That they defile not the camp — By which God would intimate the danger of being made guilty by other mens sins, and the duty of avoiding intimate converse with wicked men. I dwell — By my special and gracious presence.... [ Continue Reading ]
Any sin that men commit — Heb. any sins of men, that is, sins against men, as deceits or wrongs, whereby other men are injured, of which he manifestly speaks. Against the Lord — Which words may be added, to shew that such injuries done to men are also sins against God, who hath commanded justice to... [ Continue Reading ]
They shall confess their sin — They shall not continue in the denial of the fact, but give glory to God, and take shame to themselves by acknowledging it. The principal — That is, the thing he took away, or what is equivalent to it. And add — Both as a compensation to the injured person for the want... [ Continue Reading ]
No kinsman — This supposes the person injured to be dead or gone, into some unknown place, and the person injured to be known to the injurer. To the priest — Whom God appointed as his deputy to receive his dues, and take them to his own use, that so he might more chearfully and entirely devote himse... [ Continue Reading ]
Unto the priest — To offer by his hands.... [ Continue Reading ]
Every man's hallowed things — Understand this not of the sacrifices, because these were not the priest's peculiar, but part of them was offered to God, and the remainder was eaten by the offerer as well as by the priest; but of such other things as were devoted to God, and could not be offered in sa... [ Continue Reading ]
If a man's wife — 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. There was not like fear of inconveniences to the husba... [ Continue Reading ]
The man shall bring her to the priest — Who first strove to persuade her to own the truth. If she did, she was not put to death, (which must have been, if it had been proved against her) but only was divorced and lost her dowry. Her offering — By way of solemn appeal to God, whom hereby she desired... [ Continue Reading ]
Before the Lord — That is, before the sanctuary where the ark was.... [ Continue Reading ]
Holy water — Water of purification appointed for such uses. This was used, that if she were guilty, she might be afraid to add profaneness to her other crime. An earthen vessel — Because, after this use, it was to be broken in pieces, that the remembrance of it might be blotted out as far as was pos... [ Continue Reading ]
Before the Lord — Before the tabernacle with her face towards the ark. Uncover her head — Partly that she might be made sensible how manifest she and all her ways were to God; partly in token of her sorrow for her sin, or at least for any cause of suspicion which she had given. In her hands — That s... [ Continue Reading ]
By an oath — To answer truly to his question, or to declare whether she be guilty or no, and after such oath shall say as follows.... [ Continue Reading ]
An oath — That is, a form of cursing, that when they would curse a person, they may wish that they may be as miserable as thou wast. Thy thigh — A modest expression, used both in scripture, as Genesis 46:26, Exodus 1:5, and other authors. To rot — Heb. to fall, that is, to die or waste away. To swel... [ Continue Reading ]
Amen, amen — That is, 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 ]
In a book — That is, in a scroll of parchment, which the Hebrews commonly call a book. Blot them out — Or scrape them out and cast them into the bitter water. Whereby it was signified, that if she was innocent, the curses should be blotted out and come to nothing; and, if she were guilty, she should... [ Continue Reading ]
To drink — That is, after the jealousy — offering was offered.... [ Continue Reading ]
Conceive seed — That is, shall bring forth children, as the Jews say, in case of her innocency, she infallibly did, yea though she was barren before.... [ Continue Reading ]
Guiltless — Which he should not have been, if he had either indulged her in so great a wickedness, and not endeavoured to bring her to repentance or punishment, or cherished suspicions in his breast, and thereupon proceeded to hate her or cast her off. Whereas now, whatsoever the consequence is, the... [ Continue Reading ]