NUMBERS CHAPTER 5 God commands to put away all unclean persons from the camp; it is executed, NUMBERS 5:1. Restitution commanded, and an offering, especially of hallowed things, which belong to the priest, NUMBERS 5:5. Laws in case of jealousy, bitter water ordained, NUMBERS 5:11. No text from Poole... [ Continue Reading ]
OUT OF THE CAMP, in which the people dwelt; as afterward out of the cities and towns, that they might not converse with others, and infect them. AN ISSUE, to wit, of genital seed in men, or of blood in women in their seasons. BY THE DEAD, i.e. by the touch of the dead. See LEVITICUS 21:1 NUMBERS 6:6... [ Continue Reading ]
By which caution God would intimate the possibility and danger of men's being made guilty by other men's sins, and the necessary duty of avoiding intimate converse with wicked men. IN THE MIDST WHEREOF I DWELL, by my special and gracious presence; and therefore the permission of such impurities is t... [ Continue Reading ]
No text from Poole on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
No text from Poole on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
ANY SIN THAT MEN COMMIT, Heb. _any sins of men_, i.e. either, 1. Of common infirmity, or such sins as men commit through human frailty; for if this were done knowingly and willingly, a greater punishment was appointed. See LEVITICUS 6:5,6. Or rather, 2. Sins against men, or belonging to men, to wit... [ Continue Reading ]
They shall not continue in the denial of the fact, as such persons oft do, but shall give glory to God, and take shame to themselves, by acknowledging their sin with grief and remorse. See LEVITICUS 5:5, LEVITICUS 6:4. WITH THE PRINCIPAL THEREOF; i.e. the thing he took away, or what is equivalent to... [ Continue Reading ]
IF THE MAN HAVE NO KINSMAN, which might be the case commonly with proselytes, if not with Israelites. This also suppposeth the person injured to be dead or gone away into some unknown place, and the person injured to be known to the injurer. God appointed THE PRIEST as his deputy to receive his dues... [ Continue Reading ]
Heb. _every heave offering_, the _heave-offering_ being here taken largely, so as to comprehend also the _wave-offering_ for both of these were Aaron's portion. See EXODUS 29:26. UNTO THE PRIEST to wit, to offer unto the Lord by his hands. SHALL BE HIS, i.e. the priest s. See LEVITICUS 6:16.... [ Continue Reading ]
EVERY MAN'S HALLOWED THINGS; understand this not of the sacrifices, no, not of such of them as were voluntary or vowed, as most understand it, because these were not the priest's peculiar, but a good part of them was offered to God, and the remainder was eaten by the offerer as well as by the priest... [ Continue Reading ]
No text from Poole on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
This law was given partly to deter wives from adulterous practices, and partly to secure wives against the rage of their hard-hearted husbands, who otherwise might upon mere suspicions destroy them, or at least put them away. QUEST. Why was there not the same law for the trial of the husband, when t... [ Continue Reading ]
She utterly denying it, PROVERBS 30:20, and none being able and willing to discover it; for if it was witnessed, she was to die for it, LEVITICUS 20:10 DEUTERONOMY 22:22.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SPIRIT OF JEALOUSY, i.e. a strong opinion or suggestion or inward motion of that kind, whether from a good or evil spirit. Thus we read of _the spirit of wisdom_, ISAIAH 11:2, _of perverseness_, ISAIAH 19:14, _of fornication_, HOSEA 4:12, _of fear_, 2 TIMOTHY 1:7, _of slumber_, ROMANS 11:8.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN, she persisting in her denial, and her husband requiring her submission to this way of trial. _Her offering_ was partly because none were to appear before God empty, EXODUS 23:15; partly, by way of solemn appeal to God, whom hereby she desired to judge between her and her husband; and partly, b... [ Continue Reading ]
i.e. the woman; but of her he speaks, NUMBERS 5:18; or it, i.e. the offering, which is last spoken of, so the feminine gender is put for the masculine or the neuter, of both which we have instances. BEFORE THE LORD, i.e. before the sanctuary where the ark was.... [ Continue Reading ]
HOLY WATER; either water out of the holy laver, EXODUS 30:18, or rather the water of purification appointed for such kind of uses, NUMBERS 19:9. This was used, that if she were guilty, she might be afraid to add profaneness and the pollution of holy things to her other crime. IN AN EARTHEN VESSEL; e... [ Continue Reading ]
BEFORE THE LORD; before the tabernacle, with her face towards the ark. UNCOVER THE WOMAN'S HEAD; partly, that she might be made sensible how manifest she and all her ways were to God, and that she might be more visible to the congregation, that her shame might be greater if she were guilty; partly,... [ Continue Reading ]
CHARGE HER BY AN OATH, to answer truly to his question, or to declare by oath whether she be guilty or no, and after such oath shall say as follows. IF NO MAN, to wit, except thy husband, as is manifest from the whole context; or no other man, the word _another_ being understood here, as it is thoug... [ Continue Reading ]
No text from Poole on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
AN OATH, i.e. a form of cursing or imprecatory oaths, that when they would curse a person, they may wish that they may be as cursed and miserable as thou wast upon this occasion. See the phrase ISAIAH 65:15 JEREMIAH 29:22 and compare GENESIS 48:20 RUTH 4:11,12. THY THIGH; a modest signification of t... [ Continue Reading ]
i.e. So let it be if I be guilty. The word is doubled by her as an evidence of her innocency, and ardent desire that God would deal with her according to her desert.... [ Continue Reading ]
THESE CURSES, wherewith she cursed herself, to which peradventure her name was added. IN A BOOK, i.e. in a scroll of parchment, which the Hebrews commonly call a _book_, as DEUTERONOMY 24:1 2 SAMUEL 11:11 ISAIAH 39:1. BLOT THEM OUT WITH THE BITTER WATER, or, _rase_ or _scourge_ them _out_, and cast... [ Continue Reading ]
TO DRINK, to wit, after the jealousy-offering was offered, as is affirmed, NUMBERS 5:26.... [ Continue Reading ]
No text from Poole on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE MEMORIAL THEREOF, of which see LEVITICUS 2:2.... [ Continue Reading ]
No text from Poole on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
SHE SHALL BE FREE, to wit, from these bitter curses and miseries. SHALL CONCEIVE SEED, i.e. shall bring forth children, as the Jews say, in case of her innocency, infallibly she did, yea, though she was barren before; or shall be as capable of bearing children as other women.... [ Continue Reading ]
No text from Poole on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
No text from Poole on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
GUILTLESS FROM INIQUITY; which he should not have been, if he had either dissembled or indulged her in so great a wickedness, and not endeavoured to bring her either to repentance or punishment; see MATTHEW 1:19; or cherished suspicions in his breast, and thereupon proceeded to hate her or cast her... [ Continue Reading ]