Total... 3,263,000 Besides a multitude of old and in firm persons, who would be obliged to ride on camels and asses, &c. and who must, from the proportion that such bear to the young and healthy, amount to many thousands more! Exclude even the Levites and their families, and upwards of three millions will be left. Had not Moses the fullest proof of his divine mission, he never could have put himself at the head of such an immense concourse of people, who, without the most especial and effective Providence, must all have perished for lack of food. This single circumstance, unconnected with all others, is an ample demonstration of the divine mission of Moses, and of the authenticity and divine inspiration of the Pentateuch. To suppose that an impostor, or one pretending only to a divine call, could have ventured to place himself at the head of such an immense body of people, to lead them through a trackless wilderness, utterly unprovided for such a journey, to a land as yet in the possession of several powerful nations, whom they must expel before they could possess the country, would have implied such an extreme of madness and folly, as has never been witnessed in an individual; and such a blind credulity in the multitude, as is unparalleled in the annals of mankind! The succeeding stupendous events proved that Moses had the authority of God to do what he did: and the people had, at least, such a general conviction that he had this authority, that they implicitly followed his directions, and received their law from his mouth.

Verse 40. Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, &c.] The statement in this verse is allowed on all hands to be extremely difficult and therefore the passage stands in especial need of illustration. "That the descendants of Israel did not dwell 430 years in Egypt," says Dr. Kennicott, may be easily proved; and has often been demonstrated. Some, therefore, imagine, that by Egypt here, both it and Canaan are to be understood. But this greater latitude of place will not solve the difficulty: since the Israelites, including Israel their father, did not sojourn 430 years in both countries, previous to their departure from Egypt. Others, sensible of the still remaining deficiency, would not only have Egypt in the text to signify it and Canaan; but, by a figure more comprehensive, would have the children of Israel to mean, Israel's children; and Israel their father, and Isaac the father of Israel, and part of the life of Abraham, the father of Isaac.

But

"Thus, indeed," says Dr. Kennicott, "we arrive at the exact sum, and by this method of reckoning we might arrive at any thing--but truth; which we may presume was never thus conveyed by an inspired writer." can the difficulty be removed without having recourse to such absurd shifts? Certainly it can. The Samaritan Pentateuch, in all its manuscripts and printed copies, reads the place thus:

*9 947 24 gum mig geezyz markyy miks {ques quee f 99947 думи маз презие лут эту que gyere jzxuy

Umoshab beney Yishrael veabotam âsher yashebu baarets Cenaân ubaarets mitsraim sheloshim shanah rearbâ meoth shanah.

"Now the sejourning of the children of Israel, and of their fathers, which they sojourned in the land of Canaan, and in the land of Egypt, was 430." The same sum is given by St. Paul, Gal. iii. 17. who reckons from the promise made to Abraham, when God commanded him to go to Canaan, to the giving of the law, which soon followed the departure from Egypt; and this chronology of the apostle is concordant with the Samaritan Pentateuch, which, by preserving the two passages, they and their fathers, and in the land of Canaan, which are lost out of the present copies of the Hebrew text, has rescued this passage from all obscurity and contradiction. It may be necessary to observe, that the Alexandrian copy of the Septuagint has the same reading as that in the Samaritan. The Samaritan Pentateuch is allowed by many learned men to exhibit the most correct copy of the five books of Moses; and the Alexandrian copy of the Septuagint must also be allowed to be one of the most authentic, as well as most ancient copies of this version which we possess. As to St. Paul, no man will dispute the authenticity of his statement; and thus in the mouth of these three most respectable witnesses, the whole account is indubitably established. That these three witnesses have the truth, the chronology itself proves; for, from Abraham's entry into Canaan to the birth of Isaac, was 25 years, Gen. xii. 4.-xvii. 1-21. Isaac was 60 years old at the birth of Jacob, Gen. xxv. 26. And Jacob was 130 at his going down into Egypt, Gen. xlvii. 9. which three sums make 215 years. And then Jacob and his children having continued in Egypt 215 years more, the whole sum of 430 years is regularly completed.-See Kennicott's Dissertation on the Hebrew Text.

Verse 42. A night to be much observed] A night to be held in everlasting remembrance, because of the peculiar display of the power and goodness of God; the observance of which annually, was to be considered a religious precept, while the Jewish nation should continue.

Verse 43. This is the ordinance of the passover] From the last verse of this chapter, it appears pretty evident, that this, to the 50th verse inclusive, constituted a part of the directions given to Moses relative to the proper observance of the first passover, and should be read conjointly with the preceding account, beginning at verse 21. It may be supposed that these latter verses contained such particular directions as God gave to Moses after he had given those general ones mentioned in the preceding verses; but they seem all to belong to this first passover.

No stranger shall eat of it] ben necar, the son of a stranger, or foreigner; i. e. one who was not of the genuine Hebrew stock, or who had not received circumcision; for any circumcised person might eat the passover, as the total exclusion extends only to the uncircumcised see ver. 48. As there are two sorts of strangers mentioned in the Sacred Writings; one who was admitted to all the Jewish ordinances, and another, who, though he dwelt among the Jews, was not permitted to eat the passover, or partake of any of their solemn feasts, it may be neces sary to show what was the essential point of distinction, through which the one was admitted, and the other excluded.

In treatises on the religious customs of the Jews, we frequently meet with the term proselyte, from the Greek

Autos, a stranger, or foreigner, one who is come from his own people and country to sojourn with another. All who were not descendants of some one of the twelve sons of Jacob, or of Ephraim and Manasseh, the two sons of Joseph, were reputed strangers or proselytes, among the Jews. But of those strangers or proselytes, there were two kinds, called among them proselytes of the gate, and proselytes of justive or of the covenant. The

51

by their

x Ver. 41.

serve, because the law divides to all their just rights, appoints or distributes to each his proper duty, and thus serves or ministers to the welfare of the individual, and the support of society. Hence, where there are either no laws, or unequal and unjust ones, all is distraction, violence, rapine, oppression, anarchy, and ruin.

Verse 51. By their armies.] nas tsebotam, from NY tsaba, to assemble, meet together in an orderly or regulated manner; and hence to war, to act together as troops in battle: whence was tsebaoth, troops, armies, hosts. It is from this that the Divine Being calls himself as ma Yehovah tsebaoth, the LORD of HOSTS or armies, because the Israelites were brought out of Egypt under his direction, marshalled and ordered by himself; guided by his wisdom, supported by his providence, and protected by his might. This is the true and simple reason why God is so frequently styled in the Scripture, The Lord of Hosts; for the LORD did bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their ARMIES.

ON this chapter, the notes have been so full and so explicit, that little can be added to set the subject before the reader in a clearer light. On the ordinance of the PASSOVER, the reader is requested to consult the notes on verses 7, 14, and 27. For the display of God's power and providence in supporting so great a multitude, where, humanly speaking, there was no provision; and the proof that the Exodus of the Israelites gives of the truth of the Mosaic history, he is referred to ver. 37. And for the meaning of the term LAW, to ver. 49.

On the ten plagues, it may be but just necessary, after what has been said in the notes, to make a few general reflections. When the nature of the Egyptian idolatry is considered, and the plagues which were sent upon them; we may see at once the peculiarity of the judgment, and the great propriety of its being inflicted in the way related by Moses. The plagues were either inflicted on the objects of their idolatry, or by their means.

1. That the river Nile was an object of their worship, and one of their greatest gods, we have already seen. As the FIRST plague, its waters were therefore turned into blood; and the fish, many of which were objects also of their adoration, died. Blood was particularly offensive to them, and the touch of any dead animal rendered them unclean. When, then, their great god, the river, was turned into blood, and its waters became putrid, so that all the fish, minor objects of their devotion, died, we see a judgment at once calculated to punish, correct, and reform them. Could they ever more trust in gods, who could neither save themselves nor their deluded worshippers?

2. Mr. Bryant has endeavoured to prove that frogs, the SECOND plague, were sacred animals in Egypt, and were dedicated to Osiris: they certainly appear on many ancient Egyptian monuments; and in such circumstances and connexions, as to show that they were held in religious veneration. These therefore became an awful scourge; first, by their numbers, and their intrusion into every place; and secondly, by their death, and the infection of the atmosphere which took place in consequence.

3. We have seen, also, that the Egyptians, especially the priests, affected great cleanliness: and would not wear woollen garments, lest any kind of vermin should harbour about them. The THIRD plague, by means of lice, or suchlike vermin, was wisely calculated both to humble and confound them. In this, they immediately saw a power superior to any that could be exerted by their gods or their magicians; and the latter were obliged to confess, This is the finger of God!

4. That flies were held sacred among the Egyptians, and among various other nations, admits of the strongest proof. It is very probable that Baal-zebub himself was worshipped under the form of a fly, or great cantharid. These, therefore, or some kind of winged noxious insects, became the prime agents in the FOURTH plague: and if the cynomyia or dog-fly be intended, we have already seen in the notes, with what propriety and effect this judgment was inflicted.

5. The murrain, or mortality among the cattle, was the FIFTH plague, and the most decisive mark of the power and indignation of Jehovah. That dogs, cats, monkeys, rams, heifers, and bulls, were all objects of their most religious veneration, all the world knows. These were smitten in a most singular manner by the hand of God: and the Egyptians saw themselves deprived at once of all their imaginary helpers. Even Apis, their ox-god, in whom they particularly trusted, now suffers, groans, and

y Ch. 6. 26.

dies under the hand of Jehovah. Thus does he execute judgment against all the gods of Egypt. See. ver. 12. 6. The SIXTH plague, viz. of biles and blains, was as appropriate as any of the preceding; and the sprinkling of the ashes, the means by which it was produced, peculiarly significant. Pharmacy, Mr. Bryant has observed, was in high repute among the Egyptians, and Isis, their most celebrated goddess, was considered as the preventer or healer of all diseases. "For this goddess," says Diodorus, Hist. lib. i. "used to reveal herself to people in their sleep, when they laboured under any disorder, and afford them relief. Many who placed their confidence in her influence, RICE OX, were miraculously restored. Many, likewise, who had been despaired of, and given over by the physicians, on account of the obstinacy of the distemper, were saved by this goddess. Numbers, who had been deprived of their eyes, and of other parts of their bodies, were all restored on their application to Isis." By this disorder, therefore, which no application to their gods could cure, and which was upon the magicians also, who were supposed to possess most power and influence, God confounded their pride, showed the folly of their worship, and the vanity of their dependence. The means by which these biles and blains were inflicted, viz. the sprinkling of ashes from the furnace, were peculiarly appropriate. Plutarch assures us, De Iside et Osiride, that in several cities in Egypt, they were accustomed to sacrifice human beings to Typhon, whom they burnt alive upon a high altar; and at the close of the sacrifice, the priests gathered the ashes of these victims, and scattered them in the air; "I presume," says Mr. Bryant, "with this view, that where an atom of their dust was wafted, a blessing might be entailed. The like was done by Moses with the ashes of the furnace, that wherever any, the smallest portion, alighted, it might prove a plague and a curse to this cruel, ungrateful, and infatuated people. Thus there was a designed contrast in these workings of Providence: an apparent opposition to the superstition of the times."

7. The grievous hail, the SEVENTH plague, attended with rain, thunder, and lightning, in a country where these scarcely ever occur, and according to an express prediction of Moses, must, in the most signal manner, point out the power and justice of God. Fire and water were some of the principal objects of Egyptian idolatry; and fire, as Porphyry says, they consider my va fer, to be a great god. To find, therefore, that these very elements, the objects of their adoration, were at the command of a servant of Jehovah, brought as a curse and scourge on the whole land, and upon men also, and cattle, must have shaken their belief in these imaginary deities, while it proved to the Israelites, that there was none like the God of Jeshurun.

8. In the EIGHTH plague we see, by what insignificant creatures God can bring about a general destruction. A caterpillar is beyond all animals the most contemptible, and taken singly, the least to be dreaded in the whole empire of nature; but in the hand of divine justice, it becomes

one of the most formidable foes of the human race. From the examples in the notes, we see how little human power, industry, or art, can avail against this most awful scourge. Not even the most contemptible animal should be considered with disrespect, as in the hand of God, it may become the most terrible instrument for the punishment of a criminal individual, or a guilty land.

9. The NINTH plague, the total and horrible darkness, that lasted for three days, afforded both Israelites and Egyptians the most illustrious proof of the power and universal dominion of God: and was, particularly to the latter, a most awful, yet instructive lesson against a species of idolatry, which had been long prevalent in that and other countries, viz. The worship of the celestial luminaries. The sun and moon were both adored as supreme deities; as the sole dispensers of light and life; and the sun was invoked as the giver of immortality and eternal blessedness. Porphyry De Abstin. 1. 4. preserves the very form used by the Egyptian priests in addressing the sun on behalf of a deceased person, that he might be admitted into the society of the gods: SITT HAI8, 221 @201 παντές, οι την ζωήν τους ανθρωποις δόντος, προσδέξασθέ με, και παραδοτα τους αιδίοις θεοις συνοικών. "O sovereign lord the Sun, and all ye other. Deities who bestow life on mankind, receive me; and grant that I may be admitted as a companion with the immortal gods!" These objects of their superstitious worship, Jehovah showed by this plague to be his creatures, dispensing or withholding their light

11 And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, as he sware unto thee and to thy fathers, and shall give it thee, 12 P That thou shalt set apart unto the LORD all that openeth the matrix, and every firstling that cometh of a beast which thou hast; the males shall be the LORD'S.

because these things were, in themselves, signs; but they wore them always when they read the Law, or when they prayed; and hence they called them on tephillin, prayer ornaments, oratories, or incitements to prayer. In process of time, the spirit of this law was lost in the letter, and when the word was not in their mouth, nor the law in their heart, they had their phylacteries on their heads, and on their hands. And the Pharisees, who in our Lord's time affected extraordinary piety, made their phylacteries very broad, that they might have many sentences written upon them, or the ordinary portions in very large and observable letters.

It appears that the Jews wore these for three different purposes.

1. As signs or remembrances. This was the original design, as the institution itself sufficiently proves.

2. To procure reverence and respect in the sight of the heathen. This reason is given in the Gemara, Beracoth. chap. i. "Whence is it proved, that the phylacteries, or tephillin, are the strength of Israel? Ans. From what is written, Deut. xxviii. 10. All the people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the LORD, [mm Yehovah] and they shall be afraid of thee."

3. They used them as amulets or charms, to drive away evil spirits. This appears from the Targum on Canticles viii. 3. His left hand is under my head, &c. "The congregation of Israel hath said, I am elect above all people, because I bind my phylacteries on my left hand and on my head, and the scroll is fixed to the right side of my gate, the third part of which looks to my bed-chamber, that dæmons may not be permitted to injure me."

An original phylactery, or ren tephillin, now lies before me: it is a piece of fine vellum, about eighteen inches long, and an inch and a quarter broad. It is divided into four unequal compartments; the letters are very well formed, but written with many apices, after the manner of the German Jews. In the first compartment is written the portion taken from Exod. xii. 2-10. In the second, Exod. xiii. 11-16. In the third, Deut. vi. 4-9. In the fourth, Deut. xi. 13-21. as before related. This had originally served for the hand or arm.

These passages seem to be chosen in vindication of the use of the phylactery itself, as the reader may see on consulting them at large. Bind them for a sicN upon thy HAND; and for FRONTLETS between thy EYES; write them upon the POSTS of thy HOUSE, and upon thy GATES; all which commands the Jews take in the most literal sense. To acquire the reputation of extraordinary sanctity, they wore the fringes of their garments of an uncommon length. Moses had commanded them, Num. xv. 38, 39. to put fringes to the borders of their garments, that when they looked upon even these distinct threads, they might remember not only the law in general, but also the very minutiae or smaller parts of all the precepts, rites, and ceremonies belonging to it. As those hypocrites, for such our Lord proves them to be, were destitute of all the life and power of religion within, they endeavoured to supply its place with phylacteries and fringes without. The same principles distinguish hypocrites every where, and multitudes of them may be found among those termed Christians, as well as among the Jews. It is probably to this institution, relative to the phylactery, that the words, Rev. xiv. 1. allude; And I looked, and lo-144,000 having his Father's name written on their foreheads. That is, says

first-born in the land of Egypt, both the first born of man, and the first-born of beast: therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all that openeth the matrix, being males; but all the first-born of my children, I redeem.

16 And it shall be for a token upon thine hand, and for frontlets between thine eyes: for by strength of hand the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt.

17 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt:

b

18 But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea; and the children of Israel went up harnassed out of the land of Egypt.

d

v Ch. 12 26. Deut. 6. 20. Josh. 4. 6, 21.-w Heb. to-morrow-x Ver. 3-y Ch 12. 29. Ver. 9-a Ch. 14. 11, 12. Numb. 14. 1-4-b Deut. 17. 16. Ch. 14. 2. Numb. 33. 6, &c.-d Or, by five in a rank.

Mr. Ainsworth, as a sign of the profession of God's law; for that which in the Gospel is called his NAME, Matt. xii. 21. in the prophets is called his LAW, Isai. xlii. 4. So again, anti-christ exacts the obedience to his precepts, by a mark on men's right hands, or on their foreheads, Rev. xii. 16.

Verse 13. Every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb] Or, a kid, as in the margin. In Num. xviii. 15. it is said, "The first-born of man shalt thou surely redeem; and the firstling of an unclean beast shalt thou redeem." Hence we may infer, that ass is put here for any unclean beast, or for unclean beasts in general. The lamb was to be given to the Lord, that is, to his priest, Num. xviii. 8, 15. And then the owner of the ass might use it for his own service, which, without this redemption, he could not do, see Deut. xv. 19.

The first-born of man-shalt thou redeem.] This was done, by giving to the priests five standard shekels, or shekels of the sanctuary; every shekel weighing twenty gerahs. What the gerah was, see on Gen. xx. 16. And for the shekel, see Gen. xxiii. 15.

It may be necessary to observe here, that the Hebrew doctors teach, that if a father had neglected or refused thus to redeem his first-born, the son himself was obliged to do it when he came of age. As this redeeming of the firstborn was instituted in consequence of sparing the first-born of the Israelites, when the first-born both of man and beast among the Egyptians was destroyed; on this ground, all the first-born were the Lord's, and should have been employed in his service; but he permitted the first-born of a useful unclean animal to be redeemed by a clean animal of much less value. And he chose the tribe of Levi in place of all the first-born of the tribes in general; and the five shekels were ordered to be paid in lieu of such firstborn sons as were liable to serve in the sanctuary; and the money was applied to the support of the priests and Levites. See this subject at large, in Num. iii. 12, 13, 41, 43, 45, 47-51.

Verse 16. It shall be for a token, &c.] See the note on ver. 9.

Verse 17. God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, &c.] Had the Israelites been obliged to commence their journey to the promised land, by a military campaign, there is little room to doubt that they would have been discouraged, have rebelled against Moses and Aaron, and have returned back to Egypt. Their long slavery had so degraded their minds, that they were incapable of any great or noble exertions: and it is only on the ground of this mental degradation, the infallible consequence of slavery, that we can account for their many dastardly acts, murmurings, and repinings after their escape from Egypt. The reader is requested to bear this in mind, as it will serve to elucidate several circumstances in the ensuing history. Besides, the Israelites were in all probability unarmed, and totally unequipped for battle, encumbered with their flocks, and certain culinary utensils, which they were obliged to carry with them in the wilderness to provide them with bread, &c.

Verse 18. But God led the people about] Dr. Shaw has shown that there were two roads from Egypt to Canaan; one through the valleys of Jendilly, Rumeleah, and Baideah, bounded on each side by the mountains of the lower Thebais; the other lies higher, having the northern range of the mountains of Mocatee running parallel with it, on