Commentary on the Pentateuch, Commentary 4 · Chapter 11
CHAP. XI.
Verſ. 1. ANd when the people complained] Or, were as it were complainers: they did inwardly and ſecretly repine and mutter, at their three dayes march, without intermiſſion; like thoſe horſes that diſgeſt their choller, by biting the bridle. [Conſumed them that were in the uttermoſt parts] There, it ſeems, the ſin began amongſt thoſe that were faint and weary with travell, as Deut. 25.18.
Verſ. 2. And the people cryed to Moſes] That Lord Chancellour of Heaven, (as one calleth him,) that could rule with God, and over-rule. Of Moſes it might be ſaid, as once of Luther. Iſte vir potuit apud deum quod voluit, he might have whatſoever he would of God.
Verſ. 3. The name of the place Taberah] So to perpetuate the memory of the peoples ſin, and Gods judgment. Alterius perditio, tua ſit cautio.
Verſ. 4. And the mix… multitude] See the Note on Exod. 12.38. Obſerve the danger of ill company. Fiſh retains their ſweetneſs in the ſalt ſea. The river Dee in Merioneth-ſhire, running through Pimble-meere, remaines entire, and mingles not her ſtreames, with the waters of the lake. The rivers of Peru, after they have run ſome miles into the ſea, retain their ſweetneſs, as writers report. But to converſe with the ungodly, and not to learn their manners, is marvellous, rare, and difficult, A man may paſs through Ethiopia unchanged; but he cannot dwell there, and not be diſcoloured.
Verſ. 5. We remember the fiſh] They forgat their ſervitude. Diſcontent is ever harping upon wants, and enjoyes nothing; no more then Haman did his honour, or Al…ab his kingdome, when he longed for a ſallet, out of Naboths garden.
Verſ. 6. There is nothing at all beſides] The wheat of heaven was held a light meat, becauſe lightly come by; Citò parta vileſcunt. How are many queaſie ſtomacks even nauſeated with the bread of life! it makes not to their dainty palates 3▪ plain preaching is diſ-relliſhed.
Verſ. 7. And the Manna] See the Note on Exod. 16.14, 31. There was therefore no ſuch cauſe, they ſhould ſo loath it.
Was as Coriander ſeed] Small, but full of ſweetneſs and nouriſhment. Deut. 34.7.This might be ſome cauſe of Moſes his undecayedneſs [As the colour of Bdellium] A kinde of tranſparent and precious gumme.
Verſ. 8. And the people went about] Or, went to and fro, as men ought ſtill to encreaſe knowledg, Dan. 12.4. labouring for the meat that endureth to eternall life, Joh. 6.27. God might have ſaved them this labour, by rayning Manna into their mouthes; but he would not, for the tryall of their diligence; and that they might not think that worth nothing, that coſt them nothing [And ground it in mills] So was Jeſus Chriſt ground and pounded with paſſion, baked and dryed up in the oven of his fathers diſpleaſure, before he became fit food, and a Saviour to his Church. [As the taſte of freſh oyle] Or wafers baked with honey, Exod. 16.31. The ſweet promiſes of grace, are ſweeter then honey, Pſal. 19.10. No freſh and ſweet oyle can ſo cheriſh the face, as they do the heart of a believer.
Verſ. 9. And when the dew fell] As Manna fell in the dew, ſo doth the Spirit deſcend, in and by the word preached, Gal. 3.2. [In the night] Figuring that hidden Manna, laid up and prepared for the Saints, Revel. 2.17.
Verſ. 10. Weep throughout their families] Generally and openly they mutinied and murmured; though ſo lately they had ſmarted at Taberah. And this they did, not once or twiſe, but ten times over: whereby it appeares, that God choſe this unthankfull people, not for their merits; ſedex mera et mira miſericordia, he choſe them for his love, and loved them for his choyſe.
Verſ. 11. Wherefore haſt thou afflicted thy ſervant] Antoninus the Emperour, ſaid often, Imperium Oceanum eſſe malorum, that to be a governour of others, is to be plunged into an Ocean of miſeries. Pope Adrian cauſed to be engraven upon his own tomb, Foelix ſi non imperitaſſet. Melancthon ſaid, the three ſoreſt labours of all, were, Docentis, imperantis, parturientis, the labours of Miniſters, Magiſtrates, and of travelling women.
Verſ. 12. As a nurſing father beareth, &c.] Lovingly, mildly, gently. A Magiſtrate ſhould carry himſelf as a Pater patriae. Cambdens Eliſab.Queen Elizabeth would many times ſay, That ſhe could believe nothing of her people, that parents would not believe of their children.
Verſ. 13. Whence ſhould I have fleſh] Luſt is unſatisfiable; to go about it, is to go about an endleſs piece of work; it is to caſt oyl into the fire to quench it.
Verſ. 14. It is too heavy for me] Crowns have their cares; ſeats are uneaſie, many a cumber attends honour. Beatus ille qui procul negotiis.Horat.
Verſ. 15. And if thou deal thus with me] Here the word, Thou, ſpoken to God, is of the feminine gender, At, for Atta, ex magna perturbatione, ſaith a Rabbine. Moſes was ſo exceedingly moved with anger and grief; theſe paſſions did ſo overcarry him, that he could not complere vocem, utter his whole ſpeech; as he that groaneth, or gapeth, in the beginning of his ſentence, cannot make up his breath, to ſpeak what he intended.
Verſ. 16. Gather unto me ſeventy men] Here, ſay ſome, began the Sanhedrim, that is, the great Counſel of the Jews, conſiſting of ſeventy Seniours, and one Preſident. It continued till the time of Herod the Great, who took it away, and changed the form of it.
Verſ. 17. And I will take of the ſpirit] i. e. I will beſtow the ſame Spirit upon them, as upon thee; and this ſhall be nothing at all to thy loſs, or diſadvantage. Habet Hiſpania montem ex ſale magnum, de quo quantum demas, tantum accreſcit.
ſhall bear the burden of the people] Who are in nothing more a burden then in this, that with them foreign; Thucyd.Praeſens imperium ſemper grave; they are ever grumbling at the preſent government, though never ſo gentle. Alleva jugum, Eaſe the yoke that thy father put upon us, 1 King. 12.4.ſaid they to Rehoboam; forgetting the golden age they had lived in, under his father Solomon.
Verſ. 18. Sanctifie your ſelves] Ironicè dictum, or ſanctifie, that is, prepare your ſelves for the day of ſlaughter, as Jer. 12.3.
For you have wept in the ears] Tears (of what ſort ſoever) have a voyce in them, Pſal. 39.12. as blood hath, Gen. 4.
For it was well with us in Egypt] Such is the murmuring of thoſe malecontents, that ſay, It was a merry world before there was ſo much preaching and teaching. In terris manducant quod apud inferos digerant. Aug.[And ye ſhall eat] Fleſh with a vengeance; which ye ſhall eat on earth, but diſgeſt in hell.
Verſ. 20. But even a whole monethmonth] Deus ſaepè dat iratus quod negat propitius. Patientia Dei quo diuturnior, eò minacior. Poena venit gravior quò magis ſera venit: Gods forbearance is no quittance: fatted beaſts are but fitted for the ſlaughter; wicked men are killed with kindneſſes, Eaſe ſlayeth the fooliſh, Prov. 1.32.
Verſ. 21. Six hundred thouſand foot-men] In the conqueſt of Canaan, there is no mention of horſemen. The adverſaries, both Egyptians and Canaanites, had horſes and chariots, not ſo this people of Iſrael. See Pſal. 33.17.
Verſ. 22. Or ſhall all the fiſh of the Sea] Moſes forgat (belike) the fowls of the ayr; but God ſent them ſuch a drift of quailes, as Moſes dream't not of: he fed them with meat of Kings, bread of Angels.
Verſ. 23. And the Lord ſaid unto Moſes] God bears with Moſes here; which afterwards he did not, Num. 20.12. becauſe then he ſhewed his diſtruſt before the people. God will not paſs by the ſcandalous practices of his own people, without a ſenſible check.
Verſ. 24. And ſet them round about the Tabernacle] That the fear of the Lord might be upon them, &c. 2 Chron. 19.6, 7. and that they might carry themſelves worthy of God, who had ſet them in place of Judicature. To the company of the Areopagites, (Judges in Athens) none were admitted, but wiſe, wealthy, and noble men; famous for good life and innocency. Nay, men, foreign.whoſe behaviour was intolerable; after they were choſen into the Colledg of the Areopagites, abhorring and bluſhing at their former diſpoſition, changed their natures, and embraced vertue.
Verſ. 25. Took of the spirit] See the Note on verſ. 17.
They propheſied] Nec praedicendo, nec praedicando, but by uttering grave and wiſe ſentences, Apophthegmes, or counſels (as Moſes did) concerning the publike affairs of Iſrael: by politicall and prudential ſpeaking of things appertaining to government.
Verſ. 26. But there remained two of the men] Being ſtayed by ſome lawful occaſion, as 1 Sam. 20.26. Jer. 36.5. or haply, out of ſenſe of their own inſufficiency; as 1 Sam. 10.22. Howſoever, hereby it appeared to all the people, that theſe ſeventy Seniours were ſet apart by God for the ſervice.
Verſ. 27. And there ran a young man] Three manner of perſons, ſaid Mr. Latimer, can make no credible information: 1. Adverſaries and enemies. 2. Ignorant perſons, and without judgment. 3. Whiſperers, and blowers in mens ears, that will utter in hugger-mugger, more then they dare avow openly.
Verſ. 18. My Lord Moſes forbid] Thus, the ſpirit that is in us luſteth to envy, Jam. 4.5. Nero omnium erat aemulus, qui quoquo modo animum vulgi moverint. Nero envyed every man that excelled.
Verſ. 29. That all the Lords people] This is not meant of a ſalvificall teaching others, but a political diſcourſing unto others. See the Note on ver. 25.
Verſ. 32. And they ſpread them] They fed without fear, Jude 12. though foretold, they ſhould pay dear for theſe murthering morſels, ver. 20. that which they eat being ſaweed, and that which they drank, being ſpiced with the bitter wrath of God, Job 20.23.
Verſ. 34. They buried the people] Who by a haſty teſtament, bequeathed this new name to the place they lay buried in.