_DIVINATIONS ARE FORBIDDEN, A PROPHET IS PROMISED, WHOM THEY ARE ENJOINED TO OBEY: THEY ARE COMMANDED TO PUT FALSE PROPHETS TO DEATH, AND A SIGN IS GIVEN WHEREBY TO DISCERN THEM._ _Before Christ 1451._... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 1. _THEY SHALL EAT THE OFFERINGS OF THE LORD MADE BY FIRE_— Not the burnt-offerings, for these were wholly consumed upon the altar; but all other offerings, of which a share was appointed for the priests. See Numbers 9:10; Numbers 9:23.... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 3. _FROM THEM THAT OFFER A SACRIFICE_— These words may be rendered, _This shall be the priest's due from those who slay an animal:_ for the original word signifies no more than _to kill an animal._ Genesis 43:16. See Calmet and Ainsworth. Philo, Josephus, and many others, understand this of b... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 5. _TO STAND TO MINISTER_— An expression which indicates the posture in which the priests were to officiate, and their assiduity in the discharge of their functions. The expression, _in the name of the Lord,_ signifies, by his appointment, and for his service. See Outram de Sacrif. lib. i. c.... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 6-8. _AND IF A LEVITE_— i.e. One of the tribe of Levi, whether priest or Levite: Shall _come with all the desire of his mind; i.e._ with a sincere desire to consecrate himself entirely to the service of the sanctuary, and to fix his abode in the same place with the sanctuary; _then he shall m... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 10. _OR THAT USETH DIVINATION_— The Hebrew is קסמים קסם _kesem kesamim, divining divinations;_ which may signify, either divination by lots, after the manner of the _sortes Praenestinae, sortes Dodoneae,_ and others among the Greeks and Romans, or divination by arrows, the ancient βελομαντεια... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 11. _OR A CHARMER_— in the Hebrew חבר חבר _chober chober, jungens junctionem._ The word חבר _chober,_ says Parkhurst, signifies _to charm,_ or, by pretended _incantations,_ to _collect serpents,_ and other _noxious animals_ together, without harm: thus Buxtorf, Psalms 58:5. A passage from the... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 15. _THE LORD THY GOD WILL RAISE UP UNTO THEE A PROPHET,_ &C.— Plain as this prophecy is, it has been strangely perverted and misapplied: but it is conceived, that nothing will be wanting to the right understanding both of the prophecy and the completion, if we can shew, _first,_ What prophet... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 21, 22. _IF THOU SAY IN THINE HEART,_ &C.— It should be observed, that this is to be understood absolutely of an Israelitish prophet. If such a prophet spoke in the name of any other god than the God of Israel, they needed no farther mark to discover him to be an impostor, see chap. Deuterono... [ Continue Reading ]