Commentary on Exodus, Commentary · Chapter 34
CHAP. XXXIV.
Verſe 1. AND the LORD ſaid unto Moſes.] Having obtained a Promiſe of a Pardon for the People, and of greater Favour to himſelf, than had been hitherto ſhown him; God directs him here to diſpoſe things for the performance of both.
How thee two Tables of ſtone, like unto the firſt: and I will write upon theſe Tables the words that were in the first Tables which thou brakest.] Every attentive Reader muſt needs obſerve the difference between the firſt Tables, which Moſes brake, and thoſe which he is now ordered to prepare. For God did not only write his Laws with his own finger upon the firſt Tables, but the Tables themſelves alſo were the work of God, XXXII. 16. Whereas in theſe, as Greg. Nyſſen well expreſſes it (de Vita Moſis, p. 183.) foreign: The writing indeed was by the Divine Power, but the matter of them framed by the hand of Moſes. So that, at the ſame time, God ſhewed he was reconciled, he put them in mind that he had been offended; and reſtored them to his favour with ſome abatement.
Ver. 2. And be ready in the morning.] On the XVIII. day of July. See XXXII. 30.
And come up in the morning unto Mount Sinai.] From whence God ſpake to the Iſraelites (V Deut. 4, &c.) thoſe very words which he intended to write upon the Tables. He orders him to come up in the morning, that all the People might ſee him aſcend, and carry the Tables with him.
And preſent thy ſelf there to me, in the top of the Mount.] Where the Divine Majeſty appeared before in its Glory; and where Moſes ſtayed with him forty days and forty nights, XIX. 26. XXIV. 17, 18.
Ver. 3. And no man ſhall come up with thee.] The ſame Precept is renewed, which was given at his firſt aſcent, XXIV. 1, 2.
Neither let any man be ſeen throughout the Mount.] XIX. 12, 21, &c.
Neither let the Flocks nor Herds feed before the Mount.] He ſeems to require their removal to ſuch a diſtance, that they ſhould not be within view of the Divine Majeſty. By which means the People were naturally led to ſtand in greater awe of God, and there was the leſs danger of any Beaſts touching the Mount, XIX. 13.
Ver. 4. And Moſes hewed two Tables of ſtone, &c.] Theſe and the following words only declare that he did as God bad him, v. 1, 2.
And took in his hand the two Tables of ſtone.] Theſe he carried with him; but the firſt Tables were given him when he came there, XXIV. 12. They ſeem to have been thin, being no heavier than that he could carry them in one hand.
Ver. 5. And the LORD.] The SCHECHINAH, or Divine Majeſty; called alſo the Glory of the LORD.
Deſcended in the Cloud.] Wherein it had been wont to appear from the beginning of their deliverance out of Egypt; and had lately appeared to Moſes in the Tabernacle (XXXIII. 9.) when the Cloudy Pillar deſcended, and ſtood at the door of it, while the LORD talked with Moſes there. And it ſeems, when that was done, the Glory of the LORD in the Cloud went up again towards Heaven, and now came down upon this occaſion.
And ſtood with him there.] The Cloudy Pillar, wherein the Glory of the LORD was, reſted upon the top of the Mount where Moſes now was, v. 2.
And proclaimed the Name of the LORD.] Gave him notice of his Preſence, as he had promiſed XXXIII. 19. and is more fully expreſſed in the next Verſe.
Ver. 6. And the LORD paſſed by before him.] Which Onkelos tranſlates the LORD made his Majeſty to paſs before him. Which Expoſition Maimonides acknowledges to be right; and confirmed by the Scripture it ſelf, when it ſaith XXXIII. 22. While my Glory paſſeth by, &c. which he confeſſes ſignifies not the Divine Eſſence it ſelf; but ſome created Splendour, which no Eye was able to behold, More Nevoch. P. I. c. 21.
And proclaimed.] As the Glory of the LORD paſſed by, he heard a Voice proclaiming this Deſcription of the Divine Nature.
The LORD.] Some joyn the next word to this, as if the Voice ſaid, the LORD, the LORD; the more to awaken his Attention, to mind what he heard. See XXXIII. 19. And this Name of his ſignifies, his Self-Exiſtence, and his abſolute Dominion over all Creatures, which received their being from him. See VI. 3.
God.] The Hebrew word El ſignifies Strong and Mighty; in one word, his Irreſiſtible Power, Job IX. 4.
Merciful.] The word Rachum ſignifies that which we call tender Mercies; ſuch as Parents have to their Children, when their Bowels yern towards them.
And gracious.] We call that Chaninah (Grace or Favour) ſaith Maimonides, which we beſtow upon any Man to whom we owe nothing, XXXIII Gen. 5, 11. And therefore God is here called Chanum (Gracious) with reſpect to thoſe whom he created, preſerves and governs, but is not obliged by any right to theſe things; as his words are More Nevoch. P. I. cap. 54.
Long-ſuffering.] So ſlow to Anger, that he doth not preſently puniſh thoſe that offend him; but bears long with them.
Abundant in goodneſs.] The Hebrew word Cheſed, which we tranſlate Goodneſs, ſignifies, as Maimonides ſaith (More Nevoch. P. III. cap.) the exceſs and higheſt degree of any thing, whatſoever it be; but eſpecially the greateſt Benignity. And therefore, with the addition of rabh (abundant) denotes long continued Kindneſs; as is more fully declared in the next Verſe.
And truth.] Moſt faithful and conſtant to his Promiſes; which he ſtedfaſtly keeps throughout all Generations. The word abundant refers both to this and to his Benignity, CXLVI Pſal. 6.
Ver. 7. Keeping mercy for thouſands.] The ſame word Cheſed, which before we tranſlated Goodneſs, we here tranſlate Mercy: and the Hebrews obſerving the …etter Nun to be greater in the word Notzer (keeping) than is uſual, fancy that it denotes the immenſe Treaſures of the Divine Bounty. But the word thouſands fully explains how abundant his Mercy is.
Forgiving iniquity, and tranſgreſſion, and ſin.] Here are three words to ſignifie all ſorts of Offences, which he paſſes by, tell Men grow intollerably wicked. But ſome diſtinguiſh them, by making Iniquity ſignifie Offences againſt Men; and Tranſgreſſions, Offences againſt God himſelf; and Sin, all the Errours, Childiſhneſſes and Follies, which Men are guilty of, in the Conduct of themſelves. But they may as well ſignifie the Offences which were committed againſt the Moral, Ceremonial, and Political Laws.
And that will by no means clear the guilty.] Theſe words, according to Maimonides, belong ſtill to the loving kindneſs of God, as all the foregoing do; ſignifying, that when he doth puniſh, he will not utterly deſtroy and make deſolate. For ſo the Hebrew words, Nakkeh lo Jenakkeh, he thinks are to be litterally rendered, in extirpating, he will not extirpate; as the word Nakah he obſerves is uſed, III Iſaiah 26. She ſhall ſit deſolate on the Earth. And to the ſame ſenſe theſe words are expounded by many Modern Interpreters; particularly Lud. de Dieu, When he empties, he will not empty; or make quite deſolate. For the Maxim of the Hebrew is (as Maimonides there obſerves, More Nevoch P. I. c. 54.) that, the property of Goodneſs far excels that of Severity. For here being thirteen Properties of God mentioned (I can find but ten, beſides the Name of LORD) there is but one of them that belongs to the latter (viz. that which follows) all the reſt belong to the former. And indeed, we find that Moſes urges theſe very words, among other, why God ſhould not deſtroy the Iſraelites, as one Man, XIV Numb. 18. which had been very improper, if God would, by no means clear the guilty.
Viſiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children.] This is meant, ſaith the ſame Maimonides, only of the Sin of Idolatry; unto which God threatens, in the ſecond Commandment, this Puniſhment to the third and fourth Generation, upon thoſe that hate him. For no Man is called a hater of God, but only an Idolater; according to what we read XII Deut. 31. Every abomination which the LORD hateth, &c.
Ʋnto the third and fourth Generation.] He mentions, ſaith the ſame Author, none Beyond theſe; becauſe the utmoſt that any Man can live to ſee of his Seed, is the fourth Generation. And therefore when an Idolatrous City was deſtroyed, the old Idolater, with Children, Grand-children, and Great-grand-children, were all cut off; according to the Precept XIII Deut. 15. Deſtroy it utterly, and all that is therein.
The ſenſe of the whole ſeems to be, That this is the Glory of the Divine Majeſty, that he hath a Soveraign Dominion over all, becauſe he is the Fountain of Being, the Original of all things; moſt powerful to do what he pleaſes; and ſo merciful that he delights to beſtow his Benefits unasked; and ſo gracious, as to continue them to the unthankful: bearing long with them, when they provoke him; multiplying Favours on thoſe who have no Deſerts; and faithfully performing his Promiſes, though never ſo great; doing good unto a thouſand Generations of thoſe who adhere faithfully to him, and do not apoſtatize from him: for he pardons innumerable Offences, of all ſorts, that are committed againſt his Laws; and when the Provocations are ſo great, that they are fit to be puniſhed, he proceeds not to the utmoſt Extremity, till there be no Remedy; then he puniſhes Idolaters terribly, to the third and fourth Generation.
Ver. 8. And Moſes made haſte, and bowed his head toward the Earth, and worſhipped.] Being tranſported with Joy at ſo glorious a ſight, and ſuch gracious words, he immediately worſhipped God with the humbleſt Reverence, acknowledging his great Condeſcention to him.
Ver. 9. And he ſaid.] Which encouraged him to renew his Requeſt to God.
If now I have found grace in thy ſight, O Lord.] He doth not doubt of it; but the meaning rather is, Since I have found grace, &c. as appears from what he granted him XXXIII 17, 18, &c.
Let my Lord, I pray thee, go among us.] Upon the mention of the laſt Property of the Divine Majeſty [viſiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children, &c.] Moſes ſeems to have been afraid he might be provoked to proceed to ſuch Severity with the Iſraelites, who had lately apoſtatized from him. And again beſeeches him, he would be ſo gracious, though they ſhould again offend him, as to continue his Preſence among them, which he had threatned to withdraw XXXIII. 3.
For it is a ſtiff-necked people.] If we adhere to this Tranſlation, the meaning is, they needed ſuch a Governour, by whoſe Authority and Preſence they might be kept in awe, and cured of their perverſneſs. But the Particle ki, which we here tranſlate for, often ſignifies though; and may be very fitly ſo rendred here: and then the meaning is, Though they be very Refractory, (XXXII. 9.) yet do not forſake them, and leave them to themſelves; but ſtill conduct them, as thou haſt done.
And pardon our iniquity and our ſin, and take us for their inheritance.] Since thou art ſo ready to forgive (v. 7.) do not cut us off for our late Offences; but ſtill continue to own us for thy peculiar People. This Moſes had begg'd of God before, and obtained a Promiſe of it, XXXIII. 16, 17. (and ſee XIX. 5.) and now he beſeeches him, out of his Goodneſs which he had proclaimed, to confirm that Promiſe, and not to revoke it upon every new Provocation.
Ver. 10. And he ſaid, behold, I make a Covenant.] Herein God verified the truth of what he had proclaimed: being ſo merciful and gracious, as not only to confirm his Promiſe, but to turn it into a Covenant, like that at the giving of his Laws from Mount Sinai, XXIV. 3, 7, &c. which he renews with them in the next Verſe. Where he engages to drive out the Inhabitants of Canaan before them; and then requires them to take care not to imitate their Idolatry.
Before all thy people will I do marvels, ſuch as have not been done in all the Earth, &c.] This ſeems to relate to all the wonderful Works he intended to do, in their Introduction into the Land of Canaan, by making the Waters of Jordan retire, and the Walls of Jericho fall down; with the reſt that followed, till they got poſſeſſion of their Inheritance.
For it is a terrible thing that I will do with thee] Such as ſhall declare the Almighty Power of the Divine Majeſty; and ſtrike a Terrour into all thoſe that oppoſe him, but demonſtrate (in an aſtoniſhing manner) his Fidelity to his People. For all this is ſaid to confirm their belief of the Covenant he ſaid he would make with them in the beginning of the Verſe.
Ver. 11. Obſerve thou that which I command thee this day.] Doubt not of what I ſay; but only mark, and take care to do all that I now enjoyn thee.
Behold, I drive out before thee the Amorite, and the Canaanite, &c.] To encourage them ſo to do, he premiſes what he intended to do for them; which he put at the Concluſion of his Covenant, when he firſt declared it, XXIII. 23, 28. but here puts it in the front of it, that they might be the more ſenſible of the reaſonableneſs of thoſe Commands to which he expected Obedience.
Ver. 12. Take heed to thy ſelf.] He now renewing that Covenant with them, which they had broken by the worſhipping the golden Calf, repeats the principal Precepts which concerned his Worſhip and Service (which had been delivered to them before) and excites them to the obſervance of them, by the addition of a very gracious Promiſe, v. 24.
Leſt thou make a Covenant with the Inhabitants of the Land whether thou goeſt.] Nothing could be more reaſonable than this, that they ſhould not enter into Friendſhip with thoſe Nations, whom he commanded them to expel, for their abominable Wickedneſs; unleſs they would renounce their Idolatry, and come under their Government. See XXIII. 32. and Mr. Selden L. VI. de Jure N. & G. in the latter end of the 13th Chapter, and beginning of the next.
Lest it be for a ſnare in the midst of thee.] Leſt they inveigle thee to imitate their manners.
Ver. 13. But ye ſhall deſtroy their Altars, break their Images, and cut down their Groves.] This more largely explains what was briefly and ſummarily delivered in XXIII. 32. Thou ſhalt not make a Covenant with their Gods. And v. 24. Thou ſhalt quite break down their Images. Which Images and Altars were uſually ſet in Groves, as ſacred places; being the Temples of their Gods. See 2 Kings XXIII. 24. For when Tacitus ſaith (Lib. de Moribus Germanorum) that the old Germans went to War as if God commanded them, whom they believed to be preſent with them; he tells us, Effigieſque & ſigna quaedam detracta lucis id praelium faerunt, they carried with them into the Battel, certain Images and Signs, which they took out of their Groves. Theſe, in all probability, were the Images of their Gods, who they thought fought for them, as Joh. Fileſacus conjectures, L. II. Selectorum c. 5. de Caeremoniis, ſect. 7. where he obſerves, that theſe Groves were impure places, not only becauſe there were the Images and Altars of their falſe Gods; but all manner of filthineſs and leudneſs was committed under thoſe Shades. Which made Horace call them parum caſtos lucos, Lib. I. in the latter end of the XIIth Ode.
Some of the Hebrews reſtrain'd this Precept only to the Land of Canaan: where they were bound to dedeſtroy all Things belonging to the Religion of thoſe Idolatrous People, in whoſe place they were planted, that they might not be infected with their Impiety. See XII Deut. 2, 3. But in other Countries which they conquered, they fancied they were not bound to root it out. Yet afterwards they ſaw it neceſſary to extend this Precept to all Idolatrous Countries, which came under their Power, where they deſtroyed their Idols, as they had done in Canaan: leſt by imitation foreign, their Polity ſhould have been quite ſubverted, as Joſephus ſpeaks. See Mr. Selden L. II. de Jure N. & G. c. 2.
Ver. 14. For thou ſhalt worſhip no other God.] This being the great Principle of their Religion, The LORD thy God is one LORD, VI Deut. 4. and there is no other God beſide him.
For the LORD whoſe name is Jealous.] So he calls himſelf, XX. 5. and gave himſelf this peculiar Name, becauſe he could not bear any other God to be Rival with him, after the manner of the Gentiles. Whoſe Gods ſuffered a number of other Gods, to ſhare in the Worſhip that was given to them, by offering Sacrifices, and burning Incenſe, and bowing down to them.
Is a jealous God.] As is his Name, ſo is he himſelf: he will not endure any other to be worſhipped with him.
Ver. 15. Lest thou make a Covenant with the Inhabitants of the Land.] That is, a Covenant of Marriage (for Covenants in general were forbidden before v. 12.) which he commands them not to contract with the Inhabitants of Canaan: no, nor with any Idolaters whatſoever. For though ſome of the Jews would reſtrain this to the VII Nations only; yet the generality of them reſolve it is meant of all other Idolatrous People. And there is an illuſtrious Argument of it, in the Ninth and Tenth Chapters of Ezra, and in XIII Nehemiah 25. This they will have to have been as old as the Law of Circumciſion; which they gather from XXXIV Gen. 14. and it held throughout all following Ages. Inſomuch that Mahomet forbids any of his Religion to marry any one that is not made a Muſelman, i.e. a Believer of his Doctrine. As for ſuch as turned from Idolatry, it was always lawful to marry them; but they were ſo far from having to do with others, that the Talmudiſts held it as unlawful to lye with a Gentile Woman, as with a Woman in her Uncleanneſs. Whence that Character which Tacitus gives of the Jews, Projectiſſima ad libidinem Gens, alienarum concubitu abſtinet. See Selden Lib. V. de Jure N. & G. c. 12.
And they go a whoring after their Gods, and do Sacrifice to their Gods.] Of which there was very great danger if they loved their Wives; who would have great power over them (as appears by Solomon, 1 Kings XI. 2, 3, &c.) to intice them to their Religion. Of this Phraſe, Going a whoring after their Gods, ſee Seld. Ʋxor. Hebr. L. III. c. 23.
And one call thee.] Invite thee (as the manner was) to the Feaſt that was uſually made, upon the Sacrifices offered to their Gods: as the Iſraelites eat of the Peace-offerings, and invited their Friends to partake with them.
And thou eat of his Sacrifice.] By this we ſee how ancient and univerſal the Cuſtom was of Feaſting upon Sacrifices: which Mr. Mede truly calls Epulae Faederales, Faederal Feaſts (upon 1 Malachi II. chap. 7.) For the Meat was God's, being ſet upon his Table; of which he inviting the Offerers to partake, they were his Gueſts; whom he entertained at his Table, in token of Reconciliation and Friendſhip with him. And therefore whoſoever eat of the Sacrifices offered to other Gods, profeſſed themſelves to be their Worſhippers and Servants. Which made the Jews ſo cautious in this matter, that they would not ſo much as drink the Wine, or the Water, or uſe the Salt of an Idolater, not knowing but it might have been ſet before an Idol. So R. Levi Barzolonita in the Explication of the CXII. Praecept. This explains that Diſcourſe of the Apoſtle 1 Corinth. X. 20.
Ver. 16. And thou take of their Daughters unto thy Sons, &c.] If they themſelves married Idolaters, there was the greater danger they might be content, to let their Sons and Daughters marry with them; eſpecially if they were Rich or Beautiful: and ſo the whole Family be undone.
Ver. 17. Thou ſhalt make thee no molten Gods.] Images are called by the Name of Gods; becauſe they were worſhipped together with them, as Symbols of their Preſence. And though molten be here only mentioned (upon occaſion of their late Sin, in worſhipping the molten Calf, XXXII. 4.) yet all other Images are intended, as appears by XX. 4, 23.
Ver. 18. The Feast of unleavened bread ſhalt thou keep, &c.] See all this explained, XII. 15, 16, &c. XIII. 6, 7. XXIII. 15.
As I commanded thee in the time of the month Abib, &c.] See XIII. 4. XXIII. 15.
Ver. 19. All that openeth the Matrix is mine, &c.] See XIII. 12. XXII. 29, 30.
Ver. 20. But the first-born of an Aſs ſhalt thou redeem, &c.] See XIII. 13.
And none ſhall appear before me empty.] See XXIII. 15.
Ver. 21. Six days ſhalt thou work, &c.] See XX. 9. XXIII. 12. XXXI. 15. where this is ſufficiently explained. But here, to ſhow the neceſſity of forbearing labour on this day, they are not permitted it, in earing or in harveſt. That is, in the two moſt buſie times of the year; when they plowed and ſowed their Ground, and when they reaped the Fruits thereof. See XLV Gen. 6.
Ver. 22. And thou ſhalt obſerve the Feaſt of Weeks, &c.] This Verſe alſo hath been explained before, XXIII. 16. Only here obſerve that the first-frruis of Wheat-harvest being now offered at this Feaſt, there was an Harveſt before this, which began at the Paſſover, when they offered the first-fruits of barley harvest, XVI Deut. 9.
Ver. 23. Three times in the year ſhall all your Males appear before the LORD, the God of Iſrael.] This likewiſe was explained XXIII. 14, 17. And nothing need be added, but that theſe peculiar Laws are here repeated (together with thoſe that follow v. 25, 26.) upon this occaſion; becauſe they were ordained to preſerve the People in the Worſhip and Service of the true God, from whom they had lately departed. Who therefore puts them in mind, in the laſt words of this Verſe (which was not ſaid before) that he was the God of Iſrael, to whom they were devoted by eſpecial Obligations.
Ver. 24. For I will cast out the Nations before thee.] Till this was done, they were not bound to obſerve the Precept, of appearing three times in the year before the LORD.
And will enlarge thy borders.] Beyond the Land of Canaan, as he had promiſed before, XXIII. 31.
Neither ſhall any man deſire thy Land, when thou ſhalt go up to appear before the LORD, &c.] To remove all fear of their Mind, that their Neighbours might Invade them, when all the Men were gone, and none but Women and Children and Old men left at home, he adds this Promiſe to all he had made before (or rather makes it a part of his Covenant, which he now renews) that he would lay ſuch Reſtraints upon their Enemies, that they ſhould not ſo much as think of Invading them at thoſe three Feaſts; much leſs make any actual Incurſions into their Country.
Ver. 25. Thou ſhalt not offer the blood of my Sacrifice, &c.] At the Paſſover. See this fully explained XXIII. 18.
Ver. 26. The first of the firſt-fruits of thy Land thou ſhalt bring unto the Houſe of the LORD thy God.] At Pentecost, which was the Feast of First-fruits. See XXIII. 19.
Thou ſhalt not ſeethe a Kid in its mothers milk.] This concerns the other great Feaſt, that of Tabernacles. See in the ſame place.
Ver. 27. And the LORD ſaid unto Moſes.] Having recited the principal part of his Covenant mentioned v. 10. he gives the following order.
Write thou theſe words.] From v. 11. to this place: juſt as he did thoſe words contained in the XXI, XXII, XXIII Chapters of this Book (See XXIV. 4.) out of which theſe words are extracted, as the chief things reſpecting the Worſhip of God; which he requires him to write in a Book by it ſelf.
For after the tenor of theſe words have I made a Covenant with thee, and with Iſrael.] See XXIV. 7. Where the Covenant, containing theſe words and many other, was Sealed with the Blood of a Sacrifice.
The Jews are ſo blind as to found their Oral Tradition upon this place, and upon one ſmall word (Pi) which ſignifies indeed mouth; but withal is an expletive Particle, denoting the manner and value of any thing, as appears from XLIII Gen. 7. XXVII Lev. 18. and therefore here rightly tranſlated the tenor of theſe words. Yet R. Johannes, in the very beginning of Halicoth Olam, gathers from hence, That God made a Covenant now with their Fathers, concerning all the unwritten Laws delivered by word of Mouth. Unto which which while they adhere, they can never underſtand their Divine Writings: For what can be more plain, that the Covenant here mentioned, was ordered to be written?
Ver. 28. And he was there with the LORD.] This ſaith Maimonides, was the higheſt degree of Prophecy, which none attained but Moſes: whoſe Thoughts were wholly taken off from all other things, and fixed upon God, while he was with him in the holy Mount; that is, asked and received Anſwers from the LORD, More Nevochim. P. III. c. 51.
Forty days and forty nights.] As he had been at the firſt, XXIV. 18. Which was partly to make a new trial, how they would behave themſelves in his Abſence; and partly to give the greater Authority to the Laws he brought them from God, which he renewed, as we read in the end of this Verſe.
And did neither eat bread, nor drink water.] But was ſupported by Influences from the Almighty, who kept up his Spirits in their juſt height, without the common Recruits of Meat and Drink. Which, when they give us Refreſhment, likewiſe make us drowſie; See XXIV. 18. To which add what Maimonides ſaith in the place now named, That the Joy wherewith he was tranſported, made him not think of eating and drinking; for his intellectual Faculties were ſo ſtrong, that all Corporal Deſires ceaſed.
It ſeems to me very probable, That during this time, he ſaw again the Model of the Tabernacle, and all its Furniture, with every thing elſe he was ordered to make when he went firſt into the Mount, from the beginning of the XXVth to the end of the XXXth Chapter; which are briefly ſummed up XXXI. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. He ſeems alſo to have ſpent much of this time in Prayer to God for the People, That he would reſtore them intirely to his Favour, and bring them to their Inheritance, IX Deut. 18, 19, 25, 26. X. 10.
And he wrote upon the Tables the words of the Covenant, &c.] That is, the LORD wrote (as he ſaid he would v. 1.) not Moſes: who wrote the foregoing words in a Book; but not theſe, which were written by the Finger of God in the Tables of Stone. So Moſes tells us expreſly, X Deut. 4. Jacobus Capellus, and others following the Hebrew Doctors, imagine that Moſes was three times with God in the Mount, for the ſpace of XL. days; and that this was the laſt time. Between which and the firſt they place another, which they fancy is mentioned XXXII. 30, 31. compared with IX Deut. 18, &c. But I ſee no ſolid ground for this: for God called him up into the Mount but twice; and he durſt not have adventured to go ſo near him, as he was both theſe times, without his invitation.
Ver. 29. And it came to paſs when Moſes came down from Mount Sinai.] Which was upon the XXV. of our August, according to the former Computation, v. 2.
With the two Tables of Teſtimony in Moſes hand, when he came down from the Mount.] So he came down at the firſt, XXXII. 15.
That Moſes wist not that the skin of his face ſhone.] There was a radient Splendour in his Countenance; which is the import of the Hebrew Karan, which the Vulgar tranſlates horned. Not imagining that Moſes had Horns, but Rays of Light, which imitated Horns. And therefore the Hebrew word Karnaim ſignifies both; and R. Solomon Jarchi upon this place calls theſe Rays on Moſes's Face, Horns of Magnificence, as Mr. Selden obſerves, L. II. de Jure N. & G. c. 6. p. 292. It is not improbable that the Hair of his Head was inter-ſperſed with Light, as well as that Rays came from his Face; which perſtringed the Eyes of Beholders. And Painters had done more reaſonably, if inſtead of Horns upon Moſes his Forehead, they had repreſented him with a Glory crowning his Head, as the Saints are uſually painted in the Roman Church. Which perhaps came from the ancient Cuſtom among the Heathen, who thus repreſented their Gods, as Tho. Bartholinus obſerves (de Morbis Biblicis cap. 5.) out of Lucian de Dea Syria, where he ſaith ſhe did foreign carry Beams upon her Head. Whence it was that the Roman Emperours, who were raiſed ſo much above the reſt of Mankind, that they honoured them as a ſort of Deities, were thus repreſented; as appears by many Teſtimonies, particularly Pliny, who in his Panegyrick to Trajan, laughs and jeers at the radiatum Domitiani caput.
While he talked with him.] While he converſed ſo famaliarly with the Divine Majeſty, and both ſaw his Glory and heard him proclaim his Name, v. 5, 6, 7. At his firſt being in the Mount, there was no ſuch Brightneſs left upon his Countenance; for he did not ſee the Divine Majeſty in ſo great a Splendour as he did now; when the LORD, upon his Petition, vouchſafed him ſuch a ſight of his Glory, as he could bear, XXXIII. 18, 23. Which was ſo exceeding piercing, that it altered the very Skin of Moſes his Face, and made it luminous. Of which Moſes doth not ſeem to have been ſenſible, till ſome time after he came down from the Mount (when Aaron, as well as others, were afraid to come nigh him) having his Thoughts wholly poſſeſſed with the far more tranſcendent Glory of the Divine Majeſty, of which he had a Glimpſe.
From this familiar Conference which Moſes had with God, it is likely the Heathen took occaſion to invent the like Stories of their Zamolxis, who pretended to receive his Laws from Veſta; and Minos and Lycurgus, who ſaid they received theirs from Jupiter and Apollo: with ſeveral others mentioned by Diodorus Siculus L. I. who then adds Moſes had his from the God Jao; ſo they pronounced the Name Jehovah. But they had no ſuch Teſtimony as this of their Communication with the Divine Majeſty; much leſs were their Laws confirmed by ſuch Miracles, as laſted for the ſpace of XL. years under the Conduct of Moſes, in the ſight of all People.
Ver. 30. And when Aaron and all the Children of Iſrael ſaw Moſes, behold the skin of his face ſhone.] This highly eſtabliſhed his Authority, and bred in them a Reverence to the Laws he brought, that they were all Witneſſes of the brightneſs or glory of his Countenance (as the Apoſtle calls it, 2 Cor. III. 7.) which demonſtrated he had been with God, as he affirmed, and had beheld the Glory of his Majeſty, and received from him the Tables of Teſtimony. By all the Children of Iſrael in this Verſe, ſeems to be meant all the Rulers of the Congregregation mentioned in the next.
And they were afraid to come nigh him.] The Light which ſhone from his Countenance was ſo great, that it dazled the Eyes of Beholders; even of Aaron himſelf: who did not know whether it would be ſafe to approach him. This was an illuſtrious Teſtimony, that he had been with God, who dwells, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, in light inacceſſible.
Ver. 31. And Moſes called unto them.] Invited them to come near him, and not to fear any hurt.
And Aaron, and all the Rulers of the Congregation, returned unto him.] Viz. After he had put a Vail upon his Face, till which they could not ſteadfaſtly look upon it, (as the Apoſtle ſpeaks 2 Cor. III. 7.) the Light of it being ſo ſtrong, that it hurt their Eyes, if they fixed them there.
And Moſes talked with them.] Acquainted them with what he had ſeen and heard.
Ver. 32. And afterward all the Children of Iſrael came …igh, &c.] There was a general Aſſembly of all the Tribes ſummoned, that he might deliver to them all that which he had received from God. See XXXV. 1.
And he gave them in Commandment all that the LORD had ſpoken with him in Mount Sinai.] All the Orders he had given about the Building of the Tabernacle, and the reſt contained in the XXV, XXVI Chapters, and thoſe that follow to the XXXII. For at his firſt coming from the Mount, finding them in an Apoſtacy from God, he ſaid nothing to them about theſe matters: but, in abhorrence of their foul Idolatry, broke the Tables of Teſtimony, which God had given him to deliver to them.
Ver. 33. And till Moſes had done ſpeaking with them, he put a vail on his face.] This ſeems to belong as well to v. 31. as to the 32d, and accordingly I have interpreted it. Though there are thoſe who think, he perſwaded Aaron and the Rulers to approach without a Vail: but put it on, when he ſpake to the People, who were leſs able to bear it. But there ſeems to be the ſame reaſon for both; Aaron being no leſs afraid than any of them. And the Majeſty of his Countenance appeared ſufficiently, even when it was vailed: for the brightneſs was not quite obſcured, though very much ſhaded by it.
Ver. 34. But when Moſes went in before the LORD to ſpeak with him, he took the vail off, till he came out.] He went into the Tabernacle, where he ſpake with him face to face, as a Man ſpeaks to his Friend, XXXIII. 9, 10, 11.
And he came out, and ſpake unto the Children of Iſrael, that which he was commanded.] This ſeems to relate unto the frequent occaſions Moſes had to go and conſult with God in difficult Caſes; whoſe Mind he declared to them when he had received it.
Ver. 35. And the Children of Iſrael ſaw the face of Moſes, that the skin of Moſes face ſhone, &c.] Some great Men have thought that the brightneſs continued on Moſes's Face till his death; ſo that he ſpake to them with a Vail on his Face, from this time as long as he lived. Of which we cannot be certain; though thus much is evident from this and the foregoing Verſe, that the Splendour of his Countenance did remain for ſome time after he came down from God's Preſence in the Mount. During which, as oft as he went in to ſpeak with God he took off his Vail, and when he came out to ſpeak with them, he put it on; until he went in to ſpeak with God again, as this Verſe concludes. How long it was before it vaniſhed, none can reſolve. Perhaps not till he had ſet up the Tabernacle, and conſecrated Aaron and his Sons, and delivered all the Laws he had received about the Service of God, which are recorded in the Book of Leviticus. That is, all the time they ſtayed near Mount Sinai; from whence they removed a little more than half a year after this, X Numb. 11, 12.