Numbers 1 - Introduction
_THE TWELVE TRIBES ARE NUMBERED, FROM TWENTY YEARS OLD AND UPWARDS: THE LEVITES ARE EXEMPTED, AS BEING APPOINTED TO THE SERVICE OF THE TABERNACLE._ _Before Christ 1490._... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE TWELVE TRIBES ARE NUMBERED, FROM TWENTY YEARS OLD AND UPWARDS: THE LEVITES ARE EXEMPTED, AS BEING APPOINTED TO THE SERVICE OF THE TABERNACLE._ _Before Christ 1490._... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD SPAKE UNTO MOSES— The Israelites had now left Egypt about thirteen months, and had resided near Mount Sinai almost a year, (compare Exodus 19:1 with this verse) receiving all the foregoing laws and injunctions before they left this place. The Almighty orders a general muster to be made,... [ Continue Reading ]
TAKE YE THE SUM— See Exodus 30:12; Exodus 38:26 and the 26th chapter of this book. The tribes were divided into families, the families into houses or households, Judges 7:16 but here _the house of their fathers_ seems of the same import with _the tribes of their fathers:_ so in Numbers 1:4 _the prin... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THAT ARE ABLE TO GO FORTH TO WAR— Hence it appears, that the aged and infirm, such as were _unable_ to go to war, were not numbered: and, accordingly, Josephus tells us, that after fifty years they were not obliged to pay the half shekel which was due upon such musters. Among several other natio... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THESE ARE THE NAMES OF THE MEN, &C.— It is observable, that the tribes are placed not in the order of their birth, but of their mothers; first, the children of Leah, then of Rachel, and, after them, those of the two hand-maids. One cannot help remarking from most of the _names_ here, how much Go... [ Continue Reading ]
THESE WERE THE RENOWNED, &C.— Houbigant renders this, _these were called from the multitude, convocati;_ which is agreeable to the Hebrew. From ch. Numbers 7:2, &c. we see, that these must have been persons of the first distinction. _Note;_ 'Tis not our being among professors, but our being born of... [ Continue Reading ]
EVEN ALL THEY THAT WERE NUMBERED, &C.— Upon an exact poll, wherein every man's name was distinctly set down and his pedigree stated, the number of true-born Israelites, from twenty years old and upwards, stood thus in the gross: (for there seems no room to doubt, that a few odd numbers were neglecte... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THE LEVITES—WERE NOT NUMBERED— We find in chap. Numbers 3:16, &c. that the Levites were to keep a distinct register of their own; though, as being separated from the rest of their brethren for the service of the tabernacle, and therefore excused from war, they are not numbered here with those wh... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT THERE BE NO WRATH— The service of the Levites, respecting the tabernacle, being mentioned in the preceding verses, it is here particularly enjoined, that they should pitch their tents round about it, that no man might approach nearer than was allowed, and thus incur the Divine wrath or displeas... [ Continue Reading ]