Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reu- | honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except thou ben, took men: 2 And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown: 3 And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, in and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD? 4 And when Moses heard it," he fell upon his face: 5 And he spake unto Korah, and unto all his company, saying, Even to-morrow the LORD will show who are his, and who is holy; and will cause him to come near unto him: even him whom he hath P chosen will he cause to 9 come near unto him. 6 This do; Take you censers, Korah, and all his company; 7 And put fire therein, and put incense in them before the LORD to-morrow: and it shall be that the man whom the LORD doth choose, he shall be holy: ye take too much upon you, ye sons of Leví. 8 And Moses said unto Korah, Hear, I pray you, ye sons of Levi: r 9 Seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself, to do the service of the tabernacle of the LORD, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them? 10 And he hath brought thee near to him, and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee: and seek ye the priesthood also? 11 For which cause both thou and all thy company are gathered together against the LORD: and what is Aaron, that ye murmur against him? 12 And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, which said, We will not come up: 13 Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and h Gen. 6. 4. Ch. 26. 9.-i Pa. 106. 16.-k Heb. It is much for you.-1 Exod. 19, 6-m Exod. 29. 45. Ch. 14. 14. & 35. 34.-n Ch. 14. 5. & 20. 6.- Ver. 3. Lev. 21. 6, 7, 8, 12, 15-p Exod. 28. 1. Ch. 17 5. 18am. 2. 28. Psa. 105. 26.-q Ch. 3. 10. Lev. 10. 3. & 21. 17, 18. Ezek. 40. 46. & 44. 15, 16.-r1 Sam. 18. 23. Isai. 7. 13. 8 Ch. 3. 41, 45. & 8. 14. Deut. 10. 8-t Exod. 16. 8. 1 Cor. 3. 5.-u Ver. 9.-v Exod. 2 14. Acts 7. 27, 35.- Exod. 3. 8. Lev. 20. 24. Yitsar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, HE TOOK, even Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, son of Peleth, SON OF REUBEN, and they rose up, &c. This makes a very regular and consistent sense, and spares all the learned labour of father Houbigant, who translates np yikkach, by rebellionem fecerunt, they rebelled; which scarcely any rule of criticism can ever justify. Instead of a bency Reuben, SONS of Reuben, some MSS. have ben, son, in the singular; this reading, supported by the Septuagint and the Samaritan text, I have followed in the above translation. But as Eliab and Peleth were both Reubenites, the common reading, SONS, may be safely followed. Verse 3. Ye take too much upon you] The original is simply arab lacem, too much for you. The spirit of this saying appears to me to be the following: "Holy offices are not equally distributed: you arrogate to yourselves the most important ones, as if your superior holiness entitled you alone to them; whereas all the congregation are holy, and have an equal right with you to be employed in the most holy services." Moses retorts this saying, ver. 7. Ye take too much upon you, arab lacem; Ye have too much already, ye sons of Levi: i. e. by your present spirit and disposition, you prove yourselves to be wholly unworthy of any spiritual employ ment. Verse 5. The Lord will show who are his] It is supposed that St. Paul refers to this place, 2 Tim. ii. 19. The foundation of God, the whole sacrificial system, referring to Christ Jesus, the foundation of the salvation of men: standeth sure-notwithstanding the rebellions, intrusions, and false doctrines of men. Having this sealthis stamp of its divine authenticity, The Lord knoweth make thyself altogether a prince over us? 14 Moreover thou hast not brought us into wa land that floweth with milk and honey, or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards: wilt thou put out the eyes of these men? we will not come up. X y 15 And Moses was very wroth, and said unto the LORD, Respect not thou their offering: I have not taken one ass from them, neither have I hurt one of them. 18 And they took every man his censer, and put fire in them, and laid incense thereon, and stood in the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, with Moses and Aaron. 19 And Korah gathered all the congregation against them unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the congregation. 20 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 21 Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment. 22 And they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, & the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation? 23 And the LORD spake unto Moses, say ing, 24 Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. 25 And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed him. 26 And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins. x Heb. bore out.-y Gen. 4. 4,5-2 1 Sam. 12 3. Acts 20. 33. 2 Cor. 7. 2-a Ver. 6, 7.-b 1 Sam. 12, 3, 7-e Ver. 42. Exod. 16. 7, 10. Lev. 9. 6, 23. Ch. 14. 10.d Ver. 45. See Gen. 19. 17, 22. Jer. 51. 6. Acts 2 40. Rev. 18. 4.- Ver. 45. Exod. 32 10. & 33. 5.- Ver. 45. Ch. 14. 5-g Ch. 27. 16. Job 12. 10. Eccles 12. 7. Isa 57. 16. Zech. 12. 1. Hebr. 12. 9.-h Gen. 19. 12, 14. Isai. 52. 11. 2 Cor. 6. 17. Rev. 18. 4. them that are his, εγνω Κυριος τους όντας αυτού, & literal translation of mm you ve yoda Yehovah et asher lo. And both signifying, the Lord approveth of his own, or, will own that which is of his own appointment. And let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity-alluding to the exhortation of Moses, ver. 26. Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men. Verse 15. Respect not thou their offering] There was no danger of this-they wished to set up a priesthood and a sacrificial system of their own. And God never has blessed, and never can bless, any scheme of salvation which is not of his own appointment. Man is ever supposing that he can mend his Maker's work; or that he can make one of his own, that will do in its place. Verse 22. O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh} .El Elohey haruchoth lecol basar אל אלהי הרוחת לכל בשר : This address sufficiently proves, that these holy men believed that man is a being compounded of flesh and spirit; and that these principles are perfectly distinct. Either the materiality of the human soul is a human fable, or, if it be a true doctrine, these men did not pray under the influence of the Divine Spirit. In chap. xxvii. 16. there is a similar form of expression, Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh. And in Job xii. 10. In whose hand is the soul (D nephesh) of all living; and the spirit (ruach) of all flesh of man. Are not these decisive proofs that the Old Testament teaches that there is an immortal spirit in man? But does not ruach, signify wind or breath? Sometimes it does, but certainly not here; for how absurd would it be to say, O God, the God of the breaths of all flesh. Verse 30. If the Lord make a new thing] Ə ONI 27 So they gat up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side: and Dathan and Abiram came out and stood in the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little children. i 28 And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the LORD hath sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own mind. 29 If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the LORD hath not sent me. 30 But if the LORD " make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they P go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD. 31 And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them: г 32 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. 39 And Eleazar the priest took the brazen censers, wherewith they that were burnt had offered; and they were made broad plates for a covering of the altar: 40 To be a memorial unto the children of Israel that no stranger, which is not of the seed of Aaron, come near to offer incense before the LORD; that he be not as Korah, and as his company: as the LORD said to him by the hand of Moses. 41 But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people of the LORD. 42 And it came to pass, when the congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron, that they looked towards the tabernacle of the congregation: and, behold, the cloud_covered it, and the glory of the LORD appeared. 43 And Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of the congregation. b 44 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 45 Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And 33 They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earththey fell upon their faces. closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation. 34 And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also. 35 And there came out a fire from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense. 36 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 37 Speak unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, that he take up the censers out of the burning, and scatter thou the fire yonder: for "they are hallowed. 38 The censers of these sinners against their own souls, let them make them broad plates for a covering of the altar: for they offered them before the LORD, therefore they are hallowed: and they shall be a sign unto the children of Israel. i Exod. 3. 12. Deut. 18. 22. Zech. 2 9, 10. & 4. 9. John 5. 36-k Ch. 21. 13. Jer. 23. 16. Ezek 13. 17. John 5. 30. & 6. 38.-1 Heb. as every man dieth-m Exod. 20. 5. & 32 34. Job 35. 15. Isai. 10. 3. Jer. 5. 9.-n Heh. create a creature. Isai. 45. 7. o Job 31. 3. Isai. 23. 21.-p Ver. 33. Psa. 55. 15-q Ch. 26. 10. & 27. 3. Deut. 11. 6. Paa. 106. 17.-r See Ver. 17. & Ch. 26. 11. 1 Chron. 6. 22, 27.-9 Lev. 10. 2. Ch. 11. 1. Veim beriah yibra Yehovah. And if Jehovah should create a creation, i. e. do such a thing as was never done before. And they go down quick into the pit] sheolah, a proof among many others, that sheol signifies a chasm, or pit of the earth, and not the place called hell: for it would be absurd to suppose that their houses had gone to hell; and it would be wicked to imagine that their little innocent children had gone thither; though God was pleased to destroy their lives with those of their iniquitous fathers. Verse 33. They, and all that appertained to them] Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, and all that appertained to their respective families, went down into the pit caused by this supernatural earthquake; while the fire from the Lord consumed the 250 men that bare censers. Thus there were two distinct punishments, the pit and the fire, for the two divisions of these rebels. Verse 37. The censers are hallowed.] wp kadeshu, are consecrated, i. e. to the service of God, though, in this instance, improperly employed. Verse 41. On the morrow all the congregation murmured] It is very likely that the people persuaded themselves that Moses and Aaron had used some cunning in this business; and that the earthquake and fire were artificial; else, had they discerned the hand of God in this punishment, could they have dared the anger of the Lord in the very face of justice? Verse 46. The plague is begun] God now punished them by a secret blast, so as to put the matter beyond all dispute his hand, and his alone, was seen not only in the plague, but in the manner in which the mortality was arrested. It was necesary that this should be done in this way, that the whole congregation might see that those men who had perished, were not the people of the Lord; and that GOD, not Moses and Aaron, had destroyed them. Verse 48. He stood between the dead and the living, and the plague, &c.] What the plague was we know 46 And Moses said unto Aaron, take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from the LORD; the plague is begun. 47 And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the congregation; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on incense, and made an atonement for the people. 48 And he stood between the dead and the living and the plague was stayed. 49 Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, beside them that died about the matter of Korah. 50 And Aaron returned unto Moses unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the plague was stayed. Ch 17. Psa. 106. 18.-t Ver. 17.-u See Lev. 27. 23.- Prov. 20. 2. Hab. 2 10- not-but it seems to have begun at one part of the camp, and to have proceeded regularly onward; and Aaron went to the quarter where it was then prevailing, and stood with his atonement, where it was now making its ravages; and the plague was stayed; but not before 14,700 had fallen victims to it, ver. 49. Ir Aaron the high priest, with his censer and incense, could disarm the wrath of an insulted angry Deity, so that a guilty people who deserved nothing but destruction should be spared; how much more effectual may we expect the great atonement to be, which was made by the Lord Jesus Christ, of whom Aaron was only the type? The sacrifices of living animals pointed out the death of Christ on the cross; the incense his intercession. Through his death, salvation is purchased for the world: by his intercession the offending children of men are spared. Hence St. Paul, Rom. v. 10. says, If while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved THROUGH HIS LIFE; i. e. by the prevalence of his continual intercession, 2 Cor. v. 18, 19, And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation." By the awful transactions recorded in this chapter we may see how jealous God is of the sole right of appointing the way and means of salvation. Had any priesthood, and any kind of service, no matter how solemn and sincere, been equally available in the sight of divine justice and mercy; God would not have resented, in so awful a manner, the attempts of Korah and his company in their new service. The way of God's own appointment, the agony and death of Christ, is the only way in which souls can be saved. His is the priesthood, and his is the only available sacrifice. All other modes and schemes of salvation are the inventions of men or devils, and will in the CHAPTER XVII. The twelve chiefs of the tribes are commanded to take their rods, and to write the Aaron is to be written on the rod of the tribe of Levi, 1-3. The rods are to be laid up before the Lord, who promises, that the man's rod whom he shall choose for priest, shall blossom, 4, 5. The rols are produced, and laid up before the taberna name of each tribe upon the rod that belonged to its representative; but the name of cle, 6, 7. Aaron's rol alone buds, blossoms, and bears fruit, 8, 5. It is laid up before the testimony, as a token of the manner in which God had disposed of the priest hood, 10, 11. The people are greatly terrified, and are apprehensive of being destroyed, 12, 13. An. Exol. Isr. cir. 20. AN ND the LORD spake unto Moses, 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and take of every one of them a rod according to the house of their fathers, of all their princes according to the house of their fathers twelve rods: write thou every man's name upon his rod. 3 And thou shalt write Aaron's name upon the rod of Levi: for one rod shall be for the head of the house of their fathers. 8 And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds. 9 And Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD unto all the children of Israel; and they looked, and took every man his rod. Aaron's rod again before the testimony, to be 10 And the LORD said unto Moses, Bring kept for a token against the m rebels; " and from me, that they die not. thou shalt quite take away their murmurings 11 And Moses did so: as the LORD commanded him, so did he. 12 And the children of Israel spake unto 4 And thou shalt lay them up in the taberna-Moses, saying, Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish. cle of the congregation before the testimony, where I will meet with you. f 5 And it shall come to pass, that the man's rod, whom I shall choose, shall blossom: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, whereby they murmur against you. 6 And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, and every one of their princes gave him ha rod apiece, for each prince one, according to their fathers' houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron was among their rods. 7 And Moses laid up the rods before the LORD in the tabernacle of witness. e Exod. 25. 22 & 29. 42, 43. & 30 36-f Ch. 16. 5-g Ch. 16. 11.-h Heb. a rod for one prince, a rod for one prince.-i Exod. 38. 21. Numb. 18. 2. Acts 7. 44. end prove ruinous to all those who trust in them. forget not the Lord who bought thee! Reader, NOTES ON CHAPTER XVII. Verse 2. And take every one of them a rod] no matteh, the staff or sceptre, which the prince, or chief of each tribe bore, and which was the sign of office or royalty among almost all the people of the earth. Verse 5. The man's rod whom I shall choose shall blossom] It was necessary that something farther should be done to quiet the minds of the people, and for ever to settle the dispute, in what tribe the priesthood should be fixed. God therefore took the method described in the text, and it had the desired effect: the Aaronical priesthood was never after disputed. 13 Whosoever cometh any thing near unto the tabernacle of the LORD shall die: shall we be consumed with dying? CHAPTER XVIII. The priests are to bear the iniquity of the sanctuary, I. The Levites to minister to the priests, and have charge of the tabernacle, 2-4. The priests alone to have charge of the sanctuary, &c. no stranger to come nigh on pain of death, 5-7. The portion allowed for their maintenance, 8. They shall have every meat-offering; and they shall eat them in the holy place, 9, 10. The wave-offerings, 11. The firstfruits of the oil, wine, and wheat, and whatever is first ripe, and every devoted thing, 12-14; also, all the first-born of men and beasts, 15-18; and heave-offerings, 19. The priests shall have no inheritance, 20. The Levites shall have no inheritance, but shall have the tenth of the produce in Israel, 21-24, of which they are to give a tenth to the priests, taken from the best parts, 25--30. ad thy sons and thy fa ND the LORD said unto Aaron, An Exo. Iar. cir. 20. ANT to establish and confirm the oath. A remarkable instance Αλλ' εκ τοι ερέω, και επί μέγαν όρκον ομουμαι, ο δε τοι μέγας εσσεται ορκος. But hearken: I shall swear a solemn oath: Cowper. VIRGIL represents king Latinus swearing in the same way, to confirm his covenant with Eneas. Ut sceptrum hoc (dextra sceptrum nam forte gerebat) En. lib. xii. v. 206--12. Even as this royal sceptre (for he bore Verse 8. The rod of Aaron-was budded, &c.] That is, on the same rod or staff were found buds, blossoms, and ripe fruit. This fact was so unquestionably miraculous, as to decide the business for ever; and probably this was intended to show, that in the priesthood, represented by that of Aaron, the beginning, middle, and end of every good work must be found. The buds of good desires, the blossoms of holy resolution and promising professions, and the ripe fruit of faith, love, and obedience, all spring from the priesthood of the Lord Jesus. It has been thought by some that Aaron's staff, and perhaps the staves of all the tribes, were made out of the amygdalus communis, or common almond tree. In a favourable soil and climate it grows to twenty feet in height, and is one of the most noble flourishing trees in nature: its flowers are of a delicate red, and it puts them forth early in March, having begun to bud in January. It has its name pe sheked from shakad, to awake, because it buds and flowers sooner than most other trees. And it is very likely that the staves of office, borne by the chiefs of all the tribes, were made of this tree, merely to signify, that watchfulness and assiduous care which the chiefs should take of the persons committed, in they gavaênu, signifies not so much, to die simply, as to course of the divine providence, to their keeping. Every thing in this miracle is so far beyond the power of nature, that no doubt could remain on the minds of the people, or the envious chiefs, of the divine appointment of Aaron, and of the especial interference of God in this case. To see a piece of wood, long cut off from the parent stock, without bark or moisture remaining, laid up in a dry place, for a single night, with others in the same circumstances, to see such a piece of wood resume and evince the perfection of vegetative life, budding, blossoming, and bringing forth ripe fruit, at the same time, must be such a demonstration of the peculiar interference of God, as to silence every doubt, and satisfy every scruple. It is worthy of remark, that a sceptre, or staff of office, resuming its vegetative life, was considered an absolute impossibility among the ancients; and as they were accustomed to swear by their sceptres, this circumstance was added When the circumstance of the rod or sceptre being used anciently in this way, and the absolute impossibility of its reviviscence so strongly appealed to, are considered, it appears to have been a very proper instrument for the present occasion; for the change that passed on it, must be acknowledged as an immediate and incontestable miracle. Verse 12. Behold we die, we perish, we all perish!] feel an extreme difficulty of breathing, which producing suffocation, ends at last in death. See the folly and extravagance of this sinful people. At first, every person might come near to God, for all, they thought, were sufficiently holy, and every way qualified to minister in holy things. Now, no one, in their apprehension, can come near to the tabernacle, without being consumed, ver 13. In both cases they were wrong: some there were who might approach-others there were who might not :-God had put the difference. His decision should have been final with them; but sinners are ever running into extremes. NOTES ON CHAPTER XVIII. Verse 1. Thou and thy sons shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary, &c.] That is, they must be answerable for its legal pollutions, and must make the necessary atonements and expiations. By this they must feel, that though of the sanctuary: and thou and thy sons with thee shall bear the iniquity of your priesthood. 2 And thy brethren also of the tribe of Levi, the tribe of thy father, bring thou with thee, that they may be joined unto thee, and minister unto thee: but thou and thy sons with thee shall minister before the tabernacle of witness. 3 And they shall keep thy charge, and "the charge of all the tabernacle: only they shall not come nigh the vessels of the sanctuary and the altar, that neither they, nor ye also, die. 4 And they shall be joined unto thee, and keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, for all the service of the tabernacle: * and a stranger shall not come nigh unto you. 5 And ye shall keep the charge of the sanctuary, and the charge of the altar: that there be no wrath any more upon the children of Israel. 6 And I, behold, I have a taken your brethren the Levites from among the children of Israel: to you they are given as a gift for the LORD, to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation. d 7 Therefore thou and thy sons with thee shall keep your priest's office for every thing of the altar, and within the vail; and ye shall serve: I have given your priest's office unto you as a service of gift: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death. 8 And the LORD spake unto Aaron, Behold, I also have given thee the charge of mine heave-offerings of all the hallowed things of the children of Israel; unto thee have I given them by reason of the anointing, and to thy sons, by an ordinance for ever. h 9 This shall be thine of the most holy things, reserved from the fire: every oblation of theirs, every meat-offering of theirs, and every sinoffering of theirs, and every trespass-offering of theirs, which they shall render unto me, shall be most holy for thee and for thy sons. 10 In the most holy place shalt thou eat it; every male shall eat it; it shall be holy unto thee. r See Gen. 29. 31.-8 Ch. 3. 6, 7.-t Ch. 3. 10.-u Ch. 3. 25, 31, 36.-v Ch. 16. 40. w Ch. 4. 15.-x Ch. 3. 10-y Exod. 27. 21. & 30. 7. Lev. 24. 3. Ch. 8. 2-z Ch. 16. 46.-a Ch. 3. 12, 45.-b Ch. 3. 9. & 8. 19.-c Ver. 5. Ch. 3. 10.-d Hebr. 9. 3, 6. e Lev. 6. 16, 18, 26. & 7. 6, 32. Ch. 5. 9.- Exod. 29. 29. & 40. 13, 15-g Lev, 2, 2, 3. & 10. 12, 13-h Lev. 4. 22, 27. & 6. 25, 25.-i Lev 5. 1. & 7. 7. & 10. 12. & 14. 13. k Lev. 6. 16, 18, 26, 29. & 7. 6.-1 Exod. 29. 27, 28. Lev. 7. 30, 34.-m Lev. 10. 14. they had got a high and important office confirmed to them by a miraculous interference, yet it was a place of the highest responsibility, and that they must not be highminded, but fear. Verse 2. Thy brethren of the tribe of Levi-may be joined unto thee] There is a fine paranomasia or play upon words in the original. Levi, comes from the root lavah, to join to, couple, associate: hence, Moses says, the Levites, yillavu, shall be joined or associated with the priests; they shall conjointly perform the whole of the sacred office, but the priests shall be principal, the Levites only their associates or assistants. For an explanation of many parts of this chapter, see the notes on several of the passages referred to in the margin. Verse 15. The first-born of man-and the firstling of unclean beasts] Thus vain man is ranked with the beasts that perish; and with the worst kinds of them too, those deemed unclean! Verse 16. Thou shalt redeem-for the money of five shekels] Redemption of the first-born is one of the rites which is still practised among the Jews. According to Leo of Modena, it is performed in the following manner: When the child is thirty days old, the father sends for one of the descendants of Aaron; several persons being assembled on the occasion, the father brings a cup containing several pieces of gold and silver coin. The priest then takes the child into his arms, and addressing himself to the mother, says: PRIEST. Is this thy son?-MOTHER. Yes. PRIEST. Hast thou never had another child, male or female, a miscarriage or untimely birth?-MOTHER. No.-PRIEST. This being the case, this child, as first-born, belongs to me. Then turning to the father he says:PRIEST. If it be thy desire to have this child, thou must redeem it.-FATHER. I present thee with this gold and silver for this purpose.-PRIEST. Thou dost wish therefore to redeem the child?-FATHER. I do wish so to do. The priest then turning himself to the assembly, says : 12 All the P best of the oil, and all the best of the wine, and of the wheat, the first-fruits of them which they shall offer unto the LORD, them have I given thee. r 13 And whatsoever is first ripe in the land, which they shall bring unto the LORD, shall be thine; every one that is clean in thine house shall eat of it. 14 Every thing devoted in Israel shall be thine. 15 Every thing that openeth "the matrix in all flesh, which they bring unto the LORD, wheth er it be of men or beasts, shall be thine: nevertheless the first-born of man shalt thou surely redeem, and the firstlings of unclean beasts shaft thou redeem. W 16 And those that are to be redeemed from a month old shalt thou redeem, according to thine estimation, for the money of five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs. 17 But the firstling of a cow, or the firstling of a sheep, or the firstling of a goat, thou shalt not redeem; they are holy: thou shalt sprinkle their blood upon the altar, and shalt burn their fat for an offering made by fire, for a sweet savour unto the LORD. 18 And the flesh of them shall be thine, as the wave-breast, and as the right shoulder are thine. b 19 All the heave-offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer unto the LORD, have I given thee, and thy sons and thy daughters with thee, by a statute for ever; © it is a covenant of salt for ever before the LORD, unto thee and to thy_seed with thee. 20 And the LORD spake unto Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither Dent. 18. 3.-n Lev. 22. 2, 3, 11, 12, 13-0 Exod. 23. 19. Deut. 18 4. Neh. 10. 35,36 P Heb. fat. Ver. 29-q Exod. 22. 29.-r Exod. 22. 29. & 23. 19. & 34. 25. Lev. 2. 14. Ch. 15. 19. Deut. 26. 2-8 Ver. 11.- Lev. 27, B-u Exod. 13. 2 & 2 2 Lev. 27. 26. Ch. 3. 13.- Exod. 13. 13. & 34. -w Lev. 27. 2, 6. Ch. 3. 47. x Exod. 30. 13. Lev. 27. 25. Ch. 3. 47. Ezek. 45. 12-y Deut. 15, 19—z Lev 3. 2,5 a Exod. 29. 26, 28. Lev. 7. 31, 32, 34-b Ver. 11.- Lev. 2. 13. 2 Chron. 13 5. PRIEST. Very well: this child, as first-born, is mine, as it is written in Bemidbar, (Numb. xviii. 16.) Thou shalt redeem the first-born of a month old, for five shekels, but I shall content myself with this in exchange. He then takes two gold crowns, or thereabouts, and returns the child to his parents. Verse 19. It is a covenant of salt] i. e. an incorruptible everlasting covenant. As salt was added to different kinds of viands, not only to give them a relish, but to preserve them from putrefaction and decay, it became the emblem of incorruptibility and permanency. Hence, a covenant of salt signifies an everlasting covenant. We have already seen that, among the Asiatics, eating together was deemed a bond of perpetual friendship; and as salt was a common article in all their repasts, it may be in reference to this circumstance, that a perpetual covenant is termed a covenant of salt; because the parties ate together of the sacrifice offered on the occasion, and the whole transaction was considered as a league of endless friendship.-See the note on Lev. ii. 13. Verse 20. I am thy part and thine inheritance] The principal part of what was offered to God, was the portion of the priests; therefore they had no inheritance of land in Israel: independently of that, they had a very ample provision for their support. The rabbins say, twenty-four gifts were given to the priests; and they are all expressed in the law. Eight of those gifts the priest ate nowhere but in the sanctuary; these eight are the following: 1. The flesh of the SIN-OFFERING whether of beast or fowls, Lev. vi. 25, 26. 2. The flesh of the TRESPASS-OFFERING, Lev. vii. 1, 6. 3. The PEACE-OFFERINGS of the congregation, Lev. xxIII. 19, 20. 4. The remainder of the OMER or SHEAF, Lev. xxiii. 10, &c. 5. The remnants of the MEAT-OFFERINGS of the Israelites, Lev. vi. 16. 6. The two LOAVES, Lev. xxin. 17. A. M. CIR. 2533. B. C. CIR. 1471. shalt thou have any part among them: I am | ceive of the children of Israel; and ye shall give 29 Out of all your gifts ye shall offer every 21 T And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, heave-offering of the LORD, of all the best for their service which they serve, even the thereof, even the hallowed part thereof out of it. 30 Therefore thou shalt say unto them, When service of the tabernacle of the congregation. 22 & Neither must the children of Israel hence-ye have heaved the best thereof from it, then forth come nigh the tabernacle of the congregation, lest they bear sin, and die. 23 But the Levites shall do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they shall bear their iniquity: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel they have no inheritance. 24 But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as a heave-offering unto the LORD, I have given to the Levites to inherit: therefore I have said unto them, m Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance. 25 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 26 Thus speak unto the Levites, and say unto them, When ye take of the children of Israel the tithes, which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then ye shall offer up a heave-offering of it for the LORD, even "a tenth tithe. The ordinance of the red heifer, 1, 2. She shall be slain by Eleazar without the camp, and her blood sprinkled before the tabernacle, 3, 4. Her whole body and appartenance shall be reduced to ashes, and while burning, cedar wood, scarlet, and hyssop, shall be thrown into the fire, 5, 6. The priest, and he that burns her, to bathe themselves, and be reputed unclean till the evening, 7, 8. Her ashes to be laid up for a water of purification, 9. How, and in what cases it is to be applied, 10-13 The law concerning him who dies in a tent, or who is killed in the open field, 1416. How the persons, tent, and vessels are to be purified by the application of these ashes, 17-19. The unclean person who does not apply them, to be cut off from the congregation, 20. This is to be a perpetual statute, 21, 22. ND the LORD spake unto Moses, An. Exod. Isr. art of the the your heave-offering shall be A and unto Aaron, saying reckoned unto you, as though it were the corn of the threshing-floor, and as the fulness of the winepress. 28 Thus ye also shall offer a heave-offering unto the LORD of all your tithes, which ye re d Dent. 10. 9. & 12 12 & 14. 27, 29. & 18. 1, 2. Josh. 13. 14, 33. & 14. 3. & 18. 7. Psa. 16. 5. Ezek. 44. 25-e Ver. 21. 95. Lev. 27. 30, 32. Neh. 10. 37. & 12. 44. Hebr. 7.5, 8, 9-f Ch. 3. 7, 8-g Ch. 1. 51-h Lev. 22. 9-i Heb. to die.-k Ch. 3. 2 This is the ordinance of the law which the LORD hath commanded, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring thee a red heifer without spot, wherein is no blemish," and upon which never came yoke: 7-1 Ver. 21-m Ver. 20. Deut. 10. 9. & 14, 27, 29. & 18. 1.-n Neh. 10. 38-o Ver. 30.-p Heb. fat. Ver. 12-9 Ver. 27.-r Matt. 10. 10. Luke 10. 7. 1 Cor. 9. 13. 1 Tim. 5. 18.-9 Lev. 19. 8. & 22. 16.-t Lev. 22. 2, 15.-u Deut. 21. 3. 1 Sam. 6. 7. Canaan contained about 11,264,000 acres, therefore the one to two hundred and twelve; for 11,264,000, divided by portion possessed by the Levites was rather less than as 53,000, quotes only 212-See Lowman, Dodd, &c. But though this was a very small proportion for a whole tribe that had consented to annihilate its political existence, that it might wait upon the service of God, and labour for the people's souls; yet, let it be considered, that what they possessed was the best of the land: and while it was a slender remuneration for their services, yet their portion was such as rendered them independent, and kept them comfortable; so that they could wait on the Lord's work without distraction. This is a proper pattern for the maintenance of the ministers of God: let them have a sufficientracting cares: and let them not be encumbered with riches cy for themselves and families, that there may be no disor worldly possessions, that they may not be prevented from taking care of souls. Verse 28. Thus ye also shall offer a heave-offering] As the Levites had the tithe of the whole land, they thempriests, so that this considerably lessened their revenue. selves were obliged to give the tithe of this tithe to the And this tithe or tenth, they were obliged to select from the best part of the substance they had received, ver. 29, &c. A portion of all must be given to God, as an evithe end of chap. xx. dence of his goodness, and their dependence on him.-See NOTES ON CHAPTER XIX. Verse 2. Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring thee, &c.] The ordinance of the red heifer, was a sacrifice of general application. All the people were to to provide the sacrifice. This Jewish rite certainly had a have an interest in it, and therefore the people at large are of the Epistle to the Hebrews has remarked: "For if," reference to things done under the Gospel, as the author says he, "the blood of bulls and of goats," alluding, proba bly, to the sin-offerings and the scape-goat, "and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh; how much more shall the blood of without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead Christ, who through the eternal Spirit, offered himself works to serve the living God."-Heb. ix. 13, 14. As the the red heifer we may certainly conclude that it was deprincipal stress of the allusion here, is to the ordinance of We may remark several curious particulars in this ordisigned to typify the sacrifice of our blessed Lord. 1. A heifer was appointed for a sacrifice, probably in sacred; and actually worshipped their great goddess Isis, 417 opposition to the Egyptian superstition which held these |