Numbers 33 - Introduction
_THE TWO-AND-FORTY JOURNIES OF THE ISRAELITES ARE RECOUNTED: GOD ENJOINS THE ENTIRE DESTRUCTION OF THE CANAANITES._ _Before Christ 1452._... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE TWO-AND-FORTY JOURNIES OF THE ISRAELITES ARE RECOUNTED: GOD ENJOINS THE ENTIRE DESTRUCTION OF THE CANAANITES._ _Before Christ 1452._... [ Continue Reading ]
THESE ARE THE JOURNEYS OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL—WITH THEIR ARMIES— As the journey of the Israelites, from their departure out of Egypt to their arrival in Canaan, was a continued succession of miracles, in which the interposition of Providence was most wonderfully displayed, God thought it proper t... [ Continue Reading ]
MOSES WROTE THEIR GOINGS OUT, ACCORDING TO THEIR JOURNEYS—AND THESE ARE THEIR JOURNEYS, &C.— Houbigant renders the verse, _For Moses wrote, at the command of the Lord, their journeys, according to their several stages;_ and hence he thinks it may plainly be collected, that a daily journal of their o... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY DEPARTED FROM RAMESES— Dr. Shaw, in his Travels, vol. 2: chap. 5 has given an accurate account of these several encampments; and in our notes upon the places where they are first mentioned, we have spoken fully concerning them. We shall, therefore, without troubling the reader any further,... [ Continue Reading ]
THE EGYPTIANS BURIED ALL THEIR FIRST-BORN— They were so terrified by the sudden death of these their firstborn, that they pressed the Israelites to be gone; and they were so engaged in mourning for them, and giving them decent burial, that they thought not of pursuing the Israelites till some days a... [ Continue Reading ]
AND PASSED THROUGH THE MIDST OF THE SEA— We cannot but recommend our readers to what M. Vignoles has written upon the event; he has given to the sentiment of M. Le Clerc all the evidence of which it is capable, and to the grandeur of the miracle all the light that can be desired. See his Chronol. to... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ENCAMPED BY THE RED SEA— Not by that part out of which they lately came, but more southerly, towards the Arabian desart. This station is omitted in Exodus, as well as those mentioned, Numbers 33:13 nothing very remarkable, it is supposed, having happened at those places. NUMBERS 33:18. _PITCHED... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY DEPARTED FROM MOSEROTH, AND PITCHED, &C.— Moses says the contrary in Deuteronomy 10:6 that they _took their journey from Beeroth of the children of Jaakan, to Mosera._ Drusius is of opinion, that there were two places of the name of Mosera; but, as all the encampments, from Numbers 33:16 to... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ENCAMPED AT EZION-GABER— "Ezion-gaber," says Dr. Shaw, "being the place from whence _Solomon's navy went for gold to Ophir,_ 1 Kings 9:26. 2 Chronicles 8:17 we may be induced to take it for the present Meenah el Dsahab; i.e. the port of gold. According to the account I had of this place from the... [ Continue Reading ]
PITCHED IN ZALMONAH, &C.— _Zalmonah_ and _Punon_ are not mentioned in chap. Numbers 21:4 where it is said, that _they journeyed from Hor—to compass the land of Edom;_ but we are not told where they pitched, which is here supplied. _Zalmonah_ was, probably, so called from the brazen serpent which was... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY DEPARTED FROM IIM, AND PITCHED IN DIBON-GAD— It is said, chap. Numbers 21:12 that _they removed from thence, and pitched in the valley of Zared,_ near which, probably, Dibon-gad was situated. Most interpreters take _Dibon-gad_ to be the same place which is called _Dibon,_ and which fell to the... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY PITCHED BY JORDAN FROM BETH-JESIMOTH— A place where there was, probably, a temple to some deity; for _beth,_ in composition, often signifies a temple, as _Beth-peor, Beth-astaroth, Beth-baal Berith._ Perhaps _Jesimoth_ is the same with _Jeshimon,_ chap. Numbers 21:20. _Abel Shittim_ is called s... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD SPAKE—YE SHALL DRIVE OUT— i.e. Entirely root out and destroy the inhabitants, for their idolatry and abominable vices, Exodus 23:33.Deuteronomy 20:16; Deuteronomy 20:20. As they were shortly to pass into the promised land, God commands Moses to give the Israelites a general but strict notic... [ Continue Reading ]
PRICKS IN YOUR EYES, AND THORNS IN YOUR SIDES— God here declares to the Israelites, that if they mix themselves with the Canaanites, whom they suffered to remain in the land, those Canaanites should be the instruments, in his hand, to chastise them, and should cause them evils as dolorous in their k... [ Continue Reading ]
I SHALL DO UNTO YOU, AS I THOUGHT TO DO UNTO THEM— That is to say, I will make you the slaves of those who have been slaves to you, and who shall drive you from your country as you have before driven them. See Judges 8:14; Judges 6:2. REFLECTIONS.—Strict injunctions are given for the entire destruct... [ Continue Reading ]