And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of the congregation, on the first [day] of the second month, in the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying, Ver. 1. _In the wilderness of Sinai._] Here God held his people well nigh a year. Here t... [ Continue Reading ]
Take ye the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, after their families, by the house of their fathers, with the number of [their] names, every male by their polls; Ver. 2. _Take ye the sum._] Hence this book is named in the Greek, Numbers.... [ Continue Reading ]
From twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel: thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies. Ver. 3. _All that are able._] The people perceiving how many hundred thousand strong they were, might go on with more courage against their enemies. It is an ancient c... [ Continue Reading ]
_And with you there shall be a man of every tribe; every one head of the house of his fathers._ Ver. 4. _A man of every tribe._] These were men of renown. Num 1:16 To "do worthily in Ephrata," is the way to be "famous in Bethlehem." Rth 4:11 It is said of a great statesman, in Queen Elizabeth's day... [ Continue Reading ]
_These [were] the renowned of the congregation, princes of the tribes of their fathers, heads of thousands in Israel._ Ver. 16. _Princes of the tribes._] These were those officers over them in Egypt, saith a Hebrew doctor, that had been beaten for them. Exo 5:14 Now they are raised to great preferm... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Moses and Aaron took these men which are expressed by [their] names:_ Ver. 17. _Which are expressed by their names._] And they are all excellent good names and very significant; hereby is testified to posterity that they forgat not the name of their God when they were in the iron furnace, but... [ Continue Reading ]
And they assembled all the congregation together on the first [day] of the second month, and they declared their pedigrees after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, by their polls. Ver. 18. _And they declared their p... [ Continue Reading ]
As the LORD commanded Moses, so he numbered them in the wilderness of Sinai. Ver. 19. _So he numbered them._] _See Trapp on "_ Exo 30:12 _"_ At every general muster they paid poll money. Exo 30:16 Such a taxation was first granted in this kingdom to Edward III; but in the next reign proved of ill c... [ Continue Reading ]
_But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not numbered among them._ Ver. 47. _Were not numbered._] Because, by special privilege exempted from secular and military employments, that they may wholly devote themselves to the service of the sanctuary. Peter, in like sort, must put up his... [ Continue Reading ]
_But the Levites shall pitch round about the tabernacle of testimony, that there be no wrath upon the congregation of the children of Israel: and the Levites shall keep the charge of the tabernacle of testimony._ Ver. 53. _Shall pitch round about._] As the living creatures (the ministers) are betwe... [ Continue Reading ]