XIV. (2) AND ALL THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL MURMURED. — When the people murmured in like manner in the wilderness of Sin (Exodus 16:2) against Moses and Aaron because they had brought them forth into the wilderness, Moses assured them that at even they should know that it was Jehovah Himself who had br... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEREFORE HATH THE LORD BROUGHT US UNTO THIS LAND...? — Better, _And wherefore doth the Lord bring us into this land?_ — _i.e.,_ the land of Canaan, as clearly appears from the words which follow (comp. Numbers 15:18, where the same Hiphil participle is used). The destruction which the Israelite... [ Continue Reading ]
RENT THEIR CLOTHES. — Comp. Leviticus 10:6 and Note.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEIR DEFENCE IS DEPARTED FROM THEM. — Literally, _their shadow._ This is a natural and frequently recurring figure of speech in the East, where protection from the scorching rays of the sun is a boon of incalculable worth. (Comp. Genesis 19:8; Psalms 17:8; Psalms 91:1; Isaiah 25:4; Isaiah 30:2.) Th... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT ALL THE CONGREGATION BADE STONE THEM WITH STONES. — All the congregation here, as elsewhere, seems to denote the princes or chief men of the congregation; otherwise it is difficult to understand to whom the order was addressed to stone Joshua and Caleb. Stoning appears to have been a mode of dea... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WILL MAKE OF THEE A GREATER NATION AND MIGHTIER THAN THEY. — A similar promise had been given to Moses on occasion of the rebellion at Sinai, and Moses on that occasion interceded with God on behalf of His people in like manner as at this time (Exodus 32:10).... [ Continue Reading ]
AND MOSES SAID UNTO THE LORD... — There is considerable difficulty as to the correct rendering of these verses. They may be rendered in accordance with the Authorised Version, or they may be rendered as follows: — _And Moses said unto the_ LORD, _The Egyptians have_ both_ heard that thou hast brough... [ Continue Reading ]
AND NOW, I BESEECH THEE, LET THE POWER OF MY LORD BE GREAT. — The word _Lord_ in Numbers 14:17 should not be printed in large capitals in this place, as in the Authorised Version of 1611, inasmuch as it is the rendering of _Adonai,_ not of _Jehovah,_ as in Numbers 14:18. Moses here employs a second... [ Continue Reading ]
I HAVE PARDONED ACCORDING TO THY WORD. — The holiness and justice of the Lord required that punishment should overtake the transgressors, as it had been foretold in Exodus 32:34. Nevertheless the prayer of Moses was heard and answered, and the people were not wholly exterminated. (21, 22, 23) BUT AS... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HIS SEED SHALL POSSESS IT. — It appears from Joshua 14:6 that Moses had specially promised Hebron to Caleb, and that the mountainous country which the Anakim inhabited, and which only he and Joshua of the twelve spies believed that the Israelites were able to take possession of, was afterwards a... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THE AMALEKITES AND THE CANAANITES DWELT IN THE VALLEY. — There is considerable difficulty in regard to the meaning and connection of these words. They may be attached to the words which precede: “And his seed shall possess it, and the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwelling in the valley” — _i.e.... [ Continue Reading ]
HOW LONG SHALL I BEAR WITH THIS EVIL CONGREGATION...? — Or, _How long shall I pardon_ (or _forgive_)_,_ &c. The verb is not expressed in the Hebrew. It is probable that one of the verbs in Numbers 14:19, _pardon_ or _forgive,_ should be supplied.... [ Continue Reading ]
AS YE HAVE SPOKEN IN MINE EARS, SO WILL I DO UNTO YOU. — The Israelites had exclaimed in their sinful murmuring against God, “Would God we had died in the wilderness” (Numbers 14:2); and God declares in His wrathful displeasure that the judgment which they had thus invoked should be inflicted upon t... [ Continue Reading ]
FROM TWENTY YEARS OLD AND UPWARD. — Rashi thinks that these words were employed to show that the Levites who were numbered from a month old and upwards were not included in the general sentence of destruction, and hence that it is no just cause of astonishment that some of them, as, _e.g.,_ Eleazar,... [ Continue Reading ]
CONCERNING WHICH I SWARE. — Literally, _1 lifted up_ my_ hand._ Lifting up the hand is the attitude of swearing. (See Genesis 14:22 and Note; Deuteronomy 32:40.) The reference appears to be to the original covenant made with Abraham, and renewed to Isaac and Jacob, respecting the possession of the l... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT AS FOR YOU, YOUR CARCASES, THEY SHALL FALL. — Better, _but your carcases, even yours, shall fall._ IN THIS WILDERNESS. — The very words which the Israelites themselves had used. (See Numbers 14:2.)... [ Continue Reading ]
AND YOUR CHILDREN SHALL WANDER. — Better, _shall be shepherds,_ or, _shall feed their flocks._ FORTY YEARS. — The forty years were reckoned from the exodus, not from the return of the spies to Kadesh. (See Numbers 14:34 and Note.) AND BEAR YOUR WHOREDOMS. — The children were doomed to bear the pen... [ Continue Reading ]
EVEN FORTY DAYS, EACH DAY FOR A YEAR. — The numbering which is recorded in chapter 26 took place after the death of Aaron, which happened on the first day of the fifth month of the fortieth year after the exodus (Numbers 33:38). Hence it follows that the year and a half which had elapsed since the e... [ Continue Reading ]
BY THE PLAGUE. — The word _maggephah,_ which is here rendered _plague,_ denotes _a stroke._ In Exodus 9:14 it is used of the ten plagues of Egypt. In Numbers 16:48, it is used of the plague which broke out after the insurrection of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, and in Numbers 25:9 of that which broke o... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE PEOPLE MOURNED GREATLY. — It appears from what follows that the sorrow which the Israelites felt was sorrow for the punishment which their sin had entailed, not godly sorrow for the sin itself.... [ Continue Reading ]
INTO THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN. — Or, _towards the top of the mountain._ This appears to have been the same route as that by which the spies had gone into the south country of Judæa. (See Numbers 13:17.) It seems to be implied in w. 44, 45 that the people did not actually ascend the top of the adjoini... [ Continue Reading ]
GO NOT UP, FOR THE LORD IS NOT AMONG YOU. — Moses had already received the command which is contained in Numbers 14:25. He knew, therefore, that the Israelites would not have the guidance of the cloud, the visible token of the Divine presence.... [ Continue Reading ]
ARE THERE BEFORE YOU. — Or, _will be there before you._ If the same persons are here spoken of as in Numbers 14:25, it will follow that they had left their temporary abode, and gone up into the hill country. It is possible however, that the reference is to different portions of the same nations.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY PRESUMED TO GO UP. — _i.e., they made a bold attempt to ascend the mountain._ Their enemies appear to have encountered and discomfited them before they had actually gained the summit.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN THE AMALEKITES CAME DOWN... — The words “which dwelt in that hill” may refer to the Canaanites only, or to the Amalekites and the Canaanites, and may denote either permanent residence or temporary occupation. If the reference is, as seems most natural, to a permanent abode, it will follow Numbe... [ Continue Reading ]