forbidden, not meerly becauſe he was their God, and there is but one God, but becauſe He is a jealous God, who could not endure any Corrival, or Conſort, in that which was proper to himſelf. And ſo the ancient Jews, and Chriſtians alſo, before St. Auſtin, took this for the ſecond Commandment. The Arabian Chriſtians, in later times, particularly Elmacinus, diſtinctly name the Ten Commandments, in that order which we now do; as Hottinger obſerves in his Smegma Orientale, p. 436.
Viſiting.] i.e. Puniſhing with heavy Judgments, XXVI Lev. 39.
The iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children.] This was threatned to terrifie them from this ſin, which would ruin their Families; being a kind of High Treaſon againſt the LORD of Heaven and Earth. Yet Aben-Ezra underſtands it only of ſuch Children as trod in the ſteps of their Forefathers; for if they repented, the Puniſhment was mitigated, XXVI Lev. 40, &c.
Ʋnto the third and fourth Generation.] That is, as long as they could be ſuppoſed to live (which might be to ſee the third, and perhaps the fourth Generation) he threatens to purſue them with his Vengeance in their Poſterity; whoſe Puniſhment they themſelves ſhould behold, to their great grief. So great was his hatred to this Sin; and ſo odious were ſuch People to him. Thus Maimonides expounds it in his More Nevoch. P. I. c. 54. Viſiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children, is threatned only againſt the Sin of Idolatry; as appears from what follows, that ſuch Sinners are called haters of him. And he mentions only to the fourth Generation; becauſe the moſt a Man can live to ſee of his Seed, is the fourth Generation. Accordingly God orders, ſaith he, that if any City prove Idolaters, the Inhabitants ſhould be deſtroyed utterly, and all that was therein, XIII Deut. 13, 14, 15. Fathers, Children, Grand-children, Great-grand-children, and the new-born Children, were all killed for the Sin of their Parents. Hence he ſaith, VII Deut. 10. he repayeth them that hate him to their face: which is there twice mentioned.
Of them that hate me.] For he looked on them, not only as Enemies, but as haters of him. It is an Obſervation of the ſame Maimonides, that in the whole Law of Moſes, and in the Books of the Prophets, we ſhall never find theſe words, Fury, Anger, Indignation, Jealouſie attributed to God, but when they ſpeak of Idolatry: nor any Man called an Enemy to God, an Adverſary, an Hater of him, but only Idolaters, VI Deut. 14, 15. XI. 16, 17. XXXI. 29, &c. I Nehem. 2. VII Deut. 10. XXXII Numb. 21. XII Deut. 31. XVI. 22. See More Nevoch. P. 1. c. 36. which he repeats c. 54. No man is called an hater of God, but an Idolater; according to that XII Deut. 31. every abomination to the LORD which he hateth. By which it appears that they counted the Worſhippers of Images, Idolaters; though they did not think theſe Images to be Gods, (for no Man in the World ever thought an Image, made of Wood and Stone, Silver or Gold, to be the Creator of Heaven and Earth, or the Governour of the World) but took them only for things intermediate between God and them, as he there ſpeaks.
This was a Law ſo well known to the ancient Heathens, that the beſt Menamong them would ſuffer no Images to be ſet up in their Temples. In particular, Numa forbad this to the Romans, which he learnt, as Clemens Alexandrinus thinks, from Moſes. Inſomuch, that for the ſpace of an Hundred and ſeventy years, though they built Temples, yet foreign, they made no Image, neither Statue, nor ſo much as a Picture, L. I. Stromat. p. 304. Plutarch relates the ſame in the Life of Numa Pompilius, and adds this reaſon, that he thought it a great Crime to repreſent the moſt excellent Being, by ſuch mean things; and that God was to be apprehended only by the Mind. The ancient Perſians pretend to have received the ſame Law from their Zoroaſter; who, in a number of things is ſo like to Moſes, that Huetius thinks (not without reaſon) his ſtory was framed out of theſe Books.
Ver. 6. And ſhowing mercy unto thouſands.] To invite their Obedience, he promiſes to be kind unto them and their Poſterity, for many Generations (ſo thouſands ſignifies) who were loyal and faithful to him. Such is the infinite goodneſs of God, that he delights in ſhowing Mercy, more than in Acts of Severity; there being ſuch a diſproportion between the one and the other, as there is between three or four, and a thouſand. Which made the heavy Puniſhment of Idolaters the more reaſonable, becauſe they might have enjoyed ſuch great and long continued Bleſſings, if they would have kept cloſe to their Religion.
Of them that love me.] Adhered to him alone, as the only Object of Worſhip and Adoration; with ſuch an Affection as a chaſte Wife bears to her Huſband. For God now eſpouſed this Nation to himfelf, (as the Prophets taught them to underſtand it) and therefore all the Idolatry which is forbidden in theſe Commandments, is called going a whoring from him.
And keep my Commandments.] Not only profeſſed to be his intirely, but proved it by obſerving his Precepts. Which keeping or obſerving of his Commandments, is mentioned here perhaps, and not any of the following Commandments; becauſe this and the firſt were the principal, upon which the reſt depended: There being no reaſon to mind what he ſaid, if they acknowledged any other God but him.
Ver. 7. Thou ſhalt not take the Nante of the LORD thy God in vain.] By the Name of the LORD in Scripture, is meant the LORD himſelf: and to take or lift up his Name, is to Swear by him. So this word Naſa ſometimes ſignifies without the addition of God's Name, III Iſa. 7. Jiſſa he ſhall lift up in that day; which we truly render, in that day he ſhall ſwear: which they did then with the Hand lifted up to Heaven. And to take his Name, or ſwear in vain, is to ſwear falſly. That's the principal meaning undoubtedly, that they ſhould not call God to witneſs unto a Lie; promiſing in his Name that which they meant not to perform; or affirming or denying with an Oath, that which they knew not to be true. For ſo the word Schave frequently ſignifies in Scripture, a Lie. This relates not to their giving a Teſtimony before a Judge upon Oath, (of which he ſpeaks afterward, in a diſtinct Commandment) but to their Intercourſe and Commerce one with another. For an Oath, ſaith R. Levi of Barcelona, ought to eſtabliſh every thing: and thereby we declare our ſelves to be as much reſolved concerning that which we ſwear, as we are concerning the Being of God.
Heathens themſelves accounted an Oath ſo ſacred a thing, that it was capital for a Man to forſwear himſelf as Hen. Stephanus (in his Fontes Juris Civilis, p. 7.) obſerves out of Diodorus Siculus, L. I. and the reaſon he gives of it is this, that ſuch a Man committed two heinous Crimes, by violating his Piety to God, and his Faith to Men, in the higheſt degree.
But beſides this, both Jews and Chriſtians, always underſtood ſwearing lightly, upon frivolous occaſions, or without any neceſſity, to be here forbidden. R. Levi, before-mentioned, ſaith this Precept may be violated four ſeveral ways, beſides ſwearing that which we mean not to perform. And Salvian aplies this to the trivial naming of God and our Saviour, upon all occaſions, and ſometimes upon bad occaſions. Nihil jam penè vanius, quam Chriſti nomen eſſe videatur, &c. Every body then ſwearing by Chriſt, he would do this or that, though of no conſequence whether he did it or no, or perhaps a thing, which ought not to be done, L. IV. de Gubern. Dei, p. 88. edit. Baluz.
They that underſtand this of Swearing by falſe Gods (which are called vain things in Scripture) do but trifle: that is condemned in the foregoing Commandment; it being a piece of Worſhip to ſwear by them.
For the LORD will not hold him guiltleſs, &c.] If Men did not puniſh the falſe Swearer, the LORD threatens that he will. And ſo Mankind always thought, as appears by the Law of the XII. Tables, (mentioned by Hen. Stephanus in the Book quoted above) Perjurij poena divina, exitium; humana dedecus: The Divine Puniſhment of Perjury is utter Deſtruction; the Humane Puniſhment is Diſgrace or Infamy. And Alexander Severus was ſo ſenſible of this, that he thought, Juris jurandi contempta Religio, ſatis Deum ultorem habet: The contempt of the Religion of an Oath, hath God for a ſufficient Avenger. For an Oath is the ſtrongeſt Bond that is among Men, to bind them to Truth and Fidelity, as Cicero ſpeaks, L. III. de Oſſic. c. 31. Witneſs, ſaith he, the XII. Tables; witneſs our Sacred Forms in taking an Oath; witneſs our Covenants and Leagues, wherein we plight our Faith to Enemies; witneſs the Animadverſions of our Cenſors, qui nulla de re diligentius, quam de jurejurando, judicabant, who judged of nothing more diligently, than of an Oath.
Nor was the other ſort of vain (that is, light and idle) Swearing, without any juſt occaſion, ſuffered to go unpuniſhed: for Mr. Selden obſerves out of Maimonides (L. II. de Synedr. c. 11. p. 497.) that if any Man was guilty of it, he that heard him Swear was bound to Excommunicate him, (what that was he ſhows in the firſt Book) and if he did not, he was to be Excommunicated himſelf. And there is great reaſon for theſe Civil Laws, which have provided a Puniſhment for this Crime; not only becauſe it is a great diſreſpect to God, to uſe his Name ſo lightly, on every trivial occaſion; but becauſe ſuch contempt of the Divine Majeſty, makes Men fall into the fearful Sin of Perjury.
Ver. 8. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.] Be mindful of the day, called the Sabbath; to make a difference between it and all other days; ſo that it be not employed as they are.
Ver. 9. Six days ſhalt thou labour, and do all thy work.] This is not a Precept requiring Labour; but a Permiſſion to employ ſix days in a Week, about ſuch worldly Buſineſs as they had to do. Which Permiſſion alſo God himſelf abridged, by appointing ſome other Feſtival days; as all Governours may do, upon ſome ſpecial occaſions.
But the ſeventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD thy God.] Appointed by his Authority to be a day of Reſt from your Labours.
In it thou ſhalt not do any work.] Herein the peculiar reſpect to the Seventh day conſiſted: on all other days they might work; but on this they were to ceaſe from all manner of work. In which very thing, was the ſanctifying of this day; it being hereby ſeparated and diſtinguiſhed from all other days, in a very remarkable manner. But then it naturally followed, that having no other work to do, they ſhould call to mind the reaſon why it was thus fanctified, or ſet apart from other days. And the reaſon, ſay the Jews themſelves, was, That having no other buſineſs, they might faſten in their minds the belief, that the World had a beginning; which is a thred that draws after it all the foundations of the Law; or the Principles of Religion. They are words of R. Levi of Barcelona.
Beſides which there was another reaſon, which I ſhall mention preſently. But by this it appears, that the Obſervation of this day, was a Sign, or a Badge, to whom they belonged: A profeſſion that they were all the Servants of Him, who created the Heaven and the Earth, as God himſelf teaches them to ununderſtand it, XXXI. 13, 17. And that their Minds might be poſſeſſed with this ſenſe, he ordered this Solemn Commemoration of the Creation of the World, to be made once in Seven days. For, as if there had been quicker returns of it, their Secular Buſineſs might have been too much hindred; ſo if it had been delayed longer, this ſenſe might have worn too much out of their minds.
Thou, nor thy Son, nor thy Daughter, &c.] They might no more employ others in their worldly Buſineſs on this day, than do it themſelves: But their Children, though they underſtood not the reaſon, were to reſt; that in time they might learn this great Truth, that all things were made by God.
Nor thy Cattle.] Their Oxen, and Aſſes, and all other Creatures wont to be employed in their Labours, were to enjoy the benefit of this Reſt as well as themſelves, V Deut. 14. Which was abſolutely neceſſary; it being impoſſible for their Servants to reſt (as is here alſo required) if they were to ſet their Cattle on work.
Nor thy ſtranger that is within thy gates.] No ſtranger, who by being Circumciſed, had embraced the Jewiſh Religion. But other ſtrangers might work; who only dwelt among them, having renounced Idolatry, but not taken upon them the Obligation to obſerve their whole Law. Yet if any ſuch Perſon was a Servant to a Jew, his Maſter might not imploy him on the Sabbath day in any work of his; but the Man might work for himſelf, if he pleaſed, being not bound to this Law. See Selden L. III. de Jure N. & G. c. 12.
Ver. 11. For in ſix days the Lord made Heaven and Earth.] There were two reaſons for the Sanctification of this day. One was, becauſe God reſted from his Work of Creation on the Seventh day, which is mentioned here; the other was, becauſe he had given them reſt from their Labours in Egypt, which he mentions in the Vth of Deuteronomy. There is no body hath explained both theſe better than Maimonides, More Nevoch. P. II. c. 31. There are two different Cauſes, ſaith he, for this Precept, from two different Effects. For when Moſes firſt explained to us the cauſe of this Celebration, in the Promulgation of the X. Commandments, he ſaith it was, becauſe in ſix days the LORD made Heaven and Earth. But in the repetition of them, he ſaith, Remember that thou was a ſervant in Egypt, &c. therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the Sabbath day, V Deut. 15. The firſt Cauſe, is the Glory and Magnificence of this day, as it is ſaid, Therefore the LORD bleſſed the ſeventh day and ſancified it, II Gen. 3. This was the effect of that Cauſe, for in ſix days he made Heaven and Earth, (this was the reaſon, he means, of the firſt Inſtitution of the Sabbath) but that he gave this Precept of the Sabbath unto us (i.e. the Iſraelites) and commanded us to obſerve it, was from the other Cauſe, which followed the firſt Cauſe, becauſe we were Servants in Egypt. All which time we could not ſerve according to our own Will and Pleaſure, nor had any Reſt, or obſerved a Sabbath: And therefore God gave us this ſpecial Precept of Reſting and Ceſſation from Labours, to joyn together theſe two Reaſons, viz. the belief of the beginning of the World, which preſently ſuggeſts to us the Being of God; and then the memory of Gods Benefits unto us, in giving us Reſt from our intolerable Burdens in Egypt.
Wherefore he bleſſed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.] In the beginning of the World he bleſſed the Seventh day, II Gen. 3. and now particularly choſe this Seventh day, for a Sabbath; which he ordered them to obſerve in memory of their coming out of Egypt on that day; as I obſerved XVI. 5, 23. By which he preſerved in their minds, that ſingular Benefit which he had beſtowed upon them: and moſt manifeſtly (ſaith Maimonides in another place, P. III. c. 43.) procured great eaſe to all ſorts of Men, by freeing a ſeventh part of their Lives from weariſom Labour. Which hath another Bleſſing in conjunction with it, that it perpetually preſerved and confirmed that moſt precious Hiſtory and Doctrine concerning the Creation of the World.
Ver. 12. Honour thy Father and thy Mother.] In another place they are commanded to fear them, XIX Lev. 3. and as here the Father is put before the Mother, ſo there the Mother is put before the Father; to ſhow, (as Maimonides takes it, in his Treatiſe called Memarim, c. 6.) that we ought not to make any difference between them; but they are both equally to be honoured and reverenced. Which is a Duty of ſuch great concernment, that we are taught by the placing of this Commandment immediately after thoſe which peculiarly relate to God's Worſhip; that next to his Majeſty, our Parents are to be honoured, with that reverence, love, obedience, and maintenance, which is due to them. And therefore notorious diſobedience to them is threatned with death, as well as Apoſtacy from God. Wherein this honour or fear doth conſiſt, is taught in all Books of Religion: and Mr. Selden hath named a great many things wherein the Jews place it, as the Learned Reader may ſee, L. II. de Synedr. c. 13. p. 558, &c.
I ſhall only add, that this was a Law among the Heathens, mentioned by Saleucus, Charondas and others, in theſe words, foreign, let Children honour their Parents. And thus Ʋlpian expreſſes it, Filio ſemper honesta & ſancta perſona Patris videri debet. And afterward, Filium Patrem & Matrem venerari oportet. With much more, that Hen. Stephanus hath collected, in his Fontes & Rivi Juris Civilis.
That thy days may be long in the Land, &c.] As diſobedience to Parents is, by the Law of Moſes threatned to be puniſhed with death; ſo on the contrary, long Life (which is the greateſt worldly Bleſſing) is promiſed to the Obedient; and that in their own Country, which God had peculiarly inriched with abundance of his Bleſſings. Heathens alſo gave the very ſame incouragement, ſaying that ſuch Children ſhould be dear to the Gods, both living and dead. So Euripides,
foreign
foreign.
And this famous Senarius, mention'd by the fame Henr. Stephanus, with many other notable Paſſages, foreign. Thou ſhalt live long (or, as long as thou canſt deſire) if thou nouriſh thy ancient Parents. Whence children are called by Xenophon, and others, foreign.
Ver. 13. Thou ſhalt not kill.] After the Command about the reſpect due to Parents, naturally follows the regard we ought to have to all other Men, who ſpring from them. And the greateſt injury we can do another, is to take away his Life; whereby he is deprived of all the Enjoyments of this World, and Humane Society it ſelf is alſo wounded, which cannot ſubſiſt if its innocent Members cannot be ſafe. Innocent, I ſay, for this Commandment doth not hinder Men from defending themſelves from violence, XXII. 2. nor forbids Magiſtrates to puniſh thoſe with death, who commit Crimes worthy of it: for this is to preſerve the Lives of other Men, XXII. 18, 19, 20.
Ver. 14. Thou ſhalt not commit Adultery.] Next to a Man's ſelf, his Wife is nearer to him, than any other Perſon; they two being one fleſh. Which makes the injury done to him in her Perſon, a breach of Humane Society next to Murder. Nay, the LXX. place this Commandment before the other, Thou ſhalt not kill: Vertuous Woman valuing their Chaſtity more than their Lives; and the Crimes to which meer Pleaſure tempts Men, being more grievous, in the opinion of the great Philoſopher, than thoſe to which they are ſtimulated by anger. Whoredom is alſo forbidden in the Law of Moſes, and Incest; as Wounding any Man is, as well as Murder: but in theſe X. Words, which are a ſhort Abridgment of their Duty, it was ſufficient only to mention the principal things, of every kind, which were hateful to God and injurious to Men.
Ver. 15. Thou ſhalt not ſteal.] This was to injure Men in their Goods and Poſſeſſions; either by open Rapine, or by Craft and Cheating; againſt which God intended to ſecure them by this Precept. Several ſorts of this Sin, are afterwards mentioned in particular Laws.
Ver. 16. Thou ſhalt not bear falſe witneſs againſt thy Neighbour.] As our Neighbour is not to be injured by us in Deeds, ſo not in Words; by giving a falſe Teſtimony againſt him before a Judge; which is the chief Sin of this kind. This is both an injury to our Neighbour, and an affront to God; in whoſe place the Judge is, whom we go about to deceive.
Large Commentaries on theſe Commandments are not to be expected; which may be found in many Authors, commonly known.
Ver. 17. Thou ſhalt not covet thy Neighbours houſe, &c.] Here is forbidden ſo much as the deſigning any Miſchief to others, in any of the things forementioned. For as all Injuries in word or deed are prohibited in the IV. preceding Commandments: So in this he prohibits thoſe, which are only in the heart, or counſels of Men, but never come to light. And in the enumeration of the things they were not to covet, he begins firſt with that which was laſt mentioned, and ſo backard to the other. For he ſaith, Thou ſhalt not covet thy Neighbours Houſe, by deſigning to bear falſe witneſs, or to commit theft. And then follows, thou ſhalt not covet thy Neighbours Wife, by intending to abuſe her, if opportunity ſerved; nor his Man-ſervant, nor his Maid-ſervant, &c. which are his principal Goods. He ſaith nothing of thirſting after his Life; which is ſuppoſed to be unlawful, becauſe leſs than that is forbidden.
Menander hath ſomething like this;
foreign
foreign.
Do not ſo much as covet the thred of a Needle, for God ſees thee, being intimately preſent with thee. See more in Grotius his Prolegomena in Excerpta ex Stobaeo.
Ver. 18. And all the People ſaw the Thundrings, &c.] Seing being the principal Senſe, it is frequently put for the reſt: and this paſſage may be tranſlated, they ſenſibly perceived, &c. See XLII Gen. 1. and Druſius's Quaeſtiones Hebr. L. I. c. 10.
The Thundrings and the Lightnings.] XIX. 16.
And the noiſe of the Trumpet.] Which ceaſed, while God ſpake the X. Words to them; but now began again, together with Thunders and Lightnings, when they were ended. For as they were introduced in a moſt Majeſtick manner, to raiſe their attention, and ſtrike an awe into them; ſo they were cloſed, that they might be the more ſenſible of the dreadfulneſs of that Majeſty who ſpake to them; and that they might have a greater reverence to his Law.
They removed and ſtood afar off.] They were at the bottom of the Mount, while God ſpake to them; but now ſtarted back, for fear thoſe Flames they ſaw upon the Mountain, (V Deut. 25.) and perhaps flaſhed from thence in a terrible manner, ſhould devour them. How far they removed, we know not; ſome think to the place where they were incamped before this glorious Appearance, out of which Moſes brought them to meet with God, XIX. 2, 17.
Ver. 19. And they ſaid unto Moſes.] By the Heads of their Tribes, and their Elders, (V Deut. 23.) who came from the People to Moſes, while he remained ſtill in his place. For he ſaith there, they came near unto him, when they ſpake theſe words; which ſignifies they were at ſome diſtance before.
Speak thou with us, and we will hear, &c.] They deſire that what God had farther to command them, He would be pleaſed to acquaint Moſes with it; and they would receive it, as his own words; but ſhould die with fear, if they heard him ſpeak any more with his own Voice. This is more largely related V Deut. 24, 25, &c. and accordingly God afterward communicated to Moſes alone, the reſt of his Laws, both concerning Religion and Civil Government.
Ver. 20. And Moſes ſaid unto the People.] He bad the Elders return this Anſwer to the People that ſent them,
Fear not.] Be not afraid of your lives. No hurt ſhall come to you.
For God is come to prove you.] God intends by this dreadful Appearance, to diſcover unto your ſelves and others, whether you will be ſuch as you pretend, XIX. 8.
And that his fear may be before your face.] And that you may have an awful ſenſe of him in your Mind, by having before your eyes continually, the Glory of his Majeſty, of which you were lately ſenſible, v. 18.
That you ſin not.] Let this be your only fear, not to offend God, by diſobeying his Commands.
Ver. 21. And the People ſtood afar off.] In their Tents, within their Camp. For God commanded him to bid the Elders, after this Diſcourſe, to go to their Tents from whence they came; where, I ſuppoſe, the reſt of the People were, V Deut. 30. But he bad Moſes ſtay with him; and he would, as they deſired, tell him all the reſt of the things, which he intended to enjoyn them, v. 31.
And Moſes drew near unto the thick darkneſs where God was.] Who called him to him again, as he had done before, XIX. 20. There is a curious Obſervation in Pirke Elieſer, that the Hebrew word here is not Nogeſh, he approached, or drew near, as we trunſlate it; but Niggeſh, he was drawn near: The Angel Gabriel or Michael (as he fancies) coming, and taking him by the hand, and leading him up to God, cap. 41. But this ſignifies rather, that he did not go up of his own accord, but was called by God to draw near to his Divine Majeſty. Which he did the next day, upon the ſeventh day of Sivan: and received LVII. Laws (beſides the X. which God himſelf delivered) partly Civil, and partly Religious; which were Explications of the Decalogue.
Ver. 22. And the LORD ſaid unto Moſes.] When they were together, in the thick Cloud before mentioned.
Thus thou ſhalt ſay unto the Children of Iſrael.] When thou goeſt down again to them.
Ye have ſeen that I have talked with you from Heaven.] The apprehenſion of one ſenſe (as Maimonides phraſes it, More Nevoch. P. I. c. 46.) is uſually in Scripture put for the apprehenſion of another. As, See the word of the LORD, II Jer. 31. that is, hear it, or mark it diligently. Or, the meaning here may be, You ſaw, i. e. perceived, by the Thundrings, and Lightnings, and all the reſt of the Tokens of a Majeſtatick Preſence, that it was I who ſpake from above.
Ver. 23. Ye ſhall not make with me.] The Hebrew Writers here make a pauſe, or full ſtop, as if it were a compleat Sentence. And the meaning is explained in the Talmud to be, Ye ſhall not make the Similitude of the Miniſters, that minister before me above, as the Sun, the Moon, the Stars, or the Angels, Ger. Bab. upon Avoda Zura. And ſo Maimonides, upon the ſame Subject, It is unlawful to form the Images of the Sun, the Moon, the Stars, the Celeſtial Signs, or Angels, according to that which is written, Ye ſhall not make with me; i. e. nothing like the Miniſters that miniſter to me above, See Selden L. II. de Jure N. & G. c. 6. p. 198. But if we joyn theſe with the following words, the ſenſe is the ſame; that as they acknowledged no other Gods but him, ſo they ſhould not make any Image to repreſent him. To inforce which the word make is repeated in the end of the Verſe, whereby greater efficacy is added to the Command.
Gods of ſilver, or gods of gold ſhall ye not make unto you.] He gives this Caution, leſt by the ſplendour of theſe Metals they ſhould be tempted (being prone to Superſtition and Idolatry) to make ſuch kind of Repreſentations. For by Gods, are meant Images to repreſent him; which at the firſt were made very glittering, like the heavenly Bodies; but afterward they proceed to worſhip Images of meer Wood, or Stone.
The coherence of this, with the foregoing Verſes, is ſomething obſcure; unleſs we obſerve how this is reported in the Book of Deuteronomy: where Moſes puts them in mind, that they ſaw no Similitude on the day that God ſpake with them in Horeb, IV. 15. and therefore not to make them a graven Image, the ſimilitude of any Figure, &c. v. 16, 17, 18, 19. Accordingly the meaning is here, ye have ſeen that I talked with you from Heaven, (i. e. you heard only a Voice, but ſaw no Similitude of Man, or any other Creature) therefore ye ſhall not repreſent me by any Image, though never ſo rich and glorious. And thus Greg. Nyſſen ſeems to have underſtood it, de Vita Moſis, p. 180. God gave Moſes many Divine Commandments, the chief of which is foreign, Piety towards God, and to have becoming Notions and Conceptions of the Divine Nature, as tranſcending all viſible things, nay all our thoughts, and like to nothing that we know. And therefore he bids them, in their conceptions of him, not to look at any thing they ſaw, nor liken foreign, the Nature which tranſcends the whole Ʋniverſe, to any thing that they were acquainted withal.
There was the greater need of this Precept, if the Egyptian Worſhip in theſe days, was the ſame with that in other times; when Oſiris was adored in the form of a golden Ox, or an Ox of Wood all gilded over, as Plutarch calls it foreign.
Ver. 24. An Altar of Earth ſhalt thou make unto me.] For the better obſervation of the foregoing Commandment, he orders that his Altars ſhould be made as plain and ſimple as might be. Either of Sods and Turfs of Earth (which were eaſily prepared, in moſt places, whilſt they ſtaid in the Wilderneſs) or of rough and unpoliſhed Stone (if they came into rocky places, where no Sods were to be got) that ſo there might be no occaſion to grave any Image upon them. Such Altars Tertullian obſerves were among the ancient Romans, in the days of Numa: when, as they had no ſumptuous Temples, nor Images, ſo they had only temeraria de ceſpite altaria, Altars haſtily huddled up of Earth, without any Art, Apolog. cap. 25. which Jamblicus calls foreign, ex tempore Altars (as we would now ſpeak) thrown up on a ſudden. And ſo Scioppius pretends he found ſome MS. have it in that place of Tertullian, not temeraria, but temporaria; Altars made only for a preſent uſe, not to remain after the Sacrifice was done. Nay, Fortunatus Scacchus will have it, that Moſes here commands them to make the Earth their Altar; as the words may be tranſlated out of the Hebrew: which he thus interprets, Thou ſhalt mark out a place upon the bare Ground, and there offer Sacrifice, Myrothec. II. Sacr. Elaeochryſ. c. 56.
And ſhalt Sacrifice thereon thy Burnt-offerings, &c.] This Form of Worſhip, as Maimonides himſelf acknowledges, was appointed by God, becauſe it was uſed in all the World. Which moved him, not to aboliſh it, but to tranſlate it, from created and imaginary Beings, to his own moſt Adorable Name. Therefore he commanded us, ſaith he, to make him a Sanctuary, (XXV. 8.) and conſecrate an Altar to his Name, and offer him Sacrifices, (for which he alledges this very Text) and on the contrary prohibits us to do ſuch things, to any other Being, XXII. 20. XXXIV. 13, 14. More Nevoch. P. III. c. 32.
In all places.] This ſhows that the foregoing Commandment hath a peculiar reſpect to the time they were in the Wilderneſs (eſpecially till the Tabernacle was erected) when they were in their Travels, removing from place to place, and not fixed in any: Then theſe Altars were very proper, which might be prepared on a ſudden, and as ſuddenly thrown down again.
Where I record my Name.] Or cauſe it to be remembred and acknowledged, by ſome Token or Symbol (that is) whereby he ſignified that he would be worſhipped there. Which ſenſe the Chaldee ſeems to me to have expreſſed moſt exactly; In every place where I ſhall make my Glory (i. e. the SCHECHINAH) to dwell, from whence I will bleſs thee: i. e. hear their Prayers. This muſt be the meaning here; becauſe the Ark, which was the Memorial of God's Preſence with them, was not yet made. Or elſe, he means the Sacrifices and Altars before mentioned, which Mr. Mede thinks may be here pointed at; becauſe theſe were Rites of Remembrance, whereby the Name of God was commemorated or recorded, and his Covenant with Men teſtified and renewed. See Book II. pag. 453, &c. And indeed the word Zacar doth moſt certainly ſignifie, not only to remember or record, but to worſhip and to perform Sacred Offices: ſo the meaning may be, in every place where I exhibit my ſelf to be worſhipped and honoured.
I will come unto thee, or, meet with thee.] Upon which account the Tabernacle of the LORD was called Ohel Moed, the Tabernacle of Meeting. Not becauſe of the Peoples meeting there to Worſhip (as is commonly ſuppoſed, when we tranſlate thoſe words the Tabernacle of the Congregation) but of God's meeting there with his People, as Mr. Mede obſerves (p. 436.) from many plain places of Scripture, XXIX Exod. 42. XXX. 36. XVII Numb. 4.
And I will bleſs thee.] Give thee teſtimonies of my gracious Preſence and Acceptance. The Gentiles believed their Gods were preſent, where their Images were worſhipped. But he promiſes to be preſent in all places whatſoever, where he would have his Name celebrated (i. e. where he would be worſhipped) though their Sacrifices were offered upon the moſt mean and ſimple Altar.
Ver. 25. If thou wilt make me an Altar of ſtone, &c.] If it cannot be made without Stones (ſaith Maimonides, P. III. More Nevoch. c. 45.) take care that the Stones remain in their own natural form, and that they be not poliſhed, &c. This was to avoid Idolatry; for fear they ſhould make any figure with the Tools they imployed, in ſhaping and faſhioning the Stones, after an artificial manner: or ſhould reſerve the pieces of Stone that were paired off, for Superſtitious or Magical uſes. Juſt, ſaith Maimonides, as he forbids planting a Grove near his Altar, for that was to imitate Idolaters, XVI Deut. 22. See IV Deut. 15, 16. which plainly ſhows this was the reaſon of this Command.
In ſhort, theſe Altars were built like thoſe of Turf, on a ſudden, without any Art; only by piling Stones one upon another. Such an Altar David built upon a ſpecial occaſion, 2 Sam. XXIV. 25. and after him Elijah, 1 Kings XVIII. 31, 32. and Fortunatus Scacchus makes it probable, that it was ſuch an one which Ezra built, at their return from Babylon to their own Country, III. 2, 3. Myrothec. II. Sacr. Elaeochryſ. c. 59. where he repreſents the form of ſuch an Altar among the Heathen, out of an ancient Monument, p. 585. And there is little doubt, I think, that the Altars built by the Patriarchs were of this ſort; particularly that which Abraham erected whereon to offer his Son Iſaac, XXII Gen. 9. for it was raiſed ſo ſuddenly, that no Art could be imployed about it.
I omit other Reaſons which the Jews alledge for this Law, for they ſeem to me to be fanciful. And ſhall rather obſerve that Plato in his Laws, ordered all things belonging to the Service of God, ſhould be very ſimple and plain, without any Coſt or Ornament: and therefore forbids Gold, Silver, or Ivory, becauſe they were things too invidious, (foreign) and Braſs and Iron he would not have uſed, becauſe they were foreign, the Inſtruments of Wars: but one ſingle piece of Wood or Stone ſhould ſerve for an Image, and that made in a days time, L. XII. de Legibus, p. 955. 56. Edit. Serran.
It ſeems difficult alſo to reconcile theſe two Verſes, with God's own Ordinance, not long after in the XXVIIth Chapter of this Book; where he bids Moſes to make him an Altar, neither of Earth nor of Stone, but of Shittim-wood, covered with Braſs, for the uſe of the Tabernacle, where he recorded his Name. But it is to be conſidered, that theſe two Verſes ſpeak only of occaſional Altars (as I may call them) which they might have uſe of, not only before, but after the Tabernacle was erected. Theſe God doth not forbid, when there was a ſpecial reaſon for them; but he intending there ſhould be no ſtated Altar, but that at the Tabernacle, he would have theſe made of unpoliſhed Stone, laid one upon another, that they might be thrown down as ſoon as raiſed; and that they might not draw People from the Tabernacle, nor adminiſter occaſion of Idolatry, by an artificial Workmanſhip and Imagery. Now that there were ſuch Altars raiſed upon certain great Occaſions, but not to continue, appears from the Sacred Hiſtory. For XXIV. 4. Moſes built one at the Foot of Mount Sinai, by God's command it's likely, and of this faſhion. And he gave order for building one of Stone after they came to Canaan, (XXVII Deut. 1, 2, 3.) which Joſhua performed, according to this Rule, as is expreſly ſaid VIII Joſh. 30, 31. Of this ſort were thoſe of Gideon and Manoah, VI Judg. 24, 26. XIII. 19. And we read of Altars built by Samuel, 1 Sam. VII. 17. and by Saul, XIV. 35. and David, as was before obſerved, 2 Sam. XXIV. 25. and Solomon, 1 Kings III. 2, 34. beſides the Altar which was in the Tabernacle and the Temple.
Ver. 26. Thou ſhalt not go up by ſteps unto my Altar.] This was moſt ſutable to the ſtate of Travellers, to have their Altars low, not lofty. Beſides, he would not have them imitate the Gentiles, who Sacrificed in High Places; imagining their Sacrifices were moſt acceptable, when they were neareſt to Heaven. Whence the Egyptians, living in a flat Country, wherein were no Mountains, built Altars of a very great height, which could not be well done by Sods of Earth, or Stones looſely laid together. Nor would God have it done, when he ordered Mofes to make an Altar of Braſs and Wood at the Tabernacle; which it is evident was ſo low, that a Man might ſtand and miniſter there, without being raiſed from the Earth: For it was but three Cubits high, (XXVII. 1.) which is leſs by one Cubit than the ordinary ſtature of Men.
Not go up by ſteps.] There were ſteps, in the Temple built by Solomon, unto the brazen Altar, which was ten Cubits high: And Ezekiel expreſly mentions them in the deſcription of his Temple, XLIII. 17. which ſeeming to diſagree with this Command, Interpreters are much concerned to reconcile them. And the fore-named Fortun. Scacchus c. 63. contends earneſtly that no Altar was higher than three Cubits; and therefore thoſe ſteps mentioned by Ezekiel did not belong to the Altar, but to the Baſis or Groundwork (as we ſpeak) upon which it ſtood. But this is ſaid without good ground, for we read expreſly that Solomon's Altar was ten Cubits high, (2 Chron. IV. 1.) at which therefore the Prieſt could not miniſter, without ſome ſteps, whereby he aſcended ſo high, as to be able to lay on the Wood, and the Sacrifice upon it, &c. By ſteps therefore (to omit other Conjectures) I underſtand many ſteps (which are here forbidden) ſuch as the Gentiles had to go up to their Bamoth or High Places; as we ſee by one of the Pyramids in Egypt, and the high Tower at Mexico; to which they aſcended by an Hundred and eighty ſteps. But a very few ſerved for Solomon's Altar; and they were ſo contrived alſo, as the Hebrew Writers tell us, that there was no danger of that which God intended hereby to prevent, in the words following.
That thy nakedneſs be not diſcovered thereon.] The Hebrews ſay it was a kind of Cauſway or Bridge whereby they went up to the Altar; which roſe by little and little, till they came to the place where they were to ſtand. See L'Empereur upon the Codex Middoth, c. 3. ſect. 3. Or elſe the ſteps were ſo broad and ſo little diſtant one from another, and the aſcent thereby made ſo eaſie and equal, that there was no need of lifting up their leggs high, and therefore no danger of diſcovering the lower parts of the Body, (their Thighs, Buttocks, and Secret Parts) which might have been ſeen by thoſe below (had they aſcended by many large and high ſteps) under ſuch looſe Garments as were worn in thoſe Countries; and thereby the Prieſts might have been expoſed to contempt, and the People moved to laughter, or had bad thoughts excited in them. In ſhort, the meaning is, they ſhould not go up many ſteps, far diſtant one from another, ſo that one muſt have taken large ſtrides to aſcend them.
The Jews ſay, particularly Maimonides, P. III. More Nevoch. c. 45. that the Worſhippers of Baal-Peor were wont to diſcover their Nakedneſs, that is, their Secret Parts, before him. Which he takes to be the reaſon of this Command; leſt any ſuch thing ſhould happen in God's Preſence: and this was the reaſon alſo of another Law, that the Prieſts ſhould have Breeches made for them, which none of the People wore, in thoſe times, but the Prieſts alone; and that only when they miniſtred. The Gemara Hieroſolym. upon the ſtory of Balaam, gives a long account of this Impure Worſhip, as L'Empereur obſerves upon Codex Middoth, c. 3. ſect. 4. But there is no proof of this from any ancient Author; and the Babylonian Gemara gives a different account of the Worſhip of Peor; which looks as if the Jews ſtudied how to make it ridiculous, as well as filthy. But if there were any ſolid ground for it, it would afford the cleareſt explication of this place.